"That guy isn't worth worrying about." Ai Yue shook his head, but still climbed into the transport vehicle. "In fact, things would be a little troublesome if he didn't lose his temper."
Before coming here, Ai Yue had actually warned Kalpas that, when necessary, he could show some of his anger—as long as he didn't go too far.
After all, if Kalpas didn't lose his temper, he would look like nothing more than a taciturn oddball. If he faced Moth to Fire's assessment in that state, he might not receive the treatment Kalpas deserved.
Then the "endless war" Ai Yue had promised him might easily fall through.
"Speaking of which, Pardofelis." Sitting in the transport vehicle with only the two of them inside, Ai Yue brought up what had just happened as if casually. "Have you decided? Are you going to join Moth to Fire?"
"You should know that once you enter this place, you'll have to follow all kinds of rules. You might also have to carry out dangerous missions, and you'll never be able to live the easy, carefree life you once had again."
"I know, Brother Yue, so I'm conflicted too." Pardofelis sounded rather troubled. "But those important people just said that they really need talented people like me. In all the years I've been alive, I don't think anyone has ever needed me before."
"So I suddenly want to give it a try."
Pardofelis's words surprised Ai Yue.
After all, in his impression, she should still have been someone who liked sleeping in and basking in the sun, living each day as it came and wasting her time.
He hadn't expected that the girl he had always regarded as a stray cat could say something like that.
"I thought you valued freedom more." Pardofelis had made her choice, so Ai Yue didn't want to say much more. "Looks like Elysia told you quite a bit?"
He still remembered Elysia whispering to Pardofelis the entire time on the plane.
"Huh? Oh, it actually has nothing to do with Sister Ai Li." Pardofelis froze for a moment, then looked a little embarrassed. "How should I put it? It's actually because of you, Brother Yue."
"Huh?"
Ai Yue was surprised. He hadn't expected the reason to lie with him. "Why?"
Pardofelis turned her face away. "I'm not telling you."
She had originally been a carefree stray cat. Every day, she basked in the sun and slept in, occasionally going out to forage when she got hungry. If she stole too many things, she would exchange them for supplies and give them to the children at the sanatorium. She lived each day without a care, never needing to think about the future or worry about anyone else, much less consider what "the continuation of civilization" meant.
She hadn't expected that everything would change after she picked up Ai Yue.
That strange fellow couldn't even fill his stomach at first, yet he kept talking about "changing the future" and "saving the world," making Pardofelis worry about whether he could survive on his own.
But as time went by, Ai Yue's performance surprised Pardofelis more and more. Not only did he quickly establish himself on Twilight Street, he also collected all kinds of strange materials and created various bizarre inventions. Later, he even made something like the Honkai Energy Absorber, easing the patients' suffering in the sanatorium.
That was also the first time Pardofelis realized that some things could actually be changed. The patients no longer had to suffer, the children no longer had to go hungry, and even though they still lived in a poor settlement, they could speak freely and express their hopes for the future.
It was the children's words that first made Pardofelis start thinking about the concept of the "future."
What would she do in the future? Being a righteous thief for the rest of her life didn't seem so bad, but if it were Brother Yue, what would he say?
Pardofelis had never really figured out the answer to that question, but she wasn't in a hurry. She had plenty of time. Perhaps one day, she would figure it out.
Until a few nights ago, when Ai Yue said he was leaving Twilight Street. Only then did the girl realize that the two of them had already reached a fork in the road.
When Elysia and Ai Yue discussed why they hadn't brought Pardofelis along, the subject of their conversation had actually been hiding behind a section of broken wall and listening in.
Pardofelis naturally understood that everything Ai Yue had said was completely correct. She truly had no lofty ambitions. She only wanted to muddle through life, hated restraints and dogma, and loved living freely.
To be honest, she could hardly imagine what her days would be like without that kind of life.
But when that life was placed on one side of the scales and "staying with Ai Yue" on the other, Pardofelis suddenly felt that freedom might not be so necessary after all.
Later, when she saw the box Ai Yue had deliberately left for her, filled with all kinds of tools, Pardofelis finally realized something.
She had thought she was a stray cat, and even Ai Yue thought so too.
But in reality, she had long since become a cat with a home.
"Fine, if you don't want to tell me, then don't." Ai Yue didn't press her about her thoughts. "Just don't force yourself. There are plenty of ways out, anyway. Even if you do nothing, I can still support you."
"I know." Pardofelis smiled. "I won't force myself."
Compared to a Fused Warrior, the transport vehicle was indeed far too slow.
By the time Ai Yue and Pardofelis arrived, the place was already surrounded by all kinds of people. Yet apart from the sounds of discussion and conversation, there was no other movement from within.
It seemed the matter was already over.
"Brother Yue, I'll squeeze in and take a look first!" Pardofelis made full use of her skills as a righteous thief. A crowded mass of people was exactly where she could show off her abilities. "Wait out here for a bit. I'll be back soon!"
