I'm No MOTH Hero

"And his housekeeping skills are surprisingly good. When he looked at me with those eyes, I felt like I was being glared at by my mom."

Danzhu and Cangxuan whispered to each other, discussing Lin, who had left with a flourish after cleaning up. They often browsed the internal network, so they knew the most about the rumors surrounding Lin.

Something like this, Lin actively helping the lab with cleaning, had never happened before.

"I feel like his aura is a little different compared to last time," Cangxuan said, touching her newly polished workbench.

"Different how? Isn't he still cold?"

"It's like there's more... human warmth?"

Mobius gazed at the sparkling laboratory, racking her brain trying to understand why Lin would undertake such a thorough cleaning. With his cold, efficient principles, he should have been focusing on training once he was able to move.

Who had changed him? Could it be Mei's little follower? According to the files, they were indeed good friends in the past.

But it didn't feel like that love-struck kid who was always talking about Mei. Who could it be...

"Hee hee~ Elysia's here for a free meal~"

"..."

Mobius coldly looked at the pink-haired girl walking in through the door. The smile that was perpetually on her face gave Mobius the answer she was looking for.

She forced a smile, looking at Elysia as she approached, and asked, "Was it you?"

"Huh? What are you talking about?" Elysia pretended not to understand, cupping her hand to her ear as if listening.

"I truly never expected that even someone devoid of ordinary human emotions would fall for your charms. Should I consider learning your way of speaking, Elysia?"

"Oh, Dr. Mobius, how can you say that about Lin? He's just not good at expressing himself, and I happen to understand him a little better than others. If you want to understand him too, you could try reading 'One Hundred Questions About the Silent Helmet'~"

The two were locked in a verbal duel, their words clashing back and forth. Even standing opposite each other, they both stood tall, tiptoeing to avoid looking up at the other.

"Hmph, you must have said things that catered to his ideals to gain his favor. It's your usual trick, after all. Males are still males; it's only natural for them to develop a liking for attractive and flattering females."

"I don't think Lin sees it that way. He probably thinks we're like-minded friends, just like he is with Kevin and Mei." Elysia couldn't help but flash a charming smile. "But it's not easy to make Lin consider me a friend."

Mobius licked her lips, narrowing her eyes. "Oh? Then I'm curious, what's your purpose in getting along with him?"

"Do you need a purpose to make friends?"

"..."

Elysia's responses to Mobius's questioning were watertight. Even Mobius couldn't discern the truth of her words, as if she genuinely only intended to be friends with Lin.

However, this wasn't the first time something like this had happened...

In the end, Mobius didn't press further, perhaps deeming it pointless, or perhaps for a deeper reason.

Mobius turned away, not wanting to look at the pink-haired girl's smile, and asked indifferently, "What are you here for?"

"Uh... Didn't I already say? I'm here for a free meal," Elysia stated matter-of-factly.

"A free meal?"

"Kevin said Lin's cooking is top-tier. I ran into Lin on the way, and he said he was going to cook and bring it to the lab, so I came to mooch off him."

"..."

Mobius felt utterly exhausted.

Chapter 33: Suspicion

"What exactly did you do before joining MOTH?"

This was the first thing Mobius said after finishing a meal hastily prepared by Lin.

"A student." Lin, who was clearing the plates, replied calmly before walking away with the empty dishes.

Mobius wiped the oil from the corner of her mouth and looked around, noticing that the other three people were all clutching their stomachs, looking thoroughly satisfied.

As for why she wasn't like them... she had to blame the eating speed of these three beasts.

"Haha, Kevin really didn't lie," Elysia said, stretching her graceful body in a languid pose, staring with interest at the pensive Mobius. "Just thinking about Lin cooking for you every day makes me a little jealous."

"..."

Mobius's brows furrowed. After glancing at the empty doorway, she turned and walked toward her office.

"Elysia, come here."

Kevin tidied his uniform and hairstyle before knocking on the door of the private office. After hearing a "Come in," he pushed the door open and entered.

