After fiercely cutting ties with Fire Moth, the provisional Schicksal Organization was officially established.
Thus, the situation began improving. The great plague ravaging Europa began being controlled... was impossible.
After all, it was just officially established. Although Fire Moth's Europa branch was cut out, essentially it was same wine in a new bottle—personnel remained the original personnel.
Just changing organization names—how could this upgrade their brains to fight for humanity's beautiful tomorrow from now on?
Therefore, to make these people work properly, Lucius's method was quite simple.
That was—money power.
If it were all of Fire Moth, his current financial resources truly couldn't manage it. However, just one Europa branch—gritting his teeth, he could still do it.
Of course, if truly impossible... he could only go mooch off Eden (sad).
Fortunately, the situation didn't reach the worst case. Through various technologies monetized during this period, his financial resources steadily rose, ultimately satisfying these people's appetites.
Using temporarily loyalty bought with money, the provisional Schicksal Organization began operating efficiently. The originally spreading plague began being contained.
Simultaneously, anti-Honkai vaccine production accelerated. Everything seemed thriving.
Until Mobius sent not-so-good news.
"What do you mean the vaccine's effect isn't obvious anymore?" Facing the communication terminal showing Mobius, Lucius asked.
The opposite Mobius was in Shencheng Pharmaceuticals' laboratory, one hand holding a clipboard, the other holding a pen, recording several obviously Honkai Beast-transformed mice in a sealed cage.
Hearing Lucius's question, Mobius turned her head: "Literal meaning. You know, this bacterial-type Honkai Beast evolves with infected numbers. Now our Phase One vaccine can barely suppress it."
Seeing Lucius fall into contemplation after hearing the information, Mobius added: "However, I have good news here."
"Doctor, you could have mentioned this good news together." Lucius said somberly.
Mobius smiled noncommittally, twirling her pen: "Good news is, as long as Phase Two Stigmata Project completes, Progenitor Stigmata can suppress it."
Hearing this answer, Lucius sighed: "Doctor, I think you can add another piece of bad news—many people haven't even received Phase One vaccine yet!"
However, Mobius still appeared composed: "I have a method here that can inject the vaccine needed for two phases of Stigmata Gene Project into all humanity in a short time."
"Doctor, I know what you're thinking. Using this bacterial-type Honkai Beast's power to inject Stigmata genes is a good idea."
"So, your opinion?"
"Can use this idea. However, we need a power ensuring it won't have accidents. Doctor, please create a bacterial-type Honkai Beast integrated with two phases of Stigmata genes."
After setting the action plan, Lucius ended communication with Mobius.
He wasn't a timid person. Since currently only this method could complete Stigmata gene injection before the bacterial-type Honkai Beast—just do it.
However, based on this method's uncertainty, he must produce a safeguarding power.
Thus he looked at the system shop.
[Item: Herrscher Experience Card (Corruption)]
[Price: 3000 Crystals/30 minutes]
As an existence standing at the apex of all viruses, as long as Herrscher of Corruption's power existed, he could knead so-called bacterial-type Honkai Beasts at will while using them to embed Stigmata genes into all humanity's bodies.
However, after just one glance, Lucius closed the system shop.
Originally to obtain Herrscher of Corruption's power, he could only purchase experience cards from the system shop. But information Sakura sent not long ago gave him another choice.
...
Far East, Yae Shrine.
During this period, due to efficacious fortune slips and miraculous power curing diseases, this newly opened shrine rapidly made a name in the surroundings. More and more people came to pray. Daily fortune seekers and blessing prayers were endless.
However, when many worshippers arrived today, they discovered the shrine was actually closed.
Inside the shrine, Sakura and Lucius watched Rin lying on the bed.
Purple patterns actually crawled all over her pale neck. Eyes tightly closed, continuously struggling on the bed.
Looking at the contemplating Lucius, Sakura's face showed extreme worry.
"BOSS, Rin's been like this since morning. Honkai energy erosion signs appeared on her body again."
Lucius didn't speak. After scanning Rin's body and confirming it was just simple Honkai energy erosion, he injected an anti-Honkai medicine.
After injection, he saw the purple patterns on Rin's neck rapidly recede.
But before he and Sakura could show joy, they saw the originally receded purple patterns actually beginning to resurface.
"BOSS, this... what's happening?"
"Even anti-Honkai medicine is useless. This is no longer ordinary Honkai energy erosion."
You know, anti-Honkai medicine could even suppress individuals about to quasi-Herrscher-ize. What could make even this helpless—probably only one thing.
"Herrscher transformation... strange. Why so early?"
Staring at Rin on the bed, Lucius frowned.
He knew Rin indeed had Herrscher qualifications. She was also the Herrscher of Corruption in original historical trajectory—the Herrscher adding the final handful of dirt to Previous Civilization's grave.