As she spoke, her slender figure deftly slipped through the gaps in the crowd. In the blink of an eye, Ai Yue lost sight of her.
All he could do was stand nearby and try to piece together the truth from the snippets of conversation among the onlookers.
"What happened? Did another experimental weapon explode?"
"It wasn't a weapons test, was it? I heard a dangerous newcomer came here today. Maybe he caused it?"
"Dangerous? How dangerous?"
"I'm not sure about the details, but Kevin is among the people in charge here."
"Damn, then that's seriously dangerous!"
"I found out. Apparently, that newcomer punched Boss Kevin right through a wall!"
"You've got to be kidding me. You believe something that ridiculous? They couldn't have recruited a Herrscher, could they?"
"The news I got was that the newcomer challenged Boss Kevin, but Boss Kevin failed to hold back and burned him to ashes."
"That doesn't sound very credible either. Boss Kevin doesn't carry Divine Fire Penance around in the base. He can only get that thing when he goes on missions."
Just as Ai Yue was pricking up his ears to listen to the gossip, Pardofelis squeezed out of the crowd again. "This is bad, Brother Yue! Kalpas—Kalpas froze up!"
"All right." Ai Yue nodded. "I have a pretty good idea what happened."
Although everything he had heard was more or less absurd, one thing was certain: Kevin and Kalpas had indeed fought.
Based on Pardofelis's words, he could imagine what had happened to Kalpas.
Overall, Ai Yue wasn't surprised. What he cared about more was how the matter would be handled.
Before long, the crowd began to disperse. Ai Yue and Pardofelis were finally able to walk inside, where they saw Elysia and Sakura.
"How are things?" Ai Yue asked first. "Is Kalpas all right?"
"He's fine. He just might—possibly catch a cold?" Elysia replied uncertainly. "Since you're here too, why don't we go in and take a look together?"
Ai Yue naturally had no reason to refuse.
The white building in front of them had a hole blasted through one of its walls, so they didn't need to go around to the main entrance. The group entered directly through the opening.
The first thing they saw was Kevin standing in the open space, with Kalpas sitting on the ground not far away.
The empty training ground was covered in traces left by their battle. Cracks spread across the floor, along with frost that had yet to melt, making it easy to imagine how fierce the fight had been.
"You're here?" Kevin turned his head and saw Elysia's group. He first nodded at Elysia, then looked toward Ai Yue. "Your companion is quite impressive."
"For Kevin to say something like that, could it be that Kalpas still hadn't used his full strength?" Elysia immediately turned her eyes toward Kalpas. "But Kevin, you defeated Kalpas without using a weapon. Are you showing off?"
"Enough with the jokes, Elysia." Kevin shook his head, his expression slightly helpless. "Things have become troublesome. Those people say Kalpas is too dangerous and want to send him to the Deepest Place."
"Eh? Why?" Elysia was clearly surprised as well. "Is it really that serious?"
"Someone with an explosive temper who's difficult to control, yet possesses terrifying strength, is naturally frightening to them." Kevin continued, "I've already told Dr. Mei about this. There may still be room for a solution, but until we find one, I'm afraid this is the only way to handle it."
"Let me ask something." Ai Yue raised his hand at just the right moment, putting on an expression as though he knew nothing. "What kind of place is the Deepest Place?"
"You can think of it as a prison, or a place of exile." Sakura gave a simple explanation. "Criminals who have committed serious crimes and are difficult to control are sent to the Deepest Place to prevent them from escaping and threatening society. In short, most of the people imprisoned there are brutal criminals."
"The most important thing is that once you're locked in the Deepest Place, getting out isn't easy." Elysia continued, "With Kalpas's strength, there's no need to worry about his safety, but I'm afraid this isn't the outcome anyone wants to see, right?"
"I don't care." Kalpas spoke simply. "It sounds like a place that suits me quite well."
With that, he looked at Kevin. "Hey, are the people in that place free game even if they're killed?"
"Probably." Kevin rubbed his brow with a headache. "In any case, we need Mei to think of a solution."
"Don't worry, Kalpas." Ai Yue walked over to Kalpas. "You'll definitely receive what I promised you."
"Oh." Kalpas responded indifferently. However, when he saw Ai Yue deliberately blocking the others' view with his body, he unobtrusively extended the fist he had kept tightly clenched.
A strand of silvery-white hair lay hidden inside.
Ai Yue also reached out discreetly, pretending to help him up as he took the strand of hair, then calmly moved aside.
This was something he had instructed Kalpas to do beforehand. One reason this battle had to happen today was Ai Yue's own selfish motive.
With Kevin's hair tissue, he could not only reverse-engineer the principles behind the "Fused Warrior" surgery, but also use it as material for targeted scientific research.
Ai Yue knew very well that entering Moth to Fire didn't mean everything would go smoothly. The tangled struggles between competing interests within such a massive organization were often the most dangerous part.
Although Elysia's connections had allowed him to meet Dr. Mei and Kevin for the time being, that level of familiarity was obviously not enough.
He needed a way to quickly narrow the distance between them. The simplest way was to give gifts.
