They Said This Isn't a Life Simulation Game!

"I don't really need any weapons."

As he spoke, Xi Wang gently pulled his hands apart in front of him. Blue flowing water appeared with the motion, shifting according to his will into the forms of knives, swords, hammers, bows, and all manner of weapons before finally turning into several water spheres of varying sizes that floated around him.

Aside from enhancing his physical abilities and strengthening his innate traits, what Gabriel had given him was the ability to control "water." It was just that this "water" seemed somewhat unusual...

Although Dr. Mobius had repeatedly tested it, and the "water" Xi Wang summoned was indeed water with all the properties of water—every method of examination detected nothing but water—when it was in Xi Wang's hands, so long as it remained within a hundred meters of him, it could possess additional properties related to water.

For instance, while maintaining the shape of a "blade," it could produce the cutting effect of a waterjet at a relatively low flow rate. As a water sphere, it could have elasticity or viscosity similar to that of "slime." Or it could become less affected by temperature, with a lower freezing point or higher boiling point.

Yet while those properties were being maintained, testing the "water" with equipment still led to the conclusion that it was simply water, as though water itself possessed those characteristics.

Though the farther away it was, the weaker those properties became, and the more it resembled the ordinary water people understood, it was already highly abnormal. It was as if the "water" in his hands and the water ordinary people recognized were two entirely different things, yet in terms of its properties, it still belonged to the category of water as people understood it.

In the end, the only conclusion was that the "water" Xi Wang controlled was something "like water, yet not water."

Well... all one could say was that Honkai Energy truly could do anything. It could even produce something this fantastical.

This undoubtedly made Dr. Mobius even more excited and gave her a new understanding of Honkai Energy. After all, Gabriel had never displayed the ability to "control water" before; at most, it became more active when there was more moisture in the environment. This outcome led her to believe it was a mutation born from the fusion of Xi Wang's traits and Gabriel's genes. And for now, it appeared to be a beneficial mutation.

By now, she had nearly decided that Xi Wang's traits could fulfill her theories and bring her one step closer to her ideal.

So...

"Then... shall I help you turn her down?"

With one arm folded across her chest and the other propping up her face, Dr. Mobius narrowed those dangerous Snake Eyes slightly and asked softly.

"She's been using this excuse to make quite a few strange things lately... Though she ended up giving them all to other Moth to Fire members because she felt they weren't suitable for you. But... you know her. She's not someone who can sit idle."

"Besides, ever since I submitted the data from your previous tests, she's been clamoring for you and Kevin to try out that weapon that's about to be completed~"

"...A Key of God weapon made from the Fifth Herrscher Core?"

"Yes~ That thing is almost finished~ So? Want to try it, White Rat?"

"...No need. I have no need for weapons."

"Hah~ I suppose so~ After all, you already have such a convenient ability now~"

Dr. Mobius walked over to Xi Wang's side and reached out to poke one of the water spheres floating around him. It was clearly just water, yet it now possessed a strange elasticity. It should have been transparent, but at this moment, it was as blue as the sea. To Dr. Mobius, it felt like she was poking a highly elastic "slime."

How should she put it? It resembled the "water" in games and anime. For that very reason, Danzhu had become even more interested in Xi Wang. Whenever she had free time, she would cling to him, hoping he could take some beautiful cosplay photos for her. It had even made Dr. Mobius wonder whether she had hired the wrong assistant.

"...Is there anything else, Dr. Mobius?"

"How distant. We get along so well, yet you still insist on addressing me so formally?"

"It's only been for a while, and I don't think we get along all that well. Also... may I leave now? No more testing is necessary. Actual combat would be more effective."

Facing Dr. Mobius, who had begun touching and feeling his body again, Xi Wang responded calmly with half-lidded eyes.

"Are you going to cast me aside after achieving your goal? How heartbreaking..."

Dr. Mobius folded her arms and sighed as though she were dejected.

"I've helped you so much. Whether it was the research, the surgery, or the materials, I prepared the best for you. I made so many preparations for the surgery's safety measures—things no one else got... I even turned down the missions Poison Chrysalis wanted to send you on lately. Of course, I didn't make Sakura do them either~"

"Dealing with those people took quite a bit of effort, and this is how it ends? How heartbreaking... Sob sob..."

Dr. Mobius wiped at her tears hypocritically.

"...Don't talk like that. It makes people uncomfortable."

Xi Wang pinched the bridge of his nose in mild frustration. That way of speaking, so similar to Elysia's, sounded utterly bizarre coming from Dr. Mobius... And she wasn't even good at imitating it.

"...What else do you want?"

After thinking for a moment, Xi Wang finally relented.

"Hehe... Don't worry~ I won't ask for anything that disgusts you too much, White Rat~"

Almost the instant she heard that question, Dr. Mobius returned to her usual self. Her fingertips lightly brushed over her lips, and her snake-like pupils narrowed slightly.

