"It's done!"
Suddenly, a shout from Dr. Magi pulled Ming Yu's wandering thoughts back to reality.
"Is this the data from this experiment?"
Taking the USB drive Dr. Magi handed him, Ming Yu asked.
Hearing Ming Yu's question, Dr. Magi's expression soured. In his eyes, this was clearly a questioning of his abilities.
But he and Ming Yu were not in a particularly close relationship, so Dr. Magi simply nodded in response.
Receiving an affirmative answer, Ming Yu finally let out a great sigh of relief, and the gravity on his face eased somewhat.
It could be said that a large part of Ming Yu's scheming in the Gem of Serenity incident was for this very data.
Just as he had previously infiltrated ME Corp to steal the data from the Nagazora experiment, what Ming Yu needed was the experimental data from this "Fourth Honkai Eruption." Even though the experiment didn't proceed to the final step, the recorded information was enough to serve as a reference.
Clicking the button to read the USB drive, Ming Yu quickly scanned the contents on the pale blue, translucent screen. He hesitated for a moment, then tentatively asked in his mind, "If the Fourth Honkai Eruption had really occurred, which Herrscher would have been born?"
"Heh, you know the answer very well, don't you!?"
The long-silent System gave only a brief response and then fell silent, but such an answer was enough to satisfy Ming Yu.
In the Herrscher sequence of the Previous Era, the Herrscher of Thunder was third, and the Herrscher of Wind was fourth. But in the current era, the Third Honkai Eruption, triggered by the Gem of Conquest, gave birth to the Herrscher of Thunder, while the Fourth Honkai Eruption, triggered by the Gem of Desire, gave rise to the Herrscher of Wind.
There were indeed similarities between the Herrscher sequences of the two eras, but the influence of the gems could not be ignored. If the Gem of Serenity, representing the power of the Herrscher of Death, were to trigger the Fourth Honkai Eruption, would the Herrscher of Wind still be born?
Although the System didn't give a clear answer, Ming Yu clearly understood one fact.
The order of the Herrschers was not absolute!
In other words, the Honkai would choose the most suitable Herrscher to descend from the available options!
If Anti-Entropy had obtained a different gem instead of the Gem of Conquest in the battle against the Second Herrscher fifteen years ago, perhaps Mei would have become the Herrscher of Wind, Death, or Flame.
Feeling the Honkai Energy fluctuations on the other side of the hotel gradually subsiding, Ming Yu dialed Fu Hua's communication line and began his mission report.
"How are things on your end?"
As soon as the call connected, Fu Hua's voice came through first, making Ming Yu, who was about to speak, pause.
Hearing the concern in Fu Hua's tone, Ming Yu couldn't help but smile slightly, yet a growing sense of guilt welled up in his heart. No matter how you looked at it, he had plotted against Fu Hua.
"It went fairly well. I've taken care of that guy who seemed to be the First Herrscher. I'm in the vault where the Gem of Serenity was stored, but the gem is already gone." His voice carried a hint of weakness and fatigue. Ming Yu paused slightly before continuing, "I just felt a very strong Honkai Energy fluctuation. Perhaps it was the Gem of Serenity."
"...Yes, the Gem of Serenity went out of control." Glancing at the unconscious Kiana in her arms and the now-quiet Gem of Serenity in her hand, Fu Hua's tone remained calm, without any fluctuation. "The gem has been recovered. It's just that student Kiana was unfortunately slightly injured."
"That's good."
Hearing Fu Hua's reply, a note of joy entered Ming Yu's voice. Although he knew the truth of the matter, he also knew what should be said and what shouldn't.
At this moment, he only needed to express the joy of a mission successfully completed.
Pretending to pause and think for a moment, Ming Yu said, "There's still a lot of residual Honkai Energy in the vault. I think it's best to destroy this place completely."
"That would be for the best."
Fu Hua nodded slightly, not objecting to Ming Yu's decision. Although there might be some precious data in the vault, she didn't think handing it over to Otto would be a good thing.
By now, she had also realized that something was off about this mission; too many things were too coincidental. So coincidental that it was as if an invisible hand had arranged everything in advance.
"Dr. Magi, have you seen him anywhere?" Recalling the renegade who had stolen the Gem of Serenity, Fu Hua suddenly asked. "He is also one of the mission's targets. He holds a large number of Schicksal secrets and must be apprehended."
"No, I haven't seen him." Looking at Dr. Magi standing beside him, Ming Yu said calmly, "Perhaps he escaped while the hotel was in the midst of a fierce battle."
"Then let it be. We'll find another way later."
Hearing Ming Yu's reply, Fu Hua could only give up. Although Dr. Magi's existence was a problem for Schicksal, her name was not among those who should be worried about it.
Hanging up the call, Ming Yu turned his gaze back to Dr. Magi, a mysterious smile on his face. "Let's go. I'll take you somewhere, a safe place."
Glancing at Ming Yu's expression, Dr. Magi snorted but did not refuse Ming Yu's arrangement.
Soon, the quiet vault returned to silence, with only the self-destruct device's timer tirelessly counting down.
3!
2!
1!
Boom—
......
His figure leaped between rooftops of varying heights, the view in his eyes changing rapidly. Feeling the wind whistle past his ears, a grin of pleasure spread across Ming Yu's lips.
The superhuman strength granted by Honkai Energy was best demonstrated in this mode of travel. Relying solely on his physical power to treat a drop of dozens of meters as nothing was something a human from Ming Yu's original world could never achieve.
And this exhilarating run through the concrete jungle also dispelled much of the gloom in his heart.
Looking down from high above, Ming Yu could clearly see the chaos unfolding in the city.
For the Schicksal faction to seize power, they had to eliminate the Anti-Entropy faction that held it. To complete such a change of power in a short period of time, the only way was through military force.
Moreover, those who wanted to sell out Singapore to gain a position in Anti-Entropy also had to be cleaned up.
When conflict occurs, chaos is inevitable.
As long as force is used, a certain amount of chaos is unavoidable. All the Singaporean side could do was try their best to control the extent of the chaos.
Ming Yu had no intention of interfering in Singapore's internal affairs.
Although he had acted arrogantly before, he knew very well in his heart that pressuring the other party and directly interfering in their internal politics were two different things. He could not overstep his bounds, at least not without leaving any leverage against him!
His gaze turned to the distance. Ming Yu could almost see the blue-gray line of steel outside the city—the Titan mechs deployed by Anti-Entropy!
These mech units were the other half of his mission.