I am a female swordsman.

Huang Quan remained unfazed by the provocation.

The first time this personality took over the body, the internal energy circulation and sword skills of the [Wandering Samurai] profession were instantly improved to perfection! With the Three Flowers Gathering at the Top and the Five Qi Converging at the Origin, relying on the experience of reaching the pinnacle of swordsmanship in her previous life and her perfect physique, Sakura Yomi's combat prowess had reached a terrifying level!

At this rate, it probably won't be long before the other party can regain the peak of their previous life, or at least awaken!

Thinking about it this way, Huang Quan suddenly felt a bit frustrated.

How come, even though they're both female ghost swordsmen, I've struggled and fought so hard for so long, barely managing to reach the edge of awakening for both classes. Meanwhile, this guy seems to be cheating, casually manipulating skills and talents like it's nothing. If Huang Quan hadn't had some suspicions about Sakura Huang Quan's background, she would have doubted herself.

Chapter 90 IF Line

If we compare time to a line, then a person's different choices at different times will cause this line to branch out in different ways.

Even identical entities, making different choices, will present drastically different outcomes over time. In strategy games, there's a specific term for this: "what if" scenarios—completely different fates resulting from a single choice!

If the route is IF, then Sakura Yomi.

A timeline where ambitions soar to the heavens, yet fate is as fragile as paper.

In that storyline, the system separated from its host for some reason, leaving her with only a broken seed of power. After losing many things, including her most precious memories, she did not succumb to despair. Instead, the suppressed luck rebounded and propelled her to the pinnacle of the Arad world.

Is Huang Quan strong in the IF line?

A true powerhouse who carves out a path with sword and bare hands in a truly precarious environment possesses a fighting instinct, willpower, and the insight to adapt to adversity that no normally developed person can match. Of course, it can't be said that the mainline Yomi is weaker than Sakura Yomi; rather, they share commonalities and unique characteristics. After all, the closer they get to awakening, the smaller the difference in their strength becomes!

If it really comes down to a life-or-death struggle, there's a high probability that if one side kills the other, the other side will also be dragged down with them by the killer move!

Well, if we take Huang Quan's current timeline as the positive timeline, then Sakura Huang Quan is equivalent to an "if" timeline.

While this analogy isn't entirely accurate, it's quite apt.

After figuring out the origin of her new personality with the system, Huang Quan felt for a long time that she was truly on the verge of death. This Sakura Huang Quan faced no obstacles to rebirth like other self-disintegrating individuals, since both originated from the same source, reborn through Huang Quan's body…

To put it bluntly, it's like different versions of yourself from different timelines borrowing a body, the kind of borrowing that never gets returned.

So how can I successfully kill Sakura Yomi?

Both originate from the same source, so whoever ultimately controls the body will inevitably absorb the other. This absorption is essentially complete acceptance without any rejection; it all depends on who can take the lead. Huang Quan pondered that he didn't seem to have no other choice, and was just waiting for an opportunity.

………………

Driving the trailer, he and the Sakura Yomi in his mind would occasionally probe each other, trying to glean some useful information.

Amidst this eerie silence, Huang Quan dragged the metallic, fleshy remains back to his residence without incident.

Jumping off the trailer and glancing at the utterly mangled wreckage of the Colossus, Huang Quan's mind was already racing, contemplating what new modifications to this heavily modified Colossus. After all, disregarding mass production and yield rates, Huang Quan was quite willing to splurge on this purely as a personal hobby.

Anyway, Shinra has plenty of resources!

As the Chairman of the Shinra Council, if you use some of your own resources to pursue your hobbies, even if your subordinates know, they probably won't have much to say.

"Oh, you're awake."

Not long after Huang Quan was unloading the remains of the Colossus, he saw Sithne and Zack, who had been drawn out by the commotion. After being treated by the quack doctor Huang Quan, these two patients, regardless of whether there would be any aftereffects, at least now looked no different from normal people, except for being a little pale and unsteady on their feet.

Cisner instinctively straightened his back.

She felt an overwhelming pressure emanating from the figure standing on the trailer! This infectious power of being in a high position and having an unwavering will is a unique aura possessed only by the Shinra leadership!

