"However, this actually works in favor of my plan."
As the true controller of the Engineering Department, Mei now had many ideas that could be implemented through the puppet minister, Dr. Newton—such as the matter of Kevin being deliberately targeted earlier.
If she were merely a newly arrived assistant intern at MOTH, she naturally would have had no means of helping Kevin.
Although she had been recommended by Dr. Mobius, MOTH approved thousands of such recommendations every year. Being recommended by Dr. Mobius would not earn anyone special treatment...
Oh, actually, it would earn special treatment—just in various negative ways.
Mei was deeply grateful that Dr. Newton had invited her into the Newton Laboratory at the very beginning. Without the shelter of the Newton Laboratory, let alone using authority to settle accounts with those who bullied Kevin, she would have had to worry about her own safety. Without protection, she could have become a sacrificial subject in one of MOTH's many experiments at any moment.
MOTH was not a charitable organization. Inside it, interests were tangled and desires intertwined. For wealth, for longevity, for power—or simply for the sake of doing evil—every sort of faction hid beneath polished human skins.
And the first to face all of this were the newcomers who had just joined MOTH. Those without background or backing were often swallowed whole by those flames of desire.
Those who managed to retire alive from Dr. Mobius' laboratory were actually considered fortunate. At least they would receive a substantial compensation package to see them through the rest of their lives.
Of course, Mei could also have chosen to join Dr. Mobius' laboratory for protection. However, Dr. Mobius did not seem to have any intention of inviting her. Besides, Mei knew that if she joined Dr. Mobius' laboratory, the things she could accomplish would be limited—let alone protecting Kevin.
Most newcomers to MOTH would be divided up and consumed, sometimes leaving not even bones behind. And inevitably, the lurking beasts had set their sights on Kevin, who had performed brilliantly.
Kevin being targeted was not without reason. Aside from his extraordinary simulation combat results, one of the reasons was Mei's own value.
A researcher recommended by Dr. Mobius and accepted as a disciple by Dr. Newton.
Some people wanted to curry favor with her to gain access to her connections. Others sought to threaten her into obeying their commands.
Mei, of course, had no intention of becoming meat on a chopping block for them.
Looking at Dr. Newton, who had cleaned the laboratory until it looked completely refreshed and now wore an expression that practically said, "Praise me already," Mei smiled. "Well done, Dr. Newton."
"Mm-hmm~" Dr. Newton leaned on the broom and flashed a V sign. Then she seemed to think of something. "Come to think of it, when a broom sweeps the floor, the bristles actually scatter the dust and fling it into the air."
"In other words, this process causes even more dust to disperse throughout the room. So why do we need to clean at all?"
"Heh." Mei replied with a small smile. "That's what's called the 'broom paradox.' The process of cleaning isn't simply about removing dirt and dust. The real purpose is to convert dust into a more ordered state."
"Dust dispersing into the room is an increase in entropy, while sweeping it into a collector is controlling the rate at which entropy increases."
"Besides, if you don't want to use a broom, Mentor Newton, you could use a vacuum cleaner. But vacuum cleaners also face the same 'broom paradox.'"
"So that means I can't use that as an excuse not to clean anymore." Dr. Newton sighed regretfully. "Still, a broom is somewhat similar to the Honkai. Areas ravaged by the Honkai often become regions with extremely low entropy. Could it be that the Honkai is a broom designed by a god to clean the world?"
"That's possible—provided that gods truly exist."
"Gods, huh... I'd really like to see one with my own eyes..." Dr. Newton rested her chubby cheek against the broom handle and pouted.
"Mentor Newton, I would like to apply for the construction of a new prison."
—
"So hot~" Newton opened the refrigerator, intending to grab a popsicle. Hearing Mei's request, she agreed without thinking. "Oh, a prison? Sure, go ahead and submit the application..."
Newton's eyes suddenly widened. She asked in a trembling voice, "Wait... why are there apples in the fridge?!"
"Apples are rich in vitamin C, fiber, and antioxidants. They help maintain good health and reduce the risk of illness..."
Seeing Dr. Newton's body trembling slightly, Mei changed the subject. "My plan is to build a prison from which no prisoner could possibly escape. Do you have any ideas?"
"A prison that no prisoner can escape from... that's a bit difficult. I don't recall the Engineering Department having a designer capable of that." Closing the refrigerator door resentfully, Newton immediately thought of the teacher who had once smashed her with an apple—Vill-V, the designated designer of spiral labyrinths. If it were her, designing such a maze would be no problem at all.
Three years already. She had even become head of the Engineering Department. She really should hurry and have Teacher Vill-V come over to handle the handover, so she could finally clock out and return to her hometown to live the pastoral life she had always dreamed of. Yes, yes... preferably somewhere without apple trees.
