Honkai Impact 3rd: Saving the Pre-Civilization with Hand-Crafted Black Tech

Aponia's figure flashed through Ai Yue's mind—wouldn't it be much simpler if he could use the effects of "Judgment" to restrain these people?

Once he finished the urgent matters at hand, he'd research this as a research project.

Ai Yue shook his head and began sifting through the pile of documents in his hands.

He certainly wouldn't just give up, but there were more important things to do right now. To avoid missing Kevin's birthday party, everything else could wait.

However, things always piled up.

Before Ai Yue could even look through everything in his hands, the doorbell rang again.

This time, a "familiar face" appeared at the door.

"Dr. Mobius?" Ai Yue smiled, but his mind grew wary. "What brings you here? Isn't the First Research Institute incredibly busy?"

The green-haired woman standing outside was Mobius, whom he'd met briefly yesterday. Today, she lacked the fatigue from her surgery, instead wearing light makeup that made her already outstanding appearance even more refined.

But Ai Yue could see through the facade to her more fundamental inner self, making it difficult for him to have any particular thoughts about her appearance.

"Just here to congratulate a new colleague on their official start," Mobius said, raising her right hand to indicate she'd brought a gift. "What, not welcome?"

"Welcome, of course!" No matter how wary he felt internally, Ai Yue knew this was not the time to fall out with her. "Please come in, Dr. Mobius. It's rather bare in here, and I don't have anything to offer you. Would plain water be alright?"

"No need," Mobius replied, placing the bag she was holding on the lab bench and revealing its contents. "I brought milk tea, actually. One for each of us."

Ai Yue: ...

You just swiped this from your assistant, didn't you? Bringing something like this as a welcome gift?

Ai Yue vaguely remembered a rule in Mobius's lab: "Whoever is late buys milk tea." He wondered whose bad luck this cup was originally destined for.

But he had to admit, it was quite delicious.

"A mission from upstairs?" Mobius asked, sipping her milk tea as she walked over to the pile of documents and flipped through them. "As expected, the higher-ups are too lazy to even think of new tricks."

After her exclamation, Mobius looked at Ai Yue. "So, how do you feel about being treated like this? Any thoughts?"

"It's alright," Ai Yue said, naturally unwilling to reveal his true feelings to Mobius. He put on an innocent act. "At least it's much better than the conditions on Twilight Street, isn't it?"

"What's the use of good conditions? No projects means no funding, and no funding means no results," Mobius glanced at him. "Ninety percent of these things you've received can't be used in the lab. Don't you understand what they mean?"

She spoke slowly. "If you're unwilling to be a lackey for the big shots, then you'll do this kind of work for the rest of your life—they'd rather bury talent than see another Mei."

"That's quite terrifying," Ai Yue feigned a worried expression, then relaxed. "But thankfully, Dr. Mei appreciates me. I shouldn't be shelved, right?"

"That's hard to say. Mei probably won't have time to look after you next," Mobius suddenly chuckled. "By the way, why don't you come work for me? If you perform well, I wouldn't mind giving you a hand."

"You know, Mei herself was discovered by me back in the day."

"Alright," Ai Yue feigned compliance. "What kind of projects would you be willing to give me, Dr. Mobius?"

Ai Yue didn't know what went wrong with that sentence, but Mobius suddenly fell silent, her expression instantly turning sullen.

She scrutinized Ai Yue again, her gaze somewhat cold. "Hey, that thing, did you really invent it?"

"But why can't I find a single trace of 'genius' on you?"

Chapter Nineteen: Don't Insult Me With the Word Genius

She finally couldn't hold back.

Seeing Mobius shed her human guise and reveal a cold, sullen expression, Ai Yue wasn't surprised. Instead, he felt a sense of relief.

Moth to Fire, as an organization that absorbed the world's elite talent, had an almost explosive concentration of geniuses within it. You could run into seven or eight geniuses just by picking up a kettle from the logistics department.

Yet, even so, Mobius was undoubtedly one of the most dazzling among them—because she was "born knowing," possessing intellect and wisdom from birth, able to think and understand the meaning behind people's words. It was practically a novel protagonist's setting.

It was precisely because of this extraordinary talent that Mobius developed a worldview vastly different from the common populace from a young age.

One could even say that without such an unusual worldview, Mobius might not have achieved her current accomplishments. And the geniuses she was familiar with all showed some non-human aspects to varying degrees.

In other words, these scientists at the forefront of humanity were, to some extent, obsessive—even fanatical.

Compared to them, his own performance was quite mediocre, even mercenary. It was only natural for Mobius to suspect him.

In fact, Ai Yue's thoughts weren't exactly the same as Mobius's psychological activity, but they were close enough.

In Mobius's view, everyone who aspired to change the world and had the ability to do so should possess their own convictions.

