GR 171-200 (Patreon)

GR 171-200

Chapter 58: Bianka's Withdrawal and Ending

Finally, as time passed, Bianka welcomed her own canonization ceremony.

Although she didn't like such a grand event, she still made some serious preparations on the eve of the canonization. This time, she was no longer wearing the armor she had made before but her own exclusive armor, [Bright Knight·Excelsis].

After all, this canonization represents many things. It not only reflects the attitude of the country and the Bright Knight, Bianka, but it also symbolizes that she has officially taken over the "power" and assumed the associated obligations and responsibilities.

…

*The Headquarters of the Immortal Blade Knights——*

"Hmm."

At this moment, Bianka, wearing a beautiful dress, exaggerated glasses, and with messy hair and an unsettled expression, glared at the person not far behind her with resentment.

As for why Bianka looks so embarrassed now, it all started with the canonization ceremony that had just ended. Although the whole ceremony was a bit complicated, there were no issues overall. The problem arose when she was leaving the ceremony.

Even though she was in disguise, Durandal was still recognized by fans and was directly surrounded by a group of fanatical admirers. It took her half a day to escape and run all the way back here.

"You can't blame me, Lady Durandal. Your fans just love you too much," Rita said, spreading her hands innocently as she looked at the resentful gaze from her own goose.

"Humph~ If that's the case, I don't think I need to disguise myself next time," Bianka snorted, eyeing Rita's innocent look.

To be honest, Durandal felt she shouldn't have listened to Rita's suggestion in the first place—to wear a dress and disguise herself. In the end, not only was she recognized, but she also became more conspicuous than usual.

"That's not what I meant, Lord Durandal. Perhaps I just didn't disguise you well enough this time. Next time, I can help you change your style," Rita suggested with a smile after hearing Bianka's words.

Hearing this, Bianka narrowed her beautiful blue eyes suspiciously and then said, "Rita, if you just want to see me in a different style of dress, just say so."

"How could that be? Although Lady Durandal does look good in a dress, my original intention was to help you with your disguise~" Rita smiled gently, showing no guilt as she responded to Bianka's suspicion.

"Alright. But let's try to avoid this situation next time. It's a bit troublesome."

"Hehe~ Okay."

——————————————————

Not long after Bianka's canonization ceremony, another event exploded in public opinion. Besides Bianka, the other biggest dark horse in this tournament, [Blazing Axe Knight] Dikaiopolis, was exposed as an infected person.

Durandal was a bit surprised by this news. Others may not know, but she knew very well who [Blazing Axe Knight] Dikaiopolis was. He is the champion of this session in the original plot, who eventually changed his title to [Blood Knight]. Bianka was not surprised that [Blood Knight] could become a dark horse and emerge from a group of people despite being accidentally injured.

What surprised her was that even though she broke the pattern and shocked the top leaders, the fact that Dikaiopolis was an infected person was still accidentally exposed.

However, although it was somewhat unexpected, the exposure of this matter presented an opportunity in the eyes of Durandal.

After this news broke, Bianka did not allow public opinion to ferment and directly issued a competition system for infected people in the United Knights Association, granting infected people the same right to participate in knight competitions as ordinary people.

At the same time, she also publicly announced that she would withdraw from participating in this knight championship.

After all, Bianka's goal had been achieved, and there was no need to participate in what had become a bullying-like fight.

In this case, wouldn’t it be better to leave some opportunities for others?

These successive announcements stunned those who were still immersed in the afterglow of Bianka’s canonization as the [Bright Knight].

Leaving aside the matter of the infected, Bianka’s withdrawal from the competition caused an uproar among her fans. A large group of people even blocked the door of the Knights.

It wasn’t until someone came out to explain helplessly and handed out some autographs and photos that the fanatical fans gradually retreated, no longer affecting the members of the Knights.

As for the infected, they were already moved by what Bianka had said when she protected the city, and this wave of actions made them completely grateful and full of admiration.

It’s important to note that the rules and regulations for infected individuals to participate in the competition that Bianka negotiated with the higher-ups are entirely different from those obtained by the Blood Knights in the original story.

Compared to the original story, where the infected had to fight like beasts and win to gain the right to participate in the competition, the direct registration qualification that Durandal secured for the infected was quite fair and equal.

To exaggerate a bit, Bianka's actions appeared advanced and even shocking no matter where they were placed on this continent. After all, too many places on this continent don't regard infected people as "people."

Because of Bianka's actions, the public opinion crisis surrounding [Blazing Axe Knight] Dikaiopolis was directly resolved, and he became the first infected knight openly active in the arena in the history of Kazimierz.

Not only that, but with Durandal’s withdrawal, he also became the candidate with the best chance of winning the championship of this Kazimierz Major with his own strength.

However, to everyone's surprise, this [Bright Knight], the most talked-about infected knight, turned around and applied to join the Immortal Blade Knights after winning another game.

The most shocking thing is that the [Bright Knight] actually approved his application and announced to the public that they welcome infected knights to join.

In addition to causing another uproar among those who had not yet calmed down, Bianka’s actions also allowed her Knights to absorb a number of strong infected knights.

Of course, if there is positive news and voices about something, there will always be negative ones, especially concerning the shocking things Bianka did.

However, since the capitalists did not fuel the fire due to the power of the [Bright Knight], the negative voices were too weak. So weak, in fact, that Rita easily eliminated them privately.

Chapter 59: Rhine Lab

"Hmm..."

As the sun shone in during the early morning, the woman lying on the table in a dim office in the Rhine Lab Building slowly woke up and opened her slightly confused eyes.

"Did I... fall asleep again? Really, Klein..." As her body subconsciously called out that name, the previously confused Mobius suddenly became fully awake.

Then she sat up, gently stroked her forehead, and said self-deprecatingly:

"Hehe, I must be a little confused after reading all that information. How could Klein exist here?" Then, Mobius looked at the scattered documents on the table and seemed to remember something. She stopped tidying up her appearance and said silently to herself:

'You're making a lot of noise over there, [Bright Knight]~ Since you're almost done with your work, remember to send Sakura to me after the handover~'

'Also, remember to take the time to come over, as agreed between us~ I've always been looking forward to this experiment.'

After hearing Mobius’s “reminder,” Bianka’s formulaic reply came instantly.

'You don’t need to remind me about this kind of thing. Do your job well. I will let Sakura go after I hand over my work.'

'As for the experiment of the Abyss Flower… it will take some time. Recently, various forces have been keeping a close eye on me. I will come to you when I can get away.'

'Hehe~ Then, I look forward to your arrival, [Bright Knight]~'

After receiving the reply she wanted, Mobius smiled softly to herself but didn’t care about Bianca’s official reply at all.

"…"

After finishing this conversation with “herself,” Mobius slowly stood up, stretched, tidied up her white coat, and walked out slowly.

It had been another day since her last meal, and she now needed to go out to “forage.”

Although, in her current state, as long as her energy was sufficient, there was no need to eat at all. However, now that she was under someone's watchful eye, she still needed to keep up appearances.

Mobius didn't want to be noticed and suspected by careful people over something as small as not eating. That would be a big loss.

You know, Rhine Lab is not a very clean company now~

However, it is precisely because of this that Mobius has set her sights on this place. After all, some things are not convenient to do in a place that is too clean.

"Really, it seems that I’ll have to prepare some instant noodles next time."

After leaving her office, Mobius muttered helplessly, and then she made her way to the cafeteria from memory.

Almost every time she encountered such a situation, she would sigh, but every time she returned from eating, she would dive back into all kinds of new knowledge and experiments on this continent and completely forget about it.

After all, this is not Fire Moth, and there is no Klein, a hardworking assistant.

It should be noted that although Mobius did sneak in, because she did it on purpose, the project she submitted to Rhine Lab was relatively minor and not very valued.

In addition to Mobius’s own resistance, she had been here for a while, and now she didn’t even have an assistant around her. She was now entirely alone in completing this small project.

...

As soon as she arrived at the cafeteria, Mobius saw two acquaintances, Olivia Silence and Joyce Moore.

Of course, this familiarity was only one-sided and only in the game. In the real world, Mobius had no interest in contacting these two people.

To exaggerate a little, except for Ifrit, who has the nickname of Charmander, there is almost nothing in Rhine Lab that interests Mobius.

As for Ifrit... Mobius is only somewhat interested in her body and condition.

But this interest is not very strong, and sometimes it can't even compare to the attraction of the new knowledge here.

These are also some of the reasons why Mobius remains so low-key in Rhine Lab. After all, if she wanted to, she wouldn’t be just a small researcher of a minor project under the structural department as she is now.

In fact, if she were more interested in Ifrit, she might have joined the execution team of the [Project Diabolic] long ago.

It's a pity... Mobius really didn’t want to work with people she thought were "not very smart and had some problems." Not only was it a waste of time, but it also affected her studies and experiments.

So, after glancing at Silence and Joyce Moore, Mobius retracted her gaze and walked toward the cafeteria window with a calm expression.

After all, she came here just to show her face. After a simple breakfast, she had to go back to reading books and materials.

However, before Mobius took a few steps... a familiar voice suddenly sounded in her mind, causing her eyes to change and her steps to pause slightly.

[Ding - Task Triggered]

[Task content: Save Ifrit, cure her Oripathy, and completely stabilize her vital signs. (The mission has no time limit, and the target fails if they die.)]

[Mission reward: (Helix) Helical Contraption/ Basilisk's Image.]

However, Mobius had become accustomed to the system's deceptive behavior in a sense. After reacting instantly, she listened to the system's mission and continued to walk calmly toward the window.

…

"That person..."

Silence put down the fork in his hand and secretly looked at the back of Mobius in a white coat, with a hint of doubt in his eyes.

"Mobius, the person in charge of the new project not long ago," Joyce Moore explained in her smooth, robot-like tone after noticing her friend's doubts.

And the reason she spoke in this tone was not because she wanted to do so deliberately, but because of a simple experimental accident that caused her to be this way.

"So it's that project..." Hearing this, a flash of understanding passed through Silence's eyes, and then she lowered her eyes and praised: "She’s quite talented to come up with a new idea."

"Yeah. But this project isn’t taken seriously."

Joyce Moore agreed with Silence's words, but at the same time, she also mentioned the "dilemma" that Mobius was facing now.

"Yeah, it's a pity."

...

"Hmm..."

Because of the sudden task and the rush to go back and review the information, Mobius left directly after taking her meal, not realizing that the two "acquaintances" she had just met were talking about her and feeling sorry for her.

Chapter 60: "Things" That Mobius Despised

"..."

It wasn't until Mobius returned to her office and closed the door that her expressionless face couldn’t help but twitch. Although she never showed it, from the moment she heard the details of the mission until now, her heart had been in a state of speechlessness and annoyance.

You see, Mobius is not like Bianka or Griseo, who are easygoing and unconcerned. She doesn’t appreciate such "sudden situations" disrupting her plans and arrangements.

However... even Mobius had to admit that the rewards offered by this troublesome system were always quite generous. This time, aside from her special weapon, she sensed that Vill-V alone could be quite useful...

"Huh—"

Finally, after struggling for a while, Mobius exhaled a breath of frustration, sat down, and began to think about the relevant issues and look up necessary information.

Although she was displeased with this system task, she still planned to accept it because she was somewhat interested in Ifrit, and the reward was indeed tempting.

Taking on this task also meant that her recent focus on learning and research would shift slightly toward Ifrit.

After all, even if Mobius was a genius, she wasn’t omnipotent... especially in this new world, which was unfamiliar to her. There was too much knowledge and too many novel substances here that she needed to relearn and understand.

Moreover, even if she started studying and researching now, it would take time to make significant progress on the problem of mineral disease. Even if she managed to develop an antidote quickly, scaling it up would be a whole other challenge.

So, if she wanted to complete the task in a short period of time, Mobius was more optimistic about using Black Abyss White Flower rather than directly researching the antidote herself.

After all, she wasn’t deeply involved in the research of special medicine for mineral disease, and there were too many unknowns that required continuous exploration, experimentation, and verification—a process that would start from scratch.

However, she not only had a clear idea and analysis of using Black Abyss White Flower to treat originium disease but had also confirmed its feasibility. It could be said that as long as the personnel and weapons were in place, relevant experiments could begin.

Moreover, even if there wasn’t a mission to save Ifrit this time, if the experiments on Black Abyss White Flower were successful, it would solve an urgent problem in various ways and buy Mobius more research time.

This is also why she would "remind" Bianka from time to time, and Bianka’s attitude was generally cooperative.

"It seems there’s still time..."

Mobius looked at the report on Hayden No. 1 Laboratory on the computer in front of her, and a trace of unknown darkness slowly passed through her gradient vertical pupils.

She knew that Ifrit had come to Rhine Labs for "treatment" before, but because she wasn’t very interested and was constantly busy studying, she didn’t pay much attention, not even knowing how long the "treatment" had lasted.

But now, Mobius speculated from the timeline that Ifrit hadn’t been there for long.

If this so-called treatment, which was actually a human experiment, were divided into two parts, then the stage Charmander was currently in was still relatively safe and less painful—the "treatment stage."

This was good news for Mobius, who intended to take on the task. If it had progressed to the later "experimental stage," things would have been much more complicated.

Not to mention that in the later stages, the mental state of the "experimental subject" Ifrit would likely deteriorate. After all, these experiments were accompanied by unbearable pain and loss of control.

"What a waste, truly disgraceful~"

After sorting through everything and making a plan, Mobius retracted her gaze and sighed softly.

To be honest, if Mobius hadn’t intended to care before, it would have been fine—out of sight, out of mind.

But now that she had decided to take over and had to monitor the situation, no matter how many times she watched, she felt... this group of people was really wasting experimental subjects—simply squandering high-quality specimens.

And another point: Mobius really despised people who used children in experiments, in every sense.

"..."

Then, Mobius looked at the time in her office and found it was still early, so she plunged into the ocean of knowledge and began to study. However, this time, she set an alarm to remind herself of the time so she wouldn’t get too absorbed. Later, she had to leave Rhine Lab for other matters.

---

In a sophisticated laboratory of Rhine Lab—

"Ah... well, Ifrit, you did very well. The treatment is over. Take a good rest." After hearing what the woman—Saria—said, Silence immediately began to comfort Ifrit.

"..."

Hearing this, Ifrit had no intention of speaking at all but just nodded gently. Then, she stretched out her hand and gently grasped Saria's hem, wanting someone to stay with her a little longer.

"Ifrit, I know you really want Director Saria to stay with you for a while, but she has a task later. So, can I stay with you?"

Seeing the scene in front of her, a trace of helplessness flashed in Silence's eyes. Then she leaned over, gently touched Ifrit's little head, and softly comforted and explained.

"..."

After hearing what Silence said, Ifrit's eyes flashed with a trace of reluctance, but in the end, she nodded gently and let go of her hand.

"After the mission is completed, I will come to accompany you next time." Looking at the girl in front of her, Saria’s tone softened considerably.

"..."

Although Ifrit didn’t speak from beginning to end, she still nodded and obediently agreed when facing Saria, Silence, and their words.

Finally, Saria left the laboratory area of the structural department and went out to perform the mission. Ifrit returned to her room in Rhine Lab, accompanied by Silence...

Chapter 61: Night Terror (Rhine Limited Edition)

Night—

As the night deepened, almost everyone in the Rhine Lab office building went home or rested, except for the guards and researchers on night shift. After all, for researchers who need to use their brains constantly during the day, a good rest every night is very necessary. But... this need is not absolute, at least not for MANTISes like Mobius.

You see, recently, due to her research and obsession with learning, she has stayed up many nights and hasn't had a good sleep for a long time. But except for occasional mental fatigue, her body is not too tired.

"Ding—"

"Ding...Pa."

At this moment, Mobius, who was still sitting in her office looking at information, slowly put down the items in her hands after hearing the sound of the alarm clock, and then turned off the alarm clock beside her.

She then looked up at the dark window and sighed: "It's so quiet~"

"It's almost time; I have to go meet my precious little white mouse. I hope I won't be disappointed~"

The tone of this sentence became more and more childish, until the last word fell. When Mobius stood up, her figure was no longer as plump and mature as before, and the white coat on her body was replaced by clothes designed by Eden, which even looked a little "sensual."

"I haven't used this body for a long time; it feels a bit nostalgic." Mobius looked down at her childish body at that moment and sighed softly.

While she sighed, the black mud that occasionally flashed with a faint green light quickly spread under her feet. After covering the entire office, it still spread outward unsatisfied.

However, unlike the overwhelming erosion and covering in the office, the black mud began to "carefully" avoid all cameras after leaving the office and acted as Mobius directed.

……

“Heh~”

After a while, Mobius, who was in her office, slightly raised her lips, and a smile of success flashed in her eyes, as if she had done something mischievous.

Then, without hesitation, she took out the 'seat' that Vill-V had made because Mobius found it inconvenient to move after becoming smaller. She then sat on it lightly and left the office in a swagger.

---

In a semi-enclosed room in Rhine Lab—

“…”

At this moment, on the huge bed, a Sarkaz girl was curled up, with her eyes closed and in deep sleep. However, compared to the sleep of normal people, she looked quite restless, as if she were having a nightmare, and even a trace of sweat hung on her forehead.

“……!”

Finally, as the dream changed, the girl curled up on the bed suddenly opened her eyes, and her expression looked a little frightened.

After a while, just as the girl was about to sit up and take a break, she suddenly caught a glimpse of a dark shadow on the transparent observation glass next to the semi-enclosed room.

This discovery made her subconsciously slow down her breathing and stiffen her body, not daring to move any further.

However, sometimes, even if you stop moving in time, it doesn't mean you haven't been discovered...

"…"

Mobius, who was standing outside and observing everything, couldn't help but raise her eyebrows slightly, with a strange expression. However, she soon thought of something, and a hint of mischief quickly flashed in her gradient vertical pupils, which emitted a faint light in the darkness.

Then, without any words, Mobius quietly dived into the black mud as she had when she arrived, and disappeared in front of the observation glass.

"...Huh."

The girl lying on the bed—no, Ifrit—waited for a moment after noticing the disappearance of the figure in front of the window, and finally breathed a sigh of relief.

However... not long after she relaxed, a childish voice full of teasing suddenly sounded beside her.

"Hehe~ Which little white mouse is still awake so late~"

"!..."

This sudden sound made Ifrit's pupils shrink slightly, and burning flames instantly appeared beside her, as she subconsciously prepared to shout out.

However, before she could speak... a slender little hand wearing black gloves was placed in front of her lips, physically helping her to calm down.

"Shh~"

"You don't want to call people over and get two injections, do you? If you don't, just be quiet."

"…"

Although she was startled just now, after seeing Mobius's "childish" appearance and hearing her words clearly, Ifrit's mood calmed down a lot, and she also retracted her flames.

But after doing all this, she raised her head and looked at Mobius with a puzzled expression, as if asking the purpose of her visit. "Still can't speak... is it because of psychological reasons?"