Over their time together, Dr. Mobius had roughly grasped Xi Wang's way of thinking and developed a method for dealing with him based on it... Have to say, you really are easy to handle, White Rat~

"My request is simple~ During your future missions, make sure you keep yourself alive for me~ As a one-of-a-kind specimen, you must cherish yourself properly~"

"I would have done that even if you hadn't said so."

"And also~"

Dr. Mobius stepped forward and leaned close to Xi Wang's ear, speaking softly in a seductive tone.

"Come visit me regularly from now on~ Especially whenever your body experiences any unusual conditions~ I'm ve~ry~ interested in those~"

After saying that, she extended her nimble tongue and lightly traced it along the rim of Xi Wang's ear, making him quickly turn his head away.

However, when she saw that he had merely turned his head to avoid her rather than immediately moving away, Dr. Mobius instead took half a step back, seemingly smiling in delight.

"Hehe~ Very good, White Rat. I'm liking you more and more~"

"...Can I leave now?"

There was a hint of exhaustion in Xi Wang's voice.

"If you promise me~"

"Next time for sure."

"Then I'll take that as a yes~"

"...I'm leaving."

"See you next time, White Rat~"

Watching Xi Wang unconsciously quicken his pace as he left, Dr. Mobius smiled even more happily.

"Oh, right..."

As if recalling something, Dr. Mobius called out to stop him again.

"About the filthy things inside your body—although you've held out here for some time, and we helped you get through the worst of it, and even after becoming a Fusion Warrior, those things barely affect you anymore... I hope you'll remember this: don't go near that stuff again."

"A Fusion Warrior's body isn't made for you people to ruin. Especially yours—you've already been messed up beyond recognition by those things. If it weren't for that particular trait of yours, you'd have died long ago."

"I don't want the next time I see you to involve cleaning those filthy things out of you again. That would simply be an insult and desecration of life... Do you understand, White Rat?"

"...Mm."

With his back to her, Xi Wang remained silent for a long time before barely giving her that one-word reply, then quickly left.

"Tch... Those Guys really are wasting something precious..."

Seeing Xi Wang's attitude, then thinking of the sort of people in Poison Chrysalis, Dr. Mobius frowned in irritation.

But... at this moment, there was nothing she could do. She could only set that troublesome matter aside for now and return to the laboratory to sort through the data—after all, the data she had obtained from White Rat earlier was enough for her to conduct some experiments.

The problem was...

"...Klein, where are Danzhu and Cang Xuan?"

"Hm? They... still haven't arrived?"

"...Tch."

Dr. Mobius's frown deepened.

"Yoo-hoo~ Good morning, Dr. Mobius~ And Senior Klein~ Sorry we're late, but we picked up milk tea on the way back~"

"Ah... thank you."

Looking unusually exhausted, as though she had been pulling all-nighters for days, Klein accepted the milk tea Danzhu handed her and took a satisfying sip. Seemingly replenished by the sugar, she looked a little more energetic.

But a certain doctor was not so easily appeased...

"...Doctor, this one is yours."

Cang Xuan glared at Danzhu, who had immediately run over to Klein's side, silently condemning her for deliberately leaving Dr. Mobius—the most difficult person to face—to her. In the end, though, Cang Xuan could only approach Dr. Mobius with feigned calm and place her cup of milk tea by her hand.

"...Cang Xuan, do you know what time it is?"

"..."

"It's eleven. Why didn't you just have lunch before coming? I've already finished collecting White Rat's data for today."

"Sorry, Doctor. Danzhu and I will bring back milk tea every day for the next week..."

"Mm-hm?"

"...And we promise we'll never be late again."

"Very good."

Dr. Mobius nodded, then gestured toward a stack of documents set aside nearby.

"These are the documents you two need to handle today. You're not allowed to leave until they're done tonight."

"...Doctor, you might as well just kill us."

Danzhu looked at the stack of documents, which was nearly as tall as she was, her eyes completely dead.

"Even if you die, you'll finish processing them for me."

Dr. Mobius spoke expressionlessly, then glanced at the terminal in her hand before placing it on top of the stack.

"And these are tomorrow's experiments. Prepare yourselves—you're to finish reading them tonight. I've roughly processed the data already, so you just need to break it down further."

"No..."

"And remember to bring milk tea tomorrow. Don't be late either. You said so yourselves."

"Save us..."

Before they had even started processing the documents, Danzhu and Cang Xuan had already collapsed to the floor without regard for their dignity, practically ready to smash their heads against the ground.

"Senior Klein... save... save us..."

The two little ones slowly wriggled over to Klein, who had resumed working through documents, and pitifully tugged at the hem of her clothes.

"Don't ask Klein for help. She still has to assist me with experiments today."

Dr. Mobius's voice drifted over gloomily.

"...Sorry."

With Dr. Mobius saying that, Klein had no choice but to apologize softly.

It seemed the fact that the two of them would be working through the night was now unavoidable.