"Me, what did you need me for... Whoa, what is all this!"

Papers filled with complex formulas were piled high next to the desk, and used pen refills lay in a corner like a small mountain. The bespectacled girl was non-stop writing, solidifying some concept, and only stopped to mark a symbol after Kevin entered.

Kevin stared dumbfounded at the room full of papers. He could understand the individual words, but when combined, he only recognized some basic formulas. The knowledge involved far exceeded ordinary external concepts, and some were even formulas Mei had invented herself.

Me capped her pen, picked up the now-cold coffee beside her, and took a sip. The reflection in her glasses revealed the massive project. "This is a concept for artificial intelligence. MOTH's current development of Titans is divided into two directions: one is piloted Titans, like the top-tier soldier Lin, and the other is autonomous Titans controlled by AI."

"The HQ's R&D department is tackling the equipment challenges, while I'm responsible for developing epoch-making artificial intelligence. After all, this is a job that doesn't involve Honkai Energy, which I can handle with my current knowledge."

No, creating epoch-making AI sounds like a very casual task coming from you...

Kevin picked up a fallen piece of paper and placed it on the desk, curiously asking, "Me, why don't you use a computer for work? Writing by hand like this... wouldn't it be slower? And it's hard to organize."

"Every computer here is connected to the internal network, so they can't be shielded. My request for a computer not connected to the internal network wasn't approved," Mei said, putting down her teacup. A ballpoint pen danced on her right index finger. "Anything used will leave a trace, and even if network traces are erased, they can still be restored. If someone hacks in, there's a risk of leakage."

"Hack in? Who could hack into MOTH?"

Given MOTH's location, its military-grade security system, and its purpose of fighting the Honkai, would hackers really try to infiltrate it?

Mei offered a knowing smile. "It's hard to say, and the intruder might not even be human. The electromagnetic field manipulated by the Third Herrscher can do more than people imagine. But she seems limited by her own knowledge or other factors, so all she's shown is some lightning strikes and simple magnetic manipulation. In reality, if she wanted to, she could hack into human electronic facilities, causing communication paralysis and explosive overloads, not just interference."

Hearing Mei say this, Kevin shivered.

Even if used purely for destruction, the Third Herrscher was close to leveling Changkong City. What if Mei became a Herrscher and aided her abilities with her knowledge... No, what was he thinking? How could Mei possibly become a Herrscher?

"Besides, I only wrote it down on paper to have a clear outline. I've memorized all the necessary details. I'll destroy these records later."

Mei stood up and walked to the door. After peeking out to confirm no one was there, she locked it from the inside.

"This room has anti-eavesdropping and anti-peeping devices I made. What I'm about to say next, Kevin, do not tell anyone."

"Okay."

Kevin's unconditional trust relieved Mei. Her expression relaxed a bit as she walked to the water cooler and poured two cups of water, handing one to Kevin.

She leaned against the corner of the table, her finger sliding across the rim of the cup, flicking off a drop of water. Then she began to speak. "I need to tell you some things, and ask you some questions..."

Her gaze, devoid of emotion, fixed on a surprised Kevin.

"It's about Lin."

"An ordinary high school student who never showed any outstanding grades or exceptional talent from childhood to adulthood. During school, he skipped classes to play games, attend concerts, and read novels. He even had the common habit of folding toilet paper in half before using it. He was so ordinary that if I took a brick and threw it at any random high school right now, I'd hit four or five guys just like him."

"After growing up in a completely ordinary way, one ordinary night, he inexplicably awakened with a sense of duty towards humanity? And he immediately found an organization hidden beneath the world's surface, qualifying to join through his unbelievable reaction speed."

"If life were a novel, the first half and the second half of this person's life would be written by two different authors. But the problem is, this person is real, not fictional, and he's right here at MOTH."

Mobius pinned Lin's file to the blackboard and turned to look at an intrigued Elysia.

"Elysia, don't you think what happened to Lin is worth investigating?"

"Or, is the reason you're close to him to investigate this matter?"

