Su Qing'an Learns the Truth

The coffee on the table emitted wisps of steam, blurring the woman's unadorned face. Her Amber eyes were lowered as she gazed at the smooth, mirror-like surface of the liquid at the rim of the cup, her lips moving slightly.

Have you ever heard of a falsification theory?

The boy nodded silently. He was gradually falling into the ending that his Honkai Consciousness hoped to reach. The reality that transcended despair had carved a huge hole in his chest, and Mei's request made even avoidance a luxury.

Once you avoid it, you have to admit that it's reality, but returning to the starting point only allows you to witness the status quo beneath the surface.

Su Qing'an felt as if she had returned to the day her sword heart shattered, and all her emotions were like rocks falling from a high mountain, unable to be stopped.

If she hadn't chosen to shift the Soul Scale at that moment, Su Qing'an might no longer be Su Qing'an.

The presence of the buffer pad kept everything barely calm, and the boy clung to that meager comfort, as if trying to draw warmth from the illusory aurora reflected between the glaciers.

The impending avalanche forced Su Qing'an to find a place where she could subconsciously relax and refuse to think.

Mei won't do, Fu Hua won't do, Kevin won't do.

These people each had their own reasons for not being able to meet the requirements, so when he finally sat down in front of Himeko, gazing at her beautiful red hair and sensing that familiar soul, the turbulent emotions in his heart slowly subsided and turned into tranquility.

The boy arrived without saying a word and sat down opposite Himeko.

The woman didn't choose to ask the other party's purpose; she seemed to have anticipated that Su Qing'an would remain silent about the topic she had raised.

Logically speaking, the other party's behavior was rather impolite.

However, if Su Qing'an was the one who did these things, it must mean that something is wrong.

Himeko didn't believe he could help the boy solve that unknown problem, but since the boy had chosen to come to him, it meant he believed his existence was meaningful to the current situation.

So she chose to talk about pointless, unrelated topics that had nothing to do with reality or Honkai.

In the brief moment that lingered amidst the swirling smoke, the woman opened up and continued her long and somewhat nonsensical conversation:

"For example, the fire-breathing dragon in the garage."

"Someone claims there's a fire-breathing dragon in their garage. To prove whether this is real or fake, we need to find a way to verify it."

"For example, the simplest way is to verify its authenticity with the naked eye, so this person claimed that Charizard is invisible."

"Then sprinkle flour on the ground. Assuming there really is a fire-breathing dragon in the garage, it will leave footprints sooner or later. So this person claimed that the fire-breathing dragon is floating in the air."

"No problem, we can choose to walk to every corner of the garage, that way we'll always run into that fire-breathing dragon, so this person said we can't encounter the fire-breathing dragon."

"In the end, the fact that the other party knew it was a fire-breathing dragon meant that the dragon could breathe fire, so infrared detection could be used to detect the flames. This person also said that fire is cold, and if flour is subsequently thrown up, it will be found that the so-called flames cannot blow anything away."

Su Qing'an softly accepted the conclusion that Himeko was about to deliver:

"A dragon that breathes cold fire, cannot be seen, touched, detected, or cause any consequences, makes no difference whether it exists or not."

He understood the moral of this trivial story.

According to the common understanding of people in ancient times, a statement is valid unless it is overturned.

However, some claims, even if they cannot be refuted, should not be confirmed.

--For example, the fire-breathing dragon in the garage.

Later, after discovering this problem, someone proposed a principle: a theory should only be affirmed if it is falsifiable.

The so-called falsifiability means that the theory can be refuted, and that it has the possibility of being refuted.

For example, a great physicist said that everything in the world is subject to gravity, and all apples will fall down.

This statement is falsifiable—if you find an apple that flies upwards, you can successfully overturn the law of universal gravitation.

However, no one has found such an apple yet, so you can choose to believe it or remain skeptical, but you cannot deny it.

Until such an apple exists, the law of universal gravitation still applies and is correct.

Himeko said softly:

"The existence of falsification theorems is necessary because even if a theory can explain all phenomena, it may not be practical. In addition to this, it must also be falsifiable."

"After all, a formula that can answer all questions actually means that it cannot answer any questions."

Su Qing'an recalled that intelligent young woman, and he said softly:

"Someone once said that all scientific laws are a kind of rational adventure; they are always in danger of being overturned, but once they are overturned, it means that mankind's understanding of the world has deepened, and thus progress has been made."

"Dr. Mei has always faced the world with this attitude. Even things that are incomprehensible to her can be viewed with a broad perspective, and this broad perspective has been of great help to me."

The boy stopped his thoughts, looked at the coffee on her table whose steam was gradually fading, and fell silent again.

Even Himeko probably didn't realize that her casual words had inadvertently brought up the core issue she was facing.

