The bedroom door silently opened a crack. With a Fusion Warrior's hearing, even a gentle breeze or drizzle sounded like thunder, yet Sakura, overwhelmed by grief, failed to notice.
Through the gap in the door, Elysia saw Sakura crying, and her expression turned sorrowful as well. Unlike her usual carefree self, Elysia gently opened the door, sat beside Sakura, and softly embraced her slender body, waiting for her emotions to settle.
"Elysia..." Sakura sobbed uncontrollably.
She spoke through stammering tears, yet there was an inexplicable resolve in her voice. "I'll kill her..."
Elysia did not quite understand. She gently stroked Sakura's long hair.
"What are you talking about?"
"I said..." Sakura raised her head, tears glistening in her eyes as her body trembled from time to time. She stared directly into Elysia's pink eyes. "I'll kill Ling."
Elysia froze, then held Sakura tighter in distress.
"I thought..." She suddenly stopped, hesitated for a moment, then let out a long sigh and released Sakura from her embrace. "We still don't know what your sister will become... Don't make that decision yet, all right?"
Elysia looked intently at Sakura's face. She knew when her carefree nature could bring joy.
"Have you ever considered something? We defeated the Twelfth Law-Ruler far too easily."
Sakura said nothing, and Elysia continued. "The Twelfth Law-Ruler's abilities were more dangerous than those of previous Law-Rulers, yet we killed her without paying much of a price."
"There must be secrets we still don't know." Elysia whispered into Sakura's ear, "Mobius told me that Dr. Mei seems to have made a deal with certain people, and that was why we won so easily this time."
"Perhaps they were the ones who provided Dr. Mei with information. As long as we find them, we can learn exactly what your sister will become."
"Why not ask Dr. Mei directly?"
"Mobius already did. She refused to say anything, and Kevin has kept his mouth shut as well."
"Why would Dr. Mobius tell you about this?" Sakura found it difficult to imagine that Mobius, so immersed in her experiments, would take the initiative to contact the outside world.
"She is very interested in the Kyshtym Town nuclear explosion, but she can barely find a single clue. Dr. Mei also seems to be helping them cover their tracks. Even if Mobius did not want to tell me this information, she had no choice but to ask me to find them, given my investigative abilities." Elysia smiled slyly.
"Sakura, if you need help, go to Gray Serpent and Eden. Eden still doesn't know what happened, so you need to tell her everything. Gray Serpent will provide you with intelligence support. I imagine you are already quite familiar with him, but you absolutely cannot tell Gray Serpent about this matter. You can say Mobius sent you."
Sakura nodded silently. Elysia rose to her feet and walked to the door.
"We need to get moving quickly, Sakura. We have no time to waste on sorrow."
"You did not destroy my organization without restraint as you did in the past. Instead, you took the trouble to bypass the security system, and even now that you stand before me, you have not drawn your blade. I have no intention of speculating on your thoughts, but please tell me the reason for this." Gray Serpent stood with his back to Sakura in the darkness.
Sakura spoke bluntly. "I need your help, and the help of your organization."
Gray Serpent was somewhat surprised. He turned around and bowed respectfully to Sakura. "Since you require my help, it would be my honor."
"I want you to investigate an organization, one that Dr. Mobius is also very interested in." Sakura deliberately emphasized Mobius's name. Though Gray Serpent treated Sakura with great respect, without a clear motive, he would not prioritize her request.
Gray Serpent was a failure in Mobius's eyes, and having developed free will, he desperately wanted his creator's recognition. If Gray Serpent could earn Mobius's approval, he would seize the opportunity without hesitation.
"Please give me more details."
"I know the Kyshtym Town nuclear explosion was their work. It is highly likely that they gave Dr. Mei crucial assistance during the battle against the Eleventh Law-Ruler. Dr. Mei and Kevin both know the truth, yet they refuse to reveal the details. Dr. Mobius has been watching them ever since the Kyshtym Town nuclear explosion, but unfortunately, she has found no clues."
"I understand, Miss Sakura. Thank you for providing this information. From what little I know, the reason my master is interested in them may not be the Kyshtym Town nuclear explosion, but rather the aid they gave Dr. Mei in fighting the Eleventh Law-Ruler." Having heard only a few pieces of information and combined them with the current situation, Gray Serpent immediately grasped the key point.