Facing Ifrit's suspicious look, Mobius did not answer her but instead muttered thoughtfully.

Before coming in, Mobius knew that Ifrit couldn't speak yet, because she had just checked the information and "treatment" progress of this little white mouse.

However, while the researchers here might not know, Mobius was clearer that Ifrit's current inability to speak was not so much due to physical damage and insufficient language reserves as it was purely psychological.

Generally speaking, only strong stimulation could make Ifrit speak again, just like the plot that Snake saw before crossing: painful experiments plus Saria's candy.

Of course, Mobius definitely did not intend to give Ifrit any strong stimulation; after all, she was now considered to be infiltrating. Besides, whether the little white mouse could speak or not didn’t matter to her, because it did not affect her experiment (treatment).

"…"

Looking at the "little girl" in front of her who completely ignored her and was immersed in her own world, Ifrit glared at her unhappily, then turned her head to the side and avoided the hand that Mobius had placed on her lips.

"Oh, what a naughty little white mouse~"

Mobius was not angry about Ifrit's behavior. After teasing her, she continued slowly:

"Aren't you curious about who I am and why I came here so late?"

Chapter 62: Ifrit: "Don't go!"

"Aren't you curious about who I am and why I'm here so late?"

"Hmm..."

After hearing what Mobius said, Ifrit's little head didn't turn back, but her occasional glances showed her curiosity.

"Heh~ Of course, I'm here for you~"

"?"

Mobius' words completely piqued Ifrit's curiosity, and she couldn't help but look back in the dark again to observe the little girl in front of her who looked similar in size to herself.

Normally, if someone else had said these words to her, Charmander might have been on high alert by now. But because of Mobius's current appearance and childish voice, which were too disarming, she didn't raise her guard in this "weird" situation.

"Little white mouse, do you want to cure your illness and become an ordinary child?"

After seeing Ifrit's reaction, Mobius wasn't surprised at all. Instead, she couldn't help but curl her lips slightly and continued to coax with her childish voice.

As for why she wasn't surprised, it was, of course, because Mobius knew the "advantages" of her appearance. Without knowing her and not being aware of her details, there were few people who could resist her "pitiful" and childish appearance, and most would relax their vigilance...

What's more, to make herself "popular," she had also learned the way of speaking from "Elysia."

"...?"

After listening to Mobius' words, Ifrit looked puzzled but still nodded obediently.

No one likes being locked up every day in the name of guardianship, and no one likes the super painful "treatments" that come every few days. If it weren't for Silence and Saria who accompanied her through the treatment, Ifrit might have exploded and refused to cooperate.

"If you want to, then cooperate with my research, little white mouse~ But don't worry, I won't treat you as roughly as those guys during the day." When coaxing her to this point, Mobius paused for a moment, lowered her eyes, and thought briefly before continuing:

"If you cooperate well, I can also erase the pain in your body~ How about it, do you want to agree?"

"…"

This time, after listening to Mobius' words, Ifrit didn't agree as quickly as before. Instead, she stretched out her hands to cover her head and fell into silence, and a little fear—even terror—appeared in her eyes.

Many things may not be understood by Charmander, but she clearly grasped the meaning of the word "research" from Mobius' mouth... This instinctively made her feel fear and terror.

"So, that's why I said I'm not good at taking care of children~" Looking at Ifrit, who was caught up in her own emotions, Mobius slightly lowered her eyes, hiding the darkness and impatience within, and whispered.

Then, without giving Ifrit any chance to react, she suddenly stepped forward and stuffed a round object into her mouth with her armored fingers.

"!"

Ifrit, who was frightened by Mobius's actions again, instinctively wanted to fight back in self-defense, but... before she could start, an indescribable taste spread in her mouth.

She was stunned on the bed, the fear in her eyes receding, replaced by a bit of confusion.

"Think about it yourself, my patience is limited~"

However, Mobius didn't care about Ifrit's expression at the moment. After doing all this, she stopped looking at the person on the bed, simply left a brief statement, and exited the room to continue her research outside.

After all, what happened just now was just a small episode caused by her own bad taste.

Her main purpose tonight was Rhine Lab... To be precise, Ifrit's information and data that the Structural Section had collected.

Whether Ifrit would cooperate with her research and keep it secret didn’t concern Mobius from the beginning. Since she had come, she was fully prepared. Even if the little white mouse didn’t cooperate, it would only make the process a bit more troublesome.

"..."

After Mobius left the room for a while, Ifrit came back to her senses, turned her head, and stared through the observation glass at the person busy outside without blinking.

To be honest, Charmander was a little confused now and didn't know how to make a decision regarding Mobius's last words.

In Ifrit's view, Mobius's words and actions were full of contradictions that puzzled her.

Obviously, the name and words she used weren't friendly, but her actions and behavior didn't make Ifrit feel any malice.

Thinking about it, Ifrit subconsciously pursed her lips, and the refreshing sweetness in her mouth spread again, calming her complicated emotions and comforting her.

---

“…”

Finally, after copying all the relevant information with a special method and restoring everything to its original state, Mobius seemed to remember Ifrit's existence and cast her eyes over again.

Then, what caught her eye was a little girl looking at her through the glass.

“Why are you looking at me like that? Have you made a choice, little white mouse~” While speaking, Mobius once again used the black mud attached to the ground to sneak into Ifrit's room.

“…Ah.”

Looking at the "little girl" who came to her side again, Ifrit opened her mouth and wanted to say something, but in the end, only uttered a meaningless syllable. This inevitably made her face flash with a trace of anxiety.

"Heh~ I don't understand, little white mouse. You need to tell me your choice in person~" Watching Ifrit's anxious look, Mobius's mischievous side surged again, and she then softly spoke, word by word.

"Otherwise, I can only assume you've given up this opportunity, which is a pity. I don't know when you'll be locked up in this place again, and you'll have to continue to endure those guys' rough experiments~"

At this point, Mobius paused for a moment, then stretched out her hand and gently stroked the corner of her lips before continuing: "Besides, maybe I won't be able to eat candy anymore in the future. It's scary to think about~"

"Hmm..."

After listening to Mobius' words, Ifrit tried to open her mouth again, but she was so anxious that she bit down on the remaining candy in her mouth and still only managed to utter meaningless syllables.

"It seems that it didn't work. Then let's say goodbye and never see each other again." After saying that, Mobius spread her hands to Ifrit "regrettably" and pretended to turn around and leave.

"Wait... Don't go!"

Chapter 63: End of the first Night

"Wait... don't go!"

Listening to Ifrit's anxious voice behind her, Mobius, who was about to leave, curled her lips slightly, a trace of success flashing in her gradient vertical pupils.

She then slowly turned her head and said to the person behind her:

"Hmm? You can actually speak~ Are you that eager to be my guinea pig?"

"I... I'm not called a guinea pig, I have my own name... I'm Ifrit!" After hearing what Mobius said, Ifrit corrected her, sounding a little unhappy.

Before, she couldn't speak, so she couldn't correct it and had to accept the name someone had given her. But now, things were different—she could speak, and she didn't want to be called a "guinea pig" anymore.

"Oh, you don't like that name? That's really difficult~ After all, I like it very much~" Mobius said, turning around and spreading her hands with a "difficult" expression.

"Hmm..."

Ifrit was obviously intimidated by Mobius's feigned distress, and a trace of hesitation slowly flashed across her eyes, as if she were weighing the situation.

"... Then... I've told you my name, what's yours?"

After a moment of hesitation, Ifrit temporarily stopped insisting that Mobius change her name for her and instead asked for her name.

"Me? Hehe~"

Hearing this, Mobius chuckled, then stroked the corners of her lips before continuing: "You can call me [Ouroboros], or [Infinity]~"

"Hmm! Those don't sound like names at all, it's unfair..."

After hearing the two names Mobius offered, Ifrit puffed up her cheeks unhappily, clearly dissatisfied.

Although her knowledge was limited, she could tell that the names the "little girl" in front of her gave were more like titles than actual names.

Seeing the angry Ifrit in front of her, the smile in Mobius's eyes grew even stronger.

She then controlled the machine beneath her, took a step forward, looked directly into Ifrit's eyes, and said meaningfully with a smile:

"Hehe~ This is fair, after all, I didn't ask for your name. You offered it yourself, didn't you? Little white mouse~ Revealing your cards too early puts you at a disadvantage."

"Hmph..."

This time, Ifrit didn’t want to look at the person in front of her at all. With a light snort, she turned her face away again.

"Hehe~ Are you upset? Well, it's getting late. Since you chose to let me stay, cooperate with me for some sampling." At this point, Mobius paused for a moment before continuing to "tempt":

"If you always behave well, I might tell you my name when you get better~"

To be honest, Mobius's patience with children was wearing thin. If Ifrit didn't agree to the experiment and treatment after asking her to stay, she planned to abandon the "gentle" approach altogether.

After all, the mission didn't specify what the treatment and stabilization process should entail...

And Mobius's personality and patience did not allow her to endlessly indulge a child for the sake of a mission.

"Then... if I cooperate obediently, will you come over and spend more time with me?" After hearing Mobius's tempting words, Ifrit was stunned for a moment, then carefully asked, a little hope in her eyes.

"Little white mouse, you have no room to negotiate." Facing Ifrit's hope, Mobius replied mercilessly.

But after saying this, she slowly lowered her eyes and added, "But... I will come over regularly to check on you."

"...!"

After hearing the first part of Mobius's sentence, Ifrit felt a little disappointed, but after hearing the second part, her mood lifted like a roller coaster.

Then, before Ifrit could ask more, Mobius spoke again: "I will come as needed before you stabilize, and after you stabilize, this will be on a fixed schedule~"

"Yeah!"

This time, Ifrit was satisfied. She nodded enthusiastically and held Mobius's hand, which signaled her complete agreement.

"I will cooperate with you... Snake."

"?"

After hearing Ifrit’s new name for her, Mobius's expression froze, and a big question mark slowly formed over her head.

"Little white mouse, don't call me such a childish name~"

"Snake!"

"💢"

——————————————————

Finally, amid the constant tug-of-war over her name, Mobius still managed to complete the inspection and collection of Ifrit's various data.

However, in the end, she failed to successfully correct the name a certain brat had given her. To exaggerate a little, not only did she fail, but she was also worn out to the point of losing her temper.

To be honest, later on, Mobius began to reconsider the wisdom of choosing this method...

If it weren't for the fact that she still didn't know enough about this world and there were many uncertainties, she would have tied the person up and forcibly treated her. Why make things so troublesome...

"Heh~ Remember what I just told you, don't tell others about my affairs~ Otherwise, I don't know what those people will do to you, and I won't come again."

Just as she was about to leave, Mobius turned her head again, staring at Ifrit with her gradient eyes, and reminded her once more, word by word.

Although she had taken measures to prevent Ifrit from affecting her even if she did let the cat out of the bag, to minimize trouble, Mobius still patiently reminded her again.

After all, she had a lot on her plate right now, and without a suitable assistant around, she didn't have the time to deal with such unimportant troubles.

"Don't worry, I won't let you down, Snake, I promise!" After hearing what Mobius said, Ifrit nodded seriously and agreed.

"I hope so~"

After her words fell, Mobius retracted her gaze, and then, under Ifrit's watchful eyes, she sank into the black mud on the floor and disappeared from the room.

With Mobius's departure, the room returned to silence.

"..."

Ifrit listened to the "silence" around her, stared at the unchanged, empty room for a while, then slowly lay back on the bed and closed her eyes.

At that moment, if it weren't for the sweet candy in her mouth, Charmander might have believed that everything she had just experienced was just a dream or another illusion.

Chapter 64 Bottleneck and Peeping

"..."

After finishing the final cleanup, Mobius slowly returned to her office, transformed back into the appearance of a big snake, and spoke in a tone that imitated Ellie's previous one.

Without much hesitation or conflict, she took out the equipment she had bought and began to seriously analyze the data and samples collected by the viewer that night, immersing herself in work once again.

It can only be said that it's fortunate Mobius is a MANTIS; otherwise, ordinary people wouldn't be able to withstand such high-intensity work during both day and night.

...

When people are focused, time always passes quickly. After a few hours, light began to stream through the office window as the sky brightened with the rising sun.

"Huh..."

Noticing this, Mobius stopped what she was doing, blinked her slightly sore eyes, and then got up to turn off the lights that had been on all night.

"Another night has passed. Time flies so fast." After turning off the lights, Mobius looked out the window and sighed softly.

Although she still wanted to continue her research, it was clear she had other, more important tasks today.

As for what those tasks were... of course, it was to investigate whether anyone had noticed the abnormality last night.

While Mobius believed she had done a thorough job of cleaning up and tampering with the surveillance, she didn't mind checking again to reduce any unnecessary trouble.

As for the possibility that Charmander might let something slip... Mobius wasn't too concerned. In a sense, she knew this child very well.

Generally speaking, Charmander could be trusted to keep her word, and it was unlikely she'd be exposed. Even if she was, it would be a question of whether others would believe her, especially when Mobius had done such a thorough job of cleaning up and replacing the surveillance.

By then, perhaps only Saria and Silence might believe it, while the others would likely dismiss it as a child's dream. And even if they did believe it, Mobius had ways to prevent people from discovering her.

With this in mind, Mobius took action.

While it was still early, she planned to return to the room Rhine Lab had arranged for her and freshen up. After all, no matter how busy she was, she didn't like to appear sloppy or disheveled.

After washing up, Mobius casually draped her long, light green hair over her shoulders and left the room to gather information.

Since she had decided to go out, she also planned to visit the cafeteria for breakfast.

After a series of subtle inquiries and investigations, Mobius stopped her actions and, having found nothing abnormal, returned to her office to resume working.

"..."

Sitting back in her seat and looking at the countless tasks and various materials in front of her, Mobius rarely found herself distracted.

To be honest, she had begun to consider whether she should find or create an assistant for herself.

However, considering that what she was doing couldn't be discovered by outsiders, she was more inclined to create one herself...

Of course, this was just a thought for now. After all, the materials in the two worlds were different. If Mobius wanted to create an artificial lifeform like Klein, she would still have to go through many experiments, and success was not guaranteed...

"Huh..."

After assessing the current situation in her mind, Mobius let out a sigh of helplessness and once again focused her attention on her research and analysis.

...

In the small laboratory connected to Mobius's office——

"Bang..."

"..."

With the 13th problem in this small experiment, Mobius stopped what she was doing. She had to admit she had made a mistake and encountered a different kind of bottleneck.

As for why it was different, compared to other mistakes, Mobius believed her main problem and mistake was that she did not have enough professional knowledge of this world...

You know, even if she had been frantically and constantly absorbing knowledge of biology in this world over the past few months, it was still not enough...

Given the technology and knowledge accumulated in this world over hundreds of years, she had too little time to learn... So little that she might even encounter problems that others thought shouldn't appear.

"Bubble wrap... Tsk, I was careless, there is none."

Mobius, who had temporarily encountered a knowledge bottleneck, became a little anxious and subconsciously wanted to find bubble wrap to relieve stress and think.

But unfortunately, she did not find this "common item," which was originally within her reach, in her laboratory.

Now, in addition to instant noodles, Mobius had successfully added "bubble wrap" to her next shopping list.

"..."

After calming down a bit, Mobius tidied up the table in front of her expressionlessly. After recording the failed data, she disposed of the messy failed products in an appropriate manner.

Afterward, she did not choose to stay in her office or laboratory to continue experimenting. Instead, she chose to leave and went directly to Rhine Lab's more luxurious archive room.

If it were any other problem, Mobius might have tolerated it, but if the issue was simply a lack of knowledge (time)... with her pride, she couldn't tolerate that at all.

Moreover, she had promised Ifrit that she wouldn't feel so much pain during "treatment."

Although Ifrit was merely a guinea pig and a task target in Mobius's eyes, she had made a promise...

In this regard, she disdained deceiving a child... and even more so disdained repeatedly using a child for experiments. So, she wanted to create a perfect potion.

Mobius believed she could do it; it would just take some time...

"Beep--"

As the identity scan passed, the huge Rhine Life archive room slowly opened its doors for Mobius, inviting her to enter.

"..."

Looking at the scene in front of her, Mobius entered the archive room calmly, without any hesitation.

At the same time, a pair of eyes not far away watched Mobius's back with interest as she walked into the data room, spying on her for unknown reasons.

Chapter 165

"..."

As the door of the data room closed, Mobius paused for a moment, and a hint of darkness slowly flashed in her gradient snake pupils. After a moment, she continued to move.

Her senses were not that weak; she had noticed the peeping from outside just now.

But even though she noticed it, she didn’t take it seriously, as she had observed this kind of curious peeping many times before.

If things were normal, Mobius might have had the mindset to "play around," but now... she didn’t have the time or energy to focus on trivial matters.

If they didn’t disturb her, she would naturally pretend not to notice... But if they took the initiative to approach her, she wouldn’t hesitate to teach them a lesson.

Though, Mobius also knew that her recent behavior of "working and working overtime" had attracted the attention and curiosity of many people.

However, she was in a hurry now... There was nothing she could do except pretend to rest a little.

"Ah... It’s really a headache." After sighing softly, Mobius went to find the information she needed according to the classification.

...

"A workaholic who forgets to eat and sleep? How curious..."

It wasn’t until Mobius had been examining the information for a while that the woman who had been watching her withdrew her interested gaze and slowly walked away. Then she stretched out her hand and gently stroked her cherry lips, muttering.

If Mobius were here at this moment, she would definitely recognize this woman with gray hair, green eyes, double feathers on her head, and a snake tail... Ho'olheyak.

However, even if she recognized her, she probably wouldn’t care much, because in her opinion, Ho'olheyak was just an insignificant person with a complicated identity.

If Mobius had to say she cared about something, it would be about Ho'olheyak's body rather than her as a person. After all, [Kukulkan] sounded like a good research subject.

——————————————————

In the Data Room——

Mobius, who was looking through the relevant information she had finally found, suddenly paused, and a flash of dissatisfaction and understanding appeared in her eyes.

Just now, Bianka had informed her that Sakura’s affairs had been dealt with and that Sakura could be summoned at any time.

However, this matter was not important to Mobius at the moment. She was still in the data room, where she could not directly summon anyone, and her primary task was to continue checking the information.

Moreover, Mobius did not intend to keep Sakura by her side from the beginning, as Sakura had no talent related to scientific research...

So in her opinion, it was better to place Sakura in a position where she could better utilize her strengths, such as the [Defense Section] of Rhine Lab.

On one hand, Sakura and Saria were not too bad in compatibility, and they could work together. At the same time, Sakura could also keep an eye on the movements of S. Rhine King of Fighters, Rhea.

On the other hand, considering that Saria might not stay in Rhine Lab for long, Mobius had also thought about letting Sakura replace her after she left.