[A dragon that breathes cold fire, invisible, intangible, undetectable, and causes no consequences—its existence or non-existence makes no difference.]

Su Qing'an silently repeated the words she had just uttered, her expression blank.

The underlying principle is the source of all evil, and the resulting sorrow and confusion churn within the soul, almost surpassing all the despair ever encountered.

This conversation was essentially meaningless; perhaps for him at this moment, no words would carry any meaning or weight.

At that time, all Su Qing'an needed was a brief period of time together and some space to calm her mind.

Even though Himeko didn't say anything or take any action of little value, her willingness to give the other person and herself the right to pass the time was itself a great sacrifice.

The boy said earnestly:

"Thank you, Himeko."

The woman gazed into those deep, dark eyes, took a sip of coffee, then turned to the documents on the table and stated the facts:

"I didn't do anything, I just said some nonsensical things to you without permission."

Su Qing'an lowered his eyes and said in a low voice:

That's enough.

Himeko didn't respond to that question. Instead, she took a box of Pocky from her desk drawer, handed it to him, and asked casually and lightly:

"Want some? Matcha flavor."

In a daze, the boy seemed to return to a scene where Himeko was talking to him about everyday trivialities. Why was even her voice exactly the same?

Even in a past life, this seems a bit too unreasonable.

The almost identical scene and voice prompted his subconscious response:

Do you have strawberry flavor?

Himeko's lips curved slightly, just as she had imagined him on the eve of the ball. At this moment, the Martial Immortal who supported the civilization's top combat power seemed no different from a child of this age.

She complained jokingly:

"Kids are just like that, so what's wrong with matcha flavor?"

Su Qing'an didn't care about the way the other person addressed him. He smiled and said:

"Because matcha is so bitter."

Himeko tore open the packaging bag herself, put a Pocky stick into her lips, and the crisp snapping sound echoed between her teeth. She savored the sweet taste in her mouth and said earnestly:

"Don't underestimate modern food processing plants. They're full of flavorings; they're not bitter at all. In fact, they're so sweet that you need coffee to neutralize them."

Su Qing'an answered honestly:

"I don't like things that are too sweet."

The woman paused in her coffee-drinking motion, then said softly:

"I think you're just looking for trouble."

The boy naturally took a Pocky stick from her hand and said softly:

"But for now, a little sweetness is just right."

He was silent for a moment, then whispered:

"Thanks."

Su Qing'an's return was completely silent, yet the Herrscher's instinctive perception accurately captured that aura.

Seele herself couldn't understand this seemingly innate ability, but subconsciously she seemed to understand that the information she received was real.

But in the brief moment she looked up at the door, the boy had already vanished without a trace.

Are you busy? I think I just finished talking with Sister Mei and then went back to my mission.

Why didn't they say more after they came in? Seele Fulei didn't think much about it.

In the little girl's subconscious, she never doubted that Su Qing'an would have a bad opinion of her. Even when she first awakened as the Sixth Herrscher, she was afraid that Su Qing'an's excessive gentleness would bring misfortune.

And it was precisely because he was that kind of person that Seele Fulei opened her heart to him.

Moreover, given Su Qing'an's abilities, it seems to everyone that it is only natural for her to shoulder the current heavy responsibilities and workload.

Seele didn't delve into it, but she did glean a clear conclusion from the vital signs the boy displayed before he left.

The Sixth Herrscher, possessing the power to control the apoptosis and growth of biological cells, can easily understand conclusions that should only be obtained through advanced instruments through perception.

Decay, aging, withering.

This is the specific impression Su Qing'an had of himself after a week's separation.

If we were to use a vivid description or metaphor, it would be like a bouquet of flowers floating on the surface of a swamp, its roots and leaves already submerged, teetering on the brink of collapse, seemingly about to fall into the abyss at any moment.

Compared to his vital signs a week ago, the older brother now appears much weaker.

Seele had previously thought that Su Qing'an would live for about ten years. Even though this time was short compared to his age, it would still be enough for Sister Mei to research the true Stigmata and apply a remedy.

But now it seems that this is not the case at all. The rate of change in the boy's body far exceeds the normal pattern of functional changes. The negative progress in just one week has resulted in such a degree of change. She even suspects that he will not live for more than a year.

In Prometheus's estimated Stigmata Project, a year was considered a healthy and highly probable period of progress.

However, this seemingly hopeful prospect lacks practical feasibility. Given the current rate at which Herrscher appear, the seventh and Eighth Herrscher will likely emerge before half a year has passed.

According to the fundamental law that the Herrscher are getting stronger and stronger, even if Su Qing'an himself is unwilling to take action, there is a possibility that he will be forcibly affected and involved.

Judging from my current status as the Sixth Herrscher...

