The headquarters of Fire Moth was, for the most part, what Acheron had expected—a high-security base tucked inside a secret facility, swarming with guards and combat personnel. Tightly defended, as one would imagine.
For an organization dedicated to fighting the Honkai catastrophe, this level of security wasn't surprising.
Yet, every guard who caught a glimpse of Acheron's face wore a stunned expression.
'She looks just like Dr. Mei!'
If it weren't for the difference in clothing, they might have mistaken one for the other.
A research scientist like Dr. Mei would never dress like that.
With Elysia and Kevin leading the way, Acheron moved through the base without obstruction until they reached an office.
This was Dr. Mei's workspace—where she could usually be found when she wasn't holed up in the lab.
"Mei, we're back~"
Elysia knocked on the door and waited for a response before pushing it open.
Truth be told, Elysia hadn't always bothered to knock—until that one time she'd barged in on Kevin and Mei. Since then, she'd made it a habit.
"That was quick. Welcome back, Ellie, Kevin."
Inside, Dr. Mei was seated at her desk, a document in hand. She smiled as Elysia and Kevin entered.
"So, where is this person you mentioned? Don't keep me in suspense, Elysia..."
Seeing only the two of them, Mei sighed softly.
"Hehe, you're gonna be so surprised! Mei~ you can come in now."
Elysia cupped her hands around her mouth and called out toward the doorway.
With a quiet sigh, Acheron stepped slowly into the room.
She could've just followed them in from the start, but faced with Elysia's pleading, she'd chosen to wait outside.
Who could really say no to Elysia? Acheron certainly found it hard to resist the girl's coaxing, spoiled-like persistence.
"A pleasure to meet you."
Acheron stepped forward and met Dr. Mei's gaze.
For a moment, they simply stared—until a flicker of astonishment crossed Mei's expression.
Click.
The shutter sound of a phone camera broke the silence, capturing Dr. Mei's reaction for eternity in Elysia's gallery.
"Hehe, that's the look I was hoping for~"
Elysia grinned, cradling her phone as she watched Dr. Mei.
"You... Elysia."
Mei could only shake her head at Elysia's teasing. Elysia was always like this—playful and whimsical. But since no one in the Fire Moth base could really rein her in, everyone just let her be.
"If I recall correctly... my father didn't have any illegitimate children... no, wait—you seem a bit older than me..."
Mei studied Acheron's face, which bore a ninety percent resemblance to her own, a conflicted expression surfacing.
"Across the universe, it's not unusual to find similar individuals in different worlds. It's nothing out of the ordinary."
Acheron shook her head gently, her tone light and casual.
Yet her words made Dr. Mei freeze for an instant.
What did Acheron mean by that?
Even Elysia's eyes widened, a spark of excitement shining within them.
Only Kevin looked confused, unable to grasp why his girlfriend and Elysia had such a strong reaction to that one sentence.
This version of Kevin was still a bright, sunny young man—it was only natural he wouldn't understand yet.
A far cry from the philosopher he would become in later years.
After a brief pause, Acheron gave a simple introduction of her origins.
Since she would be working closely with Elysia and the others for some time, a basic explanation would help build trust. Among comrades, suspicion could easily breed misunderstandings.
Still, Acheron didn't reveal everything about the world beyond.
She only mentioned coming from a world somewhat similar to this one, though not entirely alike.
Dealing with intelligent people was refreshing. Once Acheron showed her sincerity, Dr. Mei quickly promised to assist her in any way she could.
Of course, a large part of that trust came from Elysia's endorsement. Mei knew Elysia well—the girl might seem carefree, but her judgment of people was sharp. If Elysia trusted Acheron this much, there was likely no cause for concern.
"Don't worry about the onboarding procedures—I'll take care of them. But..."
Before Mei could finish, Elysia cut in, "Mei should join my squad! I'm the one who found her, so it's only right that I look after her!"
As she spoke, she protectively pulled Acheron's arm against her chest, holding on tightly.
Acheron could clearly feel her arm sinking into a warm, soft embrace.
Elysia's figure was unexpectedly well-developed. It seemed the Fire Moth's meals were nutritious and plentiful.
Acheron noted silently to herself.
"Alright, alright, I understand. I won't take your person from you..."
Dr. Mei sighed at the scene.
"I'll handle the identity issue as well. But before that... I can't arrange lodging for you immediately. Would you mind finding a place to stay outside for a short while? I'll make sure it's settled."
Dr. Mei thought aloud, then turned to Acheron for her input.
This was a powerful ally. Even though Acheron hadn't shown her full capabilities, the fact that she'd easily taken down the Sixth Herrscher was impressive enough.
"No need for all that trouble! Mei can stay in my room for a while. It's quite spacious—enough for two."
Elysia declared without hesitation.
"What do you think?"
Mei looked at Acheron. In response, Acheron gave a somewhat wooden nod, agreeing absentmindedly.
Her attention was entirely fixed on the document lying on Dr. Mei's desk.
Its title was straightforward:
[On the Possibility of Merging Honkai Beast Genes with Highly Adaptive Humans]
The MANTIS project—Dr. Mei was already considering it at this stage. And as the Herrscher incidents grew more severe, she was exploring its feasibility more seriously.
However, due to the extremely low success rate of the procedure, the idea had been shelved.
Originally, Dr. Mei had given up on it. But with Honkai disasters escalating and soldier casualties mounting—their effectiveness dwindling until they were almost treated as cannon fodder—she'd been revisiting the possibility.
