Selling Honkai Beasts to the cosmos in exchange for more Credits would give Herta more research funding, and her research would proceed even more smoothly!
Of course, in the future... when Welt Yang boards the Astral Express, and becomes a Nameless, he will discover that the Honkai is still chasing him—it has always been chasing him.
Every world he sets foot on may very well have people raising Honkai Beasts as pets...
Imagining that scene, Herman could not help but curl his lips into a pleased smile.
He then spoke. "Now that you've successfully controlled these Honkai Beasts, the next step should be to manufacture real Honkai Beasts in the real world, right?"
"Of course." The Herta replied as she spoke, waving the Herta Magic Wand in her hand like a conductor. The enormous Honkai Beasts within the Simulated Laboratory began to dance gracefully, performing a bizarre routine.
In the end, they even let out strange gugu gaga cries. In the language of Honkai Beasts, it meant:
"Madam Herta is unparalleled in the world, Madam Herta eclipses all beauty, Madam Herta possesses supreme intellect!"
Listening to the chorus of praise, The Herta revealed a satisfied expression. She then turned to Herman and said, "I'll select a suitable planet, accumulate Honkai energy concentration there, and continuously convert and manufacture Honkai Beasts."
"I'm certain that as long as there is sufficient Imaginary energy, combined with certain common cosmic elements, Honkai energy can be manufactured in the real universe. As long as the concentration is raised, Honkai Beasts can be produced endlessly."
"If I wished, I could even be like Celenova of the Antimatter Legion and unleash a Honkai cosmic catastrophe across the universe!"
"Of course, I'm a genius—not a madwoman. I would never do such a thing."
"Unless you became Rubert III," Herman teased. "If you became Rubert III, then in the next Emperor's War, there would be an additional Honkai disaster."
"Just like Emperor Rubert once scattered the Anti-Organic Equation across the cosmos, if you became Rubert III, you would spread the technology for manufacturing Honkai energy and raising its concentration throughout the universe. By then, traces of Honkai would appear in countless worlds."
The Herta looked speechless. "Can't you wish something better for me? If I became Rubert III, the entire cosmos would certainly launch a campaign against me. I'd end up dead—and if I die... you, who are bound to me, would be finished as well."
Herman sighed. "Yes, we truly are a pair of ill-fated lovers."
"You cheat—pet—what nonsense are you talking about!" The Herta rolled her eyes, then turned her gaze back toward the multitude of Honkai Beasts in the Simulated Laboratory and thought to herself:
'The experimental site I select in reality must be absolutely secure. If Honkai energy leaks into the outside world, it would cause enormous harm to ordinary people.'
'After all, ordinary people aren't like Pathstriders—they don't come with innate resistance.'
'And beyond that, during the experiment just now, I sensed something special in the genes of Honkai Beasts. After proper tuning, they can fuse with the human genome!'
"That's right." Herman nodded in agreement. "Honkai Beast genes can indeed fuse with human genes. If the fusion succeeds, humans can gain some of the Honkai Beast's abilities. For example, fusing with Garuda's genes would grant powerful immortality traits."
"So, Herta, are you planning to refine this technology?"
"However, the Simulated Laboratory doesn't have any humans for you to conduct biological experiments on."
Herta stared directly at Herman. "All this time, you've claimed you're a human male. And yet now you're saying there are no humans in the Simulated Laboratory."
"Are you suggesting you want me to become the test subject?"
"Why not? Lie down... become my experimental subject. Don't worry—my Honkai gene fusion meta-morph surgery will absolutely not fail!"
Her voice brimmed with confidence. "After all, I'm Herta."
Herman replied helplessly, "Even within the Simulated Laboratory, I still don't have a physical body. So for the Honkai meta-morph surgery, you'll have to find another test subject. You could request some death-row inmates from the Blue Federation as experimental personnel. As long as you ask, they'll surely agree."
"There's no need for that. Too troublesome." The Herta frowned slightly and once more turned her gaze toward the many Honkai Beasts, activating her genius brain—supported by two thousand research points—into high-speed cognition.
In just a dozen seconds, inspiration struck.
Got it!
There may be no humans in the Simulated Laboratory, but there is the Herta Magic Wand. The wand itself could completely integrate Honkai Beast genes.