After all, in this era, every step scholars took to explore the unknown could invite endless debate and criticism. The Fusion Warrior Project was a prime example.

Many walked this path, but each was alone. Without a strong inner core and unwavering conviction, how many could persevere to the end?

Even if they couldn't go as far as "being an enemy of humanity for the sake of humanity's future," they should at least possess their own pride.

But Mobius saw none of these things in Ai Yue.

A strong inner core, unwavering conviction, pride, not even arrogance.

Even when she tried to provoke him with a condescending tone, all she received was his grateful expression.

This was no scholar; this was a seasoned veteran of the workplace!

Mobius even felt that if you threw him into the political arena, he could hold his own against those old foxes full of schemes.

Could such a person truly have conducted experiments alone under the simple and harsh conditions of Twilight Street, repeatedly tasting failure yet refusing to give up, and ultimately completing a work that could only be described as ingenious?

Mobius held a high opinion of the "Honkai Energy Absorber." It was a product that considered every aspect thoroughly, a creation without any shortcomings.

Inside Moth to Fire, there was no shortage of similar devices, but each had its own problems. Some were too bulky to carry around, only usable in rooms. Others were portable but prohibitively expensive, making mass production impossible. Still others had a somewhat acceptable cost but their effectiveness was impractical for real-world use.

The only product within Moth to Fire that could be mass-produced was a disposable item, requiring replacement after 12 hours of use. Compared to Ai Yue's "Honkai Energy Absorber," it was a joke.

Despite the crude craftsmanship of this item, it only proved its value further—it was a product meticulously crafted by one person through sheer effort under material scarcity. For this reason alone, Mobius could envision a lonely yet stubborn figure in her mind.

She never expected its creator to be the person standing before her!

In fact, if Ai Yue had truly created the "Honkai Energy Absorber" through his own abilities, it might have aligned with Mobius's imagination.

But unfortunately, while Mobius was a born genius, she found it hard to believe that someone who cheated actually existed in this world.

If Ai Yue knew what Mobius was thinking, he would surely tell her she was "expecting on her own and disappointed on her own," getting hung up on trivialities.

However, this was a good thing for him, because once Mobius let her guard down in front of someone, communication became easier afterward.

Ai Yue didn't want to see her put on a human-like facade again; honestly, it bordered on the uncanny valley.

"Do you think 'geniuses' come with a template, Dr. Mobius?" Ai Yue retorted deliberately. "Only those who fit your perception are qualified to invent such things?"

"Hmph," Mobius snorted, not answering directly. "What are the raw materials and synthesis formula for 'activated carbon core,' the most crucial component in the Honkai Energy Absorber's core?"

Ai Yue said nothing, directly taking a pen and paper to write down a series of formulas and materials, then handing them to Mobius.

Mobius lowered her head, looking at the contents of the paper, her teeth unconsciously crunching the straw of her milk tea. After a moment, she looked up, "The materials and formulas are slightly different from the ones you asked Mei to submit earlier."

"I improved this recently in my spare time," Ai Yue said nonchalantly. "Using this new version should increase the lifespan of the absorption core by about 50 uses. I haven't had time to test the specifics yet."

"It won't reach 50 uses, maybe 44," Mobius, worthy of being a top scholar, gave an accurate result through mere simulation in her mind. "Hmph, fine, you pass."

"Then this test was quite easy," Ai Yue smiled. "What's the difference between this and an open-book exam?"

"If you had just handed me the original content without any changes, I would have given you a zero," Mobius rolled her eyes. "Even the most perfect thing in others' eyes always has room for improvement and optimization in the creator's hands."

"You didn't seal away your work just because it was complete. While it doesn't prove you're a genius, it at least proves you can indeed be called a scholar."

"Dr. Mobius, did you come here today just to test me?" Ai Yue sighed. "It seems the work at the First Research Institute isn't keeping you busy enough."

"Mind your own business." Mobius drained the last of her milk tea and casually placed the cup on the table. She then reached into the milk tea bag and pulled out a document. "I came here originally to recruit you, but it seems I need to observe you further."

Saying that, she tossed the document in her hand to Ai Yue. "However, as a prize, it's fine to give it to you first."

Ai Yue picked up the document and glanced at it, then looked at Mobius with stunned eyes. "Is this really something I'm allowed to see?"

The red cover of the document simply bore a single line of text—

"Fusion Warrior Project."

Chapter 20: The Most Arrogant Person in the World

The Fusion Warrior Project.

Before the "Divine Keys" project was officially proposed, this was Moth to Fire's greatest weapon against the Honkai and Herrschers.

The conflicts of interest and ideological clashes caused by this project were fiercely debated within Moth to Fire, sowing the seeds of division beneath its seemingly harmonious and stable exterior.

