Do I want to know?
Kiana hesitated, uncertain. Ruan Mei's repeated questioning left her unable to decide, but at the same time, her curiosity was stirred—she wanted to know what it was about.
If it were something trivial, Ruan Mei wouldn't have asked her in that tone, nor pressed her with such insistence.
If it were something important…
If it were truly important, Ruan Mei wouldn't have the leisure to chat with her now.
So, it wasn't unimportant, nor was it critically important.
Most likely, it had something to do with her—otherwise, Ruan Mei wouldn't be speaking this way.
Then what was it?
Honkai? But if it were about Honkai, why would Ruan Mei keep asking whether she really wanted to know what she planned to do next?
If not that, then could it be…
A sudden possibility flashed in Kiana's mind. The instant the thought formed, her eyes widened, and she blurted out in alarm, "Ruan, you're not secretly researching how to make babies, are you?!"
Just imagining it made her react so strongly. Ruan Mei's strange tone had sent her thoughts flying in all directions.
Do you really want to know?
Really want to know?
That tone was too suspicious!
Ruan Mei blinked, slightly taken aback by Kiana's wild leap of logic. She hadn't expected her to misunderstand so drastically.
However…
Ruan Mei frowned faintly. Seeing Kiana's astonished face stirred a faint discomfort within her.
She should correct her misunderstanding—tell her she was wrong, that this wasn't what she was planning at all. But Kiana's overreaction sparked some inexplicable emotion inside her.
"Is it not allowed?"
Her tone was calm as always, her voice soft yet carrying a faint chill. "Though we haven't held the ceremony yet, you're already my partner, aren't you?"
"If we're partners, then what's wrong with doing what others do? Or… have you changed your mind?"
Her tone hadn't shifted much, yet when she said "changed your mind," Kiana could feel the subtle unhappiness in her voice.
Clearly, Ruan Mei seemed upset.
"I-I would never change my mind!"
Kiana quickly explained, though she immediately realized that sounded flimsy, so she added, "I'm actually really happy to be with you, Ruan!"
Was that true happiness?
From afar, without any means to sense her emotions directly, Ruan Mei couldn't tell. But a faint irritation crept into her heart.
If only she could…
"What if I said yes?"
Ruan Mei herself didn't have any deep thoughts about procreation—it was only because of Kiana's earlier remarks that the idea had crossed her mind.
She knew the timing wasn't right. While she was indeed curious about what kind of life their combined genes might create, it wasn't something that couldn't wait.
But the more Kiana resisted, the more her thoughts wandered.
Especially now—Kiana's panicked reaction only intensified her unease.
"…You really are?"
Kiana's words caught in her throat, her expression torn. After a long pause, she murmured softly, "I don't think I'm ready for that at all, and there's no time, either…"
"But… if you really wanted to, Ruan, I guess it's not impossible. It's just…"
She thought of herself—and of Ruan Mei.
Neither of them seemed like people who'd be good at raising a child. Honestly, not even Acheron looked the type.
None of them were reliable in that regard.
Ruan Mei stayed silent for a moment. She knew she shouldn't entertain such thoughts—but keeping them bottled up only made her feel more uneasy.
Saying it aloud eased her mind.
"I'm researching the propagation of offspring."
"What? Bugs?!"
Still tangled in thoughts about childcare, wondering if she could find someone to help, Kiana suddenly snapped to attention, thinking she'd misheard.
Bugs… could it be that kind?
Was it starting already?
The Starcrusher Swarm King from the containment sector?
"It's something I've thought about for a while. I want to cultivate a replica of an Emanator."
Ruan Mei continued speaking calmly to herself. "I've already made some progress, but… a few minor issues have come up. I'm planning to combine the power of the Honkai with the replicated Emanator of Propagation—to see what happens."
Her tone was perfectly even as she uttered something terrifying enough to shock half the cosmos.
"What did you just say?!"
Kiana's cry of alarm echoed through the room. Her head buzzed, her thoughts went blank, and she instinctively reached out to grab Ruan Mei—only for her hand to pass straight through the hologram.
Combine Honkai energy with the replicated Emanator of Propagation—the Starcrusher Swarm King—to see what happens?
What kind of horrifying idea was that?
The "replication experiment" Ruan Mei had mentioned must be referring to that Starcrusher Swarm King—an Emanator of Propagation!
