"Speaking of which, is that boy named Fuli still Branch Chief Theresa's fiancé?"
"That's right, but we're not close to the Branch Chief. It's more practical to care about Captain Durandal."
"True."
The two Valkyries belonging to the Immortal Blades nodded and continued to stand guard loyally.
Unlike Rita, who only needed recuperation, Wendy, who had just undergone the Gem of Desire transplant, was currently in another remote intensive care unit.
More than an hour later, after sweeping through the Schicksal cafeteria for breakfast and winning the competitive eating champion title; casually giving pointers to local Valkyries passing by the combat training area and being worshipped as a big shot; accidentally getting lost in the Industrial R&D Center; and being dragged by a sales elite from Vanaheim to a top-tier residential area to put a down payment on a three-story garden villa, Fuli finally arrived at the entrance of the building where Wendy was located.
It took quite a bit of effort, and he had to use Theresa's name and the token she gave him beforehand to finally step into the building under the guards' wary gazes.
"Truly scary, Schicksal's Assassination Squad."
He mumbled casually.
In fact, there was indeed a secret unit within Schicksal dedicated to purging traitors and engaging in espionage.
Their work creed was simple and cruel: Valkyries fight to protect all that is beautiful in the world, and what we do is ensure they don't see the unbeautiful parts—yes, by any means necessary.
For taboos like human experimentation, even though the existence of artificial stigmata had long been out in the open, their security and surveillance were still handled by this blade in the shadows.
Simply put, it was the difference between external and internal affairs.
The one commanding these people was none other than the Plague Knight, Levi, one of the Four Knights of the Apocalypse under the Tribunal.
She herself was also a scientist and physician proficient in the mysteries of the human body; she had personally conducted Wendy's gem transplant surgery.
The reason for introducing this person was that this key figure happened to cross paths with Fuli at the door of the ward right now.
Seemingly having just finished visiting Wendy herself, Levi took off her mask as she left the ward.
Silver-grey long hair cascaded down like a cold moon; pale purple eyes were deep and enchanting. Her snow-white lace top was layered and complex, while a dark brown corset with leather straps outlined a breathtakingly slender waist. Under the asymmetrical skirt, long boots looked sharp.
Leather gloves covered her arms, a red rose on her chest was dazzling, and a jet-black raven perched on her left arm. Dark over-the-knee socks extended to laced-up high-heeled ankle boots—a gothic outfit interweaving mystery and elegance.
"I wondered who it was." Her red lips parted slightly, her voice carrying a lazy mockery. "Isn't this the famous King of Hyperion, the S-Rank Valkyrie Killer, the Harem King of Schicksal—Mr. Fuli, the Gender-Bent Succubus who caused four S-Rank Valkyries to fight over him the moment he arrived at HQ? Why aren't you off being lovey-dovey and making babies with your high-quality confidantes? Why did you have to come to my humble shop?"
Opening with sarcastic remarks right off the bat.
Undoubtedly, this was the trouble caused in the virtual space back then.
She had come to propose an alliance with joy in her heart, only to be punched out of the game with two fists to the face.
Being able to hold back from fighting on the spot was already the result of her calm restraint.
In response, Fuli looked her up and down, his tone sincere:
"I've always been curious. When Schicksal was founded, was there a hard prerequisite for the inheritance selection of the Four Knights of the Apocalypse?"
"How so?"
"Like, do they all have to be devastatingly beautiful women like Miss Levi?"
"Heh!"
Levi crossed her arms as if disgusted, but the corners of her mouth hidden under her sleeve couldn't help curving upward.
Flattery gets you everywhere.
No matter how cultivated someone is, man or woman, receiving such direct praise to their face—even if they don't say it—they are definitely happy inside.
"You're here on behalf of that white-haired midget to see Experimental Subject No. 4, right?"
She took off her disposable gloves and tossed them casually into the trash can, her tone softening a bit. "She's inside. Her mood index isn't great. looking is fine, but don't go overboard."
White-haired midget refers to Theresa, right?
Fuli understood, nodded in acknowledgement, and pushed the door open to enter the ward.
After casually closing the door, he subconsciously scrutinized his surroundings and shuddered abruptly.
He felt this scene was eerily similar to when he stepped into Rita's room earlier. But surely Wendy wouldn't be as perverted as her right now?
The boy steadied himself and looked at the hospital bed.
The smell of disinfectant hadn't dissipated yet. The delicate girl with short, ink-black hair lay exhausted on the bed, cold sweat from her neck soaking the pale pillow.
The oversized hospital gown made her look exceptionally frail. Her slender arms, wrapped in bandages, rested on top of the quilt. Her fingertips curled weakly, and through the wrappings, hideous, raised purple crystalline veins were faintly visible under her skin.
