183. The Exposed Clue, the Red Sparrow.

If this Virtual Pod is completely destroyed by the fires and storms that swept through Sydney, then the discovery of this report and key information will have to wait until an investigation of Himeko's personal account before it can truly surface.

Although the exterior of Himeko's dwelling was completely submerged by the natural disaster, the basement remained in a semi-collapsed state, allowing Prometheus to habitually connect to the Virtual Pod and obtain the report about the missionary.

This message, hidden in Himeko's personal account and stored in the cloud, which was not sent out immediately, contains various speculations about the recent tragedy and assassination, and even the true culprit of the Yakarta incident.

[Code name: Missionary]

Starting with this sentence, Himeko objectively recounts the entire story of what happened, clearly explaining the logical connections and the sequence of events leading to the discovery of the clues.

Even after Mei's initial Holy Gate Project and her personal safety were both disrupted and threatened by monsters that seemed to perfectly fit the missionary mold, she still conducted a second screening of Himeko's objective facts and various pieces of evidence with a higher level of authority before deciding that the report was highly feasible.

Why were both Mei and Su Qing'an so surprised after discovering that Himeko had become Herrscher?

The latter may be dominated by purely emotional factors, but the former is by no means the case.

The answer is simple: it doesn't fit the logic of how the Honkai Consciousness used to select people.

Based on the traceable backgrounds of the Herrscher, their past experiences, and their last whereabouts, we can see from big data analysis that the first six Herrscher were all minors, with immature values, weak wills, and relatively minor past experiences.

If these commonalities aren't enough evidence, then consider this: the First Herrscher was corrupted by Honkai Consciousness after witnessing the death of her entire family; the Second Herrscher took advantage of a moment when she was being bullied at school; the Third Herrscher had her consciousness sealed after watching her parents turn to [Ashes] during a video call; Fourth Herrscher was willingly drawn into Herrscher modification while in a feverish sleep...

The Fifth Herrscher and the Sixth Herrscher are not that different. These and other examples are enough to show that the Honkai Consciousness is used to exploiting loopholes, or rather, it has no choice but to choose this approach to create its own apostles.

This guy, who enjoys bullying the weak with guns and taking advantage of others' misfortunes, chose Himeko as his seventh apostle.

Mei would not believe it if there were no external factors involved.

Initially, she linked it to the formula that the stronger a civilization is, the stronger its Honkai will be, and believed that this reason was not inadequate to explain the problem.

But now it seems that the missionaries were the real culprits and behind-the-scenes forces that led to Himeko's decline and eventual corruption.

The nun, who went by the alias Flora, used her abilities to weave a conspiracy and web targeting Himeko alone. First, she used the orphanage incident in the Chibbinorton Lake District to plant the seeds of bitter consequences and negative influences in Himeko, and then she used the powerful dream to erode her will.

Finally, through some unknown means, shortly after the Honkai erupted, it was arranged for him to meet with Ryusuke Muryōtō, ultimately leading to the very scene that the early Honkai excelled at.

After deducing all of the opponent's methods, even a calm and rational person like Mei couldn't help but feel a chill run down her spine.

Just as Himeko commented on the existence of missionaries, they pose a huge threat to the entire civilization that far exceeds the level of a single normal Herrscher.

If this continues unchecked, humanity will inevitably be betrayed at the most critical moment, and if it falls into a fatal trap, it will lead to total defeat.

Everyone has their own weaknesses. Even a resilient warrior like Himeko was defeated by a calculated scheme, which shows how terrifying the missionaries are.

However, Mei still did not demonize the opponent. Theoretically, as long as the existence of a hidden enemy with such abilities is known in advance, warriors who are capable of sensing something is wrong will report it in time, which may allow them to stop the damage in time.

Judging from the fact that the other party had to resort to various roundabout methods to deal with Himeko, the missionary's ability is not something that can be used arbitrarily against just anyone.

However, attributing it to the influence of pure willpower on the magnitude of their abilities is not entirely accurate. The soldiers who can serve as guards in the underground research institute are not ordinary people. Unlike the soldiers who were quickly trained in the recruit camp within three months during the Great Honkai, these people were veterans who had participated in several battles before.

They were all qualified as soldiers without exception, but repeated observations of their past records revealed no signs of being manipulated or struggling. This phenomenon caught the girl's attention. Could it be that Himeko's willpower was truly on a completely different level from those soldiers?

Mei believes that this is not necessarily the case, and at least there shouldn't be such a huge gap.

Soul.

All the Herrscher bodies that Su Qing'an has personally witnessed so far possess a special soul, and this element may be the core reason why the missionary's abilities are not very effective against Himeko.

This means that there are probably very few individuals in the world who would defy the missionaries.

Aside from the fact that Fusion Warrior inevitably make the connection between flesh and soul stronger, thus preventing them from being affected, humans who are naturally endowed with special souls are ultimately a minority among minorities. Moreover, without a strong will as their core, they are still easily exploited and driven into the abyss.

