Chapter 273

"Gray Serpent." Cocolia truly hadn't expected Gray Serpent to contact her, or rather, to video call her. It seemed like a long time since their last conversation, and the last time Gray Serpent called her wasn't to discuss business, but rather threats!

"What a rare guest, indeed."

"You actually came looking for me."

Cocolia probably wouldn't have said that before, before the Doctor's incident. He always felt that his cooperation with Gray Serpent was quite good, with each getting what they needed.

However, now that the PhD issue has occurred, the collaboration can no longer be as wonderful as before.

"Gem of Desire," said the Gray Serpent. "Name your price."

"What a cold man," Cocolia said, tapping her legs together. "He's not selling the Gem of Desire!"

"I'll borrow it and return it!" Gray Serpent said succinctly.

Generally speaking, people who say this will receive a sarcastic remark from others.

You think you can just lend it to me like that? Why should I? Are you shameless? Or are you a relative who will pay me back? Why should I believe you if you just make empty promises?

But when faced with the Gray Serpent, these words were of no use.

Cocolia certainly wouldn't be so low as to tell Gray Serpent this.

Because Gray Serpent has a very good credit record, if he says he will repay, then he definitely will.

Only...

"Why should I lend it?" Cocolia retorted.

"Name your price," said Gray Serpent.

"I don't think I have anything I need you to do for me lately," Cocolia said with a hint of teasing. "Besides, there is something I want to do."

"You don't need to go. I can arrange some people to go myself."

"I need the Gem of Desire," the Gray Serpent said. "Just for a short time, and I don't care how the Gem of Desire ended up in my hands."

"Hmm?" Cocolia frowned and said, "Gray Serpent?"

Can I take this as a threat?

"No," Gray Serpent retorted, "I'm just stating a fact, because I need the Gem of Desire. So I will definitely get my hands on it."

"I'm simply choosing a method that's acceptable to both of us from among the different ways of obtaining it."

"If you are unwilling to accept it, I will have to choose the way that I can accept."

After hearing Gray Serpent's words, Cocolia shut up.

What kind of person is Gray Serpent? He values contracts and will always fulfill what's written in the contract. You don't have to worry about being ripped off when doing business with Gray Serpent.

But who exactly is this person?

What is said must be done, and what is done must be accomplished.

So Gray Serpent wasn't joking with you here. If this deal doesn't work out, he'll definitely find another way to get the Gem of Desire.

And then, will the Gem of Desire be returned to their hands?

That's a different matter altogether.

"Oh..." Cocolia was neither afraid nor angry.

"It seems you're planning to force a sale?"

Cocolia even said with a hint of delight, "Well... let me think about what price would be appropriate."

It might seem like the Gray Serpent is being aggressive and arrogant, threatening to steal if you don't give it to me, but in reality, it's a seller's market! The more this happens, the less likely it is that people will lower their prices or give it away easily.

"Hmm..." Cocolia thought for a long time before finally coming up with a reasonable price.

"Gem of Desire ~" Cocolia said slowly and unhurriedly, "Since you want it, I can lend it to you."

"If you're willing to do this for me."

"Please take it!"

"Speak." Gray Serpent sensed that Cocolia definitely had no good intentions.

But if it can be obtained this way, Gray Serpent is willing to give it a try.

After all, doing business is the easiest way to get a proportional return on investment and has the lowest risk. Although robbery may yield more rewards, it also means higher risks.

So even if Cocolia didn't have good intentions.

The Gray Serpent was also willing to give it a try.

"Artificial Honkai!" Cocolia finally revealed her true thoughts, saying, "With your technology and capabilities, triggering a small-scale artificial Honkai shouldn't be a problem, right?"

"It doesn't need to be too big, a small-scale event will do, something like..."

"A city the size of Changkong City would be fine."

"!"

Cocolia's request startled Gray Serpent. He suspected the guy had ulterior motives, but he hadn't expected it to be something like this. Artificial Honkai?

Cocolia actually asked me to go to Changkong City to cause an artificial Honkai?

"What do you want to do?" Gray Serpent didn't agree immediately but said, "You should know that Doctor Mei is in Changkong City right now, right?"

"Are you planning to harm Doctor Mei?"

"Of course not~" Cocolia said, "Artificial Honkai doesn't need to be very strong. And artificial Honkai won't produce Honkai Beast can destroy cities or armies."

"There will be no Herrscher."

"With Doctor Mei's abilities," Cocolia said, seemingly quite certain, "It's an artificial Honkai."

"She doesn't even need to move."

