Honkai Dimension, Installation 00.
Across the vast artificial continental plain, waist-high grass surged like ocean tides.
Bzzzz—!
Dozens of industrial ships and forge vessels from the Imperial Forge hovered in the sky. As their massive bulk pressed into the Ark's atmosphere, the surrounding grasslands and forest seas were flattened like wheat beneath an invisible weight.
On the open plains, following the renovation blueprint for the Ark's palace complex personally designed by Mendicant Bias for its master—Selene—large swathes of leveled construction land had already been cleared.
As one of the pinnacle creations of Forerunner civilization, after receiving Selene's permission, Mendicant Bias had connected to the Empire's network and absorbed a vast amount of architectural knowledge aligned with the aesthetic standards of the Holy Selene Empire and admired by its people.
It could be said that within just a few breaths, Mendicant Bias had transformed from a complete novice in Imperial architectural style into a master of Gothic, Baroque, Rococo, Ancient Roman, and even classical Chinese design.
Redesigning the buildings on the Halo Array and Installation 00 was more than within its capabilities.
A colossal star gate capable of accommodating medium and small vessels had already begun construction. Nearby, smaller portals had been completed, and one engineering vehicle after another drove out from within.
From time to time, vehicles streaked overhead, circling the area once to confirm positioning before descending. When they reached a height of ten meters above the ground, the hatches opened and industrial robots equipped with full engineering apparatus leapt down.
Following pre-set programs or direct commands from nearby Imperial Forge engineering troops, they began their assigned construction tasks.
Within this project zone alone, over a thousand Forge engineers clad in engineering power suits were currently directing operations with tense focus.
The ground rumbled with the roar of massive construction vehicles. Heavy machinery efficiently unloaded large quantities of prefabricated structural modules from transport craft parked nearby.
Under the control of Installation 00's Monitor 000—Tragic Solitude—countless dormant Forerunner Retriever Sentinels were activated, joining the Imperial Forge in the Ark and Halo Array renovation efforts.
Retriever Sentinels were enormous unmanned aerial constructs, comparable in scale to warships. In Forerunner design, they were used to construct the Halo Array and maintain the Ark itself.
They could generate artificial gravity. Hauling materials was trivial. They could even strip matter from a planetary surface. Once positioned above a viable excavation site, they would emit blue gravitational tractor beams toward the surface and draw the captured material into their internal holds.
Kiana and the others moved through the rolling tide of emerald scenery and artificial metal. A breeze lifted the corners of their clothing.
The very existence of Installation 00 filled them with heartfelt astonishment.
"Wow~ so this is His Majesty's war trophy?" Li Sushang struck an exaggerated pose. "Seriously, war really is one of the best ways to get rich. I can't even wai—ow!"
"Ouch!" Clutching the back of her head, Li Sushang made a pained expression and stuck out her tongue. "Master Hua, why'd you hit me?"
"Talk less." Fu Hua withdrew her hand and spoke calmly.
"Oh~"
"Sea breeze?"
Standing on a cliff, Kiana felt the moist, slightly cool air brushing against her.
"Yes... it's unbelievable." Standing beside her, Raiden Mei crouched down and picked up a clump of moss, sighing softly.
They had thought Selene's warships—those crammed with palaces, lakes, and forest gardens—were already exaggerated enough. Now something even more outrageous had appeared.
Judging from Selene's momentum, she was about to embark on yet another grand wave of palace construction and infrastructure expansion... then again, she had never stopped building in the first place.
"Yes. If Lady Kaslana and Lady Raiden's homeland is a planet named 'Earth' with a diameter of 12,756 kilometers, then I can clearly inform you that the oceanic area on Installation 00 is no smaller than Earth's."
Floating before them was a Monitor roughly half a meter in length and width, its three inward-curved metallic surfaces forming a shell reminiscent of a turtle carapace.
Installation 00—called a 'Shield World' by the Forerunners—could activate the entire Halo Array. It also served as a potential refuge from the Array's strategic pulse and, when necessary, as a facility for constructing replacement Halos.
Although later widely referred to as the Ark, Installation 00 had originally been designated as one of two Ark installations, the other being the older Greater Ark.
Thus, Installation 00 was sometimes called the Lesser Ark, to distinguish it from the far larger Greater Ark.
The Greater Ark's central foundry alone—occupying only part of the lotus-shaped core—exceeded 30,000 kilometers in diameter and had produced the original 30,000-kilometer Halo rings.