Mei rubbed her temples, feeling a headache coming on. Since the assassination attempt, only mechanical soldiers and Kevin remained around her as guards. The latter also occasionally had to take on the task of driving away Honkai Beast from the outside world, so he didn't have perfect blind spots in protection, but his ability to protect the missionaries was sufficient.

She gazed at the sparsely listed names on the tablet and whispered:

"Let Mr. Su be in charge of the final screening of the Fusion Warrior."

Becoming Fusion Warrior greatly increases the likelihood of being immune to the corrupting influence of missionaries, but if one is corrupted into a Honkai Cultist before that, even if the fusion experiment is completed, they will still be bound by it.

The worst-case scenario is that friendly forces with high-end combat capabilities suddenly turn against you at a crucial moment.

Therefore, the review process must be thoroughly implemented from the very beginning.

Even with Su Qing'an's ability to observe souls, he could detect any abnormalities in the other party at any time and eliminate them.

However, it is more in line with safety considerations to nip the crisis in the bud before it occurs. From this perspective, any small choice could involve the lives of millions of people and the future, so Mei has to be extremely cautious.

Besides preventing the other party from taking action, the most effective and direct approach is to take the initiative and seize the opportunity to completely nip the crisis in the bud.

However, according to the valuable information provided by Himeko, finding a missionary was an extremely difficult task.

In a sense, finding the other person is even more difficult than finding Su Qing'an, who is deliberately trying to hide himself.

It combines mind-control with electronic interference, plus physical alterations.

This is like finding a needle in a haystack.

Even if we estimate that the opponent's direct combat strength is not at the Herrscher level, as long as we cannot find their true form, then even if the opponent is as fragile as paper, it is meaningless.

In a short period of time, she used the power of technology to weave several protective networks within the reach of humankind worldwide. Currently, any trace of a missionary will immediately trigger the highest level of vigilance and arrest.

However, this action is still merely a passive defense, and it seems that our side does not have a highly efficient means to track down the opponent and kill them.

In any case, the missionaries had strayed from their initial safe zone.

In the past, she was a venomous snake lurking in the shadows. In the deep, deserted forests, the people of the primitive tribes were unaware of her existence, so they could not perceive the danger and terror she posed, and naturally could not organize any effective resistance. They could only be slowly cut down like straw and endlessly plundered.

Once the dangers and existence of venomous snakes are made public, their stance is no longer as arbitrary as before. However, theoretically, as long as they remain calm and undisturbed among the grass, they can still maintain their original safety.

But... old habits die hard.

Just as Su Qing'an conducted psychological assessments on missionaries, Mei also organized a professional team and conducted analysis and observation from a personal perspective.

Missionaries harbor extreme hatred for humanity, and their constant incitement to sow the seeds of future rebellion is likely a recurring theme. This is also the reason Himeko chose this codename for them.

However, Mei judged that this approach could not stop or satisfy its inner desires.

Non-human monsters follow their own logic; even if it's a vicious dog kept on a leash by its master, it's still a vicious dog.

After discovering the other's true existence, Mei has uncovered seventy-eight bizarre murder cases worldwide, all mixed in with countless Honkai events.

Big data can detect most things in the world. Missionaries possess the ability to cause Honkai Energy tides, and can use this ability to cover up all crimes and clues, even the slightest anomalies.

According to Prometheus's calculations, all Honkai Energy vortices must have traces before they occur, and even sudden eruptions will have warning signs in the surrounding environment and local areas.

This super artificial intelligence is capable of incorporating all of this into a database and filtering out all interconnected normal Honkai events, thereby identifying these tragedies that fit the Chibbinorton Lake District incident.

The missionary's supposedly flawless cover was completely exposed under Prometheus's gaze.

The conclusion drawn from this is simple: as a demon and madman who kills for pleasure through cruel means, it is impossible for him to deliberately suppress his desires and refuse to kill, assuming that no one will notice the traces he leaves behind.

It will be irresistible, just like many serial killers who, despite the risk of legal punishment, cannot suppress their murderous impulses.

In other words, it would be even more terrifying if an already unrestrained monster could possess such forbearance.

The fact that he himself did not encounter any attacks when Su Qing'an left proves the correctness of many of his guesses.

Mei stared at the huge screen in front of her. The three incidents in Iceland perfectly matched the profiling results. Just as Su Qing'an had thought, the missionaries had left Australia before the Honkai and arrived in Iceland, the farthest place from here.

This proves one thing even more.

The missionaries, who were clearly so cautious and cunning, only chose to stay in Iceland instead of simply entering uninhabited areas to hide.

What is the reason?

The answer is obvious.

The girl stared at the photos of each crime scene, remaining silent.

Inside Hallgrímsv Cathedral, the pipe organ is covered with corpses, the blood staining this Icelandic landmark like a cult baptism; on Lake Tōning, several black swans with broken wings and waterbirds rise and fall on the clear water amidst bloated corpses, reflecting the sunlight in a shimmering picture.

