Collapse, Kaslana's Way of Survival

"Eh? Me?" Klein, standing nearby with a black circle on his head, ready to hand Mobius tools, was taken aback, his eyes dark. "But I don't have any idea either... Even though I'm the doctor's assistant, it's hard for me to offer any constructive suggestions in an area beyond my knowledge."

Otherwise, I wouldn't just stand there and hand out tools.

Mebius shook his head and said, "You don't have to feel inferior about this, Klein. Even if Mei were here, she probably wouldn't be able to offer any advice."

"But Kaino, I'm not asking you this question with the expectation of professional advice. What I mean is, as the owner of this body, do you feel that there are any differences between you and other Herrschers?"

Well, based on appearance alone, are you more popular with others?

While using the power of law to strike the air and make sounds, Kaino lowered his gaze to look at his abdomen.

And even if he was cut open, his vital signs would not be affected, and he would be able to communicate with you safely, doctor?

"Let's put the latter one aside, the former one... Tsk, maybe I should really consider rejecting Alicia's visit." Mobius deadpanned, "If you keep going like this, you'll be led astray by her sooner or later."

Doctor, you mean the occasional teasing about your weight... Ahem, let's get down to business. Doctor, what conclusion did you draw after dissecting me for so long? Also, can you sew my wounds up now?

Seeing that Mebius's face was turning darker, Kaino hurriedly changed the subject and expressed his demands reasonably.

Although he didn't feel anything wrong with having a big hole in his stomach, it did feel weird.

Mebius snorted.

"If you want to see the detailed analytical data, you'll have to wait a few hours. As for the direct conclusion—didn't I just say this? Physiologically speaking, your body is no different from any other Herrscher."

"In other words, if your uniqueness is caused by something, it has nothing to do with physiology. This is the conclusion of me, Mobius, the world's greatest biologist."

Kaino frowned.

It has nothing to do with physiology... What do you mean, Doctor?

"Kaino, the Fire Moth has investigated the past of all the Herrschers who have appeared so far and found that most of them do not have antisocial personalities, and many of them can even be said to have happy lives."

"At first, we believed that even for Herrschers, manipulating large amounts of Honkai energy would inevitably cause irreversible erosion of their own minds. In the end, just like those who were terminally ill from Honkai, they would become violent... and lose their humanity."

At this point, Mebius' voice stewed slightly, but soon returned to normal.

"Of course, with a rational Herrscher like you, this theory naturally doesn't hold water. Later, many people emerged who bathed in the ocean of Houkai energy and remained unaffected, so this theory was naturally completely dispelled."

"So, Velvet proposed a new theory. At the birth of the Herrscher, a supreme being, or some powerful force, copied or simply recreated the Herrscher's original personality, ultimately giving birth to a life filled with malice towards the world—oh, or perhaps it was simply some kind of intelligence, not even life itself?"

"Given Velvet's talent and her unique situation, that narrative has become mainstream."

"So, if Velvet's speculation is correct, then this explanation can at least explain your current situation. The reason you maintain your rationality occurs at the level of consciousness, which is why your body is no different from that of an ordinary Herrscher."

……so?

Mebius did not respond directly. She first glanced at the life detection device placed beside her, and then the corners of her mouth curled up slightly.

"You know, Kaino, all the Herrschers up to this point, including you, have bodies that are no different from ordinary people in terms of vitality, aside from their unparalleled adaptability to Houkai energy. If they're cut by a knife, they bleed; if they're killed, they die."

Mobius said this, pointing to the line on the heart rate monitor that was becoming infinitely closer to a straight line.

"I have just secretly shut down your life support system, and you are now very close to death... but you seem to be not feeling any discomfort, and the use of your power is not affected at all?"

Klein, standing beside him, shrank back with eyes wide open. Si Liuqi hesitated and shrank his neck. Kainuo stared at the ceiling with empty eyes.

Wasn't it agreed from the beginning that this surgery was just a further physical examination?!

He suddenly felt that he had trusted the wrong person.

Doctor, now I understand why the people of Fire Moth are always so secretive about the laboratory.

"It's too late to understand this now. You can't escape."

Mebius didn't care about their reactions, he was so happy that he almost laughed out loud!

"Anyway, now we can confirm it, Keno, your consciousness... no, compared to consciousness, perhaps it would be more appropriate to call it soul?"

"I'm not sure what exactly happened during the great cataclysm that birthed you, but from what I can see now, your soul is already vastly different from the consciousness of ordinary people. It's even more closely connected to your body and core than your flesh, and physical injuries can no longer affect it in the slightest. Thanks to this, you possess your own sanity. Unsurprisingly, your ability to learn the powers of other Herrschers is also related to this."

"It's like a conscious Herrscher—no, even if conscious Herrschers really exist, they might not reach this level!"

After all, if the birth of the Herrscher was really influenced by some existence, how could that existence create a Herrscher that it could not influence?

Mebius became more and more excited as he spoke, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

"Unfortunately, as of now, you seem unable to actively control your soul, at least you can't change the body you're in. Otherwise, even if you transcend death and reach infinity... then, what difficulty would that be?"

"Let me think about it. What if there is a carrier that can carry your soul for you to reside in? For example, the Herrscher Core!"

PhD?

"No, an entity like the Herrscher Core still has the potential to be stolen or destroyed by others. It would be best if it were something more abstract. A specific genetic code? Or something even more abstract? I don't have a specific idea yet, but overall it should be feasible!"

Dr. Mobius?

"Then how about calling the result the Stigmata? Stigmata? Infinite, enough to transcend death and ascend to godhood!"

Aunt Mebius?

"--Kaino, do you want to die?!"

The pleasant expression on Mebius's face suddenly disappeared completely, and his emerald green snake eyes seemed to want to completely devour the Herrscher in front of him.

