Honkai Diary: Start With Picking Up A White-Haired Treasure

"Tap-tap-tap—"

In the quiet laboratory corridor, two figures slowly paced together. One was Otto, with his left hand behind his back and right hand stroking his chin thoughtfully, examining their surroundings while walking. The other, as always, was Miss Amber, inseparable from him.

Otto was currently selecting the body he would use for his upcoming trip.

Within the Headquarters, he utilized his most balanced body, which consumed minimal energy, maintained stability, and exhibited decent capabilities across various attributes. It had no significant weaknesses but also lacked any remarkable strengths. Overall, it matched the level of an elite A-Class Valkyrie, falling considerably short compared to near-S-Class individuals like Rita.

However, when venturing outside, opting for a slightly stronger body would be more convenient and demonstrate respect towards Zeke.

Otto walked past rows of culture tanks, ultimately stopping before one at the end of the corridor.

"Amber, what do you think about this one?" Otto gestured towards the exquisite body before him, habitually seeking Amber's opinion as she was always by his side during normal circumstances.

Amber glanced at the body, then lowered her head and said:

"A rare fusion of Kaslana and Schariac bloodlines, with exceptional combat abilities. It can effortlessly handle most unexpected situations, making it a suitable choice. The only issue is - due to its bloodline origins, this is a female body."

"You don't understand; this is a surprise for Zeke. He'd never expect me to visit him like this. Moreover, while my appearance isn't universally known, it's not exactly a secret either. Someone might still recognize me. Changing gender will maximize our concealment."

Otto stroked his chin, feeling more convinced with each word, as if truly struck by a genius idea.

Amber nodded without any objections and said,

"Then I'll prepare the transfer equipment right away. Just to clarify, should I accompany you or remain at Headquarters?"

"Stay here. There needs to be someone overseeing things, and having you around gives me greater peace of mind," Otto replied matter-of-factly, caressing the glass dome of the chamber.

Unbeknownst to him, when he mentioned "peace of mind," Amber's otherwise expressionless face briefly flashed a smile.

She then responded calmly, just as always:

"Yes, Director Otto."

In an inconspicuous pharmaceutical factory of Divine City Pharmaceuticals, within its unknown underground base,

Gray Serpent, wearing his mask, had his fingers dancing swiftly over densely packed buttons. Through the red prosthetic eye, he was capturing complex data continuously streaming like flowing water on the screen.

"Yohohoho, and who might this be? Look at that, isn't it our elusive yet omnipresent, mighty Lord Gray Serpent himself? How did you find time to visit me?"

The voice preceded her appearance, cool yet unexpectedly exuding a seductive charm, soft and alluring.

Moments later, a tall woman wearing a black wolf mask gracefully entered. With each step in her high heels, her white semi-formal attire clung tightly, unable to conceal her captivating and voluptuous figure.

Without lifting his head, Gray Serpent calmly asked, "Jackal, have you been able to contact the Lord recently?"

"No. The Sea of Quanta is vast and boundless. Unless the Lord intentionally radiates his power, we within the walls find it difficult to establish contact with him proactively. What are you investigating, Gray Serpent?"

"Zeke, Anti-Entropy's new Enforcer."

"What's there to investigate further? Wasn't everything already thoroughly examined?"

At that moment, Gray Serpent turned and asked in a deep electronic tone:

"Do you believe it?"

Jackal let out a charming, flirtatious laugh.

"Hahaha, of course not. For such a groundbreaking genius, his early life is surprisingly mundane, without even a single remarkable aspect. It's pure nonsense!"

"Concealing personal information is common, but fabricating records this way shows blatant disregard. It seems he's incredibly confident, believing that even if the facade is seen through, no one could ever glimpse his true identity."

Gray Serpent leaned back in the chair, ceasing the data collection and analysis.

Jackal approached Gray Serpent, leaning against the table edge, and asked:

"So, how did it go? Did you find anything?"

"No, just like with the initial intel, there isn't much to uncover."

"Tsk! As expected, it's all futile effort."

"Not entirely. I did find something that might be quite intriguing."

Gray Serpent tapped his mask. Within the eyepatch's field of view, a data window was rapidly computing and attempting to decipher a deeply hidden data connection channel.

Clearly understanding Gray Serpent was immersed in calculations, Jackal patiently waited without disturbing him.

"This is..." After approximately ten minutes, Gray Serpent murmured softly and abruptly lifted his head.

"We've been located! Destroy the core database and evacuate immediately."

"Huh?"

Before Jackal could ponder further, he saw Gray Serpent draw his pistol and swiftly shoot through the computer equipment before them.

