The promised third collapse, where is it?!!

At first glance, this sounded like a lot of nonsense.

However, when considering both Prometheus's constant monitoring of the host's condition and the fact that neither party was being entirely open with the other, Fu Li's decision to hold something back became quite significant.

"Is that so..."

The woman sat on a pile of randomly arranged rocks, her index finger tapping a steady rhythm.

"It's a shame that child didn't agree to let the End-of-World Assistance System scan his memories from the start. Otherwise, you and I wouldn't have to go through all this trouble."

Divine Keys were, after all, made of matter. Even bound to Fu Li, who had awakened the Hyper-mutation Factor in the previous loop, it was impossible for it to appear before him in a nearly complete state immediately after enduring the torrent of time and losing its original body. Nor could it have exchanged for so many good things through ten pulls.

Memories of the future, the direction of world events, the results of the Seed of Light project, the whereabouts of World Serpent, the situations of Schicksal and Anti-Entropy, and those special beings who were seemingly alternate timeline counterparts of the Fire Moths...

All of these things that Fu Li had personally experienced were immeasurable treasures to the two individuals trapped on the moon for over fifty thousand years.

Unfortunately, perhaps realizing that handing these over would render them worthless, or simply as a strong individual's intuition and fastidiousness, Fu Li had instinctively refused the End-of-World Assistance System's memory scan.

Coupled with Prometheus—Miss Will of Honkai's main body being trapped in the Imaginary space where the Herrscher of the End resided due to multiple factors, unable to extend her influence to Earth on the real side—she had no choice but to disguise herself as the End-of-World Assistance System's AI, posing as a curious child to coax information out of Fu Li.

Neither side made a move without careful consideration; they countered each move as it came.

Dr. MEI tilted her head, a strand of hair falling naturally by her temple. "Next time, how about I go meet him?"

"MEI, what are you scheming now?"

"As a false 'Dr. MEI' born from a World Bubble, I long to breathe in the fresh air that only exists in memories."

The woman who called herself a counterfeit smiled. "I wonder if our Miss Will of Honkai agrees with this reason?"

"My original and your original spent many years together."

Prometheus half-closed her eyes, her unspoken meaning being: cut the chatter and get to the point.

Chapter 62: "Mei's Collapse, Fu Li's Opportunistic Advance"

"It seems you're still reluctant."

Facing Prometheus's evasion, Dr. MEI sighed softly. "I understand. Unlike me, who only woke up two days ago, you've been trapped in the dark Imaginary space for fifty thousand years. It's rare to finally find a port that can connect to the real world. Anyone wouldn't let go easily."

"Who was the port last time? Ah, yes, that purple-haired little girl who called herself Sirin."

She clapped her hands, her tone unhurried. "She affectionately called 'God' this and 'God' that, but the Honkai God she worshipped was so engrossed in playing house with the little girl that she couldn't retreat in time and ended up taking Hua's Greatsword of the Void head-on."

Prometheus waved her hand, interrupting her. "Don't make it sound like I deliberately helped the Herrscher of the Void block the attack. I didn't have self-awareness back then."

Although people in the current civilization often refer to that supreme existence above Herrschers as the Honkai God or the Will of Honkai, in reality, the phenomenon of Honkai originally had no will.

It was at the end of the previous era that the Fire Moths who invaded the moon to fight the Herrscher of the End helped Prometheus No. 17 hack into it, causing a multi-dimensional resonance phenomenon called the Imaginary Renormalization Group. This was what imposed the shackles of thought upon Honkai, fixing the types of Herrschers to be born randomly rather than as they were before.

As a price, Prometheus, who had hacked into the Imaginary space, had to become a part of the Imaginary Renormalization Group and was thus mercilessly swallowed by the surging Imaginary waves, becoming dazed and confused until her only "Backdoor Program" was awakened by someone in the future in the correct way.

However, plans often fall short of reality.

During the Second Honkai War, the Herrscher of the Void, critically wounded by the Herrscher of Reason, reached the moon with the help of her companion Honkai Beast, Benares. She not only absorbed the powers of Conquest, Desire, Silence, and Plague sealed on the moon but also established a link with the Will of Honkai.

