Bab 37: Playing in the Big Leagues
"Are you coming with me, or leaving on your own?"
Lin Wei paused, touched by the implicit offer, but he refused without hesitation.
"I'm coming with you, of course. How else would you explain my disappearance to Otto?"
Fu Hua leaving with her assigned target, only to return empty-handed?
That would shatter the delicate balance between her and Otto.
All her sacrifices, all the years she'd spent ensuring Otto upheld his promise to protect Shenzhou, would be for nothing.
Because of him? Unacceptable.
He'd used her, manipulated her, taken advantage of her kindness.
But he wouldn't bleed her dry for his own selfish desires.
He had some principles.
Fu Hua hesitated. She understood his intentions, but she wanted to protect him.
Otto was dangerous.
He wouldn't tolerate a "rival."
She knew his obsessive need for control.
And Lin Wei was too weak.
Just a mortal, recently recovered from the Honkai infection.
Damn it, this reckless fool, always playing in the big leagues, she thought, exasperated.
First the Herrscher, now Otto. Why wouldn't he listen?
Lin Wei smiled, walked over to Fu Hua, and gently stroked the sleeping girl's hair, a comforting gesture.
His touch calmed Fu Hua's anxieties.
This man…
"No matter the circumstances, I'm already caught in this whirlpool. I can't go back to my peaceful life. Running is pointless."
He'd chosen this path, and he would see it through.
If Otto had targeted him, hiding was useless. It would only pique his interest.
But first, he needed information.
"What did Otto tell you about me?"
He didn't hesitate, stating his need directly.
Fu Hua summarized her communication with Otto.
"A World Serpent escapee? Tsk, tsk…"
Lin Wei's expression was a mix of amusement and derision.
"Does he project his own obsession with human experimentation onto everyone else?"
World Serpent? Fu Hua's brow twitched in surprise.
Surprised that Lin Wei would share this information, and surprised by the name itself.
World Serpent was a relatively new, low-profile organization, linked to some Honkai weapons research companies. They were seemingly harmless, even having dealings with Schicksal.
She hadn't expected them to be the ancient, mysterious organization that had caught Otto's attention.
"Well, the 'escapee' label isn't bad. I like it."
A few extra identities were always useful.
If Otto wanted to play this game, he would play along, using the misinformation to his advantage.
Even a small information gap could be crucial.
Hadn't he survived this long by exploiting such gaps?
Fu Hua stared at him, wondering why she was acquainted with both him and Otto.
"I've already contacted World Serpent. Knowing their efficiency, they'll probably have me extracted before Otto even realizes what's happening."
The Elysian Realm? Fu Hua wondered, but she said, "You're that confident?"
This was like placing his life in Otto's hands and betting someone could snatch it away before he closed his fist.
"You know how slow Schicksal is."
It wasn't that he underestimated Schicksal.
Compared to World Serpent, both Schicksal and Anti-Entropy were sluggish.
In the original story, after the Herrscher of the Void's second awakening and the global Honkai eruption, Himeko sacrificed herself to weaken Sirin, giving Kiana a chance to escape.
Then, Schicksal, Anti-Entropy, and the main cast searched for her for four months. And failed.
These were the people most invested in Kiana's fate, one side wanting to save her, the other to contain her. They'd mobilized all their resources.
And World Serpent found her first…
(°ー°〃)
Awkward.
And that wasn't the funniest part.
Gray Serpent had posted Kiana's image online for two weeks before Schicksal, Anti-Entropy, and the main cast finally noticed and rushed to Arc City.
(ノへ￣,)
It was absurd.
No wonder Gray Serpent looked down on them. They were pathetic.
Gray Serpent might be sipping tea at home, waiting for him, while Otto was still listening to Fu Hua's report.
Wait, did Gray Serpent even have a mouth?
Lin Wei's thoughts drifted again, his mind wandering.
"Ahem…"
Fu Hua brought him back to reality.
He closed his mental browser. He smiled.
"And even if Otto does come personally, what can he do? I can always make a deal with him."
Tell Otto where the Second Divine Key was in exchange for his freedom.
Would it work? He'd considered it, then dismissed it with a scoff.
Trusting Otto was like trusting a rabid dog.
He might not kill him, but he could easily rewrite his mind, alter his memories with the pseudo-Fenghuang Down. Would he still be himself then?
He wouldn't gamble on it. He didn't trust Otto.
But he did have some leverage, enough to force a temporary truce.
That was enough.
As long as it was Otto, and not Durandal, Rita, or someone else.
He'd calculated the odds. Otto was short-handed.
He had room to maneuver.
Damn it, all these high-stakes gambles are giving me a heart attack!
He maintained a calm facade, his heart pounding.
Just wait until I'm stronger. I'll send you all to the moon!
"Oh, one more small favor…"
Fu Hua glared at him.
Thankfully, it was a small favor.
He asked her to help him retrieve his hazmat suit. He checked it, finding it undamaged.
"Tsk, Schicksal tech is impressive. Even easy to put on and take off."
If it hadn't been well-designed, he would have died back then, unable to remove it after injecting the serum.
That would have been anticlimactic.
He put the suit back on.
He had to commit to the act, even if it was pointless. Let Otto wonder.
Making him overthink was another way to gain an advantage.
Fu Hua watched him, his practiced movements as he put on the suit and tested its flexibility.
She'd seen this before.
She glanced at the fading sunlight, then at her watch. They might miss dinner.
It didn't matter. She was used to it.
She pressed a button on her communicator and waited silently. Lin Wei looked at her, puzzled.
What was she doing?
A few minutes later, the same shuttle that had brought them here rose from Chiba Academy and flew towards them… or rather, towards the three of them. He glanced at the sleeping girl in Fu Hua's arms.
He blushed, feeling like a country bumpkin.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone