Arknights' Lock of Heaven

"I! Do! Not! Agree!"

Froststar patted the hospital bed excitedly, wishing she could jump out of bed right now.

“Listen to me!” Patriot remained unmoved. “Stay here, Yelena!”

"Why!?" If Patriot hadn't been holding her down, Frostnova would have jumped up. "Why are you leaving me here?"

"Or is this something Rhodes Island requested? What do they want from me? Originium Arts?"

“Lord Kal'tsit wouldn’t make such a request,” Patriot shook his head. “This is just my opinion.”

"Then why is that?" Frostnova stared intently into Patriot's eyes. "I need an explanation!"

The father and daughter, who had just returned from the brink of death, had barely spent half an hour in a tender moment before they started arguing.

Because Patriots wanted to leave Froststar here.

"Now that I have been given a new life, how can I abandon my brothers and sisters and enjoy it here alone?"

"This is necessary!" Patriot said solemnly. "We need Rhodes Island's medicine, the infected on the snowfields need it, and our compatriots still in Chernobog need it!"

"We need you to stay here and become the link between the guerrillas and Rhodes Island, to buy medicine from here and save our compatriots suffering from Oripathy."

“But…” Froststar wanted to say something more, but was interrupted by Patriot.

"I know what you're trying to say. You think anyone else would have done the same thing, right?"

Froststar fell silent, and it was clear that she truly believed it.

“No, Yelena,” Patriot shook his head. “Do you know why Rhodes Island is willing to provide us with drugs at cost price?”

"It's entirely because of my old bones and Lord Kal'tsit's friendship!" Patriot lied without batting an eye.

Why would Rhodes Island agree to provide the Patriots with Oripathy blocking drugs at cost price?

Personal relationships are secondary.

But it is indeed because of the existence of patriots.

This is an investment—an investment in patriots, in guerrillas, in the ideals they uphold.

A patriot who has returned to his peak will never let this investment go to waste.

Why would Patriots use this as an excuse to leave Frostnova on Rhodes Island?

Because of someone's alternate account...

It has to be said that these days, no one is willing to believe you're simply doing a good deed anymore. What a sad era. — A certain white-haired man.

Patriot didn't want to involve his daughter, so he kept her on Rhodes Island, with Kal'tsit, by the side of the future Demon Lord—that was a guarantee.

It's not a guarantee for Rhodes Island, but a guarantee for the future of the snowfield. Even if I ultimately fail, the seed of Frostnova will still remain.

"Right now, the lord is still willing to provide us with medicine at cost price out of respect for my old bones, and I am personally very grateful for that. But what about in the future?"

"I will die someday, the Lord will have to step down as leader of Rhodes Island someday, and you will have to take over everything someday. And then what?"

"You've never even spoken to the Lord, so why should he continue to provide you with medicine at cost price?"

"Relationships need to be maintained. Rhodes Island is a very good company. At least they are willing to speak out for the oppressed. They are allies we can win over."

"I heard you have a good relationship with the minor leader of Rhodes Island. That's a good start."

"Moreover, our agreement with Rhodes Island is not just about drug deals. Lord Rhodes also promised me that we would provide the personnel, and they would train a group of doctors for the guerrillas."

"Doctors trained specifically for Oripathy, drugs sold at cost price, Yelena, do you know how much your compatriots need these things?"

"My daughter, I wouldn't trust anyone else with such an important matter besides you!"

"Therefore, you must stay!"

Froststar was silent.

Was she tempted by the conditions the patriot offered?

I'm so tempted!

She knew better than anyone just how harsh the environment on the snowfield was.

In the past, guerrillas had to spend a lot of money to get even a small amount of medicine to suppress Oripathy.

Even with such a small amount, not many people are willing to sell it to them.

After all, how much money could they possibly have living in the snowfields?

Why would the distributors of those large companies care about their small purchase volume?

What? You're saying you have a lot of patients and want them to lower prices and go for a low-profit, high-volume strategy?

Ha, dream on.

There are plenty of people who need Oripathy medication, and you can't accept this price.

It's okay, there are plenty of people who can accept it, after all, those infected workers still get some salary.

They have no shortage of customers, so why would they go through the trouble of venturing into the harsh snowfields?

How could the limited amount of medicine possibly be enough to cover the vast number of infected people under the protection of the guerrillas?

Not to mention well-trained doctors; the guerrilla doctors were mostly infected with Oripathy and then thrown into the snowfields.

This means that their skill level is not very high. After all, if their skill level were really high, even if they were infected, they wouldn't just be thrown into a mine to do manual labor.

Even so, the guerrillas didn't have many doctors.

If we could actually obtain a drug to suppress Oripathy from Rhodes Island and train doctors there, that would indeed be an equally important matter.

Froststar couldn't give a reason for refusing.

She never wanted to see her compatriots, seriously ill and confined to their shacks, groaning softly until the sun rose the next day, before passing away in agony.

"I see……"

“You’ve worked hard,” the tall Wendigo gently stroked his daughter’s forehead. “Yelena, our future is in your hands.”

-

“You still have at least several decades left to live…” Warfarin sighed. “Is it really okay to deceive a child like this?”

“I didn’t lie to her,” Patriot shook his head. “Even though this body has never been this good, I never believe in gifts without a reason.”

"One day, he will come and pay the price."

Warfarin's lips twitched, and she turned her head away, not wanting Patriot to see her expression.

"Maybe so, but at least you have a future. Nobody knows what the future holds."

“I am grateful for this gift, if it is truly a gift and not a bargaining chip,” Patriot sighed. “I am not alone in giving up everything for a favor.”

“There are still many people who need me. I am not living for myself.”

Warfarin shook her head upon hearing this; it seemed that Froststar's outburst about being an old stubborn man in the hospital room earlier was no joke.

This last Wendigo, having experienced betrayal, is extremely wary of everything.

This cannot be explained in just a few words.

After all, Xia Yu isn't a normal person; he wouldn't create something like an everlasting flower on a whim.

-

Chen appeared outside the cabin carrying a large bag of luggage.

She and Wei Yanwu really had a falling out.

Although she was encouraged to learn from the Rat King that the people of the slums had not been purged, she would never reconcile with Wei Yanwu because of it.

After all, the man had indeed given the order to cleanse the area.

Therefore, Chen, who ran away from home, can only come to Rhodes Island now.

Still feeling lost about the future, she needs some time to sort out her thoughts, and Rhodes Island seems like a pretty good organization.

Naturally, as if someone had given her advance notice, she left the personnel department without any trouble and headed to her assigned dormitory with an internal map.

Chen knew that this must be because Princess Wenyue had made prior arrangements with Rhodes Island.

She could openly express her disgust for Wei Yanwu, but for Princess Wenyue…

Chen didn't even dare to go back and face this elder who was so devoted to him.

Standing at the cabin door, Chen took a deep breath. This would be his home for the next few years.

Then I smelled a hot pot aroma, and um, it was insanely spicy.

She stood silently in place.

Ah, Rhodes Island is quite humane, isn't it? This hot pot... did they arrange for me to be placed in the Yan Kingdom operator's cabin because they were afraid I wouldn't be used to it?

Actually, it's all the same everywhere. Even at the Royal Guard Academy in Victoria, I still lived with a Vayvan.

With that thought in mind, she put down her luggage and politely knocked on the door.

"Please come in."

The voice sounds somewhat familiar.

Without thinking much, Chen pushed the door open.