Chapter 1271 Conjecture
The all-out investigation by Anti-Entropy seemed to have hit an invisible wall. No matter how repeatedly Einstein and Tesla analyzed, enhanced the images, and performed multi-spectral scans, the monitoring records all pointed to the same conclusion—the surveillance system of the "Qiluoshang" clothing store had naturally failed that morning due to a sudden short circuit in an aging line. There were no signs of human sabotage, no residual signal interference, and not even the slightest abnormal fluctuation of Honkai energy could be detected. It was as if fate, or some extremely sophisticated being, had gently tugged at its "eyes" at that crucial moment.
If one path is blocked, try another. Tesla made the decision to change the direction of the investigation and look for potential witnesses who had also entered "Qiluochang" during that period.
Over the next few days, Anti-Entropy's subordinates practically turned that commercial district upside down. They found several customers who had visited the store that morning.
"Oh? Those three pretty young girls? I vaguely remember them, they seemed to be looking at dresses... And then? I didn't pay attention, I left after I finished buying my things."
"I don't know, I was in the fitting room at the time."
"Sorry, I didn't notice. There weren't many people that day, but I wasn't staring at anyone the whole time."
A large number of testimonies were collected, but almost none of them yielded any valuable clues. After the three Valkyries entered "Qiluo Shang," they vanished without a trace, like drops of water flowing into the ocean, leaving no reliable witnesses.
Just as the investigation reached a stalemate, Walter's communicator rang urgently. It was an encrypted communication from Anti-Entropy headquarters, regarding an important collaborative project that required his decision.
Walter rubbed his temples, looking apologetically at his two trusted subordinates: "Einstein, Tesla, there's an urgent matter at headquarters. I must return immediately. The investigation here..."
"Leave it to me!" Tesla immediately stood up, patting his chest, his face radiating confidence (or perhaps overconfidence). "The previous investigation was definitely too conservative! Watch me use my genius, ahead of its time, to find that elusive guy from all this jumbled clues! I'll definitely uncover the truth for you!"
Einstein casually added, "I hope your 'genius brain' won't short-circuit our temporary servers this time, Dr. Tesla. Remember to eat on time; I don't want to pick up another 'genius' who faints from hypoglycemia from the lab."
Walter smiled helplessly. "Then I'll leave it to you. Keep in touch, and notify me immediately of any discoveries." With that, he turned and left.
After Walter left, Tesla plunged headlong into the sea of data. Unconvinced, she pulled up all the surveillance footage, testimony records, environmental data, and even all the customer traffic and sales records since the clothing store opened, trying to build a massive model to find any discordant "noise".
She worked tirelessly, her eyes glued to the scrolling code and images on the screen, muttering to herself:
"Time difference... spatial folds? No, that's not right..."
"Energy residue simulation... threshold too low to detect?"
"Psychological suggestion? Group cognitive interference? The scope and mode of action are inconsistent..."
"Could it be... a point of entry into a parallel universe? The coordinates and stability need to be recalculated..."
"...I understand! It must be the arrival of a new Herrscher!"
"Dr. Tesla, while I understand your eagerness, please refrain from making baseless speculations." This was Einstein's calm retort.
The laboratory was filled with empty coffee cans and energy bar wrappers, and the holographic projection screen was covered with complex formulas and incomprehensible diagrams. Tesla's eyes were bloodshot, his hair was more disheveled than usual, and he exuded an aura of anxiety that warned others to stay away.
Einstein visited a few times, quietly cleaning up the trash, replacing the coffee, or bringing some sandwiches, but Tesla mostly ignored him. She knew that when Tesla entered this state of "ultimate focus," nothing outside could easily attract her attention.
a few days later.
When Einstein opened the laboratory door again, this was the scene he saw:
Tesla slumped in her chair at the control panel, her body seemingly devoid of all bones. Heavy dark circles under her eyes were etched like a brand on her pale face; her gaze was vacant as she stared at the ceiling, her mouth slightly open. Most strikingly, Einstein could almost see a translucent, white, ghostly object slowly drifting out of Tesla's slightly parted mouth, swaying weakly in the air…
The steaming cup of coffee she had brought earlier was placed right next to Tesla, but she didn't react at all.
Einstein calmly walked to her side, picked up the cup of coffee, and then gently touched Tesla's cheek with the side of the cup.
"Aaaaaah! It's so hot!!!"
As if electrocuted, Tesla sprang from her chair, frantically slapping her face, the wisp of "white soul" instantly retracting into her body. She glared at Einstein: "Bird's nest! What are you doing!"
"Just wanted to check if your vital signs were normal, Dr. Tesla." Einstein handed her the coffee expressionlessly. "It seems your nervous system is still functioning well. So, has your 'genius brain' found that elusive fellow?"
Tesla took the coffee, gulped down a large mouthful, and then slumped back into his chair as if all his strength had been drained, letting out a weak groan:
"No...nothing at all! I've ruled out every possibility! I've considered the physical, the energy, the psychological...I've even considered the metaphysical! Those three living people just vanished into thin air! This is not scientific!!"
She clutched her hair, on the verge of collapse: "I've even built models to test the absurd hypothesis that they all conspired to travel to another world! But it still doesn't work! What's going on?!"
Looking at the Tesla that was almost completely burned out, Einstein sighed softly.
“Perhaps, from the very beginning, we overlooked something more fundamental and more hidden.” Her gaze fell on the seemingly ordinary “Qiluoshang” clothing store on the screen. “Sometimes, the most perfect concealment is not to erase all traces, but to make everything look… reasonable.”
Tesla looked up, a faint light rekindling in his bloodshot eyes: "Chicken-head, what are you thinking about?"
“Not sure yet,” Einstein shook his head, “but we need to think about it differently. Maybe we should go and ‘experience’ the store for ourselves.”