As for how Sakura would enter the Defense Section now, that wasn’t Mobius's concern. Sakura would need to find her own way...

After all, Saria, the head of the Defense Section, was famous for her fairness and integrity. It wasn’t easy to pull off any tricks there.

"Huh..."

Mobius exhaled a breath of stale air, gathered her thoughts, and focused on the information in her hands again.

However, before she could read for long... the sound of crisp footsteps echoed, approaching her step by step.

"Da Da——"

"..."

Although Mobius heard the footsteps and sensed the presence of the person coming, she remained calm and had no intention of looking up. Her thoughts and focus were still on the information.

However, if someone could look her in the eye at this moment, they would notice that although she seemed calm on the surface, a trace of irritation and impatience was slowly flashing in her eyes.

After all, Mobius never liked being disturbed when she was researching and studying. It was tolerable before when it was "herself," but this time...

"I didn’t expect that Miss Mobius, who has caused quite a stir in the academic world recently, would actually be checking basic information?"

No matter how much Mobius didn’t want to pay attention at that moment, Ho'olheyak’s crisp voice still reached her ears along with the sound of footsteps.

"..."

After hearing this, Mobius did not respond immediately but continued to look through the information in her hand. Only when she finished the chapter did she slowly raise her eyelids and say, "So, what do you want to talk to me about?"

"If not, to borrow someone else's words, 'please' get out of here and disappear from my sight. Thank you~"

"You have a really straightforward and rough way of driving people away. I didn’t expect Miss Mobius to say these rude words."

Faced with Mobius's dismissal, Ho'olheyak wasn’t angry; in fact, the interest in her green eyes grew stronger.

To be honest, Ho'olheyak had never been very interested in people because, in her opinion, it was better to study documents or collections full of flowing history.

But... that was before the first time she met Mobius.

Strictly speaking, it wasn’t the first time Ho'olheyak had met Mobius. She had encountered this newcomer in the structural department long ago.

But how to explain it... Ho'olheyak never expected there to be a person who would give her such a strange feeling.

At first glance, she actually thought that Mobius was "the same kind," but after careful observation, she noticed something different, something strange, that even gave her a completely opposite feeling of rejection...

So when they first met, although there was no communication or interaction, Ho'olheyak had already remembered Mobius in her heart and secretly observed and investigated her.

But the more she investigated, the more her interest grew.

Why? Because... Ho'olheyak was surprised to find that she couldn’t find any information about Mobius's past, despite her abilities...

The only thing she discovered was that Mobius had passed through Kazimierz when she arrived, and that was all.

When it comes to Kazimierz, Ho'olheyak couldn't help but think of the terrifying [Bright Knight] who had been in the spotlight with exaggerated strength a few days ago... and the fact that the two of them had no obvious racial characteristics also triggered her curiosity.

As for the race [Aegir] that Mobius had listed in the Rhine Life files, Ho'olheyak still harbored her doubts.

Because her intuition told her that Mobius was not as simple as she appeared...

Chapter 166

"You have a really straightforward and rough way of driving people away. I didn't expect Miss Mobius to say these rude words."

"Of course, one should speak to people in a way that suits their character, right? Like this rude lady who disturbs others~"

In response to Ho'olheyak's remark, Mobius slightly raised her eyebrows and then retorted mercilessly.

"Is Miss Mobius always so angry when disturbed? Or did I uncover a little secret?" Looking at Mobius, who appeared increasingly impatient, Ho'olheyak slowly smiled and teased.

"Secret? Hehe~" Hearing this, Mobius, who had been slightly annoyed, suddenly smiled softly and replied, "Compared to an ordinary researcher like me, you, my dear lady, have far more secrets~"

"What is Miss Mobius referring to?"

Ho'olheyak was startled by Mobius's words, but she maintained a calm smile and asked in return.

In Ho'olheyak's eyes, their conversation had turned into more than just a casual chat—it had become a subtle contest or mutual probing.

She didn’t want to lose to the mysterious woman in front of her; at the very least, she needed to extract some useful information.

However, Ho'olheyak had no idea that while she knew little about Mobius, Mobius already knew everything about her, including her origins, identity, race, racial secrets, and more.

"Hehe~ Who knows."

Faced with Ho'olheyak's question, Mobius revealed nothing, only smiling softly and replying indifferently.

"Well, I’ve finished reviewing the information I needed. Please continue." With that, Mobius showed no intention of lingering any longer. After returning the information to its place, she prepared to leave.

After all, in her opinion, spending time here with a curious woman like Ho'olheyak was a pure waste. What else could be done with this time?

"Miss Mobius really knows a lot."

As she watched Mobius turn to leave, Ho'olheyak narrowed her eyes slightly. Though reluctant, she didn’t stop her from leaving and simply muttered something under her breath.

After all, Ho'olheyak could see that Mobius was not someone easily fooled. If she continued to press, she wouldn’t get any useful information.

However, this conversation was not without its gains. Confirming that "Mobius really knows a lot" was also useful information, wasn’t it?

Mobius, who had not walked far, heard Ho'olheyak’s muttering, and a hint of darkness flashed in her gradient serpent pupils.

She paused, turned her head slightly, and said in a "soft" tone: "Little snake, curb your curiosity. There are some things you shouldn’t explore~"

"!"

Mobius’s light words and a glance suddenly made Ho'olheyak feel as if she had glimpsed something terrifying. Her pupils shrank slightly, and she felt a tremor of fear.

"Hehe~ That’s much cuter."

Watching Ho'olheyak’s moment of lost composure, a hint of satisfaction flashed in Mobius's gradient eyes. She then reached out, gently lifted her long hair, and continued:

"Don’t you want to know what I know, little snake? Then I’ll leave you with this..."

"You and your race make me feel extremely ridiculous. Chasing History? Hehe~"

After saying that, Mobius quietly withdrew her aura and left Rhine Lab’s data room without another word, leaving Ho'olheyak standing alone inside.

"!..."

"..."

"Hu——"

Ho'olheyak stood motionless as Mobius left, only relaxing her tense nerves after a long moment. She breathed heavily, clutching the bookshelf beside her to keep from collapsing.

Ho'olheyak was confused now, her mind swirling with the big question: "What is she?"

After the "little" episode just now, she could no longer naively think that Mobius was human... because that extreme sense of oppression was definitely not something an ordinary human could produce.

"Huh... I really did offend someone incredible." After exhaling another breath of stale air, Ho'olheyak reached out and patted her face, trying to calm her trembling mind and emotions.

Though she had no specific guess, Ho'olheyak was now convinced that even if Mobius was not a god from myth, she was at least a very ancient being...

Combining Mobius's novel ideas, which had made her a genius in the eyes of many, with the fact that Ho'olheyak couldn’t uncover anything about her past, Ho'olheyak’s suspicions only deepened.

"Chaisngt Yesterday... is it ridiculous?"

After calming down completely, Ho'olheyak recalled Mobius's last words, a subtle confusion flickering in her eyes.

She... had actually been unsettled by someone else’s words. If circumstances allowed, she would really like to grab someone by the shoulders and demand an explanation.

However, the reality was that she didn’t have that opportunity... Even if she wanted to contact Mobius again later, she would have to proceed with caution.

————————————————————

"..."

Mobius, who had left the data room, was in a good mood. After all, she had successfully vented the frustration she had been holding back.

Moreover, after such a "shock," even if Ho'olheyak remained curious, she wouldn’t bother Mobius casually... and even if she did, her attitude would certainly be different from before.

However, the words Mobius spoke at the end weren’t just nonsense.

Given what she knew about Ho'olheyak, Mobius genuinely found the "shackles and curses" the [Kukulkan] race placed on their bloodline somewhat ridiculous.

Of course, Mobius didn’t find it hard to understand why a race with a gradually thinning bloodline would pursue former strength and glory.

However, understanding is one thing... but agreeing with the methods this race used to pursue the past was something else entirely.

...

After leaving the data room, Mobius didn’t plan to return to her office to continue working. Instead, she chose to go out.

As for the reason... of course, it was to summon Sakura. At the same time, Mobius also planned to purchase some daily necessities, like bubble wrap.

Chapter 167

It wasn’t until Mobius left the Rhine Lab office building and stepped outside, receiving "strange" looks from others, that she realized her attire was inappropriate.

After her confrontation with Ho'olheyak, she hadn’t thought much about it and simply walked out wearing her lab coat. It was fine within the confines of Rhine Lab, but it was a bit too conspicuous out in public.

However, Mobius didn’t plan to go back and change. She merely tucked away the work badge on her chest. After all, she had already left, and she had never been someone who cared much about others’ opinions or comments.

Without any hesitation, she set off to find a suitable place to summon Sakura, maintaining a calm expression.

Since what she was about to do could be considered a great thing, Mobius didn’t intend to make it public. If possible, she preferred no one to know about the relationship between her and Sakura, as it might interfere with their subsequent plans...

...

Finally, after wandering around for a while, Mobius found a secluded spot and quietly summoned Sakura.

"..."

The two of them then calmly exchanged looks without speaking, passing each other as if they were strangers.

Unlike others, it was more natural for them to communicate directly in their minds after leaving, rather than pretending familiarity. Moreover, they didn’t really need to communicate; they were already in sync. Sakura understood Mobius’s thoughts and plans, so there was no need for much discussion.

...

After completing the primary task of this trip, Mobius turned her attention to other matters, like shopping.

In addition to the instant noodles she had purchased last time, she needed to buy some of her "necessities" this time—specifically, bubble wrap.

Additionally... if she had some free time, Mobius wouldn’t mind stopping by the candy store to pick up a few things to "entice" her little white mouse.

After all, the box of candy she had bought on a whim last night had already been mostly consumed by Ifrit...

To be honest, this sudden consumption made Mobius, who normally didn’t pay much attention to Ifrit’s situation, start to worry about her teeth.

Of course, she only thought about it in passing. After all, she wasn’t the little white mouse's guardian.

In her opinion, small issues like teeth should be left to Saria and the others to handle. Mobius just needed to keep supplying the candy and keep Ifrit appeased.

"..."

With these thoughts in mind, Mobius continued strolling around the city, searching for what she wanted to buy.

But unfortunately, after looking around for a while, Mobius realized that items like bubble wrap, which are often used for packaging, were hardly ever sold in physical stores...

This discovery caused Mobius, whose mood had finally improved, to become a little irritable again.

You see, squeezing bubble wrap was one of the few ways Mobius had to relieve stress. The thought of not having any bubble wrap to pinch when she hit a bottleneck in her experiments made her feel a bit on edge.

"Really... it would be nice if Klein were here."

Mobius stopped and looked at the bustling street in front of her, sighing softly.

Though she knew she wasn’t the "Mobius" from her memories and didn’t have a Klein of her own, she still longed for the interactions from those memories.

After all, if she had a helper like Klein by her side now, many things would be much easier, and there would be other ways to relieve stress.

For example, she could ask Klein to feed small animals and live-stream it for her, or have her help draw small animals on a coordinate system using functions.

Of course, Mobius wasn’t one to complain. Even though there might be no immediate solution, what she wanted and needed to do would naturally be achieved in her own way.

While she couldn’t create a real Klein—after all, she wasn’t a god—the idea of an ELF Klein wasn’t out of the question...

"Oh, are you lost? Do you need help from a colleague?"

As Mobius sighed and was momentarily distracted, a lively voice sounded from behind her, successfully interrupting her thoughts.

"Huh?"

Mobius snapped out of her reverie and instinctively turned to look behind her, where she saw a smiling, mischievous, and cute elf girl.

With just one glance, Mobius recognized the elf lady standing before her—Muelsyse, one of the Founders of Rhine Lab and the current director of the Ecological Department.

"Let me introduce myself. I’m Muelsyse, the director of the Ecological Department at Rhine Lab Sciences. Although we’re not in the same department, I suppose we’re colleagues."

Muelsyse paused slightly, glancing at the work badge partially visible in Mobius’s pocket, and then continued:

"I’ve noticed you’ve been here for a while. Do you need help? I’m very familiar with this area."

"I don’t need any help. Don’t trouble yourself." Mobius wasn’t interested in Muelsyse’s enthusiasm and responded calmly.

As for Muelsyse knowing she was a researcher at Rhine Lab Sciences, Mobius wasn’t surprised at all.

After all, she hadn’t tried to hide anything since leaving the Rhine Lab Sciences office building.

Moreover, seeing Muelsyse, a lively elf, Mobius was reminded of another pointy-eared individual she despised.

"Really? That’s a shame. I thought you might be trying to buy something but couldn’t find it." After hearing Mobius’s refusal, Muelsyse lightly shrugged, a hint of disappointment flashing in her eyes as she spoke with a touch of dejection.

"Hehe~ I’m just a small researcher, so there’s no need to trouble you, Director Muelsyse." As she said this, Mobius narrowed her snake-like pupils slightly and prepared to leave.

Although she hadn’t been able to buy the necessity of bubble wrap, there was still a "non-essential" item she needed to purchase.

"Hey, don’t leave so quickly. Even if you don’t need my help, we could still become friends. I don’t even know your name yet."

Watching Mobius about to walk away, the dejection on Muelsyse’s face instantly disappeared, and she hurriedly called after her.

To be honest, regardless of whether she could help or not, Muelsyse didn’t want Mobius to leave. She didn’t want Mobius to leave her side at all.

As for the reason... it was because the area around Mobius was just too "clean"!

In Miss Elf’s opinion, this level of cleanliness was even better than some laboratories!

Chapter 168

"Friends? I don't need friends... As for my name, feel free to find out on your own," Mobius said calmly, retracting his gaze after hearing Muelsyse's request. Without any further words, she turned and walked away without a second thought.

After all, she despised people like Muelsyse—those with long ears and an "annoying" personality.

Instead of wasting time here, it was better to quickly buy her "non-essentials" and return to her laboratory.

To be honest, Mobius felt quite unlucky today. On top of her experiments not going well, she had encountered two irritating people in succession.

"Hmm..."

Listening to Mobius's cold words and watching her gradually disappear into the distance, Muelsyse blinked softly. Though she felt a twinge of regret, she remained silent in the end.

However, Muelsyse was genuinely curious. She wondered how Mobius managed to keep her surroundings so immaculately clean—so clean that not a speck of Originium dust or particles could be seen.

If it was due to some kind of technology, then... this could be groundbreaking news!

Even if not for herself, Muelsyse believed that this technology could have applications in many fields and could make a significant impact. To exaggerate a bit, it might even help in the fight against Oripathy.

Of course, Muelsyse wasn’t interested in stealing Mobius's "results." She was just curious and wanted to understand what was going on.

After all, she hadn’t seen any relevant papers or research published in the academic community thus far.

"Hmm? That direction... isn't it..."

Snapping out of her thoughts, Muelsyse looked in the direction where Mobius had last been seen and was slightly taken aback. A trace of surprise flashed in her beautiful eyes.

To confirm her suspicion, the elf set off in the direction Mobius had disappeared.

---

"..."

As Mobius walked, she finally realized what Muelsyse's "interest" in her stemmed from.

But simply realizing it only made her more annoyed...

Mobius didn’t believe that Muelsyse would give up contacting her so easily.

Perhaps that elf would really go back, research her information, and then show up at her office to harass her—just like a certain pink-haired girl...

"Tsk... I really shouldn't have left the lab today."

Thinking of this possibility, Mobius, who was already in a foul mood due to "bad luck," brushed a strand of hair behind her ear and snorted unhappily.

To be honest, she really didn’t want to have any contact with troublesome individuals like Muelsyse. In her view, these kinds of interactions would only add to her troubles.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t have chosen such a "low-profile" way to enter Rhine Lab.

But who would have thought that in just one day, Mobius would encounter two troublesome people? It seemed that all this "bad luck" began with that failed experiment...

"Huh..."

Exhaling a breath of frustration, Mobius rubbed her slightly aching forehead. After suppressing her irritation, she focused all her attention on the road ahead and quickened her pace.

To avoid any more "unlucky" encounters with troublesome people, she felt it was best to wrap things up quickly.

...

As Mobius picked up her pace, the candy store she was heading to soon appeared in front of her.

"Welcome to our store, miss! What kind of candy are you looking for? I can help you with recommendations."

As Mobius entered, the store's staff greeted her warmly and politely.

"I’m looking to buy some small..."

Mobius didn’t reject the staff’s enthusiasm. Not wanting to waste time, she quickly stated her needs, but she paused midway through her sentence.

Then, with a dark expression, she looked in a particular direction...

In the direction Mobius was staring, there stood a water elf with a guilty look, trying to go unnoticed.

"Heh~ So, Director Muelsyse, would you care to explain why you're following a mere researcher like me?"

Mobius first signaled the waiter to leave, then turned to Muelsyse with a fake smile.

"Oh, how could it be called 'following' if we just happened to be going the same way? I’m also a regular at this candy store!"

Hearing Mobius's words and sensing her anger, Muelsyse’s strong survival instincts kicked in, prompting her to quickly explain.

For some reason, Muelsyse felt that the "smiling" Mobius was far more terrifying than her friend Saria when angry. So, if she didn’t defuse the situation now, when would she?

"Haha... So, what kind of candy are you looking for? I know a lot about them! Let me help you choose!" After her explanation, Muelsyse noticed that Mobius was still smiling, and almost without hesitation, she quickly shifted the subject and strode deeper into the store.

It was a joke. Given the current atmosphere, Muelsyse felt that if she continued the previous conversation or stayed in place, Mobius might actually lash out!

Once inside, Muelsyse grabbed a small basket without saying a word and swiftly began picking out candies, all while explaining to Mobius, who still stood there:

"Let’s see... Although I don’t know who you're buying for, you absolutely must try John's Mother's Orange Storm. Her strawberry flavor is also a classic!"

"..."

Watching Muelsyse's rapid and determined actions, Mobius's delicate face took on an indescribable expression. She then slowly reached up and covered her face in exasperation.

After a moment, Mobius lowered her hand, squinted her gradient snake-like pupils at the elf still busily selecting candies, and without a second thought, turned around and left the candy store.

In a sense, Mobius felt she truly couldn’t handle Muelsyse, who was even more eccentric than Elysia.

As for the candy... she wasn’t buying it anymore.

Chapter 169

"Hey! Why did you leave so quickly? You didn’t even buy any candy!" Muelsyse, who was still selecting candy, looked up and noticed Mobius was gone. She spoke in surprise.

"Really... am I that annoying?"

To be honest, this was the first time since childhood that Muelsyse had felt disliked by someone—yes, disliked.

She could clearly sense that Mobius was annoyed with her and, to some extent, didn’t like her.

For someone who had always been popular, this was a new and frustrating experience. After all, anyone would feel unhappy and unwilling if they were disliked like this.

"Hmph, I’ll investigate this when I get back!"

After saying that, Muelsyse looked down at the candy in her small basket. In the end, she decided not to put it back and instead continued to pick out more candy, as if trying to comfort herself.

...

Mobius left the candy store without hesitation this time, heading directly to her office without looking back.

