The delightful activity of tormenting a girlfriend quickly concluded amidst Houraiji Kyuusyou's cries of "I'll forever be a devoted fan of Imhotep!" With that brief episode over, the plan to torment the brain-damaged Ms. Jackal began its steady advance—
"Achoo... Why have I been sneezing so much lately? Am I catching a cold...?"
Wearing her jackal-headed mask, Jackal shook her head, temporarily pushing her confusion aside as she looked at Cioara.
"The Herrscher of the Void's activity in this city has been increasing lately. And this time, the appearance of that giant monster forced that Lord to personally intervene, which has now drawn Schicksal's attention... Raven, we need to hurry and advance the Sire's plan—"
"Hmph, you don't need to tell me. I've already met those two S-rank Valkyries from Schicksal."
"Oh? And how did that go?" Jackal's tone was filled with interest.
"Neither of them is easy to deal with. Each one is more troublesome than the last. I almost let them notice something was off. Are all Schicksal Valkyries monsters?"
Cioara wove her lies without batting an eye. As a seasoned mercenary, she might not be able to fool Rita and Kyuusyou, but tricking a colleague was child's play.
"What's there to be afraid of, Raven? Don't forget the little gifts I've prepared for those Schicksal Valkyries."
"Besides, the Second Herrscher is drawing their attention. If they're foolish enough to come looking for trouble with us World Serpent, that gift will be more than enough to give them a big surprise."
Jackal's tone was filled with absolute confidence, as if she had complete faith in her "gift"—
-
"This is truly an exceptional piece of work, Dr. Tesla."
"This Honkai Energy Neutralizing Aerosol is lethal to low-level Honkai constructs and can significantly weaken even high-level ones."
Einstein remarked, holding the sample sent by a certain white-haired ally who wished to remain anonymous.
"Because it's aerosolized, its potency can't compare to the likes of the God-sbane Serum. However, this very property allows it to be absorbed through the skin and respiration."
"Hmph, that does sound a lot like the symptoms of mild Honkai energy erosion. So, did Miss Riddler send the formula along with it?"
Tesla shook the vial of neutralizing aerosol and looked at Einstein, who was preparing for further analysis.
"No, she only sent this one bottle. But we can ask Joyce to replicate a few more for our research."
"Fine. It's not like we could expect that mysterious woman to just hand over the ingredient list."
Tesla grumbled a few times before burying herself in the research as well.
"Isn't this what science is all about, Dr. Tesla?"
"Exploring the unknown, analyzing the unknown."
-
Unaware that the "special gift" she had prepared for the Schicksal Valkyries had been secretly delivered by her own superior to a rival laboratory for extensive research, Jackal was currently in a meeting room with Raven, discussing the location for their next experiment.
"You want to conduct the next experiment in a bustling downtown area? Jackal, are you insane?!"
Cioara glared at Jackal, unable to discern the expression hidden beneath that mask.
"Our previous sporadic experiments in desolate areas have already aroused Schicksal's suspicion. And now you want to move directly into a crowded city center?"
"Hmph, Gray Serpent should have told you this—Honkai is a disaster and a trial born alongside civilization."
"We've been trapped in a flawed mindset. We've been conducting the Stigmata Project experiments with the mentality of standard covert operations."
"But that mindset runs completely contrary to the very nature of Honkai. It's no wonder we've been attracting the attention of the Schicksal Valkyries—"
"The fact that Honkai disasters have been erupting in desolate streets instead of bustling city cores and downtown areas... I admit, that illogical pattern was my mistake."
Jackal nodded, already beginning to revise the plan.
"But that's a downtown area, Jackal! If you conduct the experiment there—"
"If we conduct the experiment there, the number of test subjects will increase, and so will the number of successful samples for the project!"
"This will advance the Stigmata Project even further!"
Jackal ruthlessly dismissed Raven's words, leaving no room for argument.
"What about the failures?!"
"Failures are just failures..."
The voice from behind the mask was chillingly nonchalant, as if the impending deaths of countless innocents meant nothing... or perhaps, she had long since grown numb to it.
"You—!"
"This is the Stigmata Project, Raven—natural selection, survival of the fittest..."
"The seats on the ship to the New World are ultimately limited. Some people are destined to never witness the world's transformation—"
Looking at her agitated companion, the usually arrogant Jackal let out a deep sigh and began to explain to Raven—
"The Predecessors had many plans—Project Valuka, Project ARK, Project Ember... and the Stigmata Project, which crossed the final line."
"The Predecessor known as Su silently returned to the World Serpent base with a Schicksal Valkyrie, but ultimately achieved nothing. Project Valuka failed."
"Project Ember also ended with the awakening of the Judgment-class Honkai Beast Chiyou a thousand years ago—and its executor, the Predecessor, even died on the Schicksal Floating Island not long ago while trying to stop the Second Herrscher."
"Project ARK went silent just decades after it began. We have no other options, Natasha Cioara—we are out of choices."
"The Stigmata Project is our only answer. It is humanity's only answer—"
"If humanity needs demons to confront the God in the heavens... then why shouldn't it be us?"
"Anyway—we of World Serpent have defied this era's ethics and morals for a thousand years..."
Lost in some kind of paranoia, Jackal didn't even use Cioara's codename as usual, but directly spoke her name.
"You..."
Cioara watched her companion with alarm and uncertainty, her body tense, as if ready to subdue her the moment she went completely mad...
"Alright, I'm fine—Since the Sire and the Little Sovereign have entrusted this project entirely to me, I will see it through to the end..."
Jackal shed her agitated demeanor and regained her usual composure.
Wait... those two masters... one is basically a comedian based on the descriptions, and the other just wants to screw you over—and is also kind of a comedian...
Hold on... I think I'm a comedian too...
"Maybe we should move our headquarters to the bottom of West Lake in Shenzhou..." Raven muttered under her breath.
Her voice was soft, but Jackal still heard her. The latter shot her a puzzled look. "There is indeed a World Serpent base beneath the waters of that lake called West Lake. Why do you bring it up?"
"Nothing... Are you sure you want to do this in a bustling downtown area?"
"I'm sure... Raven, don't forget the final part of the plan."
"At that time, there will no longer be any distinction between bustling streets and deserted corners—"
"This entire city will become a testing ground."