Herman was startled. "But the wand isn't a living organism. Can it really integrate Honkai Beast genes?"
Herta smiled. "Originally it couldn't. But have you forgotten... the scene at the Genius Society's black hole stronghold, when Ruan Mei awakened the Ruan Mei Magic Wand—activating and biologizing it?"
Understanding dawned on Herman. "I see. As long as the Herta Magic Wand is activated, it can indeed fuse with a Honkai Beast genome and undergo trait enhancement."
"So now we need a life-creation device. The Simulated Laboratory can't produce one... it's probably Ruan Mei's invention." The Herta paused before continuing, "It's necessary to contact Ruan Mei."
"And I'm certain she's extremely interested in the Honkai Beasts on my side as well."
Herman nodded. "Indeed. In this cosmos—or rather, within the known universe—Honkai Beasts have never been active before. Ruan Mei will certainly be extremely curious about their existence and will lend you the life-creation device."
The Herta waved her hand. "Then go contact her immediately. I'll continue researching Honkai energy and Honkai Beasts here to see whether I can develop more traits."
Herman nodded, then added as a reminder, "You continue your research. I'll take action right away."
He closed his eyes and reopened them, his soul returning to Herta's body in the real world.
The first thing he did was contact the Interastral Peace Corporation and order several crystal elements capable of synthesizing Honkai energy.
The price of this element was not high.
One unit cost 648 Credits.
For Herta, whose assets totaled 1.2 trillion Credits, such a price was negligible.
Herman began placing large-scale orders.
Soon, he discovered that Jade had sent him a private message:
"Miss Herta, regarding your purchase of crystal elements, I will instruct the company's staff to dispatch them to you immediately. May I ask—does this special element signify a new research breakthrough?"
"Yes. Ensure delivery is fast!" Herman replied swiftly and waited.
Less than half a day later, an IPC cargo vessel once again arrived at The Blue and completed express delivery.
The moment Herman obtained the materials, he contacted Herta and had her begin synthesizing Honkai energy in the real world.
The moment Herta returned to reality, she waved the Herta Magic Wand, drawing energy from the Path of Erudition. Then, through a special method, she caused the energy of the Path of Erudition to regress into Imaginary internal energy.
She took out the blue transparent crystals and, using a unique rhythm and waveform, fused the two together.
Thus, within the known universe of Honkai Star Rail, the very first wisp of Honkai energy was born!
It was violet, tinged with mystery and extraordinariness, manifesting in a smoke-like form.
The Herta continued synthesizing—again and again and again... stacking the Honkai energy concentration until the first Honkai Beast was born. Only then did she end the experiment in the real world.
She then fired a Herta Magic Cannon, killing the Honkai Beast that had been born in reality, and split the Honkai energy back into crystal and Imaginary internal energy.
After completing all this, The Herta thought to herself:
Honkai Energy and Honkai Beasts have now been born in the real universe!
And every step has been recorded!
Even if that mechanical head is constantly watching me... it won't think I obtained this technology from some unknowable domain and localized it.
Instead, it will conclude that I, The Herta, had a sudden Eureka in the real world—manufactured and synthesized Honkai energy, and created Honkai Beasts from scratch.
After reaching this conclusion, The Herta closed her eyes and said to Herman:
"My part is done. I'll leave contacting Ruan Mei to you."
"I'll continue my research in the Simulated Laboratory—on Honkai, on the dark-plane technology inherent to Angel Wings, and on galactic shipgirl technology."
"Especially the galactic shipgirl technology. If I truly master it, I feel the Herta Xianzhou I manufacture might even gain transformation capabilities—becoming a Super Herta Shipgirl!"
After speaking, her soul returned once more to the Simulated Laboratory.
Hearing her words, Herman blinked, shock filling his heart.
Angel Wings, dark-plane technology... yet another thing that does not exist in the Honkai Star Rail universe!
And galactic shipgirl technology... what does that even mean?!
A shipgirl striding across the galaxy, riding the waves of the cosmos, cleaving through stellar tides?!
For a moment, Herman's thoughts ran wild. In the end, he shook his head, throwing off the distractions, and began following Herta's instructions—opening a private chat with Ruan Mei.