Yet now, this document, which should have been Moth to Fire's highest secret, was in the hands of Ai Yue, who had only joined Moth to Fire a day ago.

He didn't need to think to know this was Mobius acting unilaterally, and perhaps even Dr. Mei was unaware of it.

"What? Scared?" Mobius smiled, seeing Ai Yue's reaction. "If you're scared, you can return it. Everything that happened today will be as if it never occurred."

"What am I scared of?" Ai Yue looked at her with some confusion. "As long as you guys aren't scared."

He himself couldn't be sure what consequences would arise from this falling into his hands.

Without much hesitation, he quickly opened the document and began to read.

"Quite impatient," Mobius smiled, not stopping him, just watching from the side. "Can you understand it?"

Judging from the Honkai Energy Absorber Ai Yue had created, his specialty was likely in materials science. The Fusion Warrior Project clearly belonged to another, or even multiple, fields of knowledge. If Ai Yue only excelled in materials science, it would be difficult for him to comprehend.

Ai Yue's expression was grave, and he didn't reply, quickly turning a page.

He couldn't quite understand it—but his cheat could.

"Detected external Research Project, do you wish to record it?"

"New Research Project created, recording in progress..."

In the vision only Ai Yue could see, the magnificent and prosperous tech tree, like a galaxy, was lighting up with new brilliance.

Mobius clearly sensed something from Ai Yue's attitude and couldn't help but frown—could this kid really understand it?

After recovering from her initial shock, Mobius naturally realized that Ai Yue's attitude was deliberately put on, intended to provoke her.

However, she wasn't angry about it. Instead, she nodded inwardly—whether the other party realized her pretense through intuition or keen observation, these were excellent qualities essential for a scholar.

Mobius was not an inhuman being; it was just that in her eyes, most people in the world weren't worth her investing so much emotion.

But for the sake of the Honkai Energy Absorber, Mobius was willing to give Ai Yue a chance.

"Is that all?" Ai Yue quickly finished reading the document in his hands and couldn't help but shake the papers, frowning at Mobius. "This isn't even five percent of the complete content, is it?"

"Nonsense, how could the Fusion Warrior Project be explained in just a few words?" Mobius snorted. "What you have here is just one sub-project. But even so, it's a hundred times more valuable than all the junk you have combined, understand?"

"So you plan to give me this sub-project to solve?" Ai Yue's smile returned to his face. "Then I'm truly grateful, Dr. Mobius..."

"Stop, stop, don't disgust me," Mobius quickly interrupted Ai Yue. "Anyway, solve this project as soon as possible, and then you'll basically have the ability to create your own projects and apply for funding."

"Alright," Ai Yue nodded. "Then I'll come straight to the First Research Institute to find you tomorrow?"

"Sure..." Mobius had just agreed when she realized, "Wait, what do you mean, you can solve this thing in a day?"

"What's wrong?" Ai Yue looked at her strangely. "Didn't you say as soon as possible?"

"Very good," Mobius suddenly smiled. "That's how it should be, a bit of wildness is the way to go—however, aren't you underestimating this project a little?"

"Or perhaps you're underestimating me?" Ai Yue shook his head. "To be honest, the Fusion Warrior Project isn't exactly a brilliant piece of work, the failure rate is too high."

"You..." Mobius was momentarily speechless. "You brat, don't get too arrogant, alright?"

No one had ever dared to speak to her like that, what did he mean the Fusion Warrior Project wasn't brilliant enough!

However, Ai Yue was being sincere, even if he was speaking from a position of privilege—after all, he had countless technologies related to physical modification in his cheat system, and this unoptimized Fusion Warrior technology was indeed nothing special now.

But the good news was that the Fusion Warrior Project could unlock related tech trees to the "physical modification surgery" in the Great Shocker version. Perhaps soon, he could combine the two and create an even better modification plan.

Mass-producing Ultraman was still a bit far off, so he'd mass-produce Kamen Riders first.

But considering the color schemes of Kevin and the others, shouldn't they be considered Super Sentai?

"What are you thinking about?" Mobius watched as the guy in front of her zoned out while talking to her, almost laughing in anger. "Fine, fine, so arrogant, huh? You don't need to come to the First Research Institute tomorrow. Same time, I'll come to inspect it myself!"

After saying that, she huffed and walked away.

Ai Yue snapped back to attention at that moment. After watching Mobius leave, he turned his gaze to her finished milk tea cup.

To be precise, it was the terribly chewed-up straw.

He walked over nonchalantly, reached out, and fiddled with the straw's opening, then revealed a look of delight.

If someone saw this, they might mistake Ai Yue for some kind of rabid, perverted fan of Mobius.

But only Ai Yue knew what he was actually doing.