Chapter 182: An Insignificant Pawn
This world doesn't revolve around any one person. It won't grind to a halt just because Lin Wei is taking a break, waiting for him to wake up from his daydream and resume this game of child's play.
In this world, everyone plays their own role, driven by their own goals, together pushing the world "forward."
Just as Lin Wei had predicted, over the next two or three days, that most restless Dr. Jackal fell completely silent.
Losing the pull of this vortex, the other parties being drawn in were also forced to, willingly or unwillingly, lay low along with her. The entire city of Manila seemed to return to its former peace—in fact, the city had always been this peaceful.
The scheming and infighting among a few was just a trivial interlude.
And this is the truth of the world—danger lurking beneath a peaceful exterior; surging undercurrents in a calm world. Even the so-called "peace" and "calm" are merely illusions barely maintained on the surface, like a bubble blown with soapy water by a child, beautiful yet fragile, bursting at the slightest touch…
Even humanity itself is just a part of this bubble, a tiny speck of foam on that bubble swaying in the wind, living and dying with it.
The vast majority of people have no chance to choose their own fate, either living in false peace, enjoying the trivial worries of daily life, or dying in despair and helplessness in the face of sudden disaster.
Manila—this megacity with a population of tens of millions, is naturally no exception. It sounds very sad, but it is indeed the reality…
And in this world, there are always some people who are fighting to protect this fragile bubble.
"It's been so many days, still no news about support from headquarters?"
Captain Jell suppressed her inner anxiety, forcing herself to sit steadily in her seat, asking her assistant in a calm tone, but the stylus in her hand couldn't help but tap against the table, making a "tap, tap, tap" sound.
Last time, after returning from the forest investigation, Yuno told her that the strange cat-type Honkai beast should have the ability to shrink its body and might have already infiltrated some corner of the city, suggesting that the Snow Lotus Squad focus their search on the inner city.
Otto's goal, of course, was to use the Snow Lotus Squad, this ready-made force, taking advantage of their long-term stationing and familiarity with the local area to help him further accelerate his investigation into World Serpent.
But Jell didn't know his intentions. After hearing this news, she couldn't help but become even more anxious and worked up, and her patrols and investigations became even more diligent—perhaps this was exactly the effect Otto wanted to achieve?
"Captain, headquarters replied saying that in order not to provoke the emotions of Southeast Asian governments, they cannot provide support for the time being without conclusive evidence…"
The Valkyrie temporarily filling Anna's position gave a bitter smile and said, "Captain, you know, Southeast Asia… has never been very welcoming to us Schicksal, and of course, Anti-Entropy either…"
"Tch!"
Jell couldn't help but snort, not knowing who she was dissatisfied with; the stylus tapping unconsciously in her hand also stopped, and she said in a somewhat dry and hoarse voice, "Can someone give me some good news?"
Another Valkyrie walked over from the side and gently handed Jell a bottle of spray, "Captain, you're so anxious you've got blisters in your mouth, put some medicine on it…"
"Oh? Thank you…" Jell was taken aback, as if only after being reminded did she realize there was a pain in her mouth that was due to her troubled mind.
"Isn't no news good news?" the Valkyrie serving as assistant also comforted her, "Besides, headquarters has also promised that although they cannot directly dispatch forces, they will have satellites in the sky constantly monitoring Manila and the surrounding area. Once there are any findings, they will notify us immediately and, depending on the situation, promptly dispatch follow-up support. Also, the other squads stationed in the Philippine Islands have already increased their alert level and explicitly stated that they can support us at any time."
"Hmm, that is indeed good news." Jell only commented on the latter half, "I just hope that before headquarters' support arrives, not too many people will die…"
Hearing these somewhat demoralizing words, the Valkyries couldn't help but look at each other in dismay, and fell into silence.
A Honkai beast that could critically injure an A-rank Valkyrie with a single blow was simply an insurmountable obstacle for their Snow Lotus Squad. It was even more so for the city of Manila they were protecting.
"No news is good news," this sentence sounded somewhat like self-deception, but for these Valkyries, it was also their true feeling. If possible, who would be willing to challenge an enemy that is fundamentally unbeatable?
Jell also sensed the somewhat awkward silence among her team members at this moment, realizing that she seemed to have said something wrong. She had no choice but to smile helplessly, wave her hand, and say, "Alright, everyone has worked hard, since there's nothing else today, everyone should go and rest early…"
After speaking, she stood up, pretending to walk out.
"Captain, where are you going?" The team members didn't scatter all at once, but asked one after another, "Are you planning to go patrol some dangerous places again alone with that temporary member?"
