"The Sixth Herrscher has been born."
Mei's fingers paused for a second on the keyboard where she was typing code.
Vil-V slowly stepped out from the shadow behind and to her side, holding her magician's hat in her hand.
After a brief pause, Mei ignored Vil-V and continued to work, only replying without changing her expression: "I have already dispatched all the Titans for the subjugation, and I have also ordered one of my subordinates to participate in the subjugation of the Sixth Herrscher."
"The rest of the forces will also be committed to the battle after they are organized. Before then, we are evacuating city personnel, mobilizing the combat personnel of the Fifth Branch to contain the Sixth Herrscher, and coordinating assistance from other branches."
Given the heavy blow dealt to the headquarters, Mei's actions were standard and swift.
Vil-V couldn't find fault with her. This sequence of procedures was essentially the protocol for every major Honkai outbreak. To call her command textbook-perfect would not be an exaggeration.
The Titan unit, specifically designed to deal with major Honkai outbreaks, had been fully deployed. Having achieved initial success in suppressing the previous rebellion, the Titans were expected to demonstrate their due value in this subjugation battle as well.
Yes, as Fire MOTH highest technological achievement to date, the autonomous Titans, even if they couldn't match the TT-079 modified unit personally piloted by Lin, were still capable of easily overwhelming most Honkai Beasts.
But Vil-V suddenly spoke: "Can the Titans successfully subjugate the Sixth Herrscher?"
"I don't know. The design of the Titans was never meant for Herrscher subjugation in the first place."
The icy glow of the screen illuminated Mei's cheek. Her thick glasses reflected a pale light, making it impossible to see the eyes behind them.
"The design of their weapons and armor is mostly for countering large Honkai Beasts, or 'giant beasts' of comparable size, not a human-sized 'deity.' Even though Lin once successfully subjugated the Fourth Herrscher using a Titan, that doesn't prove that Titans will have any advantage in Herrscher subjugation."
Listening to Mei's analysis without a word, Vil-V patted the dust off her magician's hat, put it on, and pulled the brim low: "Perhaps I asked the question incorrectly. Let me ask another question, Dr. Mei…"
"Will you allow the Titans to successfully subjugate the Sixth Herrscher?"
"…"
As these words were spoken, an absolute silence fell.
Vil-V gazed at Mei's back with an uncharacteristic cold expression. She wondered when that seemingly frail and quiet figure had become so terrifying in her eyes.
Killing humans to protect humanity—she had already witnessed it.
Everyone in Moth's Flame could resort to any means necessary to achieve their goal, and the most chilling part was that they all shared a single common goal.
To protect humanity.
"I have inputted a principle of human supremacy into Prometheus II's operating system."
Just as the atmosphere was about to drop below freezing, Mei's calm words caused Vil-V's tightly furrowed brow to relax slightly in surprise.
"You personally witnessed the birth of Prometheus II, so you clearly know that Prometheus II will not take any actions that harm humanity. Even if its calculation model eventually enters a fallacy, it will not arrive at a conclusion of rebelling against humanity."
Mei turned around, her overly long white coat falling to her ankles. She gestured with her finger to the spot beside her to Vil-V, and chuckled lightly: "Prometheus II is currently commanding the Titan unit. I have only given it one command: subjugate the Sixth Herrscher and protect humanity at all costs. You are welcome to inspect here to see if I have inputted any superfluous commands."
After thinking for a second, Vil-V decisively walked to the screen, skillfully opened Prometheus's program, and only relaxed after seeing that the result was exactly as Mei had stated.
She had indeed personally witnessed the birth of Prometheus II and understood its operating principles better than anyone.
At least this time, Mei was indeed allowing it to use its full strength to subjugate the Sixth Herrscher without endangering humanity.
"Mei, you don't seem surprised by what I just said." Vil-V cast a sidelong glance at Mei. She rarely dropped her eccentric way of speaking, and conversed with a rationality close to Mei's: "Then can I assume that you set up a backdoor in the original unit (TT-079 modified unit) to monitor everything happening to him?"
"As an engineer, isn't setting up backdoors in your own creations your favorite thing to do?"
Mei did not answer directly, but her words were a roundabout admission of her actions.
So Vil-V asked directly: "Is my deduction correct? You had a transaction with that person? Knowing the truth, but simply watching all this happen?"
"Most of it is correct, but I must clarify one point: I did not have any transaction with that person; he merely informed me unilaterally." Mei replied in a normal tone, "And I chose to observe what would happen next."
"…"
"Even if he hadn't started the rebellion, this internal strife would have erupted sooner or later. It just wouldn't have been at this moment, but at humanity's most critical juncture, when human nerves were stretched to the limit and all the problems within Moth's Flame were completely exposed, the current situation would have inevitably occurred."
Was she being nonchalant?
This woman with long black hair, who was past the age of adulthood and becoming increasingly mature, used the simplest language to describe cold, cruel facts.
"So he told me that instead of the poison erupting incurably in the twilight years, it would be better to cut off the tumor early, like a warrior severing his own limb. Although I did not approve of his entire plan and his concept of unified rule, I had no reason to refuse, and of course, no opportunity to refuse."
"The rest is pretty much as you said."
Mei's demeanor was so calm it was inhuman. Even with the Sixth Honkai outbreak and internal and external threats, she maintained her most rational appearance.
"…You didn't approve of the entire concept, which is why you finally put an end to his plan." Vil-V felt she had fully reconstructed the original picture of the entire event, but another matter was currently troubling her: "Then, can I assume that your sentimentality led you to decide to let the Titans subjugate the Sixth Herrscher normally?"
Even though she commanded Lin with the most rigorous orders, once forcing him to commit everything to subjugate a Herrscher, she still allowed him to enjoy his final moments.
Was this Mei's rare remaining sentimentality?
"…If this world could be saved by sentimentality, if love and justice could defeat the Herrscher, I would let all my sentimentality, and the sentimentality of all humanity, be fully unleashed."
"But that is impossible."
Mei's words were like a basin of cold water splashed in Vil-V's face, causing her to shiver.
"Dr. Vil-V, how do you think a person's greatest value should be manifested? Should one hold back during a battle involving the survival of humanity? Or give their absolute all?"
Clearly, giving one's absolute all is the way to manifest all value.
"What if, even after giving one's absolute all, one still loses?"