Arknights' Lock of Heaven

In the past, she had devoted all her time to the research left by her parents, and had never faced the naked truth of humanity as she did now.

Therefore, it is understandable that he would say such a thing.

She was just trying to comfort Anto.

But Xia Yu's thoughts went far beyond that.

He wouldn't hold a grudge against Eyjafjalla because of this, after all, she was just a scholar.

It's best to handle the knife yourself.

“We will not stop the assassination,” Xia Yu said, clapping her hands lightly in response to the two girls’ surprised looks. “Every operator on Rhodes Island is invaluable, especially a professional doctor like Anto.”

"Stop it? How do you stop it? Take a recording of them plotting this to the city hall?"

"Preventing this from happening means that the other party's crime was only an attempt."

"Ha, failed. If they were smart, they would say they were just drunk and talking nonsense. And don't forget, the city hall is in cahoots with them, the children of high-ranking officials."

"In the end, he might only serve a few years in prison, and after what he did gets out, he might even be regarded as a hero."

"After all, everything he did was for Wolumond."

"As for those infected, who cares about them?"

Xia Yu looked into their eyes and said, "This is not the result I wanted to see, nor is it the result Rhodes Island wanted."

"Today someone plotted a conspiracy against Rhodes Island operators, and we simply stopped it. What about the person who planned this? Just a few years in jail?"

"This world is never gentle. Every step you take back at times like this will be seen as weakness!"

"If we retreat once, those eyes in the shadows will start to dart around us; if we retreat twice, they will become restless."

"After three retreats, they'll be charging at you while fantasizing about feasting on your corpse!"

"Peace cannot be achieved through compromise!"

"Only by constantly sharpening your claws and showing your toughness can you make the beasts of the forest put on a well-dressed human skin and clink glasses with you at a banquet."

"Rhodes Island is not strong, and we have no room for compromise."

“I won’t stop the assassination, but I will guarantee your personal safety,” Xia Yu said, looking at Anto. “The perpetrators must pay a heavy price!”

Anto nodded to Xia Yu.

She agreed with Xia Yu's proposal.

Ultimately, anyone who can establish a medical station in a town gripped by fear after a natural disaster, maintaining a fragile balance between the infected and the general population, would certainly possess this kind of determination.

Anto was outmaneuvered by Thor simply because he was too young. Although he did most of his work well, he couldn't see the full extent of the wickedness in people's hearts.

If it were Kal'tsit, the assassination attempt would have been easily resolved.

Perhaps he even managed to break down the defenses of former natural disaster messenger Biederman with just a few words while undergoing surgery.

After all, he has never been a person of strong will.

No, if Kal'tsit had been there, this assassination might never have happened.

Heaven knows when her strange connections will come into play; perhaps just a small favor will lead some nobleman to mention it at a wedding, and the Wolumonde affair will be resolved just like that.

After all, the nobles of Letania are just that obsessed with saving face, as evidenced by the fact that they spent a whole month debating which mobile city-state was going to pick up the bride from the other.

If a high-ranking nobleman attending the wedding were to mention it, they would send reinforcements even if it were just to save face.

“I will not allow the infected to become stepping stones for someone else’s conspiracy,” Anto nodded to Xia Yu. “No matter what, this matter cannot be left like this!”

"Very good," Xia Yu smiled happily and extended her hand to Anto.

The two shook hands and reached an agreement.

Just then, a piece of paper exuding the fragrance of violets appeared out of thin air with a small device, fluttering down onto the table in front of the three of them.

found it!

Eyjafjalla's eyes brightened slightly; she had finally found a trace of Originium Arts...?

The Manticore appeared out of thin air, naturally took a cup of hot tea from Xia Yu's hand, and sat down next to Eyjafjalla.

Then I noticed that the friend I had just made in the last few days was radiating an aura of failure.

"So it was a manticore..." Eyjafjalla lowered her head and hugged her staff. "I thought..."

The lion scorpion hid his face behind the teacup, looking at her with some confusion and a hint of disappointment in his eyes.

What do you mean, "So it was originally a 'manticore'?" Is it because I'm not good enough...?

The lion scorpion has a very delicate mind.

"Ah, I'm sorry," Eyjafjalla looked up and saw her disappointed expression, and hurriedly explained, "I just... thought I had found traces of your spellcasting..."

"I never expected it to be you who appeared out of nowhere. I'm just a little disappointed, not because I dislike you, Lion Scorpion..."

