"Corruption..."
Michael murmured the word, letting out a soft sigh.
Mei smiled faintly, once again taking control of the conversation.
"What? Still hesitant? Do you lack confidence in that plan?"
Michael rolled his eyes, mentally reviewing the plan Mei was referring to—
It all started back in April, specifically on Mei's birthday. Michael, along with Mobius and Aponia, had submitted a top-secret paper report.
In it, Michael, drawing from his own experience becoming a Herrscher and combining it with how Mobius and Aponia's experiments allowed Seele to retain part of her consciousness after becoming the Sixth Herrscher, outlined the prototype for a [Herrscher of Humanity] plan.
Based on known phenomena, Michael retained his self-awareness because when the Honkai descended the consciousness of the First Herrscher, it targeted the original [Michael] of this world and erased it directly. Michael's actual, active consciousness—the one that had transmigrated—dodged the bullet.
Then, before the Herrscher consciousness could fully control the body and before the Herrscher Core could fully form, his consciousness replaced the Herrscher's.
Once a Herrscher is born, the connection to the Imaginary Space is irreversible. Even if God truly existed, this authority could not be revoked.
Seele's situation was somewhat different from Michael's, yet similar:
Aponia had copied one of Seele's personalities. When the Imaginary targeted Seele's original consciousness and replaced it, the copy of Seele's consciousness was unharmed.
However, by the time Michael discovered Seele's copied consciousness, the Herrscher's consciousness had already matured and begun to consume the copy. At that time, Michael, lacking the Authority of Sentience, could do nothing.
However, looking at it from another angle, this meant that with Michael possessing the Authority of Sentience, combined with Aponia, at the precise moment a Herrscher appeared, they theoretically had the potential to create what he termed a [Herrscher of Humanity].
The key to achieving this was grasping "the exact moment the Herrscher appears."
And to grasp this moment, they needed to first identify the Herrscher's potential host, or at least narrow down the pool of candidates. This was the only way to pull off the switcheroo right from the start.
This plan was initially intended for the Tenth Herrscher. If they could infiltrate the enemy's ranks, they could accurately discern their movements and objectives, making it easier to pass along false intelligence.
The projected test subjects were Immer and Klein.
However, after Mei read and destroyed the top-secret report, she hadn't yet made up her mind before being targeted for assassination that very night by Carole—the individual who became the Tenth Herrscher.
Thus, the part of the plan targeting the Tenth Herrscher became meaningless and was shelved.
Now that Mei brought it up again, it was clear she had already simulated and verified the feasibility of the plan and intended to use it on the Twelfth Herrscher, the Herrscher of Corruption.
Of course, her motives weren't solely for the sake of the Elysian Realm. In fact, she didn't fully understand Michael's insistence on the "Realm."
From her perspective, the initial digital version of the Elysian Realm she and Mobius designed was perfectly adequate for the purpose of "leaving behind a legacy and proof of existence," and it represented the limit of current technology.
But Michael insisted on merging the data-based Realm with this physical Bubble Universe, creating a world existing in the seam between reality and illusion, both real and unreal.
Was it because he feared the upcoming Herrscher of Corruption attacking the Realm? But the "script" didn't mention anything like that. If that was a genuine concern, they could simply store the memory data first and construct the digital Realm after the Twelfth Honkai Eruption concluded.
But since Michael insisted, so be it.
Everyone had their secrets, and Mei wasn't inclined to pry, especially since she knew the man before her was aware of a future even more distant than Aponia could foresee. Naturally, he carried a burden far heavier than any of them.
Besides, it wasn't impossible—as long as the power of Corruption could be harnessed by humanity.
Of course, if it were only for the Elysian Realm, a Divine Key might suffice.
But a more crucial aspect of this plan was that it could also prevent the Herrscher of Corruption from appearing randomly and bringing catastrophe upon humanity—
Unlike the Herrschers of Dominance and Binding, even with sufficient understanding, finding a solution to the power of Corruption was extremely difficult.
Perhaps a complete network shutdown could work, but how could they time the shutdown for the exact moment an unknown host became the Herrscher? How long could humanity sustain a total network blackout, and how could they confirm the Herrscher was eliminated?
And was the Herrscher of Corruption's ability truly limited to just corrupting networks?
Would humanity even have enough time left to construct a Divine Key of Corruption?
Michael rubbed the bridge of his nose and smiled wryly.
"I'm not hesitant, nor do I lack confidence... I'm just wondering how to convince Sakura."
Ideally, having Rin become a Human Herrscher in full control of the power of Corruption would be a win-win situation. But in this world, such seemingly perfect solutions often hide unseen sacrifices.
For instance, even in the most ideal outcome, the Rin everyone would eventually face wouldn't be the Rin they knew now.