With a click of his tongue, acknowledging his companion's capabilities, Jackal promptly sprang into action as well.

A few minutes later, standing in a dim alley two kilometers away, Jackal and Gray Serpent observed the subsidiary base engulfed in explosions and flames, both silent.

"What did you discover?"

Jackal pounded his fist against the wall, asking coldly.

Unlike Schicksal, which had dominated the surface world for five centuries, or Anti-Entropy, rapidly expanding over several decades, World Serpent's ethos emphasized secrecy and quality over scale.

Therefore, losing a base was no trivial matter for Jackal.

Meanwhile, through the perspective of his eyepatch, Gray Serpent watched the departure of Titan forces along with several Valkyries before turning to leave.

"Let's move. Change locations; this is significant."

For Gray Serpent, who had lived over 1500 years, "significant" meant events on par with the birth of a Herrscher.

Chilled, Jackal suppressed his dissatisfaction and discomfort, silently following behind.

"Read it yourself and destroy it afterward. Find me at these coordinates."

In an uninhabited wilderness, Gray Serpent took out a paper notebook and, unusually, began handwriting information with a fountain pen. After completing the message, he handed the notebook to Jackal along with this parting remark.

Then, right before Jackal's eyes, Gray Serpent's body abruptly disintegrated and vanished, leaving only scattered remnants of clothing that drifted down, carried away by the wind.

Jackal's pupils contracted.

"This cautious? Just what kind of data is it?"

Gray Serpent had always been meticulous, it was his nature. However, witnessing him go so far as to destroy a whole body immediately after handwriting the information was a first for Jackal.

Feeling a hint of unease about the contents in his hands, Jackal read on:

"Sequence 1: Vagabond Earth Plan. Construct a world bubble within the Sea of Quanta, stabilize it using Ether Anchor Points, migrate the entire planet into the world bubble, escape control of the Imaginary Tree, thereby freeing it from Honkai threats.

"Proposed by Otto Apocalypse. Current achievements: Controlled humanoid Ether Anchor Point 'Durandal' has demonstrated practical success in stabilizing world bubbles; the artificial Heaven constructed through Otto's replicated clones spans the outer space enveloping the entire planet, enabling quantum migration of the entire globe."

"The next plan involves locating the Second Divine Key, 'Cosmic Juggernaut,' and studying the Herrscher of the Void's Authorities to traverse the Sea of Quanta. This will enable us to either construct or extensively search for suitable world bubbles for migration."

Jackal's hand trembled as she recalled the unfathomable archbishop and some fragmented intelligence she had previously gathered. Why did this proposal seem so plausible?

She continued reading.

"Sequence 2, Mechanical Ascension Plan. Promote entertainment industries to popularize consciousness uploading technology. When the time is ripe, upload the entire human race's consciousness into a virtual realm. This will significantly reduce energy consumption, greatly inhibiting Honkai Energy concentration from an entropy reduction perspective. Then, transform our species into a fearless, infinitely evolving mechanical legion, defeat Honkai, and usher in the era of grand space exploration. Proposed by Zeke. Current achievements: Self-evolving Hive System; Human Brain Neuron Linking Device; Initial Theory on Information Source."

"Sequence 3, Unity Consciousness Ascension Plan. Attempt to comprehend the thoughts of all beings and integrate them into a belief system capable of accommodating the mental consciousness of most humans. By assimilating the collective human consciousness, merge it into one unified entity. It shall be humanity itself, It shall be civilization, singular yet encompassing all. Humans will transcend physical limitations, existing as a unified consciousness formed from billions, reaching higher dimensions—Note: This is an alternative plan activated after Sequences 1 and 2 prove ineffective. Proposed by Welt Yang, Enforced by Welt Yang."

"Sequence 4, Project Stigma. Introduced by Dr. Mei in the previous era, currently executed by Kevin Kaslana and World Serpent. The sacrifices are too great, making it the second alternative plan with potential for negotiation and collaboration..."

Jackal closed the notebook, igniting a flame in his palm that completely incinerated it.

Fuck!

Gray Serpent had unearthed explosive intel on Schicksal and Anti-Entropy's core plans no wonder their actions were so swift.

As for its authenticity—it aligns with numerous details in the real world. Otto's circumstances, Zeke's mechanical army, and Welt's constant travels all match the requirements outlined in these schemes.

Moreover, this intelligence was unearthed by Gray Serpent. Although Jackal didn't know the exact source, Gray Serpent's computer expertise was trustworthy, and it must have been verified by him.

In summary, Jackal initially believed it to be true.

Naturally, Gray Serpent also leaned towards believing it.