Gifts that precisely solved the other party's problems.
Kalpas was soon escorted away by fully armed soldiers. Thanks to his earlier performance and Ai Yue's instructions, both sides remained very restrained during the escort, and no conflict broke out.
"You're really calm." Elysia looked at Ai Yue curiously. "Your own companion was sent to such a dangerous place, but you aren't worried at all?"
"There's nothing to worry about. Rather than worrying about Kalpas, you should worry about the unlucky people locked up with him." Ai Yue shook his head. "Besides, Dr. Mei will definitely have a way, right?"
"Isn't your trust in Dr. Mei a little too firm?" Elysia looked at him strangely. "You've only met her once, haven't you?"
Ai Yue's expression remained unchanged. "That's probably the tacit understanding shared between scholars. You're not a scholar, so you wouldn't understand."
"What? Isn't that a little unfair?" Elysia puffed out her cheeks, but she still couldn't help asking curiously, "Why do I feel that even if Dr. Mei had no solution, you'd have one of your own?"
"Of course." Ai Yue replied ambiguously. "After all, I've said it before: the ruling class values interests above all else. As long as you offer enough benefits, they'll even put a price on their own lives."
After Kalpas's matter was settled, the group took a transport vehicle back to the main building.
Everyone was silent along the way. Only Ai Yue took the initiative to walk over to Kevin, who was sitting in the last row.
He stopped at a perfectly appropriate distance and extended his hand. "Hello, Kevin. We didn't even get to introduce ourselves the last time we met."
"Hello, Ai Yue." A trace of surprise flashed across Kevin's face, but he still nodded and extended one hand. "It's nice to meet you."
Although several meters still separated them, the two of them moved their arms in unison, as if they were truly shaking hands.
"Sakura, look." Elysia poked the girl beside her. "Is this how men communicate with each other? How strange."
"It seems they share some kind of tacit understanding." Sakura glanced over, then withdrew her gaze. "Perhaps it's just my imagination, but they really do seem to have something in common."
Elysia knelt on the seat and looked back, blinking repeatedly, apparently wondering about something.
After they returned to the main building, Dr. Mei was already waiting at the entrance. However, Aponia was nowhere to be seen beside her.
"I'm sorry about Kalpas. I clearly promised you beforehand..." Dr. Mei took the initiative to speak when she saw Ai Yue and the others approaching. A trace of embarrassment lingered on her face. "I'll definitely find a way to release him. As for Miss Aponia... she volunteered to undergo the Fused Warrior surgery. I'm sorry I couldn't stop her."
How Powerful Miss Aponia Was
"The Fused Warrior surgery?"
After hearing Dr. Mei's words, the strongest reaction came not from Ai Yue, but from Elysia. "Why would Aponia ask for that kind of surgery... No, how did she even learn about the Fused Warrior surgery?"
"I'm sorry. The problem may have started with me." Sakura's expression looked grim. "On the night Dr. Mei went to Twilight Street, Aponia asked me about the ears. Although I didn't directly tell her about the Fusion Warrior Project, I did say that it was the price paid in exchange for power. Perhaps she had already made up her mind at that time."
The expressions of Dr. Mei and the others turned solemn. They all knew how low the success rate of the "Fused Warrior surgery" was. Pardofelis didn't understand anything about it, but judging from their expressions, she could tell that the nun wasn't asking for anything good.
Before the first Fused Warrior was born, the success rate of the surgery had been zero percent. Even now, after four Fused Warriors had been created, the surgery's success rate was still far from reassuring.
Under such circumstances, voluntarily requesting the Fused Warrior surgery was no different from suicide.
"I understand." Ai Yue was unexpectedly the most relaxed of them all. He merely sighed. "I was wondering why she had been so agreeable earlier. It turns out she had already made up her mind."
"Aren't you worried?" Elysia couldn't help asking. "Aponia might die on the operating table!"
"She won't." Ai Yue shook his head. "If it were really that easy for her to die, it might be a good thing for her."
Dr. Mei frowned. "What do you mean?"
"Why don't we discuss this somewhere else?" Ai Yue glanced around. The group of them had already attracted plenty of attention. "It's not suitable to discuss Aponia's situation in public, is it?"
Dr. Mei realized this as well, so she quickly arranged an unused conference room.
"I don't think there's any need to elaborate on the 'Discipline,' is there?" Ai Yue got straight to the point. "Dr. Mei, you've probably already seen that ability. What are your thoughts?"
"An ability capable of interfering with another person's mind. It's rare, but not incomprehensible." Dr. Mei nodded. Thinking of what she had witnessed in the interrogation room, she still felt shaken. "But what does that have to do with what you said?"
"It seems Aponia didn't tell the whole truth either. That makes sense. Some things would only cause more trouble if revealed." Ai Yue smiled. "But everyone present is someone we can trust. Understanding these matters will actually help us get along in the future."
"Simply put, the 'Discipline' you know is only one aspect of Aponia's true ability."
Before you continue