In Honkai, But Integrated Strategies Activated

Chapter 29: Theresa: Why Do I Feel Like Someone's Cursing Me?

"But, but... I really remember..."

Ryan felt like the young girl in front of him was about to cry.

"Yes, from your perspective, there's no problem. This is also a phenomenon we've only recently researched."

Ryan sighed, "The top researchers from our other Schicksal branches recently published a paper pointing out that if a Pseudo-Herrscher is formed without a host body, it might be directly infused with a complete set of memories and personality, and then be given a mission to destroy civilization..."

"Although we don't know why the final step didn't take effect with you, there's no doubt that the preceding steps perfectly match."

"Then... what are you planning to do with me?"

"Uh... to be honest, there's no precedent for a situation like yours right now." Dr. Ryan hesitated, "Although we know you haven't caused much in the way of casualties, apart from a certain amount of property damage."

"However, Schicksal headquarters might not be as understanding as I am, and their attitude towards Honkai-related beings has always been quite strict..."

"If that's the case... then it doesn't matter anymore." Highmore lowered her head with a hint of self-abandonment, "After all, everything about me is also fake..."

"Ah, perhaps my wording was too serious just now. Miss Highmore, you don't need to be so pessimistic." Seeing the girl fall into self-abandonment, Ryan inwardly rejoiced that she was cooperating so well and comforted her:

"There are actually many turns for the better. Miss Highmore, although your past memories are fake, it's not too late to create new ones from now on."

"As long as you can survive, there's still a chance to fill these voids formed by fake memories."

"Does the Doctor mean you have a way to let me live?" Highmore looked up, a glimmer of hope reappearing in her eyes.

"You're very smart, Miss Highmore." Ryan nodded with satisfaction, "I happen to have a project that involves implanting a Herrscher Core into a person to actively induce a Herrscher with human consciousness."

"Right now, this project has stagnated to a certain extent. On one hand, the compatibility between the host and the Herrscher Core hasn't been improving. On the other hand, we can't guarantee that the host will remain rational after fusing with the core."

"And a unique case like yours, Miss Highmore, is of great value to our experiment. Perhaps it can provide us with many ideas and directions."

"And this project, even within Schicksal headquarters, carries significant weight..."

"So, you want me to be one of the test subjects for this project to avoid being executed directly by Schicksal headquarters?" Highmore understood only half of it.

"That's right. This is also the only method with a relatively high success rate to save your life." Ryan nodded, "How about it, Miss Highmore, are you willing to cooperate?"

"I probably don't have any other choice now..." Highmore's expression carried an unspeakable sadness, "Then I'll do as you say. I don't care..."

"In that case, please cooperate well, Miss Highmore." Ryan was overjoyed, "Schicksal might send people for covert investigations recently. At the same time, I will also invite some colleagues from other branches to assist with the preliminary research. Miss Highmore, you must show your harmlessness as much as possible during this period."

"Regardless of whether the experiment progresses, as long as your condition, Miss Highmore, is stable enough, even if the experiment doesn't go smoothly, I'll find a way to protect you."

Having said that, Ryan put on his gentle smile again, like a kind elder, and persuaded, "Miss Highmore, although reality is cruel, you must also quickly emerge from your sadness."

"Another member of this experiment is a young girl around your age, possibly even younger than you. You can communicate with her more. I'll arrange for you to live together."

"She has been participating in this experiment for over a year. I'll also have her take care of you more. I hope you can overcome your gloom with her help."

After saying this, Ryan stood up and glanced at Highmore, who was still in a daze.

"It seems Miss Highmore might need some alone time. In that case, I'll leave for now. Miss Highmore, you can take more time to consider. I'll come back this afternoon to arrange your follow-up matters."

Watching Ryan's retreating back, Highmore stared blankly out the window, looking like she was contemplating life, no, contemplating Herrscher-life.

"Did he leave?"

"He did."

"Then can I laugh now? I was afraid you wouldn't be able to hold it in if you heard us laughing, so Flame Willow and I didn't dare to make a sound."

"...Laugh if you want. I can forcibly control my facial expressions. Otherwise, do you think I could pretend so well just now?"

"Hahahaha..." x2

Mermaid scene, slapping table and laughing.jpg

"No, how can this old man be so naive? How outdated is this PUA method? I'm getting secondhand embarrassment just watching."

"Be confident. If this guy had any real skills, he wouldn't have been sent to Oceania by Otto as a disposable resource."

"To be fair, the part that really got me was him holding up that paper by Xia Ling and Theresa and saying it was written by top researchers." Highmore chimed in on the channel, "Can you imagine? Theresa's intelligent expression equated with 'top researcher'."

"Right, right, Theresa actually wrote that paper." Xia Ling added with a laugh, "I asked her to write the acknowledgments."