Having made up her mind, Newton said, "I definitely can't design that kind of prison. I don't have the ability, you know. But I just so happen to have someone to recommend."
"Who?" Mei asked curiously, though she already had a faint guess.
"That's right—the compiler of those materials."
Following what Teacher Vill-V had taught her, Newton entered chanting mode. "The youngest master of Helixcraft, the inventor of Kevin's armaments, the Magician King of the Dusk Era, the one who gazes upon the stars—Vill-V!"
Yes, when reporting her teacher's name, the grandeur absolutely had to be maxed out.
Mei's eyes flickered. "Among those titles... wasn't there something rather unusual mixed in? The inventor of Kevin's armaments?"
...
Last night, Vill-V once again forgot to turn off the live television broadcast and fell asleep face-down on the bed. It had been like this for several days. Expert had been working almost around the clock, placing an enormous burden on Vill-V's body.
In the pitch-dark room, only the faint glow of the screen flickered.
"Oh my God! It's [Shining Shadow]! He's defeated [The Godfather] once again and saved an entire bus of passengers!"
This was not a television broadcast, but a personal livestream run by a certain hero fan. There were not many viewers in the stream.
"Thank you, [Shining Shadow], for helping El Paso once again."
Kosma: I feel like someone is watching me from the shadows. I can smell the scent of conspiracy.
Kosma had not used the title [Night Hero]. But then again, it was not flashy or resounding enough. Shining Shadow suited Night Hero far better.
"Shine and strike!!" Just shouting it out loud was enough to make enemies tremble.
The name Night Hero had not so much been chosen by himself as by the public. And the public did not possess that sort of chuunibyou flair or imposing presence, so the name they came up with was naturally more proper and restrained.
At present, it had been confirmed that Kosma was in El Paso, a small border town within the supposedly simple and honest Bracino City. That meant the Fourth Herrscher would most likely be born in North America. It was rather fitting—considering that in her previous, previous life, North America had been known for its many tornadoes.
As for a more specific location, there were no clues at all. Even if she followed her past memories and guessed that the Herrscher of Wind of this era might also be named "Wendy," there were simply too many people named Wendy in North America.
It was not like searching for "Hua" in Sapphire City. At least Vill-V had known that her father ran a martial arts dojo. Searching for a single person within Sapphire City had been difficult, but with the assistance of a quantum computer, it had still been achievable.
But searching for an uncertain individual across the entirety of North America? She might as well forget it.
Thus, Vill-V could only settle for the next best option and deploy anti-Honkai positions within Bracino City. The brilliance on a magic stage and that fleeting instant of miracle always required immense preparation behind the scenes.
Back when she had set up the "stage" against the Third Herrscher, it had been the same.
Simple facilities such as launch silos were arranged by other members of the Mad Hatter Party according to the design blueprints.
As for the complex and precise devices, those required Expert Vill-V to take the field personally. Only then… could it be called perfection.
...
Ahem. Yes, it was exhausting and tedious. But for the great Vill-V, in order to save as many innocent humans as possible—and to save the Flame-Chasers she cherished—this was a necessary price.
The Far East region that had been devastated by the Third Herrscher had already begun reconstruction three months ago. And before long, the Fourth Herrscher would descend.
This era was cruel and mad. The birth of a Herrscher was like a death knell for the age itself, manifesting the "truth" of the Honkai.
In the original storyline, the Kevin of the Previous Era had once said: humanity always won miserable victories—paying tremendous costs for meager gains—while the Honkai's assaults would only grow stronger, each more terrifying than the last.
Without despair toward life, one cannot love life.
In the original storyline, Vill-V had been forced by harsh circumstances into a state where she lacked not only love for life, but also goodwill toward humanity.
As for why Vill-V had ultimately chosen to help humanity in that storyline, part of it was because opposing a villainous organization was amusing. Another part was the kindness buried deep within her heart, which guided her down that path.
The Vill-V of this world had likewise experienced the malice of humanity. But precisely because she had also experienced the cosmic despair of the Three-Body universe, this Vill-V had changed.
Though the choice was the same, its nature was different. Love for life granted Vill-V a superhuman will.
Oh, Vill-V, my Superman!
...
Click!
[Magician]: Why is there no part for me in this script?
[Conductor]: Hmm. Lecturer, you've praised Id a bit too much. A moderate amount of flattery is enough. Our goal isn't to glorify "Vill-V."
[Id]: Mm-hmm. You don't actually need to write about me. After all, I'm not the one working from five in the morning until midnight… You already said it was "Expert Vill-V taking the field personally." You should write more about Expert instead.
[Expert]: As long as it doesn't interfere with my work, it's fine. Besides, my storyline wouldn't be particularly interesting anyway…
[Lecturer]: No problem. Now then… let us begin.