Qualified / Let's Go

Carefully using her phone's light to illuminate the space ahead, she searched for anything useful in the dust in the air. Soon, she had thoroughly searched the small basement and indeed found some interesting things.

"Experiment Log?"

After brushing off a centimeter of dust, she opened the old, yellowed diary in her hand, looking disheveled.

Most important documents are kept in paper form, but it's clear that the reason this one in her hand is kept in paper form is not just to prevent leaks.

"In the first experiment, the target's blood sample, cells, and brain all showed signs of modification. It has been confirmed that the blood sample and cells were modified during the embryonic stage, and the brain was modified during the early childhood stage... The thinking ability and physical ability far exceed those of ordinary humans..."

"The second experiment, this time focusing on the target's learning ability..."

"The third time..."

"The fourth time..."

She read the entire Experiment Log in one go. The crazy contents made her wonder at one point if it was a fabricated or fake log. But when she saw the stamp of the Moth of Fire at the end, she confirmed the authenticity of the Experiment Log.

All the inhumane experiments were tried on this child. If the contents of this document were to be leaked, it would cause a huge uproar in society.

"But why is it that it seems the people of the Fire-Chasing Moths don't know about this? Is it too insignificant? Or... is someone deliberately covering it up?"

She made up her mind, put down the Experiment Log, and turned her attention to something else in her hands.

A letter.

It seems the key lies in this letter.

The letter was also quite old; the glue on the seal had lost its stickiness, and she easily opened the envelope with a simple tug, pouring out a piece of paper.

The printing and workmanship of this paper seem different from other papers. It has a pleasant fragrance and is not rough or dry to the touch, so it is very likely not an old piece.

An envelope from a long time ago, and a letter from not so long ago... It really makes one wonder what was originally inside the envelope before this?

However, this was a minor matter; she was soon drawn to the neat handwriting on the letter.

"Zero, Kobayashi, MSA-079, no matter which name you use, it seems impossible to encompass you, but that doesn't matter anymore. By the time you see this letter, I think either the Honkai has ended, or humanity is on the verge of extinction, but in either case, I think I am already dead."

"I don't know if you've regained your memory by now, but after reading the Experiment Log, you can probably guess what happened, hehe... After all, you've always been very smart; you can guess the ending of a novel just by reading the beginning."

"If we were to compare human history to a novel, I've been pondering what kind of ending would be worthy of a remarkable beginning."

"I'm sorry, I'm just feeling sentimental again. I always have a lot to say to you."

"What kind of person are you to me? And what kind of person am I in your eyes?"

Chapter Forty-Nine Qualified

"I killed your parents. It wasn't because anyone threatened me or ordered me to do it. I killed them willingly."

"At that time, I didn't hesitate. Humans were keen on creating monsters, while I, and the Moth of Fire, had always been dedicated to fighting monsters, so I would shoot without hesitation."

The handwriting became somewhat messy here, but quickly returned to a neat style, showing that the writer's emotions had changed, and overall he was a mature and steady person.

She could picture him sitting in the dim light, holding an old fountain pen, pondering his words as he wrote a complex confession on the letter.

"We are capable of anything to protect humanity, even if the people we kill are our fellow human beings who share the same ideas but have taken a different path."

"I believe my convictions are unbreakable. I am a demon with blood on my hands. I have killed people with my own hands and indirectly caused their deaths. I do not believe they have souls, but I will remember them all."

"I was right... I thought so until I met you."

"The first time I saw you, you were standing in front of your burning house. I thought you would be sad for your parents' death, or hate me, because that's what normal humans do."

"But you didn't do that. You were just a rag doll, with hands and feet that weren't yours attached by your parents, and then a monster's name was sewn on you."

"You are Frankenstein, you don't even have a heart."

"Do you think I'll be grateful that I was able to save you from that devilish couple? And that I'll be even more convinced of my own sense of justice?"

"That's what I thought at first."

She suddenly pressed her hand to her head.

She realized the feelings of the person who wrote the letter.

This is not atonement, nor is it farewell, but rather a... unconventional and complex form of care?

This letter embodies a certain emotion, and the reader will discover that emotion within it.

But this letter... damn it... this letter isn't for her, it's for Lin!

Now that things have come to this, she has no choice but to grit her teeth and keep watching.

