The Underground Level of ME Corp (4k)

But after the new weapon was delivered, an awkward problem arose.

The Engineering Department's weapons had already exceeded the physical limits of ordinary Flame-Chaser soldiers. Take the Wind Pressure Gun Chen Ran used, for example. The compressed wind pressure would injure the skin first.

If the blood vessels were not resilient enough, the first thing to rupture would be the soldier's blood vessels. But if the weapon's power was reduced, the Wind Pressure Gun would become nothing more than a hair dryer—a toy.

Oh no, at least a hair dryer could dry hair.

Only special humans like Chen Ran could wield the weapon without injury. Ordinary soldiers' skin could not withstand the air pressure differential.

This time, when Chen Ran went out on a mission, she gave him the weapon and asked him to test it in actual combat.

Vill-V did not need Chen Ran to record the weapon's combat data, because the chip she had planted in him would automatically record it.

"The deviation from the theoretical parameters is less than 0.1. Not bad. So designing a weapon is basically doing this first, then that."

"I completely understand."

Vill-V looked at the data with satisfaction.

This was the first Honkai Energy weapon design and manufacturing project she had participated in. Vill-V did not expect it to be particularly outstanding. On the contrary, her standards were low—she only needed to fully manufacture a useful weapon.

For now, the results looked promising.

Next: "I should be able to try negotiating some terms."

Although she had been treated as a tool, Vill-V was unwilling to remain one.

Her pursuit was not simply to create advanced weapons, though she genuinely enjoyed the process of making them.

For now, it was merely a means for her to peer through the gate known as Honkai. After delivering the weapon to the Abyss and upgrading it, Vill-V could demonstrate greater value within Flame-Chaser.

Flame-Chaser was a very fair place.

It was a large organization that provided a platform for exchanging benefits. As long as one had value worth exploiting, one would receive corresponding resources. It was very fair and reasonable.

Everyone longed to pass through Honkai's gate. Geniuses always pursued loftier goals.

Therefore, while weapons were important to Vill-V, they were not the most important thing.

"How can I lure Chen Ran away from the First Research Institute?"

Whether it was Chen Ran's physical abilities or the knowledge stored in his mind, both made Vill-V's heart stir.

She did not possess the same sense of shame as ordinary girls. If necessary, she would not mind using her body as capital. However, anyone who could enter Flame-Chaser was already among the chosen few, so such methods were naturally best avoided whenever possible.

So she was considering where she could provide value to Chen Ran.

And what she could obtain from him.

"Achoo!"

Having successfully recovered the Herrscher, the First Squad began returning to Flame-Chaser headquarters. Chen Ran rubbed his nose. "Strange. With my physical condition, I shouldn't be catching a cold. Could someone be thinking about me?"

Kevin picked up the conversation. "Is there some saying about that?"

"It's a saying passed down in Shenzhou. If someone is thinking about you, your brain senses it and makes you sneeze. It's pretty popular among young people." Chen Ran made it up casually.

Kevin asked curiously, "What about two sneezes?"

"That means someone is cursing you."

"And three?"

Chen Ran rolled his eyes. "That means you have a cold and should take some medicine."

Kevin: "..."

Chen Ran rubbed his nose, then pointed at the boy beside him and asked Kevin, "By the way, what are you planning to do with this one?"

Cosmo, who had been pointed at, instinctively straightened up when he heard Chen Ran's words.

After the Herrscher had been recovered, the storm had ceased as well.

He had come directly to Flame-Chaser, hoping to join and become one of its members.

Kevin saw himself from several months ago in Cosmo, so he agreed.

Now, Kevin was the best among the new recruits and had the corresponding authority.

Kevin smiled and said, "Of course we'll keep him for training. The more combat personnel Flame-Chaser has, the better."

Cosmo let out a breath of relief, then silently resolved to work hard.

Chen Ran smiled.

Sure enough, the inertia of fate would not be changed so easily.

Then, if the Finality descended...

A trace of darkness flickered in his eyes.

ME Company's Underground Level (4k)

After returning to Flame-Chaser, Chen Ran first went to the First Research Institute. Blanca had been waiting for his physical data.

Whenever his data was being measured, Chen Ran would always complain to Blanca, "I think no one understands my body better than Dr. Mobius now. I don't have any privacy left."

In response, Blanca merely chuckled. "It's fine. The doctor doesn't mind."

"So even in Flame-Chaser, there still isn't gender equality?"

He sighed as though he were a fighter for equal rights resigned to his fate.

Blanca smiled. "You don't need to worry about that."

"What do you mean?"

"The doctor originally handled all data related to you personally, but as you know, the doctor is somewhat lazy. So for a while now, other assistants have actually been studying your body, incidentally improving their knowledge as well." A hint of teasing appeared in Blanca's eyes.

Chen Ran said, "Other assistants... Senior Blanca, you don't mean..."

"That's right. The two girls, Danzhu and Cang Xuan, are included as well."

Upon hearing the news, Chen Ran felt like life had lost all meaning.

Danzhu and Cang Xuan were two newcomers who had joined Flame-Chaser only last week.

