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Chapter 364 - Lin Wei's Bizzare Experience

The area where Mobius's laboratory was located felt as vast as a sea of stars in the universe; however, the space that truly belonged to the "laboratory" itself was much, much smaller than expected.

"It's like a tiny world far removed from the mundane, suspended deep within the cosmos..."

This was the heartfelt sigh Lin Wei let out as he walked out of that vast, void-like area and into another region that felt even more terrifyingly oppressive, where both the sky and the ground were saturated with an eerie, dark green hue.

Every memory body within the Elysian Realm possesses a unique domain belonging solely to them, a distinct world woven and processed from their individual memories and consciousness.

Rather than specific real-world prototypes, these domains are more like projections of their subconscious or physical manifestations of inner desires within the Elysian Realm. Consequently, they often exhibit dreamlike or surreal qualities—like Aponia's eternally dark, cramped cell; Elysia's fairytale-like, fantastical personal realm; or Mobius's simultaneously grand and indescribable "laboratory"...

"Mobius, while I'd love to praise your inner world for being rich enough to contain the entire universe, but..."

Lin Wei glanced at this eerie world saturated everywhere with a green so dark it was almost black, as if filled with deadly poison. He instantly felt a wave of breathlessness from the inside out, like he'd accidentally stepped into a dangerous hunting ground, feeling thoroughly disgusted.

"Seriously, though, your aesthetic taste is just awful! Maybe I should suggest you go take some refinement lessons from Elysia?"

No wonder this godforsaken place scared Raven off immediately. It really is creepy...

It wasn't just Lin Wei who felt uneasy; Yae Sakura, who had been sticking close to him, also suddenly found her breathing quicken. Almost instinctively, she positioned herself between Lin Wei and Mobius.

As for Yuno, the sense of "danger" permeating this domain was practically tangible to her beast-like intuition. An intense urge to counter-attack surged within her, like a flood threatening to instantly overwhelm the already fragile dam of her rationality. If Lin Wei hadn't reacted quickly and decisively intervened, she probably would have already launched a ferocious attack on Mobius, who wasn't far away.

Although, perhaps Mobius wouldn't have even cared at that moment, because...

"Alright, we're here!"

Mobius stopped her "steps," the bizarre, tentacled toolbox beneath her carrying her as she leisurely turned around. An extremely cruel smile had somehow appeared on her face. She spread her hands, announcing in a tone mingling excitement and glee,

"Well then, let's begin~"

---||---

Before Lin Wei could even speak, Yae Sakura had already drawn the Seven Thunders of Retribution with a sharp shing. The Third Divine Key, obtained from the SAKURA of the Elysian Realm, began to glow faintly. Tiny arcs of electricity danced along the blade's edge, looking as if it could unleash a thunderous strike at any second.

"Whoa, hang on a second!"

Lin Wei quickly grabbed the somewhat overstimulated Yae Sakura. He then tossed the Fenghuang Down Feather, borrowed from Hua, beneath Yuno's feet. A flurry of feathers scattered, emitting a warm, pinkish glow that enveloped her entirely.

Once he was sure there wouldn't be any immediate accidents, Lin Wei cautiously peeked out from behind Yae Sakura and asked exasperatedly,

"Mobius, what are you trying to pull now?"

Don't you realize this whole setup is terrifying?!

"Trying to pull? Hehehehe... Why, run experiments, of course!"

Mobius's laughter always carried an undercurrent of malice. She spoke with a condescending tone,

"Isn't that precisely why you specifically sought me out? Or could it be... you're scared now?"

As she spoke that last sentence, her gaze, filled with scrutiny and disdain, flickered towards Yae Sakura beside Lin Wei, causing the latter to frown deeply.

"Scared? Not really. A little scene like this isn't enough to frighten me. It's just..."

Lin Wei gestured with his eyes towards the surrounding chaos—various pieces of equipment scattered about like an uncleaned battlefield. He frowned, saying,

"Looking at your attitude, and the state of this place... is the 'experiment' you're talking about actually just a fight?"

This was very different from what Lin Wei had anticipated.