After such a bad day, she had no intention of going out again anytime soon. Instead of dealing with these troublesome people, it was better to dive back into her lab.

Of course, Mobius hadn’t forgotten her suspicions about Muelsyse’s recent actions, so she made a mental note to lock her office door and remove any excess water from the room.

'So, Dr. Mobius, do you still need to buy candy and bubble wrap? If necessary, I can purchase them for you.'

Just as Mobius was contemplating her next move and nearing the Rhine Lab Office Building, Sakura’s indifferent voice suddenly echoed in her mind.

Although Ying could easily handle such tasks, buying and placing items in the space, she decided to ask first, considering Mobius’s personality.

'...If you can buy bubble wrap and it’s convenient, then go ahead. As for the candy, it’s just a non-essential item,' Mobius replied casually after a brief pause, surprised by Sakura’s sudden inquiry.

'Understood, Doctor. I’ll get the bubble wrap if I see it. As for the candy, I’ll just buy the ones Muelsyse mentioned,' Sakura said seriously after hearing Mobius’s response.

*'Sakura, I said the candy is non-essential!'

'Yeah, I know.'

Although both sides spoke plainly, in truth, they were in tune with each other, fully aware of what the other was thinking.

This kind of synchronization helped overcome stubbornness and arrogance... Otherwise, Sakura wouldn’t have asked about the "non-essential" candy in the first place.

'...'

'It’s up to you, Sakura~ I’m going to get busy.'

At that moment, Mobius sensed Sakura’s thoughts, and a glint of light flashed in her gradient snake-like pupils before she responded in a nonchalant tone.

As the voice in her mind faded, Mobius put on her work ID and walked towards the towering Rhine Lab Office Building without stopping.

---

On the other side—

Sakura, who was already near the candy store, shook her head with a helpless expression after finishing her conversation with Mobius.

Although she didn’t fully understand Mobius’s stubborn or awkward personality, it didn’t stop Sakura from helping her and assisting in completing the research task.

After all, so far, regardless of her identity, the task of [researching the antidote for Oripathy] had taken top priority and received the most resources.

This was because, over time, these identities had formed ties and found things they wanted to protect across the continent.

On this continent ravaged by Oripathy, to protect the people they cherished and save lives, "they" had tacitly placed [researching Oripathy and its antidote] at the forefront.

Among all the characters unlocked so far, Mobius is the one most likely to succeed in researching Oripathy and its antidote.

It was precisely because of this that even Bianka, whose personality and values didn’t align with Mobius’s, was doing her best to support her in various ways, such as with financial resources...

"..."

After finishing her brief reflection, Sakura immediately changed direction and headed toward the candy store Mobius had just left.

She now planned to buy the items Snake needed, gather intelligence about the city, and then figure out how to enter the Rhine Labs Defense Section.

Having made her decision and organized her thoughts, Sakura didn’t hesitate and quickly entered the candy store to buy what was needed.

However, after politely declining the enthusiastic store clerk’s help, Sakura realized she had overlooked something.

While she knew the names of the candies recommended by Muelsyse from Mobius, this candy store was enormous, with a dizzying variety of sweets.

Sakura searched for a long time, her eyes scanning several rows of shelves, but she couldn’t find the candies she was supposed to buy.

Just as she was about to give up and ask the clerk for assistance, a voice sounded beside her.

"Having trouble deciding on candy? I can help you choose."

"..."

Hearing the familiar voice, Sakura instinctively turned and saw Muelsyse smiling with a small basket of candy in hand.

"Won’t that be too much trouble for you?"

"It’s no trouble at all! I know a lot about candy." After hearing Sakura’s concern, Muelsyse set her basket aside and confidently patted her chest.

"Thank you for your help, then."

Seeing Muelsyse’s expression, Sakura didn’t refuse but politely accepted the offer.

After all, she wasn’t as stubborn as Mobius. If someone could help her, it was fine to get to know them and make a friend.

Of course, after the "lesson" from Mobius earlier, and since Sakura herself wasn’t particularly concerned with cleanliness, she didn’t use her power to remove the Originium dust around her.

As a result, Sakura’s surroundings weren’t as "clean" as Mobius’s.

However, a few months ago, when Mobius hadn’t yet reached a conclusion, all of them were still cautious about Originium to avoid infection.

Later, after Mobius discovered through experiments that Honkai energy could erode and devour Originium, "everyone" became less cautious.

After all, according to experimental research, unless the Honkai energy in their bodies was depleted, Originium, Originium dust, and the like couldn’t enter their bodies at all.

As for why Mobius still allowed a small amount of her power to overflow and clean the "dirty" things around her, it was simply because she wanted her surroundings to be cleaner.

Chapter 170

"Well, thank you for your help."

"It's just a small matter! So, what kind of candy do you want to buy?" After hearing Sakura's response, Muelsyse waved her hand dismissively, though she nodded with satisfaction internally.

What had happened with Mobius earlier had left Muelsyse feeling a bit insecure. But now it appears... she wasn’t the problem.

"Well... something suitable for children."

Faced with Muelsyse’s question, Sakura thought for a moment before answering.

"Oh, for children... let me see."

With that, Muelsyse clapped her hands and walked skillfully to another section of the store.

"..."

Seeing this, Sakura didn’t hesitate. She picked up an empty basket and also grabbed the basket Muelsyse had "forgotten" on the side before following her.

Their conversation then went like this:

"John’s Mother’s Orange Storm is delicious and great for kids!"

"Yeah."

"There’s also strawberry flavor."

"Yeah."

"And this assorted flavor, but it depends on the kids’ preferences."

"Yeah, okay."

...

With Muelsyse’s help, Sakura ended up with a whole basket of candy.

"Thank you for your help. My name is Sakura, and I’m glad to have met you." After leaving the candy store, Sakura didn’t rush off but instead politely thanked Muelsyse.

"Oh, it was just a little help. My name is Muelsyse, and I’m happy to get along with you!" Muelsyse’s lips curled into a slight smile as she introduced herself to the serious pink-haired Cautus before her.

However, some of Muelsyse’s words weren’t just pleasantries, like "I’m happy to get along with you."

It really was nice spending time with Sakura, who humbly accepted her suggestions. Any frustration she had felt because of Mobius had vanished without a trace.

"I originally wanted to buy you a box of your favorite candy as a thank-you gift, but I gave up when I saw you bought so much yourself." Sakura's eyes fell on the handbag filled with candy in Muelsyse’s hand. After a pause, she continued, "So, I was wondering if you have any plans later? How about I treat you to something to eat?"

"Oh, that’s not necessary. I just helped you pick out some candy." Muelsyse said, a bit embarrassed, as sweat slowly formed on brf forehead. Obviously, Sakura's words had successfully shifted the awkwardness from her to her.

"Don’t worry about it. You helped me, so I’ll treat you to a meal. It’s a courtesy."

"Besides, I was hoping you could show me around the city. I just got here and don’t even know if there are any good restaurants."

As she said this, Sakura raised her lips slightly and smiled gently at Muelsyse.

"So you’re new here? Well then, let me show you around!" Muelsyse was slightly stunned by Sakura’s honesty, but then she suddenly became excited.

It could be said that the earlier matter of "hurrying back to check on that green-haired woman" was completely forgotten.

After all, Mobius could run away from the problem, but not the responsibility, and missing out on a new friend in front of her was something Muelsyse didn’t want. Therefore, she still felt it was more important to spend time with this new friend.

"Well, then I’ll be counting on you, Muelsyse."

"It’s no trouble at all! Just like you said, it’s a courtesy!"

Afterward, Sakura walked around the city under Muelsyse’s guidance.

--

*In the Laboratory—*

Mobius, who noticed what Sakura was doing, paused for a moment before immersing herself back into her experiments.

After all, she didn’t have much time left.

The next time Ifrit would receive "treatment" wasn’t far off. Even though it was still the early stages, Ifrit would have to undergo treatment once or twice a week.

And Mobius hoped to develop a suitable analgesic that wouldn’t be easily detected by those people before the next "treatment" to reduce the mental pain Ifrit would endure.

As for why she was focused only on the mental and not the physical pain... well, for Mobius, no matter how bad Ifrit’s body became, she could bring it back as long as she wasn’t dead.

But the mental aspect was different... If the mind collapsed, it wouldn’t be easy to treat. Besides, she had promised Ifrit that night to help relieve her pain.

Although Mobius herself admitted that her bottom line was very flexible, she still disdained deceiving children.

So, it was actually a good thing for Mobius that Sakura had distracted Muelsyse. After all, it avoided unnecessary harassment.

...

"Phew—maybe we should find a place to store our things first."

Muelsyse, who couldn’t resist buying a lot of items while shopping, temporarily set down his "trophies" on the ground, wiped the sweat from her forehead, and then suggested to Sakura.

"No need for that trouble; let me help carry these." Sakura stepped forward and easily lifted the "trophies" in front of the panting Muelsyse.

"Hey! Sakura, aren’t you tired? Wait—how did you walk so far without sweating at all?!"

Muelsyse looked at Sakura with calm breaths and a relaxed expression, speaking in surprise.

After all, they had just walked through most of the city at a brisk pace. Even she, an elf, was feeling a bit tired.

"I have good physical strength. After all, I’m also a martial artist." Before Muelsyse could respond, a flicker of oddity flashed across Sakura’s eyes.

A "killer" should also be considered a martial artist, right?

"I see."

Hearing this, Muelsyse nodded gently, a trace of understanding in her eyes.

However, speaking of martial artists, Muelsyse’s thoughts turned to a particularly straightforward friend of hers... someone who was incredibly strong but usually wielded a shield and focused on defense.

"In that case, Sakura, your skills must be very impressive." As she spoke, Muelsyse looked at her new friend with a curious expression.

"I wouldn’t say that. It’s just some self-defense skills. Besides, I rarely spar with others." Sakura modestly shook her head in response to Muelsyse’s curiosity.

But in a sense, the second half of Sakura’s sentence wasn’t wrong. She rarely sparred with others in this world. If it was a friend, she wouldn’t fight at all. If it was an enemy, she would simply eliminate them swiftly.

Chapter 171

"Is that so? I see. But we still need to find a place to send and receive things." After hearing what Sakura said, Muelsyse blinked softly and then smiled.

Although they hadn’t spent much time together, a few hours were enough for Muelsyse to get a sense of Sakura’s character.

She didn’t entirely believe Sakura’s words—there was certainly a lot of modesty in them.

Muelsyse thought that while Sakura's strength might not be as terrifying as someone she knew, it was certainly impressive.

"Hmm?"

Sakura looked at Muelsyse in confusion, silently asking for an explanation.

"What’s there to be confused about? Even if you’re strong, carrying all this stuff around is still troublesome. Besides, how can I always rely on my new friends?"

Muelsyse smiled as she reached out to pat Sakura on the shoulder.

"I don’t mind, but since you’ve made up your mind, let’s go store the things."

Sakura gave a helpless smile at Muelsyse, who was acting like a live wire. She gently shook the items in her hand and continued, "Let me handle it until we get to the storage. You look pretty tired."

"Aww, Sakura, you’re so kind!"

Muelsyse suddenly felt a bit emotional, almost tearful at Sakura's gentle and caring demeanor.

This... Is this what it feels like to shop with a thoughtful friend?

My heart is touched! Goodbye to the steel-hearted woman and the iceberg general—I’m throwing myself into the arms of a gentle, caring new friend!

"It’s nothing, I’m used to it. Whenever I went out with my sister, I usually carried everything."

Sakura couldn’t help but think of someone from her memories as she looked at Muelsyse’s expression.

"Wait! Sakura, you have a sister? No wonder you’re so caring." Muelsyse covered her mouth in surprise after hearing Sakura’s words.

Then, as if remembering something, she spoke again, "So, is the candy for your sister?"

"Well... you could say that, but she’s not here right now." Sakura didn’t give a definitive answer to Muelsyse's question, responding instead with some ambiguity.

After all, this Sakura wasn’t the "Sakura" Muelsyse might be imagining. Although she wished for a sister, Mobius couldn’t conjure a Klein out of thin air—so how could she conjure a Rin?

"I see." Muelsyse nodded gently at Sakura’s response, then looked at the bags in Sakura's hand and changed the subject, saying, "Alright, let’s go quickly. It’s not right to always let you carry everything."

"Okay."

---

At a Restaurant—

"Phew! I’m exhausted. I haven’t shopped like this in a long time." Sitting on a bench in the restaurant, Muelsyse relaxed her body and let out a soft cheer.

"Indeed, we've been shopping for a while. Here, take a look at the menu and see if there’s anything you want to eat." Sakura turned her head to look at the darkening sky outside the window and spoke with a touch of weariness.

To be honest, Sakura hadn’t expected to spend an entire afternoon shopping in this city with Muelsyse, but it wasn’t a bad thing. After all, she knew that if she hadn’t dragged Muelsyse here, she might have gone back to "bother" a busy Mobius.

"Well, I won’t be shy then!"

Muelsyse smiled mischievously as she took the menu from Sakura.

"Order whatever you like." Sakura chuckled at Muelsyse’s playful attitude, though the helplessness in her beautiful eyes deepened.

As she flipped through the menu, Muelsyse suddenly remembered something. She looked up at Sakura and asked, "By the way, I don’t think I know—are you just passing through Tremont, or are you planning to settle here?"

Muelsyse’s question came out of nowhere, but it was driven by a sense of obligation.

Although she had helped Sakura earlier, it was just a small favor. But during the afternoon and over dinner, she felt like she had benefited more.

Muelsyse was a person of principle. It wasn’t easy to meet such a friendly and gentle new friend, so she felt the need to give a proper return gift.

So, Sakura’s plans were suddenly of great importance.

"I’m not just passing through Tremont. I’m planning to find a job here and settle down." Sakura shook her head and answered seriously.

In this matter, Sakura had no intention of deceiving Muelsyse.

After all, if nothing unexpected happened, she would likely join the Rhine Lab Defense Section. While she wouldn’t see Muelsyse every day, there was still a good chance of running into her.

So if she lied now, it could lead to embarrassment later, or worse, distrust due to a small lie.

"So, you’re planning to settle down here? That’s great! I can call you out for shopping from time to time! Although I bought a lot of things today, I’ll treat you next time."

Sakura’s words made Muelsyse’s eyes light up, and a smile tugged at the corners of her lips.

"Okay."

Sakura nodded gently, agreeing with a smile as she watched the joyful elf in front of her.

To be honest, she was a little curious. It would be quite interesting to see Muelsyse’s reaction when they bumped into each other at Rhine Lab in the future.

---

After parting with Muelsyse that night, Sakura found a place to stay.

However, unlike ordinary people who rest after finding a place to stay, for Sakura, the night was just beginning.

After making sure her disguise was thorough and that no one had noticed her, she quietly slipped out of her residence to gather information.

Compared to Kalawariekli, which she had thoroughly investigated, Sakura knew almost nothing about Tremont.

So whether it was for joining the company or preparing to join, Sakura felt she needed to gather some information.

Chapter 72

After several days of investigation, Sakura finally became familiar with Tremont, a city she was unfamiliar with. She knew a little about what she should and shouldn't know.

However, compared to the messy and useless news, Sakura still valued the information about Rhine Lab that she had recently collected.

For example, Rhine Lab is currently embroiled in many scandals, and there is the matter of external recruitment for various Sections.

The results of the investigation were not too surprising for Sakura. Compared to other Sections that require geniuses and elite researchers, the Defense Section is relatively easier to enter.

After all, other Sections demand diplomas and technology, while the Defense Section values strength and the ability to handle emergencies.

However, the easier entry is only relative for Sakura.

You see, Rhine Lab's interviews are very strict. Let’s not discuss other Sections for now. As far as Sakura knows, the final step of the Defense Section's interview involves going through Saria again.

Just think about Saria's personality and her serious work attitude, and you’ll understand how high the elimination rate of the interview is... right, Jeston?

"Ah..."

Thinking of this, Sakura sighed helplessly while sitting in her temporary residence.

She had no doubts about her abilities. Not to mention passing Saria’s assessment, it was not impossible for her to defeat the Terra Superman.

However, Sakura was a little worried about being seen through and then eliminated directly. After all... Saria's steely, straightforward nature was well-known.

Despite her concerns, Sakura still submitted her application.

She was not the type to hesitate because of worries. Since she had made a plan, she would try it no matter how difficult it was.

——————————————————

As the sun slowly set, large patches of clouds turned red, displaying magnificent colors. At this moment, in the Mobius laboratory—

"Hu——"

Accompanied by a slightly heavy breathing sound, Mobius stopped her hands' movements accurately. After blinking her sore eyes, she calmly placed the newly prepared potion on the shelf beside ber.

"The new medicine is ready; the next step is to observe the effects."

At this moment, Mobius, who looked a little tired, had no intention of stopping. She cast ber eyes on the cage containing experimental mice, and her meaning was clear.

It had been several days since ber first meeting with Ifrit, and the next "treatment" was approaching. Mobius hoped to complete the agreement with the "little white mouse" before then.

To fulfill this agreement and comfort the little white mouse, Miss Serpent had not closed her eyes for several days. Since returning from outside last time, she had been racing against time to conduct experiments, with almost no delay.

As a result, many people in the Structural Section had been discussing Mobius behind her back, even calling her a "workaholic" and "work madman."

After all, other researchers leave work at the usual time, and even if they work overtime, it isn't excessively late. But Mobius is different.

In recent days, they had noticed that Mobius’s office and laboratory were brightly lit 24 hours a day, without interruption—simply outrageous.

...

"Squeak--"

"..."

After watching the mice in front of her, which were still safe and sound after the injection and a series of experiments and observations, Mobius breathed a sigh of relief, and her tense nerves slowly relaxed.

After hastily cleaning up the mess in the laboratory, Ouroboros left the lab and walked towards her room in Rhine Lab.

Even though Mobius was a MANTIS, the high-intensity, continuous experiments had left her mentally exhausted. Now that the drug was successfully developed and only needed clinical trials, Ouroboros planned to take a good rest to recover her tired spirit.

————————————————

At night, Ifrit's room—

At this moment, Ifrit, lying on the bed, tossed and turned, feeling a little irritable and unable to sleep.

The reason for this was, of course, that tomorrow was the time for treatment, as Silence had said.

Although Ifrit could endure with Silence and Saria by her side, no one likes pain.

Even now, Ifrit couldn't stop trembling at the thought of the bone-eroding pain from the previous treatment.

Previously, Ifrit had endured the pain only because she didn’t want to disappoint Saria and worry Silence, wanting to be the strong and good child they described.

However, no matter how hard she tried to endure, she was still just a child... and she feared pain.

"Snake..."

As if she had thought of something, Ifrit stopped tossing on the bed, supported herself on her arms, and sat up. Looking at the dark room, she muttered to herself.

