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Chapter 58: Aponia Arrives, with a Bonus Gift—Kalpas
🕑 Added 2025-04-16 08:00:11 +0000 UTCTherefore, she was now fully committed to advancing Stigma research. Once powerful Stigmas were developed, she planned to bend the rules a little and give Kevin priority access.
"Alright, alright, I can’t argue with you. But you should know that I can foresee the future. Kevin is special—he can bear the Chimera Project.
The sooner that project is executed, the more perfect the final Chimera will be. It will be one of our trump cards against the Herrscher of the End."
"......"
Faced with this proposal, Dr. Mei fell silent.
She couldn’t refute Chang Yuan’s words.
After all, based on Chang Yuan’s previous explanations and the order of Herrscher appearances, he truly could see the future.
So, if he said Kevin was one of the key figures in defeating the Herrscher of the End, it must be true.
But the Chimera Project involved fusing with the DNA of all Honkai beasts. Even fusing with a single DNA strand carried the risk of death, let alone all of them.
"I’ll need to think about it. I also need to ask Kevin for his opinion. Before fully committing to the project, I want to do everything I can to make it as safe as possible."
"We’re only at the fourth Herrscher. We still have time to think, but not much. What seems like a long time is actually only a fifth of a lifetime."
After leaving these words, Chang Yuan nodded and left.
However, before he could start inspecting the Fire Moth headquarters, a squad member approached him.
"Vice Captain Chang Yuan, the nun you sent us to find in the Twilight Corridor has been located. She’s waiting for you in the conference room."
"Aponia has been found? Got it. You can return to your patrol."
Hearing that Aponia had been found, Chang Yuan didn’t hesitate and rushed to the conference room.
Upon arriving, he saw a woman dressed in nun’s attire, her hands clasped together as if in prayer.
"You’ve arrived. May I ask why you had them bring me here?"
"Because of your unique abilities. You have the power to persuade others and make them obey you, correct?"
"......"
Hearing Chang Yuan directly point out her special ability, Aponia fell into thought.
She lowered her hands and opened her eyes.
"That’s correct. So, do you want me to use this ability to help you with something? If so, I must decline. I won’t use my powers for any evil purposes."
Without waiting for Chang Yuan to speak, Aponia directly stated that she wouldn’t use her abilities to help him.
"......What if it’s not for evil purposes? In fact, I can have the most outstanding biological doctor treat all the patients with Honkai sickness in your sanctuary."
Faced with Aponia’s refusal, Chang Yuan wasn’t upset. Instead, he chose to tempt her with an offer.
He believed Aponia would find it hard to refuse.
After all, at this point in time, she must have already witnessed the deaths of many children.
This offer would undoubtedly touch her heart.
Moreover, Vill-V had already developed a low-cost cure for Honkai sickness, though it only eliminated Honkai corruption in ordinary people.
If another major Honkai eruption occurred, the problem would resurface.
"......"
Hearing Chang Yuan’s offer, Aponia’s heart wavered.
She had watched countless patients with Honkai sickness pass away, children who called her "Sister Aponia" die one after another.
"Don’t worry, it’s not for evil purposes. In fact, I can allow you to bring everyone from your sanctuary to live in the cities around the Fire Moth base.
I can provide them with the greatest protection. In return, you must help me. It’s a transaction."
"......Alright."
Faced with this offer, Aponia had no choice but to agree.
If it wasn’t for evil purposes, she could help Chang Yuan.
"Good. Then I’ll take you to Vill-V to draw some blood for testing and find a compatible Honkai beast DNA for you. After that, you can return to bring everyone from your sanctuary here."
However, Chang Yuan didn’t realize that his actions would cause a significant butterfly effect—or rather, he had already caused a major butterfly effect in the past.
After drawing some blood at Vill-V’s lab, Aponia boarded a Fire Moth aircraft and returned to the Twilight Corridor.
Over the next few days, she brought everyone from her sanctuary to live in the cities surrounding the Fire Moth headquarters.
Among them, Chang Yuan also noticed a certain hot-headed, cheerful young man.
"You, have we met before?"
Upon seeing Chang Yuan for the first time, the masked young man felt a sense of familiarity.
"Kalpas, you saved my life back in the village."
"Oh, you’re that idiot who tried to block a blade with his bare hands to protect that pink-haired girl?"
"......"
Chang Yuan was momentarily speechless at Kalpas’s blunt remark.
Back then, his actions had indeed been foolish. No normal person would try to block a blade with their hands, but he had.
"Kalpas, please be polite."
"Aponia, don’t order me around. Do you think I wanted to come with you? Hmph!"
Despite his harsh tone, Kalpas obediently stopped cursing.
"Alright, Aponia, Vill-V has already found a compatible Honkai beast DNA for you. Go undergo the MANTIS surgery. Once you succeed, that’s when your abilities will truly shine."
Before becoming a MANTIS soldier, Aponia’s Commandment ability only worked on ordinary people. It had no effect on stronger individuals like Kevin.
But after becoming a MANTIS soldier, her Commandment ability would be greatly enhanced, to the point where even Kalpas, as a MANTIS soldier, could be influenced.
That’s when Aponia’s true potential would be realized.
Chang Yuan planned to have Aponia plant a Commandment in everyone’s hearts: to never betray humanity or their own conscience.
When the Herrscher of Domination appeared, they could easily identify and eliminate them.
Or by then, they might have developed a technology to extract Herrscher cores without harming the host.
In that case, the Herrscher of Corruption would become the most harmless Herrscher of all.
In the original story, because no one knew the Herrscher of Domination’s abilities, a chain of suspicion formed, with everyone distrusting and fearing each other.
But as someone who knew in advance, Chang Yuan planned to make full use of Aponia’s Commandment to eliminate the threat of the Herrscher of Domination early.