Propagation had once unleashed the cosmic locust plague!
In the game's storyline, the artificial Starcrusher Swarm King Ruan Mei had created only survived for a brief moment. But if she now infused it with Honkai energy…
Honkai energy was already incredibly corrosive by nature. To merge it with that kind of being—Kiana didn't even dare imagine the result.
Cold sweat began trickling down her back.
Would the cosmic locust plague return to devour the universe?
"Ruan, calm down!"
Now Kiana was truly panicking. If this experiment failed, that was one thing—but if it mutated... the consequences would spiral out of control.
She didn't want to go down in history for that kind of disaster!
"H-How about you, uh, study how to make babies instead?"
"Yes! Exactly! Just focus on that instead!"
The thought of what might happen sent her into a frenzy. She jumped up, already preparing to head out. "Calm down, Ruan! Don't mix Honkai energy with those bugs! I'm coming over right now—I'm heading to the Space Station!"
Ruan Mei simply watched her frantic reaction quietly, ignoring her pleas. Just as Kiana was about to end the call, she asked softly, "You don't want me to conduct this experiment?"
Of course she didn't!
No sane person would want that!
That single thought filled Kiana's mind completely. If she didn't stay by Ruan Mei's side right now, she would never feel at ease.
"Let's not do this, okay?"
She didn't try to argue about ethics or danger—Ruan Mei wouldn't care about such things anyway.
Ruan Mei wasn't someone who cared about morality.
"I just think… we're doing fine as we are. There's no need to make the whole universe our enemy, right?"
She wanted nothing more than to fly straight there this instant!
Damn it—why didn't real life work like the games, where you could just teleport anywhere you wanted?
Wait… maybe it wasn't entirely impossible.
No, she had to think—maybe she could find a way to create something like that.
"So please, just calm down! Don't ever combine Honkai energy with those bugs! Honkai energy can corrupt even creatures blessed by other Aeons! Back in Sakin Chadu, the stray Honkai energy already affected plenty of Abominations of Abundance!"
"I'm coming over right now!"
Ruan Mei, however, said calmly, "You don't have to come."
"Ruan!"
Kiana was truly anxious now, her voice almost pleading as she looked at Ruan Mei. "The power of Propagation is far too dangerous. If you want to study it, we can take our time—but Honkai energy can even corrode the power of Nihility! If the Swarm King mutates under its influence, it'll be a disaster!"
She wasn't worried about the Honkai affecting the Emanator.
She was terrified of how fast the Emanator of Propagation could reproduce.
Honkai energy could erode other forms of energy, but it usually didn't act on its own unless provoked. However, if it were to mix with a fission-breeding insect…
That mental image alone was too horrifying to contemplate.
Honkai creatures could already wield Honkai energy—they were living sources of infection. Insects that bred wherever they went, spreading corruption in their wake…
That scene was terrifying beyond words!
"If you don't like it, I won't do it."
It had only been a passing thought, after all. On reflection, this wasn't the right place for such an experiment anyway.
This was Herta's territory, after all.
She had to show at least a little restraint.
"Wait… huh?"
Kiana had been preparing a long argument—ready to beg Ruan Mei not to open Pandora's box out of sheer curiosity—but Ruan Mei's words stopped her cold.
What had she just said?
"If you don't like it, I won't do it."
Ruan Mei repeated herself in the same calm tone.
Her agreement came so easily that Kiana could hardly believe it, wondering if she was dreaming.
"R-Really?"
"Mhm."
If reviving the Swarm King became known, it would indeed cause her unnecessary trouble. And Kiana's reasoning wasn't wrong.
The Honkai integration experiments could wait until after she finished her current work here—when she returned.
She had really given up?
Kiana could hardly believe it. Ruan Mei's expression was as calm as ever, her emotions unreadable as always.
But through the hologram, Kiana couldn't tell—
Was Ruan Mei being sincere, or just saying it to calm her down while secretly continuing her research?
She couldn't tell.
"That's… good. That's really good…"
Though still uneasy, Kiana couldn't press further. Ruan Mei had already compromised; to push her more would seem excessive.
Still… maybe she should go anyway.
Until she saw Ruan Mei with her own eyes, how could she relax enough to wander the Xianzhou like nothing was wrong?
She'd have to find a way to reach Herta's Space Station.
