"Clang, clang!"
Seeing the abundance of precious materials and high-grade modules before her, Vill-V couldn't resist walking over, taking out a wrench, and giving one of the units a firm tap.
"Ooh~"
"This density, this luster."
"It's truly amazing you managed to get your hands on these good things, Miss Eden."
Vill-V wasn't just capable of creating Keys of God. As a master machinist, her expertise in materials engineering was something even Mei and Mobius couldn't compare to. In fact, the vast majority of important facilities within the Flame-Chasers' base were designed and built by Vill-V.
"It's nothing much."
"These materials… are they enough, Miss Vill-V?"
Eden, long accustomed to praise, gently shook her head.
Stepping onto a container covered with a dust cloth, Vill-V casually took the inventory list handed to her by a staff member from the side. She glanced at the numerous heavy trucks in the distance for a moment and said:
"If all the materials on this list are of this quality…"
"Not only is it enough, but building two more laboratories wouldn't even be a problem."
Modular components plus finished industrial materials, along with enough experimental equipment to support initial use—Eden's wave of assistance was truly a timely godsend.
"And time?"
"Will we make it?"
Dr. Mei asked the most crucial question.
Even if the materials and equipment provided by Eden were perfect, rebuilding a base was by no means a simple task. One had to remember that even with all design blueprints perfectly preserved, the time it took for the Flame-Chasers to rebuild a new base, from the Herrscher of Sentience's intrusion to the Emperor's attack, was measured in months.
Now…
"Well."
Vill-V gently poked her delicate chin, then made a "V" gesture with her hand—this was Vill-V's signature gesture, representing both her own existence and, in this case, the time needed to rebuild the base.
"Two months…"
"No, we need to shorten the time to within two weeks."
————
Two months was far too long.
To be honest, while two weeks sounded somewhat demanding, it still wasn't enough for the Flame-Chasers. If the Black Emperor's objective was truly as they imagined, given the opponent's swift and decisive speed… by the time the laboratories and base were rebuilt, Mu Continent, humanity's other core, would likely have been completely razed.
"No, no, no~"
Facing Dr. Mei's request, Vill-V vigorously shook her head.
Within her pinkish-blue pupils, an unprecedentedly bright light shone.
"I'm talking about… two days, you know!"
"Two days!?"
The one who exclaimed in surprise was Eden, standing beside her.
Eden knew very well how exaggerated the logistical effort had been to gather these materials and equipment, especially with the entire world in such a tense state. This was truly spending money like water, and if Eden hadn't personally stepped in, others wouldn't have been able to achieve it even if they had the money.
Furthermore.
The laboratories funded by Eden were not lacking in high-end research personnel.
Although they were dissatisfied with this "forced funding" of the Flame-Chasers, since it was the major benefactor speaking, coupled with Eden's reputation, the execution ultimately went smoothly.
However, they had also raised very rational questions:
Constructing a laboratory of equivalent or even larger scale was something that, for any faction, would take years and months.
According to the most optimistic estimate given by one laboratory.
Rebuilding a large-scale laboratory at the level of the Flame-Chasers would require at least half a year.
According to their words…
"That's right, two days."
Vill-V confirmed she hadn't been joking just now.
"However~"
"Two days refers to rebuilding Mobius's laboratory. After all, even with my little cuties… we're a bit short-handed."
A baseball-sized mechanical doll appeared in Vill-V's hand.
"All other projects will be postponed. Simply establishing a rudimentary version of a laboratory sufficient to carry out 'Project Chimera'… should be no problem."
"Of course."
Vill-V, as if by some magic trick, "whooshed" and teleported beside Mobius, pressing down heavily on Klein's shoulder with her own "weight."
"The premise is, Mobius has to lend me Klein for a bit."
Before Mobius could object, Vill-V immediately shut her "dearest friend's" mouth:
"Two days. You need to heal everyone as quickly as possible. At the very least, Kevin can't undergo the experiment while injured, right?"
"So~"
"An assistant who understands most of your experimental equipment and plans… it seems Klein is the most suitable, isn't she?"
————
With Mobius biting her handkerchief in a frustrated expression, Klein was dragged away by Vill-V.
And the seemingly relaxed atmosphere ended there.
Even if Vill-V, as she claimed, miraculously built the laboratory required for "Project Chimera" in two days, no one could guarantee the absolute success of the project.
Moreover…
"We need to support Mu Continent."
Even though they had just suffered a nearly devastating sneak attack, Dr. Mei stated this unequivocally.
"Even so?"
Mobius, having recovered from the "pain of losing Klein," casually tossed out a small sphere.
The image projected from it was precisely the scene of Su rampaging after an artificial Honkai Eruption, and Mobius transforming into a giant serpent battling Quetzalcoatl.
This video footage, its source unknown, had already spread in many parts of human society.
Many people believed.
The so-called "Honkai Beast destruction" was merely an excuse by the Flame-Chasers. In reality, the base, built at great expense, had suffered a bitter consequence due to the failure of the Fusion Warrior experiments.
This kind of rhetoric…
For various reasons, had even once become the mainstream view in society.
The already unpopular Fusion Warriors saw their status plummet once again in the eyes of ordinary people, reaching a level close to that of Honkai Beasts.
"Even so."
Taking a deep breath.
Mei, her expression seemingly unchanged, continued:
"I believe some things do not need to be reiterated."
"Even if the higher-ups have their own ulterior motives, those of us who chose to join the Flame-Chasers… at least those present here, should not have changed our own convictions."
"If we do not go to save them."
"The existence of the Flame-Chasers becomes meaningless."
"..."
Silence lingered among the group, but this solemn atmosphere did not last long.
"I'll go…"
Griseo spoke up proactively.
"No, let me go!"
Before Griseo's voice had faded, Kosma hastily interrupted.
"..."
Before Kevin's "Project Chimera" succeeded, no one dared claim to be a match for the "Black Emperor"—even a Fusion Warrior of Sakura's caliber had been defeated by the opponent in a single blow, let alone Griseo and Kosma.
Even if the Black Emperor didn't appear.
Facing a Honkai Beast legion targeting an entire continent… what was called support was, in reality, using their lives to stall the Honkai Beasts' advance.