The channel was filled with a joyful atmosphere for a while.

Until a moment later, the room door was slowly knocked upon.

"Come in." Highmore was a bit confused, thinking Ryan had come back.

However, as the door opened, a small head with black hair mixed with cyan peeked in from the doorway.

Then she tried to open the door completely with one hand while moving her wheelchair in with the other.

Seeing this, Highmore quickly stepped forward to help open the door and push Wendy in.

"Um... are you?"

Although she knew the girl's identity clearly in her heart, Highmore still pretended to be confused.

"Ah, hello. I'm your future... uh, I guess roommate, Wendy." Wendy lowered her head slightly, saying a bit awkwardly, "Dr. Ryan told me about you and asked me to comfort you..."

Wait, is this how you directly offer comfort... Highmore felt a bit speechless. In the original storyline, Wendy didn't have much ink, and she was only known to be very strong and gentle. Even in an environment like Oceania, she persisted for more than two years before losing control and becoming a Herrscher.

But no one had ever told her that Wendy's personality was a bit goofy.

With a somewhat helpless feeling, Highmore perked up and began to converse with Wendy.

Chapter 30: Highmore: You Seem a Little Too Easy to Capture

"Hiss... Looking at it this way, the strange aspects of this Highmore are truly one after another."

Dr. Ryan placed several different documents on the table, his brow furrowed.

"According to the data transmitted from all the Valkyries' detectors later on, the average level of Honkai in this incident was barely enough to create a Pseudo-Herrscher, let alone a Honkai Emperor. The Honkai Energy interference was so strong that it caused all the instruments to malfunction..."

"More importantly, according to the reports from the post-incident data recovery personnel, these instruments were not damaged at all. In fact, they were executing the command to detect Honkai Energy levels the entire time."

"Then why did all the Valkyries unanimously say the instruments failed?"

Ryan irritably ran his hand through his already thinning hair, pondering with frustration.

"Could it be some kind of mental control? But that doesn't make sense. Hypnotizing such a large area just to make the Valkyries believe their instruments failed? With that kind of ability, it wouldn't take much effort to eliminate everyone, right? Isn't that as absurd as Sun Wukong paralyzing a group of fairies and then choosing to eat peaches in Journey to the West?"

"Damn it, because they all thought the instruments failed, the on-site data is useless except for these energy level readings. They didn't come here specifically to annoy me, did they?"

Ryan sighed in frustration, trying to comfort himself: "Forget it, I won't think about it anymore. Fortunately, this time we obtained a perfect Pseudo-Herrscher subject, and one whose strength can be perfectly suppressed by the Oceania Branch... I hope I can extract enough value from her. Wendy's experiment has basically failed, and my further progress depends entirely on this Pseudo-Herrscher..."

Just as Ryan was still dwelling on Highmore's incident report, accompanied by a knock on the door, the Branch Leader pushed it open and entered.

"What's wrong, Dr. Ryan? Why do you look so glum?"

"Sigh, I'm troubled by the matter of that experimental subject. There are just too many peculiar aspects to this Honkai incident. I'm struggling with how to write the incident report for Schicksal headquarters."

"Let me see..." The Branch Leader picked up the files on the table and quickly flipped through them.

"Hmm... Regarding this part, and this part, we can hold off on reporting them for now."

After a while, the Branch Leader put down the files and took out the reports concerning the instrument malfunction and the intensity of the Honkai Energy.

"The investigation for these two reports would theoretically take time. We can use the excuse of prioritizing the settlement of personnel and property damage to submit the other content first."

"If headquarters doesn't inquire further, then it will pass. If headquarters demands more detailed information, we'll have some buffer time to study it slowly."

"But, if we do that, won't Bishop Otto be displeased..."

"Displeased? Oceania is my territory. What good will his displeasure do?" The Branch Leader was indifferent.

"As long as the procedures are compliant, Otto is powerful, but I'm far away here, and his reach doesn't extend this far."

"Oh, and one more thing, we need to send out the invitation to the Far East Branch simultaneously. How are you preparing?"

"I plan to invite the Branch Leader of the Far East Branch, Theresa, to Oceania for a joint research exchange on the handling and experimental direction of Pseudo-Herrschers. Of course, that's what it's called on the surface."

"However..." Ryan hesitated and said, "Our experiments here, Branch Leader, you know there are some things that aren't exactly above board."

"It's fine if these things are discovered by others, but Theresa... I heard she's also someone who hates evil and loves righteousness. If it's discovered, it will likely be difficult to resolve."

"So, how long should we set the duration for this visit and exchange?"

"That's simple." The Branch Leader was prepared: "You can directly name Theresa in the invitation and extend the time, for example, set it for a week to half a month."