To be honest, with the complete disappearance of the sweetness in her mouth that night, coupled with the peaceful and normal nights in the past few days, Ifrit started to doubt the authenticity of Mebius again.

She suspected that everything that night was just a dream or an illusion.

After all, Charmander now had nothing in hand to prove the existence of "Snake."

"Heh~ Little white mouse, why are you still awake so late? Are you waiting for me to come and study you?"

Just as Ifrit was sitting on the bed in a daze, Mebius’s recognizable childish voice quietly sounded in her ears.

"!"

Mebius’s sudden words first startled Ifrit, and then she quickly reacted. A hint of surprise flashed in her eyes as she turned her head to look in the direction of the voice.

"Snake!"

"Really, I told you not to call me that."

Hearing Ifrit’s surprised voice, Mebius paused while fiddling with the finger guards and then said with some displeasure.

"I thought you weren't coming."

Ifrit didn’t care about Mebius's correction of the name and continued speaking with excitement.

"You are my guinea pig~ We have an agreement, so how could I let you go before the agreement is fulfilled?"

Looking at the excited child in front of her, Mebius squinted her gradient eyes gently and continued:

"Okay, don’t waste any more time. Let’s start the examination tonight~"

Chapter 173

After a series of precise inspections of Ifrit and reviewing the existing information in the laboratory, Mobius found no major problems, and everything was still under her control. However, this routine inspection was not the main purpose of her visit tonight. After all, such examinations could be carried out any night; there was no need to choose this particular one.

Thinking about it, Mobius stopped what she was doing and looked at Ifrit silently with her pair of gleaming gradient snake eyes.

Noticing the look in Mobius's eyes, Ifrit tilted her head slightly, gazed at her with a confused expression, and said, "What's wrong? Snake."

"Heh~"

Looking at the girl who was staring at her with innocent and ignorant eyes, Mobius suddenly chuckled, as if she had thought of something amusing.

She no longer cared about the name he hated but reached out to gently caress her forehead.

Behind her lips, a seductive voice said, "Little guinea pig, I won't deceive you, so I'll give you the right to choose~"

"I have a potion here that can make you less in pain or even painless when you receive [treatment] from that group of people, but..."

At a critical moment, Mobius paused, the light in her beautiful eyes flickering slightly, and then continued, "Except for being successfully tested on cute white mice, this medicine has not undergone clinical trials. After all, samples like yours are too rare."

"So, do you choose to inject this newly successful medicine tonight or wait in pain for a while~"

After her words, Mobius narrowed her eyes slightly, then took out the potion he had prepared and placed it in front of Ifrit, quietly waiting for her decision.

In fact, Mobius had originally intended to conduct clinical trials but could not find a suitable candidate.

Ifrit's status and individuality were quite special.

Without similar cases and circumstances, drug trials would not achieve the effect Mobius wanted to see. Although, in a sense, she could create an identical individual, she did not want to do this "meaningless" thing, nor did she care to do it.

In the end, there was not enough time, so she simply skipped this step and left the choice directly in Ifrit's hands.

"Eh...?"

After listening to Mobius's "long speech," Ifrit was slightly stunned, as if she didn't react. Clearly, she did not expect Mobius to deliver such a long and explosive message.

"Hmm... um... let me think about it."

After regaining her composure, Ifrit did not rush to answer but extended a hand to touch her chin, frowning as she appeared to think hard. However, this look did not last long, as after a while, Ifrit's eyes drifted involuntarily to Mobius.

Mobius, who noticed Ifrit's gaze, slightly raised her eyebrows but ultimately said nothing.

This was not the first time this little kid had looked at her like this tonight. At the beginning of the evening, she had been interested in teasing Charmander, but after seeing it too much, she was no longer surprised.

"Well..."

With a meaningless murmur, Ifrit slowly withdrew her gaze from Mobius and looked down at the potion in front of her, which shone with a faint blue light under the dim light in the room.

In fact, after the initial excitement of seeing Snake tonight faded away, Ifrit noticed the trace of fatigue hidden deep in Mobius's eyes. Although Snake was still teasing her as before, Ifrit noticed the difference between her and last time.

Ifrit had never quite understood the reason before, but now, looking at the potion in front of her, she felt she might understand it. It turns out that the night before was indeed not a dream. She had made an agreement with a "weird" guy, and while she was abiding by the agreement, she was also working hard to fulfill it.

To be honest, this realization gave Ifrit a strange, warm feeling in her heart.

Finally, Ifrit raised her head again, looked at Mobius seriously for a moment, and then expressed her choice. "I believe in Snake!"

This brief sentence made Mobius understand Ifrit's choice and led her to a brief silence.

However, this situation did not last long. After a while, Mobius slowly lowered her eyes and chuckled as if she had heard a joke.

"Ha~ You actually chose to trust me? Then I hope you won't regret your choice~"

Although Snake's tone was the same as before when she said these words, if anyone could look directly into her eyes at this moment, they would find a flash of complexity in them.

"I won't regret it!"

After hearing Mobius, Ifrit became determined, as if to prove her resolve, and her volume increased significantly.

"Then let's wait and see, little guinea pig~"

After saying this, Mobius put away the medicine on the bed, stopped looking at the girl, and turned around to get ready.

"Hmm!"

Looking at Mobius, who turned to leave, Ifrit couldn't help but puff up her cheeks, her expression a little unhappy.

After spending time with each other twice, Ifrit had a better understanding of Mobius. However, she still didn't quite understand why Snake, who treated her well like Saria and Silence, was unwilling to admit it and had such irritating words.

On the other side.

Mobius, who was preparing the dosage of the potion, felt a little strange at the moment.

She had never thought that Ifrit would choose to inject a drug that had not yet undergone clinical trials. However, since the guinea pig had chosen it herself, Mobius would not waste this great opportunity. After all, the potion was specially designed for Ifrit, so it would be best to test it on her.

Moreover, although she had some bottom lines, strictly speaking, she was not a good person.

Of course, Mobius had eliminated the risks of this clinical trial. The worst result was that the medicine did not meet expectations, and Ifrit would still endure some "treatment" pain.

Chapter 174

"Hmm!"

As the dark blue potion was slowly injected into Ifrit's body, she couldn't help but let out a sigh. Although she didn't move, a hint of surprise flashed in her big eyes.

When the potion was completely injected, Charmander sat up and looked at Mobius with a warm expression.

"It's amazing. I feel so comfortable now! I don't feel uncomfortable at all."

This was the most comfortable Ifrit had felt since arriving at Rhine Lab, or even before.

Now that she could control her body, she felt no pain as before, and her nerves were quite relaxed. Even the occasional sounds and images that had appeared in her mind had disappeared completely, leaving only quietness and comfort.

"Don't move. Wait a moment; I'll check you again." Hearing this, Mobius was not surprised at all but merely reminded her calmly.

After all, this potion had been developed by Mobius personally, so she knew better than anyone what kind of effect it had.

After the reminder, Mobius did not choose to continue standing there. She silently took out something and placed it on Ifrit's bed, then turned around and left the room, heading towards the laboratory outside.

"......!"

After hearing Mobius's words, Ifrit, who was originally excited, stopped her actions obediently, sat on the bed, and looked at the person in front of her without moving.

However, when she saw clearly what Mobius had placed on the bed, her eyes brightened, and she carefully picked up the item.

It was a crystal candy with a beautiful package.

...

Outside Ifrit's room, Mobius, who was fiddling with her computer, had a dark look in her eyes, making it impossible to discern her thoughts.

The effect of the medicine this time was within her expectations, and as for whether the final result would also meet her expectations... she would have to wait for the results of Ifrit's examination.

However, Mobius was not particularly worried about this because, although she had given Charmander the right to choose for some reason initially, it did not mean that she lacked confidence in her potion.

So, compared to this matter, which seemed almost certain to her, she was more concerned about another issue...

This potion, specially developed for Ifrit, had required Mobius to make special treatments to handle the group of people who helped her "treat" during the day.

If she didn't want to, with this group of people and the existing equipment, it would be difficult to detect any traces of her medicine in a short time.

Moreover, even if discovered by accident, it would be impossible to determine the substance, composition, effects, or how it entered Ifrit's body.

But... this was also the issue that troubled Mobius.

According to her understanding of the fanatical researchers, if they find that Ifrit is "not in pain," they will most likely increase the degree of "treatment," such as the dosage of the injection, to deepen the stimulation to the test subject...

Although Mobius had always claimed not to care about the physical state of the test subject, but only the mental state... the potential actions of these researchers still made her a little uneasy. And if she wanted to remain discreet, this problem could not be avoided for now...

‘At night, only you have this kind of active mind... I'm ready here and can go over at any time.’ The voice that suddenly sounded in her mind made Mobius pause, and her gradient-colored eyes narrowed slightly.

‘Heh~ Isn’t this our busy Miss [Bright Knight]~’

‘Don’t talk to me in that tone, Mobius. You know my previous situation. But now it doesn’t matter. Arrange a reasonable experimental subject, and I can come over every night to cooperate with your experiment.’

Bianka really couldn’t stand Mobius’s “weirdness,” but considering that someone had been very tired and hard-working recently, she didn’t say anything more.

During this period, you can’t really blame her for not helping Mobius. The main reason was that she was watched too closely by various forces, and even at night, someone came to “test” her from time to time.

If it were a wild method, it would be fine, and she could even let Rita do it directly, but some... it was not easy to handle. Not only that, if necessary, she would need to deliberately reveal some information.

Although this situation often made Bianka a little frustrated, the choice was made by herself, and there was nothing more to say.

Recently, this situation had gradually subsided, so she could come to inform Mobius.

‘Then get ready; I will start the experiment soon.’

Hearing this, Mobius considered her plan and responded mentally.

‘Okay... Alas, pay attention to your rest.’

“Hehe~ Don’t worry, I know my body well.”

As the last voice faded, both sides returned to silence. Mobius quickly refocused her attention on the computer in front of her.

---

After examining Ifrit's body again and finding nothing abnormal and almost no trace of drugs, Mobius's tense nerves relaxed.

After all, everything was within her expectations and there were no unexpected situations.

“Hu…”

After exhaling a breath of air, Mobius slowly lowered her gaze to hide the fatigue that had unconsciously appeared in her eyes.

“…”

However, what Mobius did not notice was that all her small movements were carefully recorded by Ifrit lying on the experimental bed.

It was precisely because of this that the lively Charmander did not move even after she realized the examination had ended. She did not want to disturb the tired researcher.

"Okay, you can get up and go back to your room~"

After a while, Mobius hid her fatigue, curled her lips slightly, and said to Ifrit with a smile.

"Yeah!"

After hearing what Mobius said, Ifrit sat up without hesitation and walked towards her room obediently.

After a simple tidying up, Mobius followed Ifrit's footsteps and entered the room.

She still had a lot to tell the little white mouse. She didn’t want the plan that had been perfect so far to end with a flaw.

Chapter 175

"Hehe, today's inspection ends here. If you want to meet again, remember what I just said, little white mouse~" After explaining all the precautions to Ifrit, Mobius smiled softly and said.

"Yeah! I remember everything. I will never tell you, Snake." Looking at Mobius, who was smiling "brilliantly" in front of her, Ifrit nodded very seriously and agreed.

"Hehe~" Looking at the well-behaved child in front of her, Mobius's snake eyes, emitting dim light in the dark, flashed a hint of joy.

Finally, Mobius exchanged all the candy wrappers from Ifrit for candy, swept her tail carefully to confirm that nothing was missing, and then left quietly, just as he had come.

...

After leaving Ifrit, Mobius did not return to the laboratory for a long time but chose to return to her room. Although she had rested before coming here at midnight, it was still too short, and even she felt tired.

Besides, now that a small problem had been solved, it was not so urgent for the time being.

Another point is... this afternoon, Mobius went back to rest directly, and the office had been empty since then.

Now, in the middle of the night, if she went to the laboratory again, it would be somewhat suspicious. So, the Rhine Lab laboratory experienced its first empty night since Mobius arrived.

---

*The Morning of the Second Day*

"Hmm..."

Sakura is standing in front of the Rhine Lab building at this moment. Thinking of the interview that will be held soon, she feels a little nervous for the first time in a long time.

At this moment, the unreliable voice of the system sounded again...

[Ding——Task triggered: Successfully pass the interview and enter Rhine Lab (Defense Department). Character requirements: (Setsuna, Sakura).]

[Reward: Frozen Naraka]

[Mission failed: no penalty]

"Huh..." When Sakura first heard about this mission, she didn't care much. But when she heard about the mission reward, she suddenly became very motivated.

After all, Frozen Naraka is her exclusive weapon in every sense, or another exclusive weapon. As for why it is another one, it is because there is also the Divine Key - Seven Thunders of Retribution.

These two weapons are very important to Sakura.

Just as mentioned before, the Seven Thunders of Retribution are used by her to kill people and deal with traitors.

Frozen Naraka is used to handle non-human enemies, such as Honkai beasts, Herrschers, etc.

With the issuance of the system mission, Sakura no longer hesitated. After sorting out her thoughts, she walked towards the Rhine Lab office building.

---

The Defense Section Director's Office in the Early Morning

"Swish..."

Sitting at her desk, signing documents with a serious look, Saria paused as if she suddenly remembered something.

At the same time, someone knocked on the office door.

"Dongdong--"

"Come in."

As Saria's cold voice fell, the office door was slowly pushed open from the outside, and a woman dressed neatly and holding a stack of documents walked in.

"What's the matter?"

"Director Saria, these are all documents that need your signature." As she said this, the woman placed the documents on Saria's desk and continued, "Also, the interviewer who sent a resume to us before has arrived and is now in the reception room."

"Excuse me, are you going to the interview in person, or..."

"I'll go over there."

Hearing this, Saria lowered her eyes and thought for a moment, then stood up and said indifferently.

"Well, is there anything else? If not, I will go down and inform the interviewer."

"Yes."

After hearing what Saria said, the woman nodded gently and left the office.

Saria glanced at the information on the table.

After watching her subordinate leave, Saria did not waste time. She quickly took out the information about the interviewer from a pile of documents on the table and checked it carefully.

Saria had actually looked through the information before, but just in case, she decided to review it again to deepen her understanding.

The reason for her prompt action was not only because she did not want to keep the interviewer waiting but also because Saria suddenly remembered that Ifrit had a treatment today, and she needed to take time to accompany him.

What's more, she herself was not a person who liked to procrastinate.

After carefully reading Sakura's resume, gaining a general understanding of her, and confirming that there were no issues, she stood up and walked out of the office.

Compared to written resumes, the Defense Section—or rather the head of the Defense Section, Saria—cares more about a person's character and ability, with character taking precedence over ability. It can even be said that if the character meets or even exceeds the standard, Saria can slightly lower the requirements for ability.

*Rhine Lab Defense Section Lounge*

Sakura was not very surprised to learn that Saria was interviewing her in person, as it was expected. She had always been a little nervous, but now she calmed down and quietly waited for the arrival of the "interviewer," who was familiar in a sense.

"Please sit down. Let me introduce myself. My name is Saria. I am the head of the Defense Section and also your interviewer this time."

After arriving, Saria, with a serious face, looked at the pink-haired Vulpo (fox) girl standing beside her, made a gesture of invitation, and said seriously. However, even as serious as she was, she couldn't help but secretly glance at the ears on Sakura's head.

To be honest, if Saria hadn't read the information submitted by Ying in advance, she would have thought that the interviewer this time was a Cautus (rabbit).

Saria's gaze towards her ears was keenly noticed by Sakura. Although she was much better after coming to this world, she was still a little sensitive about her ears. However, to leave a good impression on Saria, Sakura said nothing and responded in a very calm and formal tone, "Hello, Director Saria. My name is Sakura, and I am the interviewee this time. Your company's Defense Section has not announced the specific interview process to the outside world. Do you need me to give a brief introduction now?"

"No."

Chapter 176

"No need." After hearing what Sakura said, Saria shook her head and continued, "I have read your information before, and there is not much point in introducing it again."

"Then what's next?"

Hearing this, Sakura was slightly stunned and then looked at Saria's blue eyes, a trace of doubt slowly flashing.

"You just need to answer some questions for me. If you pass, you can take the ability test." Facing Sakura's doubtful eyes, Saria explained seriously and solemnly.

"Well, please ask."

Sakura was actually a little surprised by Saria's answer. She didn't expect this interview to be in this form. But there was nothing she could do because the person sitting in front of her was the head of the Defense Section...

After Sakura finished speaking, Saria immediately asked her first question:

"Why do you want to join the Rhine Lab Defense Section?"

After asking the question, Saria did not idle. She looked at the "interviewer" in front of her seriously, waiting for the answer.

The question she asked was as ordinary as it could be. Except for the "sharp" words, it could be said that any company would ask it.

However, compared to those "perfect" answers that were like templates, she wanted to hear the real reason.

Although she thought so, Saria knew that few people gave a simple or "simple" answer to this question.

"...Because it is relatively suitable."

After thinking for a while, Sakura provided her answer to Saria.

Knowing the person in front of her, she kept her extra words to herself and officially opened the curtain for this interview with the simplest and most straightforward words.

——————————————————

*Rhine Lab Ecological Section*

"I didn't expect that she was from the Structural Section and was the one who proposed a theory not long ago... It's really interesting!" Sitting at the desk, Muelsyse looked at the information on the table and muttered to herself.

The information in front of her was about Mobius, and her work photo was also included.

Just as Mobius had expected before, after Muelsyse discovered which Section she was from, she planned to pay her a friendly "visit."

Of course, while visiting, Muelsyse also planned to sneak away later to take a secret look at the child who made her steely, straight-laced female friend worried.

She was very curious about the person who could make Saria care so much, even if it was just a child!

After making the decision, Muelsyse planned to leave immediately. After all, it was a visit, so it had to be done as soon as possible.

As for secretly meeting the child that Saria cared about... This kind of thing should be "not seen in public," so it was necessary to postpone it until the evening.

She didn't want to be discovered by some overly straight-laced person who might then "educate" her...

"Dongdong——"

However, just as Muelsyse stood up with an excited look on her face and was about to "visit" Mobius, the door of the office suddenly knocked.

"Ahem... please come in."

After clearing her throat, adjusting her expression slightly, and sitting back down, Muelsyse spoke.

"Director Muelsyse, this is the document that the general manager asked me to bring to you, and she asked you to go to her office later."

"Okay, I know. Put the document here."

After listening to the delivery person, Muelsyse nodded and said.

"Yes."

The person who delivered the document did not say anything more after hearing Muelsyse’s response but stepped forward a few steps and placed the document on Muelsyse’s desk. "If Director Muelsyse has nothing else, I'll leave first."

"Well, go ahead... wait!"

After glancing at the documents and noticing something, Muelsyse quickly stopped the person who was about to leave.

"Is Director Muelsyse anything else?"

"Are you going to Saria next?"

After retracting her gaze from the documents, Muelsyse asked quickly.