Her unfocused, greenish-grey pupils looked out the window, as if what she saw through the glass wasn't the clear sky, but some invisible abyss.
Faint gasps escaped her half-parted lips. Every breath pulled at the unhealed, gruesome wounds on her legs, where the purple glow of surging Honkai energy was deeply embedded.
Fuli couldn't help but feel a surge of pity in his heart.
He walked silently to the bedside and gently put down the fruit basket he had prepared.
Even then, the girl on the bed continued to stare blankly out the window, where a few sparrows hopped on branches, chirping noisily about their freedom.
"Wendy."
He called out softly.
He called three times before the person in question seemed to be pulled back from a distant dream, turning her head slowly.
"Mr. Fuli?"
Her reaction was quite slow, her voice carrying post-surgical weakness and disbelief.
The continuous stinging pain from the Gem of Desire made her delirious. She hadn't expected the first acquaintance to visit after surgery to be this person she had known for only a few days—uh, her grand-teacher?
"It's me, in the flesh. I came to see you."
Fuli gave her a warm smile, casually taking a banana from the fruit basket and peeling it neatly.
After peeling it, he instinctively moved to stuff it into his own mouth, but suddenly paused, realizing something.
He handed it over: "Want to eat?"
"Mhm, I'll eat."
Wendy raised her hand to brush away the hair falling by her lips. Just this tiny movement sent intense pain shooting through her limbs.
"Ugh!"
She groaned, cold sweat instantly soaking her temples.
Realizing something was wrong, Fuli hurriedly stopped her. "Don't move, I'll feed you."
Before, it was Wendy the little maid serving everyone; now the tables had turned.
He hesitated for a moment, asking cautiously, "Your mouth can still move freely, right?"
"Y-Yes, it can!"
"Good."
The boy leaned over carefully, putting the peeled banana into Wendy's mouth.
The girl took small bites, chewing slowly. Her originally dull eyes lit up slightly. "Delicious!"
She couldn't remember how long it had been since she had eaten properly. To observe data under various conditions, the researchers mostly just gave her glucose drips. Even if she occasionally wanted to eat, the knife-like pain made it hard to swallow.
"Of course it's delicious." Fuli replied cheerfully. "This is the Wendy-Special Super Large Banana produced by our Hyperion. One is stronger than six!"
To put it bluntly, it was grown on Mt. Taixu. But this batch was grown closest to the Fuli Well, the cream of the crop, completely destroying the peripheral goods the trainee Valkyries tasted in the cafeteria before.
"Mhm-hm!"
As if infected by the boy's cheerful smile, Wendy opened her small mouth again, like a fledgling waiting to be fed.
Meanwhile, in the monitoring room.
Levi, having changed into her work uniform, walked in.
Two female researchers were pointing at the screen and snickering. Seeing the leader arrive, they immediately quieted down, stood up, and saluted.
"Director!"
"Mm. What are you laughing at?"
Levi sat down, crossed her legs, and asked casually.
"Actually, it's like this, Director."
The new staff member on the right ignored the frantic winks from her colleague on the left, smiling and pointing at the screen displaying the ward. "Look at that guy, he's actually feeding our little experimental subject a big banana! And the subject is eating it with such a happy face. Isn't this scene—"
"Isn't it what?"
Levi interrupted her coldly. "Just eating a banana, what about it?"
"No, Director, I—"
"Rather, shouldn't your focus be on why the experimental subject, who has been relying on nutrient solutions to alleviate pain, can swallow solid food so smoothly? Only focusing on such irrelevant trivialities—how did you even sneak into the core laboratory?"
The new subordinate broke out in cold sweat from the scolding, not daring to breathe loudly.
"Erase memories related to the Gem of Desire experiment and demote to the affiliated university laboratory for observation."
Levi decided the punishment lightly, her pale purple eyes turning to the other senior researcher.
The latter, familiar with the boss's style, reported immediately: "Director! I have recorded all data regarding the experimental subject's physical changes!"
"That's good."
Levi nodded, sat down beside her, and looked at the monitor together.
On the screen, the fruit basket Fuli brought had been completely wiped out.
He refilled it as if by magic, peeling an apple while saying, "Shall I tell you a hellish joke?"
Amidst the big boy's occasional teasing and the taste of happiness flowing between her lips and teeth, Wendy's mood had recovered significantly.
"Sure."
She nodded gently.
Fuli cleared his throat and began: "Once upon a time, there was a girl from Shenzhou. She transmigrated. She didn't know when or where she was, couldn't understand what people around her were saying, couldn't read the words, and was depressed every day."
"Until one day, she was taken to a lit beacon tower. Looking down at the bewildered feudal lords, she suddenly understood her situation, so she laughed."
Wendy blinked. At first, she didn't quite react to what it was about.