"Then I had them conduct experiments. Yes, most of the inhumane experiments you experienced were arranged by me personally."

"It was through these experiments that I discovered you are actually an ordinary child."

"You sometimes go to bed early, and you usually feel sleepy on rainy days. You subconsciously count how many patterns you walk on the floorboards, and you like to look up at the ceiling at a 45-degree angle..."

"It's ridiculous, isn't it? It was only then that I realized this, and then I realized that even if I were a devil, I couldn't do those things to an ordinary child. We shouldn't have taken that step, and that applies to all of humanity."

"So I want to raise you to be a normal person, to cultivate your interests and hobbies, and to help you return to a normal life."

"But one day, while I was loading a gun, I suddenly remembered the look in your parents' eyes before they died."

"They turn their own children into monsters, monsters offered to all of humanity, so I naturally assume they have no love for you personally."

"Perhaps it's just that I can't understand it; they still have the love that parents have for their children."

Do you know how I found out?

The letter was written in a self-deprecating tone.

"I've discovered that I'm just like them; I have the same twisted feelings for you."

"So my idea of turning you back into a normal person was impossible from the start, because I've already taken away your parents for my 'justice' and 'right to do'."

"We are not justice, we never were."

"Putting human lives on a celestial scale and then calling it a choice is just the work of a bunch of self-righteous bastards who stand on high."

"The sad thing is, humanity needs such bastards."

"So when they tried to turn you into an asshole like me, I backed down."

"Who wants to see their child repeat their mistakes?"

"Hehe... Sorry, you are not my child, and I am not anyone to you."

"But... I really, really want to see you grow up, get married and have children... Even just watching from afar, without saying a word, would be so wonderful..."

"Why can't that kind of world come to pass? Why do I always do the wrong things? Why is this happening...?"

"But someone has to do it."

"I will become whatever kind of person humanity needs me to be."

When Lin woke up again, he didn't know how much time had passed; it seemed to have been more than a day since he last woke up.

Spasi was injecting some medication into his Medical Pod. Lin felt his body relax, perhaps due to the effects of the medication.

"Hey, are you awake?" Spasi knocked on the glass of the Medical Pod. "It seems you're recovering well. At least you haven't had any more hallucinations or abnormal reactions, and you've temporarily stabilized the Honkai Energy erosion rate."

"... How is headquarters now?"

"You're about to die yourself, why are you worried about others?"

"..."

"Shall we talk about something else?"

Spasi paused for a moment, seemingly considering where to begin. He looked into Lin's calm eyes and spoke after a long while, "Lin, I met a very promising young man at that hospital. He is full of love for life, compassion for patients, and is very talented."

"He reminds me of you, but he's clearly not like any of us. I think if I asked him to make the choice you made back then, he'd probably hesitate until Karen pounced on me and bit my throat off."

"...Su?" Lin asked.

"Huh? You know?" Spasi was surprised for a moment, then realized, "I see, the Firemoth member he mentioned who he had met was you."

"He was Kevin's friend. I saw him that night heading to the perimeter of the quarantine zone in Changkong City. He told me he wanted to know the truth."

"Is that so... I'm paying attention to him because an old friend of mine works at that hospital..." Spasi's nostalgia lasted less than a second; he rarely reminisced about the past that could never be returned to. "Do you think he could join the Moth of Fire?"

"...for what?"

The truth or saving lives?

Recalling Su's compassionate eyes, Lin already knew the answer in her heart.

"I think he should know what he's doing here, but he's not mature enough yet. He's a qualified 'doctor,' but not a qualified 'Moth of Fire' member."

"... A qualified member of 'Fire Moth'?"

Lin murmured these words, her gaze falling on the pistol placed on the table Medical Pod.

Chapter Fifty Let's Go

What is Doctor Mei's view on this incident?

On the eve of the High Council transfer, Einstein approached May and questioned the Head of Research and Development, who had remained calm throughout.

This High Council assassination attempt did not feel like a targeted assassination to Einstein. Prior to this, the High Council were mainly divided into two factions: one was the Mei Supporters, and the other was the Mei Opponents. It can be said that the conflict and struggle revolved around May.

