NOVEL NEXT Chapter 112: The Trolley Problem
Both hidden within bustling cities, both buried deep underground, yet this place felt completely different to Lin Wei compared to the Thousand Fists Association.
If the Thousand Fists' lair felt "dirty"—a den of iniquity, overflowing with humanity's basest desires;
Then this place felt strangely clean. Plain doors, cold blue lights, and a pervasive silence, an unnerving, impersonal quiet.
This eerie atmosphere made Lin Wei feel like he was in a hospital morgue. At the far end of the room, an elevator stood dormant, as if everything here had long been abandoned.
Lin Wei even discreetly used Pandora to probe, but found no systems to infiltrate, no surveillance, no security, nothing. He couldn't gather any immediate information, which made him hesitate.
Even the flesh-and-machine constructs they encountered earlier were like worker bees or ants, mechanically executing pre-programmed commands, with no hive, no network, no communication.
Their entire operation was utterly inefficient, yet it effectively limited the Key of Corruption's capabilities.
Coincidence? Unlikely.
This design… who were they guarding against?
The answer was obvious. World Serpent had known about his Key of Corruption for a year. Adjusting their bases' security accordingly was only natural, wasn't it?
"The situation has changed. Be careful, Anna."
Lin Wei shared his findings with his companion.
"There are no networks or systems to infiltrate here, not even surveillance. I can't quickly gather information. We'll have to proceed cautiously, step by step."
Seeing Anna become more alert, he reassured her,
"But there's good news. I haven't detected any security systems either. There might be some stragglers like the constructs we encountered earlier, but they shouldn't pose a significant threat. If there is, I'll find a way to control them."
Could this be a trap? Possibly. But having come this far, Lin Wei couldn't turn back.
Leaving Anna alone would be irresponsible.
Moreover, considering his delicate relationship with World Serpent, whether this was a trap or not, retreating now would put him at a disadvantage.
At worst, I'll stall for time until Schicksal's main force arrives. Let them play their games!
In a few moments, Lin Wei had formulated several backup plans.
Anna hesitated. If Lin Wei's hacking abilities were limited here, he shouldn't continue with her. After all, they didn't know what dangers lay ahead.
But staying here wasn't safe either…
Caught in this dilemma, Anna suddenly saw a reading on her detector. Her face paled. She grabbed Lin Wei's waist, intending to pull him back, but he dodged, confused. He hadn't sensed anything unusual.
"What's wrong?"
"We have to leave, now! This place is dangerous!"
Anna spoke quickly, her voice urgent.
"The Honkai energy concentration here is abnormal. You'll be in danger!"
According to the reading, the Honkai energy levels here were slightly above the threshold for "Honkai Sickness." Prolonged exposure would gradually erode a normal person's body, slowly turning them into a Honkai beast.
They hadn't been here long. Retreating now should be safe.
Lin Wei looked at Anna's anxious expression and smiled wryly. He then discreetly put away the feather he had been holding, breaking down the last barrier between them.
"Miss Anna, you still don't know my name, do you?"
"Uh… hmm? Oh, right!"
Anna froze, then, with the feather's influence gone, instantly realized her oversight. Shame washed over her. They had been together for so long, yet she didn't even know his name. How rude!
Mentally berating herself, her face flushed crimson. She wanted to ask, but felt too embarrassed, unable to speak.
"My name is Lin Wei."
Revealing his real name added risks, but Lin Wei didn't want to create a fake one.
This couldn't continue.
The more considerate Anna was, the more despicable he felt. The lie would eventually be exposed. This would only lead to trouble.
While there was still time, just like spreading rumors in Nagazora City a year ago, a reckless act for peace of mind, Lin Wei decided to be cruel, to force Anna to face reality. As for the consequences, he would deal with them later.
"Miss Anna, you know very little about me. Such concern is unnecessary. How can you assume I don't know about Honkai?"
Lin Wei's gentle tone maintained a deliberate distance. This time, however, Anna felt not only委屈, but also shame and shock.
"You? How…"
Anna's mind was in turmoil, filled with shock, as if something had been taken away. After a moment, she gave a bitter laugh, her voice hoarse,
"Right, you're a hacker, and such a skilled one… Knowing about Honkai isn't surprising…"
She looked at Lin Wei, her eyes filled with a hint of unwillingness,
"So you've been lying to me this whole time? You bastard…"
"You misunderstand. I told you I knew about Schicksal when we first met."
Lin Wei touched his nose. The word "bastard" sounded familiar. He had even been slapped for it. Ah, how nostalgic…
"But if you want to call it deception, you're not wrong. I didn't correct you when you tried to hide Honkai's existence. I played along, and we've come this far. But I don't think we should continue like this. It's not good for either of us."
"Then why are you telling me now? Because I'm no longer useful? What are you planning to do? Capture me? Kill me?"
Anna's grievance turned to sadness, then anger. She questioned the man who had betrayed her trust,
"You and these people… you're working together, aren't you?!"
Yet, she didn't attack. Deep down, she still hoped for an explanation.
"Because you're too naive, Anna. This isn't a training ground where you can come and go as you please. This is a real battlefield."
Lin Wei didn't hold back. If they were going to have it out, they might as well do it properly.
"On a real battlefield, how can you just leave whenever you want? Anna, don't you consider the consequences?"
