The data on Delta had been mostly destroyed. Even if useful information remained, most of it was beyond Lin security clearance. All he could find in the database were some brief biographical sketches of Delta life.
The Phase Transfer Device was even more out of reach. Its side effects and inherent dangers had made it a prohibited object, and it was highly likely that all related manufacturing data had been wiped from the system.
It seems starting from the general database is impossible...
Lin walked out of the archives and leaned against the wall, deep in thought.
...However, there was one more way.
Mei was the current head of the Research and Development Department. It was possible she still held Delta original research files, and her clearance should be high enough to view the parts Lin couldn't access.
But Lin couldn't gauge Mei's thoughts right now. Would she agree to a plan that he himself wasn't even certain of? And... did she represent her own interests, or those of the Fire Moth high command?
"Though unverified, the Eighth Herrscher might be the key to everything."
These words, spoken by Yama, replayed repeatedly in Lin mind. What did they mean? Why the Eighth Herrscher?
Consciousness... the Herrscher of Consciousness... mental pollution...
A spark of inspiration flashed in Lin mind as he recalled something. He suddenly had an even more bizarre idea.
Could it be...
"Teacher..."
Su stood on the helipad. Ten thousand words filled his chest, yet he didn't know how to speak them.
Spaciel simply smiled nonchalantly, taking a swig of his liquor as he stood against the wind, letting the sea breeze rustle his empty sleeve.
"Stay at headquarters," Spaciel said, tasting the bittersweet liquid on his tongue before exhaling a breath into the air. "A MANTIS isn't suited to continue research at the Fifth Branch. I've made many wrong decisions in my life—like letting Dr. Mobius perform the Project Soldier surgery on you—but the one thing I've never felt was a mistake was taking you as my student."
After his wife and daughter passed away, Spaciel had tried to invest his emotions into other things, like drinking or research. But he eventually realized that feelings cannot be transferred. Once the soul is scarred, it cannot be healed through other means. All one can do is ignore it.
It wasn't until Su became his student that he had another true family member. Now that his student had grown up, he felt there was no longer a need to keep Su by his side.
And the other person he cared about... he could finally set his mind at ease.
"I hope there will be a day when we can reunite and drink under a sky free of the Honkai." Spaciel placed his unfinished bottle of liquor into Su's hand. "I probably won't be coming to headquarters for a long while. Learn more from Kevin and Lin. Lin isn't a MANTIS, but he has more than enough experience to share."
"...I will."
Spaciel let out a sigh of relief. Just as he was about to turn and board the transport, his eyes widened as he looked behind Su. Su didn't turn his head, but in his perception, he already sensed that person's arrival.
"You actually came to see someone off?"
"...Is that something to be surprised about?"
Lin touched his neck. His vocal cords hadn't fully healed, so he could only produce a faint, whispery voice.
"True, I suppose I shouldn't be surprised anymore." Spaciel chuckled. "Looks like you can't drink in your condition; I'm afraid it would leak out of your neck. Let's say our goodbyes here, then."
"Are you interested in doing me a favor?"
"What is it?"
Lin tossed a storage device to Spaciel. Spaciel looked at it in confusion, not quite understanding Lin intent.
"You'll know once you get back," Lin said calmly.
After watching Spaciel's transport disappear into the distance, Lin turned back toward the base. Now, he needed to throw himself back into his usual rhythm.
Let's see, what should I do next...
"Yo, Lin, Su! We're about to throw an awesome party. Guess who's invited?"
The moment he saw Elysia, Lin turned around and walked away without a word. He had only taken two steps before his hand was caught.
"Aww, don't be in such a hurry! I'm not going to hurt you."
"I think we've had enough parties," Lin said, looking back indifferently. "You guys go ahead. I'm going to train."
Is she joking? Elysia threw a small party every two days and a big one every three; every day felt like a festival with her. Lin had no intention of following his captain's unrestrained lifestyle. He had far too many things to handle.
Elysia leaned in and whispered, "There will be lots of girls~"
Lin pace away from her became even more aggressive.
"No, no! You can't leave! Some people said they won't attend if you're not there!"
"...Then they won't attend. It's better for everyone to mind their own business."
Even though Lin was still naive in certain areas, he had an ominous premonition. His intuition told him he had to stay far away from this so-called "party." The "girls" Elysia spoke of were definitely not easy to deal with.
"Fine, then. How about I agree to subtract ten orders from the 'One Hundred Commands from Elysia'?"
"I don't recall ever making such an agreement with you."
"Huh? Didn't you say you could grant any wish?"
"The person you're looking for is the Holy Grail."
"But there's someone who really needs you. If you're not there, she might completely sink into despair," Elysia said in a pitiable tone.
"..." Hearing this, Lin turned back and asked in a flat tone, "Who?"
Lin felt his brain must have malfunctioned to agree to such a ridiculous thing.
He sat on a deck chair on the ship's deck, wearing sunglasses, feeling the sea breeze, and enjoying the sun—but his mood was anything but good. Currently, the ship was in a sea area southeast of the Mu continent, sailing toward an uninhabited island. According to Elysia, they were to spend a seven-day vacation on this private island belonging to the Fire Moth.
It wasn't a headquarters-mandated vacation or a group event, but a small party organized by Elysia for a select few.
That wasn't the point, though. The point was that Lin couldn't for the life of him figure out how Elysia had convinced certain people to participate. Aside from Lin and Elysia, the guest list included: Mei, Kevin, Mobius, Vil-V, Su, Eden, Pardo, Hua, Aponia, and Sakura.
Particularly Mei and Kevin—it made sense for Kevin to follow Mei, but why would Mei agree to go on vacation? Shouldn't she be fully immersed in her research on the Eighth Herrscher? And then there was Mobius, the quintessential research shut-in; how was she even here?
What kind of methods did Elysia use to get them to agree?
"Sigh..."
Lin sighed and shook his head. He walked into the ship's interior, deciding to take a nap. Elysia was bound to be restless; it was best to save his energy.
However, he didn't expect that on the very night before the ship docked, strange events would begin to unfold...