Though Installation 00 was not as immense, its central foundry still exceeded 10,000 kilometers in diameter. With sufficient technical support, it could mass-produce Halo installations.
A standard small Halo measured 10,000 kilometers in diameter, 22.3 kilometers thick, and over a hundred kilometers in width. Its primary construction materials were metal, rock, and soil. The outer layer consisted of mechanical structures, while the inner surface housed a biosphere with a nitrogen-oxygen atmosphere and artificial sun. Gravity at 9.8G was generated by artificial gravity fields and controlled rotation.
"Hey, are you really an artificial intelligence?"
Leaning forward slightly with arms crossed, Senti blinked her crimson eyes in astonishment.
"I am not 'hey,' Miss Senti. You may address me as 686 Ebullient Prism, a management, maintenance, security, and combat-support Monitor-type ancilla."
Its crimson photoreceptors flickered as its electronic voice rang sharp yet deep.
"What kind of garbage name is that." Senti clicked her tongue, unclear whether she meant 686 Ebullient Prism's designation or her own registered identity.
"What? Do you have an issue with the identity I registered for you?"
Fu Hua's keen senses caught the glance Senti shot her. Narrowing her green eyes, she cast a sideways look at the slightly smug Senti.
This girl had actually gone off to flirt with mermaids of the merfolk race. Absolutely outrageous.
"Of course I do. Why do I have to take your surname? It makes this immortal look like the junior one!"
"If you don't take mine, am I supposed to take yours?" Fu Hua sighed, tilting her head and spreading her hands. "Would you like me to give you a surname with 'Little' in it instead?"
"Pah pah pah pah pah! Nothing good ever comes out of your mouth!"
...
Watching the two start bickering again, 686 Ebullient Prism's sensors flickered in confusion. They had already clashed several times along the way. Each time they had just calmed down, it wouldn't be long before they started sniping at each other again.
And every single time, it was that... how should it put it... ah yes, as Her Majesty phrased it, the itchy, troublemaking brat who started it.
Bronya, meanwhile, remained quiet. She carefully examined the mechanical construct forged from unknown materials, then looked up at the hazy sun in the sky.
"The one in the sky... is that an artificial sun?"
"Controlled nuclear fusion technology," 686 Ebullient Prism replied.
As it spoke, its photoreceptors instantly projected a large holographic display.
Within the projection, at the center of one of Installation 00's power chambers, a blazing star floated in suspension. The light and heat it released provided warm illumination for the internal natural world and supplied energy to the entire Ark.
Entrusted by Selene to guide Kiana and her group, 686 Ebullient Prism continued introducing and explaining along the way until they arrived at the mountain where the Ark world's central control chamber was located.
"This way," 686 Ebullient Prism said.
Standing at the foot of the mountain, Kiana looked up at the ancient staircase and magnificent structure that had stood for who knew how many ages. Her eyes slowly closed.
Faintly, it seemed as though the subtle sound of time itself descended from the top of the steps, crisp and clear, echoing softly in her ears like the tolling of a bell, drawing her mind into its rhythm.
"This time... it should be our turn to take the initiative."
Opening her eyes once more, Kiana made her decision and stepped onto the staircase.
At this moment, atop the mountain inside the central control chamber, two architectural masters were holding a meeting.
"Oh? So this is your design concept—taking the mountain peak where Installation 00's control chamber stands as the center, occupying the highest point, following the terrain, and constructing a massive palace complex along the mountain range?"
Sebas stared sternly at the artificial intelligence before him.
Honestly, when Selene had smiled and told him that someone had designed a new palace for her, Sebas had almost failed to keep his composure.
Of course, how could Sebas possibly develop thoughts like, Has Milady stopped loving me? Does she no longer favor me alone? Has she found someone new? toward the daughter he had watched grow up? Nor was he dissatisfied with Mendicant Bias' design. He simply felt that something was not quite right.
Was this not his exclusive domain? Who designed it? Step forward! Let this old man see what illustrious figure dares compete!
Even though Mendicant Bias was merely a machine, Sebas still felt a strange sense of déjà vu, as if the cabbage he had painstakingly cultivated was about to be taken away.
But then again... Mendicant Bias was only an intelligent AI.
He let out a long breath.
"Lord Sebas, you may simply address me as Mendicant Bias. I am merely a penitent Contender-class ancilla, a humble servant of Her Majesty. I am unworthy of the title 'sir.'"
Floating before Sebas, Mendicant Bias' photoreceptors flickered faintly as it introduced itself.