"But… shouldn't I? The Honkai energy concentration here is too high. Taking you away, protecting your safety, am I wrong?"
Anna retorted, feeling indignant, yet inexplicably relieved. At least Lin Wei's attitude wasn't hostile. That alone calmed her down.
But then, she felt wronged. He's biting the hand that feeds him! How long had it been since she had been scolded like this?
"So, have you considered the consequences? What if our movements are exposed, or if we delay too long and the enemy inside notices something's wrong, leading them to take drastic measures?"
Lin Wei's voice was calm and steady, even carrying a hint of sympathy and pity.
"What if, because of me, the time we wasted leads to ten, a hundred people dying inside? Think about those corpses, Anna. Can you bear that consequence?"
"I… I…"
Anna froze. The more she thought, the more confused she became. She imagined countless people dying before her eyes because of her mistake. Her face paled. She felt like an executioner.
After a moment, she stubbornly stared at Lin Wei,
"Then… seeing danger, wanting to save you, was I wrong? Should I have just watched you die?!"
The trolley problem.
Anna had unfortunately placed herself in this awkward position where any choice was wrong. With her limited experience, she wasn't ready to bear the consequences of such a cruel dilemma.
"Of course not, Anna. You've always bravely shouldered your responsibilities as a Valkyrie, and you've been doing your best to protect me. These are undeniable facts."
Lin Wei looked at Anna calmly. He had always admired this girl. Kind-hearted, stubborn, but her naiveté made her seem a bit foolish, and she easily overthought things.
"That's why such a cruel dilemma shouldn't be something you consider, let alone bear the consequences of."
Lin Wei took out the half of the heart-shaped pendant from his pocket and, ignoring Anna's slightly awkward expression, placed it around her neck. It joined the other half, shimmering brightly. Lin Wei admired it for a moment, then smiled,
"See? This is a win-win situation."
If one of the people tied to the tracks in the trolley problem suddenly broke free and jumped off the stage, the problem would naturally be resolved.
"…How is this a win-win situation…?"
Anna's thoughts were in turmoil again. She understood Lin Wei's good intentions, and her earlier anger and grievance vanished. She just stared at the reunited pendant, lost in thought.
After a moment, she realized something and looked up at Lin Wei anxiously,
"We've wasted a lot of time, haven't we?"
Lin Wei glanced at her and smiled, changing the subject,
"It's fine. It's not a problem for me. Compared to strangers I don't know, I'd rather prioritize protecting this naive little girl before me."
When Lin Wei decided to come clean, he had actually placed himself in a similar trolley problem.
After all, doing so risked their partnership and wasted time, so he also had to bear the consequences.
"…Nonsense…"
Anna muttered, her face flushed. Her earlier displeasure was completely forgotten.
"Based on basic human morality, of course I hope to save more people. But based on human emotions and relationships, if I had to choose, I would naturally sacrifice the many strangers and protect the few I care about."
Lin Wei's tone was meaningful.
"Quite selfish, isn't it? But I don't care. I'm not a good person, after all."
Living according to his own heart, doing what he believed was right; as for everything else, let fate decide.
If he didn't care about morality, morality couldn't bind him.
"Don't be silly, let's go!"
Anna didn't want to hear his nonsense. She pulled Lin Wei along, asking worriedly,
"Are you really okay?"
Anna knew how poorly men adapted to Honkai energy. In every Honkai disaster, they were a minority among the survivors.
"Don't worry, I'm a Honkai survivor myself. This level of concentration doesn't affect me."
Lin Wei's expression was unreadable. He could actually move freely in a Honkai-rich environment now.
"…Then be careful."
Anna gritted her teeth inwardly. This guy is always so mysterious! I'll uncover all your secrets one day!
As they spoke, they descended another level. This floor was similar in size to the previous one, with another staircase leading down. Unlike the empty space above, this level was divided into several separate rooms. Occasionally, constructs similar to those patrolling outside would pass by, following fixed routes.
"Truly worker ants."
Lin Wei watched their stiff, mechanical movements, offering no comment.
Based on the two levels above, this place seemed to be a vertical cylindrical structure. Each level wasn't large, but they didn't know what lay deeper down.
Anna shook her head at Lin Wei. Her life detector showed no signs of life. There were no humans here. Then, she grimaced, glancing at Lin Wei with concern,
"The Honkai energy concentration on this level has increased."
Anna couldn't understand what was going on here.
"I'd guess… selection."
Lin Wei said, looking towards the rooms.
Anna looked at him, puzzled, her eyes asking for clarification.
"Both you and I came here following the trail of Honkai survivors."
Having come clean once made things easier.
"And the people here even capture ordinary citizens at night. How many of those people would have Honkai resistance? So, selection is inevitable."
Lin Wei couldn't help but sneer.
"Survival of the fittest, such a cold and cruel law… I'd guess the Honkai concentration will be even higher on the lower levels."
Anna shuddered at the evil here.
"Then… what about those who are 'selected out'?"
Anna felt she had asked a foolish question. Lin Wei had been staring at the rooms. The answer was obvious.
"*Roar!*"
As if to confirm her suspicions, a beast-like roar echoed from behind a closed door, followed by more roars, countless and overwhelming.
"What… what is that?"
Even though she had guessed the answer, Anna couldn't accept it.
Because those were the sounds of Honkai beasts.
And only low-level, zombie-like Honkai beasts made such sounds.