Pre-Collapse Civilization, My Wife is a Snake Oh

Ling Xi pondered for a moment longer, then chuckled, "Doctor, you might not believe me, but Seele and I don't really have any special relationship. Honestly, I doubt I've met Seele more than ten times. The reason I invited her to the concert this time was actually just to apologize."

"Oh, really..."

Mobius remained skeptical. If they didn't have a special relationship, then why had Seele hugged Ling Xi so excitedly and looked so worried when Ling Xi saved Rin earlier? That clearly wasn't an act.

However, she wasn't particularly worried about it. Seele was only sixteen and a freshman in high school, so... it wasn't a big deal.

"Alright, let's change the subject."

Mobius shook her head with a smile, no longer pressing the topic of Seele. She continued, "Actually, I called you here today to discuss something with you. To be precise, it's about a new experiment, a research project!"

"Heh heh..."

Upon hearing Mobius's words, Ling Xi couldn't help but laugh. "I'm the Doctor's assistant, so of course I'll follow the Doctor's arrangements. If you have anything regarding research, Doctor, just give me your orders. There's no need to 'discuss' anything."

"No, no, no, how could that be?"

Mobius also shook her head with a smile. "I'm a researcher, not a dictator. You are my assistants, not my subordinates. So, for matters that require discussion, we should discuss them. Besides... this matter also requires your help."

"Uh... you need to pull my hair again?"

Hearing Mobius's words, the first thing Ling Xi thought of was providing hair and blood samples, as Mobius had always coveted his abilities.

"Yes, a little is needed, but that's not the focus of this experiment."

Mobius didn't deny it but continued, "My plan is to use the Superpower Cells you provided and have them react with Honkai Energy. Then, we'll release a large amount of energy in a short period. This energy... might cause localized Honkai phenomena!"

"Hmm... Honkai?"

Ling Xi immediately understood what his Doctor meant and asked, "Doctor, do you mean you want me to stay by your side while you conduct the experiment, and then eliminate any Honkai Beasts that appear?"

"Yes!"

Mobius nodded and smiled faintly. "After all, if the experiment causes Honkai and harms someone, I will have an undeniable responsibility. Therefore, I hope you'll stay while the experiment is being conducted. That way, even if another Honkai incident occurs, it can be dealt with promptly, minimizing losses."

"No problem!"

Ling Xi nodded without hesitation and chuckled, "As long as the Doctor needs me, just give the word. However, if you conduct experiments like this in the future, please tell me, preferably when I'm present!"

"Naturally."

Mobius nodded and smiled. "Also, when conducting the experiment, I will choose a secluded location within the research institute. I will clear the area in advance and evacuate nearby personnel. This way, even if some accidents occur, it will only result in property damage, not casualties!"

"Eh? The Doctor actually considers these things?"

Hearing Mobius's words, Ling Xi felt a bit emotional. In his eyes, aside from himself and Klein, Mobius looked at everyone else as if they were disposable species. And among the ten rumors of the Flame-Chasing Moths, one of them stated...

[Mobius disregards human life, never caring about anyone's survival. Those participating in her experiments often suffer severe injuries or even death!]

However, it seemed that this rumor was clearly deviating from the truth.

"Hmph..."

Mobius snorted with slight displeasure, then shook her head. While smiling, she replied in her languid voice, "Ling Xi, you should know that sacrifice isn't terrifying, but pointless sacrifice isn't necessary. And... I'd rather not have others know about this experiment of mine. The reason... you should understand without me saying it, right?"

"Uh..."

Ling Xi paused for a moment, saying nothing. After all, if one were to judge Mobius's character based on the reputation of her laboratory, then Mobius would be wrong even for breathing. Or rather...

Mobius was fundamentally flawless, but the mistake was that she was Mobius!

"Ling Xi..."

Suddenly, Mobius leaned closer, gently hugging Ling Xi's arm, and then lightly pinched Ling Xi's cheek with one hand, smiling, "By the way... have you thought about what I told you last time?"