After ending the call with Ruan Mei, Kiana buried herself in thought—searching for ways to traverse space quickly, to teleport across vast distances.
First, she scoured the system for any available methods. Then, she wondered if Phase Shuttle could be further developed—if it might evolve into something more advanced.
If that failed…
She could only try to find a Starskiff on the Xianzhou and travel to Herta's Space Station herself.
When Acheron returned, Kiana was standing in the middle of the room, focused intently on a cube of space energy she had just created.
The newcomer looked puzzled.
"What are you doing?"
Acheron watched for a while, but Kiana didn't seem to notice her presence. Finally, when Kiana let the energy disperse in frustration, Acheron spoke softly.
Had she been waiting too long and grown bored?
Kiana wasn't usually the type to obsess over power or practice—Acheron had never seen her experiment like this before.
"Mei~"
Kiana gave her an awkward, weary smile. Researching derivative skills took time—it wasn't something that happened just by thinking about it.
Her idea wouldn't work anytime soon.
She sighed. Maybe she should've studied this earlier, instead of waiting until she desperately needed it.
"You seem troubled."
Acheron walked closer, gently pulling Kiana to sit down beside her, smoothing the frown that lingered on her face.
"How did your talk go?"
Kiana didn't answer about herself first—instead, she asked about what Acheron had been doing outside.
"It went… alright."
Acheron thought for a moment before giving that vague reply. She hadn't said a word during the meeting, nor did she really understand the discussions.
But she had to be there and listen.
"What do you mean 'alright'? That's way too vague!"
"Why are you upset?"
Acheron countered calmly.
To her, everything that had just happened outside didn't really matter—it was all coded language, things that those who understood didn't need explained. There was no point in overanalyzing; they just needed to wait for the outcome.
Right now, she was far more concerned about Kiana.
Why was she unhappy?
"Did you talk with Ruan Mei earlier?"
Acheron recalled that Sirin and the others had mentioned it—Kiana had said she'd contact Ruan Mei.
She must have done so while Acheron was away.
But what did they talk about?
Why did Kiana look so troubled?
"Is it about the Stigmata?"
Kiana scratched her head, her mood heavy and anxious. She didn't quite know how to bring up the fact that she wanted to go to Herta's Space Station.
She had just come here with Acheron.
They had agreed to stay on the Xianzhou for a while.
But Ruan Mei…
That was Propagation we were talking about!
Even thinking about the cosmic locust plague from the Simulated Universe made her head ache.
"Mei, I want to go to the Space Station."
Thinking of Propagation, Kiana gritted her teeth and finally voiced her decision softly.
Acheron's hand tightened slightly around hers, her brows knitting. "Is it about the Stigmata?"
"It's not about the Stigmata—it's something else. Something with Ruan… something very… very serious. I just have to go. If I don't, I won't be able to sleep."
Seeing the worry and urgency in her expression, Acheron's face grew serious as well. "Is it that bad?"
"I don't know. That's exactly why I need to check."
Kiana sighed, biting her lip before saying the word aloud: "Propagation."
Acheron blinked, first confused, then startled.
At first, she hadn't thought of the Aeon—but soon, she realized that was exactly what Kiana meant.
Why would Ruan Mei be involved with Propagation?
Thinking of Ruan Mei's personality, Acheron immediately guessed the truth. Geniuses like her feared no boundaries—she must have started researching the Aeon itself.
Acheron had heard of the cosmic locust plague.
She hadn't seen it with her own eyes, but she knew enough—it wasn't something to take lightly.
Compared to that, even the Ark's situation seemed insignificant.
She made her decision immediately. "I'll go with you."
"Mei, you don't have to come with me. Sirin and the others still need you here—the Ark's reconstruction depends on you."
"I can help."
Kiana's eyes flicked toward the long blade at Acheron's side and instantly understood what she meant. If the swarm did break loose, Acheron could fight.
"I get what you mean, but things haven't gone that far yet."
She said, "Right now's the key moment in the talks with the Xianzhou. It wouldn't be right for you to leave now."
"As for Ruan… she said she won't continue the experiment, but I still can't relax. I need to see it for myself to feel at ease."
"Don't worry, I'll be fine. I mean, haven't I traveled all over the place alone before?"
Before Acheron could respond, Kiana spoke over her quickly, determined. "I'll just check on the Space Station and come right back to you."