This wasn't some philosophical debate about whether the future me is the same as the present me; it was a tangible "difference"—unless one believed there was absolutely no distinction between a consciousness copy and the original.
If the world were a giant text document, the original "Rin" and a copy-pasted "Rin" might look identical and behave identically, but their essence would differ.
Could the copy then replace the original, destined to be erased?
No.
If the Herrscher replaced the active consciousness within the body upon birth, Michael would have been gone long ago.
In other words, fate is linked to the original consciousness, or to put it in more romantic terms—the soul.
This meant sacrifice was unavoidable.
Could Sakura accept this? Could Rin herself accept this?
Michael didn't even need to think about it to know how difficult this would be.
"I need to think this through carefully... If possible, I want to bring Sakura here, and we can all discuss it openly. If it really doesn't work out, then let's go with the Divine Key plan."
Both Meis fell silent simultaneously, their expressions turning thoughtful—at this stage, the compromise Michael was willing to make was using a Divine Key, not opting for the digital Elysian Realm plan...
So, Michael, what exactly does an Elysian Realm situated between reality and illusion mean for your future plans?
Mei was somewhat aware of Michael's recent activities; besides, Michael hadn't hidden them from her. She roughly knew he had some undisclosed plans, though she was unaware of the specifics.
However... throughout this conversation, both parties had intentionally or unintentionally overlooked one possibility—Michael himself replicating the authority of Corruption to construct the Elysian Realm.
Because the person who bore the authority of Corruption would inevitably become an indispensable part of the Elysian Realm. Meaning, if the struggle needed to continue into the next era, Michael would be bound to the Realm, unable to undertake any other actions.
This was unacceptable in both Michael's plans and Mei's.
The spacious laboratory lapsed into a silence that was neither long nor short.
"Hss... Hss..."
A burst of static suddenly came from the Genius device. It seemed the Mei on the other end had encountered something, temporarily cutting off communication.
The interruption lasted about ten seconds before the static subsided, and Mei's voice returned:
"Alright, let's proceed as you suggested later. Matters like this naturally require discussion with Sakura, but..."
"What is it?"
"Before that, there might be something else you need to do—she's awake."
...
The girl felt like she had been dreaming for a very long time, so long that the moment she opened her eyes, the memories from the dream rapidly dissipated under the somewhat harsh light.
She ultimately failed to grasp what had happened in that dream.
Her entire body felt an inexplicable fatigue—no, since she didn't know what had happened before, "fatigue" wasn't quite right. Let's call it weakness for now.
Her head sank into the soft pillow as if it possessed a powerful magnetic pull, holding her fast. Every time she tried to lift her head, she had to fight against an irresistible heaviness, so she stopped struggling and simply stared blankly at the ceiling above.
The ceiling looked somewhat unfamiliar, yet somewhat familiar.
The air was filled with the cold scent of disinfectant, mingling with the warmth that lingered from a long slumber.
So, what exactly happened?
No, that wasn't the most important question. The most important question was—Who am I?
The girl exerted considerable effort to maneuver her hand out from under the covers, holding her calloused palm up before her face.
She vaguely grasped something, but when she tried to delve deeper, that spark of insight quickly vanished.
This feeling was strangely familiar, as if it had happened countless times in the forgotten dream.
Where was this place? The pervasive smell of disinfectant made her realize it was likely a hospital room, but if it was, there were no IV drips, no various medical instruments...
The girl shifted her leg slightly—there was nothing at all, which was suspicious.
Tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap—
Rapid footsteps echoed from outside the room. One could sense the urgency of the approaching person without even needing to listen closely.
Hua turned her head towards the sound, seeing walls and a door that shared the same metallic sheen and coldness as the ceiling.
Only then did she realize how sharp her hearing was. Could she really accurately perceive sounds from beyond walls made of such material?
Or perhaps the footsteps were just auditory hallucinations.
But the next moment, she knew they weren't hallucinations, but real sounds—
The heavy metal door slid open to both sides, pulled by hydraulic mechanisms. A strange man paused at the doorway.
He lingered for a second or two, his bright eyes gradually dimming, then strolled in casually.
The girl tilted her head, carefully observing the man's every move. Perhaps it was because her mind was completely blank, making her eager to know everything about herself and the world, that she observed a stranger's actions with such meticulous detail.
The door closed behind the man. He silently walked to the girl's bedside, lowered his head, and met her gaze with an inscrutable expression.
An indecipherable light flickered within his silver-gray eyes.
Did he seem guilty? Yet also somewhat relieved... and filled with admiration and...
The girl easily read the meaning in his gaze, so effortlessly it surprised even herself.
