It was weird.
Extremely weird.
Lin gaze followed a person who greeted him. After half a second of hesitation, he nodded slightly in response.
And the other person... made a strange expression and clenched their fist.
If Lin guessed correctly, that was meant to be an expression of "Good job" or "Hooray."
"..."
He withdrew his gaze and walked past the person he had never exchanged greetings with before.
Lin had a clear self-awareness. He had said long before the Third Eruption that he was a bona fide weirdo. Even though many people had recently commented that his attitude had changed, he still remained within the weirdo category.
But lately, he wondered if it was his imagination—the number of people who passed by and greeted him or offered a kind smile... had increased?
Lin couldn't claim to know everyone at headquarters well, but based on his years of observation, the connections between people were generally not that close. Many joined the Fire Moth out of hatred for the Honkai, and these were often the first to die. Therefore, whether for their own good or the good of others, they would try not to invest emotions in interpersonal relationships.
However, unlike Lin deliberate avoidance, they merely maintained distance, rather than lacking social interaction altogether.
So, they typically wouldn't go out of their way to engage with a sensible person like Lin, who never bothered them.
So, what was the situation now?
"Ah, you're called... 089? 069? Anyway, I have high hopes for you."
There it was again.
Lin looked confusedly at the soldier who patted his shoulder, gave him a thumbs-up, and walked away.
What exactly was going on?
...
"The above concludes the handling of MSA-079. You are prohibited from leaving the headquarters until the investigation is complete, required to report precautions regularly, and your physical condition will be monitored by Mobius."
Lin listened to the High Council's "judgment" on him without saying a single word.
It was less about giving him instructions and more about prevention and punishment.
Only a very small number of people knew about the relationship between Lin and the Speaker, so the High Council was not worried about that aspect. Their main concern was that he might suddenly become the next Herrscher.
Currently, no male has become a Herrscher, but before this, no human consciousness had ever entered a Herrscher Core. There is always a first for everything. If Lin could enter a Herrscher Core, could he possibly become a Herrscher?
So, the solution to this was... installing a bomb.
A micro-bomb would be installed near Lin heart. If he became a Herrscher and his Honkai energy content exceeded a certain threshold, it would automatically detonate. It could also be detonated manually, destroying his heart completely in 0.3 seconds.
The punishment was for Lin unauthorized withdrawal from the Fire Moth and the unauthorized use of the Honkai Sickness serum on him, which resulted in a loss of Fire Moth property.
In fact, the use of the Honkai Sickness serum was unrelated to Lin personal wishes, but since Spaciel's importance was evaluated as very high, she was not penalized. And given the current manpower shortage, Lin punishment was not severe, aligning with what Sakura had told him: merely the loss of his original rank and Captain privileges.
What Lin was genuinely concerned about was Mei's absence from this meeting. Her current position was effectively acting High Council, allowing her to attend these meetings.
Instead, Prometheus Two recorded the entire meeting.
"Doctor Mei is conducting a closed-door experiment. She states that she defers to all decisions and leaves the remaining matters to everyone present." Prometheus Two conveyed Mei's message to the officials, whose faces were not particularly pleased, using a cold, mechanical voice even less gendered than Prometheus One.
But, again, the Fire Moth was going through its most difficult period, and talent like Mei was scarce. Even if she didn't attend the meeting, they couldn't object.
"In short, do you have any objections, MSA-079?"
After reviewing every clause they mentioned and confirming nothing was amiss, Lin sighed softly and replied, "I have no objections."
This was, perhaps, to put an end to the Sixth Eruption...
He planned to leave after saying this, but as he turned to step away, the shock on the faces of the High Council made him hesitate for half a second.
Their expressions seemed to say... "Why don't you object?"
Could it be that they thought the punishment was actually a bit severe, and that's why they were surprised?
Thinking this, Lin straightened up and explained, "I believe my punishment is perfectly reasonable. I voluntarily relinquish the position of Captain of the Seventh Squad and will not appeal."
"What do you mean?"
"..."
Lin frowned, looking at the high official who questioned him with an incredulous tone.
His meaning should have been clear enough.
"I mean..."
"Is there something unreasonable about this? Don't be unreasonable, MSA-079. I know this incident has greatly affected you, but this decision was made for the sake of humanity."
"..."
"Unlike the traitors who constantly targeted you and Doctor Mei during the meeting, I have high expectations for you. Do you understand?"
Though still confused, Lin nodded. After the official exhaled in relief, Lin turned and left the conference room.
As he walked out, a person was already waiting outside, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed.
"Lin..."
Kevin, his face cold, met Lin gaze as he emerged.
"..." It seemed he needed something. Lin waited quietly for him to speak.
"What are you and Mei planning?"
Kevin's first sentence made Lin freeze.
Planning what... He hadn't seen Mei recently; he hadn't even seen her today. What did he mean by "planning"?
Kevin took out his communicator. The screen displayed the internal network forum. A pinned hot topic immediately caught his eye. The red and bold text was clearly the work of an administrator, and this kind of formatting was almost never seen in a place usually reserved for casual conversation.
The image was of a betting pool.
Headquarters Soldier ID MSA-079. I believe many of you are familiar with this ID. Even newcomers must have heard from the veterans about this ID, which is equivalent to the Fire Moth's King of Hell. He has participated in all major Honkai battles and Herrscher subjugation wars from the Second to the Sixth Eruption, holds the record for the highest total number of completed missions in the Fire Moth, and is the former Captain of the Headquarters Seventh Squad—a Helmet Man who never shows his true face.
Recently, MSA-079's personality is suspected to have changed. The man who never initiated social contact and had an awful attitude towards people has begun to treat others peacefully and kindly. Furthermore, he, who was previously opposed to relationships, seems to be interacting more with women.
I hereby open a betting pool, wagering on whether MSA-079's personality has truly changed. If someone can get him to take off his helmet and confess, regardless of gender, it will be considered proof of his personality change.
To ensure this pool can proceed, I am placing the largest bet on the 'No' side. If proven correct, everyone who bet on the 'Yes' side will receive a 'Wish' opportunity. Any wish that I can fulfill, I will grant it to you.
Lin gaze fell on the signature at the bottom of the post.
Head of Headquarters R&D Department, Mei.