261. Here's an Explanation About: What is Yun Ling?
"It seems like Yun Ling's been staring at his phone a lot lately, chatting with someone..." Kiana asked, voicing her suspicion.
Someone who rarely looks at their phone has suddenly become constantly glued to it, glued to a chat app.
Could it be... a new target?
Kiana noticed this keenly.
"It's a girl named Wendy," Mei explained calmly, waving her hand dismissively.
"I knew it... that guy!" Kiana puffed out her cheeks, glaring at Yun Ling with displeasure.
Hearing Mei's words, Bronya instinctively turned her head.
Wendy... right, isn't this the time when Wendy was infused with the power of the Desire Gem?
She clenched her fist. Wendy's death was a thorn in her side, one of the inseparable conflicts between her and Cocolia.
Even knowing that Cocolia acted that way to save Seele, she still couldn't forgive her.
"During a previous mission, Wendy accidentally touched the Desire Gem and was found to be compatible with it, forcing her to attempt to infuse the Gem with her to control the Desire Gem."
"Unfortunately, the surgery failed, resulting in Wendy being paralyzed in both legs… And since Yun Ling is also involved in this matter, he's trying to find a way to make amends to Wendy," Mei explained.
"Is that so…?" Kiana's eyes widened; she had thought Yunling had indeed found a new target.
"Yun Ling doesn't seem like a reckless person, so why did this happen?" Bronya asked, feeling puzzled.
"It seems that when Yun Ling retrieved the Desire Gem, he directly held it in his hand without proper protection, and Wendy, fearing he would be corrupted by the honkai energy contained in it, hastily snatched it away, intending to throw it away, but unexpectedly, the Gem was found to be compatible with her."
This was all that Yun Ling had told Mei; clearly, she had noticed Yun Ling's actions earlier than Kiana.
"So, it actually doesn't have much to do with Yun Ling, does it?" Kiana spoke from Yun Ling's perspective.
"Well, you know Yun Ling's personality. He doesn't make mistakes easily, and when he does, he'll do everything he can to make amends," Mei sighed softly.
She also believed it wasn't Yun Ling's fault, but Wendy had caused this situation by trying to save him, so there was no right or wrong in this matter.
Yun Ling's so-called compensation was probably more out of gratitude and a little guilt towards Wendy, at least that's what Mei thought.
"In a sense, Yun Ling is a very responsible person."
Bronya had worked with Yun Ling for so many days, and her opinion of him had changed slightly. Although Yun Ling could be quite infuriating at times, there was really nothing to worry about when she was with him.
It was easy, and… very reassuring.
"Yes, Yun Ling has always been kind, understanding, sunny, and handsome… (hundreds of words of praise omitted here)," Yuna chimed in.
These words immediately silenced Kiana and the other two.
"Yuna, did Yun Ling teach you this?" Kiana narrowed her eyes. Yuna, usually so quiet, had managed to spout so many words of praise.
"N-no... no... I... I really think so..." Yuna immediately protested, blushing and muttering in protest.
The others exchanged glances, all seeing the helplessness in each other's eyes.
After all, it was Yuna.
Yun Ling was indeed chatting with Wendy, and Wendy was definitely going through a sensitive period.
At this time, Yun Ling could spend more time with Wendy and try to improve his standing in her heart.
Regarding the issue of Wendy's legs, he also had some guesses.
What caused the Desire Gem to fall into slumber was nothing other than the Desire Gem's own choice.
And the reason the Desire Gem made this choice was that Wendy possessed a noble soul.
To be honest, this was the first time Yun Ling had ever seen such a noble girl.
She would risk her life for someone she had only recently met.
The Desire Gem understood that it could never turn Wendy into a Herrscher loyal to Honkai, so to corrupt her soul, it chose to take away her legs.
While this explanation may seem idealistic, the world is indeed irrational, and the miracles celebrated by idealism truly exist.
This also explains why Wendy suddenly became a Herrscher later.
The reason is that under the influence of the Desire Gem, she began to hate Schicksal. She hated Schicksal for conducting this experiment on her; she hated that she couldn't run like other Valkyries and fight against Honkai.
Imprisoned in the Oceania branch, she could only watch the unchanging scenery and the unchanging sky outside.
That noble soul was gradually influenced by the Herrscher Core, filling her heart with longing.
A longing for freedom, a longing to run, a longing for a better future.
Ultimately, the Desire Gem seized the opportunity and responded to her 'desire'.
The solution was actually quite simple: forcibly awaken the Desire Gem, allowing the Herrscher's will within it to interact with Wendy.
Given Wendy's current state of mind, she could likely overcome Herrscher's will unscathed, as Wendy is practically a saint at the moment.
Unlike Yuna, whose heart is solely devoted to Yun Ling, Wendy's heart is filled with universal love.
It's like a Herrscher facing Kevin—a direct confrontation would be suicidal.
Although he knew the solution, Yun Ling couldn't resolve it that way; if he resolved it that way, then Wendy wouldn't belong to him.
While this action was despicable, he simply wanted to protect himself and those around him in this perilous world, something he couldn't do alone.
He couldn't rely entirely on Fu Hua, because Fu Hua wasn't selfish enough.
Li Sushang and Cheng Lingshuang might be able to, but that was only a possibility.
In these five hundred years, there have been many things Yun Ling has never known, or rather, never experienced. He must prepare for the worst and create a power of his own.
Wendy is the one he has chosen.
If being despicable can protect himself and those around him, then he is willing to bear that despicable burden.
Call it selfishness or ambition, as long as it doesn't violate his will and purpose, then the process is completely unimportant to him.
Perhaps the process is merely Yun Ling needing a self-narration as a human being to explain what Yun Ling is all about.
He is such a person—a selfish, despicable, and arbitrary villain.
Compared to Ling from the first simulation, they seem not so different; both are ruthless in achieving their goals.
Only, Ling is more extreme, more blind, or rather… more foolish than Yun Ling.
…