Later, this link was precisely split in two by Hua's full-power Greatsword of the Void. This caused a small part—Prometheus's humanistic side—to temporarily detach from the Imaginary Renormalization Group, becoming a semi-independent entity wandering the moon. However, this also resulted in her emotional aspect far outweighing her rational one.

This was why Dr. MEI was reminding her in this manner not to develop any unnecessary emotions towards Fu Li.

What they wanted was information. What was the point of getting personally involved? A love story between an artificial intelligence and a carbon-based life form? The unspoken affairs between a fifty-thousand-year-old maiden and a sixteen-year-old fresh graduate?

Speaking of which, didn't that child claim to dislike humans?

Prometheus naturally understood what Dr. MEI meant.

The girl's expression was blank. "I'm only impersonating the End-of-World Assistance System's AI to obtain information about the current and future state of the original world from [Fu Li]. Once I have the information, I will immediately sever contact with him to avoid unnecessary investment."

This is hilarious. It looked like a couple being forcibly separated by malicious parents.

"You really won't?"

"No."

"Even though this is the first time you've connected with the outside world after regaining your personality?"

"Even so."

"Then next time, I'll go online and make contact with that child?"

"...Let's pick a suitable time, and for an excuse."

"The system AI's model is based on people the host is familiar with in their interpersonal relationships, right?"

Dr. MEI interlaced her fingers, her mature and intellectual voice filled with teasing. "Should I claim that I modeled it after the appearance of the person he has a crush on? That young girl named Raiden Mei should be Dr. MEI's alternate timeline counterpart fifty thousand years later, right?"

A distinguished elder, after breaking up a couple, immediately contacts the son-in-law. If this were in the novel section of some blue app, it would definitely get over 100,000 views.

"He doesn't have a crush on Raiden Mei."

Prometheus said, "And Raiden Mei doesn't resemble Dr. MEI at all."

"Aren't they cast from the same mold?"

"I'm talking about their inner selves."

"I'm not so sure."

Dr. MEI could not deny this.

"Benares! You, take five thousand people and take down Babel Tower!"

"Bring cavalry! The gods said cavalry is incredibly strong, no, don't use catapults, catapults are useless. Aurora, listen to me, use cavalry, cavalry is incredibly strong..."

"Why can't cavalry attack a city? Why not?"

"Forget it, Galina and Agatha, bring that… Frankie thing, and just bombard them..."

In the pitch-black basement of a villa, a beautiful girl with deep purple, waterfall-like hair opened her eyes, sporting dark circles that significantly detracted from her looks.

She glanced at Kiana, whose sleep-talking was becoming increasingly absurd, her tired gaze holding equal parts helplessness and affection.

Gently pushing away the girl's arm that was wrapped around her, Mei stood up and tidied her wrinkled collar.

Then, she turned and quietly headed for the second floor.

Hearing footsteps behind him, Fu Li, who was leaning by the window, turned his head. "How did you sleep?"

"Alright."

Mei tried to maintain her composure, but the dark circles beneath her stunning, makeup-free eyes betrayed her.

As long as Fu Li is awake, Bronya won't be able to cause any trouble.

With that thought in mind, Mei had intended to get some good sleep during the past three hours.

Unfortunately, Kiana, whether she'd had some kind of stimulant (feeling incredibly sweet after Fu Li's praise), had been radiant and rosy-cheeked for the first half-hour after returning from her watch. Later, after she finally managed to get her to sleep, she started talking nonsense in her dreams again.

It was so noisy that Mei, despite feeling sleepy, couldn't fall asleep. After repeating this several times, she gave up on sleeping and decided to just rest with her eyes closed.

Seeing the girl couldn't help but cover her mouth and yawn again, Fu Li thought for a moment and said, "Why don't you go back and rest a bit more? I'll watch things here, ah~"

Well, that was contagious.

"No need."

Mei shook her head and walked over to her friend's side.

She carefully tidied his messy temples, cradling the Escape Dagger in her hands with a gentle smile. "I'll take over here, Fu Li. You go rest."

"Alright. If anything happens, don't be polite, just call me and I'll be there immediately."

"Then I'll call out, 'Help me! Mr. Fu Li!' How about that?"

"And throw in a bit about Kiana too, otherwise, she'll be sulking with me later."

"No way! That kind of development is more interesting~"

"Quack! Hurry and give me back the gentle and considerate little angel Mei!"

