With the advantage of the plot, although Chen Ran and Wendy arrived later than Cecilia, they reached Shencheng Pharmaceutical earlier.
Both of their expressions were somewhat grim.
As they arrived in Tianqiong City and headed straight for the northern suburbs where Shencheng Pharmaceutical was located, they encountered an increasing number of Honkai Beasts, growing denser.
They even saw humans retracting their living areas, with many people quickly evacuating under the government's arrangements.
Although the government had done enough, there were still wandering Zombies on the streets.
Each Zombie represented one or more victims.
Chen Ran knew that Jackal... or rather, the entire World Serpent, did not regard the lives of ordinary people as important.
To Kevin, everyone in the current civilization was merely a cornerstone for the birth of Project Stigma.
He immediately led Wendy into Shencheng Pharmaceutical.
However, the other side was already well-prepared.
"Oh? I thought the first to arrive here would be Schicksal, but unexpectedly, it is the Herrscher of Wind, along with another, is it?"
The masked Jackal spoke directly to Chen Ran through a video broadcast, "How should I address you, the Lord's friend, Sir Chen Ran?"
"Isn't that what you've already called me?"
Chen Ran directly called out Jackal's name, which was not surprising.
Although Jackal was human, she was, after all, working for Kevin.
Perhaps her research abilities were indeed lacking, but at World Serpent, she had her special place. So it was understandable that she could avoid the system and delete some memories.
However, this did not mean that Chen Ran would not be angry when he saw Jackal.
"You shouldn't be unaware that the Stigmata experiment you are conducting is essentially just a crude and poorly executed experiment."
His eyes were cold: "I hope you will stop immediately."
"I don't understand what you mean, Lord Chen Ran."
Jackal spoke casually: "After all, the one who originally designed Stigmata was you."
"I merely streamlined your experiment, omitting all the redundant steps, and then conducted a large-scale injection. Isn't that a significant breakthrough?"
Her voice carried a hint of provocation: "Lord Chen Ran, someone as clever as you shouldn't have any unnecessary emotions."
Jackal was proud.
But her pride was not built on exceptional knowledge, but rather on the wisdom of her predecessors.
The technology of the previous civilization in combating Honkai was so advanced that she held an unrealistic fantasy about everyone from that civilization.
She regarded everyone from the previous civilization as 'gods'.
However, what Chen Ran displayed was the character of a 'human'. This led Jackal to harbor hostility towards Chen Ran, even though they had never met.
In Jackal's mind, Chen Ran should be someone high above.
But Chen Ran did not care about that.
He coldly said: "Not to mention that the current Stigmata gene chain is incomplete, and those who can awaken Stigmata are few and far between. Even if the plan proceeds as usual, what does it matter? Jackal, I don't know if there are any records in World Serpent that mention that Honkai is a special language."
"Its existence has never been about Destruction of a civilization; it only requires people to understand this language."
"You are on the wrong path, and Kevin is also on the wrong path."
"Impudent!" Jackal was instantly furious: "The Lord's foresight, especially what you can infer."
World Serpent was Jackal's faith, and Kevin was the label of the 'deity' in her heart.
Chen Ran's casual words directly provoked her anger.
Before Chen Ran could say anything further, a large number of robots appeared in the entire medical facility of the divine city.
Chen Ran's expression was somewhat strange: "Why are there Anti-Entropy Titans appearing in World Serpent's base?"
Wendy finally spoke: "I don't think this is the time to discuss that."
However, in the corridors of the divine city medical facility, mechas that only Anti-Entropy would have appeared.
Although Chen Ran knew that Cocolia had the support of World Serpent behind her, he did not expect the intersection to be so deep.
Noble Titans appeared from both sides, and Wendy frowned slightly, directly drawing her pistol from her waist.
Even though she was already a Herrscher, Wendy still preferred to use a gun to deal with enemies rather than a scepter.
However, Schicksal had specially designed a new armor for Wendy that resembled S-class God-slaying armor, including its equipped weapons, which relied on fluid for accelerated attacks.
Under Chen Ran's slightly surprised gaze, the two Titans were cut off from their programming before they could launch an attack.
After that, Wendy, as if in a realm of her own, cut off all the active Titans.
However, Jackal was not afraid or humiliated; instead, her eyes burned even hotter.
"So this is the Herrscher of this era. Although she doesn't have the Honkai Energy levels manipulated by the Herrscher of the previous era, there are still areas worth studying."
The corners of Jackal's mouth curled up beneath her mask as she said, "Have you considered joining World Serpent? No, since you have been to Elysian Realm, it is only natural that you would be one of us."
"Unfortunately, at that time, my energy was not focused here; otherwise, I should have more research results at hand."
Wendy sneered: "Has anyone ever told you that the way you speak is quite punchable?"
Another Titan appeared, aiming at her, and countless firepower was unleashed in parallel.
However, at that moment, Wendy was no longer the usual Wendy.
A hint of disdain flickered in her eyes, and an invisible whirlwind appeared, sweeping up all the projectiles and causing them to explode in mid-air.
One must say, the internal security of the divine city medical facility was impressive; such a violent explosion did not blow the ceiling apart.
