"Although I know you're a face-blind man with severe facial nerve paralysis, at least give me some reaction right now."
Mobius closed the door behind her, locking the laboratory. Seeing Lin calm demeanor, her tone became slightly less amicable.
"...The Second Herrscher's Core. This is not something that can be privately held." Lin attention was focused on the gray gem, which looked like it could crack the vessel and disappear into a space rift at any moment. Just its presence there caused physical and mental discomfort.
The Second Herrscher was the Herrscher whose subjugation took the longest time. Her authority and the damage she caused left the Fire Moth helpless against this second appearance of a humanoid monster. As is generally agreed, "The Second Herrscher appeared too early."
Yes, the Herrscher of Void was second in the Herrscher sequence, yet her malevolence had already surpassed all current Herrschers other than the Sixth.
Therefore, after defeating the Second Herrscher, research on this Herrscher with unique authority never ceased. From her corpse to her core, every possible method of research was employed, delving into every pore and every Honkai energy fluctuation.
Most of the current anti-Honkai equipment originated from research on the Second Herrscher, including Honkai energy conversion devices, time-space disruption devices, and Honkai energy detectors... The harm she inflicted on humanity was matched by the legacy she left behind.
Consequently, the Herrscher Core of the Second Herrscher was valued much more highly than other Herrscher Cores. This research also involved the research on the Sea of Quanta, led by Einstein, who recently departed.
The Second Herrscher's Core appearing in Mobius's lab was truly... not good.
"Just borrowing it. I'm second to none in researching this core. Instead of letting it sit on a high pedestal as a display, it's better to make good use of it before that clunky Vil-V turns it into a weapon. Perhaps this experiment concerns the life and death of humanity." Mobius licked her lips, her eyes filled with excitement. Her only feeling at the moment was impatience.
"Since you briefly became Herrscher consciousness, and in a state where your human personality wasn't contaminated, let's try a different perspective: Is it possible that after that, you are entirely Herrscher consciousness, but you just retain your human personality, which makes it undetectable?"
There was a certain logic to this statement.
Change requires a reference. And changes in consciousness type cannot be judged against a reference to see if a change has occurred. The Sixth Herrscher also said at the time that even if Lin were expelled from the body, she would not attack him. Could this be implying that Lin was already on the same side as her?
"Then, let's try. Try to resonate with this Herrscher Core. You briefly used the Sixth Herrscher's authority, so you might also be able to use the Second Herrscher's authority." Mobius's tone grew more passionate. She was already holding up the transparent vessel, the unknown liquid inside enveloping the Herrscher Core. "A Herrscher with a human heart—don't you think this is the future of humanity?"
"I can't do it."
"...Hmm? What did you say? Did I hear you wrong? You're saying you can't do it before even starting?" Mobius pondered for a moment, put down the Herrscher Core, and raised her hair, looking confused.
"I could only use the authority because my consciousness was inside the Herrscher Core. Externally, I don't feel any connection to this core."
"..."
What was this? A waste? Did she have to return the Herrscher Core she had gone to so much trouble to steal just because of this guy's single sentence?
To be honest, Mobius had considered directly implanting the Herrscher Core into Lin body. Herrschers are born when large amounts of Honkai energy gather in the body, forming a Herrscher Core. Implanting the Herrscher Core into a human body now would be equivalent to replicating this process. If the core didn't corrupt the human consciousness, a new Herrscher might be born.
But what if the Second Herrscher's consciousness revived inside Lin body? If the true Herrscher of Void returned, far removed from the imagined Herrscher with human consciousness, the current Fire Moth and human society would be unable to stop her.
Therefore, this method of attempting to use the Herrscher Authority externally became the purpose of her experiment.
At this moment, this experiment was declared a failure by Lin indifferent rejection.
"True enough. If creating a Herrscher were that simple, the complexity of consciousness wouldn't be acknowledged." Recovering from a slightly frustrated mood, Mobius sneered. "However, there's no doubt that your consciousness is special. Live well and wait for the day it's needed."
She remembered a specific Divine Key in Mei's Divine Key plan.
It was an idea conceived after the Divine Keys—a Divine Key that didn't require a fixed Herrscher Core and belonged exclusively to humanity.
A weapon capable of directly triggering Herrscher-level abilities and reproducing Herrscher Authority.
If that concept could be realized, then the artificial creation of a Herrscher with a human personality might also be achievable.
"In that case, you should go back for now. Today's experiment ends here." Mobius sighed, looking at the Herrscher Core. She was a bit reluctant, but containing this item alone was troublesome for her. It was better to return it to the Fire Moth for stricter supervision.
As she reached the door, she caught a glimpse and remembered something.
"Oh, right, help me dispose of this. Just throw it in the trash processing room."
Mobius walked to a corner of the lab and pointed to a bag at her feet. It looked heavy and full of something. It was indeed difficult for her to move it alone.
Lin was passing the trash processing room on his way back, so he nodded, stepped forward, and lifted the bag.
To be honest, it was lighter than expected.
Generally, experimental waste is quite heavy and has a higher density than normal matter. Yet this bag of "waste" weighed only... the weight of an adult human.
Lin looked speechlessly at Mobius. His eyes were already somewhat icy.
"Heh..."
Mobius didn't seem to want to explain anything. She merely gestured with her eyes for him to peek inside, then turned and walked out.
Lin didn't hesitate. He opened the bag, and what appeared inside was the "thing" that silenced him.
A "thing" that was somewhat as he guessed, yet completely different.