Thus, she could conclude that this man definitely knew her past. Otherwise, he shouldn't wear such an expression, and she shouldn't be able to grasp his emotions so accurately.
The man's lips twitched twice, as if he struggled to swallow the words about to escape, chewing them over carefully before extracting new ones.
Throughout this process, the girl kept her eyes fixed on his, watching him inexplicably crouch down slowly. Just as she wondered if he might fall onto the floor, a stool materialized behind him out of thin air, steadily catching him.
The girl blinked, seemingly confirming if what just happened was real.
But a voice deep inside told her that this was how things should be, that this man before her possessed such incredible abilities.
This meant she must have known this man before, absolutely!
And just as she could no longer suppress the restlessness in her heart and was about to ask questions urgently, the man spoke first:
"Hua... how much do you remember about the past?"
So my name is Hua... She quickly accepted this, then mustered great effort to shake her head slightly.
"I... don't know..."
Hua's words were simple and fragmented, but not intentionally so. "I don't know anything, I don't remember," was the complete sentence she formed in her mind, but for some reason, the moment she tried to speak it, the sentence felt as if it had been crudely cut apart by scissors. In the end, only these few words could be expressed as sound.
Tension arose, but it wasn't her feeling tense; it was the man before her who became tense. His hands, previously resting flat on his thighs, clenched tightly, wrinkling his pants into countless sharp creases.
"Sorry..."
This time, she finally managed to utter a complete sentence, albeit still incredibly short, but the meaning was conveyed intact.
The man's breathing grew heavy. The wise decision now would be to quickly change the subject, but he didn't. Instead, he waited quietly, waiting for Hua to continue.
"Sorry, really, sorry. I, feel, you should, be, someone very... very important, to me, but... I can't remember your name."
"My name is Michael."
"Michael..."
Hua moved her lips, silently repeating the name many times, then covered her forehead with a mournful expression.
Michael stared at her dry lips for a moment, then snapped his fingers. A steaming cup of black coffee suddenly appeared in his hand.
"Thirsty? Want some? Need sugar or milk?"
Hua's eyes widened slightly as she looked at the liquid in the cup emitting an ominous bitterness. She blinked and shook her head.
Michael's lips twitched. His plan to trick the old antique into drinking coffee had failed.
So he waved his hand, and the coffee vanished into thin air, replaced by a cup of warm tea.
"This should be okay, right?"
But Hua still shook her head. She licked her dry, cracked lips and shook her head again.
Michael tilted his head, somewhat puzzled.
It wasn't until Hua blushed under his gaze and lowered her eyes, and his gaze slowly slid down, noticing her thighs pressed tightly together beneath the thin blanket, that he finally understood... After over a hundred hours of unconsciousness, even with a MANTIS's unusual metabolism, she had reached her limit.
"You... can't get out of bed by yourself, can you?"
Hua nodded eagerly. The long coma had not only left her mentally exhausted but also, due to the damage her consciousness sustained, her control over her body was temporarily comparable to that of a newborn baby. Turning her head and moving her limbs were her current limits.
"...Should've let Elysia come."
Hearing this name, Hua's eyes went blank for a moment, then her expression became complicated.
But seeing Michael holding the teacup, completely at a loss for what to do, she couldn't help but chuckle softly, then quickly bit her lip to stop.
"Just... just help me to the restroom once..."
She requested, blushing.
Michael blinked, quickly setting aside the details. He first pushed aside the blanket, slid his hands under Hua's shoulders and knees, and then carried her princess-style, walking both smoothly and quickly towards the restroom inside the room.
"No... no..."
Hua wanted to say "You don't have to do this," but in her nervousness, she could only manage the word "no."
Michael carried her to the doorway. The restroom door opened automatically, and the toilet seat cover flipped down with a snap. He quickly took two steps forward, placed Hua down, then shut his eyes tightly, swiftly grabbed her patient pants, pulled them down, turned around, and sauntered away.
He even remembered to close the restroom door behind him.
"Ah..."
Hua couldn't help but let out a long sigh, then cupped her burning cheeks. She glanced down and, ultimately, silently pulled her pants up slightly.
"Michael..."
Her lips moved soundlessly, repeating his name countless times in her heart.
What exactly was the relationship between this person and her, before?
Their interaction was clearly intimate, yet also distant. Clearly uninhibited, yet tinged with underlying worry.
More importantly, the moment she was held, she should have instinctively thrown a punch, right? Even if her body couldn't, the thought should have crossed her mind.
But why did she instead feel a kind of... anticipated yet softly resistant feeling?
Just how complicated was the relationship between those two?
Unconsciously, she had already separated her past self from her present self.
"Heh..."
She rubbed her cheeks vigorously, trying to recall anything about that person in her mind.
"But... what does his relationship with my former self mean for the me I am now?"