And the reason Acheron paid it such close attention was simple: she had a way to raise the success rate of the MANTIS surgery to nearly one hundred percent.
In the system store, there was an item available for exchange that could achieve just that.
[Genius's Manuscript: Note (A casually written draft by a prodigy in the field of biology. She once considered merging humans with various extraterrestrial beasts to grant them immense power, but ultimately concluded that cultivating new lifeforms was more efficient.)]
The points required for this item were only ten thousand—exactly what Acheron had on hand.
Without a second thought, Acheron decided to redeem the manuscript.
But delivering it to Dr. Mei would require the right moment.
"If there's nothing else, we'll take our leave now~"
Once everything was settled, Elysia took Acheron's hand and led her to the base's residential area.
Compared to the heavily guarded administrative zones, the living quarters felt much more relaxed. Small as sparrows but complete in every detail, the area housed not only staff dormitories but also shops selling daily necessities.
Elysia dragged Acheron along, starting with purchases like sleepwear.
"Hmm... I have new towels, a mug, and a toothbrush in my room. No need to buy shampoo, but you'll need a set of pajamas. Mei, you're so tall—mine definitely wouldn't fit. Oh, and a bath towel. I don't mind sharing, but after a shower, we'd both need one to wrap up in. One towel isn't enough..."
Elysia chattered on, holding Acheron's hand as she meticulously considered every item Acheron might need.
So you've already assumed we'll be showering together?
Acheron thought to herself.
"Yep, that should do it."
Elysia looked over the full shopping cart with satisfaction.
"Wait, one more thing!"
She glanced at Acheron, a smile blooming, and placed a white peach pudding into the cart.
"You like this flavor, right? You glanced at it a moment longer just now. A girl's observation skills are sharp, you know~"
Elysia winked playfully.
"...Yes."
After a brief silence, Acheron gave a slight nod.
Affection points up!
There was no helping it—Elysia was just too good at this.
Though young, Elysia had already earned her share of merits. Within Fire Moth, both her popularity and status were considerable, granting her the privilege of a private dorm room.
As they entered, a faint, pleasant fragrance greeted them. Elysia kept her space tidy and clean.
"We can tidy up the other room later so you can stay there. Of course, I wouldn't mind if you shared my bed either. After all, I adore cute girls the most."
Elysia led Acheron into the room, smiling as she watched her.
Beware of the Previous Era's sapphic tendencies! Wait, so am I now? Never mind, then...
"Oh, and Mei, I owe you an apology."
Elysia looked at Acheron with a somewhat guilty expression.
"An apology?"
Acheron was puzzled.
"Mhm. Truth is, when I first approached you, there was a bit of a joke involved. I told Kevin I'd find my own Mei too, just to make them jealous. But that thought only lasted a second! Mei is Mei—you're not anyone's replacement!"
The girl seemed anxious that Acheron might misunderstand, her face full of nervous emphasis.
"I'm not upset. Besides, every world has its lookalikes. I've been mistaken for someone else before. But even with similar faces, different stories eventually separate the impression of me from the memory of that person."
Acheron shook her head gently.
"I wonder... if there's someone who looks like me in another world too?"
Elysia asked, curiosity sparkling in her eyes.
"Yes, there might be. There may be people who resemble Elysia in appearance, but the existence known as Elysia is one of a kind."
Acheron replied with a soft smile.
"Then... doesn't that mean we're fated to meet?"
Elysia beamed, her smile sweet as she gazed at Acheron.
"Hm?"
Acheron blinked, unsure what Elysia meant.
"Think about it. In the vastness of the stars, under normal circumstances, we'd never have met. Yet here we are, standing together as if by miracle, getting to know each other. Old folks say that everyone we meet in this world is brought together by fate. That's why I've always cherished every bond around me."
"So, for us to meet across different worlds—it must be a miracle born from infinitesimal odds, right? Guided by that very miracle, you and I found our way here."
Elysia placed a hand over her heart, her gaze tender and sweet.
"Yes, I suppose you're right."
Acheron smiled and nodded.
Indeed, the fact that she could appear in this crumbling world in her current form was a miracle in itself. And this serendipitous encounter with Elysia was even more so.
That evening, to celebrate Acheron's arrival, Elysia cooked them a meal herself.
Acheron had tried to help at first, but within five minutes, Elysia had ushered her out of the kitchen.
As Elysia put it, 'What kind of host lets her guest do the work?'
The real reason, however, remained a mystery.
To her credit, Elysia's cooking was quite good. Even with Acheron's senses dulled to their limit, she could tell the skill behind the flavors.
Dr. Mei worked efficiently, and with her authority, it took only three days to settle all of Acheron's affairs. Had Acheron possessed an identity in this world, it might have been even faster.
During those days, a rumor spread within Fire Moth: that during the recent disaster, Dr. Mei had found her long-lost sister.
Moreover, this sister had performed remarkable feats in the battle against the Sixth Herrscher.
No one knew where the rumor started, but it wasn't entirely a bad thing. With that narrative, Acheron's integration became smoother.
For a time, Acheron and Dr. Mei became a hot topic within the organization.
Dr. Mei needed no introduction—one of the most brilliant scientists in Fire Moth, with few peers even among its many talents.
And Acheron, who had fought in the Sixth Herrscher battle, was equally noteworthy.
Those who survived Herrscher encounters were the elite among elites.
On Acheron's second official day with Fire Moth, the customary welcome party was held as scheduled.
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T/N: Elymei but in the most unusual of combinations... well it fits better than raiden shogun
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T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.