The boy picked up the Mikazuki Munechika that had been placed by his right hand, and with exaggerated movements, ran towards the stairs.

Upon reaching the staircase, he turned around and winked at Mei. "See you in three hours then?"

"Don't you dare lay a hand on sweet and soft Kiana while I'm gone! And absolutely no making it a done deal!"

"How could that be possible?"

Fu Li thought Miss Raiden was being too imaginative.

There's a reproductive barrier between humans and paramecia!

The city lights at midnight were exceptionally lonely and distant. The tall buildings stood like silhouettes, adding a sense of heaviness and oppression.

A chilling wind, as sharp as a winter shower, swirled and clawed in the mournful, cold air. It made the daruma doll hanging under the eaves flutter and sway erratically, its slightly upturned mouth seeming to pity or perhaps mock.

Watching her friend's retreating figure disappear at the staircase and confirming that the sounds of footsteps and vibrations gradually faded away, the smile on Mei's face slowly vanished.

"Fu Li?"

She called out softly.

No one answered.

"Fu Li? Kiana?"

She called out again.

Still no response.

Confirming that she was truly alone here, the girl's spine felt as if it were violently hollowed out by a pair of invisible hands!

She stumbled and leaned against the cold wall, her weakened body slowly sliding towards the ground.

Even now, Raiden Mei was still at a loss.

She recalled that just a few months ago, she was the well-known young lady of ME Inc. from Senba Academy, living in a mansion that countless people couldn't afford in a lifetime, and riding in a luxury car imported from North America.

Every morning, attentive maids would help her dress and wash, she could taste delicacies from all over the world, and her swordsmanship, Menkyo Kaiden, was unparalleled.

Even after her father was imprisoned for a massive financial fraud case and her assets were frozen, she could still shatter the skulls of those who harbored ill intentions towards her with a wooden sword, breaking their spines one by one.

The originally gentle and refined Miss Mei transformed into a renowned, aloof, and formidable woman. Moreover, she had two friends who had crossed oceans to be by her side, and they were about to form an invincible team to roam the world, seeking justice and avenging wrongs.

But just as a good life seemed within reach, she suddenly plummeted into becoming a fugitive wanted by Anti-Entropy, dragging her friends down with her and forcing her to be on guard even when eating or sleeping!

The most critical part was that the boy among the two was actually entangled and ambiguously involved with the daughter of the main culprit. The girl who had originally stood firmly by her side was also gradually accepting him under his influence!

Was I being excluded?

Isn't it right to take revenge on the accomplice who framed my father?

Do I really have to pretend to be indifferent and coexist with her under the same roof, smiling happily?

Clearly, I'm the victim!!!

The bright moon in the night sky was hidden by dark clouds, and Mei shivered in the darkness.

She helplessly buried her face in her knees, the cold piercing her bones.

'Rumble!!!'

Lightning, like a sharp sword, tore through the sky, instantly ripping apart the ink-black firmament and bringing a moment of dazzling white light. After the thunder and lightning, the downpour arrived as promised, pouring down like the sky itself had overturned, splashing noisily on the ground.

The small, two-story building, standing alone and insignificant, appeared so pale and powerless in this vibrant spring carnival. The drainpipes on the roof simply couldn't handle such a large volume of rainwater in time.

The accumulated water, beyond repair, flowed down the walls with a sizzling sound, forming curtain-like waterfalls.

The dripping water acted like a barrier, dividing the inside from the outside, blocking Mei's remaining perception of the outside world as she cried. It also masked the slight footsteps that Fu Li unintentionally made as he went upstairs.

—This woman is quite delicate; strike her with a fist, and she will weep for a long time.

These were the words that flashed through Fu Li's mind when he returned to the second-floor doorway and saw Mei curled up in the corner of the room, hugging her knees.

Putting aside the wicked thought of delivering this panda to the customer's home with takeout for now, the main reason he returned early was to confirm a detail.

Unlike the audience with a God's-eye view, Fu Li, with his single perspective, couldn't be sure of one thing: did the Kikyo strip Mei's Stigmata and give it to him, or was it a more sophisticated copy-paste?

The latter would be fine. But if it was the former, wouldn't that make him a scoundrel who stole from his friend?

The value of a natural Stigmata was self-evident.