Arknights' Lock of Heaven

Krol and Grani stood there, stunned.

We can't understand?!

Why is it that a mere stab can break the seals set up by the knights of the past?

Skadi couldn't understand it either.

It's not that no one in this world can break the seal on this box; as far as she knows, there are quite a few people like that on Rhodes Island.

But Skadi was certain that even if they were able to break the seal, it would never be as easy and carefree as Xia Yu's.

Is it really just a matter of taking a dagger and stabbing it into the box, and that's it?

Thinking of this, Skadi gave Xia Yu a deep look.

No matter how much I overestimated him, my captain always managed to redefine my understanding of him in every way.

The two had only known each other for a few hours.

Skadi had a feeling that this kind of thing would definitely happen more often in the future.

A strange sense of anticipation welled up deep inside me.

Perhaps, he can...

The only one present who wasn't surprised was the Manticore.

She had grown accustomed to the magic of Xia Yu.

Xia Yu nodded in satisfaction after seeing the box opened smoothly.

It seems to be the same as what I thought.

The most valuable thing in this so-called treasure is not the box of gold coins, but the key that doesn't look like anything special.

Unfortunately, not everyone possesses this kind of understanding.

If Xia Yu's guess is correct, that key should be related to the ancestors.

Even if they weren't directly created by our ancestors, they were products created indirectly using their technology.

In the eyes of a connoisseur, not even ten boxes of gold coins could buy this key, let alone a whole box of them.

In most cases, the lock comes first, and then the key.

But this key is different.

Xia Yu guessed that the key came first, and then the knights of the past used some function of it to create a lock, disguising it as a key.

The real purpose of this thing is definitely not to open chests for gold coins.

God knows what it was made for.

Oh, no, I can't say that, because Kal'tsit might find out (laughs).

If the "Myriad Talismans Will Break the Rules" technique were used to target this key, Xia Yu might not have done it this way.

Who knows if this thing is actually a technological product, or how it will be judged as something from our ancestors?

But if it's a restriction imposed on ancient knights, then Xia Yu is confident.

If he were to break the key with his own dagger, he wouldn't be able to explain it to Kal'tsit and Skadi.

But Xia Yu was confident that she could afford to pay for the damage if she broke the treasure chest.

"Alright," Xia Yu said, turning back to Grani with satisfaction after seeing the treasure opened. "Now that the treasure problem is solved, you shouldn't need the key anymore, right?"

Upon hearing this, Grani immediately looked at Chlor.

After all, this key was an heirloom passed down through her family.

“I don’t need it anymore, I don’t need it anymore,” Coral said, taking the key from Grani’s hand and presenting it to Skadi with both hands. “Really, thank you so much, everyone.”

"I'm already very happy to have been able to exchange a key for the hope of saving the village."

Krol wasn't stupid. Judging from the fact that the key could be found by a master like Skadi, her ancestral key was no ordinary one.

But so what? No matter how complicated it is, can it solve the village's problems?

In her eyes, a key full of secrets would certainly be no more helpful to her than a chest of gold coins.

Even if the key is incredibly valuable, can ordinary villagers like us really keep it safe?

A chest of gold coins can attract the covetous eyes of countless bounty hunters, but what about the shrouded key? What kind of disaster will it bring to the village?

Don't tell me to go sell it myself. Do you even know what this thing is? How can you be sure you can sell it for the price it deserves?

Korol was perfectly clear-headed; even if it was truly a valuable item, it wasn't something a small village could possess.

Even this box of gold coins in front of you will attract countless covetous eyes.

It is absolutely impossible to protect it with just Drip Village.

“Grani, Miss Skadi, and Mr. Xia Yu,” she said, looking at the bright orange gold coins before her, “I am very grateful for your help. I plan to divide these gold coins into three parts, one for everyone on Rhodes Island…”

“I don’t want to,” Grani shook her head, interrupting her. “I never came here for the gold coins. As for the reward, Rhodes Island will pay me.”

"Even though it's not as much as the gold coins in front of me, I feel at peace with myself."

"And I should have made that clear to you when we first met."

Hearing this, Coral's eyes were practically overflowing with admiration as she looked at Grani. The people of Kazimierz all had a knightly complex, and even ordinary villagers were no exception.

Grani's actions were incredibly endearing, but Coral still hadn't given up on the idea of ​​giving Grani a share of the money.

Just as she was about to speak up to persuade them, the others also spoke up.

“I don’t want it either,” Skadi said, looking at the key in her hand. “I’ve already got what I wanted.”

Finally, only Xia Yu and Lion Scorpion remained.

The lion scorpion didn't like to talk; she simply shook her head in silent refusal.

As for Xia Yu, he felt that he hadn't been of much help this time, and that things would have been resolved satisfactorily even without him.

It just means Grani will have to stay in bed for a while.

So there's no need to make this kind of money.

Faced with the rejection from the Rhodes Island team, Kelore had no choice but to unleash her ultimate move.

“Everyone, you know the situation in Drip Village,” she said softly, lowering her head. “We can’t hold onto so many gold coins.”

"So I want to use some of the gold coins to hire you to stay here and protect us until I finish repairing the village with that money."

If you put it that way, they should accept it.

Korol thought to herself.

“I see…” Grani frowned. “I’m sorry, I can’t take it.”

"My mission is to restore peace to Drip Village from the harassment of bounty hunters. While you, Chlor, are repairing the village, my mission will continue."

"My mission will only be complete when you have truly rid yourself of the bounty hunters."

Hearing this, Coral looked at the light in Grani's eyes and knew that she couldn't persuade her.

Then she looked at Xia Yu and Skadi.

Skadi immediately looked at Xia Yu.

Where I go next depends entirely on him.

“Although I would love to take on this commission,” Xia Yu stroked her chin, politely declining, “I’m sorry, I have a few letters to deliver and I really don’t have the time.”

“But if we’re dealing with bounty hunters,” he bent down and took out three gold coins from the treasure chest, handing one to Skadi and one to Manticore.

"Next, we can have a good talk with the remaining bounty hunters and tell them that we've already taken most of the treasure."

While fiddling with the gold coins in her hand, Xia Yu said, "As long as this kind of news gets out, most bounty hunters will leave. I think my name and Skadi's name still have some deterrent power."

In the past, Xia Yu was not well-known, let alone compared to Skadi, but from today onwards, he will definitely be remembered by bounty hunters.

"As for the others who are still unwilling to give up, with Grani around and a group of veterans who need money, that should be enough to keep them occupied."

Upon hearing this, everyone turned their attention to the Reunion Movement members who were gathered in the corner.

Big Bob had already read the letter, but while they were still talking, no matter how curious he was, he could only obediently shut up and stay where he was.

The letter was written in mudstone.

They reminisced as usual, then talked about what they had encountered in Letania and their recent life on Rhodes Island.

The hints of hope in his words made the people gathered around quite envious.

Big Bob also seemed somewhat wistful.

But he quickly regained consciousness.

A pharmaceutical company with powerful figures like Skadi and Xia Yu is constantly trying to expand its influence, and it is bound to face various ups and downs in the future.

But Big Bob didn't want to get involved in these struggles.

Even if you can rise above others, so what? How many brothers' lives will you have to risk for that?

Moreover, Niyan hadn't been with the company for very long, and even she herself was quite confused.

She didn't urge herself to go to Rhodes Island in her letter.