Everything as It Always Was

A special passageway was formed by the Soul Steel outside the villa. After Fu Hua's communication number was dialed, mechanical soldiers equipped with basic intelligence arrived one after another after the girl learned of the news.

Fu Hua accompanied the mechanical soldier into the deep Soul Steel Tunnel. She looked at the girl on the moving stretcher, her face pale, a faint smile on her lips, who had stopped breathing. The force with which she gripped the girl's slender hand unconsciously tightened and then slowed down.

The perception granted by the Void Sword Qi allowed them to clearly understand that the opponent was now infinitely close to death, but a certain subtle cycle was still stable within that body, and the Honkai Energy membrane still present on the surface of the skin proved that Seele Fulei's vitality as Herrscher had not dissipated.

The current situation cannot be deduced using normal logic, but even though White Seele is not really in danger, this strange event still makes Fu Hua very worried.

Mei explained to her through the mechanical soldiers:

"Miss Fu, Seele is currently in a state of loss of control over her powers."

Fu Hua didn't know the specifics of Seele's powers, but just hearing the result made her sense a subtle abnormality. She hesitated for a moment. Even though she was in a state of confusion due to concern, her long-standing sense of discipline made her understand that the relevant information could not be revealed casually.

But since Dr. Mei herself brought it up, perhaps it wouldn't be wrong to ask her doubts directly.

The girl gazed at the girl's increasingly pale face, her lips moving slightly.

What does it mean when power is out of control?

Mei remained silent for a while. Having watched Seele's actions all along, she naturally understood that this was not a loss of control over her powers, but rather the result of her autonomously manipulating her powers.

However, speaking the truth is sometimes not a wise choice, Seele Fulei's current actions and final move have proven that Fu Hua is not suited to know this.

So she told a lie:

"The powers of the Herrscher of Death are somewhat related to biological cells. You can understand the current situation as Seele Fulei's strong rejection of the reality that she is Herrscher, which led to her instinctive and spontaneous abandonment of the management of her powers, thus evolving into the current situation."

Fu Hua was stunned. A while ago, Seele Honkai Energy went out of control, causing Qiluo and Pepper to self-destruct.

It's perfectly normal for that scene to have such a profound impact on the little girl herself. Although there were later attempts to alleviate the trauma caused to both of them by having Qiluo and Pepper communicate with Seele via video call, it was not feasible due to practical reasons.

After that day, Carole and Shiyu Qiluo fell into a state of involuntary trembling. A heavy sense of guilt, fear, and sorrow burst forth in the brief area caused by the uncontrolled Honkai Energy, which had a great impact on their mental state.

They are no longer able to have a normal conversation with Seele, even during video calls. If this negative state continues, it will have a detrimental impact on their future missions and battles.

The discharge criteria for the Moth to Fire are completely different from those of normal soldiers in previous eras. Their mental state is almost normal compared to their colleagues, let alone meeting the discharge criteria. In fact, due to their excellent Honkai Energy skills, they would not even be able to transfer to the Logistics Department.

One can imagine the consequences of being distracted and careless on the battlefield due to psychological factors.

Even if the two of them could manage to avoid revealing anything during the video call, Fu Hua believed it would be best to avoid it to prevent further escalation of their current situation.

Besides, after that incident, it was impossible to keep it from Seele.

Even during their first meeting, the subtle expressions and unusual physical movements of the two were all detected by the Herrscher's perception.

Not revealing a single flaw is impossible; ceasing all contact is the only option.

Fu Hua didn't blame Qiluo and Pepper. She thought that even if she were to face the uncontrolled Honkai Energy directly, she wouldn't be very calm.

However, the impact on Seele was something she hadn't anticipated. But since a living Herrscher could communicate and was temporarily safe was a first, Fu Hua didn't doubt Mei's explanation.

She simply asked:

"Dr. Mei, do you have a solution?"

Mei responded:

"To prevent her from going berserk, I previously designed some things specifically targeting the powers of the Herrscher of Death. Perhaps we can try to interfere and resolve the current situation."

"You don't need to worry. The Herrscher of Death's powers have a spontaneous self-protective ability. Even if she enters an out-of-control state, her life will not be in danger."

She continued, adding:

"But even if things return to normal, in order to prevent a similar situation from happening again, or even a real breakdown, Seele Fulei may not be able to return to a normal life until Su Qing'an returns. I hope you are mentally prepared."

Fu Hua nodded in silence. Having no means to deal with or resolve this situation, she could only choose to trust the other party's abilities.

At the end of the Soul Steel Tunnel.

The girl hesitated for a moment, but ultimately had to loosen her grip.

She gazed at Seele's increasingly distant figure, her heart heavy.

The Soul Steel Tunnel suddenly went dark, and the mechanical soldier stepped through the liquid metal into the laboratory entrance.

The incandescent lights stretched out a clear path behind us, as if telling the story of the only way home.

