While those at the top were scheming for personal gain, the department heads below were no strangers to open and covert struggles.
Dr. Edison was the first to challenge Dr. Newton. "Dr. Newton, a MOTH prison isn't something you can just build on a whim. A specialized prison requires enormous resources and funding. With the Honkai already upon us, we simply don't have the spare capacity to worry about whether prisoners live or die."
Dr. Newton retorted, "So what you're saying is that those prisoners deserve to be locked in laboratories and turned into experimental materials?"
"Oh, no, no, no, my dear Dr. Newton. A gentleman like me would never do something that sounds so cruel. Those prisoners are already criminals. Contributing to humanity is their own redemption. I'm helping them atone and ascend to heaven..."
...
In the end, after all the arguing, no conclusion was reached. The topic was postponed to the secondary session.
The so-called secondary session meant that after the quarterly scientific report conference concluded, the relevant personnel would remain in the conference room to continue discussing the previously tabled topics.
As a result, Vill-V had no choice but to stay. She even ate dinner while waiting. By the time the main report session ended and attendees began leaving, it was already late enough for a midnight snack.
"Yaaawn—" Vill-V let out an adorable yawn, then muttered gloomily, "Damn it, why don't those upper echelons have to stay? We're the ones stuck working overtime. I just want to go back and sleep."
Although she had been playing video games throughout the meeting, constantly gaming was mentally exhausting too.
"The Seven-Person Council left before the report session was even officially adjourned. They're the ultimate decision-makers, after all."
In other words, the secondary session was basically just department heads and doctors tearing at each other. With the oppressive higher-ups gone, the conference room felt even more like a noisy marketplace.
The exchanges between the doctors resembled a courtroom battle straight out of a legal drama—one shouting "Objection!" and the other countering with "Overruled!" The intensity was such that they seemed only a step away from rolling up their sleeves and climbing onto the table for a physical debate.
"It's like this at almost every meeting," Dr. Mei said, appearing beside Vill-V at some unknown point and offering an explanation. "The department heads rarely have an outlet to vent. Outside of meetings, they can only trade a few sarcastic remarks. But here, they finally have legitimate grounds to cross-examine each other."
Dr. Mei was neither a deputy minister nor a certified chief researcher. She was not yet qualified to stand upon the elevated platform.
She also noticed the game displayed on Vill-V's computer screen, but said nothing about it. That made Vill-V inwardly sigh with emotion.
As expected of Dr. Mei. My true comrade. No words needed.
Vill-V nodded in understanding. "I'm just worried Dr. Newton won't be able to handle this kind of scene."
"Don't worry. With Dr. Mobius backing her up, it shouldn't be a problem."
What? Newton and Dr. Mobius are already that close? I haven't even gotten that friendly with Snake yet!
Mei had no idea Vill-V's thoughts had already gone somewhere strange. She suggested, "Still, let's go help Dr. Newton. Vill-V, you don't want this dragged out any longer either, do you?"
Because it was the secondary session, even researchers from each department were permitted to step onto the platform. The restrictions were far looser.
When Vill-V walked up, she noticed that the long table on the platform was actually divided into small compartments by transparent glass partitions. The equipment here was even more comprehensive than at the researchers' seats—everything one could need was available.
Dr. Edison was currently spraying spittle at the glass in front of him when he saw a girl dressed in flamboyant, theatrical attire step onto the stage.
Dr. Mobius also noticed. "Oh? Vill-V, Dr. Mei, you're here. Then I'll leave it to you two."
As she spoke, Dr. Mobius stretched lazily and began gathering the documents on the table, preparing to leave.
Dr. Mobius had no topic of her own in the secondary session. She had only stayed to support Dr. Newton.
After long-term interaction, Dr. Mobius had already noticed that although Dr. Newton appeared somewhat slow-witted, her interpersonal skills were not terrible—just average compared to geniuses like themselves. It was very easy for her to be led around by the nose.
Of course, Dr. Mobius had never doubted Dr. Newton's scientific ability. After all, it was perfectly normal for someone who specialized in research to lack eloquence.
In fact, being so immersed in research that she had seemingly traded language skills for scientific talent made Dr. Mobius secretly admire Dr. Newton's resolve.
Naturally, she would never say that outright. What she claimed instead was, "I didn't like the look on Dr. Edison's face during the report session, so I stayed to throw a few barbs at him."
Vill-V: Snake is so gentle... I'm going to cry...
"Vill-V?"
Edison naturally recognized the woman who had once walked into MOTH's conference room wearing stage attire. After all, it had been he who proposed and carried out her confinement in the [Deep Blue Vortex] undersea prison.
And because of that incident with Captain Sonaka, he had suffered quite a bit. Fortunately, the upper echelons still needed him, so he retained his position as department head.
Though Edison was blinded by power and money, his mind was still sharp. In an instant, he pieced everything together.
"Ah, I see. Dr. Newton, you intend to use her to construct this new specialized prison."
A glint flashed in his eyes. His tone shifted abruptly as he agreed, "Fine."
But he was obviously harboring ulterior motives. The moment he saw Vill-V, a plan formed in his mind.
"You want to build a prison? Very well—but you must sign a wager agreement with me."
"A wager agreement?" Dr. Newton frowned.
Seeing that she had taken the bait, Edison curled his lips. "We truly do need a prison. And it must be completed as soon as possible. One year. If it is not finished within a year, then you will bear responsibility for delaying military operations. On the brutal Honkai battlefield, we cannot afford to have you dragging your feet."
"If the prison is not completed within one year and it causes a delay in combat operations, Dr. Newton, then your position as head of the Engineering Department should rightfully be relinquished."
Clearly, Dr. Edison's target was still Dr. Newton's ministerial seat. Back when he wanted to suppress Dr. Mobius, he had supported Newton. Now that Dr. Newton no longer stood firmly on his side, he immediately turned against her, seeking to pull her down.
If he could not resolve the problems he himself had caused, then the upper echelons would resolve him instead... Even if much of the responsibility truly lay with them, Edison had no room to argue.
Now, however, he had found a convenient pretext.
"And if the prison is completed within one year—since it's supposed to be a prison from which no inmate can escape—then locking Vill-V inside to prove it works would be perfectly reasonable, wouldn't it?"