"Lin is indeed someone whose personality changes during major turning points, so I didn't suspect much about his transformation at first. That was until I went to look for his activity records from the day before he dropped out."

Mei's eyes held an absolute rationality, a gaze colder than Lin's.

Her words also made Kevin frown.

"Did Lin see the Honkai that night, which is why he decided to join MOTH?"

"That's what I thought too," Mei's eyes flickered. "But that's not what happened."

In the conference room, the projector displayed the conversation records of Lin's recent joining of MOTH onto the screen. The executives held their breath, staring intently at the recording.

The hooded youth recounted his experiences expressionlessly.

"In the MSA-079 conversation log, he mentioned seeing a Mortal and MOTH soldiers. The MOTH soldiers sacrificed themselves to protect him, and the handgun he has is that soldier's. Afterward, MSA-079 contacted MOTH through the soldier's communicator."

"These are the words he spoke when explaining the reason for joining MOTH."

"But after our confirmation..."

"Lin didn't go anywhere that night. He went straight home after school and didn't leave until eight the next morning."

"During this period, there was no Honkai activity in Changkong City."

Chapter 34: The Gunshots Will Eventually Ring Out

"So... what are you trying to say?"

Elysia waved her hand in the air, expressing her confusion.

"...Elysia, you're really annoying when you pretend to be clueless."

Elysia spread her hands innocently. "But I'm telling the truth. I really don't know the purpose of you telling me all this."

"You..." Mobius stopped herself mid-sentence, then seemed to realize something and nodded in understanding. "I almost forgot, you seem to be someone with an unknown background as well."

Elysia blinked and smiled. "I have official recruitment channels and records, you know~"

"Hmph, records are the easiest thing to fake." Mobius had also investigated Elysia, and she didn't believe a single word of Elysia's suspiciously flawless recruitment record. "I can't be bothered to investigate your issues; that's not my concern. But what happened to Lin interests me greatly."

"Hmm... Should I go ask him then?"

"..."

Mobius's gaze suggested she was treating Elysia like an idiot.

"Oh, don't look at me like that. Lin is genuinely sincere towards his friends, so if you ask him, he'll definitely be willing to tell you." Elysia shrugged indifferently. "But since Doctor Mobius doesn't think that's a good idea, then you should just ask him yourself. It's not difficult; you just need to become friends with Lin."

"Don't joke around, Elysia. Forget it, I'm being foolish even talking to you about this. Eat up and leave quickly." Mobius waved her hand impatiently, like shooing away a fly.

This woman was far more troublesome than that stoic man. She had thought she could pique his excessive curiosity and get him to help find what she wanted, but it turned out he was completely different in this regard compared to his usual behavior.

"Doctor Mobius, are you simply curious, or are you worried that things might develop beyond your control?"

"..."

As Elysia reached the doorway, she turned back with a gentle question that made the air freeze.

Mobius, with her back to Elysia, turned off the lights in the room.

Click.

In the darkness, a pair of eerie green pupils quietly lit up, looking behind her.

"I believe worrying is unnecessary. Regardless of any experiences, the reason we exist here together is only one, isn't it?"

This was why she wasn't interested in Lin's past.

If she were to delve into Lin's secrets, she might reopen his wounds. Even if he acted like he didn't care, but...

Elysia's smile was as bright as sunshine.

After Lin finished clearing the dishes and washing his hands, he left and headed towards the R&D department. On the vast, interconnected roads of the headquarters base, he encountered an "acquaintance."

The boy, his face wrapped up, cast a cold glance at the tall man approaching him from directly ahead. He turned his foot, intending to go around him.

Click.

A foot stretched out in front of him, blocking his path.

Lin slightly raised his head, looking up at the man who was a bit taller than him, watching him in silence.

Sigma stared at Lin with a dark expression, his gaze lingering on Lin's legs for a few seconds before he slowly spoke, "You've recovered?"

Lin pondered for a moment, then nodded. "It's thanks to Doctor Mobius."