"..."
Glancing at the mask-like visage, Sebas continued examining the preliminary design blueprint Mendicant Bias had presented on the holographic screen.
After a while, he spoke.
"It is still not enough."
"Look. The elongated, shifting course of the mountain range is too arbitrary. It lacks imposing authority. The mountain's layout must first be modified and strictly regulated before palace construction can proceed."
"The staircase leading from the foot of the mountain to the control chamber is also too narrow and too winding. It requires adjustment."
"In addition, allow this old man to offer a few supplements. Around the peak where the front hall stands, floating mountain ranges can be installed, and grand gate towers constructed..."
Sebas began an unrelenting stream of suggestions.
"I have been enlightened."
Mendicant Bias made a humble nodding gesture and immediately manipulated the holographic display, revising the draft blueprint while simultaneously adding new elements.
"Lord Sebas, after your guidance, I have conceived new ideas."
"At the foot of the mountain, after widening the Heavenly Stair, it can also be extended outward—like this... and then like this..."
"Mm. A good approach. This old man has some new thoughts as well. Let us supplement it first in this manner..."
They were actually competing over this?
Setting down her memorial, Selene glanced at the harmonious exchange between the man and the machine regarding the construction of the Ark palace complex and shook her head helplessly.
You ask what she was doing now?
Clearing memorials.
At this moment, Installation 00's central control chamber had already undergone a dramatic transformation.
From the once-empty ceiling now hung a twelve-tier crystal chandelier. Each tiny, flawless crystal captured every ray of light and scattered it throughout the chamber like a kaleidoscope.
As with any place Selene used as an office, nearly everything that should be there was already present. What was missing would soon be filled.
Near the control console stood a luxurious desk occupying most of the room.
After signaling the attendants to remove the approved memorials, Selene let out a breath. She lightly brushed her sleeve aside and extended her slender fingers. With a subtle movement of her fingertips, invisible force lifted more than a dozen red pens from the long desk.
Behold my multitasking technique.
Leaning back against her chair, chin resting on her hand, Selene flicked her fingers lightly. A stack of memorials automatically separated, arranging themselves neatly in midair at the most comfortable angle for her before being rapidly reviewed.
Like an emotionless work machine.
Sigh. There was no helping it. Even an emperor with real authority, no matter how much power she delegated, could not avoid certain decisions.
And with the vast territory of the Holy Selene Empire, even if only a very small number of planetary-level major decisions were reported directly to Selene, once accumulated over time, the quantity was astonishing.
If not for the tens of thousands of cabinet civil officials—whose numbers would only increase as the Empire expanded—serving as advisors to analyze and categorize matters, and an all-purpose aide like Sebas, Selene would truly have to battle memorials without pause day and night.
"Wow, Your Majesty. Seeing how busy you are, your Cortana has a piece of good news to report."
Using the central control chamber's projection system, Cortana suddenly popped out. Looking at the mountain of documents piled on Selene's desk, she tilted her head playfully with her hands behind her back.
"Good news? Has Xytan 'Jar Wattinree suppressed the last Covenant rebels? Or has the Prophet of Regret been killed? Or has the Unified Earth Government confirmed its surrender?"
"All of them."
"Your Majesty, Legion Commander Konrad Curze and Legion Commander Angron have already led their respective Legions in withdrawing from the Retributors. Sequence number Conquered World—Universe 117. They are returning to their designated campaign directions."
"Great General Budo's Retributors still need to handle the aftermath. Taking over the Covenant, the Unified Earth Government, and even the territorial vacuum left by the Forerunners in the galaxy will require considerable time."
"The current highest commander of the UNSC, Admiral Terrence Hood, and Admiral Joseph Harper have boarded a Night Lords Legion vessel and are currently en route back to the Imperial Capital through the trans-spatial webway. Dr. Catherine Elizabeth Halsey and the Master Chief are also among the returning party."
With a wave of her hand, Selene indicated that she understood.
As a loosely structured religious alliance, the Covenant's ruling San'Shyuum possessed weak personal military strength. Without holding the blade themselves, once their allies, external support, and faith all encountered problems simultaneously, fragmentation was inevitable.
"Very well. All that remains is to await good news from Budo. Once the Second Legion fully digests Universe 117, everything will naturally fall into place."
It is time to shift my focus to the next target.
A cluster of golden light gathered in Selene's palm. Crimson light flickered within her eyes.
"My data cluster is not so easily exploited. After using me for free labor for so long, it is time to collect some interest."