"That's Doctor Mei's business," Gray Serpent said. "It has nothing to do with you. I want to know what you're planning to do."

"Cocolia!"

"Even if we could cause an artificial Honkai," Gray Serpent said threateningly, "I don't necessarily have to accept the conditions you're offering."

"If you're going to test my limits with these conditions."

"You're still too green, Cocolia!"

"Of course not~" Cocolia waved her hand and said, "I didn't mean to harm Doctor Mei, but I have something else to do."

"You should know Raiden Doctor Mei, the daughter of Raiden Mei, who considers Dr. Raiden Ryoma his mother, right?"

"I know," Gray Serpent said, "But what does artificial Honkai have to do with Raiden Mei?"

"Of course it's very closely related!" Cocolia stood up and pulled a piece of paper from her drawer. The paper had a picture on it, which she showed to Gray Serpent: "Do you see this? Do you know what this is?"

"This?" Gray Serpent didn't look at it too closely.

It's hard to see clearly through the internet.

But you can still get a general idea.

"This seems to be it," Gray Serpent said, having figured it out. "It looks like Stigmata, doesn't it?"

"Bingo~" Cocolia clapped her hands and said, "You got it right, this is the Stigmata, the Stigmata on Mei's body."

"The reason Mei was taken away by Schicksal and entered the Hyperion so quickly is because..."

"It has a lot to do with this Stigmata."

Cocolia put down the picture in her hand and said, "Mei's Stigmata are said to possess great power, but it has not yet been triggered."

"You should know that in order to fully unleash the power of the Stigmata, a relatively special condition is required."

"Only then can the Stigmata be perfectly activated."

"So," Gray Serpent said, seemingly understanding, "You hope to activate Mei Stigmata an artificial Honkai, right?"

"Yes," Cocolia said. "So, you understand."

"Of course, if you can fake it as being caused by Schicksal."

"That would be even better."

Even if Honkai occurs, it won't happen randomly. Since it's man-made, there will definitely be some clues that can be traced. Therefore, man-made Honkai can be investigated.

Gray Serpent understood what Cocolia wanted to do.

An artificial Honkai activates Mei's Stigmata; let's see what kind of power her Stigmata possesses.

At the same time, they framed Schicksal by orchestrating an artificial Honkai.

This creates a rift and mutual distrust between Schicksal and the Celestial Empire.

This also weakens the power of Schicksal.

This seems like a win-win situation for Cocolia; she only needs to pay a tiny price to deal a huge blow to a future rival.

At the same time, it allows you to discover one of your opponent's hidden cards and prepare in advance.

"Why did you choose Changkong City?" Gray Serpent didn't mind doing this kind of thing.

He only cares about the PhD.

"Because Mei is going to Changkong City," Cocolia said. "And it's also good for you."

"You should know about the recently popular game 'Kallen Fantasy', right?"

"That game that's been called the second CD Projekt Red."

"I don't play games," Gray Serpent replied.

"Then you should try it." Cocolia said, seemingly disappointed. "This game was made by Otto, you know. Otto is determined to revive Kallen."

"Now he has a big goal in front of him without doing anything, and more importantly."

"This goal has accomplished half of his task, leaving him with the other half to complete."

"Gray Serpent," Cocolia said, "Although I don't know what Otto is thinking, do you think he'll remain indifferent?"

"So, for me, all I want to do is use MEI to completely destroy Raiden Ryoma and his supporters."

"But Otto is not necessarily going to do nothing, and what he is going to do is definitely not what you want to see."

"Don't you plan to weigh the pros and cons yourself?"

"Gray Serpent?"

Chapter 294 The Road to Death

"You've completed all the storylines?"

MEI held her laptop and looked at Wendy, whose eyes were so dark they couldn't be darker.

"Ah~" Wendy said, yawning repeatedly, "I read the walkthrough online and played it myself. I got all three endings in this game."

"I really have no idea about side quests and menus."

"Only a portion was printed."

"There are just too many," Wendy said, looking almost desperate. "I really want to know how many people are on this production team."

"This game is really something that's hard to describe."

Even a side quest can have different endings.

"They really dare to do that!"

A side quest can have different endings, which is not uncommon in this type of semi-open sandbox game.

To increase the game's content, playability, and player immersion.

It is quite common to use multiple endings for some side quests.

Furthermore, in some games, the ending and completion rate of these side quests can also affect the ending and completion rate of the main quest.

Of course, as a side quest, it's not very important; it's the kind you can choose to complete or not. It generally doesn't offer many different endings.

At most three, usually two.

A good ending, a bad ending.