He had genuinely prepared himself for Mobius's scalpel to make a few cuts on Yuno, perhaps even on himself. After all, he knew that Mobius's experiments, aside from being dangerous, often subjected the test subjects to extremely unpleasant experiences—a point made clear by Hua's vivid and complex memories of her own time with Mobius.

But regardless, he never expected the "experiment" Mobius had prepared for him (and the others) would unfold in such a bizarre manner. This whole scenario feels way too familiar, like something straight out of a game event...

"Oh, you mean this?"

Mobius followed Lin Wei's gaze, then "explained" in a matter-of-fact tone,

"Well, for this, you can blame yourself and Vill-V! If you two hadn't been constantly making a ruckus and banging around outside my lab door earlier, it wouldn't have ended up in such a mess..."

"....."

So, it wouldn't have ended up this messy, which implies it really was used as a battlefield before?

Could it be that Raven walked in here back then, saw all this stuff, and got scared off?

Lin Wei suddenly felt a strange sense of "checking in" at a familiar landmark...

"As for fighting... you're not wrong. This is indeed an important part of the experiment I've meticulously prepared for you~"

Mobius stated frankly,

"After all, crucial data like 'the potential life itself unleashes in moments of crisis' can usually only be effectively stimulated during combat, wouldn't you agree?"

Mobius's tone was full of keen interest, yet brooked no argument.

"Haven't you already gone through similar experimental processes with Vill-V a few times before? Just think of this as another similar process! Alright! Enough idle chatter, little guinea pig~"

Dark green energy began to coalesce in Mobius's hands. Her voice was laced with both pleasure and cruelty,

"Every major scientific experiment inevitably carries certain risks; that's the necessary price for exploring truth. I trust you understand this principle, right?"

"....."

Lin Wei cursed internally. How is this the same?!

Vill-V was after the Key of Corruption in my hands! You look like you're actually trying to kill me!

"What should we do?"

Seeing the increasingly dangerous aura emanating from Mobius, Yae Sakura silently asked Lin Wei for instructions with her eyes.

"What else can we do? We fight!"

Lin Wei never hesitated when a decision needed to be made. However, he was still unsure about Mobius's true intentions and didn't know what level of intensity to aim for in this battle. Should he primarily cooperate, or should he just go all out, beat her down first, and then talk?

After all, Lin Wei didn't know that Elysia had just visited Mobius. In his understanding, their relationship was still stuck at the stage where 'Mobius had been pressured, both soft and hard, into reluctantly agreeing to cooperate'.

Therefore, from his perspective, there was a theoretically high and very plausible possibility that Mobius was using this opportunity for revenge, intending to hit him hard.

"Fighting is easy, but how should we fight, and what happens afterward?"

Just as Lin Wei felt like he was standing at yet another crossroads of fate, another voice echoed in his mind:

"Do not worry, Test Subject. Just do as the Doctor says."

Klein's listless, weak voice was highly distinctive.

"The reality is not as the Doctor presented it. Her choosing this method of experimentation is, in fact, a measure born out of necessity."

Why does this déja vu feel even stronger now?

Lin Wei's thoughts stirred. He quickly asked,

"What do you mean?"

"The Elysian Realm, strictly speaking, is a massive data terminal. Outsiders like you, Test Subject, are able to move within the Realm because your consciousness has been converted, through special means, into an existence similar to that of the memory bodies. The reason I say similar is merely because your consciousness itself is not composed of actual numerical data," Klein explained slowly and carefully.

"However, this time, the experiment the Doctor wishes to conduct on you surpasses the functional limits of the Elysian Realm itself. Unlike assisting previous visitors in liberating their Stigmata potential—where work could be done directly at the consciousness level, interfacing with brain nerves to affect the subconscious and physical instincts, thereby awakening their dormant potential—I wonder if Test Subject understands what I'm explaining."

Lin Wei nodded. He understood this part, of course.

Aside from his own unique existence, those qualified to come to the Elysian Realm for "advanced study" were either Stigmata awakeners or Fusion Warriors like Raven—albeit weakened versions resulting from countless technological iterations.