"My student matters?"

Ling Xi immediately became nervous again. Also, did this snake truly not know her own charm?

"Yes."

Mobius looked at Ling Xi with a smile. "Isn't it good to be my student? I can personally teach you, whether it's day or night. The content... would be things like the origin and birth of humanity. I can explain it to you personally, or even... demonstrate it!"

Ling Xi: "..."

As she spoke, Mobius leaned closer and closer, her face less than a centimeter away from Ling Xi's. This...

"Uh... Doctor, I just remembered I have something else to do, so I have to go. See you tomorrow, hehe, goodbye, Doctor..."

As he spoke, Ling Xi slipped away as if fleeing...

"Heh heh, heh heh..."

Watching Ling Xi flee, Mobius had no intention of stopping him. She simply sniffed the hand that had just touched Ling Xi's cheek with her nose, licked her lips, and a look of eager anticipation appeared on her face. "My little test subject, I'm starting to want to eat you..."

Chapter 54: Selfish Genes!

The next day, it was Monday again, and another boring class time!

"Seele!"

At noon, Ling Xi successfully encountered Seele again.

Of course, this time it wasn't a chance encounter. Ling Xi had actively asked Seele to meet, and the location wasn't their usual spot but rather below the teaching building.

"You're here?"

At the entrance of the teaching building, Seele held her phone in one hand, leaned against a pillar, and smiled at Ling Xi. "I thought I'd have to wait for a while."

"I told you last time was an accident..."

Ling Xi was truly speechless. While he had indeed stood her up, there was no need to remind him every single day.

"Hmph hmph..."

Seele let out a soft hum and then asked, "What are we having for lunch today?"

"That depends on what Seele wants to eat."

Ling Xi wasn't particularly picky about food; it mainly depended on what Seele wanted.

"Mmm-hmm..."

Seele thought for a moment and then smiled, "Then let's go to the cafeteria and see what they have before deciding."

"OK!"

Ling Xi decisively agreed.

Not long after, the two of them, each holding a meal tray, sat down on chairs in the cafeteria hall, enjoying their lunch.

"Ling Xi, about Mobius last night... she's with Flame-Chasing Moths, right?"

While eating, Seele finally couldn't help but start asking about Mobius. Actually, after she had returned last night, she had looked up the name Mobius, and then...

She had found information related to Mobius. After all, Mobius was quite a public figure, so there was a lot of information about her online. Although... most of it was negative!

"It seems you already know."

Seeing Seele ask this question, Ling Xi knew he couldn't keep it a secret any longer, as Mobius's information was all over the internet.

"I just didn't expect it to really be her!"

Seele pouted, looking a bit conflicted. "Ling Xi, can you... please stop working by her side?"

"Huh?"

Ling Xi blinked, looking at Seele in confusion.

"I... I'm not asking you to leave because I hate her, it's just..."

Seele said faintly, "Mobius is very dangerous, really dangerous. Whether it's the rumors or my intuition last night, in short... when I'm around her, I feel extremely uncomfortable."

"Seele, this is... prejudice."

Ling Xi shook his head helplessly and smiled, "Regarding Mobius, most of what's online are rumors. While Mobius did conduct some inhumane experiments, it was all for science, and it's nowhere near as outrageous as what's written online!"

"For example, the rumor that Mobius tied people with Honkai disease to an operating table and dissected them alive. However, the truth is..."

Ling Xi spread his hands. "Mobius brought back patients that couldn't be treated with current technology to her laboratory. She signed a contract with them, agreeing to use her personal methods for treatment and to perform an autopsy after their death. Of course, Mobius also gave their families a large sum of money so they wouldn't have to worry about their livelihood, and only then did she begin the treatment. However..."

"Seele, you should also know that with humanity's current technological level, it's impossible to cure patients with Honkai disease. So, in the end, Mobius couldn't cure the patient. After the patient died, she performed the autopsy. However... who knows who spread the rumor that Mobius dissected people alive..."

