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Before the screen—
It wasn't just Kiana!
Everyone in the chat group felt an intense sense of wariness toward World Serpent!
On screen—
In order to track down K-423, that is, Kiana,
Schicksal dispatched Rita along with a unit of forces to Sky City, where K-423 had recently been sighted,
Using the pretext of cooperation with Shencheng Pharmaceuticals to conduct search operations.
But very quickly—
Within Sky City,
Although Rita successfully captured traces of K-423 Kiana,
Another discovery shook her far more deeply!
Before Rita—
Was a syringe Kiana had handed to her.
It was of a standard Schicksal-issued type she was all too familiar with.
A data magnetic card, bearing the logo of Shencheng Pharmaceuticals, clearly used as a key to open certain restricted doors.
Soon after—
A report from her subordinate Alvitr forced Rita to take the situation even more seriously!
"Miss Rita, I examined the syringe. It is indeed one of the vaccines Schicksal supplied to Shencheng Pharmaceuticals."
"But the injected liquid inside has been replaced—more precisely, modified."
"Using Schicksal's vaccine formula as a base, it was improved into some kind of activator that can significantly enhance the human body's resistance to Honkai energy."
"Judging from its effects, it doesn't appear to be harmful to the body. However, during today's operation, I saw glowing patterns on those zombies."
"Thinking back now, those glowing markings were undoubtedly Stigmata."
Faced with Alvitr's report—
Even Rita's expression grew unprecedentedly solemn.
"Stigmata? Alvitr, do you understand what you're saying?"
"I… I would never misidentify something like this! I absolutely wouldn't be mistaken!"
"If what you're saying is correct, then what's happening in Sky City is far more troublesome than we imagined."
Rita frowned in thought.
"Stigmata are a technology exclusive to Schicksal Valkyries. For them to appear on ordinary zombies, there are only two possibilities—either someone turned Valkyries into zombies, or someone is conducting experiments implanting Stigmata into ordinary people. No matter which it is—"
Instantly!
Even everyone watching the screen—
With this near-explicit hint—
Immediately recalled World Serpent's plan!
The Stigma Project?!
Experiments implanting Stigmata into ordinary people!!
Wasn't that exactly the Stigma Project?!
No one could have imagined…
That World Serpent had already begun carrying it out?!
But before discussions could even unfold—
Rita's discoveries within the pharmaceutical factory sent an even greater chill through everyone's spine!
"Ever since the Second Honkai descended, this company has proposed providing humanitarian aid to Honkai-afflicted cities worldwide."
"This industrial zone was built starting from that time."
"On the surface, it offers free clinical treatment to patients severely affected by Honkai energy."
"But… free things often come at an even higher price. Sometimes, the cost is one's life."
"The drug analysis report for HBA-022… isn't this the same vaccine model that's been shipped from headquarters to Shenzhou all this time?!"
"And the nearly thirty thousand doses delivered this time—every single one of them has vanished without a trace?"
"There must be even more secrets hidden here…"
As Rita delved deeper and deeper into the pharmaceutical facility,
The hearts of everyone before the screen were lifted tight.
But even with mental preparation—
When the scene from the deepest underground level of the factory was revealed—
Including Rita herself!
Countless superhuman viewers gasped sharply!
What appeared before them—
Were rows upon rows of densely arranged experimental pods!
Suspended within them were experimental subjects that felt both familiar and alien to Rita.
Zombies.
On the skin of these walking corpses—creatures Rita had fought countless times—
Dense patterns interwove, forming glowing sigils!
Stigmata.
Before Schicksal developed artificial Stigmata, throughout humanity's long history, only a tiny number of individuals chosen by fate would ever manifest these special marks.
Rita clenched her teeth, staring at face after face within the containers.
None of them were people she recognized.
She let out a breath of relief—
But in its place surged an even fiercer anger through her blood.
These experimental subjects varied in height, build, and age!
Some had Honkai beast tissues implanted into their bodies, their surfaces covered with white silicon-based shells!
Some had entire body parts removed, replaced with cybernetic prosthetics.
This place was like a grotesque museum of humanity—
Displaying to any intruder just how far the human body could be twisted and transformed!
Rita realized—
She had reached the very core of the secret.
When she connected to the main control computer and accessed the terminal—
In an instant, countless files flooded across her visor.
Amid the blizzard of data, her eyes locked onto exactly what she was searching for.
[Stigmata are not products of natural evolution, but miracles of pre-Civilization biotechnology. Their principles and mechanisms still contain many unresolved mysteries.]
[Before the fall of the pre-Civilization, they inoculated a small number of descendant embryos with complex Honkai-resistant genetic sequences.]
[These sequences construct markings on the human body—these are Stigmata.]
[Humans bearing Stigmata possess far greater resistance to Honkai energy and enhanced control, manifesting all manner of extraordinary powers.]
[Unfortunately, as humanity passed these genes down through generations, mutations and recombinations occurred. The originally complete Stigma genome ultimately fragmented.]
[Thus, although every modern human carries Stigma genes, those who can naturally express them are exceedingly rare.]
[Under the revelation of the Omniscient Serpent, our research has made a breakthrough.]
[We now know how to artificially activate and recombine the latent Stigma fragments hidden within human genes, allowing them to fully express.]
[This process is extremely difficult. Those unable to endure it will die—or even become walking corpses.]
[But those who survive will gain the power to endure Honkai.]
[The cost is extraordinarily high—but it is worth it.]
[Current activation progress remains slow and falls far short of projected numbers. We plan to conduct experiments in a densely populated city.]
!!!
In an instant—
The chat group exploded!
