Chapter 119: The One and Only Beauty

Following in Ritsuko's footsteps, Shinji and the others were not hindered in the slightest and walked all the way to their destination. The third branch of the Institute of Artificial Evolution, which is where Rei completed the secret experiment at that time, Shinji didn't ask the bottom line because of Rayliel's interruption, and now when he returns here, so many things have happened.

"So, pick up on your last question, Shinji-kun." Ritsuko led the two of them to the room that had once been neat and chaotic. "Didn't you ask me why the environment here is not much different from Leigh's room last time?"

"Ah, I do want to know about that." Shinji said expressionlessly.

"That's because that's where Leigh was born." Ritsuko said flatly.

"Here...... Where was Leigh born? Shinji was surprised. He looked back at Rei behind him. What I got was a frightened nod from Li.

"That's right, this is where Leigh was born." Ritsuko went on to explain. "The light and water, which make up the deep psyche of Rei, retain a strong impression of this place. So naturally her room was decorated like that. ”

"Did Leigh spend her childhood in such an environment?"

"No, Leigh doesn't have anything like that."

"Huh?"

"Keep coming with me, and you'll understand when I tell you everything." Coming to the back door of the room, Ritsuko pressed the access code, the door opened, and Ritsuko walked in first. Shinji also gently shook Rei's little hand and continued to walk forward.

The second place is a pitch-black tunnel. Except for the dim floor lamps on the road below, there is no lighting here. Shinji walked inside step by step, although it was dim, but the sound of Shinji's footsteps every step out was heard far away, which showed what a huge space this corridor was outside. Walk to the end of the road. Ritsuko pressed the lighting fixture here.

Click! Click! Click!

Large lighting fixtures were turned on one by one. illuminates the entire underground space. As Shinji expected, this place was unusually huge, and at the same time, it was unexpected, because the space here was amazingly large. Shinji's place was a platform, and underneath that platform was a huge skeleton. Stumps, severed arms, and even huge heads were piled up like garbage.

"This is ......" Shinji frowned, although the location and status had changed, Shinji seemed to have an impression of this place.

"The original EVA production location." Ritsuko said softly. "But all you're seeing now are failures. It was abandoned here ten years ago. What you're seeing now is nothing more than an EVA dump. Speaking of this, the corners of Ritsuko's mouth raised a hint of mockery. Maybe you don't remember this place anymore, but you were here when you were very young. Because it's also ......."

"Where my mom was killed by my dad!" The indifferent words permeated with a faint murderous aura and spread. Shinji's left fist clenched with a clenched knuckle.

"Do you remember? It's impossible, your memory has been erased. Ritsuko looked at Shinji in shock.

"There's no one who says memory can't recover on its own, right?" Shinji smiled disdainfully. Naturally, he couldn't tell Ritsuko that it was Rayliel who helped him recover his memories.

"Child of Destiny...... Is this true? Ritsuko's pupils contracted suddenly.

"Huh? What did you just say? Shinji pricked up his ears.

"No, nothing." Ritsuko tilted her head. "Let's go. The next place is the experiment you want to know, and the truth about Rei's identity. Not looking at Shinji, Ritsuko walked towards the elevator behind the platform. And Shinji didn't ask Ritsuko's words just now, and also followed.

"Shinji ......" Just as Shinji wanted to move forward, Rei, who had not spoken behind him, suddenly grabbed Shinji's arm.

"Huh? What's wrong? ”

"We ...... Is it okay not to go? At this moment, Li looked very nervous.

"Huh? Why? Shinji wondered.

"I'm afraid of ......" is the first time, and this is the first time that Rei has shown such a weak side in front of herself. Since Shinji and Li have been dating,Although Rei has also occasionally relied on Shinji,But。 I'm afraid, it's the first time I've heard this word.

“…… Beautiful. "After a short period of tranquility. Shinji spoke. "Do you remember what I said to you?" Shinji looked at Rei gently, and stroked Rei's somewhat messy hair. "Don't forget what I once said, as long as I live, then the warmth I gave you will not disappear." Squeezing the girl's little hand again, Shinji pulled Rei along and walked towards the final room.

――――――――――――――――――A.T.Field―――――――――――――――――

Finally, the group reached the very end of the passage. An ordinary door. Walking in, it is also a wide space. In the center of the space, a complex brain-like mechanical body appeared in front of Shinji's eyes, and directly below the brain, there was a connection system similar to the spine. A culture vessel is attached to the bottom and filled with LCL solution. The container is large enough to fit one person.

"Shinji-kun, this device in front of you is the prototype of the Dummy.System plug insertion. At the same time, it is also the truth of Leigh's secret experiment. Ritsuko said indifferently. Next. You'll see the system at its most authentic. With that, Ritsuko pressed the button of the operator in her hand. In an instant, the lights of the entire space came on. With the exception of the Dummy.System control system in the center, all the walls around the perimeter are connected. A huge culture tank is formed. The light shines through the LCL, making the whole room look like a huge ocean. However. In the LCL, one after another girl's delicate body is floating in it, laughing. And the owner of that perfect body......

