"Are you saying my little mouse got away again?"
Jackal's tone was chillingly cold, but to Raven's surprise, she didn't lose her temper this time.
Shicksal Entertainment theme park.
Core area.
Raven looked at the calm Jackal, unable to guess what she was thinking.
This extremely self-centered woman, whose rationality and emotions were both excessively strong, had just been told, after a victory speech, that the little mouse she was so determined to catch had been snatched away.
Right in front of both of them.
Raven had expected Jackal to start screaming and cursing, and feeling a little guilty herself, Raven had prepared to endure her emotional outburst.
But Jackal's current state was indeed a little out of her expectations.
When did this woman become so calm in the face of trouble? Raven muttered to herself. Or has she failed so many times that she's finally learned to be cautious?
Jackal didn't know what Raven was thinking. Only she knew that she wasn't not angry; her anger had just been redirected.
Because when Raven recounted what had just happened, she became curious about the individual with spatial abilities.
So she requisitioned the surveillance data from the data core and found some delightful information among the various instrument readings.
The extremely abnormal spatial disturbance data led her to a bold guess.
The one who had saved the person in front of her was very likely the Second Herrscher!
So, she didn't feel disappointed by the failure of this operation. On the contrary, she was overjoyed.
Losing a slippery mouse with transformation abilities and finding a living Herrscher in return—in her eyes, this wasn't a failure at all! It was a huge success.
So, she decisively told Raven her guess.
However, at Jackal's mysterious tone, as if she were saying, "I'm only telling you this because we're friends"...
Raven only felt that her intelligence had been insulted.
"Are you saying we were just played by the Herrscher of the Void?"
"Don't put it so harshly. It was just a small mistake," Jackal waved her hand, her face filled with uncontrollable joy.
"Raven, I know your history. Don't you want revenge?"
Jackal's words almost dug up the memories she was unwilling to recall, that feeling of powerlessness almost welling up in her heart again.
But Raven suppressed it firmly. Then, she looked at Jackal with extreme dissatisfaction.
No one liked to have their scars reopened again and again.
Besides, she wasn't as reckless as Jackal.
In fact, she had suspected the other party had spatial abilities during their first encounter, but she had never considered the Herrscher of the Void.
"The Herrscher of the Void is dead. She died during the Second Honkai Eruption."
Jackal looked at her as if she were an idiot.
"World Serpent's archives have a complete record of this. I shouldn't have to remind you."
"What do you, a mere brawler, know?" Jackal looked at Raven. "Although the Herrscher is dead, who says she can't be revived?"
"Then tell me," Raven looked at this completely irrational woman, "in either the Previous Era or the current one, is there any record of a dead Herrscher being revived?"
Jackal was speechless at Raven's words, because Raven was right. In both the Previous Era and the current one, there was no precedent for reviving a dead Herrscher.
Otherwise, there wouldn't be weapons like the Divine Keys, which were forged from the cores of dead Herrschers.
For a god-like existence like a Herrscher, from the moment they appeared, humanity had never given up on exploring their power.
And compared to the Divine Keys, which were limited in power and usage, a living Herrscher could do much more.
Therefore, the project of creating artificial Herrschers had never stopped since the humans of the Previous Era killed the first Herrscher.
But without exception, they all ended in failure.
According to the records of the Previous Era, a living Herrscher had the ability to connect to an Imaginary anchor point and draw almost infinite Honkai energy from the Imaginary Domain.
But once a Herrscher died, the connection between its core and the Imaginary anchor point would be broken, and this could be considered a way to determine if a Herrscher was truly dead.
Humans had tried various ways to reconnect the cores of dead Herrschers to the Imaginary anchor point, but they all ended in failure.
As a result, humanity had to choose a compromise, forging the Herrscher cores into weapons with greatly reduced power compared to the original Herrscher, which were the Divine Keys.
Something that even the Previous Era had failed to do, Raven didn't think it was possible with the current civilization's technology.
From the beginning, she had never thought in that direction. She believed the other party's power was just some kind of spatial ability.
Jackal, of course, knew all this.
But she didn't believe it.
Or rather, as someone who was extremely rational in scientific research, she was extremely emotional in other aspects.
This could be seen from her always acting without regard for the consequences and getting easily carried away.
For things that caught her eye, her emotions always outweighed her reason!
"Hmph! A commoner's opinion."
"Just because there's no precedent doesn't mean this can't be the first!"
Raven looked at her speechlessly. Jackal's words were a bit like saying, "Setting aside the facts, isn't it possible that he's a Herrscher?"
She knew that this woman was probably about to unleash her "world-shaking intellect" again.
So, out of a slight loyalty to the organization, and of course, the main concern being that a failed mission would mean her bonus would go down the drain, she decided to try to persuade her again.
"Stop it, Jackal. Do you really think that with Schicksal's technology, it's possible to do something that even the Previous Era couldn't?"
