Honkai Impact 3rd, but I have too many mods.

"Ah... that was fake, just to avoid attention," Möbius replied nonchalantly. "After all, I wasn't in a very convenient position back then, and people were always watching me. Dying once was just right... Hey, why do you look so agitated?"

“Um, I…I’ve read every single one of your papers.” Klein was clearly at a loss for words.

"?"

Mebius tilted his head.

Isn't it normal for biology students to have read all of her papers?

Why are you so excited?

"Enough with the nonsense, help me with some work. The three of you are responsible for recording the data changes on that experimental instrument over 72 hours." Möbius waved his hand.

"I understand... Senior Liu Bai, how do I use that instrument?"

"I do not know."

Faced with Klein's question, Liu Bai glanced at the obviously expensive instrument and shrugged.

"Eh? Aren't you a senior colleague from the lab?"

"Hmm... Dr. Möbius just referred to Mr. Liu Bai as a guinea pig, right?"

Danzhu noticed a detail that was easily overlooked.

"Could it be a real lab rat?"

"? It's not a term of endearment?" Klein was taken aback.

Mebius glanced at the little girl from behind Klein.

“But Senior Little Mouse is still a senior.” Danzhu nudged Liu Bai familiarly. “As for whether it’s an affectionate nickname, who knows? After all, he’s the controversial Dr. Mebius.”

"Talking about others in front of them, do you want your salary docked as soon as you start working?"

Mebius's cold voice came from behind.

"Look at Cangxuan, he's already started working."

"Ah! I'm so sorry, Doctor!"

"I'm sorry, please don't deduct my salary."

The two obediently bowed and apologized.

"Let's chat again when we have time, senior guinea pig~~"

"Look at the kind of people you've recruited."

After driving away Klein and Danju, Mebius reprimanded Liu Bai.

Liu Bai shrugged helplessly.

Okay, okay, it's my fault, it's my fault.

"...Never mind, I'm the one who let you choose anyway."

Mebius (Si Chuqi Hu Ewu Ran Yin You Kai Shan Shi Qi Tan Qi: O, Ba Zhu Ling Da Yi Qi Ge Liu Xing Yi Jue Qing Bian Huan! Mo Ce.)

鏾

"Also, don't act like an adult in front of me. Gray Snake said that Inazuma's side has sent people. Be careful and take Raven with you when you go out. Although she's not very useful for other things, she's good at fighting."

"No problem, I'll handle Inazuma."

Speaking of Inazuma, Liu Bai remained calm, carrying the teapot with him. If things got tough, he'd send her to the underworld; if things got gentle, he'd try to talk it out.

"Then good luck. Hmm... if you can handle Inazuma, I wouldn't mind giving you a reward, my little guinea pig."

Mebius smiled slightly.

"If you can't get it done... relax, there's no punishment."

"..."

What should I do if I'm even slightly tempted?

Mebius's Mysterious Little Reward

Adding quotation marks to this would make it completely unserious.

"Then I'll be looking forward to it."

"Hmm~ I feel like you little white mouse are thinking about some inappropriate things, but well, you can certainly look forward to it. You should give the obedient little white mouse a reward."

…………

"Did something happy happen? You can't stop smiling." Natasha, who was waiting for Liu Bai outside, immediately teased him upon seeing him.

"It is."

"The Lord can bring you happy things? Hmm... Could it be that you have a thing for older men, little brother?"

Natasha said something that Liu Bai recognized very well.

How dare you attack me with my spell, Potter?

"But thinking about it, it makes sense. What decent person would care if someone called her 'sister' so intimately and naturally?"

"...Doesn't calling someone 'brother' sound quite natural?"

Liu Bai raised an eyebrow. "Let's not argue. This sibling role-playing game can't continue if one of us doesn't want to play it, okay?"

"Is this a two-way street between older and younger men?"

Two... two-way journey?

It's unbelievable that this kid could even say that...

"So you really are into older men?" Natasha didn't follow Liu Bai's lead and forced herself to continue asking, suppressing her shyness—she knew that Liu Bai's words were a diversionary tactic.

"I just prefer sexy to cute, and being older is not the point at all."

"You're the only one who can make lust seem so reasonable."

"Hmm, I should be wondering, why am I being criticized for no reason when I just went out smiling—could it be that someone's younger man preference is starting to kick in?"

"...You talk too much nonsense, kid."

Natasha ended the conversation.