Fu Hua clutched the front of her clothes, sensing a faint unease, and whispered:

"It will be alright."

"It'll be fine once Master Su returns."

The girl's pale face regained a healthy rosy hue. She sat up, and the dark blood color swallowed up the azure in her eyes, like Pierrot's Cocoon Bee wasp, revealing a strange cruelty. This bewitching and beautiful beauty was further enhanced by the refraction of the light, creating a unique atmosphere.

Seele's lips parted slightly as she smiled.

Good evening, Sister Mei.

The use of her powers prevented the color in her eyes from fading, and she said softly:

"I want to help my brother."

Seele stretched out her palm, and in the gentle breeze, a massive amount of Honkai Energy, enough to cause a cataclysmic disaster, instantly condensed into a single proton.

It obediently floated in the palm of the hand, then dispersed into the body with the will, merging into the Herrscher Core, and disappeared without a trace.

She said:

"If it's a body like that, it's possible; it can advance the Stigmata Project that you're working on, Sister Mei."

Mei adjusted her glasses, and under the light, her intelligent, violet-like eyes became indistinct. She remained silent, and for the first time, she hesitated and struggled in conversation.

Seele Fulei has a certain personality flaw, which can cause her to become extreme and irrational in certain situations.

This point was already evident in the experimental plan for the Sea of Quantum, and Mei has also paid attention to it.

However, since the things Sea of Quantum had to Seele up, apart from mental anguish, never had much of a negative impact on her body, Mei only sighed slightly and did not think much about it.

Since Seele's pathological psychology will not cause her much harm in this experiment, or rather, it can become a strong pillar to prevent her from having a mental breakdown, there is naturally no need to interfere.

Moreover, it's almost impossible to interfere with someone else's self-perception and mindset, and from my perspective at the time, helping Seele was really like locking the barn door after the horse has bolted.

Mei's hesitation at this moment was not without reason. Even when she asked Seele to participate in the Sea of Quantum Project, she felt guilty and reluctant. These same feelings also played a part in asking Prometheus to give some of his computing power to Seele as a playmate.

Now, to make Seele participate in even more cruel and bloody human experiments, and to trample on the bottom line of human ethics and morality, is naturally even more unacceptable to Mei.

Everything Seele had done in the room was playing out before his eyes.

During that half hour, she continued her act of "suicide" without ever showing a trace of pain. Theoretically, the pain system of Herrscher is no different from that of a human, and even the strongest will cannot keep a natural smile on one's face.

If it's not that part of the other person's mind has already broken, then Seele is deliberately using her powers to manipulate her facial expressions in an attempt to make herself make a decision and feel better.

Regardless of the reason, the girl could already see the other person's determination.

Seele said softly:

"It's okay, this is my own choice, Mei-jie doesn't need to feel sad or guilty."

That's not the issue.

Mei restrained herself from blurting it out, because she understood that arguing was pointless.

Seele Fulei's past life trajectory has led to her current distorted self-perception, which cannot be changed overnight, nor can it be persuaded with words.

However, in Mei's opinion, even if the other party's desire to sacrifice himself to help Su Qing'an could be described as noble, it was by no means correct; it would be an understatement to call it naive and childish.

Children's visions are always beautiful, but the choices they make for them are rarely mature or reasonable.

Seele Fulei is like that now. From a personal perspective, Mei can't accept this mistake at all. Rather, as an adult, it's her duty to correct this morbid thinking, help the other person slowly return to normal from this distorted realm, and let them seriously enjoy the long life ahead. That's the right thing to do.

However, from a practical and strategic perspective, this is a proposal that cannot be refused.

Mei could not refuse a living Herrscher who was willing to cooperate in human experiments, which would have great significance for the future of humanity and even the war situation in the near future.

It was precisely because she clearly understood that she could not choose to refuse that she initially asked Su Qing'an for an excuse, and repeatedly emphasized the enormous risk of the Herrscher almost inevitably going out of control, in order to choose to give up.

But this excuse, rife with weakness and shackles, was trampled and torn apart by Seele Fulei herself.

The girl stepped off the bed, smiled, and opened her arms to embrace the silent Mei, hugging her slender waist.

The dark red in Seele's eyes faded to a gentle deep blue, and a complex expression appeared on her youthful face. Her lips moved slightly as she whispered in a casual tone:

"Sister Mei, now is the time for you to fulfill your promise."

A long time.

The girl used willpower and reason to completely suppress all her emotions. She tried to hug the little girl back, but her fingertips trembled slightly as they touched the air, and she eventually gave up the action.

Mei thought, "I'm no longer qualified."

Given her principles and personality, once she makes a decision, she is destined to go all the way down that chosen path.

The mere thought of the horrific, tragic, and cruel scene ahead filled me with a sense of guilt.

Can...

"Okay," she said.

Mei has no right to refuse.

The ideas Su Qing'an inadvertently gained from Himeko led her to make a vague choice.