"Very good. That saves a lot of complex explanation," Klein seemed to let out a big sigh of relief.

"But the situation this time is exceptionally unique, even running counter to the fundamental working principles of the Elysian Realm itself. It requires first collecting sufficient physiological data directly from the Test Subjects' physical bodies, then comparing, analyzing, and researching it, and finally formulating a concrete plan for implementation..."

"This workflow, while perfectly normal during the Fire Moth era, represents an insurmountable obstacle within the Elysian Realm. After all, you cannot extract complete genetic data or information on physical changes solely from cerebral nerve signals, yet these are precisely the crucial elements for this experiment."

"....."

Lin Wei roughly understood.

He wanted to find solutions to real-world problems within a data world. For the Elysian Realm, this task was indeed far beyond its standard scope.

"But the Doctor truly lives up to her title. Whether then or now, it seems no problem can truly stump her. She quickly found a solution to this issue—"

A trace of admiration entered Klein's weak voice.

"The Doctor will personally collect experimental data related to consciousness, subconsciousness, and relevant nerve signals from the Test Subjects within the Realm—that's why Test Subjects need to engage in combat shortly. Simultaneously, I, as her assistant existing in the real world, will assist in collecting physiological change data from the Test Subjects' physical bodies preserved in the Elysian Realm terminal. Then, the data collected from both aspects, along with your genetic data, will be compiled and handed over to the Doctor for the next phase of work..."

"Klein, you're talking too much."

Mobius's impatient voice cut in "opportunely."

"I don't recall assigning you any tasks beyond being an assistant."

Although hearing Klein praise her made Mobius feel quite smug inwardly, she had to maintain her composure, not letting it show.

"Yes, Doctor. However, I believe this approach will better facilitate the smooth execution of the experiment," Klein explained.

"Due to possessing the Key of Corruption, the Test Subject inherently carries high risks and uncertainty. According to my calculations, without a proper explanation, the probability of him posing a significant threat to the experiment was as high as 74.19%."

"...And now?" Lin Wei wasn't sure what emotion prompted him to ask that question.

"Hmm..." Klein pondered for a second, then said, "The probability has successfully decreased by 27.4%. The effect is satisfactory."

"...May I ask where you're getting these numbers from?" Lin Wei was filled with unfamiliar curiosity about this kind of "mathematical wizardry."

"If you require it, Test Subject, but let's address the immediate problem first," Klein seemed to take Lin Wei's sarcastic remark seriously.

"There is one more thing I need to remind you of, Test Subject."

"What is it? Go ahead." One called him 'guinea pig,' the other 'Test Subject.' Lin Wei had already grown accustomed to the strange nicknames this pair, perfectly "in character," used for him.

"If possible, to ensure the collection of genuinely effective experimental data, please refrain from using the Key of Corruption during the upcoming battle," Klein earnestly made a rather demanding request.

"Otherwise, I'm afraid we would need to conduct numerous consecutive control trials just to compile relatively reliable experimental data—and even then, it would only be relatively reliable. After all, the data corruption caused by the powers of Corruption is truly difficult to predict."

"....."

Klein's final request sounded reasonable, but...

Lin Wei glanced left and right, silent for a second. Yae Sakura, in her Stigmata will form, stood beside him, holding the borrowed Third Divine Key.

The other borrowed Divine Key, the Eighth, would likely need to remain bound to Yuno throughout the upcoming fight to ensure she didn't cross a dangerous line during combat.

Most of the power he could currently wield was right here, standing beside him in very tangible, manifested forms.

And yet, his final trump card, his greatest reliance—Pandora, the Key of Corruption—was being explicitly requested to be banned from this fight!

Yae Sakura wasn't in the Stigmata space, and Pandora couldn't be used.

And then... they tell me to fight Mobius?

With this current setup, nerfed into oblivion?

(╯‵□′)╯︵┻━┻

"Out of curiosity, do I absolutely have to participate in this fight?" Lin Wei asked, holding onto a sliver of hope.

"Yae Sakura and Yuno... can't the two of them fight in my place?"