"Huh? Why such a long time?" Ryan asked, puzzled. "It's just a meeting, a formality. Shouldn't we minimize Theresa's time here?"

"Because I'm doing it on purpose."

"The reason I'm setting such a long duration is because the New Year is approaching. As the Branch Leader of the Far East Branch, Theresa cannot leave the branch for such an extended period."

"So you're setting such a long time to dissuade her?" Ryan suddenly understood.

"Yes, but out of politeness, she'll definitely have to send a representative. In this situation, the most suitable person would be this teacher named Xia Ling, who co-authored a paper with her."

"I've checked this Xia Ling. She's only been working here for half a year, and only became a formal teacher three months ago. This paper might be Theresa's way of mentoring her," the Branch Leader said confidently.

"Of course, it's not impossible that she's genuinely talented. But that would be even better. As a newcomer, even for her own future, she'll definitely cooperate with our experiments diligently."

"She couldn't possibly be as troublesome as Theresa, causing trouble every day after she arrives."

While Ryan and the Branch Leader were discussing how to deceive and manipulate on the floating battleship, Highmore was also having a pleasant conversation with Wendy in the room.

"Huh? So you gave up the chance to become an S-rank Valkyrie, which you likely would have achieved, and came here to participate in the experiment?"

Highmore looked at Wendy with an expression of exasperation, puffing out her cheeks.

"Yes, yes... Because both Teacher and Bishop felt I was very suitable," Wendy mumbled. "And, and..."

"And?"

"And although I have extraordinary talent, I'm not a true genius. Lord Durandal became an S-rank Valkyrie at fourteen, and I was thirteen when I joined the experiment, only having the highest potential to be promoted to the fourth S-rank."

"I know myself very well. Let alone half a year, even another year and a half, I might not be able to successfully advance to S-rank. So when Headmaster Theresa told me about this experiment, I agreed without hesitation. I originally thought this experiment could help me catch up to those true geniuses faster..."

Saying this, Wendy became even more dejected. Only in front of Highmore, whom she didn't know at all and had no concept of Schicksal's ranking system, could Wendy say these words without any burden.

"It's okay... Didn't Dr. Ryan just say he'd find a breakthrough for the experiment by studying my situation?" Highmore's face showed a hint of gentleness, and she couldn't help but stroke Wendy's soft hair.

"Perhaps after some time, your core fusion will have a breakthrough."

"Don't, don't suddenly pat my head..." Wendy's face flushed slightly, and she gently shook her head to express her displeasure.

"Alright, alright. Then tell me more about other interesting anecdotes from the Oceania Branch. For example, what kind of people are there in the Oceania Branch? I don't understand any of that yet," Highmore smiled and continued to ask.

"Well, in the Oceania Branch, people are generally divided into two categories: Valkyries and researchers. However, there seems to be a significant divide between them..."

While Highmore listened to Wendy's narration with a smile, she was also communicating with two others through the channel.

"Just as I expected, Wendy doesn't have many friends in Oceania. She can quickly get close to new roommates, even ones she's just met, because she's been lacking this kind of peer interaction for so long," Xia Ling commented.

"That's right. In this situation, her identity as a Pseudo-Herrscher doesn't create distance; it actually brings people closer, in a way."

"Isn't that perfect..." Highmore replied when she had a moment. "If we can't communicate with Wendy, then this plan fails from the start."

"So you, you're not satisfied with being able to get close to Wendy!"

"I earned this by being put on the experimental table," Highmore said righteously. "I've taken on this mission, so what's wrong with enjoying myself a little!"

Chapter 31: However, Otto Had Already Seen Through Everything

"Oh, right, Little Xia Ling, there's something I wanted to ask you."

That evening, in Himeko's villa at St. Freya Academy, Theresa suddenly looked up and said to Xia Ling.

"Hm? What's wrong?" Xia Ling placed the last dish on the dining table, sat down, and looked at Theresa.

"It's like this. This afternoon, I received an email from Oceania. The Branch Leader there sent it to me specifically through an internal channel."

"Since you and Mei had already gone shopping for tonight's ingredients, I figured I'd tell you when you got back."

"So, what is it?" Xia Ling tilted her head.

"This morning, there was a Honkai outbreak in Oceania."

"Although the scale and process are unknown, according to their report, they captured a Pseudo-Herrscher."

"A Pseudo-Herrscher, you mean like Yunna?" Xia Ling's mouth twitched, recalling the scene at Chiyu Academy. "Then why capture it? Why not just deal with it?"

[Host, aren't you afraid Highmore will get revenge on you for saying that?]

"If she gets revenge on me, I'll get revenge on you, because you definitely told her."

"No, no, no, that's the problem," Theresa said, also quite puzzled. "According to them, this Pseudo-Herrscher was almost captured willingly, and it acted like a normal girl, completely unaffected by the Honkai."