"I'll briefly explain what Miss Einstein asked me to convey."
Rita pushed the brewed tea toward Lin and Bianka. Bianka was pleasantly surprised to find it was the tea Rita usually favored for her.
"Heh, as expected, Miss Bianka taste is the same regardless of the world." Rita gave a soft laugh and took a cup herself. She said in a gentle tone: "First, the Star Gate is ready to be used. Once positioned, it won't be hard to return to the Proper World."
Lin stole a glance at Bianka and found she had no expression and said nothing, quietly waiting for Rita to continue. He also silently turned his gaze back to Rita. She took a sip of tea: "The coordinates for both your Proper Worlds can be located using my 'ship,' so what we need to do next is find a way to retrieve the ship from the rift."
"However."
She put down the teacup, her face partially obscured by the flickering firelight.
"Miss Einstein has detected a strong Honkai energy reaction within the rift, and it's constantly approaching this World Bubble. It seems to be searching for something inside the rift, which is why it hasn't descended immediately."
"But Its arrival is only a matter of time. Miss Einstein estimates seventy-two hours. It is almost impossible to safely retrieve the ship with a high-risk target in the rift. So, we must wait for It to enter this World Bubble and confirm Its identity before deciding on our course of action."
"The worst-case scenario... we will have to welcome an enemy capable of moving freely within the Sea of Quanta and the rift."
...
Mobius opened her eyes quietly in the darkness. Like a true snake, she twisted her waist and moved silently from the sofa where she had been resting to her transport device.
Her green-pink snake pupils glowed with an enchanting and dangerous light. She silently stared at her closed door. Reaching out her hand toward the ceiling, a pitch-black, quicksand-like fluid spread from beneath her, rushing toward "something" inside the ceiling.
Some"one" was outside.
It was 2:34 AM. At this hour, the lab should have been empty, yet she sensed someone walking outside her private office, and they had stopped right outside the door.
Mobius caught a whiff of something unusual.
Nearly a hundred Tenth Herrschers had been confirmed so far, and the number was still growing. These Herrschers were scattered across the globe, causing destruction no less than that of ordinary Herrschers. Because they excelled at hiding within human society—some even showing strong persuasive powers—wiping them out was extremely difficult.
It was more like a battle between humans than a battle against the Honkai.
Under these circumstances, it was possible for unconfirmed Tenth Herrschers to appear even within Fire-Moth. Despite regular Honkai energy testing, no one knew if a new Herrscher would be born during the intervals, so everyone was on edge.
Click...
The doorknob was turned. A dangerous, excited light flickered in Mobius eyes. The fluid material surrounded the door, hiding in the shadows. As soon as the person outside took a step, they would be pierced by countless spikes.
A fresh specimen...
Tap.
A foot stepped through the door. A twisted smile spread across Mobius face. With a point of her finger, the fluid transformed into sharp needles and shot out like bullets!
Schwing! Schwing! Schwing!
"Waaaaah!!"
"..."
After a scream, Mobius mad smile faded. The fluid slowly retracted beneath her. She raised an eyebrow and spoke to the person who had collapsed on the floor in terror: "Klein, what are you doing here so late?"
"D-D-Doctor!" Klein's chest heaved. Those dangerous materials had been less than a centimeter away; she had almost been turned into a kebab. Her usually weak voice was full of energy. "I came to see if you were resting. You haven't slept for three days straight..."
"Oh? Really? You didn't go back to rest this late, but came to see if I was sleeping instead?"
A dangerous scent was hidden in Mobius casual tone. Her snake pupils were so prominent in the dark that it was impossible to tell if she was a person or a venomous snake.
"Because..." Klein looked a bit bewildered, seemingly not understanding why Mobius would ask that. "You told me to finish all the reports in one go. Of course I'd be working this late."
...She had almost forgotten. She was the one who made Klein work overtime.
Mobius relaxed her guard and glanced at the fruit scattered across the floor beside Klein. It seemed she had intended to bring them to Mobius.
"Get up."
Mobius stood and walked to Klein, helping her pick up the fruit. Klein initially wanted to tell Mobius not to bother, but a glare from the snake pupils made her swallow her words.
"Come in and sit for a while." Mobius placed the fruit plate on the table.
Klein looked at the room filled with trash and unwashed clothes, swallowed, and chose a spot that was barely sit-able. Mobius didn't care at all. She lay back on the sofa, her eyes scanning Klein indifferently.
"Um, Doctor, do you want me to help you clean..."
"No."
"Okay..."
Mobius had blurted it out instinctively. When she saw the fearful look in Klein's eyes, she realized her reaction was a bit strong. But she said nothing, her gaze drifting past Klein toward that piece of clothing.
Klein followed Mobius gaze. In the dim light, she also saw those everyday clothes belonging to a certain person.
"Doctor, are you still thinking about... Mr. Lin?"
"..."
She neither confirmed nor denied it. In the past, Mobius likely would have denied it without hesitation. But now she just gave Klein an indifferent glance and said nothing.
What if she was thinking about him? What if she wasn't? Would thinking about him bring that idiot back? Could not thinking about him ignore the fact that he was dead?
"Doctor... Mr. Lin definitely wouldn't want to see you like this. He used to say you did many things others didn't dare to do but had to do, and that you bore the infamy... He admired you. He'd definitely want you to look forward..."
"Klein."
"Yes."
"Have I stopped moving forward?"
"...No."
In the past six months, Mobius had continued her research. Many of the breakthrough developments were her results.
Mobius smiled playfully: "So, looking forward means I have to forget him? Klein, you still don't understand that guy's personality. He's someone who can never escape the past. Every victim left a brand on him, yet he moves forward while bearing all of it."
Klein was stunned.
"Talking to you has made me feel much better, though. Stay and talk with me a little longer."
"But Doctor, I haven't slept today..."
"Then don't sleep."