Levi in front of the monitor couldn't help but snort with laughter, thinking this joke was indeed hellish enough.
Fuli, seeing the punchline didn't land, was a bit embarrassed. He muttered softly, "St. Freya should teach Shenzhou history, right? The section on Western Zhou and Eastern Zhou."
Wendy, not having laughed, was also a bit embarrassed. She nodded vigorously to indicate it was taught, but the movement pulled a nerve, and sharp pain made her suck in a breath of cold air.
Fuli hurriedly reached out, his fingertips brushing her forehead, activating the Death Form of Setsuna Blade · Moon Hidden in Light, reversing the power of the Stigmata of Death to heal the girl's terrible body with the power of creation.
Unfortunately, while there was an effect, under the interference of the Gem of Desire—which was equivalent to a Herrscher Core—it could barely alleviate the bone-eroding pain.
At this moment, Wendy finally reacted. Her bright eyes stared unblinkingly at the boy, full of anticipation. "I get it, it's Bao Si! That person transmigrated as Bao Si from King You of Zhou's 'Lighting the Beacons to tease the Feudal Lords'. Realizing she was the calamity about to be executed by the lords, she laughed out of sheer absurdity, right?"
"Correct!"
Fuli looked gratified, like a teacher whose student was teachable. He reached out and ruffled the girl's small head.
Wendy docilely let him do it, obedient unlike a senior who was actually a few years older than him.
Yes, as a St. Freya student who graduated early, Wendy was literally "older woman holding a golden brick" (a Chinese saying implying an older wife brings good fortune).
It was a very subtle relationship that both Theresa, the mentor, and her student were older than Fuli.
"Shall I tell you a few more? This time I'm sure you'll understand."
"Okay, okay!"
Happy times always fly fast. Unknowingly, the molten gold sunset poured over the steel archipelago suspended in the sky. Layers of rosy clouds rolled, dyeing the headquarters' silhouette into a gorgeous brocade of blended rose gold and purple.
Withdrawing his peripheral gaze from the clock on the wall, Fuli clapped his hands and stood up. "It's getting late, time to say goodbye. I'll come see you again another day."
He pointed to the fruit basket at the head of the bed, leaning close to Wendy's ear to whisper, "I asked Mei to modify that fruit basket with spatial technology. It'll automatically refill when the food inside is eaten. Before coming, I loaded several tons of stock into it, enough to last you until I come again."
After making the promise of "next time for sure," Fuli was about to get up and leave.
The moment he turned around, his back tightened abruptly.
"Wendy?"
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"
The only boy who came to visit her was leaving. The emotions suppressed for so long finally burst like a dam at this moment.
Her apology was not only to Fuli but also to Theresa, who had asked him to visit her.
After learning about participating in the Gem of Desire implantation experiment, the Principal had actually offered her precious apprentice many different alternative plans.
Compared to the benefits after a successful Gem of Desire implantation, these plans each had their own shortcomings, and combat power would drop significantly.
Therefore, Wendy chose the former.
Reason?
She firmly believed she would succeed.
This was too normal. Who was Wendy?
She was St. Freya's top graduate! The ace of the Oceania Branch! The most excellent S-Rank candidate! The vanguard against the Honkai in the future!
Why couldn't someone like her pass the experiment?
At first glance, it might seem absurd. In fact, such things are not fresh in reality.
Favored children of heaven who have smooth sailing always think luck will favor them forever, until reality gives them a cold, hard slap in the face.
Wendy was the same.
The only problem was that this slap came too hard, too unforgettably.
"Even though Mr. Fuli warned me so solemnly beforehand..."
Regrettably, there is no medicine for regret in reality.
The girl at this moment could only lie back on the cold hospital bed with Fuli's support and silent pity. The next morning, she watched the figure that brought brief warmth disappear behind the door.
Not long after the boy left, a researcher in a white coat pushed the door open expressionlessly.
She walked straight to the bedside, not sparing Wendy a glance, picked up the magical fruit basket and the blue and white porcelain bottle containing the Ice Coagulation Pill next to it, and turned to leave.
Immediately after, several equally indifferent female researchers filed in.
Holding cold surgical instruments, amidst the girl's low moans through clenched teeth, they extracted the mysterious crystals flickering with eerie purple light—newly condensed deep within the wounds of her legs under the erosion of the Gem of Desire's power.
Storm Tachi: A blade with absolute deterrence, created by extracting the powerful wind-attribute biological core from the Fourth Herrscher and fusing it into a special Honkai-adaptive alloy.
This so-called wind-attribute biological core came from this.
Of course, besides this, another main purpose was to clean up the residue in time to prevent Wendy's legs from deforming.
But the Stigmata Will in the girl's mind didn't think so.
"Why not kill them all, and then catch up to that man?"