Near the blue ice caves of Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, several unmanned yachts silently cruised along the glacier's edge in different locations, with traces of severed limbs faintly visible among the distant ice floes...

She whispered indifferently:

"Murder is a bad habit, Miss Flora."

"If you can't quit, you'll die."

Fu Hua stroked the docile bird in her hand and, upon closer inspection, concluded that it was a rather special North American cardinal.

Unlike the typical North American cardinal with its striking, fiery plumage, its feathers are mostly a pure white, like the snow on a mountain, with only the tail tip, beak, and crest subtly tinged with red.

The scientific name for the North American cardinal refers to a cardinal in the Catholic Church, likely because cardinals wear distinctive red robes and hats, which align with the image of a cardinal.

This White Sparrow, however, resembles the Pope of the Catholic Church, with its snow-white plumage. And because it appears to be a chick, it naturally looks even more petite and adorable.

At this moment, as the girl gently stroked it with her fingertips, it involuntarily shook its head, its slightly rounded body obediently resting in her palm, its gaze innocent and bewildered.

A moment later, the White Sparrow flapped its wings and dissolved into a bubble in the world. The scattered light shone down and transformed into a beautiful little girl, like a porcelain doll, sitting on Fu Hua's lap. She naturally leaned back in his arms and continued watching the program on TV, her eyelashes fluttering slightly.

The girl felt the light, soft body in her arms, rubbed her cheek against the cool strands of hair, her brows and eyes softening even more. A ripple of emotion stirred within her, and she softly asked:

"How did Mu tide turn back?"

Su Muxi looked at the zookeeper who was holding the panda and educating it, and said seriously:

"Because it's not good to watch TV while sitting in Xiao Fu's arms."

She leaned back a little, thought for a moment, and said:

"That's just right."

Wow, so cute!

Hearing that clear, cool voice with a touch of childlike sweetness, the little girl felt as if her heart had been struck. An overwhelming desire to dote on him surged within her, and she hugged him, feeling incredibly happy.

Once Qiluo and Pepper have recovered enough, take this child to see them.

Fu Hua thought to herself that at this moment she only had the desire to share her new family, but she did not expect that taking this child to meet acquaintances would inevitably attract a lot of strange and weird looks.

"Speaking of which, can Mu tide transform into anything?"

"If you want to."

Su Muxi didn't mind the other person's intimacy at all. She let him gently pinch and play with her hair and face, and looking at the panda lying lazily in the center of the field, legs crossed, basking in the sun, she replied:

"I don't know, but my instincts tell me it's not that simple."

"Right now, I can only revert to my original feather form, my current human form, and the form I was in just now."

The little girl thought seriously for a moment, then continued:

"Absorbing your soul matter and being constantly connected should have affected the outcome in this regard. Did Xiao Su and Xiao Fu think I would turn into what I just looked like?"

Fu Hua looked at the hair-braiding tutorial video on the virtual screen next to her and began to work on Su Muxi's long hair, which was long enough to reach her ankles. She thought about Su Qing'an's original proposal and expectations and nodded to indicate that it was indeed true.

Because that's what the boy expected, he didn't need to consciously anticipate that the Little Feather would turn out that way after hatching.

Although the results differed, it seems to have brought double the joy.

Finally, she gave a serious evaluation:

"Isn't this nice? Because they're all so cute."

"By the way, can you still reside in Su Qing'an's Mind Lake now?"

Su Muxi watched as the panda would eat half a piece of bamboo and then throw it away, only to pick up a fresh piece and eat a couple of bites, repeating this action over and over again, seemingly lost in thought.

It has fully realized that it is a national treasure, right?

But then, as she looked at the panda cub being led back by the zookeeper, she realized the unevenness of the world.

Su Muxi listened to Fu Hua's question and nodded to indicate that it was still possible to do so.

But when she tried to enter the other person's Mind Lake directly through the Soul Link to prove that this method still worked without any problems, she encountered a kind of gentle obstacle.

The little girl blinked, looking somewhat bewildered.

This is the first time I've encountered this situation since I became conscious.

Although the Little Feather who used to call that Mind Lake her home, where she could roam freely in the Sea of consciousness and play freely in the material world, has passed the initial stage of being fearless like a newborn calf, she still takes the former two things for granted.

Xiao Su... unilaterally blocked the Soul Link for a short period of time; this is the only reason that can explain this situation.

Su Muxi understands Su Qing'an better than anyone else.

Even the current Fu Hua, and even the future Fu Hua, will not understand him better than she does.

So she guessed the reason why she would be blocked almost instantly. The so-called Soul Link and entry into the Mind Lake and even the Sea of consciousness are products that no relationship, no matter how intimate, can compare to.

In the past, the boy could share his own pain and sorrow with the Little Feather that only possessed a high degree of spirituality, but after it became an individual with its own self named Su Muxi, he was unwilling to put any more burdens on himself.

Su Muxi pursed her lips, thinking.

Xiao Su is an idiot.