NOVEL NEXT Chapter 439: The Sixteenth Stigma Plan
(Volume VI: Elysian Realm and Elysia)
I wonder how Bronya is doing.
Raiden Mei sighed, looking out the window of the World Serpent lounge at the empty corridor. Days of emergency repairs had finally restored some semblance of order to the base, which had nearly been reduced to rubble by Senti and the Herrscher of Reason.
But clearly, after such an exposure, even a fully repaired base would soon be abandoned.
Mei had seen countless personnel moving equipment, preparing for relocation. Yet she, a newly appointed cadre, had received no such orders, as if deliberately left behind.
She wasn't worried about her own safety, but Bronya, as the perpetrator of the attack, was now in World Serpent's hands and likely facing unpleasant consequences.
However, as a new cadre, Mei had no authority to contact Bronya directly. All she could do was quietly look for an opportunity to help her escape.
"You worry too much. The Herrscher of Reason is indeed a target of Project Stigma, but the Lord has no interest in dealing with her right now. Besides, I heard World Serpent reached an agreement with someone and won't pursue the damages from the attack."
Her musings caught the attention of another person in the lounge. The clinking of glasses was followed by a woman's voice.
Mei turned to see Raven, draped languidly over the bar, looking at her.
Raven smiled, setting down the coin she had been idly flipping, and gestured with her chin towards two pre-mixed drinks on the bar, a silent invitation.
Mei, not one for alcohol, politely declined with a shake of her head. "Honestly, it's hard to believe you're the same person who was captured by Schicksal on Coral Island."
It was an understandable observation. Raven's transformation in recent months had been dramatic.
After the apparent deaths of Kosma and the others, Raven had been despondent, consumed by grief. Now, she was not only looking better, but her eyes held a renewed spark of life.
"Happiness does wonders for the spirit. If the Herrscher of the Void hadn't told me Kosma and the others were still alive, I wouldn't be in such high spirits, let alone sitting here chatting with you."
Officially, Raven was assigned to guide Mei on World Serpent protocols. Unofficially, they both knew it was a form of surveillance.
Neither seemed to mind. For Raven, being a cadre was just a job; her children were her life. Mei had saved her and was a friend of Kiana. There was no reason to be hostile.
"What Jackal told me was that you must have found a good partner." Subtly throwing Jackal under the bus, Mei joined Raven at the bar.
"Tch, that guy's brain must be fried from all those experiments." Raven clicked her tongue, then sighed. "For people like us, with blood on our hands, settling down like normal people is just a pipe dream."
After a brief pause, Raven returned to the topic at hand. "You mentioned World Serpent reached an agreement with someone?"
"It's not a secret. The organization is called The Obsidian Concord. You might not have heard of them, but you should remember the attack by the fake Gray Serpent before I brought you to the base." Raven sat up, taking a sip of her drink.
"That person was a member of The Obsidian Concord. Honestly, I never imagined someone from such an unknown organization could be so powerful. If I hadn't brought you along, I'd probably be dead."
Mei remained silent. That attack had been orchestrated by Ren's organization to smooth her entry into World Serpent, specifically to gain Raven's favor. It seemed to have worked; Raven was clearly showing goodwill.
But Mei wasn't good at lying or deception, so she simply remained silent in the face of Raven's kindness.
"I don't know the details of the agreement between The Obsidian Concord and World Serpent, but it includes releasing your friend, Bronya. Also, I heard Project Stigma has undergone major revisions. I wonder what kind of organization this is, to be able to influence even that project."
"The Project Stigma you're referring to… is that the one that used millions of people in ARC City as test subjects?" Mei's expression darkened.
It was that incident that had brought World Serpent into the public eye. Using humans as test subjects had branded the organization as undeniably villainous.
"Oh no, the real Project Stigma isn't that. Well, or rather, that was just the first version of Project Stigma. As far as I know, the Project Stigma designed in the Previous Era has been revised countless times over the millennia. The initial plan was to simply identify individuals compatible with Stigmata to survive the Honkai."
"But perhaps Dr. MEI felt that was inhumane and asked Dr. Mobius to develop more options. What we're currently working on is the fifteenth version of Project Stigma… Hmm, maybe with The Obsidian Concord's involvement, it's the sixteenth?"
Raven didn't know the specifics, only the general information, but it was enough to give Mei a better understanding.
"Of course, instead of asking me, you could just ask the Lord directly. Or wait until you enter the Elysian Realm. You'll find many answers there."
"Elysian Realm?" Mei perked up. This was crucial information.
"For cadre like us, the Elysian Realm is a place of trial and assessment. World Serpent has somehow preserved the memories of the thirteen Flame-Chasers from the Previous Era and created memory constructs based on them."
"Those thirteen individuals are essentially special mentors. If you want to understand World Serpent's actions, learn about the Previous Era, or find answers you seek, you can interact with them. Even though you're a Herrscher, you're also a cadre, so you'll have the opportunity to enter the trials. But be warned, not all the Flame-Chasers are good people. You could die in there."
"…Thank you for telling me." These were clearly important secrets, yet Raven had shared them without hesitation. Mei knew she owed her a favor.
"Don't mention it. You would have found out from the Lord eventually, though it might have been more difficult. Besides, I'm telling you this with his permission." Raven drained her glass, holding it up towards the entrance of the lounge.
"Well, looks like our break is over. After all this rest, it's time to get back to work."
She smiled at Mei, placed her glass on the bar, and turned to leave.
Mei turned as well, meeting Kevin's gaze as he entered the lounge.
"Finally… the Elysian Realm."