Ruan Mei: "Miss Herta, you've taken the initiative to contact me this time. Do you have more questions regarding the technical difficulties of manufacturing Herta Puppets? Coincidentally, I also have additional questions about the Soul Gem for you."
Herman: "Not this time."
Ruan Mei: "?"
Herman: "In fact, I've already manufactured a Herta Puppet on my end. I'll send you a video."
Herman quickly sent footage of little Herta stepping onto the podium and receiving the Blue Federation's First Academician Medal.
Ruan Mei: "Such an adorable little Herta. Her expressions are so lively. If nothing unexpected occurred, she has already become an Intellitron, hasn't she?"
After sending that message, Ruan Mei silently added in her heart:
Most likely, Herta injected a newly split personality into that puppet body.
Herta stacking upon Herta—the infinite Tower of Wisdom. Is the Herta Array about to become reality?!
Just as she finished that thought, Herman replied: "Yes, she's extremely adorable—the cutest in the world!"
"Ahem. Anyway, the reason for contacting you this time is that I've discovered that Imaginary energy, when combined with crystals through a special method—or rather, frequency—can give birth to an extremely unique form of energy!"
"I've named it Honkai Energy. But that's not the key point. The key point is that once Honkai energy accumulates to a certain concentration, new life naturally emerges!"
Ruan Mei: "An energy lifeform? A heliobus?"
"No. Unlike a heliobus, which manifests as a mass of blue-green 'flame,' the life born from sufficient Honkai energy concentration possesses a material body."
After sending that message, Herman attached another video—the recent surveillance footage from Herta's residence.
The reclusive 81st Seat genius, Ruan Mei, set down the tea pastry in her hand. Her expression turned serious.
A lifeform she had never seen before—absent even from the biological records of the Intelligentsia Guild!
Herta... this time, you've given me quite the surprise!
First the Soul Gem related to the soul, and now Honkai energy—and unknown species derived from it!
After her brief exclamation, Ruan Mei quickly replied: "I've never seen such a species before. I want to study their characteristics. I'll depart for The Blue immediately."
"You're warmly welcome," Herman replied at once. "But don't forget to bring your necklace."
Ruan Mei: "The life-creation device?"
"Exactly. I'm planning to activate the Herta Magic Wand—turn the wand itself into a living entity with genes—then fuse it with Honkai Beast genes."
"You've named those unknown creatures born from Honkai energy 'Honkai Beasts'?" Ruan Mei asked. "But why fuse their genes with the wand?"
"Because after research, I've confirmed that Honkai Beast genes are special. They can fuse with biological genes, granting the host Honkai Beast abilities."
Ruan Mei: "The Honkai Beasts in the video appeared quite ordinary in strength. They don't seem worthy of the Herta Magic Wand... Could it be that Honkai Beasts can evolve?!"
"Through research, I've confirmed that as well. The higher the Honkai energy concentration, the stronger the Honkai Beast that is born."
"I'm increasingly intrigued. I'll be there immediately!!"
After sending that message, Ruan Mei went offline at once.
She swiftly changed into a new outfit—Plumblossom Letter.
It was a white-and-green traditional-style qipao, with a unique white flower pinned in her hair. Paired with her exquisite legs and her cool, aloof temperament—it was perfect.
Then, stepping into high heels, she boarded a cloud-shaped spacecraft and instructed it, "Destination: The Blue. Enter the star rail, Ruanruan."
"Ruanruan," came an extremely soft and adorable voice in response.
In the next instant, the cloud-shaped spacecraft accelerated toward the star rail.
In truth, the cloudship was not made of steel—it was an actual cloud.
However, after being awakened and biologically upgraded by Ruan Mei, it had transformed into a deceptively cute exterior housing a war-capable super bio-battleship—Ruanruan.
Ruanruan charged onto the star rail... and the moment it stepped onto it, drawing upon the divine Path power of the fallen Trailblaze—Akivili, it crossed countless galaxies and arrived within an extremely short time at the star system of The Blue.
It could be said that when Ruan Mei closed her eyes and opened them again, a blue planet was already within arm's reach.
Honkai Energy, Honkai Beasts—I, Ruan Mei, have arrived...