[ "..." ]
[ Dr. Ratio let out a long sigh and slowly raised his head: "Tell me. What do you need me to do?" ]
[ The corner of Sunday's mouth curved into an arc of complete confidence. His voice remained calm, yet it could not hide a trace of concealed delight: "I need Mr. Aventurine's full plan." ]
[ Dr. Ratio chuckled lightly: "Didn't you already confiscate his [Cornerstone]? A peacock with all its feathers plucked cannot fly." ]
[ "But I have also heard that the ten elites of the Strategic Investment Department are extremely united and advance and retreat together in the face of the Company's interests." ]
[ Dr. Ratio's gaze darkened: "You can be more direct." ]
[ Sunday shifted his gaze toward a handbag and a box placed not far away: "The [Cornerstone] submitted by Mr. Aventurine—does it truly belong to him personally?" ]
[ Dr. Ratio said bluntly: "You suspect he would hand over someone else's Cornerstone to you? You're thinking of the Ten Stonehearts as too united—that thing is far more important than their lives." ]
[ "But you also know he is a mad gambler. The more ostentatious the momentum, the more carefully one must guard against it." ]
[ Dr. Ratio was momentarily stunned, then said with a sincere expression: "I never thought someone would think the same way as him. Honestly, you should go see a psychiatrist." He extended a hand toward Sunday. "Hand it over. The box storing the Cornerstone is specially made. No one outside the Company's senior executives and relevant personnel can open it—but I happen to be one of them." ]
[ Sunday smiled slightly: "Much obliged." ]
——
Nezha: Birth of the Demon Child.
"Pah! What bullshit professor! Is this the kind of person the Company sent to work with Aventurine? Aventurine trusted him so much, yet he sold him out for a few research reports! Stellaron? There's one inside Stelle's body—if you want to study it, go find Stelle! Why cooperate with this kind of person?!"
Nezha was so angry he was about to explode, his saliva nearly spraying onto Taiyi Zhenren's face.
"Oh dear, my disciple, don't be so impatient. Sit down first… Have something to eat and calm down." Taiyi Zhenren flicked his horsetail whisk, and a plump, vibrant peach flew into Nezha's hand.
Nezha said irritably: "I just feel it's not worth it for Aventurine… That guy trusted him so much, and what happened? It's betrayal! What I hate the most is betrayal!"
"I know, but before entering the room, didn't Professor Ratio also give Aventurine a warning? He said it himself that he might sell him out."
"Huh?? Wasn't that just a joke? They made so many jokes along the way, yet this one turned out to be serious?" Nezha angrily crushed the peach in his hand into pulp with a "splat."
"Nezha, calm down a bit…" Ao Bing was also incredulous about the professor's betrayal. He sighed lightly: "But I believe in Professor Ratio's character. When he fought alongside Stelle against Duke Inferno before, it was enough to judge him as an upright person. This time, perhaps he has some unspeakable difficulties…"
"Bullshit unspeakable difficulties! We all misjudged him!"
Nezha crossed his arms and sat down heavily on a stone bench: "Then just wait and see. I want to see what kind of ending a person like this will have? Cooperating with Sunday and causing the Company to lose the [Cornerstone]… Aventurine will be held accountable, and this colleague of his won't escape responsibility either!"
——
[ Dr. Ratio opened the box, and inside lay a yellow gemstone quietly. ]
[ "—Regrettably, you guessed correctly." ]
[ Sunday carefully examined the stone. "Heh, a golden-yellow stone. Its luster is identical to the glow of Qlipoth's holy body." ]
[ "This is exactly the rhetoric he prepared to deceive you. He won't tell you that the Ten Stonehearts must carve their Cornerstones with their own will, allowing them to bloom with unique brilliance." Dr. Ratio looked at the Cornerstone before him. "And this golden-yellow stone belongs to Topaz. Its alias is [Topaz]—not [Aventurine]." ]
[ "How about it? Do you want to confront him?" ]
[ Sunday shook his head: "No need for now. What I want to know more right now is where his own Cornerstone is." ]
[ "The safest place, somewhere you would never think of. Because he never intended to hide it at all—" Dr. Ratio looked at the luggage bag containing the gift money beside his feet. "From the very beginning, that Cornerstone has been in your hands." ]
[ Dr. Ratio pulled out an emerald-green gemstone from the bag. ]
[ Sunday suddenly understood: "So that's how it is. This luggage bag… mixing the Cornerstone, which is more precious than life, among a pile of lowly jewels and disguising it as gift money waiting to be confiscated. It truly fits Mr. Aventurine's style." ]
[ "Then casually make up a reason, downplay the important parts, and ask you to return the gift money. This is a gamble, and he is all too familiar with it. He is betting that if you make one careless move, you will lose the entire game." ]
——
Honkai Impact 3rd.
"Eh—Topaz?! Miss Topaz?"
Kiana suddenly widened her blue eyes. Although she had sensed something bad when she saw the Topaz, when Professor Ratio revealed the truth, she still couldn't help feeling despair.
"Aaaah, without the Cornerstone, doesn't that mean Miss Topaz will also be dragged down?"
Ever since the Belobog incident last time, she had always had a very good impression of Topaz. She never expected that Aventurine's phone call would not only ruin his own future but also drag Miss Topaz down with him.
Himeko slightly furrowed her brows, her slender fingers gently resting on her chin: "So, back in Belobog, when Topaz requested special operations against the Train Crew, she really would use the power of the [Cornerstone] to temporarily transform into a Preservation Emanator? But that's too exaggerated…"
But what was even more exaggerated was undoubtedly Aventurine's determination. What surprised Himeko was that he actually managed to convince Topaz to stake two [Cornerstones] at once, with Topaz's Cornerstone as the bait and the real killing move being the hidden Aventurine Stone.
Using a Cornerstone as bait… He really is an absolute madman.
"But if both stones are found, what then? Do we really have to turn back and go home like Professor Ratio said?" Mei asked uneasily.
Himeko gently shook her head: "It's impossible to turn back. Going back now would mean it's all over. The unfair gamble has already begun… Aventurine has no way back."
——
[ "Thanks to you having a friend with such sharp insight, I was able to add a complete failure to your career." Sunday looked at him with delight. ]
[ Aventurine stared at the two Cornerstones placed on the table. For the first time, anger broke through his reason. He stared fixedly at the professor, teeth clenched tightly, every word seemingly quenched in fire and blood: "Ratio, you bastard…" ]
[ Dr. Ratio did not speak, only silently looking at him. ]
[ Sunday, however, was very pleased to see Aventurine lose his composure and gloated: "The true form is revealed. By the way, your life 'temporarily' has only seventeen system hours left. Cherish this time and savor the aftertaste of failure." ]