"Mado!... Um, this..." Just as Zack was about to greet him, he looked up and saw the remains of the Titan, and a chill ran down his spine.

I almost got hammered to death by this thing last night, so I'm a little traumatized.

Compared to Zack, a simple-minded but physically strong guy, Cisner saw many subtle things in Mado Yomi. There weren't many all-rounders in the company; someone like Mado Yomi, who could single-handedly create such a terrifying machine in Z-City, must be an all-rounder in every aspect of the company. Materials, design, performance, experimentation—she handled it all herself. What terrifying ability that was!

It seems illogical that such a versatile talent would be left unused in a ghost town.

"Thank you so much for saving my life."

With a thousand thoughts swirling in his mind, Sisne bowed respectfully to the Yellow Springs.

Such severe injuries healed overnight; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it miraculous medical skill. Sisne began to suspect that Mado Yomi might be a high-ranking member of Shinra, operating under a covert identity.

"I just conducted an experiment on a whim, and you're quite lucky to have survived." Huang Quan accepted Cisner's greeting with great generosity. Regardless of her motives, the fact remained that she had saved his life, and Huang Quan also laid it out, saying that she did have ulterior motives.

The medical fluid, cultivated with the flesh and blood of the demon Garoa, still retains its primal ferocity.

If Cisner hadn't made it through last night, she might not have woken up today as herself, but as some other mutated, demonized monster.

"Now that you're awake, come on! Help me with some chores to get some exercise; it'll help you recover!"

When it came to ordering around the wounded and sick, Mado Yomi showed no mercy whatsoever. Beneath her smiling, gentle expression, something unfathomable was brewing. Her will was as natural as if it were the only way, and by the time Zack and Cisner reacted, she was already helping Yomi drag the wreckage of the Titans inside.

The whole process seemed perfectly natural, and even Zack, a simple-minded guy, felt that things were a little strange.

Superpowers? Hypnotic guidance?

After realizing what was happening, Cisner immediately checked her mental state, but the feedback told her that she was in good spirits. Not only good, but in a positive and encouraging state.

Of course, we should be in an encouraging state...

You must understand that the person standing in front of them is the ultimate will of Shinra! In this world of extreme chaos on the mystical side, where even the planetary wills have gone mad, it is quite normal for a highly cohesive group to conjure up some strange things because of their beliefs. The [Shinra Chairman] has become a living, breathing human-shaped buff.

With the [Shinra Chairman] present, all members who agree with Shinra's will experience a full power boost.

The larger the scene and the more supporters there are, the better the effect.

Because of the hidden identity, the effect of this buff is greatly weakened, but it can still provide a certain boost to the two employees.

Chapter Ninety-One: The Man Who Yearns for Death

There is a difference between small workshops and large industrial clusters.

Manufacturers in small workshops have few products to work with, allowing them to dedicate time and effort to meticulous craftsmanship and the pursuit of perfection. Large industrial clusters, however, do not, and could not, offer such opportunities. Therefore, Cisner, understanding this principle, was not particularly surprised by Mado Yomi's privately modified Colossus.

She just thought this thing was nice.

Provided it's safe, could you get me and Zack a plane? It would be safer to fly it around Z City.

"...I'm afraid that won't work."

Busy sorting the pieces of wreckage back into place, Huang Quan, pushing up his black-rimmed glasses, admitted that it wasn't possible. "All the Colossus mechs in Z City are under the control of AIs. I don't have the right to operate them, but only the right to request armed support when my life is threatened."

AI controls the Colossus, not the Underworld.

Even though the AI ​​granted Mado Yomi many permissions, the major permissions that could check and balance Yomi at any time were always kept in the hands of the AI, the most important of which was the power of force.

After hearing Huang Quan's explanation, Sisne's beautiful brows furrowed deeply. The situation in Z City was more complicated and troublesome than she had imagined.

How much damage could a swarm of completely out-of-control AIs cause?

Shinra Corporation has not reported any AI rebellions so far, and Sisne cannot judge what a group of AIs without a master could possibly accomplish. At least for now, within the larger framework, the AIs are behaving obediently; otherwise, Z-City would have been in chaos long ago.

"Mado! It's all assembled!"