Chen Ran couldn't help but complain: "Wendy, can you consider me next time you fight?"
He was nearly caught in the blast.
After all, Chen Ran's body was not armored.
Fortunately, Chen Ran possessed the power of Stigmata, so he was fine.
However, he was surprised to find that the Anti-Entropy mechas damaged by Wendy were congested in every open space.
The space he was in was sealed off.
Chen Ran suddenly looked at Jackal, whose tone had risen.
"Oh, you actually noticed?"
"Then I won't hide it from you, Lord Chen Ran."
"Undeniably, your time travel is indeed an unfathomable existence, but that is only for ordinary people. Perhaps you don't know that after detecting your appearance, I used a computer to simulate a world without you."
"Do you want to know the answer?"
"It's like the law of conservation of energy; every form of energy does not disappear into thin air but transforms from one form to another. And you... I would call it the conservation of space-time. Your existence, while disrupting multiple time and space, has an actual impact that, when calculated from a higher dimension, is zero."
"Lord Chen Ran, you are dispensable."
At this moment, even if Chen Ran were foolish, he could piece it together: "The communication from Raven was arranged by you, and the so-called Project Stigma in Tianqiong City is actually aimed at me?"
"That's right."
Jackal did not hide it, saying: "Although from a higher dimension, the so-called change of the future is merely jumping from one grain of sand to another, all the sand is in the eyes of a higher dimension."
"However, from the entire parallel world we are in, you are the greatest unstable factor. So it's simple; we just need to stabilize you."
Chen Ran's pupils slightly constricted.
Even though he had escaped the threat of death in the future, it did not mean he could do anything he wanted.
As long as he was imprisoned in the Sea of Quanta, Chen Ran would lose any means of time travel.
To use an appropriate metaphor, in Yu-Gi-Oh, he could jump back and forth between the deck and the graveyard, but if he were banished, that would not work.
In other words, Jackal was not just sending him to the grave; she was banishing him.
However...
Chen Ran said lightly: "You better hope to achieve your demands now; otherwise, I won't give you a second chance."
"Hehehe, Lord Chen Ran, I think you misunderstand something."
"Human means are endless."
Under the gazes of Wendy and Chen Ran, the entire divine city medical facility began to release a large amount of Honkai Energy suppressants.
"Schariac serum, how do you have..."
Chen Ran felt the familiar components inside, and his expression suddenly changed.
Wasn't this the substance he had been extracting from Kiana's blood all along?
Damn, doesn't this count as shooting oneself in the foot?
Wendy, who was fighting the Titans, felt the blockage of Honkai Energy in her body.
Chen Ran felt the same and decisively grabbed Wendy to run.
However, at that moment, the World Serpent's poison spider mechas also appeared.
And the Titans that Wendy had destroyed had now become obstacles, blocking his escape route.
Chen Ran tried to use Honkai Energy, only to find that the more he used it, the weaker he became.
"Damn, if only I had a Cosmic Juggernaut right now."
He could almost predict his own ending.
However, at that moment, Wendy suddenly erupted.
"Get out!"
The girl was enveloped in an invisible wind, temporarily dispersing the suppressants. Her face turned slightly pale as she faced the poison spider mechas, directly using her armor to clash head-on.
The poison spider mecha was a self-destructing mecha with immense power; even a Herrscher could not remain unscathed in the face of such a massive explosion.
Otherwise, the previous civilization era would not have had means to deal with Herrschers.
Chen Ran watched Wendy's increasingly pale face, his heart aching.
Although the armor on her body blocked most of the aftershocks, injury was unavoidable.
"I'll take care of the next part."
"You can stay behind me."
Chen Ran disregarded everything and took out an ether essence from the Stigmata space.
Then, he directly swallowed the ether essence.
Now, Chen Ran's body contained the genes of multiple individuals.
Including Wendy, Kiana, Bronya, Mei, Seele, Sin... and even Kallen.
These genes blended within his body and usually coexisted peacefully.
However, once there was sufficient Honkai Energy, it would unleash a power that even Chen Ran himself did not know what it would be like.
He felt his blood boiling, and then his two hands directly pushed away an unknown number of Anti-Entropy Titans.
This four-story-high giant machine was like a large toy.
Chen Ran directly pushed open an exit.
Jackal looked furious and hurriedly accelerated the operation of the poison spider mecha.
The poison spider mecha exploded upon contact, but Wendy, behind Chen Ran, controlled the hurricane to blow it into the sky.
The two worked in tandem and managed to escape directly.
However, the entire divine city medical facility was shut down.
Jackal's voice echoed throughout the facility: "It's useless, just as you said, Lord Chen Ran, I only have one chance."
"Then how could I not take precautions?"
Chen Ran suddenly looked up.
He saw that around the vast divine city medical facility, monsters made of humans and machines began to appear.
Death Web.
"Come, taste my masterpiece."
As Jackal's voice fell, countless Death Webs surged towards them.
And the effect of the Honkai Energy suppressants also began to hinder Chen Ran and Wendy's bodies.
Chen Ran's eyes narrowed slightly, immediately recognizing that the fusion of humans and machines was the Honkai aberration technology.