This time, the deaths of High Council officials seemed more like a purge of the entire High Council. The dead included both supporters and opponents, making it a completely random killing. Mei, who should have been at the center of the storm, remained unharmed and even went to work on time every day. Moreover, she didn't take any basic self-protection measures. If Kevin hadn't been constantly around her, people would have really thought she didn't care about her own life or death.

After much deliberation, Einstein decided to ask May for her opinion. Her intuition told her that May, who had always observed from an outsider's perspective, would give her a different answer.

Why do you want to ask me?

"Because Doctor Mei doesn't seem to care..." Einstein stared at May's expression, but she couldn't discern any extraneous emotion on the genius's face. "Moreover, I've considered who will benefit from the reduction in the High Council. Apart from the other High Council, the biggest beneficiary is you, Doctor Mei."

"In other words, you are not entirely unsuspecting either."

Will the reduction in High Council and the killing of her supporters affect May's plans?

To outsiders, this might seem like a significant impact, but in reality, it represents a reduction or even disappearance of the entire High Council. Mei is likely to gain more influence, given that her abilities have been recognized over the years and she frequently participates in High Council meetings. If it weren't for the considerable controversy surrounding her, she might already be a High Council official.

"However," Einstein changed his tone, shifting from a stern, critical tone to a more casual one, "This is not in line with Doctor Mei's usual way of doing things. Besides, even I can see it, so I don't think Doctor Mei would do something so obvious and low-level."

After listening to Einstein's explanation and analysis, May wore her signature smile, seemingly affirming his statement.

"Doctor Einstein, I would be happy to share information with you...if it weren't for the tragedy that has occurred."

"... So, you're refusing?"

Being rejected was something Einstein had anticipated. As she said, May was the beneficiary of the situation and could have simply watched how things unfolded.

"You once said that the murderer exploited our habitual thinking. The method of murder, the location of murder, and the murder weapon are all quite deceptive elements." The long-haired girl pushed her glasses back into place, her eyes filled with the wisdom and calmness of a rational person. "Then why limit this incident to the mindset of 'struggle for interests'? And... why insist on using 'logical reasoning' to find the murderer? This isn't a detective game."

"Logical reasoning..." The words hit the nail on the head, as if a giant hand had swept away the hazy fog of Einstein's thinking.

Yes, if they've been using habitual thinking to mislead people from beginning to end, why would they bother using traditional logical reasoning to find the real culprit? Isn't that also a form of habitual thinking?

Now that the Honkai has already occurred, countless Honkai phenomena that cannot be explained by current science are frequently occurring. Therefore, even if the murderers, as members of the Moth Chaser, possess some undisclosed technology that they do not know about and use to commit crimes, they will not be able to find clues with the existing information.

"But Doctor Mei, why do you say that the motive for this is not 'a struggle for interests'?"

"Doctor Einstein, what made you join the Firemoth?"

"For... humanity..."

Einstein murmured, then his eyes widened as an absurd conjecture came to mind.

Since she joined the Firemoth for the sake of humanity, what were the thoughts of the High Council who founded this organization?

It's likely that there will be even more radical people who want to protect humanity than she is.

However, their definition of "human" differs from that of ordinary people, leading to a distortion in their methods.

Those who initially established a system of decentralization were never in High Council for "profit" from the start; otherwise, they wouldn't have been able to co-direct the "Moth to Fire" project peacefully for decades.

Even the murderer endured this system for a long time because their methods had indeed been effective.

Until internal conflicts reach their peak, this system becomes an obstacle to both the moth drawn to the flame and human progress.

Mei was the trigger for the conflict, but that doesn't mean she was the real cause. Various phenomena were deeply buried within the organization, like maggots clinging to the bone or poison in the marrow. The controversy surrounding her was merely a manifestation of this flaw. This is why the target of this assassination was the High Council, not Mei, because the assassin also realized that the fundamental problem lay in the organization's structure.

"He loves humanity while despising the 'incompetent' humans in his eyes; what a self-righteous 'judge'."

"It doesn't matter who becomes the leader of humanity after this; what matters is that there is someone who believes I will only create more monsters, so he wanted to get rid of me in advance. Now it seems he no longer has the resources to target me..."

"Or perhaps, he believes that after the disaster, humanity will elect the right people to lead the way. This blind faith in humanity reminds me of Lin..."