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

This same principle applies to Seele Fulei now... or rather, to the Sixth Herrscher may no longer be Seele Fulei.

Regardless of the truth, the current situation is that she is not a minion of the Honkai Consciousness.

The Herrscher, whose Honkai Link was completely severed by herself, was bound by her own personality in all her actions. This is why Su Qing'an dared to let Seele and Fu Hua continue to get along even though she didn't know everything.

If the soul's perception can indeed be flawed, then metaphysical theories and principles are completely inapplicable to the current situation.

The boy, who already knew the truth deep down, was caught in an emotional vortex and gradually blinded himself. Now, he could no longer even understand or distinguish whether his meeting with Seele Fulei was a direct confrontation with the core of the problem or a pure escape.

The fact that she had to bear such a tangled mess of despair and sorrow alone forced Su Qing'an to subconsciously choose the easiest option, but her strong will prevented her from escaping and compelled her to accept reality and make a real decision.

If there truly are trials in the world as cruel and hopeless as hell, then the predicament he is currently facing might just be that.

Regardless, the boy chose to confront Seele Fulei because of Himeko's words.

When he returned to Soul Steel Prison on time, it was already the third day after Mei and Seele had met.

Su Qing'an stepped into the entryway. He looked at the little girl who had brought out a small stool and was sitting by the door waiting for him. Suppressing the complex emotions welling up inside, he smiled naturally and asked:

"During the ten days I was away, did you eat well?"

Seele said seriously:

"Although my Sister Hua's cooking isn't as good as my brother's, I'm still eating properly."

The boy recalled the culinary skills Fu Hua hadn't been able to learn from him, and sighed softly:

"If Hua practices for another 55,000 years, his level will surpass mine."

Before Seele could even complain about why the numbers were so precise and drawn out, Su Qing'an's next words made her pout.

"Also, if she hears you say that, she might chop up the green peppers and secretly put them into all the dishes."

Seele glanced at the boy and said matter-of-factly:

"Sister Hua has already used this trick before, and she's not that Mind's Eye. Even if she did it, she'd definitely regret it in the end."

Su Qing'an compared her past deeds in Canghai City and had to admit that she was right. Hua did have a history of changing her mind at the last minute. Although this kind of personality, which wanted to be a devil but couldn't be, was cute, it also made her lack some deterrent power.

Fu Hua's use of Su Qing'an to say those words had a significantly different effect, resulting in the other party being completely unafraid.

Is it that she's good at reading people's minds, or is it that Hua is just too doting on the child, causing Seele to not worry about the possibility of such a thing happening?

Once caught up in this kind of mundane, entertaining contemplation, the ability to observe the soul and the truth in one's heart seem to vanish. This should clearly ease everything and bring joy, but instead, the vortex of emotions stirs up even greater waves, telling him that he is very sad.

How could I be sad?

The boy's hand gently brushed through the girl's orange-blue hair. Under her questioning gaze, he pinched her soft cheek and smiled.

"Elder brother?"

Seeing Seele's stunned expression, Su Qing'an hugged her.

How could I be sad?

He felt the softness and thinness in his arms, as if trying to assure himself of something, and whispered:

"Seele is right here."

So I won't be sad.

The little girl patted the boy's head and comforted him, saying:

"Seele is right here."

She didn't care about the somewhat ambiguous statement; she only felt that her brother's physical burden was becoming increasingly heavy, which made his spirit increasingly tired as well.

The Herrscher of Death's perception also confirms that this judgment was not wrong.

"You must be working very hard."

Seele ruffled his hair, a slight smile playing on her lips, and said jokingly:

"Would you like Seele to take a bath with your brother?"

Su Qing'an responded softly with a helpless expression:

"I'll be looked down upon by your Sister Hua for the rest of my life."

She twirled a strand of the boy's hair around her fingertip, rolled it a few times, and said softly:

"Huh? You'd agree just because you wouldn't be looked down upon for the rest of your life?"

Then, this rather seductive devilish statement was successfully defeated by the violent face-pinching offensive. Only when the little girl's fair face flushed red did Su Qing'an stop indulging in the wonderful feel of her skin.

A little while later, the two sat in front of the TV cabinet in the living room, holding game controllers, ready to play games.

Seele muttered quietly:

"Just as Sister Hua said, my brother can be quite Mind's Eye sometimes."

Su Qing'an easily ignored this whispered complaint. He opened the strange dating game called [Black Album: School Days], selected the two-player mode, and murmured:

"The last person to be hacked to death can choose tonight's dinner menu."

The little girl was thus forced into a game of wits and courage with Su Qing'an.

In the end, Seele emerged victorious.

The prop used in the middle is Prometheus.

The daily routine, despite the significant changes in its core, continues quietly.

The girl's bone marrow being ripped out dozens of times, and the ever-present, fading grief in the boy's chest, are merely the tip of the iceberg revealed on the true glacier...