African continent, Giza City.
The underground laboratory built by World Serpent here was ostensibly covered by an international company founded by "Jackal."
Much like Shenzhou Pharmaceuticals in Arc City.
Though the latter's reputation in Shenzhou was already ruined.
And today...
"You guys really are sothing, risking your lives for a few hundred bucks a month?"
From the first gunshot to now, barely ten minutes had passed.
Over a hundred "Dominance Puppets: Billy" had completely taken over the place.
Naturally, no survivors were left.
Without a doubt, the core reason Ling Ke had sent the Dominance Puppets here wasn't to seize important data or weaken World Serpent's foundation.
He simply wanted to lure certain people out.
To that end, after the battle was over, the hundred or so "Dominance Puppets: Billy" simply rested on the spot.
So of them even gathered to play cards.
Even though the surrounding area was littered with corpses.
In this hellish scene, they laughed and chatted, completely at ease.
(TL/N: Amon behavior 🗿)
When i and "Raven" arrived, this was the scene they witnessed.
The humanoid figures clad in red leather, resembling chanical lifeforms, acted like a gang of thugs, treating the company founded by "Jackal" as their party venue.
The air was thick with the sll of blood.
As the two approached...
"Yo, the main Character is here."
One of the Dominance Puppets stood up and walked toward the newcors.
The other "Dominance Puppets: Billy" nearby also turned their heads to look.
In an instant, over a hundred chanical heads turned in unison.
The eerie sight...
"..."
"Raven" instinctively took a step back.
She was almost tempted to draw "Seven Thunders of Retribution."
At this mont...
"You..."
i looked at the approaching chanical lifeform... She knew, based on the information, that this was one of the transford individuals of the Herrscher of Dominance.
During the pre-civilization era, the Herrschers of Dominance could communicate with each other through "quantum entanglent," a connection that couldn't be blocked by any ans.
In other words: Whatever she said here, Ling Ke could also hear.
However...
"Nice to et you, i."
"There's sothing very important I'd like to discuss with you alone."
For a mont, i felt as if she had been transported back to that evening years ago.
Back then, her father hadn't yet been imprisoned for economic cris. She was still the young lady of Corp, always surrounded by flatterers.
Because of a kidnapping incident in her early years, she was always driven to and from school by a chauffeur arranged by her family.
One day, a strange black-haired young man suddenly approached her after she had been driven ho by her father's driver.
He didn't make any inappropriate moves.
Even though, at the ti, she had mistaken him for her father returning ho and excitedly, without any hesitation, opened the door.
Instead, he kindly reminded her, smiling: Be more careful next ti, don't just open the door for strangers.
It's not safe.
After that...
He introduced himself, told her his na.
Then, he explained so knowledge about the "Honkai," and... specifically warned her that a woman nad "Cocolia" was about to target Raiden Ryoma—her father.
He hoped she would relay this information to her father.
Then, he left on his own.
Perhaps sensing her nervousness and fear at the ti.
He scratched his head and didn't even step inside.
Just before leaving, he said: Be sure to stay safe!
But later...
"Why did he call 'i' so familiarly?"
After closing the door, this question troubled her for a long ti.
Gradually, her curiosity turned into wariness.
Ultimately, leading her to make what seed like a normal decision, but was in fact a terrible mistake.
She called the police.
(TL/N: Pffttt)
For the next few months, her father was busy and didn't return ho, nor could she contact him.
This wasn't unusual.
Until... everything he had said ca true.
The final mory of that ti was the image of a young man's face, backlit by the setting sun, smiling brightly.
"Don't look so gloomy."
"I hope the next ti we et, you'll be happier."
Now, back to the present...
"Hum!"
As one of the "Dominance Puppets: Billy" approached, a spatial gate opened beside him.
Almost reflexively, "Raven" imdiately assud a combat stance.
i also tensed up.
However, the next mont...
"Long ti no see, Miss Raiden i."
On the other side of the spatial gate, a black-haired young man sat cross-legged on a lavish throne, propping his cheek with one hand, smiling at her.
But now...
That smile was no longer warm.
That tone was no longer friendly.
When he addressed her, he used her full na and a formal title.
His eyes were unfocused, and his smile seed like... just a mask pulled over his face.
No longer overlapping with the "him" from her mories.
At this mont, even though she had grown stronger ntally over this ti, i still felt a chill run down her spine.
"I..."
She opened her mouth slightly. "I'm sorry."
"..."
Perhaps it was just her imagination.
But it seed that when he heard her say this, the corner of the black-haired young man's mouth twitched slightly.
As if he had almost lost control of his expression.
After a while...
"Verbal apologies are the least sincere form of remorse, Miss Raiden i."
"Of course, the current doesn't need, nor care for, your apology."
Ling Ke's smile remained.
Seeing him like this, i's heart was filled with mixed emotions.
However, this feeling didn't last long...
"To now, you're just another test subject."
Ling Ke said with a smile, "Yes, Miss Raiden i, let's conduct an experint."
"Don't worry, it won't involve endless physical tornt like what I endured."
"It's just a simple social psychology experint."
Without waiting for i's response, he slowly stood up, elegantly raising his hands, his body resembling a human scale...
"Kiana Kaslana, or perhaps you know her as: K-423."
i's heart tightened.
Ling Ke's words continued.
"You once said that she is more important than the world."
"So..."
He looked at the visibly tense girl before him, the corners of his lips curling upward. "Don't worry, I'm not so malicious as to place the 'world' on the other side of the scale."
"As for the opposing weight... hmm, I've got it."
Ling Ke narrowed his eyes slightly. "How about your father?"
"!!!"
i's eyes widened.
The smile on Ling Ke's face grew even more pronounced.
"See, how fair."
"Each side carries the weight of 'one person.'"
"Make your choice, Miss Raiden i."
"Choose one, and the other... will be hunted down by relentlessly, day and night, without end."
Ling Ke extended his hands, which were holding nothing, forward. "Who would you rather protect?"
"Your father? Or the one you love most?"
i remained silent.
Seeing this...
"Huh? Why the hesitation?"
Ling Ke deliberately feigned a look of confusion. "Didn't you say that Kiana is more important than the entire world?"
"Logically speaking, your father is just an insignificant part of that world. You should be able to make a decisive choice..."
"Enough!"
"Raven," standing beside i, couldn't take it anymore.
She interrupted Ling Ke.
However, just as she was about to say sothing...
"You..."
"What is it, Ms. Raven?"
Ling Ke tilted his head to look at her, a cold smile on his face. "Do you also want to play a social experint with ?"
"!!!"
With just that one sentence...
Raven imdiately understood one thing clearly.
He knew about her.
The double aning in his words...
"How does he know about the 'children'?"
In that mont, with her weakness completely exposed, Raven didn't dare say another word.
She was now extrely worried about the safety of the "children."
As for i...
"I understand."
Standing before the spatial gate, she raised her right hand.
In her palm, a purple katana materialized.
With a calm expression, she placed it against her own neck.
Then, looking directly at Ling Ke...
"Is this choice acceptable?"
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