Extracting the Gem of Desire proved far more agonizing than Wendy had imagined.
The gem's power had already permeated every cell in her body, like tenacious roots spreading throughout her being—stubborn and omnipresent, tightly binding to every inch of flesh.
Now, Zeke was forcibly ripping these roots out, unhesitating even if it tore through blood and tissue.
This kind of pain could not be endured solely by sheer willpower.
"Ahhh!!!"
Wendy let out one final piercing scream as her petite body involuntarily arched for a moment before collapsing heavily, limbs twitching slightly, falling silent.
At that instant, a finger pressed against the artery at her neck.
"Vital signs weak, brain waves highly active, Honkai Energy corruption level at 90.12%, intensity classified as critical—but past the first threshold. Phase one complete. Proceed to phase two. Thank you for your assistance, Miss Fu Hua."
Zeke turned towards the laboratory's entrance and spoke.
Outside the door, Fu Hua silently appeared in her sleek trench coat, hands tucked into her pockets as she walked in with an indifferent expression.
"Didn't her constant screams affect you at all?" Fu Hua asked softly.
The girl on the lab table lay pale-faced, her dark green hair damp with sweat and disheveled around her forehead. Deep bite wounds marred her lips—there was no choice; using soft materials to gag her couldn't withstand Honkai Energy's corrosion, while stronger materials risked shattering her teeth, making it better not to gag her at all.
But Wendy, clearly just like a budding flower, should never have endured such agony!
A flicker crossed Fu Hua's eyes. At heart, despite her memory loss, she remained empathetic and compassionate.
Then came Zeke's cool, unflinching reply: "No."
With a stoic face, Zeke gestured towards Wendy on the table, indicating for Fu Hua to intervene.
Fu Hua gave him a searching look.
If he truly couldn't, then why was he so gently brushing Wendy's hair away from her forehead now? Just out of sheer boredom?
A boy with a sharp tongue and a soft heart!
Sighing, Fu Hua said no more. With hands forming a peculiar gesture aimed at both Wendy and Zeke, she slowly closed her eyes.
"Yu Duo: Dream of the Yellow Grain!"
Dream of the Yellow Grain, immersing hearts within its realm...
Seated by the stage, Zeke held Wendy's damp little hand tightly, his gaze gradually losing focus.
Fu Hua sighed, considering joining them but recalling Zeke's earlier warning—unless there's imminent danger, do not interfere.
So, she could only stand quietly to the side, maintaining the connection between their consciousnesses without further action.
Despite having lost her memories, Fu Hua felt a vague sense that she had done something similar before, stirring a slight unease within her.
"Who...are you?"
"Me? Aren't I just you?"
In this murky void, Wendy gazed at the silhouette formed by black elements, her hazy consciousness struggling to grasp her current state.
"You're...me?"
"I am indeed you - your sorrow, loneliness, pain, and resentment."
"My... No! You're the power of the gemstone!" Wendy abruptly realized, taking a step back.
As she grew cautious, the chaotic surroundings suddenly split into distinct colors.
On one side was Wendy's own dark domain, while on the other, the eerie green realm inhabited by the being of black mist. These two hues divided the boundless, limitless world evenly, clearly demarcating their territories.
At the same moment Wendy regained her composure, the girl-shaped figure composed of black mist distorted dramatically.
It first transformed into a swirling black vortex before coalescing into another version of Wendy, with emerald-green eyes and a deranged smirk playing on her lips.
Perhaps we could call her Dark Wendy.
Smiling with suppressed madness, Dark Wendy said, "Why deny it? Have you forgotten what those scientists did to you, forgotten the vile faces of those treacherous beings? We willingly sacrificed everything to protect the world, but how have they repaid us? Does this world truly deserve our protection?"
"...Not everyone is that bad! I didn't decide to protect the world for those people; it's for the smiles of countless innocent ones!"
"Your words sound grandiose, but look at your legs—this is what the world rewards you with. Can you truly accept this?" Dark Wendy pointed accusingly.
Suddenly, Wendy realized she was sitting on the ground. Lowering her gaze, she saw her once healthy, attractive, and powerful legs slowly turning gray from the ankles upward, as if under a petrification curse. Cracks began appearing, suggesting they might shatter and vanish at any moment.
"No! No, don't!" Wendy's pupils contracted, involuntarily crying out.
In response, Dark Wendy burst into laughter.
"Hahaha! Look, this is the world's reward to us! It's not worth it at all! Come, embrace me, embrace the power that rightfully belongs to you. Together, we can achieve health, strength, dreams, future—all within our grasp! You'll be free to do anything you desire, no longer enduring scorn or suffering the bitterness of helplessness!"
Dark Wendy took a step forward, causing the eerie green domain behind her to extend outward.
The black domain surrounding Wendy, in turn, gradually eroded, shrinking visibly at a rapid pace.
Dark Wendy approached her counterpart on the ground, bearing a cruel smile as she extended her hand.
"Slap!"
Wendy swatted away the offered hand, causing her black domain, symbolizing her own will, to abruptly tremble and halt its shrinking trend.
"Don't come any closer!"
"Are you stupid? Why resist me? I've already told you, I am you! You clearly desire this power too; what's the point in denying it?"
"You're not me! You're just a counterfeit created by the Gem of Desire, meant to tempt me towards corruption!"
"You fool! This is our best opportunity! Once Zeke extracts the gemstone, we'll never have a chance again to seek revenge against this ugly world!" Dark Wendy scolded anxiously, frustrated with Wendy's resistance.
It seemed less like temptation and more a genuine concern for the impending loss of opportunity for Wendy.
"You don't need to waste your effort; I won't fall for it!"
"You idiot! How far do you plan to deceive yourself? You clearly despise your fate and hate this world!"
"No matter how much self-doubt or despair I feel, I will never yield to you!"
"I'm not asking you to yield, damn it! Just accept who you truly are—how hard can that be?"
Their argument escalated, each standing firm and unwilling to yield.
Despite Wendy's unwavering stance, the eerie green domain gradually began overpowering the black one symbolizing her rationality.
Wendy sensed that once her will, represented by the black domain, was completely swallowed, this strange and deranged version of herself would take over, becoming the new Wendy!
Anxiety and unease started to grip her, further accelerating the expansion of the eerie green domain.
Upon reaching a critical point, Dark Wendy involuntarily relaxed her expression.
"Fine, do as you please if you want to resist. But remember, I am you. You can't deceive yourself; eventually, you will accept me, becoming the wild and liberating wind that disperses all ugliness!"
"...Zeke will stop you."
"I've already told you, I am you! As for Zeke, he's always been a hypocrite with ill intentions from the start. Just wait, you'll soon witness his ugly terror! Come, let us merge into one!"
Dark Wendy covered her face with a burst of manic laughter, using the same appearance and voice as the original Wendy:
"Hahaha! And I shall be...the God of the New World!"
"Ha!"
"Hahahaha!"
"I seem to have heard you speaking ill of me?"
Suddenly, a voice not belonging to Wendy echoed within the world gradually turning dark green. It was cold yet carried an undertone of danger.
Wendy involuntarily shuddered.
Even Dark Wendy stiffened momentarily.
In the next instant, a radiant portal appeared before Wendy, and from its blinding white light, a distinctively boned hand extended out.
Without hesitation, Wendy grasped this hand.
A compelling force surged through her, effortlessly pulling her into the glowing gateway.
Moments later, a brilliant white radiance emanated from the two-person-tall door, illuminating the entire space within the blink of an eye. It dispersed both the eerie green and pitch-black hues, leaving behind only an endless expanse of pure whiteness.