"Yes, I'm going to deliver documents and notices to Director Saria next," the secretary replied.

"Okay, then go ahead and get busy. I won’t keep you."

After getting the answer she wanted, Muelsyse smiled lightly and stopped trying to keep her.

"Well, I'll take my leave first." After saying this, the secretary turned around and left the office, as she had other things to do.

"…"

"Click…"

After watching the secretary leave and close the door, Muelsyse’s body relaxed, a trace of helplessness flashing in her eyes as she sighed, "Today’s events are unexpected... I don’t know what task requires the Ecological Section and the Defense Section to work together."

"Oh, I don't know if I'll have time to visit Miss Rookie today~"

"Forget it, let’s go find Saria first."

After speaking, Muelsyse slowly stood up, tidied her clothes, and left her office to find her friend.

————————————————

*In the lounge*

"…"

At this moment, the entire lounge was quite quiet, with only two people present: a Vaifan woman who was deep in thought and a Vulpo girl waiting for the final answer.

"… Let's go to the training room to test the data on combat and defense." After a moment, Saria stopped her thoughts and looked at Sakura seriously.

So far, Sakura had made a good impression on Saria. Although the girl's answers to the questions were not outstanding, they were better than many others.

At least she had reached the passing line in Saria’s mind, so she could proceed to the next step.

If she was also good in combat, Saria thought she could pass the interview and be accepted.

"Okay…"

At this point, Sakura breathed a sigh of relief.

She had finally dealt with Saria temporarily... God knows how many brain cells she burned answering those questions.

However, the following tests seemed much simpler to Sakura. Except for needing to control the strength and degree of display, there were no major issues. In terms of strength, she was still confident in herself.

"Let's go."

Sakura then followed Saria to the training room.

…

“Next…”

“Knock, knock—”

When Saria arrived at the training room and was about to speak to Sakura, a crisp knock on the door suddenly interrupted her words.

At the same time, Sakura, who was standing beside her, was slightly stunned.

Chapter 167

"Hmm..."

Mobius, who had just gotten up and washed up in the morning, yawned slowly with a lazy expression.

She really hadn't had a good rest like this for a long time.

After tidying up her appearance, Mobius left her room slowly and walked towards the cafeteria she often frequented.

The small problem that needed to be solved had been addressed last night, so there was no urgency at all.

However, no matter how urgent things were, Mobius still had as much to do today as before.

Today, she not only had to monitor the activities of those in the Structural Section involved in the [Project Diabolic], but also had to review and record data for Ifrit in the evening.

Even if there was enough time in the evening, Mobius would still have an experiment with Bianca.

……

As Mobius walked to the cafeteria, she turned a corner and accidentally overheard a familiar name from a few people talking. Her delicate eyebrows slightly raised, a trace of weirdness flashed in her beautiful snake-like pupils, and her steps slightly faltered.

"Hmm? Are you serious? The workaholic who joined our Structural Section not long ago finally took a break yesterday?"

"Isn't it that her body couldn't handle it? It's so funny. I don't know who she’s working so hard for."

"Haha, maybe she’s working for the section chief. It’s a pity that our section chief doesn’t like her!"

"..."

Mobius, who was eavesdropping from the corner, showed some disdain in her beautiful eyes.

Although she knew that there were always people in the Structural Section talking about her behind her back, she never cared about other people's opinions and discussions.

However, even so, Mobius didn’t expect these people’s ideas to be so ridiculous.

"Heh~"

Just as Mobius chuckled and was about to take another step, an angry voice suddenly rang out.

"How can you speak that way about researcher Mobius? She is working hard in her own field, not for you to talk about her behind her back."

This voice immediately attracted the attention of everyone present, making them look subconsciously.

Of course, Mobius, who was out of sight, couldn’t see who it was, but by the voice, she recognized who was "speaking" up for her.

Silence, a student of the current head of the Structural Section, Ahrens Parvis, whom Mobius had met before.

"Huh? What are we saying? What does it have to do with you?"

"Disperse, disperse."

Facing Silence, who had suddenly appeared, the few people who had been gossiping muttered to themselves and planned to leave quietly.

After all, they hadn’t forgotten that they were punished by the head of the Defense Section next door, Saria, for talking about Silence behind his back.

They really couldn’t afford to offend Silence now, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t sneak away...

"..."

Seeing the few people about to leave, Silence subconsciously clenched her teeth, and the anger on her face did not subside.

However, before she could say anything further, a crisp laugh was heard by everyone present, halting their steps.

"Heh~ It's really an interesting scene."

As the voice fell, Mobius’s delicate face with a smile appeared in front of everyone.

"You... have you been eavesdropping?"

One of the people who had been gossiping looked at the person being discussed, was slightly startled, and then spoke subconsciously.

"Eavesdropping? I just happened to pass by and didn’t expect to hear some interesting things." At this point, Mobius paused, looked at the few people with a slightly disdainful expression, and then continued: "Of course, you are right about one thing. I am indeed just a weak researcher. But even so, I am much better than you... hehe."

"You!" After hearing Mobius's "sarcastic" remarks, the expressions of the few people who had gossiped became gloomy and very ugly.

"Am I wrong? Alas... but it is indeed a waste of time to stand here talking to you now." At this point, Mobius glanced at Silence and Joyce standing not far away with a meaningful look and then no longer paid attention to the few people with ugly expressions, leaving indifferently. After all, as she had just said, standing here talking to such people was a waste of time... no, of life.

"Damn it, you... stop!"

"..."

"Okay, everyone has gone far away."

"Let's go too."

Seeing that shouting was useless, and Mobius had gone far away, the few people who had gossiped glared at Silence and Joyce before quickly leaving.

"It's really too much, but Miss Mobius is very powerful," Silence said quietly, looking at the corridor where only she and her friend were left.

"It is like this..."

Joyce, who was standing aside, nodded slightly after listening to Silence's words and then agreed.

"Well! We have to keep working hard." Thinking of Mobius’s efforts and attitude towards research, Silence encouraged himself quietly. Then she turned to her friend and continued, "Let's go, Joyce. We should go have breakfast too."

"Yeah."

...

In the cafeteria—

"..."

Mobius, sitting in the corner and eating breakfast leisurely, didn’t take the earlier incident to heart. After all, in her opinion, these meaningless little things were not worth spending time thinking about.

However, seeing Silence again made her think of something.

Unlike those useless people, Silence was still useful in Mobius’s eyes and could be considered a genius in some fields.

Of course, it couldn’t be blamed for her "low" evaluation and high standards. After all, in her memory, there were already gems like Dr. Mei and Vill-V...

As for what Silence was useful for, it was certainly not in the medical field, because Mobius knew that people with a strong sense of justice like Silence were definitely not the same as her.

So, compared to Silence’s talents, Mobius was more concerned about the relationship between her and Ifrit.

Charmander would be cured one day, and Mobius didn’t want this noisy kid to stay in Rhine Lab.

Thus, she planned to use a little strategy to achieve the "ending" in the original game. Let this pair, who could be considered very upright and might hinder her, leave with the annoying little white mouse.

Chapter 68:

While Mobius was experiencing a small episode, the identity of the person who knocked on the door of the training room on Saria's side was also revealed.

"Why are you here?"

Opening the door of the training room, Saria's serious expression showed a trace of doubt, and she asked.

"Really, although this is the Defense Section's area, it doesn't mean I can't come, right?" Muelsyse responded "unhappily" to her friend's straightforward question.

"What do you need? If it's not important, let's talk later. I'm busy now." Saria's serious tone carried a hint of impatience after listening to her friend's words.

"There are important matters, but they aren't urgent. I can wait until you finish your work!" At this point, Muelsyse gently raised the corners of her lips and continued, "So, won't you invite me in to sit down? I heard you have a new recruit here. Let me see!"

As she spoke, Muelsyse tiptoed, trying to peek into the training room despite Saria's attempts to block her.

"A test is in progress. Your presence would disrupt it." Saria's expression remained serious, with no intention of compromise despite her old friend's words.

"No, I'll just watch quietly from the side. Besides, it's more convenient this way. You know, the general manager called the two of us to work together."

To be honest, Muelsyse was almost accustomed to Saria's "unsympathetic" attitude.

So while talking, she revealed her real reason for coming, gently shaking a file she had intercepted from the secretary in front of Saria.

"Does the general manager have something for us?"

Saria picked up the file dangling in front of her and looked at it. After a quick glance and weighing the pros and cons, she turned around, intending to delegate the task of measuring the newcomer's data to someone else.

"Hey! Wait, this matter isn't very urgent. You should finish the interview first, don't worry," Muelsyse, who understood what Saria was about to do, quickly reached out and pulled her back.

"But..." Hearing this, Saria paused slightly. She recalled the contents of the document she had just seen, and a hint of hesitation flashed in her eyes. Based on the document, Kristen likely had an important mission this time, or she wouldn't have summoned both Muelsyse and her.

"Really, there's no need to rush. Don't say 'but,' and don't keep the newcomer waiting too long." Muelsyse gently pushed Saria.

"...Okay." Seeing her friend's determination, Saria shook her head helplessly and stopped resisting. She quickly turned around and looked at Sakura, who was still waiting patiently, intending to conclude the interview quickly.

As soon as Saria turned around and stopped blocking the door, Muelsyse stuck out her tongue slightly, a smile of success appearing in her eyes, and followed her in.

However, her smile didn't last long and soon turned to surprise. "Eh...?!"

"?"

"Muelsyse?"

Obviously, Muelsyse's exclamation caught the attention of the two people present.

"Sakura is the interviewee? You! No, how can you be so relaxed..." Suddenly seeing an acquaintance, Muelsyse was surprised and spoke without restraint.

However, before she could finish speaking, she stopped, covering her mouth under Saria's slightly stern gaze.

"Do you know each other?"

After Muelsyse stopped talking, Saria glanced at the two of them and asked.

"Sakura and I are friends."

"..."

Hearing this, Saria's eyes changed as she slowly looked at Sakura again.

"Hey... Director Saria, since you have something to do later, let's start the test quickly."

Seeing Saria's expression become more serious and even a little sharp after learning that she and Muelsyse were friends, Sakura felt a headache coming on.

After being interrupted by a certain Miss Elf, she could guess how strict Saria would be with her next.

After all, a certain steely straight woman was known for her integrity and would never allow anyone to gain an advantage through connections.

Besides, it wasn't just Muelsyse who was surprised; Sakura was also surprised to see her here.

Although she was looking forward to seeing Muelsyse's expression when she joined Rhine Lab in the future... that was after she was hired. There was no benefit in meeting now, and it would only make it harder to get the job.

"Yeah."

After listening to Sakura's words, Saria nodded slightly. Then, after "warning" Muelsyse with her eyes, she began testing the interviewee's various metrics.

And the Elf who was warned by her had to put away her playful demeanor and quietly sat aside to watch.

...

"..."

After a basic combat power test, Saria looked down at the excellent data in her hand and fell into a strange contemplation.

After Sakura admitted their friendship, she asked her to take a test. Saria thought the interviewee wanted to use her connections... so she was even stricter in the measurements just now.

But who would have known...

'Huh...'

After stopping her thoughts, Saria sighed helplessly in her heart, then looked at Sakura and said in a slightly gentler tone, "The data is very good. You passed this part."

"However, data is just data after all. Let me see your actual combat ability."

In fact, if this interview were held under normal circumstances, it would be over by now, and Sakura would be considered qualified and admitted.

However, Sakura performed so well in the combat data that Saria felt compelled to test her strength. After all, she needed to have some understanding of the abilities of her subordinates.

"Well, what kind of actual combat does Director Saria want to conduct? Can weapons be used?"

Facing Saria's invitation to actual combat, Sakura nodded gently and agreed.

Sakura may not understand or be good at discussing professional issues. But if it's just fighting, although it would be a bit troublesome to suppress her strength and fight with Saria, there's no major problem.

"Fight with me. There are training weapons available, but of course, you can also use your own." Saria told to her new subordinate slowly while tying bandages on her hands.

"..."

Hearing this, who was tying bandages on her hands immediately decided against using her own weapon and walked towards the weapon rack nearby.

After all, her weapons were too powerful for the people here. She was here for an interview, not to cause harm, so she planned to stop at the right moment.

Chapter 69

Walking to the weapon rack, Sakura didn’t hesitate for long. She picked up a long sword that looked relatively handy, gave it a gentle wave, and was ready.

“I’m ready.”

Standing in the correct position, Sakura looked at Saria with a serious expression and said.

To be honest, although she wasn’t afraid of Saria, the [Rhine Boxing King], she knew she would need to put in some effort in the upcoming match.

After all, she needed to control her strength well and lose to Saria without revealing any flaws.

As for why she intended to lose, it was, of course, similar to Mobius—wanting to avoid unnecessary trouble.

Although Saria wasn’t the type to envy the talents of her subordinates, and Sakura showing some of her own abilities wouldn’t be a problem—she might even be given more responsibilities after a thorough assessment of her character—it would still cause unnecessary trouble. In Sakura’s view, it was better to have less trouble than more.

What’s more, the quality and strength Sakura had shown so far were already very impressive in the eyes of most people. This level was entirely sufficient for the time being.

As long as Saria remained at Rhine Lab, Sakura couldn’t be promoted above her, so there was no need to show more.

Even if she wanted to reveal more of her abilities later, it would have to wait until Mobius’s plan succeeded and Saria left.

“Well, let’s begin, Muelsyse.”

Hearing this, Saria, who was also ready, nodded gently and looked at Muelsyse on the side.

“Okay!”

Muelsyse, instantly understanding Saria’s meaning, stood up with a smile and walked a short distance away from the two.

“Ahem... Let the match begin!”

After speaking, Muelsyse quickly retreated to avoid getting caught in the action. She couldn’t say how strong Sakura was, but she had a pretty good idea of her friend’s strength.

However, as soon as the match began, both participants subconsciously hesitated to take the first strike, and neither moved first.

It wasn’t until the next moment that they both reacted and attacked simultaneously.

Saria’s bandaged fist, accompanied by a sharp gust of wind, aimed directly at Sakura’s chest without hesitation.

Seeing this, Sakura wasn’t foolish. Although she noticed that Saria wasn’t using her full strength, it didn’t mean she should take the punch.

With that thought, she easily dodged the attack with her speed, and at the same time, used the back of the long sword in her hand to slash at Saria from a tricky angle.

“Bang—”

As expected, Sakura’s attack was blocked by Saria’s calcified arm, producing a muffled sound.

At the same time, Saria seized the opportunity and launched a rapid series of attacks on Sakura.

...

“...?”

As the two continued to exchange blows, Muelsyse, watching from a distance, started to show a subtle expression.

If she remembered correctly, Sakura had told her before that she only knew some self-defense techniques...?

How could some self-defense techniques allow her to fight against her friend whose strength could be considered outrageous?

Even if there might be some elements of letting her win, Muelsyse suddenly felt that her understanding of self-defense techniques and Sakura’s definition of them were completely different.

Damn...

For a moment, Muelsyse felt like she had been “cheated.” Feeling a bit put out, she decided to treat herself to some candy after Sakura joined the company later!

---

In the Cafeteria—

Mobius, who was quietly eating breakfast, finally had an uninvited guest...

“Isn’t this Researcher Mobius? I heard that there was no light in your office last night. Did you make any major breakthroughs?”

“...”

The familiar voice made Mobius, who was deep in thought, stop suddenly, and a trace of impatience quickly flashed in her beautiful, gradient-colored snake eyes.

Without any intention of acknowledging the visitor, Mobius picked up her plate, which was nearly empty, and prepared to leave.

“Don’t leave so fast. I’m really curious about your research, Researcher Mobius.” Watching Mobius about to leave, Ho'olheyak reluctantly tried to stop her.

To be honest, Mobius’s deterrence had been quite effective last time. It took Ho'olheyak this long to gather enough courage and make sufficient preparations to approach her again.

There was no other option. Ho'olheyak had been overly concerned about what Mobius said last time, so much so that she hadn’t rested well recently, and had been somewhat out of sorts.

Besides that, there were other aspects of Mobius, this “ancient” existence, that intrigued her and piqued her curiosity.

If you want a metaphor, Mobius was like a living history book, containing the “knowledge” or “answers” that Ho'olheyak craved.

For the “gods” who mortals disdain, is there a way to solve the troubles of mortals?

With these questions in mind, she finally mustered the courage to come here.

“...”

Mobius paid no attention to Ho'olheyak’s request to stay. Not only that, she quickened her pace.

To be honest, Mobius thought her last warning would last for a long time. Who knew... it had only been a little over a week, and this annoying little snake was back again.

If Mobius were free or in a good mood, she might have the leisure to “enlighten” this little white mouse who seemed pretty decent.

But... she was busy absorbing all kinds of knowledge in this world and researching antidotes, and she had no interest at all.

Besides, would it be good for her to awaken this little snake obsessed with the past? No! Why bother?

With these thoughts, Mobius quickened her pace even more!

“...”

Watching Mobius leave quickly, Ho'olheyak felt helpless but not discouraged.

After all, she had already determined that this person was a god or an ancient being. If it were easy to win her over and get information, that would be truly strange.

However, precisely because she knew this, she had long prepared for a protracted effort.

With this resolve, a trace of determination flashed in Ho'olheyak’s eyes.

If Mobius knew what she was thinking at this moment, she wouldn’t be able to resist giving her two punches.

This is truly annoying. She can’t stand it; she can’t study and experiment quietly at all.

Chapter 70

“…You passed the interview. Next, get ready to start working.”

After taking a break from the fight, Saria nodded to Sakura and said.

To be honest, Saria herself hadn’t encountered someone like Sakura before—someone who could catch her punches and fight back and forth with her for so long.

So, after passing the previous interview process, she decided to pass Sakura after this fight.

“Yeah.”

Hearing this, Sakura nodded gently.

At the same time, the voice of the system in her mind sounded again:

[Ding! The task has been completed, and the task reward has been issued to the host space.]

Upon hearing the system’s voice, a quick flash of joy appeared in Sakura’s eyes, but to prevent others from noticing anything unusual, she quickly suppressed the emotion.

“Congratulations, Sakura! Welcome to Rhine Lab!” At that moment, Muelsyse, who had been watching the match from the sidelines, approached with a smile, wrapping her arm around Sakura’s shoulder in congratulations.

“Yeah.”

Faced with Muelsyse’s enthusiasm, Sakura’s eyes flashed with helplessness, though she responded with a gentle smile.

“Huh…”

Muelsyse, who had been holding back many complaints and was waiting for Sakura to finish the interview, suddenly swallowed all his words after seeing that smile.

Damn, what do I do when my new friend is so “gentle” and modest?

“...?”

Hearing the sound of an inhalation beside her, Sakura turned her face slightly, looking at her friend in confusion.

“It’s nothing.”

“Hmm?”

While the two were interacting, Saria, who had packed up her things, suddenly interrupted, saying:

“Someone will come to take you to arrange various matters later.”