"Li...... Deceptive, right? Shinji was shocked by the sight in front of him, because in his field of vision, in the cultivation tank, dozens of Reizheng were looking at him intently. Subconsciously turned his head to look at the girl behind him, only to see that Rei was lowering her head at the moment, not daring to look at Shinji. Shinji's hand began to tremble slightly.

"It's not a lie, what you're seeing is the core of the golem system. Here is its production workshop. That's the whole truth about the puppet behind you. ”

"It's ...... What's going on. Shinji couldn't believe the scenery in front of him.

"As you can see, all Liz in LCL are puppets. And it's just a part for that Leigh behind you. And the Li, I just said, has no childhood, precisely because she has been the way she is from birth. The so-called childhood is all grown up in this container. Ritsuko recounted indifferently. Liz behind you is not human. It's an artificial human. It is a vessel for the soul created by extracting your mother's genes. ”

"Mom? Vessel for souls? Shinji was stunned.

Yes, mankind was overjoyed to have found God and wanted to take it for himself. So he was damned because of this. That was the cause of the second shock fifteen years ago, and the god that humanity had picked up disappeared because of it. But the surviving humans are still not satisfied. So they tried to resurrect people with their own power. SO THEY FOUND THE ORIGINAL APOSTLE, THE SON ANGEL, ADAM, AND THEN USED ADAM TO CREATE A HUMAN BEING ACCORDING TO GOD. That's EVA.

"Humans? Are people imitating God and creating new gods? ”

"That's right, the god created by humans is EVA, and the soulless EVA has the soul of a human being. And the girl behind you, Rei Ayanami. It is the product of soul salvage. ”

"What?!"

"REI'S BODY WAS ORIGINALLY AN EMPTY SHELL MADE BY HUMANS, BECAUSE HUMANS MADE A CONTRACT WITH THE NIGHT DEMON ANGEL, LILITH, TO OBTAIN LILITH'S SOUL, AND AFTER THE SOUL WAS SALVAGED AND INJECTED INTO A CONTAINER CALLED AYABA REI. That's the truth about Leigh. Only Rei Ayanami had a soul opportunity. Now the house of souls is empty. All the Liz here don't have the soul. At best, it's just a container. In other words, all the Lisses here are puppets, and the Liz behind you is just a puppet controlled by humans and gods. Ritsuko said calmly. So. That's all I can tell you. Shinji-kun Ikari, it's your turn next. Let me see your options. ”

"......" Ritsuko's words fell. In exchange for a silence, Shinji didn't speak, he just quietly looked at "Rei" floating in the cultivation tank on the outer wall. Watch them float in the LCL solution. After a long time, Shinji let go of Rei's hand and walked over to the "Rei". One step, two steps. Three steps. Shinji stood in front of Rei, reaching out and touching the organic wall. However, looking at Shinji's arrival, the nearby "Rei" only glanced at it lightly, and then continued to float in the LCL.

"Naw. Dr. Ritsuko. Shinji looked at the "Rei" and said indifferently. "They, do they have consciousness?"

"It's just an empty shell, how can it have human consciousness."

"So, why can Rei have human consciousness?"

"As I said, Rei has a soul."

"Unique?"

"Yes, if Leigh dies, her soul will be salvaged again and poured into these empty shells. But on the other hand, memories, psychological traits, and personalities will also disappear as a result. So ......"

Bang!

Before Ritsuko's words fell, a burst of gunfire shook her eardrums and looked towards the source of the gunshot. I saw that the muzzle of the gun in Shinji's hand was emitting green smoke repeatedly. As the muzzle of the gun pointed, a small hole was broken into the organic wall, and inside, blood began to gradually emerge from the forehead of a puppet.

"Shinji ......" Watching Shinji's movements, Rei's red pupils suddenly contracted.

“…… For me, Rei Ayanami only exists in this world. And the only one, these puppets. There is simply no need to exist. So ......" words fell, the gunshot rang out again, and in an instant, the LCL solution was red with blood, and every time a shot was fired, a blood hole must appear in the forehead or heart of a puppet. Then the puppet lost momentum and slowly sank downward. Immediately after, reload, shoot, reload, shoot. I don't know how many times it continued, but Shinji's gun finally stopped. The LCL, which had been dyed red, trickled out and dripping down the hole in the organic wall. But none of the three people present were disgusted. Let the blood stain the floor beneath his feet.

"Shinji-kun, is this the choice you made?" Mixed with the sound of running water, Ritsuko asked Shinji calmly.

"Ah, that's my choice." Shinji put away his gun and said coldly. "Thank you, Dr. Ritsuko, for clearing my mind. If nothing else, we'll go first, and we'll go to see Asuka tomorrow. ”

"Well, I see, I'll take care of the rest of the matter. I'll go to Asuka tomorrow to do a further check-up on her. As if nothing had happened just now, Ritsuko was very calm at the moment.

"Ah, then I'll see you in the hospital tomorrow." After speaking, Shinji put on the faint smile on the corner of his mouth, and took Rei's weak and boneless little hand and walked out.

"Shinji ......" Rei's gaze fluctuated, and Shinji's actions made her not know how to face it.

"Leigh." At the elevator, Shinji stopped. Looking back, he gave Leigh a big smile. "Let's go home." (To be continued......)