On the other side, Zack held the broken head of the Titan, looking at the silver-white machine at his feet, whose original shape was already somewhat visible. While he sighed, a surge of fighting spirit rose within him!

The Titans are strong, Saitama is strong, and even the seemingly frail Mado is strong. The appearance of these powerful individuals undoubtedly broadened Zack's horizons considerably, showing him that many strong individuals still exist in this world, and that he shouldn't limit his focus to Shinra. Spurred by this, Zack became even more eager to become stronger. He planned to complete the First-Class Warrior exam as soon as possible and, with the company's help, grow to Angeal's level!

"The basic parts are almost done. I'll find some time to repair them and send them back." While taking notes in her notebook, Yomi Mado occasionally flipped through the wreckage of the machine on the ground.

Even a machine that has been destroyed by a single punch can still be pieced back together if its inherent hardness and strength are within acceptable limits.

This also greatly reduces the difficulty of repairing Huang Quan.

"You must know what I told Zack before, Cisner."

"please say."

When it came to serious matters, Cisner, Zack's mastermind, immediately became solemn. Cisner already knew that Yomi Mado had told Zack she needed help with something, and after she woke up, she made sure to find out everything to prevent Zack, that idiot, from being taken advantage of.

"Don't be nervous, it's not something you need to risk your lives for." Mado Yomi's gentle smile was inexplicably cunning.

Zack and Cisner both shuddered at the same time!

To his employees, Huang Quan could truly say: "Don't you still have your lives?"

Well, of course, if Huang Quan is forced to say that to his employees, then it must be a desperate situation where he's willing to fight to the death.

………………

That wasn't in their residence, but rather in a Shinra-era abandoned laboratory some distance away. The airtight door to the underground laboratory was marked with a special symbol, a symbol familiar to Shinra employees, belonging to the Biological Department among the seven fundamental departments.

Hexagon, a symbol of the mixing of plant and biological cells.

Upon seeing this symbol, Cisner's expression visibly darkened. If there were any department in Shinra with the worst reputation, the Biology Department would undoubtedly be the undisputed champion!

"Identity verification... Beep! Welcome back, researcher Yomi Mado."

At the gate, Huang Quan underwent facial recognition. Huang Quan's identity was quite useful in the ghost town; as long as she didn't break the rules, the AIs wouldn't restrict her. After all, the purpose of AI was to serve humanity, and that fundamental principle wouldn't change.

"Identity verification... Beep! Shinra Warrior Zack. Beep! Investigator Cisner... Welcome."

The red scanning light swept over Cisner and Zack, and the AI ​​connected to headquarters' network easily verified their identities. Cisner seemed to realize something and became wary after hearing the AI's words.

This underground laboratory is clearly frequented by people.

Besides the automatic dust-removing robot, there were signs of cleaning in some nooks and crannies. It's much better than those underground laboratories that accumulate a layer of dust after just one week.

Without a doubt, the person who frequents this place is Mado Yomi.

The underground laboratory was enormous, not in a wide, horizontal way, but in a very large, vertical way. The three of them rode the elevator downwards, and as they ascended, a deep sense of fear appeared on Cisner's face. She saw strange, grotesque creatures struggling and moving within transparent glass cases, which seemed to be moving like elevator platforms!

This is a monster containment facility!

Without giving Cisner much time to think, the elevator finally descended to an underground floor and stopped. Mado Yomi skillfully ran her fingernail along the circuitry on the closed door, line after line of code appearing. This method once again shattered Cisner's worldview; this should require wearing circuit gloves to do!

Once everything is complete.

The door slowly opened...

Zack, who had been quite relaxed, felt a chill run down his spine as the door slowly opened! It was as if behind the door, some tragic curse, infinitely close to death, was quietly manifesting, silently watching everything with its near-death eyes!

"My goddess of death...you have come to favor me again..."

That voice!!

Zack was instantly dumbfounded; he actually heard Cloud's voice. Although there was a difference in timbre, he could still tell it was the same person's voice!

"Sakurai, I'm here again."

A man with black hair and red eyes, his face ashen, like a zombie, seemed inhuman. He knelt devoutly before Mado Yomi, gazing up at the goddess who represented death. He was so filthy and lowly, yearning for salvation from her, day after day, year after year!