With that, Saria turned her gaze to Muelsyse, the meaning in her eyes clear.

Receiving her friend’s unspoken message, Muelsyse blinked gently and then whispered to Sakura, “Then Sakura, go ahead and get busy. I’ll catch up with you later when I have time!”

“Okay.”

Knowing that both of them had tasks to attend to, Sakura didn’t say much, simply nodding calmly in agreement.

Judging from the timing, with the two section chiefs being summoned by the Control Director at the same time, Sakura could probably guess the reason—it was likely related to the investigation of the [Hayden Laboratory].

Of course, Sakura didn’t intend to intervene in this matter, at least not for now. After all, this issue didn’t harm her, but instead would deepen the conflict between Saria and the Control Director.

Whether it was Sakura or Mobius, who both planned for Saria to leave, they were happy to see the conflict deepen, and wouldn’t mind adding fuel to the fire.

As for why they were looking forward to Saria leaving Rhine Lab…

The reason had been mentioned before: Saria was too upright, and with her bond with the Control Director, Kristen Wright, if she stayed, she would influence the Control Director to some extent.

And while she affected the Control Director, she would naturally affect the entire Rhine Lab. In such a situation, it would be difficult to carry out certain actions.

Additionally, Mobius had one more reason than Sakura—her appreciation for Kristen Wright.

To be honest, among the gathering of “geniuses” at Rhine Lab, the only one Mobius respected and found suitable was Kristen Wright.

So, under this premise, she didn’t mind helping this “genius” who had finally achieved greatness.

Of course, it wasn’t as if Mobius would help personally. After all… wasn’t Vill-V coming out? And this help wasn’t free; it was a deal.

However, she believed that after witnessing her abilities, Kristen Wright would have no reason to refuse.

Besides, Mobius wasn’t asking for much—just some “small” privileges and some cover.

After all, this wasn’t the Fire Moth, and some of the things she wanted to do couldn’t be made public.

…

Finally, after saying goodbye to the two, Sakura followed the others out of the training room to make the final preparations for her new job.

“Sigh… What a good child. How did she end up in your Defense Section?”

Watching Sakura’s back as she left, Muelsyse wiped away imaginary tears and spoke with emotion.

“…”

Glancing at someone who had started again, Saria’s eyes couldn’t help but show a trace of helplessness.

“Alright, since the interview is over, let’s go find… the Control Director.”

“Okay.”

After listening to Saria’s words, Muelsyse’s expression instantly changed, returning to normal as he smiled and nodded in agreement.

“Then let’s go.”

After adjusting her clothes, Saria left the training room without hesitation.

“Wait for me!”

---

Mobius, who had already left the cafeteria, quickly made her way toward her office.

After encountering that person today, she no longer planned to spend time outside during the daytime for the next few days. As for food… she would rely on instant noodles.

But thinking about Holhaiya, Mobius couldn’t help but think of another even more annoSakura person—Muelsyse. If her calculations were correct, that guy should have found out about her by now.

With that in mind, Mobius couldn’t help but be on alert. It seemed she would need to be more discreet in her laboratory for a while.

If Muelsyse saw or discovered anything, it would cause new problems.

Honestly, if the deal between Mobius and Kristen Wright was concluded, she would definitely request a highly confidential, uninterrupted lab.

…

After returning to her own lab, Mobius organized her materials and began preparing for experiments.

After all, Bianka now had some free time and should start preliminary experiments. And the preparations before the experiments were also very important.

Additionally, since she had to conduct a physical examination on Ifrit tonight, Mobius needed to complete these preparations early.

Chapter 71

"It's actually this kind of job. I don't know why the general manager would take on this kind of task." After coming out of the Control Office, Muelsyse touched her chin and sighed.

"Get ready early. Meet at the agreed place in the afternoon. Don't be late," Saria, who had been thoughtful since leaving the office, said seriously after listening to her friend's words.

"Hey, don't worry. I won't let you down on this kind of thing," Muelsyse replied calmly while waving her hand gently.

"That's for the best." After hearing what Muelsyse said, Saria nodded gently and continued, "I still have some things to do next. You go back first."

"Well, go ahead, Saria. You're a busy person," Muelsyse snorted, waving to her old friend.

"After finishing work, I'll go find Sakura. As expected, compared to a guy like you who doesn't understand romance, Sakura is more to my taste."

"Don't influence her too much."

Hearing this, Saria nodded gently, then subconsciously gave instructions.

"Don't worry, don't worry, I won't disturb Sakura's work. As for you, hurry up and get busy!" After saying that, Muelsyse waved to Saria again, then turned around and pretended to leave.

"..."

Seeing this, Saria's eyes flashed with helplessness, and then she turned and walked in another direction.

However, what Saria didn't notice was that Muelsyse, who had just turned around and walked a few steps, had turned back again at some point, watching her back with a cunning look.

At this moment, Muelsyse didn’t even need to guess, knowing that Saria was likely going to see and accompany the child she cared about.

"Heh~ I'm really getting more and more curious."

After Saria's figure completely disappeared down the corridor, Muelsyse walked towards the Ecological Section with a smile on her face and in a good mood.

Saria's actions had completely aroused Muelsyse's curiosity. Even if today's task was heavy, she had no intention of giving up her original plan to visit the Structural Section ward that night.

She had to take a good look at the child who had made Saria so concerned and had even caused a slight change in her. It was really exciting.

As for whether to visit Mobius today, Muelsyse would see if there was enough time. If there was, she looked forward to it; if not, she wasn't in a hurry.

In fact, if she had been in a hurry, she might have found out about Mobius a few days ago and gone to her office.

The reason why Muelsyse wasn't in a rush, besides being a little busy before, was more due to the mentality that while a monk can run away, the temple cannot.

Moreover, unlike others, Mobius worked inside Rhine Lab, and for Miss Elf, she could go find her at any time, openly.

Even if Muelsyse didn’t go to find her today or tomorrow, the person who interested her would still be there for a while.

Unless the person resigned the next day, which she thought was unlikely.

What's more, some things can't be rushed. You know, Muelsyse wanted to explore the "secret" of Mobius, which was a long process. Whether it succeeded or not was another matter.

At the same time——

"Achoo—"

"...?"

Mobius, who was conducting an experiment, suddenly sneezed, causing the instrument in her hand to shake.

Then, she put down what she was holding, took out her handkerchief, and wiped her nose, a trace of doubt in her eyes.

To be honest, since Mobius had become a MANTIS, she had hardly been sick, and even sneezed rarely.

In Mobius's memory, the occasional sneezes were almost always caused by a "dirty pink object."

As for how she knew this, it was, of course, because after she sneezed a few times, she would always see a certain annoying person on the same day.

Therefore, this made Mobius start to wonder if she was being targeted by some "dirty thing" again in Rhine Lab...

——————————————————

Structural Section, a laboratory——

After parting with Muelsyse, Saria calmly arrived at the laboratory where Ifrit was "treated."

"You're here, Saria."

Noticing the familiar figure, Silence, who was looking at the instrument, slowly raised her head and said with a smile.

"How is Ifrit's condition?" Hearing this, Saria nodded gently and then asked in a calm tone.

"She's been okay recently, and is slowly getting better. Ifrit is inside now. I'll take you to her." Facing Saria's inquiry, Silence answered seriously with a smile.

"Okay."

Saria gently nodded at Silence's proposal.

Then, under Silence's guidance, Saria walked into the room.

The researchers in this laboratory were no longer surprised by this situation. After all, it had happened many times.

"Saria, you came to see me!"

Sitting on the bed in the room, Ifrit's eyes suddenly lit up when she saw the familiar figure behind Silence, and she said excitedly.

"Yes, I'm here."

Seeing that Ifrit seemed to be in good spirits, Saria raised a tiny arc at the corner of her lips and spoke in a slightly softer tone.

"Ifrit seems to be in particularly good spirits today."

"Yes, I noticed that when I woke Ifrit up this morning. Today, she’s indeed in a much better state than usual." Faced with Saria's observation, Silence sincerely explained.

In fact, she was also very surprised by this. Although Ifrit usually looked good, she was suffering from pain all the time, and her condition could hardly be called good at all.

As for her lively personality, it only came out when Silence, Saria, or someone familiar was with her.

However, today was very different. Every researcher in the laboratory could clearly see that Ifrit was in good condition today and had been active since getting up in the morning.

"This is a good sign. It shows that the treatment is effective."

After hearing Silence's answer, Saria didn't think much of it and just spoke softly.

"Yeah."

However, neither of them noticed Ifrit’s slightly evasive gaze at that moment.

After all, others didn’t know, but she knew very well. Her current physical comfort didn’t come from "treatment"; it was all thanks to a certain snake who says one thing but means another.

However, knowing it is one thing, but as a good child who keeps her promises, Ifrit naturally wouldn’t tell on the snake.

Chapter 72

If it was said that Ifrit was just in good spirits before, then after the experiment began, everyone present noticed something was wrong.

Because during "treatment" and injection, there is always severe pain, so Ifrit is usually in great agony during these procedures. Recently, with the increased dosage, she has been in even more pain and more restless.

But today’s treatment was quite abnormal.

As the treatment began and the active agent was injected, Ifrit's face, usually distorted by pain, remained calm, as if she didn’t feel any pain at all.

This abnormal behavior instantly attracted the attention of all the researchers present, including Saria.

"...Ifrit, don't you feel any pain?"

Saria, who was very close to Ifrit, noticed the abnormality right away. She initially thought Silence and the others had injected enough sedatives.

However, when she saw that several others were just as surprised as she was, she realized something was wrong. She frowned and asked seriously.

"..."

Hearing this, Ifrit didn’t speak but gently shook her head to indicate her current state.

"..."

This isn’t good, Saria thought, frowning even deeper. A fierce momentum rose around her as she called out to the people outside the room:

"Stop this treatment! Check Ifrit’s body first!"

"This won’t work. The treatment can’t be stopped halfway. We can still check her body after the treatment is complete."

"Besides, this is a treatment project of our Structural Section. Section Chief Saria doesn’t have the right to forcefully intervene."

Before the other researchers could make a move, the section chief of the Structural Section, Ahrens Parvis, gently adjusted his reflective glasses and spoke slowly.

"But—"

"The injection is over!"

Hearing this, Saria’s expression grew even darker, and she was about to say something when the end of the drug injection interrupted her, successfully shifting her focus back to Ifrit.

At this time, Ahrens Parvis, the head of the Structural Section who was unwilling to stop the treatment, also instructed the researchers around him to check Ifrit’s body.

Although Ahrens Parvis didn’t want to affect the treatment... no, the experiment, he was actually intrigued by the changes in Ifrit.

So now, without Saria needing to remind him again, he gave the order.

"..."

However, even as the researchers around her began to conduct a thorough examination of Ifrit, Saria's displeased expression did not ease at all.

What she was concerned about wasn’t Ahrens Parvis's attitude toward her... but their attitude toward Ifrit.

Is this tough stance, which doesn’t prioritize the patient’s safety, really a treatment?

"I'm fine, Saria..."

Noticing Saria's bad mood, Ifrit, who was lying on the bed, stretched out her small hand, gently pulled on Saria’s sleeve, and tried to comfort her.

"Huh... Ifrit, if you feel uncomfortable, remember to tell me."

Hearing Ifrit's words and noticing her little movements, the furious Saria slowly restrained her emotions. She leaned down, touched Ifrit’s little head, and said seriously.

"Yes, I will!"

Ifrit enjoyed Saria’s touch, her eyes lighting up slightly with happiness. But soon, she seemed to remember something and hurriedly asked:

"Then can Saria stay with me for a while today?"

"...Okay." Hearing this, Saria thought about today’s schedule and nodded gently. "Don’t move around and cooperate with them to complete the examination."

"Great!"

Hearing Saria’s words, Ifrit softly cheered and lay down contentedly, not moving around.

"..."

Watching Ifrit like this, Saria felt a little better. However, in her mind, this matter was far from over...

She slowly turned her scrutinizing gaze toward Ahrens Parvis, who was standing outside and examining the data.

...

Finally, after a round of inspection, the team found no abnormalities in the results.

"This is impossible. The pain can’t just disappear suddenly... Check it again, and be more careful this time." Looking at the inspection results that showed no abnormalities, Ahrens Parvis's eyes flashed slightly. After adjusting his glasses, he spoke again.

Following his instructions, all the researchers in the laboratory, including Silence, busied themselves with a new round of more detailed examinations of Ifrit.

Throughout the entire process, Saria didn’t leave. She stayed quietly by Ifrit’s side, comforting her while also waiting for any abnormal results this time.

However, after this super-detailed second inspection, everyone finally found a clue to this "abnormality."

"What is this substance?"

Silence stared at the clues she had found, a trace of confusion in her eyes.

Not only her, but almost all the researchers present had similar expressions, and even their section chief, Ahrens Parvis, muttered to himself: "I don’t know the composition... except for suppressing pain, I don’t know its effect... how did this... come from? Is it self-generated... or?"

Muttering to himself, Ahrens Parvis subconsciously raised his head and glanced thoughtfully at the people around him.

"Ifrit, have any strange people come to see you recently?"

After reviewing the results of the second examination, Saria didn’t concern herself with the reactions of others. Instead, she leaned down and asked Ifrit in a slightly softer tone.

The substance that had just been detected in Ifrit’s body was unknown to the researchers present and even to Saria.

However, no matter what it was, there were only two possible sources: self-generated or artificially injected.

If it was the former, it would be fine. But if it was the latter... From Saria’s perspective, it was a significant failure of her responsibility.

After all, as the head of Rhine Lab’s Defense Section, allowing someone to inject this inexplicable substance into a patient under her watch... wasn’t that a failure of responsibility?

"No."

Hearing this, Ifrit quickly shook her little head and replied.

Chapter 73

"No."

Hearing this, Ifrit quickly shook her head and answered.

"..."

Saria squinted her eyes gently as she watched Ifrit shaking his head like a rattle. For some reason, she always felt that the person in front of her was a little guilty.

However, considering Ifrit's current state, Saria didn't say anything and simply reached out to rub her head again.

After all, compared to asking a child in poor condition, Saria preferred to investigate on her own. Even if she had a lot to do and was in a hurry, her approach remained the same.

"Hmm!"

Noticing Saria's complicated mood, Ifrit snorted and rubbed her hand.

Although she couldn't share the story due to her agreement with Snake, she could still accompany Saria, who was in a bad mood, and comfort her in her own way.

...

While the two were getting along warmly, everyone else in the laboratory was busy. Especially Silence, who was more eager than others to determine what this substance suddenly appearing in Ifrit's body was and whether it would be harmful to her.

However, even the current head of the structural Section, Ahrens Parvis, couldn't identify the substance right away.

It was precisely because he couldn't figure it out that the research focus of the laboratory shifted to this special substance.

Later, when everyone was busy, it was still Saria who took Ifrit, who had already received this "treatment," back to the room.

Finally, after saying goodbye to Ifrit, who was reluctant to leave, Saria did not leave in a hurry but chose to return to the laboratory.

She felt it was necessary to have a good talk with Ahrens Parvis.

In addition, Saria planned to investigate the surveillance video near the structural Section to confirm whether there were any suspicious or abnormal individuals recently.

If it turned out that the substance in Ifrit's body was artificially injected, no matter the purpose—whether for Ifrit's benefit or otherwise—Saria would not allow such serious violations to continue.

---

"Ah-choo..."

Mobius, who had just finished the experiment and had not even had time to put down the instrument recording the data in her hand, sneezed again.

"..."

The sudden second sneeze made Mobius, who was originally in a good mood because of her preparations, frown slightly. Thinking of a possibility, she slowly put down what she was holding, walked silently to the door of her office, locked it, and disposed of the excess clean water in the office.

Mobius was not superstitious but often trusted her intuition or the intuition of snakes. After doing these things, she walked back to the experimental table and cleaned it up. At the same time, she murmured thoughtfully:

"According to the time, those guys should have noticed something unusual."

Although Mobius discovered during her investigation that the timing of the lab's treatment for Ifrit was not fixed, she calculated that it was almost time now.

The treatment was nearly complete, and the drugs remaining in Ifrit's body were also found.

Even though Mobius had decided in her heart that she would not leave the lab during the day after meeting Ho'olheyak in the morning, she still had some things to investigate.

No matter how much the Ouroboros wanted to trust Ifrit, the child's uncertainty remained.

Therefore, the later investigation would directly determine whether Mobius should re-examine Ifrit that night.

After all, maybe Saria or Silence had discovered something, so why not wait and see tonight?

Although Mobius had a way to solve the problem even if someone was waiting for her, it would still be too troublesome. It would disrupt her plans and waste her time.

---

On the other side——

"..."

At this moment, Saria's mood could be said to be even worse because the two things she tried before yielded no useful results.

The first was negotiating with the head of the structural Section, Ahrens Parvis, but the final result was completely unsatisfactory...

When Saria pointed out the problem, Ahrens kept playing riddles. In the end, despite her many words, she neither caught the other party's tail clearly nor felt satisfied.

The second was checking the surveillance of the nearest structural Section, or more precisely, the surveillance near this laboratory. Although sometimes the surveillance of each Section is relatively private, Saria, as the Director of the Defense Section, still had some authority.

However, the final result was also unsatisfactory; she did not find any particularly useful information.

At most, there was only one conclusion: if the substance in Ifrit's body was artificially injected, the most likely perpetrator was an acquaintance. After all, the video did not capture any outsiders near the laboratory.

Of course, it’s possible that someone may have special Originium arts, but that possibility is relatively small.

Generally, no one would sneak into a large company's laboratory just to inject a painkiller into a child.

And as it was at present, if this special substance was really a painkiller, it was likely original or specially researched.

Who would believe that a stranger would do such an unprofitable, even negative, thing?

"Alas..."

Thinking about it, Saria sighed helplessly and made a new decision.

The results and progress of these two things were not satisfactory in her opinion, but if she had to compare, the latter was still slightly better than the former.

However, since she did not know the staff of the Laboratory or the situation beyond the written information, Saria was unsure.

So she planned to talk to Silence privately later to see if there were any more clues.

Just as Saria was thinking about Ifrit's situation, her communicator suddenly rang.

"Hello."

Chapter 74

"Hello."

"Please pay attention to the time, busy Saria. It's almost time for the appointment!"

After Saria answered the call, Muelsyse's helpless, teasing voice came through slowly.

Not paying attention to her friend's teasing tone, Saria looked at the time, calmed her emotions, and replied seriously, "I know, I'll be there right away."

"Okay, then I'll wait here first. Oh, by the way, I guess you haven't had lunch yet. I brought you something to eat; just come over."

After listening to Saria's reply, Muelsyse also set aside her playful demeanor and said, "...Well, thank you for the trouble."

Hearing this, Saria was slightly stunned. Her tense face relaxed, and her tone became much calmer. "Well, it's nothing. See you later!"