She just turned thirty a few months ago, why should she be called auntie! ?

Kaino glanced at the scalpel in Mebius's hand, and carefully recreated a circle of imaginary barriers around him. Only after he felt a little more confident did he continue to talk to the other party.

I just think that you need to calm down, Doctor. Being too enthusiastic is not a good thing for a researcher.

He had a chat with Sakura, who was recruited into the Fire Moth, and she admitted that she had cleared out many researchers who had gone astray due to excessive enthusiasm.

Mobius said disdainfully, "Oh, there's no need. No one in the Fire Moth Chaser is qualified to attack me, and being agitated isn't a bad thing for a researcher."

"But you're right, I was overly excited. I still don't know how your special consciousness will emerge. Even if the subsequent research goes smoothly, you will be the only one who can reach infinity."

"Okay, let's not talk about that for now. Kaino, bring me some new surgical forceps. I'm going to start stitching up your wound. After all, no matter how bright the future may be, you still have to stay in this body honestly, right?"

Klein, who was about to hand over a tool so he could play a role, said: "..."

Remembrance of Legal Principles Part 7? [Remembrance of Snakes]

"So, Doctor, where are you stuck? Is there anything I can do to help you?"

"Stuck? You must be kidding. Kaino, it's normal for researchers to encounter obstacles during their research. Our research on the stigmata has only been underway for less than a year, and not only are we just a few steps away from success, we've also gained a number of ancillary results... How can you say the progress is stuck?"

Looking at Mebius who said this without blushing or beating his heart, the corners of Kaino's mouth twitched, and he looked dimly at the IV drip hanging above Mebius's head.

"If your body was as stubborn as your mouth, Doctor, I wouldn't have to stay here with you on the IV," Kainuo sighed. "You didn't even eat the food we prepared for you, instead just burying yourself in research all day... It's a good thing Klein slept in the lab, otherwise he probably wouldn't have noticed you fainting."

Mebius's face froze.

"...By the way, where's Klein? I can't even see her."

"I have to say, Doctor, your ability to change the subject is comparable to Danzhu and Cangxuan's work ethic. By the way, I want to explain that they were planning to clean up the scattered research materials you left on your desk. Klein was worried, so she went back to check on them."

"Hmm? Hmm?! Oh... that's alright." Mobius's brows twitched, his mood swirling like a roller coaster. "Even though those two aren't very reliable, everything should be fine with Klein around... Phew, let's give Klein a break later. Um, let Danzhu and Cangxuan work overtime while we're at it."

Kayno's expression suddenly became serious, and he stared at Mebius without blinking.

"...Don't worry, you have vacation time too."

"Well, actually I was planning to stick to my post, but since you insist on being so nice to your employees, I have no choice." Kainuo raised the corners of his mouth, and then he remembered to ask about the business.

"By the way, Doctor, have you come up with anything these past two days? I don't understand a lot of the data you left behind."

"Of course—I'm Mobius. It would be shameful to have no research progress even with a living specimen. And if I'm not about to make progress, why do you think I suddenly started working so tirelessly?"

"Although consciousness is ultimately unobservable, and there are currently no perfect tools for genetic modification, as long as these two factors are met, Infinity can manifest at any time—what's that expression on your face, Sample Keno?"

Noticing the fleeting hesitation on Keno's face, Mebius couldn't help but frown.

"I don't even know when I got a nickname... But Doctor, is infinity really necessary?" Kayno said in confusion. "Although I understand your pursuit of infinity, I can't empathize with you."

"And according to your speculation, Doctor, my consciousness, or soul, is the product of the intertwining and condensing of millions of souls lost in Berlin during the First Collapse, a flower born from the sea of ​​death. So, since my consciousness was born from the sacrifice of others, isn't it a bit…"

Seeing the increasingly dangerous look in Mebius's eyes, Kainuo silently swallowed the remaining words he wanted to say.

He still knew what was important and what was not. Compared to the Stigma Plan, which he didn't know when it would be actually implemented, the vacation he had just received and his salary, which was not generous to begin with, were more important.

"Whatever you choose is up to you, but I'm the one who'll execute this plan. Kayno, I never consider the feelings or choices of my subjects when I'm conducting experiments," Mobius said coldly. "Abandoning Infinity and choosing a new life? Ha, that's nonsense."

"..."

Kaino stood up suddenly. Mebius frowned and looked up at Kaino.

"What do you want to do?"

"Doctor, you should change the IV."

……

……

……

Mebius, who was lying on the table, opened his sleepy eyes and looked around the surroundings in confusion. His hazy consciousness gradually became clear.

"Dreaming again...?"

The childlike girl whispered softly, but there was no response from the lonely laboratory.

Mebius was not surprised by this and had become accustomed to it.

Kayno was judged by the Fire Moth for hesitating to kill the Sixth Herrscher; Klein, who lost his life for unknown reasons after being controlled by the Herrscher; and Danzhu and Cangxuan, who were late again because they slept in...

At this moment, none of them were here. Having become a fusion warrior, she would no longer pass out from exhaustion, and at the same time, there would no longer be anyone to move to the hospital room and stay by her side after she passed out.

"But, it's only now."

Mebius took a deep breath and looked at the work he had placed on the table, which he had finally completed before going to bed.

Klein, an armed puppet based on Mu Continent's technology, and the stigmata gene sequence she finally completed after all the prerequisites were met.

Mebius's gaze paused for a moment on Klein, who was waiting to be activated, and then he looked at the reagent containing the new sequence.

"Only one step left... As long as it can be passed down among a suitable tribe, infinity... no, the rebirth will be completely complete. Well, the child with Kevin that Dr. Mei is planning should be a good choice."

"Hoo, wait, Keno. I will make you ascend to godhood."