He had never thought that a person could commit such a cruel act.
These people were undoubtedly the locals of Tianqiong City.
Jackal had no humanity.
However, at this moment, he was already too preoccupied to care about others.
He slightly crouched his body, like a beast beginning to gather strength for itself.
Wendy was also manipulating the storm, trying to strangle these Death Webs.
However, their hardness was clearly stronger than ordinary Honkai Beasts, and they were not Titans that could be cut by the system; the raging wind seemed powerless.
The power of fluid was sometimes very ineffective.
However...
[Do you need my help?]
The Herrscher Core lurking within Wendy reacted once again.
…
…
Meanwhile, on the other side.
"Rita, are you sure this is the place?"
Cecilia frowned as she looked at the 'Shencheng Pharmaceuticals' in front of her.
There was nothing unusual about this 'Shencheng Pharmaceuticals'; on the contrary, it was too normal.
There were no security teams around the large factory, and there was nothing out of place outside.
Pedestrians were coming and going, making it seem nothing like a place under attack by Honkai.
However, that was precisely what felt abnormal.
"This is different from what your intel said."
She frowned, looking at Rita.
But she found Rita pondering, "Has it already begun?"
"What do you mean?" Cecilia looked at Rita.
Rita smiled slightly and said, "Oh, it's nothing, just feeling that things are happening earlier than I expected."
"As Lady Cecilia observed, this is indeed the location of Shencheng Pharmaceuticals, and from what I know, it is also an entrance to a specific Stigmata space."
"An entrance to a Stigmata space?"
Rita nodded, "Yes, I don't understand the specifics; this is technology belonging to World Serpent. And from what I've gathered, when this space entrance is opened, it means someone has been trapped inside."
Cecilia, being exceptionally intelligent, quickly understood who this was meant to deal with.
"The entire Project Stigma is aimed at dealing with Chen Ran?"
"I'm not sure about that." Rita still smiled gracefully, pretending to know nothing.
Cecilia narrowed her eyes slightly.
"You're lying."
"Oh, may I ask why Lady Cecilia thinks so?" Rita smiled sweetly.
"If you truly knew nothing, you wouldn't be so relaxed." Cecilia paused and said, "Let me guess, Bishop Otto wants to resurrect Kallen, and to prevent any interference, Chen Ran must not disrupt time."
"Thus, the Stigmata space is a better choice, and Bishop Otto has reached some kind of agreement with Shencheng Pharmaceuticals."
Suddenly, she took out the Abyss Flower and pointed it at Rita, "Tell me, how is Chen Ran doing right now?"
"I don't quite understand what you mean."
Cecilia frowned, but then she suddenly attacked Shencheng Pharmaceuticals.
However, it was just normal buildings that were damaged.
Rita smiled slightly and said, "Lady Cecilia, this is of no use."
"I've heard Lord Bishop say that the Stigmata space is a realm composed of consciousness and Honkai, but I don't know if it's a coincidence, the first creator of Stigmata was Chen Ran."
"Honkai and consciousness are powers of the same origin, as proposed by Chen Ran. Therefore, ordinary people need to resonate with consciousness to enter the Stigmata space. However, World Serpent cleverly merged the buildings with the Stigmata space, meaning it's a one-way entrance."
"Lady Cecilia, please don't act impulsively."
Rita kindly reminded her, but her words sounded more like a threat.
Cecilia said lightly, "He saved my life; how can you expect me not to act impulsively?"
The Abyss Flower in her hand seemed to sense the user's thoughts, and a dense Honkai Energy began to accumulate.
However, at that moment, a strong Honkai Source seemed to respond, and Cecilia's expression suddenly changed.
She looked at Rita, "What is this?"
Rita said, "Project Stigma has been activated."
This was a trap set by Schicksal in collaboration with World Serpent.
On one side was Chen Ran, and on the other was Cecilia.
Cecilia naturally had the ability to enter the Stigmata space and rescue Chen Ran inside. But how did Chen Ran's significance compare to the over twenty million people in Tianqiong City?
Since Theresa received the news, everything in the plan had gone smoothly. Rita… or rather, Otto knew that Cecilia would only choose Tianqiong City.
As for what Cecilia would do to Schicksal and Otto afterward, that was not something Rita needed to consider.
Now that things had come to this point, Rita also understood that Cecilia held no value to Otto anymore.
Things were unfolding just as Otto had anticipated.
To Cecilia, Chen Ran had saved her life. But if she had to choose, she would naturally choose the entire Tianqiong City.
She cast a cold glance at Rita, feeling somewhat disheartened.
"Schicksal is no longer the Schicksal I knew; Otto is still the Otto I recognize."
Otto's ruthlessness and Rita's complicity made her feel as if she had long been disconnected from this Schicksal.
However, Otto's unscrupulousness had not changed at all.
Cecilia was puzzled about what made Otto so anxious, as if something was urging him.
But now was not the time to unravel that mystery.
She quickly moved towards a Honkai Energy reactor located in a tall building in Tianqiong City.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Advanced chapters in patreon (13 blocked, 5 free)
https://www.pat reon.com/ThatGreatStuff