Chapter 169 - 85: Nice Acting, Adam Attacks! (Part 1)

Chapter 169: Chapter 85: Nice Acting, Adam Attacks! (Part 1)

Number Nine stepped aside, revealing a culture vat behind her filled with a deep red liquid.

A broken, dilapidated body floated within the liquid. Its skin exhibited an abnormal ashen hue, and countless blood vessels sprouted from its severed limbs, crawling all over the tank like vines.

"All of us... originate from the mother body!"

Number Nine’s voice lacked any fluctuation as her gaze drifted toward the broken body in the culture vat.

"The moment the project lost control, her maternal instincts were activated as the core. In order to protect Shinji, her residual consciousness activated the cloning factory deepest within the SEELE base."

She paused before continuing to explain.

"Every single one of us is an extension of her consciousness. With the birth of every new individual, they inherit her memory fragments and her will to protect."

Just as her words fell, even more Rei Ayanamis walked out from the darkness, densely surrounding the area. Their ruby-red eyes stared fixedly at Alex in unison. The scene was incredibly bizarre and carried an inexplicable, oppressive aura.

Alex glanced around. He had never imagined that one day he would be stared at by so many beautiful young girls simultaneously, but this scene truly couldn’t evoke even the slightest feeling of pleasure.

Inside the culture vat, the dilapidated body suddenly opened its eyes, its hollow red pupils staring straight at Alex.

In the next second, an orderly chanting echoed throughout the entire underground base, as if countless voices were overlapping and reverberating through the space.

"As long as Shinji Ikari wakes up, the Unit-01 he pilots will be able to defeat the resurrected Adam and terminate the Human Instrumentality Project!"

"The entire meaning of our existence is to keep Shinji alive until he is willing to wake up, or... until every last one of us is depleted!"

Clap! Clap! Clap!

Alex raised his hands and applauded, the crisp clapping sound exceptionally abrupt amidst the chanting.

He looked at Number Nine, a cold smirk curling the corners of his mouth.

"Rei Ayanami... or rather, Lilith. Nice acting. You almost fooled me!"

For the first time, a look of confusion appeared on Number Nine’s face, her red pupils contracting slightly.

"What do you mean?"

Alex shifted his gaze to the broken body in the culture vat, his tone completely flat.

"You’ve woven a nice story, but there are a few glaring flaws."

Number Nine’s pupils contracted. She remained silent, quietly waiting for Alex’s explanation.

"First, how did you resist the erosion of Adam’s cells with mere human bodies? Let alone you lot, why is the floor of this base so utterly clean?"

"Second, Rei Ayanami’s body contains Lilith’s genes. As the Second Angel, you definitely wouldn’t be resigned to just dying in silence like this. For all you’ve said, you never once mentioned Lilith’s whereabouts."

"Third, you might not know it yourself, but in my eyes, every single one of you radiates the light of Divinity."

"Also, did you know that the names of the other Rei Ayanamis appear red in my eyes? Her name is Riya... Her name is Yukie... In truth, they are all Reincarnators, aren’t they!"

As a Hunter, Alex possessed extremely high authority, making it incredibly easy for him to see through the truth.

The astonishment on Number Nine’s face slowly vanished, and her gaze grew increasingly cold. Her ruby-red eyes revealed the vicissitudes of having seen everything, instantly shedding the stiff demeanor of an artificial human.

"You are indeed different from the other Reincarnators!"

She spoke slowly.

"Let me guess. Are you the ’Hunter’ they speak of? Did you detect the anomalies in this world and come to hunt down fallen Reincarnators?"

Before her words even finished, Number Nine’s body suddenly levitated into thin air. A diamond-shaped blue AT Field surfaced around her, with tiny sparks of electricity flickering at its edges.

Alex sneered. Was she completely dropping the disguise of her Angel identity? Not even bothering to act anymore?

The corners of Alex’s mouth curled up slightly.

"Before you make a move, I urge you to think clearly. The gap between a Reincarnator and a Hunter is like the difference between mud and sky!"

"If you still want him to live, you’d best tell me everything I want to know!"

Alex shot a sideways glance at Shinji Ikari in the life-support pod, and a white halo suddenly appeared beneath his feet.

In the next second, a thick layer of frost instantly condensed on the surfaces of tens of thousands of incubation pods. The sturdy tempered glass was covered in web-like fissures, emitting crisp crack, crack sounds as if they were on the verge of shattering completely.

The Rei Ayanami clones inside the pods were frozen within the pale orange LCL fluid. Their expressions remained calm, yet they now carried a fragile, easily shattered vulnerability.

"Please, stop!"

___

?? Shoutout to Drackle_XS and Cody Mathias! ??

A huge thank you to Drackle_XS and Cody Mathias for joining my Patreon and supporting the journey! Your support means a lot and helps keep the Chapters coming faster. Welcome to the VIP club! ???