"Besides, the Second Herrscher was a woman, not a man!"
Jackal's words faltered, but a certain premonition in her heart still lingered.
"In that case, Raven, why don't you help me catch him and see if he's the Herrscher of the Void?"
"Looking at the power he just displayed, he should be at his weakest. We can't miss this opportunity."
At Jackal's unrealistic words, Raven looked up.
For a moment of recklessness, she had let the vaccine warehouse be destroyed.
For her own selfish desires, she had stolen important items from an ally.
Just now, for the sake of an argument, she had almost let the data center be blown up.
And now, for her own selfish desires, she wanted to invest her resources in capturing the 'Herrscher of the Void'.
Oh, great heroes of the Previous Era!
She just wanted to work hard and earn enough money to buy a house. Why did she have to be stuck with such an unlucky fool?
If she let her continue like this, not only would she not be able to earn enough money to buy a house, she might even have to sell herself to cover for her.
But there was no way around it. Jackal was the one in charge of this mission. Raven really couldn't understand why the organization would entrust such an important mission to this person.
What was that guy Gray Serpent thinking?
"Listen, Jackal, our mission is to complete the organization's plan and welcome the birth of Adam and Eve."
"When we complete the mission, we'll have plenty of time to deal with them."
"The most important thing now is to prevent them from delaying time. Don't attack rashly. As long as the countdown is over, we win."
But at Raven's advice, Jackal directly refused.
"No, if they become a part of Adam and Eve, then I'll never have a chance to study them."
"That's enough!" Raven finally snapped. "Jackal, I've had it with you!"
"If you had just sat quietly in your lab, we would have succeeded long ago!"
"Raven, what do you mean?" At Raven's words, Jackal felt deeply offended. "Are you trying to rebel?"
"Don't wave that chicken feather around like it's an order! I'm not your servant. If you push me too far, I'll just quit and leave. You can deal with this mess yourself!"
Jackal was furious at Raven's retort, but her last shred of reason told her that if she really pushed Raven away, the trouble would be much greater.
"Then you stay here and watch over the 'embryos'. Don't leave for a single step." Jackal's chest heaved, clearly extremely angry. "This is an order from the organization. Not even a mosquito is allowed to get in!!!"
Finally, Jackal gave her a vicious look.
"Raven, you remember this, I'm the one in charge!"
Raven shrugged.
"As you wish. I hope you don't regret it."
"Hmph!" After glaring at her again, Jackal hung up the communication.
Then, the space fell silent again.
Raven leaned against the wall behind her, looking at the two infants in the center, surrounded by countless crystalline data lines, and closed her eyes.
What the final outcome of this city would be had nothing to do with her anymore.
Although she hadn't been able to contact those Valkyries, she had still used her power to save the children who were being used as test subjects by Jackal.
Yes, the batch of children that World Serpent had brought from Nagazora as Jackal's experimental subjects were actually taken by her.
At this thought, Raven couldn't help but sigh.
She had thought she had long since let go of all the weakness in her heart, that she would never show any mercy to this world again.
But when those children looked at her with their bright eyes, she couldn't help but stop.
In the end, she had created a weakness for herself.
But since she had already saved them, she had no intention of letting them go.
Since she had chosen to shelter them under her wings, she had to see it through to the end.
With the current situation in ARK City, if they stayed here, they would be here forever. So, she had to send the children out.
She herself couldn't do it personally, so she thought of finding some reliable people to take them out.
After thinking it over, she thought of the Valkyries in ARK City.
Although she didn't have a good impression of Schicksal, she had to admit that those Valkyries were indeed a model of human morality.
With their help, she wouldn't be implicated, and she could ensure that the children would not be harmed.
With the character of those Valkyries, as long as they agreed, they would definitely risk their lives to take the children away.
And in exchange, she could let those Valkyries leave safely.
Anyway, with the organization's plan progressing to this point, it was impossible for those Valkyries to stop it with their strength.
If she told them to get lost, with their reckless personalities, they would definitely fight to the death.
But if she used the children to threaten them, under the circumstances, they would have no choice but to leave with the children.
In this way...
The organization's plan would no longer be obstructed, the children's safety would be guaranteed, and the lives of those Valkyries would be spared. It would be a win-win-win situation.
And the only price would be the tens of millions of people in this ARK City.
She didn't think anyone should naturally become a price. She just thought the residents of ARK City were unlucky.
World Serpent had many options before starting this verification test.
Nagazora.
Manila.
Sapphire.
Fontaine.
...
They just chose ARK City among many options, that's all.
Everyone will encounter an unavoidable disaster. It's just a matter of praying that this disaster doesn't fall on them.
She had also fantasized that when disaster struck, a hero would stand in front of her.
But the reality was, only the numb her of today was left.
There are heroes in this world, but sometimes they can't even protect themselves.