But wasn't this a bit too early?
Although Previous Civilization's Herrscher trajectory wasn't determined and could indeed appear early, the Third Herrscher was just born not long ago. According to Cocoon of Finality's trial pattern, the next Herrscher couldn't possibly be born this quickly.
Lucius summoned Fenghuang Down. But after touching Rin's consciousness, he found she was just having ordinary nightmares—no reference value.
Thus he rummaged in his pocket and took out a silver key. This was the Shoggoth Outer Key obtained from Brown Sugar, possessing authority touching dimensional power.
Using higher-dimensional perspective, he might see something different.
After activating the Silver Key, the scene observed by the Outer Key fell into his mind.
He saw with Rin on the bed as center, wisps of black gaseous substance actually surging into her body from all directions.
Seeing this, Lucius used Fenghuang Down's power to touch this black gas. Some residual memories were extracted.
He saw a building ruin. Although already dilapidated, through some remaining buildings he could still see this place originally resembled Yae Shrine.
But most eye-catching was the giant beast prostrated and sleeping in the shrine ruins.
—A completely crimson large fox seemingly burning with firelight.
Originally, it might have continued sleeping like this.
Until a certain moment, two golden meteors swept past from the sky. It was awakened.
This large fox just raised its head puzzled when it saw two meteors collide. Then its consciousness disappeared.
Afterward was darkness—endless darkness.
When awakening again, it found only hazy consciousness remaining, no form, no support.
Following some instinct, it found some shells to carry consciousness.
Those were a group of invisible, formless microorganisms, yet creations most fitting its authority.
Just as it instinctively began multiplying, hoping these shells could carry its consciousness, a group wearing hazmat suits and gas masks found it.
Then its consciousness fell into darkness again. In sleep's last moment, it remembered the logo on protective suits—a moth spreading its wings.
However, this sleep wasn't long. Soon it awakened from darkness again.
This time it felt unprecedentedly good. These little things carrying its consciousness multiplied at an incredible speed.
As consciousness-carrying vessels recovered, it—or rather she—finally remembered her name.
"Oh! So I'm actually the Herrscher of Corruption."
After reading this memory, Lucius put away Fenghuang Down and the Silver Key.
Thus, he finally clarified what happened.
Obviously, this plague ravaging Europa and spreading globally wasn't some bacterial-type Honkai Beast but the Herrscher of Corruption—one hundred thousand or even ninety thousand times more terrifying!
Moreover, this Herrscher of Corruption was the Honkai-side MVP who'd destroyed Previous Civilization once.
Thinking of this, Lucius felt a strong urge to complain.
"This world definitely has problems. Could there be more 'surprises' waiting for me?"
After clarifying the plague's truth, the problem seemed even trickier.
A Herrscher of Corruption—even if incomplete due to different eras, still far more terrifying than any bacterial-type Honkai Beast.
However, couldn't say there was completely no good news.
From this black gas carrying Herrscher of Corruption's authority surging into Rin's body, the living Rin before him also had control over Corruption authority. Perhaps even higher priority than the Rin who came from fifty thousand years later.
In that case, he had an idea.
However, might require Rin to make a small sacrifice.
Thinking of this, Lucius spent three hundred crystals buying a "God-Slaying Spear" from the system shop, injecting it into Rin's neck.
After Rin's body trembled, she suddenly opened her eyes. Simultaneously, purple patterns on her body also began receding.
"...Sister, and Brother Lucius?"
Seeing this, Sakura hurriedly hugged Rin, urgently asking: "Rin, how do you feel?"
"I feel... very good."
Rin looked at her hand, then pointed at cherry blossom twigs in the vase before the bed.
Next moment, cherry blossoms on the branches withered.
Seeing this, Rin froze, then pointed again. The withered flowers bloomed.
Rin finally smiled.
"Sister, I seem to have some strange power."
Sakura and Lucius naturally saw Rin's actions. Sakura looked at Lucius, asking somewhat worried: "BOSS?"
"It's fine. At least fine for now."
Undoubtedly, what Rin just activated was Herrscher of Corruption's power.
But current Rin only had Herrscher qualifications, wasn't registered at the Cocoon's place. Authority was also obtained from another her.
Essentially, she remained an ordinary person with higher resistance. Currently able to act normally was just using God-Slaying Spear's power to suppress Honkai energy erosion.
Once medicine wore off, Rin would still be eroded by Honkai energy.
After hearing Lucius's explanation, Sakura's face showed worry: "BOSS, is there any solution?"
Hearing the expected answer, Lucius gave her a thumbs up, smiling: "Yes, Sakura, yes. However, I need to consult Rin's opinion."
Then he looked at Rin on the bed. The smile on his face receded, his entire person extremely serious.
"Rin, I want to trouble you with something."
"What is it, Brother Lucius?"
"Could you please... die once?"
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