Unlike Honkai victims like Chen Ran and Kevin, they had been able to join Flame-Chaser entirely because of the Shenzhou government.

The Third Honkai War had affected all of East Asia, leaving every nation in the region shaken and trembling.

Canghai City in Shenzhou had been affected, leaving Shenzhou in an extremely uneasy state. In order to rapidly improve its ability to deal with Honkai, its higher-ups had approached Flame-Chaser.

No one knew what promises the two sides had made. In any case, the result was that Cang Xuan and Danzhu came to the First Research Institute.

Mobius had wanted to refuse because the two of them looked like trouble at first glance.

However, after Shenzhou's representative promised to donate 1.1 billion dollars to the First Research Institute every year in Cang Xuan and Danzhu's names, Mobius immediately changed her tune.

Who would have a problem with money?

Especially when the money was transferred directly into Mobius's account.

Even if she had to keep two useless freeloaders, it would not matter.

In truth, Cang Xuan and Danzhu, upon whom Shenzhou had placed great hopes, were not useless. They were geniuses who had earned degrees on Mu Continent. According to Blanca's intelligence tests, their memory and logical reasoning abilities were on par with Flame-Chaser's internal researchers. What they lacked was only experience.

And Cang Xuan and Danzhu were not the only people from Shenzhou assigned to the research institutes. Nearly every institute had new faces from Shenzhou. When the Shenzhou representative heard Chen Ran was also from Shenzhou, he had even met with him personally, intending to win him over and bring him back to Shenzhou.

However, Mobius currently regarded Chen Ran as a treasure in her palm, so she naturally would not allow that to happen.

Yet because of that connection, he had been asked to take good care of Cang Xuan and Danzhu.

And those two...

Setting aside their abilities, their personalities had already given Chen Ran a rather poor impression.

They were a little too naive.

"Forget it. I'll leave all that to No. 666."

Chen Ran did not care that, as a senior, he had become a research subject and lost his privacy. It was bound to happen sooner or later.

In a research institute, only fools would care about so-called reputation. After a Honkai disaster, nothing other than survival mattered.

What he cared about more was that he needed to simulate again.

After two weeks of training in the First Squad, combined with Mobius's medicine, he believed this simulation would go very smoothly.

After leaving the First Research Institute, he went to the Engineering Department to return the weapon.

The weapon Vill-V had given him was not something he could use however he pleased. According to the magician, it still needed further iteration and upgrades.

To be honest, it was quite useful, but judging from its current strength alone, this Wind Pressure Gun would probably fail to keep up in the future.

Looking at the girl before him, he could not help recalling the intimate scene from that day in the Abyss.

Chen Ran instinctively pushed aside his other emotions and said, "I'm back from the battlefield. I lived up to expectations and didn't disgrace this weapon."

Vill-V raised a brow. "I already know the data. But right now, compared to the weapon, I want you more."

Chen Ran immediately raised his guard. "What do you want me to test this time?"

The girl in work clothes smiled brightly. "Don't worry. It won't take much time."

Vill-V tormented Chen Ran for two days until he had no strength left anywhere in his body.

He felt completely drained, to the point that he would shiver whenever he saw Vill-V.

His legs felt a little weak.

So why did the weapons she designed all have such strong recoil?

Fortunately, the two days passed quickly. He finally returned to the First Research Institute, checked his latest physical data, and was able to simulate again.

Returning to the simulation scene once more, Chen Ran instinctively let out a breath of relief.

Previously, because he had wanted to investigate ME Company, he had brought Raiden Mei, Kiana, and Wendy here, where they fought Bronya and Sin.

Because he had used the Herrscher's Authority, the burden on his consciousness had intensified, forcing him to leave the scene.

Although only half a month had passed in reality, it felt as if a very long time had gone by.

Only when he saw Wendy's face did he come back to himself.

"Hey, stop staring. You're making her embarrassed."

Kiana complained, "Don't tell me you've got designs on this girl."

At that moment, ME Company was a complete mess from the battle. Sin had already fled with Bronya. The group wanted to pursue them, but Chen Ran stopped them.

He said helplessly, "Of course. She's so impressive at such a young age. She'll definitely accomplish great things when she grows up, so naturally I want to get in her good graces early."

He gave Wendy a playful wink. "After the mission, would you honor me with a meal? Or maybe a movie?"

To Chen Ran and Kiana's surprise, a hint of struggle appeared on Wendy's face.

After a long while, she asked, "Can we change the meal to ice cream?"

Kiana stared wide-eyed. "No way."

"Little Wendy, don't let him trick you."

Chen Ran blinked. "It would be my honor."

At first, he had not understood either, but now he roughly got it. Wendy at this point was most likely the sort of person who shut out everything beyond the training grounds.

All she thought about was training and surpassing Durandal. She simply did not understand the dangers of society.

Sure enough, he was too wicked.

Raiden Mei, who had been ignored, cleared her throat. "I think we're still handling important business right now."

Chen Ran nodded at her words. "That's true."

He felt a little regretful.

He had hurried over because he thought he might find clues within ME Company. But if he had known Cocolia and Bronya were here, he should have come prepared.