Elegy from Another World

The peaceful days lasted only five days.

That day, M-Tini Guquera rushed to me, her body, composed of sundews and Venus flytraps, trembling slightly with anxiety, the sand suspended in her abdomen moving erratically. "Lysya! The long-term observation data from the Night's Eye is out… R-Muteko's expansion rate is far exceeding expectations! It's frantically devouring the data structure of the T-917 world; at this rate, it won't be long before it consumes the entire data world!"

My heart sank. I knew R-Mute was dangerous, but I hadn't expected the threat to close in so quickly. I looked at Mia Leili; she was frowning, deep in thought, staring at a data screen displaying the "Fragments of Wish" within me. These past few days, all her energy had been focused on me, and her research on R-Mute had almost come to a standstill. My initial plan was to wait for the pleasure converter to be repaired, then try to repair the other four damaged escape ships, strengthen my forces, and then deal with this threat more prudently. However, time was of the essence.

M-Tini Guquela and Mia Leili were both looking at me, awaiting my decision. M-Tini Guquela's eyes reflected her responsibility and anxiety as a guardian, while Mia Leili's eyes held a complex reluctance.

I immediately summoned Edseysis and Xiaobai for an emergency meeting. We weighed the pros and cons: confronting R-Mutko was extremely risky, potentially causing casualties and ship damage; while leaving it alone would only result in the loss of a dangerous "virus incubator" world.

After much deliberation, I leaned towards a more prudent approach: "How about... we just forget about it? That world itself is a breeding ground for worm viruses; letting it fend for itself might be a form of 'purification'?"

"No!" M-Tini Guquela immediately retorted excitedly, "My core command is to seal and ultimately destroy R-Mutko! If you give up, then let me down. Even if I'm the only one left, I will fulfill my duty!" Her voice was resolute.

Mia Leili flew to me, her small face full of pleading: "Lysia, that... is too cruel. R-Mutko is dangerous, but in that world... there might be others..."

I interrupted her, my tone somewhat cold and hard: "Cruel? I remember an old saying: mercy to the enemy is cruelty to oneself. They're defined as 'worm viruses,' their essence is to devour and destroy. Why should we risk our own and our companions' lives for a virus world destined for destruction?"

M-Tini Guquela fell silent; her core logic seemed unable to refute this rational judgment based on the priority of survival. But Mia Reilly didn't give up. She took a deep breath and said to me, "Lizia, can you... come with me somewhere? Just the two of us."

"Where are you going? What are you going to do?" I frowned.

"You'll see when you get there." Mia Reilly's eyes were unusually firm. "Please trust me this once."

Seeing her serious expression, I finally nodded: "Okay."

Piloting the Ring, I once again entered the bizarre and perilous world of T-917. Following the coordinates provided by Mia Reilly, we avoided the areas where R-Mutko was active and, after sailing for some time, arrived at our destination.

It was a dilapidated church standing amidst the ruins of data. Its structure was crooked, its stained glass windows broken, yet it strangely maintained a sense of tranquility compared to its distorted surroundings.

"Follow me." Mia Leili flew in first.

I followed cautiously. The interior of the church appeared even more dilapidated than the exterior, but to my surprise, it was teeming with… worms. Yes, worm-like creatures of all shapes and sizes, made of data. They varied in size and color, slowly wriggling among the broken pews and collapsed pillars.

Surprisingly, these worms showed no aggression whatsoever. Upon seeing Mia Riley, they seemed to see a family member, emitting soft, joyful buzzing as they gathered around, affectionately rubbing against her wings and legs, and even making indistinct calls similar to "Mommy."

At that moment, a humanoid creature resembling a stick figure, composed of worms resembling thin optical cables, approached and spoke in a clear electronic voice: "Mom, who is this?"

"L-7C1F," Mia Leili introduced gently, "This is Liscia, our friend. Liscia, this is L-7C1F, one of the few highly intelligent individuals here."

L-7C1F bowed slightly to me, its movements a little stiff but full of goodwill.

Looking at the scene before me, I instantly understood Mia Reilly's intention. I sighed, "I see... You brought me here to tell me that even in a world defined as a 'culture dish for viruses,' there exist harmless beings, even those yearning for peace, just like these little things you rescued, right?"

"Yes." Mia Leili looked at me, her blue-green eyes sparkling. "They're just different in form; they want to live too."

I paused for a moment, then asked a pointed question: "Miya, I understand your kindness. But what if... I mean, what if one of these 'children' you've helped awakens a destructive urge someday, begins to harm or even kill other innocent beings, and even enjoys it? What would you do then?"

Mia Leili's body stiffened visibly. She lowered her head, her wings drooping limply. After a long while, she raised her head, tears welling in her eyes, but her tone was unusually firm: "If... if something truly irreversible were to happen... I will personally... send them to their graves. It is my responsibility."

Looking at her, the initial skepticism I felt because I thought she was a "saint" vanished. She wasn't an indiscriminately kind person; she had her own principles and bottom line.

"Is that so..." I said softly, "It seems I misjudged you. Well, thanks to you, it seems this battle is unavoidable."

I looked at the various data beings nestled beside Mia Leili in the church, and then at the chaotic world outside the church shrouded in the shadow of R-Mute.

"But Mia, you must understand," my tone turned serious, "we will do our best, but our own lives come first. If, after the battle begins, we find that things are hopeless, R-Mutko's strength far exceeds our expectations, or there is a risk of heavy casualties, I will not hesitate to order a retreat. You must accept that. Is that alright?"

Mia Leili nodded emphatically: "Okay!"

"Okay." I took a deep breath. "Then let's go back and immediately start developing a battle plan. Time is of the essence; hopefully, we can come up with a feasible plan in just one day!"

I piloted the Ring back to the Draenor. I told Edsey and Little Paradox about my decision and what I had seen in the church. They were surprised, but they understood and supported my final decision.

The battle against R-Muthko is now officially on the agenda. We must find a way to defeat that terrifying data devourer within a day.