"Eh..."

Seele was also taken aback. "But... Mobius probably really wanted them to die, right? That way she could dissect them?"

"Heh heh..."

Ling Xi shook his head again and smiled, "Seele, believe me, in that situation, no one wanted to cure the patient more than Mobius. After all, a method to cure Honkai disease would be worth far more than the corpse of a Honkai patient. Do you think... Mobius really didn't want to cure them?"

"This..."

Seele was momentarily speechless because... Ling Xi made a lot of sense.

"Alright Seele, let's stop talking about Mobius!"

Seeing that Seele still seemed to want to say something, Ling Xi quickly interrupted her and smiled, "Let's eat first. If we keep talking, I'm afraid neither of us will be able to eat."

"Hmph, mind your own business!"

Seele snorted in annoyance, but her body was very obedient, and she began to eat her lunch obediently...

Since Seele was a first-year high school student, her classes were naturally full-day. After spending half an hour with Seele, she went back to rest, as she had classes in the afternoon. If she didn't take a nap during lunch break, she would have to fall asleep in class later...

As for Ling Xi... he naturally went to the laboratory!

"Doctor, out of the four hundred experimental groups, half have lost activity and are confirmed dead. One hundred and fifty groups are showing decreasing activity and strong rejection reactions, with an estimated twelve hours until complete loss of activity..."

In the laboratory, Cangxuan was reporting the experimental progress to Mobius. "Of the remaining fifty groups, twenty have shown signs of splitting, but seventeen of them have already died!"

"Were the split dead cells tested?"

Mobius asked Cangxuan while busy with her own work.

"Yes!"

Cangxuan said quietly, "According to cell testing, they exhibited the characteristics of Superpower Cells. After my further testing, seventeen groups of cells showed seventeen different DNA expression fragments. This means..."

"This means that trying to replicate Superpower Cells by editing DNA is almost impossible, right?"

Mobius smiled and finished Cangxuan's unspoken words!

"No, it's not almost impossible, it's absolutely impossible!"

Cangxuan gave an even more definitive answer, because this thing was simply too random, with no discernible pattern.

"That's true..."

Mobius stretched lazily, looking somewhat languid, and said with a smile, "But it's okay, at least we still have three groups, right? And... even if the results are bad, at least I know one thing: the ability of Superpower Cells can be inherited."

"But even if we know, it's useless."

Cangxuan spread her hands helplessly, "It was an experiment with a 99% success rate, but it ended up with a 99% failure rate. And I have a feeling the remaining three groups will also fail."

"Mmm... perhaps this is the charm of human genes."

Mobius smiled slightly, "Since you can prevent replication through scientific means, you can naturally prevent inheritance through scientific means. However... I am very curious about one question: would it still be prevented if it were natural inheritance?"

"Uh... I don't know about that."

Cangxuan shook her head, not wanting to answer the Doctor's question!

"It probably wouldn't be, because..."

Mobius smiled, "Genes are selfish, and the purpose of genes is to continuously replicate themselves. Therefore, even if genes have self-protection mechanisms, they cannot isolate their own inherited genes. Otherwise..."

Mobius spread her hands and said with a smile, "Such genes would have long disappeared in the river of history. How could they still exist today? So, natural inheritance should be a viable option."

Cangxuan: "..." So... what exactly does the Doctor want to say?

Chapter 55: Klein is Working Overtime!

"Klein, are you working here again?"

Upon arriving at the laboratory, Ling Xi saw Klein working on the sofa in the hall once more. He walked over with a smile, put down the things in his hands, and said with a smile, "Want some milk tea? I brought it for you."

"Milk tea!"

The moment Klein heard the word "milk tea," it was as if a switch was flipped. He immediately stopped his work, turned his head, and stared straight at Ling Xi, his eyes seemingly glowing green...

Ling Xi: "..." Hey, hey, hey, don't look like you're going to eat me alive!