Gray Serpent explained vividly to Sakura, "You know that every outbreak of Honkai brings humanity a terrible price, but the eleventh outbreak of Honkai was different. I believe that even the most foolish person would think of one question: Why were the Eleventh Law-Ruler's abilities so unusual and so deadly, yet we seemingly suffered no enormous losses?"
"That's true." Sakura nodded.
"I can further speculate that my master began to harbor suspicions before the Eleventh Law-Ruler appeared. But that is only speculation."
"You may begin investigating now. Eden will also provide you with funding and personnel support."
"Oh?" Surprise flashed in Gray Serpent's red eyes. The target of this investigation had drawn the attention of so many people that he seemed to be growing interested as well.
"So, you have already persuaded Miss Eden?"
"I'm about to."
"Eden." Sakura called Eden's private terminal. Eden responded quickly, asking in the most beautiful voice in the world, "What is it, Sakura?"
"..." Sakura fell silent for two seconds. She could tell Gray Serpent certain things without hesitation, things that did not need to be hidden, but Eden was her friend.
That meant Sakura had to tell her everything, no matter what. After another stretch of silence, Sakura said, "Do you remember that dress you recommended to me last time? I think it suits me very well. I was wondering what kind of boots would go with it?"
"Oh, my..." There was indescribable amusement in Eden's voice. "It seems our Sakura is finally no longer fixated on practical clothing."
"So..." Sakura said as if it were only natural, "Can I come to your house?"
Eden answered happily, "Of course you can!"
The homes of the wealthy were not always merely gilded and magnificent. A truly captivating building would leave itself firmly imprinted in one's memory, rather than leaving behind only a gaudy, monotonous impression. After all, in the minds of many, splendor was the standard feature of the rich—and that inevitably became another kind of ordinary.
Eden also had her own room at the base. During peacetime, she generally did not stay there, instead living in her own home. It was some distance from the base, though not very far.
"Good afternoon, Miss Sakura." A butler with graying hair and a beard, as elegant and proper as one from a film, greeted Sakura.
"The mistress is waiting for you."
The butler pushed open the golden yet not gleaming gate, which slowly gave off a deep, resonant sound, as though displaying its antiquity and grandeur. The elderly butler then made a gesture of invitation. Sakura nodded politely and entered.
Beyond the gate was a corridor of moderate length, its floor covered by a rectangular carpet embroidered with intricate patterns. Walking across the soft carpet, she arrived in the hall. The floor was made of marble, patterned in orderly adjoining black-and-white squares. A massive black circle was carved at its center, within which stood a dark symbol representing "Eden."
On the left wall was an extinguished fireplace. Near it, atop a patterned carpet, stood a low wooden table and two sofas of the same color, with a vase resting on the table. On the right was a wooden semicircular spiral staircase, its handrail carved with hollow floral patterns. From the center of the staircase hung a three-tiered golden chandelier. Eden waited for Sakura at the foot of the stairs.
Eden smiled, her golden eyes brimming with delight. She opened her arms and warmly embraced Sakura. "You're finally here, Sakura. I'm truly so happy to hear that you decided to wear the dress I designed for you."
"This... I..." Though Sakura disliked such impractical and extravagant things as dresses, she could not bear to extinguish Eden's excitement.
Eden nodded toward the elderly butler, and he understood at once, leaving the area.
"Come to my room. I still have the dress I designed for you."
When Sakura looked at herself in the fitting mirror, her expression immediately became somewhat unnatural. The backless purple dress stripped away all the killing intent from her body, turning this assassin into a delicate, vivid violet.
"I..." Sakura pinched the hem of the dress. Clothing made from fine materials was not only beautiful, but also comfortable for its wearer. Yet Sakura could not feel comfortable in the slightest.
At last, she could not hold back any longer. "Eden, actually... there's something I need to tell you."
"I know." Eden blinked playfully. "Elysia already told me. She just didn't tell me what it was about."
"..."
Though Sakura had changed back into her usual combat outfit and wore a grave expression, she did not know how to begin. Sakura was not good at dealing with people. Even with a close friend like Eden, she did not know how to find an opening. The whole matter was simply too shocking.
Sakura, unable to speak for a long while, looked troubled. She first uttered half a word, then swallowed it back down. Eden took her hand. "You can trust me."
"I just don't know how to say it." Sakura sighed sadly and decided to reveal the most important part of the matter. "My sister will become the next Law-Ruler..."
Eden's eyes widened.
"And I will kill her."
Before you continue