[March 7th: As expected… it really is World Serpent's Stigma Project!!]
[Himeko (Star Rail): Damn it… this is utterly inhumane!]
[Tesla: Damn World Serpent!! This is blatant human experimentation! This is slaughtering humanity!!]
[Tesla: Are they insane?! Using an entire city's population as test subjects?!]
[Einstein: We must stop them! No—we must destroy this organization!]
[Theresa: Agreed! In opposing such an anti-human organization, Schicksal will stand with Anti-Entropy!]
[Ningguang: Such an organization must be purged!]
[Furina: How is this any different from Honkai itself?]
[Bailu: Looks like Kevin isn't anything good either!!]
[Raiden Mei: It's rare to see Dr. Einstein this angry…]
[Kiana: Because what World Serpent is doing is cruel and vile—more detestable than Honkai itself!!]
[Hu Tao: Too disgusting… treating human lives so casually!]
[Ruan Mei: If it isn't for studying the essence of life, then such experiments are simply wasting materials.]
For a moment—
Everyone was filled with anger and shock at World Serpent's brutality!
They already knew that the Pioneers had devised several plans to resist Honkai—or preserve civilization.
This included the general outline of Kevin's Stigma Project!
But no one had imagined—
That the Stigma Project had already begun while Kevin was still sealed in the Sea of Quanta by Dr. Su?!
Or even earlier—
Since the onset of the Second Honkai!
World Serpent had been secretly carrying out inhumane Stigma experiments around the world under the guise of charity!
And now—
They were preparing to conduct even larger-scale experiments in a densely populated city to advance this insane Stigma Project!!
Instantly—
It wasn't just Tesla and the others who were furious.
Theresa, representing Schicksal's stance, openly condemned World Serpent!
Such an extreme anti-Honkai—no, outright anti-human—organization—
Had placed itself squarely against both Schicksal and Anti-Entropy!
At this moment—
Everyone's impression of Kevin plummeted to rock bottom.
Once, as one of the final warriors who fought Honkai and the Herrscher of the End in the Previous Era,
Kevin had been worthy of respect.
But…
The Stigma Project he chose to carry out was far too insane, far too devoid of humanity!
What difference was there between such a Kevin and Honkai itself?!
Yet what truly exceeded everyone's expectations—
Was how suddenly World Serpent's experiment would unfold!
And the location was—
Sky City!
Inside the Shencheng Pharmaceuticals laboratory building in Sky City,
Kiana reunited with Mei!
The instant she saw Kiana,
Mei completely lost control of her emotions, pulling Kiana tightly into her arms!
The warmth and softness made Kiana's face flush slightly as well!
"Mei… give me some time… we need to leave this place first. After we deal with the crisis threatening this city…"
"Then we can talk about everything else."
Kiana stammered,
Unsure how to face Mei and their former companions.
Mei nodded, revealing that it was Rita's message that had enabled their reunion here.
Soon after—
Rita arrived as well.
The three quickly exchanged information.
They learned that World Serpent planned to artificially trigger a Honkai outbreak in Sky City, plunging the entire city into disaster!
"They dismantled the Honkai energy engine of the EOS. To maximize its impact on Sky City's residents, they installed it atop the city's central signal tower."
"Remove the protective casing, let the engine core overload for a short time—and it becomes a time bomb that releases massive amounts of Honkai energy…"
"Afterward, when investigations begin, Schicksal will never be able to clear its name."
As Rita explained—
Everyone was horrified by World Serpent's vicious plan!
Detonating a Honkai energy engine in Sky City—
Triggering a city-wide Honkai catastrophe, condemning all its residents…
For a moment—
Kevin and World Serpent's madness sent a chill through everyone's bones!
Many superhuman viewers could already envision the horrific scene of an entire city drowning in despair!
Only one in a thousand would awaken Stigmata!
The rest would face death—
Or become neither human nor ghost, walking corpses!
Before the screen—
Whether it was the trio of St. Freya Academy and Theresa,
Rita, Durandal, and the Valkyries at Schicksal HQ,
Tesla, Einstein, and the scientists of Anti-Entropy,
Or even the semi-transparent Welt Joyce—
All clenched their fists tightly.
Such a cruel plan—
Using an entire city as an experimental ground—
Was absolutely unacceptable in reality as well!
For the first time—
Because of World Serpent's exposure on screen,
Anti-Entropy and Schicksal in reality reached an unprecedented tacit understanding!
In reality, at Schicksal Headquarters.
"Ah?! Lord Otto!"
Only now realizing she should notify him, Amber looked up—and jumped in fright.
Otto had somehow already set aside his work, reclining casually in his chair, propping his cheek with one hand as he watched the screen.
"Lord Otto! I'm sorry… Amber forgot to—"
"It's fine."
Otto lifted a hand slightly.
His emerald-green eyes never left the screen, fingers lightly tapping the desk.
His gaze carried interest and amusement.
World Serpent…
The Stigma Project.
Kevin Kaslana—
Fu Hua's old friend, and Kallen's ancestor.
Tsk. A truly mad man.
And, of course, a troublesome one.
At this moment—
Amber hesitated, then asked:
"Lord Otto… Schicksal… Schicksal will stop World Serpent, right?"
Even Amber—
After witnessing World Serpent's insane plan to use an entire city as an experiment—
Could not help but feel shaken.
"Of course, my Amber."
Otto smiled brightly.
Having seen many fascinating developments on the screen—and gained further confirmation of his own path's feasibility—
Otto was in an excellent mood.
"Isn't the very purpose of Schicksal's existence to protect this world?"
"Yes! Amber understands!"
Receiving the bishop's affirmation, Amber nodded firmly.
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