"What do you mean dangerous places? Have you seen me encounter any danger?" Jell tapped each of the team members surrounding her on the head, looking at their aggrieved expressions as they rubbed their foreheads, she couldn't help but chuckle, and said with a smile,
"Alright, that Yuno member is very strong, you should all know that; as for me… although I'm not strong, I'm still an A-rank Valkyrie at least, my battlefield performance is definitely better than that silly girl Anna, right? Even she can't die, as long as I take precautions in advance, what trouble could I get into?"
Seeing that she had suppressed their momentum, Jell was satisfied and pushed aside the Valkyrie team members blocking her way, continuing to walk out.
After walking a few steps, as if suddenly remembering something, she abruptly stopped in her tracks, turned back and sternly instructed, "As for you guys, you are not allowed to act on your own, understand? If you're really too restless, go to the hospital and keep Deputy Captain Anna company."
"Ye-yes, understood…" Seeing their captain so serious, the team members didn't dare to argue back, nodding repeatedly and vigorously.
Seeing this, Jell breathed a sigh of relief. While continuing to walk out, she prepared to send a message to "Yuno", who was still keeping watch at the hospital, saying that she would soon ride her motorcycle to pick her up.
"Sigh…" Closing the door and isolating herself from the team members' sight, Jell still couldn't help but stop in her tracks, sighing tiredly. Her tense back also relaxed a little. She self-deprecatingly muttered to herself, "If you guys were still here, these things… how would it be my turn to worry about them?"
Then she cheered herself up again, continuing to walk out. Her light blue short hair was gently fluttered by the cool breeze between the shade of the trees, "But since I'm still here, then I have to protect our home, right?"
Chapter 183: Everyone's Here? What a Coincidence!
Chapter 119: Everyone's Here? What a Coincidence!
Over the past few days, "Yuno" had been going out a lot with Jell. With her deep knowledge of the city, Jell formed a temporary two-person patrol team with the powerful "Yuno," checking every corner for any lurking threats.
As the captain of the Snow Lotus Squad, Jell was naturally carrying out her duties with diligence. But "Yuno"—merely a virtual personality—was just following the will of the body's true owner: Overseer Otto.
"Heh, as expected, clinging to outdated methods just doesn't work."
Returning empty-handed once again, Otto let the virtual personality return to the hospital, resuming its silent vigil at Anna's bedside. He sighed, disappointed.
Back then, "Yuno" and Anna had gone out together. Now, she was "teaming up" with Jell, doing the same thing. Everything seemed eerily similar. And yet, there was no second attack—no movement at all. It was as if he were fighting against thin air.
That is, if not for Anna still lying unconscious in the emergency ward.
"Should I commend them for being this cautious? No wonder they've stayed hidden for so many years..."
Otto clapped his hands in mock admiration. How much of it was genuine? Perhaps only he knew.
Of course, the World Serpent he was dealing with right now didn't deserve such high praise. Back when he and the Snow Lotus Squad returned to the forest to investigate, Stan had already made a move on him—following Jackal's orders.
If Durandal hadn't suddenly appeared...
In a way, Otto had completely dug his own grave.
And then, there was a certain unnamed Mr. Lin, who had silently intervened—using the chaos to temporarily pacify Jackal.
This was the real reason behind the eerie calm of the past few days. Without his interference, she would have found more chances to strike.
Yet, Overseer Otto, completely unaware of this, couldn't shake off a faint worry in his heart.
"Could the World Serpent have already run away?"
If they had never made a move in the first place, fine. But now? They had already shown themselves once. If they vanished like this…
That would be unbearable.
It was like hooking a big fish, reeling it in, only for it to snap the line and escape at the last moment.
What kind of angler wouldn't be devastated?
"Don't go. I've been so patient. My true identity isn't even exposed yet—why don't you try again?"
But Otto was no ordinary man. He was a cunning old fox.
Giving up? Not a chance.
He carefully retraced his steps, reviewing everything he had done. No mistakes. No slip-ups.
Since the problem wasn't on his end, he had no choice but to admire World Serpent's unexpected sharpness and caution.
"In that case, waiting for them to take the bait won't work..."
Otto smirked. He believed he now understood World Serpent better than before. If they wouldn't come to him—he'd go to them.
"Heh. Lying low? Running away with your tails between your legs? Even the most cunning rat has its own hole."
His mind flashed back to a recent mission report from the Snow Lotus Squad.
The Coral Island incident.
A classified World Serpent base.
Maybe… just maybe, it was time to knock on their door first.
"Since there's a World Serpent base on that newly built artificial island… then how could there not be one in other cities?"
Otto's thoughts drifted back to the cat-type Honkai beast that had silently appeared before him. The more he considered it, the more certain he became—his guess was spot on.
Even if World Serpent didn't have a permanent base in Manila, they had to at least have a temporary hideout.