Perhaps... after I started treating Liu Bai like a younger brother, my desire for control did become a little stronger?

"Alright, what are you planning to do next?"

Chapter Sixty-Eight: Your approach to finding a partner is rather improper!

[Achievement Completed: Defeat the formidable enemy Ashura]

[Received 15 Gacha Coins as a reward]

Watching the fleeting, sharp blade light and the slowly dissipating giant beast.

Liu Bai felt quite calm.

Ashura: I got up, I was instantly killed, what's there to say?

After comforting Natasha, Liu Bai packed a pot and went around looking for flowers.

Since he didn't bring Gui Naifen, Liu Bai didn't touch the flowers from elite monsters and regular enemies, but instead went specifically to find the flowers from the BOSS.

Unfortunately, the previous "Double Elephant Dance" has been cleared, and it took me most of the time to find a BOSS flower.

Huang Quan did not disappoint Liu Bai. He killed the Emperor-level being with a single blow, leaving a knife mark on the ground.

"Ah... gone." Huang Quan looked at the knife marks he had left on the ground.

"After all, it's a dungeon."

Although the venue is no different from reality, a dungeon is still a dungeon. It only drops materials, and you only get gacha coins for defeating the boss because you trigger an achievement.

Let's keep these drops for now; explaining them to Mebius would be too complicated. They're perfect for alchemy materials.

"Let's go find the next flower, Huang Quan."

"Ah."

Huang Quan was sucked into the pot again.

(An irresistible suction force...)

Getting back to the point, the reason for not taking Huang Lingquan to kill the miscellaneous soldiers is quite simple.

Liu Bai... should also cherish his feathers.

He's already been labeled as a pervert in the eyes of Gui Naifen and Natasha... Let's not let others have this misunderstanding too.

…………

"Ha... I can't find it."

Liu Bai scratched his head.

The BOSS's flowers are indeed not so easy to find.

However, according to the navigation, he was already close to the shrine in the Sky Dome area.

Having always been passively picked on by others, Liu Bai decided to take the initiative this time to find fault with others, especially with Mebius's "side reward"... although Natasha would probably scold him if she found out about this.

Going to a meeting alone and making a mistake that leads to eternal regret are easily linked together.

"Hey buddy, wanna hang out?"

Someone locked him from behind and made him lean back.

...This weighty softness.

"Good afternoon, Professor Himeko. Could you please let me go?" Bai Hou leaned back.

"No, we finally completed the capture mission, what if you run away after we let you go?" Himeko's tone was still cheerful.

However, despite what he said, Liu Bai could still sense whether Himeko was using force or not, and Himeko's physical abilities couldn't restrain him.

Just ...

"Hey, why do you walk so silently? Are you a cat?"

"I don't want to be called a 'phubber' (people who are always looking at their phones) like that. Young people should stop looking at their fitness trackers while walking—besides, I should be a leopard by all accounts, right?"

"...Indeed, her figure is as imposing as that of a female leopard."

"Tsk tsk, you got the joke right away, you're not a good guy."

Himeko hugged him a little tighter.

Himeko's Affection Level: 2228

Having met once before, Himeko's initial favorability was quite high.

"By the way..."

Himeko's tone became a little more serious, and she lowered her voice.

"Do you even know where you are, kid?"

"I know, it's near the shrine."

"...You came all the way to the shrine by yourself? Are you trying to defect or are you out of your mind? No, maybe the World Serpent is out of its mind for letting you run around like this."

"Anyway, even if I don't come, they will come knocking on my door. At that time, we might end up having a fight and become friends, which would be pointless."

"Can negotiating in your own base camp be the same as negotiating in someone else's base camp?" Himeko's tone was slightly reprimanding.

"Of course they're different. One is about safety, and the other is about showing courage... Now that things have come to this, there's nothing wrong with showing courage and quickly building trust, right?"

Liu Bai smiled.

"And do you think I would entrust my safety to someone else? The way to win with the highest probability of success is to first establish an invincible position and then seek victory—Professor Himeko, you obviously did a very bad job on that last time."

"We've only met twice, who knows what kind of person you are?"

Himeko spat and then released Liu Bai.

"It seems you didn't make this decision on a whim—although I'm curious about your method for remaining invincible, I won't ask any further questions."

"So, Professor Himeko, are you helping them as an ally?" Liu Bai, having regained his footing, turned around and looked at Himeko.