"See you later."

...

After the communication ended, Saria looked at the time again. Confirming that there wasn’t much time left, she quickly gathered her thoughts and hurried to the agreed place.

In Saria's opinion, what happened to Ifrit today really threw her off balance...

Otherwise, how could someone who always abides by time almost be late?

Sure enough, emotions can affect people's judgment and make them irrational...

—————————————————

Mobius's office——

Although Mobius guessed that those guys might have discovered Ifrit's abnormality earlier, it was too soon, and it was not appropriate to go out and investigate.

In addition, since the experiment and preparations for the evening were complete, Serpent took advantage of this "free time" to immerse herself in the knowledge of this world. As Mobius had said before, she had been in this world for too short a time, and there was too much knowledge to absorb. Moreover, much of this knowledge needed to be settled and practiced to be fully integrated.

So, whenever she had "free" time, she would immerse herself in learning.

You see, Mobius's studies were not only about creating an antidote but also about continuing to explore [infinity] in this world based on the memory and experience of "Mobius."

"Dongdong——"

However, just as Mobius was absorbed in her learning and did not hear anything, the door to the office was suddenly knocked.

"..."

Hearing the knock, Mobius glanced briefly, and upon recognizing who was outside, she completely lost the desire to open the door and lowered her eyes again to focus on the paper in her hand.

"Dongdong..."

With Mobius's inaction, the knock sounded again, but this time, it was much quieter than before, even carrying a hint of the knocker's guilt.

"..."

Despite this, Mobius, who was absorbed in her studies, did not even lift her eyelids.

What a joke. It would be strange if Mobius opened the door after discovering who was outside. That would be a complete waste of time.

Outside the door at this moment...

"Is she not in the office? But that's not right..."

Ho'olheyak, standing outside Mobius's office, looked a bit confused and hesitant.

To be honest, she still trusted her intelligence skills. However, if she believed in her intelligence now, it meant that the person inside was not absent but simply chose not to open the door for her.

After imagining Mobius’s delicate face with a hint of disgust, Ho'olheyak suddenly felt it was more likely that she was deliberately ignoring her.

But this made her a bit puzzled and curious. If Mobius was not opening the door on purpose, how did she know it was her?

Was it some special technology or ancient ability?

However, Ho'olheyak did not dwell on this question for long. It was better to find a way to get in and see the person rather than think about it outside the door.

After organizing her words and clearing her throat, Ho'olheyak knocked on the door again and said:

"Knock knock—"

"Researcher Mobius, it's Ho'olheyak. We met in the cafeteria this morning. To make up for my previous recklessness, I brought a gift to visit you formally this time."

This time, Ho'olheyak even added a respectful title.

After all, she believed that someone like Mobius deserved her respect. Moreover, if she wanted to gain anything useful from him, she had to be more respectful.

However, Ho'olheyak soon realized that even after introducing herself, the door to Mobius's office remained unmoved. No sound could be heard inside, as if there was no one present.

If she hadn't investigated before coming here and found that Mobius had never left the office except for breakfast, she might have believed there was no one inside.

"..."

To be honest, Ho'olheyak felt really helpless now. This was the first time she had been turned away and felt so aggrieved.

Usually, she was the one who turned others away or threatened them... but now there was nothing she could do.

Ho'olheyak had a hunch that if she caused too much trouble, Mobius might silently crush her. She still trusted her hunch and intuition.

But due to her curiosity and thirst for knowledge, she had to see Mobius.

"Researcher Mobius, are you really not going to open the door? The gift I brought this time is something you would be interested in, unlike the research materials and papers that you can't see outside."

Due to several consecutive setbacks, Ho'olheyak's voice had dropped significantly and sounded somewhat uncertain. Although she had prepared the gift in advance, she had already suffered a setback at Mobius’s hands that morning, so she had been reluctant to come over in the afternoon.

The reason she stood here now was because, after close contact with Mobius that morning, she had noticed a characteristic that made her want to learn more.

"Click..."

As time passed, Ho'olheyak even began to consider leaving when there was a slight noise in the office, and then the door opened.

Chapter 75

"Click..."

As the office door opened, Mobius’s delicate face, showing a hint of impatience, came into view for Ho'olheyak.

"Really good perseverance~ But hasn't anyone taught you not to disturb others casually, little snake?"

Mobius paused for a moment, then changed the subject. "Or was the last warning too mild? You didn't take my words to heart at all~"

As Mobius's voice fell, a terrifying aura appeared silently, instantly putting immense psychological pressure on Ho'olheyak.

"...How could it be? I have always taken Miss Mobius’s words to heart. It's just that the few characteristics you exhibited really made me too curious and eager."

Feeling the oppressive atmosphere, Ho'olheyak calmed the tension in her heart before organizing her words to respond.

To be honest, Ho'olheyak admitted that what she said now had some elements of gambling. "Desire? Is that why you so conspicuously shouted at the door of someone else's office in the afternoon?"

At this point, Mobius’s "sarcastic" words were a little disheartening.

There were two reasons Snake chose to open the door this time. The first was her genuine curiosity about the gift brought by Ho'olheyak. The second was her belief that someone being too high-profile would bring trouble to herself. It was necessary to teach a lesson and prevent future occurrences.

You see, let alone the next time. Just the words spoken openly in the cafeteria this morning, combined with now coming to Mobius again in the afternoon, and saying these things at her door... It was enough to attract a lot of attention.

If an ordinary person without ulterior motives heard it, it might only result in gossip. But those with intentions would remember it... So Ho'olheyak’s actions were completely contrary to Snake’s low profile intentions.

"Uh, I didn’t think it through..."

Hearing this, Ho'olheyak was slightly stunned, then said in a low voice with some embarrassment.

After investigating, Ho'olheyak also realized that Mobius had always wanted to maintain a low profile in Rhine Labs... but she had no choice.

Although Mobius might not believe it, meeting her in the cafeteria that morning was just a coincidence. She had gone there for breakfast and business. Talking to Mobius was truly somewhat subconscious...

Ho'olheyak had initially chosen to knock on the door, but when the office owner didn’t open it, she couldn’t speak.

"Heh~ Forget it, come in. If you keep standing at the door like this, people who don’t know will think I did something to you."

With those words, Mobius looked at Ho'olheyak again, then slowly retracted her gaze and turned to walk back into her office.

"..."

Watching Mobius’s back, Ho'olheyak swallowed lightly. A long-lost trace of nervousness and even vigilance flickered in her beautiful eyes.

It was as if what was before her wasn’t Mobius but the lair of a man-eating monster.

However, just as Ho'olheyak hesitated, Mobius had already returned to her desk and looked at her with a hint of mockery.

"...Excuse me, Miss Mobius."

Originally, Ho'olheyak was still somewhat hesitant, but meeting Mobius’s eyes full of teasing and mockery made that hesitation disappear completely.

After saying a polite word, she no longer hesitated, walked into the office, and closed the door behind her.

"Click..."

Accompanied by the sound of the door closing, Ho'olheyak felt a jolt of anxiety, though she did not show it on her face.

However, she knew there was no turning back now and that she could only gamble... gamble that Mobius would not harm her here in the name of maintaining a low profile or for other reasons...

"Heh~ Miss Ho'olheyak, why do you look like I want to eat you?" Looking at Ho'olheyak’s appearance, Mobius chuckled as if she found something amusing. "Compared to you, a researcher who doesn’t abide by academic ethics and a spy with no standing, I am the weak and powerless one."

"!"

Mobius’s light and playful words made Ho'olheyak, who was still standing by the door, subconsciously look at her, her mind in chaos.

Although she suspected Mobius was not a simple existence—if not a god, then at least an ancient being—she did not expect this extremely ancient entity to know so many things.

"Why are you so nervous~ Isn’t it Miss Ho'olheyak who took the initiative to find me? Please, sit down. If you keep standing here, people will think I don’t know how to entertain guests."

Watching Ho'olheyak, who grew increasingly uneasy because of her words, Mobius's eyes flashed with a trace of joy. She felt much better for a while.

"... Uh."

Ho'olheyak was already in disarray, and being teased by Mobius made her even more nervous and uneasy.

However, as mentioned earlier, Ho'olheyak came here with a gamble, facing this ancient being.

So, despite her unease, she finally approached, placed the gift she had brought on Mobius’s desk, and sat in a chair nearby.

Compared to her casual demeanor when alone or with others, Ho'olheyak was more restrained both mentally and physically.

"..."

Mobius, uninterested in Ho'olheyak’s psychology, reached out and gently flipped through the documents Ho'olheyak had placed on her desk. She browsed them briefly.

After all, this was one of the reasons she allowed people in, wasn’t it?

Although she could have obtained these items herself, someone had offered them willingly. Why waste the opportunity?

"..."

Ho'olheyak, watching Mobius flip through the documents, experienced a quick flash of nervousness in her eyes. She looked like a student waiting for a teacher to review her poorly written homework...

To be honest, she had never been so nervous and well-behaved since becoming self-aware...

Chapter 86: The Unknown Transaction Between the Two Snakes

"Tell me, what does the Miss spy who has no position want to know from me?"

After a while, Mobius stopped browsing the information, raised the corners of her lips slightly, looked up at Ho'olheyak, and said.

"...What kind of existence are you?"

After listening to Mobius's words, Ho'olheyak pondered for a while and asked her first question.

The answer to this question will determine her attitude and questions later, although she thinks it is very likely she will not get the answer.

"Hehe~ Didn't I say that I am just an ordinary researcher without combat ability?" Looking at the serious little snake in front of her, Mobius's mischievous side resurfaced, and she smiled as she spoke.

"..."

Even though she knew that Mobius was dangerous, Ho'olheyak couldn't help but reveal a trace of speechlessness in her eyes after hearing her answer.

She is not a fool... How could she believe this nonsense? Ho'olheyak even dared to guarantee that anyone who really treated the person in front of her as an ordinary person would meet a miserable end.

"Don't joke. How could someone like you be just an ordinary researcher? Without saying too much, just the fact that you can easily discover my identity shows that you are not simple."

Looking at the person in front of her who was laughing happily and had a "bad" expression on her face, Ho'olheyak responded seriously.

"Really, it's boring~ Let's make a deal, little snake."

Seeing Ho'olheyak's seriousness, Mobius lost interest in teasing her and spoke in a light tone.

"What deal?"

Hearing this, Ho'olheyak was slightly stunned, and a trace of doubt flashed in her eyes. "I know you are a smart person, so I won't beat around the bush. I will give you the answer you want in exchange for sending you to do something."

Here, Mobius paused for a moment, then continued: "Don't worry, it's just a small task, all within your ability."

"How about it? This kind of deal is a sure win for you no matter how you look at it, so do you want to try it?"

Mobius narrowed her eyes slightly and showed a meaningful smile. Yes, compared to the previous idea of teaching someone a lesson, Mobius changed her mind after seeing the "gift" that was very detailed and really useful to her.

For the Serpent, since it has value, there is really no need to rush to discard it. Wouldn't it be better to use it and then discard it?

"Ms. Mobius, please give me some time to think about it."

Faced with Mobius's transaction offer, Ho'olheyak fell into deep thought. She needed to carefully consider the pros and cons.

"I hope you can seize the opportunity~"

Hearing this, Mobius waved her hand indifferently and then lowered her head to look through the useful information on the table again, absorbing the knowledge.

——————————————————

Meeting place——

"Huh? What happened? Your expression is so bad."

Looking at Saria, who arrived a little late this time, Muelsyse blinked lightly and asked with curiosity. She knew her good friend had been busy in the Structural Section since they separated, but she did not know the specifics.

Muelsyse didn't like to interfere in her friends' private matters, especially since she had been enjoying lunch with her new friend Sakura at noon, leaving her little time for investigation.

"Nothing. Let's go, it's getting late. It's time to investigate." Facing her friend's curiosity, Saria did not explain but simply shook her head gently and said.

Seeing Saria about to leave, Muelsyse helplessly stuffed the lunch in her arms and said, "Okay, okay, if you don't want to say, that's fine. But let's eat lunch first and then go. There's no rush."

"No need... I had a simple meal earlier," Saria said, glancing at the lunch in Muelsyse's arms, "And time is tight. Let's investigate first."

"... Wow, I didn't expect that in such a short time, our relationship would become so indifferent."

Looking at Saria who seemed ready to rush out, Muelsyse took a moment, then her expression changed as she wiped her "tears" and began to act. "......Alas."

Seeing the drama queen in front of her, Saria finally couldn't help but reach out and rub her forehead, which was starting to ache from the day's events.

"Then let's go after eating. I should be able to eat another portion." In the end, due to Muelsyse's theatrics, Saria made a small compromise.

"It seems our feelings haven’t faded... Hey!" After the trick was completed, Saria returned to her previous smiling demeanor.

"..."

Seeing this, Saria didn't even want to speak, as she was used to it. After finding a place to have a simple lunch, the two officially embarked on their investigation for the afternoon.

————————————————

Mobius's office——

"So, what do you think about it, Miss Spy?"

After reading the information in her hand, Mobius raised her head slowly and looked at Ho'olheyak, who had made a decision but remained silent as she read the information.

"I agreed, but the task must be within my ability. If it exceeds my capabilities, I have the right to refuse." After hearing this, Ho'olheyak considered her words for a while before answering.

"Hehe~ Don't worry, it will definitely be within your ability. After all, if it exceeds your capabilities, you can't do it, right?"

After hearing Ho'olheyak's answer, Mobius chuckled and responded slowly. From the beginning, Mobius hadn't intended to give Ho'olheyak any important tasks but just some small ones like sorting out materials and blocking annoying individuals.

After all, important and risky tasks like "murder and robbery" are safer and more efficient to be handled by someone like Sakura than by outsiders in the Serpent's opinion.

"..."

Although Mobius's words and her unique "yin and yang" attitude made Ho'olheyak a little unhappy, she had to admit that the person in front of her was right.

"Okay, stop wasting time. Ask the questions you want to know."

"After answering, I will charge you according to the degree."

Chapter 87 Mobius: "Will you be my guinea pig?"

"Okay, don't waste time. Ask the questions you want to know."

"After answering, I will charge you according to the degree."

After the voice fell, Mobius gently narrowed his beautiful snake pupils and quietly waited for Ho'olheyak's question.

"Gu..."

Hearing this, Ho'olheyak swallowed her saliva gently and began to think about which question she should ask first.

You know, there are many questions she wants to learn from Mobius.

"...Excuse me, do you have any way to help our race regain its former glory and splendor?"

Influenced by the many memories in her mind, Ho'olheyak finally asked the question about her race first.

At the same time, this question can be regarded as a test of Mobius.

Although Ho'olheyak already believes that Mobius is an ancient existence, even ancient existences, or gods, are sometimes not omnipotent.

Therefore, she also wanted to use this question to carefully test the ability of the being in front of her.

"..."

Although Mobius had guessed that Ho'olheyak might ask her this question long before, when she actually heard it, she was still a little speechless and not very willing to answer.

To be honest, without considering other aspects, Mobius really felt that the little snake in front of her had completely opposite attributes to her own.

She was the snake of the future pursuing [Infinity], while the one in front of her was the snake of yesterday pursuing [the Past].

"..."

Looking at Mobius, whose expression had become a little strange, Ho'olheyak, who had been watching her, had a complex look in her eyes, and her mood gradually became nervous.

After all, what Mobius had said to her more than a week ago was still deeply imprinted in her heart.

"Do you really want to know the answer to this question from me?" After a moment of silence, Mobius gently stroked the corner of her lips and finally spoke.

"Well, this is what our clan has always desired and long-cherished." Upon hearing this, Ho'olheyak nodded without any hesitation.

"Then my answer is... no." At this point, Mobius slowly raised the corners of her lips, showing a disdainful smile, and then continued:

"To be honest, I still look down on your so-called long-cherished wish."

"..."

As Mobius said this, Ho'olheyak frowned slightly, and her face couldn't help but become ugly.

However, her expression could not stop Mobius from continuing to speak.

"Besides, I also find it a little funny that you asked me this question." Looking at the ugly little snake in front of him, Mobius smiled and said word by word.

Since this time the question was "paid" by others to ask, she didn't mind taking some time to teach them a lesson.

However, before Mobius said anything again, Ho'olheyak couldn't help but speak.

"Funny... Even if you say so, this wish is also my and our choice and persistence..."

Just when Ho'olheyak wanted to continue saying something, Mobius interrupted her and said:

"No, you seem to have made a mistake, Miss Spy. I have never denied your long-cherished wish."

"It's just that your wish to pursue [Yesterday] seems a little ridiculous in front of me, who represents [Infinity] and pursues infinity and evolution."

"...Infinity?"

Mobius's sudden explanation shocked Ho'olheyak for a moment, and she came back to her senses after a while and whispered softly, "That's right, so..."

Mobius slowly stood up from her chair, walked to Ho'olheyak's side, looked down at her, and continued, "Miss Spy, do you understand what I said before?"

"!"

Ho'olheyak listened to the words in her ear, looked directly at the pair of gradient snake eyes that were emitting a faint light at the moment, her pupils shrank slightly, and she couldn't help but show a look of doubt.

At this moment, Ho'olheyak really understood why this ancient existence in front of her showed disdain for her and her race's wishes.

In a sense, the concepts of both sides were conflicting, or even opposite. Compared to their desire to go against the current in history books and years, the other party chose to follow development and continue to evolve.

"It's really boring. Are you scared by this little information?"

Looking at the shocked Ho'olheyak, Mobius's gradient snake pupils flashed a trace of boredom, and then she took a few steps back with a nonchalant expression, widening the distance between them.

"No, it's just that the amount of information in your words, Miss Mobius, was too much, and I couldn't process it for a while."

After listening to Mobius's words, Ho'olheyak quickly restrained her expression and then tried to make herself look calm and answered.

She didn't know how long it had been since she had lost her composure like this.

You know, Ho'olheyak is still very confident in her basic qualities as a spy. It's a pity that this was before facing the "accident" of Mobius.

"That's why I have no answer to your question. Because I only have the 'forward' evolution method. I really have no way to deal with a little snake like you who wants to revert to its ancestral form."

At this point, Mobius didn't know what she was thinking. A sly look flashed in her beautiful snake pupils, and then she said slowly:

"However, nothing is absolute. If you are willing to let me study your body, there may be a way."

"How about it? Do you want to consider being my guinea pig?"

"!"

After listening to Mobius's words, although Ho'olheyak remained calm this time, she was shocked in her heart.

To be honest, she was not sure whether the ancient being in front of her was "spying" on her on a whim or had been planning for a long time.

Although Ho'olheyak knew that she had taken the initiative to pester Mobius, she felt that this might be a trap.

It was a trap specially set up to take advantage of her curiosity and thirst for knowledge, and let her fall into it.

Thinking of this, Ho'olheyak felt even more uneasy and secretly regretted her recent laxity and recklessness.

"You can really think about it, little snake."