Eyjafjalla grasped Manticore's hand. "I'm sorry... it was my fault."

The Manticore's bad mood came and went quickly. She soon figured out what had happened and generously reached out to pat Eyjafjalla's head, indicating that she forgave her.

She learned this from Xia Yu, since Xia Yu would pat her head whenever she felt she had made a mistake, to show that she had forgiven her.

Well, that's not what Xia Yu actually meant. It's just that the pitiful-looking Lion Scorpion is just too adorable at times like this...

He couldn't control his hands.

Although Eyjafjalla didn't know what this meant, since she had only known Manticore for a few days, she could tell from his expression that Manticore didn't seem to care.

"So you were following them... Oh, and it has something to do with me?"

Eyjafjalla pointed to herself at the Manticore, unable to understand why she was involved.

I've only been in Wolumonmold for less than a day.

“I’m sorry, but according to the intelligence brought by Manticore, they are indeed targeting you,” Xia Yu showed Eyjafjalla the magic recorder in her hand. “It seems that the person named Thor has recognized you.”

"Oh, I see," Eyjafjalla immediately realized the reason, "So you recognized me..."

If they could target Dr. Anto, who had helped them so much, just to get outside attention, then the same reasoning applies to Eyjafjalla.

After all, she's quite well-known in Letanian academia; if she were to die here...

The bond between teachers and students was very strong in this era, and a genius like Eyjafjalla was the pride of William University. If she died under mysterious circumstances at Wolumond, the university would definitely demand an explanation.

In a country like Letania, with its advanced education system, the influence of a top university cannot be ignored. Even the most prestigious noble families have to carefully consider the voice of William University.

As Xia Yu gently pressed the button, two men's whispers came through the recorder.

[This is truly...a pleasant surprise...with this renowned scholar, our chances of success have greatly increased.]

“This is,” Anto said through gritted teeth in a low voice, “Thorwald…”

So, what about Dr. Anto? Is he...?

“Biderman…” Anto’s face was full of complicated emotions when he heard this.

She knew that the Great Rift Valley incident couldn't be entirely blamed on this messenger of natural disaster, so she reached out to him, wanting to do everything she could to help him.

But the result was so ironic.

[Impossible. Our plan requires the infected to instigate a rebellion, and only Anto can make them do that. A renowned scholar might be important to a powerful figure, but he doesn't have that much influence among the infected.]

【But……】

Biederman was still hesitating.

[But what? What are you still hesitating about? Do you have any way out now? Don't forget, the only way to atone for your sins is through my method!]

[Is it even useful to work as a helper in the infected's camp? Those infected are still indifferent to you! They still believe that becoming infected is all your fault, you incompetent messenger of disaster!]

It wasn't my fault! The Great Rift Valley... a natural disaster like that, occurring thousands of meters underground, is simply beyond human prediction!

What's the point of yelling at me here? Go talk to them and see if they care. You and I both know they don't care whose fault it is; they just want someone to vent on!

I did all this so that everyone could survive. I know this kind of thing... is morally wrong. Didn't I say I would take responsibility? On the day the fire starts, I will die with Dr. Anto.

Hearing this, Anto got goosebumps all over. She hugged herself with disgust, her face full of repulsion.

"nausea!"

These two simple words garnered unanimous approval from everyone.

[Alright, now listen to me, let's continue with the plan. Try to execute it when Dr. Nauman and Dr. Anto are together. If we really can't find an opportunity... then let her die during the subsequent infected rebellion.]

The recording ends here.

“I’m sorry,” Xia Yu apologized to Eyjafjalla, “I didn’t expect to involve you in this as well.”

That's true; he genuinely didn't expect Thorwald to recognize Eyjafjalla.

“It’s alright,” Eyjafjalla said, her face full of distress. “This has nothing to do with you, senior. We can’t ignore the crimes of the wicked because of the mistakes of the good.”

"But... people like this have absolutely no bottom line!"

Eyjafjalla hesitated for a long time before finally managing to utter this condemnation.

She did want to write to her advisor to expose the matter, but then she realized it was too late. By the time her letter reached her advisor, the matter would probably be over.

The well-educated lamb naturally couldn't think of any vicious insults, and could only resort to a condemnation that had no bottom line.

“It’s disgusting,” Anto finally recovered from the chill. “And he’ll definitely die with me? ***! How could that bastard Biederman believe such hypocritical words? Ugh~ Just thinking about it makes me want to ***!”