Genshin Impact.

"Oh my god! Stelle has already started perceiving herself as a mechanical construct! This... can she still change back?"

Inside the Akademiya, Paimon had just cried out in alarm before quickly covering her mouth, fearing her voice would disturb the other students studying in the library.

"In the Simulated Universe, it's easy for Stelle to return to normal; Madam Herta only needs to lift a finger. But for those in history whose self-perception was truly modified to identify as Inorganic Life... there's likely no risk of a cure."

Hat Guy put down the book in his hand, his purple eyes sweeping toward Paimon. "By the way, you've been stuck on this page of practice questions for half an hour. What, is there no answer you like among the four multiple-choice options?"

"I... I..." Paimon was momentarily speechless. Not long ago, she had been suspected by Zibai of never having studied language, and in a fit of pique, she decided to study hard. It just so happened that Alhaitham had enrolled her in a course at Vahumana, so she followed the Traveler to Sumeru.

She hadn't expected to not only run into Hat Guy in the library but also have him supervise her out of boredom... "I'm just thinking about a problem... yes, thinking! It's definitely not because of the Celestial Screen," Paimon hastily argued in her own defense.

"What problem?"

"Think about it, the thoughts of Inorganic Life should be fixed by specific programming, right? How do they manage to possess, possess... just like organic life?" Paimon froze, beginning to search her meager vocabulary for the most appropriate adjective.

"Are you trying to ask how the thoughts of Inorganic Life can be as 'free' as those of organic life?" Hat Guy said flatly.

"Yes, yes! That's exactly what I mean!"

"Paimon, have you forgotten? Technically, a puppet like me is also a form of Inorganic Life." Hat Guy placed his hand on his chest; beneath the soft clothing was the hard body of a puppet. "Although Teyvat's puppet technology originates from Khaenri'ah, I've possessed 'thoughts' from the moment of my birth. As for the principle... if you're really curious, why not ask the deity who created me?"

"Then... then never mind..." Paimon scratched her head sheepishly.

"I don't know if a nasty fellow like Sandrone was born with thoughts like I was, but if so, it means Teyvat's mechanical technology has already reached a quite high level. If another Emperor's War were to break out..."

Paimon suddenly gasped and floated backward repeatedly. "H-Hat Guy, you... you wouldn't attack us, would you?"

"Who knows?" Hat Guy shrugged. "It depends on whether the Anti-Organic Equation can be implanted into the creations of the silver-white ancient tree."

—

【She recalled her honor: in the war of annihilation in the 111th star system, she used the Staff to prevent organic beings from interfering with the Emperor. To curb the calculation of the Anti-Life Equation, her frame was destroyed.】

【But more than that, Stelle also felt an extraordinary sadness. This determined future filled her with a mechanical sense of mission to kill those pathetic organic lives that possessed no free will.】

【She must eliminate them and break the universe's deadlock. Conclusion: Killing = Salvation.】

【Suddenly, a female individual appeared before Stelle. Based on security analysis, she should not reveal her inorganic identity to her. Instruction: Play the role of the other's companion and escape her observation.】

【The woman wore a candy-colored gauze dress with an ordinary Scholar's uniform draped over it. She chuckled, looking Stelle up and down. "Has your perception been affected? You're like a drunken bird."】

【Danger level determination — Extreme.】

【Fatality rate determined as — 99.99%.】

【"Next, you flee into the darkness. Then, you leap into the embrace of blood," the woman said.】

【A massive upheaval erupted in Stelle's mind, as if countless alarms were echoing and resonating within her skull: "Warning, warning, the target's functions are far superior to typical organic individuals; attempting to change response strategy."】

【"Loading organic life behavior database. Instruction: Distance from unknown individual, establish contact with more Menikos."】

【Stelle attempted to flee toward the Staff's transfer zone.】

【Fatality rate determined as — 17.45%.】

【"Warning, encountered organic interception. Anti-Organic Equation loading, initiating annihilation mode... Weapon system query failed, requesting annihilation mode initiation again... Weapon system query failed."】

—

Sword Art Online.

"How strange..."

Kirito carefully observed Polka-Kakamond's figure. Although he, like the others, could not see the woman's face clearly, a strong sense of doubt remained rooted in his heart.

How could Polka-Kakamond kill two "Emperors" in a row? Was she also an Emanator of Erudition? But aren't the only current Emanators of Erudition Dr. Primitive and Madam Herta?

Moreover, he couldn't see any special abilities in Polka at all; it seemed the only unique and eye-catching thing was the way she masked her appearance. Other than that, she was like a scalpel suspended over the heads of all geniuses, capable of fairly executing any of them.

"She is clearly an organic life, her way of killing is very ordinary, and even her weapons are very common, yet why can she kill geniuses so effortlessly?"

"She seems like a BUG," Asuna said with a frown.

"A BUG?"

"Yes, like a BUG that automatically triggers once certain conditions are met. This BUG is everywhere in the universe and generally only geniuses trigger it. I even have a premonition... she has been monitoring everyone still alive in the Genius Society through some means."

—

【A wisp of memory that did not belong to her surfaced in Stelle's mind—a memory as an organic being. She tried to scan the face of the interceptor, but there was only blurred, chaotic data. She knew very well that the woman was smiling and gradually approaching.】

【"A beautiful ripple, where conflict and suspicion bloom among the flowers. I believe you will enjoy this comedy performed by ten thousand leads." As she spoke, that sharp scalpel had already pierced Stelle's chest.】

【A strong sense of suffocation washed over her.】

【Stelle finally remembered her name: Polka-Kakamond, the murderer of the Emperor.】

【...】

【"You're saying you were infected by an anti-organic virus and then killed by the Lord of Silence?" Herta pried open Stelle's eyelids with half-belief, trying to determine if one could run a fever and talk nonsense within the Simulated Universe.】

【The "accidentally" created anti-organic virus, using electromagnetic waves as a carrier, spread frantically through the communication network of the Perfected Elation school, crossing species barriers as if responding to the terrifying prophecy of Rupert III's descent.】