"Truly astonishing adaptability. The first time you had a limb replaced, your body experienced severe rejection, but you immediately adapted to the new limb this time. Was it perhaps the lack of anesthetic that allowed you to skip the rejection phase?" Mobius stepped back a few paces, smiling with satisfaction at her creation.
"..."
Lin silently sat up from the operating table, holding his brand new left hand up for inspection.
The muscle was strong and powerful, the bone structure robust, and even the color of the skin at the joint was identical. It was virtually indistinguishable from his original arm.
As for his original arm, whose bones were shattered into fragments, the assistant Blanca had already taken it away. Its fate was unknown.
Mobius's technology was genuinely astonishing. This kind of limb cloning and regeneration technology alone was decades ahead of the rest of the world. One could only wonder how many other biological technologies she was researching or had already successfully developed but hadn't revealed.
Perhaps she had already achieved the "immortality" that humanity had sought since ancient times.
"Thank you." Lin clenched his fist. The feeling of strength prompted him to thank her in a low voice.
"There's no need for thanks. This isn't my charity; it's a transaction. Don't think you can get away with just a simple thank you." Mobius seemed displeased with his rare sincerity. She narrowed her eyes, surveying Lin with her unique green pupils, her cold gaze assessing him like a useful tool.
"I know," Lin's black eyes, visible through the slit in the bandages, met Mobius's gaze seriously. He exhaled and said, "Dr. Mobius, you can contact me if you need anything in the future."
Mobius's eyebrow twitched: "...Why does that sound so strange?"
Never mind.
Mobius dismissed the triviality. She picked up several syringes filled with glowing green fluid from a nearby table and tossed them to Lin. A faint smile touched her lips: "Then, the first thing I'm asking you to do is to test these for me. They can temporarily enhance your physical functions and reduce your pain. Aside from your left arm, you have other significant injuries, so don't think you can cheat me out of my payment by dying in this mission without having paid up."
"...Thank you."
"Tsk. I told you not to say thank you. Besides, they are not without side effects. After the effect wears off, the pain will return to you manifold. It's possible you could die a painful death."
"My boundless gratitude."
"..."
Lin took the medicine and his bloodied uniform and left. Blanca, who had just finished preparing Lin's damaged arm, walked out. She watched Lin's figure disappear around the corner and sighed: "That young man's endurance is astonishing. That was the pain of having your nerves reconnected one by one, yet his expression didn't change the entire time."
"But he is ultimately just within the scope of a 'normal human.'"
Mobius murmured, for some unknown reason, her eyes flickering with an unknown light.
"Soldier Lin!"
Seele and Himeko, who had been waiting in the hallway, saw Lin walking over from the direction of Mobius's lab. Seele, looking somewhat haggard, waved to him happily. She had a scythe-like weapon strapped to her back.
Lin walked past them with his usual composure. Himeko then noticed that his arm had been fully restored, and she exclaimed in surprise: "You actually let Dr. Mobius operate on you?"
Mobius's operating table was comparable to a species-conversion machine; a person going up might come down as an unknown creature that would be recorded in history. Thus, most people in the Moth of the Flame-Chasers mentioned the name Mobius with apprehension.
Seele looked at Lin with some concern: "Soldier Lin, are you sure your body is fine this time..."
"No problem."
Lin shook his head calmly, then moved past the two and walked toward the R&D Department.
His new gear was waiting for him there.
"Lin."
The R&D head's eyes were bloodshot. Since the Honkai eruption, the R&D Department had been working tirelessly to adjust new equipment for the soldiers, and they were still tightening screws even now.
Someone had already informed him of Lin's arrival. The two of them had become quite familiar with each other; the R&D head custom-made over-spec armament that only Lin could use, and Lin, like a test subject, helped him test its performance. There was no need for pleasantries. The head knew why Lin was there.
He handed Lin his signature helmet.
"Communication technology has undergone three generations of updates in just a few months. Others are using lighter equipment, but I know you need this, so I gave it some technical adjustments and upgrades. I believe only you can handle it," the R&D head said, a hint of pride showing on his tired face.
Lin took the helmet without a word and put it on over his bandages, tightened the strap, and activated the internal system.
A red line scanned his iris. The inside of the helmet instantly lit up, returning to his familiar interface.
[Physiological features confirmed]
The sensation of information flowing through his mind returned. Moreover, the various data fields were far more detailed than before, completely analyzing the entire world for him.
"Your jump kit, jet pack, and grappling hook have all been refined accordingly. I've also added some new articulation units to the external power armor. You can place anything you want in them," the R&D head shrugged. "Like putting a photo of your little sister in there, and taking it out to show people before a fight."
"..."
Lin could see everything the R&D head was saying in the helmet's viewport. He could receive information much faster through text than the other man could speak, but he still wanted to listen.
This felt like a handover ceremony, similar to the ancient custom of gifting a sword to a son.
"Of course, all that is routine. It's nothing new to you," the R&D head smiled freely. "So, let me show you something unconventional."
"Unconventional?" Data had already appeared before Lin's eyes. He scanned it quickly and understood immediately.
New weapons?
He followed the R&D head to a storage bay. The head pressed a button and pulled out a rifle with a novel design.
"As you know, the Moth of the Flame-Chasers has been researching Honkai energy. This energy, which is almost omnipotent once its corruption effect is removed, is the new direction for weapon development. And in the short time you were in Canghai City and the Third Herrscher was born, we succeeded."
"The Third Herrscher is surrounded by an electromagnetic field capable of forming a shield. Conventional weapons are completely ineffective against her. Therefore, these weapons, which can convert and utilize Honkai energy, have been born."
"The Honkai brings us not just destruction, but perhaps a gift, too."
Himeko's greatsword and Seele's scythe were also likely made using this technology.
Was humanity's progress accelerating too quickly?
Lin stared at the rifle for a long time, saying nothing. He took it and placed it into a weapon slot on his back. There were also new pistols, grenades, and...
"A knife?"
The last item was a blue-and-white knife, slightly longer than a dagger.
Only a short section of the blade was sharpened, and the blade itself was a peculiar dark blue, as if blue blood flowed within it.
"This is a weapon still in the experimental stage, my personal creation. Consider it compensation for your last injury," the R&D head's eyes flashed with reluctance as Lin took the knife, but he quickly concealed it. "This knife was developed based on the Second Herrscher's data. It's a high-frequency sonic cutting knife that uses micro-particle vibration for cutting. Considering your preferred dagger style, I adjusted the length accordingly."
"..." Lin scanned the weapon but did not immediately pocket it. Instead, he looked up at the head.
The R&D head understood his meaning and smiled indifferently: "It's fine. Only I know about this knife. Use it as you wish, just don't tell anyone that I gave you special treatment."
"Thank you."
Lin felt he had used that phrase an awful lot lately.
"Oh, and take this too. The data has been adjusted, but I still can't guarantee that it will work normally. It's up to you whether you use it or not."
"Here's my personal advice: don't use it unless absolutely necessary. This time, it might just slice your head off."
Lin stared at the watch-like device before him.
Is it possible that I might die?
He reached out and took the exceedingly heavy Phase Transfer Device.