How else could they have kept such a close watch on his every move? How else could they have waited for just the right moment to strike?
But the city was too big.
Searching blindly would be like looking for a needle in a haystack.
For a moment, Otto considered transferring Rita over. With her meticulous nature and sharp instincts, she'd be perfect for this tedious search operation.
"Unfortunately, I've already kept Durandal hidden here for several days now. World Serpent might have noticed her presence by this point..."
...Perhaps that was exactly why those cowardly rats had suddenly decided to lie low?
"Tsk, what a hassle..."
The more he thought about it, the clearer it became—he couldn't call in Rita now. If two S-rank Valkyries suddenly appeared in the same city, World Serpent would definitely get spooked.
They'd bolt.
Which meant his only real options were:
1. Increase patrol efforts with the Snow Lotus Squad.
2. Rely on someone else.
"Heh, I hope that Mr. He Kun from Anti-Entropy can continue to show off his so-called 'unraveling' intelligence skills. This time, for Schicksal~"
Otto chuckled, placing his hopes on He Kun once again.
Having made up his mind, he organized his analysis—every suspicion, every lead on World Serpent's possible whereabouts—into a single concise message.
Then, he sent it to Lin Wei, attaching his command as Overseer Otto:
"Use all your abilities. Find World Serpent for me!"
...
On the other side.
"Beep beep beep…"
His pocket communicator, silent until now, suddenly beeped amidst the noise.
Lin Wei quickly apologized to the person beside him. "Sorry, I have a message. It might be important. I need to check it."
"Mr. He Kun, no need to be so polite." Durandal, the person beside him, waved her hand. She said casually, "We're just browsing. Your business is more important."
"Oh, it's a message from the Overseer."
Lin Wei glanced at the signature. His eyes lit up.
He quickly read the message. As he read, he said aloud, "The Overseer suspects World Serpent…"
He paused. "Is that the name of that mysterious organization? World Serpent… sounds pretty mysterious."
Lin Wei continued reading. "The Overseer thinks they might have a secret base in Manila. He can't spare the time, so he wants me to find it ASAP. At any cost."
Tch, that's it?
Lin Wei rolled his eyes inwardly.
But outwardly, he enthusiastically handed the communicator to the blonde girl beside him. "Durandal-Sama, please take a look."
"No need." Durandal refused right away.
She gently raised her arm, pushing back Lin Wei's extended hand. "This message is from the Overseer to you alone. It's not right for me to read it."
"You don't need to try to gain my trust this way." Durandal added. "If I suspected you, I wouldn't have agreed to browse these pet shops with you in the first place."
Just this morning, Durandal had given in to Lin Wei's invitation. She came to the pet market to get a cat.
Animal noises filled the air. Mostly bird calls.
Then, the soft sounds of tiny kittens and puppies. Definitely newborns. The bigger cats and dogs were quieter.
"Haha, I promised to get you a pet cat, remember?" Lin Wei laughed, putting his communicator away like it was no big deal. "Since I don't know what kind you like, it's best if you pick one yourself. Let's check out the next shop…"
Lin Wei started walking towards the next shop, ready to push open the door. But Durandal gently stopped him.
"No need. I appreciate the offer." Durandal blocked the door with one hand. She said calmly, "The Overseer gave you a mission. We should get back to that instead of wasting time here."
Her arm against the doorframe looked slender. Lin Wei, curious, pulled the door handle hard.
It didn't budge.
He was amazed by the Valkyrie's incredible strength all over again.
But Durandal frowned a little at Lin Wei's actions.
She lowered her arm from the doorframe. Seriously, she said, "Mr. He Kun, I think we should stop browsing now. If you want to continue, I'll have to leave."
"You misunderstand, Durandal-Sama." Lin Wei smiled slightly. He said truthfully, "I was just curious how strong a Valkyrie really is."
"..." Durandal was speechless. She looked at his sincere face. Is he acting like a kid?
Durandal had made it clear she wanted to stop. Lin Wei wouldn't push it.
Instead, he asked, "So, after looking at all these shops, did any of the kittens catch your eye, Durandal-Sama?"
"Sadly, no." Durandal answered quickly. "The kittens here are too docile. They lack energy. I don't really like any of them."
Then, she looked at Lin Wei, puzzled. "Why are you so set on this cat thing, Mr. He Kun? It was just a joke before. Even if it's a promise, we can do it after the mission."
"Heh, after the mission, I'm afraid there won't be a chance…" Lin Wei said it with a hidden meaning. After this mission, you'll probably see me as an enemy!
But Durandal misunderstood what he meant.