"Tch!" Mobius scoffed, looking at Lin Wei with an ambiguous smile that said nothing, yet seemed to say everything—

What do you think, little guinea pig?

"No, Test Subject." Klein cruelly crushed Lin Wei's wishful thinking.

"As the owner of this physical body, you are one of the indispensable primary subjects of the experiment. Otherwise, the experiment cannot even proceed."

"....."

Lin Wei pressed his forehead.

Me? Fight Mobius? Are you serious?

Alright, judging by Klein's demeanor, she was probably dead serious...

Any more questions? No...

The problem is huge!

"Klein, I think I understand what you mean," Lin Wei decided to struggle a bit more.

"However, I have a few questions I'd like to confirm with you first—"

"Please proceed, Test Subject." Klein was surprisingly agreeable.

"First question: Will your Dr. Mobius hold back?"

Lin Wei watched Mobius casually tossing a dark green energy orb in her hand like a rubber ball, hearing the ominous crackling sounds, and felt a shiver run down his spine.

"Hmm... I believe, as the 'mad scientist' people call her, the Doctor likely doesn't possess the concept of 'holding back'," Klein calmly delivered Lin Wei's "death notice."

"Great. Thanks for the confirmation."

Hearing this answer, Lin Wei actually calmed down strangely. He continued,

"Then, the second question—you should know that I'm not some MANTIS. My only reliances are my Stigmata and the Key of Corruption, right?"

"Yes. Is there a problem?" Klein didn't seem to grasp Lin Wei's point.

"As you can see, within the Elysian Realm, the 'Stigmata' itself has become an independent entity, temporarily classifiable as a 'teammate'. The Stigmata power I can personally wield is quite limited."

With so much at stake, Lin Wei explained with extreme patience.

"Under these circumstances, if I don't use the Key of Corruption, what are the chances, according to your calculations, of me surviving even one round against your esteemed Dr. Mobius in the upcoming battle?"

"Zero."

Klein blurted out the answer, then seemed to have an epiphany.

"I understand your meaning now, Test Subject. To ensure the smooth progress of the upcoming experiment, I will appropriately find some external support for you."

Immediately following, the distinct clatter of frantic keyboard typing echoed.

"...Huh?"

Lin Wei froze for a moment, not quite grasping what "external support" meant.

The next second...

"Miss me?"

A certain pink-haired girl, known for appearing and disappearing like a ghost, popped up behind Lin Wei with a poof, patting his shoulder.

"See? What did I tell you? Whenever you need help, I'll always appear by your side~"

"Guh..."

Staring at Elysia's smiling face, Lin Wei's train of thought short-circuited for a second.

While her words were genuinely touching, but...

What are you doing here?

Because Lin Wei was quite sure that within the Elysian Realm, Elysia absolutely wouldn't help fight... right...?

The next moment, Lin Wei stared dumbfounded as Elysia, from seemingly nowhere, produced a massive pile of Divine Keys, stacking them on the ground like building blocks. A quick glance revealed the Judgment of Shamash, Abyss Flower, Star of Eden... Lin Wei even spotted a bunch of similarly shaped Divine Keys, likely mass-produced versions of the Key of Dominance...

A huge pile of Divine Keys, stacked impressively by Elysia, lay brazenly displayed before Lin Wei, dazzling his eyes.

What is going on?!

Lin Wei looked at Elysia, standing tall with her hands on her hips, wearing a blatant "praise me now" expression, and was momentarily speechless.

He couldn't possibly ask her— Did you just rob the entire Elysian Realm?

That was too outrageous!

Besides, Lin Wei could be certain this wasn't Klein's doing.

Klein was merely an administrator maintaining the Realm's operations; how could she possibly have such high-level privileges?

"Heehee, are you so moved you're speechless?"

Seeing Lin Wei's somewhat stunned expression, Elysia pouted slightly in dissatisfaction, then grinned again.

"Hearing that the great Mr. Lin Wei is going to teach Mobius a big lesson, the villagers of the Elysian Realm were all eager to lend a hand!"

Lin Wei was thoroughly bewildered, his face a mask of question marks.

Aren't you the one who seems to be after my life here?

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