Only after their figures vanished behind the alloy doors did the suffocating dual presence in the laboratory gradually dissipate.
Sirin let out a long sigh of relief, nearly collapsing. Bianka steadied her just in time.
She truly never thought that after being "subdued" by Shu in the Tower of Babylon, there would come a day when she would feel the pressure of his presence through the Authority of Dream.
The pre-arranged act from two days ago didn't count. In that battle, Sirin was on Noah's Ark the entire time, avoiding almost all possibilities of a direct confrontation with Shu.
Bianka, who had fought Shu almost the entire time just two days prior, slightly rolled her tense shoulders and turned to look at Otto.
The perfect smile on Otto's face faded quickly after the alloy doors closed.
He turned silently and walked to the quantum cluster computer terminal interface, which was still quietly processing data.
The faint light from the screen illuminated Otto's well-defined profile. The laboratory's automatic doors closed silently, separating the inside and outside into two different worlds.
Silence fell once more.
Otto extended a finger, unconsciously tracing the cold edge of the control console, his gaze fixed on some point in the void, his focus lost.
The Otto of this moment no longer possessed the composure and calculation he had when facing the two Shus, but a visible weightiness.
From an objective and macroscopic perspective, the Fire Moth gaining an individual with combat power completely identical to Shu was undoubtedly a tremendous boon.
Fault tolerance, strategic depth, redundant power for crisis response... all of these were immeasurably enhanced.
The Fire Moth of this moment even had the capital to attempt some radical plans that were previously impossible due to the need to 'preserve itself.'
His brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.
"However..."
He paused for a long time, as if weighing something, or perhaps digesting a more complex emotion.
Otto was more concerned about Shu's state.
How could he not know how much Shu valued everything he now possessed?
These people, these bonds, this position of 'being needed.'
A rare trace of near-weary insight tinged his voice.
In the past, Shu was afraid of 'loss.'
Losing his companions, losing hope, losing the spark of civilization he desperately wanted to protect.
So he turned himself into a shield, a sword, a bargaining chip that could be sacrificed at any time.
He continuously compressed, postponed, and even tried to 'toolify' his sense of 'self' to cope with that heavy responsibility and fear.
Otto slowly shook his head.
But this time... the problem was presented to Shu from a different angle.
He was no longer just afraid of losing 'others.'
He was also beginning to fear... 'being abandoned.'
Fearing that everything he cherished, the relationships and sense of responsibility that constituted the meaning of his current existence, would be shared, or even... replaced by another 'identical' being.
Fearing that the 'experiences' and 'self' he firmly believed in might just be a piece of 'data' that could be copied.
This fear was deeper, more fundamental than any of his previous vigilance against external enemies.
Because what it shook was the very core pillar that had allowed him to persevere under such heavy pressure until now.
Who am I?
Why do I fight?
Otto sighed softly, the sound almost inaudible.
"Mutual supervision and rest... heh." A mirthless curve touched his lips. "Hopefully, it will give him some time.
"A little time... to panic, to be angry, to face this sudden panic about his 'self.'
"After all, if one cannot even confirm 'oneself'..."
His voice trailed off, eventually dissipating into the constant low hum of the laboratory.
After a long while, Otto let out a bitter laugh.
"That guy... he probably has already attributed the problem to himself being overly sensitive by now, hasn't he?"
...
The corridor leading to the living quarters was bright and quiet, with only the soft hum of the ventilation system.
Most of the people in the base had been dispatched by Otto to participate in the integration activities for Sapphire City's population, so at this moment, very few people remained in the base.
The two Shus barely maintained a distance of about three meters, their steps deliberately out of sync, yet still carrying a certain annoying, synchronized rhythm.
They each stared at the wall in front or to the side, the indicator lights, the fire hydrants... anything but each other, as if one more look would cause an explosion.
Yet, their senses were both completely focused on the other, keenly aware of their every move.
As the entrance to the living quarters drew nearer, the faint sounds of voices and footsteps, and even the aroma of food, began to drift from ahead.
There were few people in the base, but not none.
They stopped almost simultaneously.
No words were needed, not even an exchange of glances, even though both were resisting this "tacit understanding."
They couldn't go out like this.
Shu's "fame" in the Fire Moth was unquestionable. He had no doubt that the moment he appeared in public, he would become the center of attention.
It was fine on normal days, but now...
Two Shus?
The visual impact was too strong.
If they were seen by ordinary people who didn't know the situation, within an hour, all sorts of absurd rumors would spread through the entire base like a virus—
"Lord Shu has learned the art of cloning."
That was the best-case scenario.
"Actually, Lord Shu has finally found his long-lost twin 'brother'!"
That was the normal scenario.
"It must be a side effect of some new experiment."
That was the scenario where Otto took the fall.
"Could it be a copycat conspiracy by the Honkai?"
That was the scenario where the prophet gets thrown out.
Just imagining the probing, surprised, suspicious, and possibly even fearful gazes and whispers sent a shiver down the spines of the two extremely sensitive Shus.
More importantly, this was clearly not within the scope of "normal" or "rest" as Otto had put it.
They had to disguise themselves.
The thought surfaced in both their minds at the same time.
They finally turned their gazes back to each other, their eyes holding the same cold assessment and... extreme reluctance.
Who would bring it up first?
How should they bring it up?
Would bringing it up make one seem "weak" or "having ulterior motives"?
In the other's eyes, any proactive action could be interpreted as "trying to control the situation" or "setting a trap."
Silence permeated the air.
The voices from around the corner seemed to be getting closer.
Finally, almost at the same time, they moved their lips very slightly, but made no sound. The stalemate continued for a few more seconds.
In the end, it was Shu who broke the foolish deadlock, perhaps because he had convinced himself that this was what the real Shu would do.
He whispered in a dry, business-like tone, "We can't attract attention."
The other [Shu] immediately followed, his voice equally flat: "We need a disguise."
"Become someone else," Shu proposed.
"Agreed," [Shu] nodded.
This was a historic alliance.