She smiled. "I'm not some unreachable person. Just a normal Valkyrie. Once the mission is done, we can find a time when we're both free. If you invite me shopping then, I'll definitely come."
"Haha, then it's a deal." Lin Wei didn't say too much. He just smiled, accepting her friendly offer. "I hope there really will be a chance."
Then, the two of them walked out of the shopping mall.
Durandal watched Lin Wei get into his car and leave. She waved goodbye.
Then, she felt a little lost.
Lin Wei was gone. She didn't know what to do next.
Overseer Otto hadn't said anything about her helping in the message to Lin Wei. So, Durandal wouldn't step in on her own.
She believed everyone had their own job to do. Doing your duty was the right thing.
"...I hope the Overseer sends my orders soon," Durandal sighed.
Then, she noticed a neat and tidy bookstore nearby. Her eyes lit up.
She turned and walked towards it.
...
Elsewhere.
In the newly tidied laboratory, Jackal took off the high-powered magnifying glass covering her face, then opened the instrument in front of her and took out the twice-upgraded and modified restrictor.
Then, she woke Stan, who was sleeping in the incubation tank, and snapped the collar-shaped restrictor around its neck.
"Alright, go test it in the simulation training device." Jackal patted its head gently, her tone even carrying a hint of tenderness.
"Meow…" Stan whimpered, jumped out of the incubation tank, and obediently followed the order, walking towards the simulation training device room.
Previously, it thought the "punishment" it would receive would only be a few meals withheld. After all, in the experiments it had participated in before, whenever it did something that dissatisfied its master, she would punish it this way.
But this time, the master's so-called "all-around enhancement" "transformation experiment" gave it a long-lost experience of excruciating pain—this was the first time it had been transformed while conscious, without any anesthetic, only tightly bound at every joint by hard metal straps.
Then, Stan watched helplessly as its body was cut open by blades of various shapes, its flesh torn apart, blood dripping; saw its bones scanned by various instruments; saw its internal organs manipulated like building blocks by mechanical hands.
Then, it watched as she injected various reagents into its body, making it feel as if it were falling apart—its head dizzy, its tail stinging as if electrocuted, its front limbs heavy as if filled with lead.
As for its hind limbs? It couldn't feel them anymore—if not for the reflection in the glass, allowing it to see them, Stan would even have thought they had been amputated.
"Don't let there be a next time…" Stan shuddered at the mere thought, having recovered.
"Hmph, much more obedient now." Jackal was quite satisfied seeing Stan's somewhat listless appearance.
This beast actually dared to destroy her laboratory and make her look so pathetic; on top of that, it was so easily captured by the Schicksal Valkyries…
This was unacceptable to Jackal's proud self-esteem, so she had to give it some reasonable punishment.
"Next, I need to think about how to proceed," Jackal muttered to herself.
Although the unexpected alliance between Schicksal and Lin Wei made her feel quite troubled, if she just gave up like this, that hateful Gray Serpent would laugh at her in his heart! Jackal thought angrily.
"Heh, the more difficult the target, the more valuable it is to capture, isn't it?" Jackal muttered to herself, her inner emotions gradually calming down.
"Next, it's time to let Raven make her move…"
Jackal thought as she took out a communicator from her pocket. Not long ago, she had given "Raven" a new communicator, known only to the two of them.
Even though she greatly underestimated Lin Wei, after he used Stan's restrictor for a despicable sneak attack, Jackal gained a new understanding of the strangeness of the Key of Corruption. It was precisely because of this that Jackal specially gave "Raven" a temporary replacement communicator.
Jackal said that Raven's old communicator had long been known to Lin Wei and might be monitored by him using the Key of Corruption. So, for safety's sake, she took out a brand new one, known only to her and Raven—a completely new communicator.
This way, her plan was foolproof, right?
Jackal praised her own wisdom greatly while preparing to notify "Raven" to begin acting, "Keep an eye on that S-rank Valkyrie first! I want to see how she and Lin Wei are cooperating!"
Find that audacious and despicable guy, and then, when he's alone, capture him!
Jackal's plan was that simple.
But the so-called "plan," the simpler it was, the more feasible it was, wasn't it?
...
"Beep beep beep…" On the other side, Lin Wei, bored once again in the back seat of the car, felt his communicator beep again.
Hearing this sound, Lin Wei's expression suddenly turned serious. Because this time, it was the one Jackal gave to Yae Sakura, which Yae Sakura then passed on to him.
He took out this brand new communicator and saw the incoming call request that was beeping. It had to be Dr. Jackal herself. Immediately afterward, he couldn't help but take out the other one and opened the message Otto had sent him not long ago.
Looking at this somewhat absurd contrast, Lin Wei couldn't help but chuckle, "Heh, everyone's here? What a coincidence?"
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