Just like the Valkyries trapped in ARK City right now. They might want to stop it, but they can't. They can't even save themselves.
In the end, all kindness is based on having enough strength.
If the residents of ARK City knew their current situation, they would probably feel the same way she did back then, right?
Suddenly, the communicator in her hand vibrated.
Raven saw the message that came in and clenched her fists.
[Teacher, save Little Sora!!!]
---||---
"How did things turn out like this?"
The girl huddled behind a trash can in the corner of the street, shivering.
And not far away, a riot control mech several meters tall scanned its surroundings with a pair of scarlet electronic eyes, and was constantly approaching her.
The girl had beautiful deep red eyes, like a magnificent gem.
But at this moment, those eyes were filled with nothing but deep fear.
"How did things turn out like this?"
This question rose in her heart again.
Just a few days ago, she was eating and sleeping on time, going to and from school on time.
But in the blink of an eye, she was in a strange city, being chased by that terrifying mech because of a moment of impulse.
It all started with a public welfare physical examination held by the school.
After that, on her way home from school, she was knocked unconscious by a group of people in black uniforms and thrown into a car.
When she woke up again, she found that she was surrounded by children of her age.
They were shackled and had inhibitor rings on, locked in sealed containers like lambs waiting to be slaughtered.
From the snippets of conversation of the guards, she learned that they were going to be sent to a laboratory with a very high mortality rate.
Fear and helplessness filled everyone's hearts.
They seemed to be quietly waiting for an unpredictable and terrifying future to come.
And at that moment, a child among them named Lyle, using some unknown method, managed to pry open the container and shackles.
Then, he didn't just leave them behind, but chose to run away with them.
All the children escaped.
When they worked together to knock down the guards and escape from the truck full of containers, they thought that freedom would greet them.
But limited by their immature worldview, they didn't realize that the place where they had been marked as a number had long been implanted with a tracker.
So, when they left the transport vehicle, what awaited them was a large number of mech troops.
Fate seemed to have played a cruel joke on them again, but it also seemed to have favored them again.
A beautiful big sister in a black cloak descended from the sky. Those mechs that could shake the earth with even a slight movement were torn apart like fragile pieces of paper.
They didn't know who this big sister was, but fortunately, they were saved.
After that, they were taken to a safe place by this big sister who they all called 'Teacher'.
As for why they called her Teacher...
It was because, after she had torn apart all the mechs, that boy named Lyle had called her Teacher and asked her to teach him how to tear apart riot control mechs.
And so, the name Teacher was settled.
After that, this Teacher promised to find a way to send them home.
During this time, they waited with trepidation and anticipation.
The Teacher seemed to be very busy, often coming back very late and leaving in a hurry.
But fortunately, the Teacher did not break her promise.
Just today, under the Teacher's arrangement, they boarded a big truck again.
Only this time, they were heading out of the city.
But, as if there was an invisible force preventing them from leaving...
Many accidents happened along the way, forcing the vehicle to change direction several times.
Fortunately, the Teacher had prepared many backup plans, and they managed to avoid them all without any danger.
Until they were stopped by a mech that had suddenly broken down at an intersection.
If they were stopped by that mech, they would be completely exposed.
At that time, not only would they be captured again, but even the Teacher would be implicated.
At that moment, she thought of many things.
She thought of the figure who had stood in front of her when she was in despair, who had torn apart those mechs with her own hands.
A strange impulse rose in her heart.
I can't let the Teacher be in danger!
She also wanted to be someone like the Teacher, who could protect others.
So, she made the most courageous decision of her life.
To help her companions by luring this mech away.
When she jumped off the truck and threw the stone in her hand at the mech that made people feel completely hopeless, she was probably prepared to welcome her death.
After all, letting a human cub fight a riot control mech alone was a bit of a hellish scenario.
But she didn't know if it was an illusion, but when she summoned the courage to jump off the truck, she found that she seemed to be much stronger.
She had actually dodged the berserk mech's several attacks and finally hid in its blind spot according to her intuition.
"Is this the best I can do?"
The girl huddled in the corner of the trash can, feeling the vibrations of the mech's movements getting closer and closer.
Fear brewed in her heart, as if someone was tightly gripping her heart.
The fear of death was suffocating her.
"Teacher, Little Sora is so scared..."
Until she heard a particularly violent tremor.
Then, a voice came from beside her.
"Wow! What a cute human cub."
Hearing this, Little Sora looked over instinctively.
She found that the riot control mech that had just given her huge pressure was now lying on the ground.
And on the wreckage of the mech, a white-haired girl who looked not much older than her was sitting on the huge missile launcher bracket, dangling her legs.
Little Sora stared at her blankly.
Then, another voice came from behind her.
"You... are quite talented."
Little Sora turned her head and found that it was a very handsome big brother.
But she found that this big brother was holding a straight face, as if he was trying his best to hold back his laughter.