It's not surprising that the being who was once connected to Su Qing'an is now paying attention to her.

As the only Martial Immortal in the current civilization with the ability to fight against Herrscher, and even indirectly kill two Herrscher, it seems only natural that he would be the focus of the Honkai Consciousness and even targeted.

Seele Fulei's conjecture makes sense in terms of both common sense and results; the only flaw lies in her observation of the Honkai Consciousness.

The answer to all these questions is that the progress of the Stigmata Project was too ideal.

It's almost as if a positive outcome can only be achieved under perfect, utopian conditions.

When it comes to the people she cares about most, Seele Fulei's attention is always at a high level, which is why she can almost immediately understand the current situation Su Qing'an is facing.

But she understood even better that if she could make these connections and think it was unrealistic, then Mei and her brother were even less likely to misunderstand the situation.

However, creating a perfect Stigmata that is unprecedented and unparalleled within a year is already the limit of limits.

Rather, it's more accurate to say that Mei's confidence in achieving this level of success is enough to make her a deity, and expecting to use everything available to speed up the process wouldn't be enough to push the timeline down further.

The current situation can be described as a result of helplessness and being forced into a predicament.

Even if Mei were given a year, could she really accomplish such a feat?

For a project involving a leap in civilization, blindly trusting Mei is simply irresponsibly handing over all the problems to them to solve.

And so she must bear everyone's expectations, shoulder enormous responsibilities and a sense of mission heavy enough to bend her spine, walking alone on the long road.

Whether the final outcome is good or bad, no one else has the right to blame the other party.

But Seele wanted to help the other party, and this was not just for Su Qing'an. As Mei's original ally, she had a clear understanding of some of Mei's goals and ideals.

She yearns for the continuation of civilization, anticipates its Honkai and annihilation, and simultaneously forces herself onto the path to godhood with her innate talents and almost insane efforts.

This drive and talent ensured that Mei would never be able to rest until she achieved her desired outcome.

Perhaps the rest of the soldiers and logistics personnel also had the lingering effects of their shifts and rest.

Mei, however, was completely different. Since the Great Honkai broke out, she had never had any entertainment or extra sleep after entering the Moth to Fire.

This self-control stems entirely from self-discipline, concern for the future of civilization, and a sense of urgency in the present.

The Stigmata Project, the Divine Key Project, the optimization schemes for Soul Steel and armor, the Fusion Warrior Project, and the current Eye of the Abyss and even the future Aether Anchor for creating miniature World Bubble in the Sea of Quantum; the artificial intelligence Holy Sword Durandal that manipulates microscopic particles.

Mei single-handedly mastered almost all the cutting-edge technologies of this era. Even with her unparalleled talent, one can only imagine how much hard work and effort she had to put in.

If someone is like that, it would be natural to want to help them even if one only knows a tiny bit about them.

The future that Sister Mei envisions is the same future that Seele Fulei wants to achieve.

The little girl stared blankly at her wrist, so thin it seemed it could snap at any moment. Her lips parted slightly, and she murmured softly:

"There is a way."

She would never allow Su Qing'an's life to be entrusted to vague luck and the mercy of Honkai Consciousness, nor would she sit idly by while Mei bore all the responsibility alone, enjoying the good things the two of them brought her.

Therefore, just as I had thought.

Seele Fulei is willing to pay any price.

However... this method of fast-forwarding the Stigmata Project might not only involve some dark matters, but also bring me closer and closer to the answer that has always remained unsolved in my mind.

For some reason, the little girl had unconsciously eliminated the option of whether that person would be sad about it from her mind.

Why is that?

Before Seele could realize the problem, Fu Hua's voice came from the kitchen, interrupting her deep thoughts.

The girl, wearing a cute pink apron, took a cup of yogurt from the refrigerator, glanced at the date on it, and asked:

"Seele, should we add some yogurt to the curry? Master Su seemed to have told me last time that it tastes better that way."

Fu Hua seemed to suddenly remember something amusing; she slightly parted her lips and said:

"By the way, did he cook curry when he was home last time? I heard from Su Qing'an that you were watching TV together and forgot about the curry cooking in the pot."

"Did it burn completely dry in the end?"

Did it burn dry?

The little girl was momentarily stunned. The girl's question was like a hazy dream. The lingering feelings in her mind suddenly became vivid. She could clearly recall the emotions and events at that time, the promises they made to each other, and the news from that time.

But I had no recollection of this simple question.

After a long silence, she replied:

"I forgot."

The increasingly vivid memories bring to life the roses by the window that day, the postcards on the corner of the table, the oil paintings on the wall, the dolls piled up in the corner of the sofa, and the mundane details of curry simmering in the pot in my memory.

"Gurgle, gurgle."

But Seele Fulei still forgot, just like... the withering honeysuckle.