Arknights' Lock of Heaven

All that's left is to consider.

“I truly cannot refuse your terms,” Kal'tsit finally said after a long silence. “You have successfully exploited my weakness.”

“But,” she stared intently into Xia Yu’s eyes and said, word by word, “I have another question I want to ask you.”

"What's the problem?" Hearing that she finally relented, Xia Yu couldn't help but show a hint of joy on her face.

What are your thoughts on people infected with the virus?

“Infected,” Xia Yu said, glancing at Kal'tsit’s shoulder.

Several tiny Originium particles grew out of the flesh, a cruel yet strangely beautiful sight.

"A bunch of pathetic people."

"Poor people," Kal'tsit continued, without looking away, "then would you choose to help them?"

"If it's within my power, I will."

Xia Yu didn't make grand promises, saying things like, "I appeared in this world to save the infected" or anything like that...

Since we've agreed to be open and honest, then we should naturally say whatever we think.

He wouldn't stand by and watch infected people die; if he had the ability, he would still lend a hand.

But Xia Yu knew he couldn't do it, to travel across this land of suffering like a saint and redeem them.

He wouldn't lie to Kal'tsit.

Because he couldn't fool her at all.

Before transmigrating, Xia Yu was just a college student about to graduate, who had never even been to a company interview.

As an introverted otaku, he has never been very good at communicating with people.

After being transported to the Absolute Demonic Front: Battlefront, communication becomes even less necessary...

In her own camp, only Gorgon can speak human language, but Xia Yu is trying to avoid her, so how could she possibly be eager to approach her?

He wouldn't lie at this moment if you treated him with sincerity.

Trust takes time to build. Although the start wasn't great, he believed that as long as he could stay, Rhodes Island would eventually trust him.

After all, Xia Yu didn't intend to do anything bad to Rhodes Island, did she?

This world was already infamous for its suffering before I even traveled there; the storytellers of suffering, with their endless groans and complaints...

With my limited experience, if I went out into the underworld, I'd probably just get sold out and then have to count the money for the seller.

Rhodes Island is indeed a good safe haven.

"Within my power..." Kal'tsit stopped staring intently into Xia Yu's eyes.

She felt that the person wasn't lying, and that her intuition was most likely correct.

But intuition is such a mysterious thing; it's usually right nine times out of ten, but what if it's wrong this time, outside of that nine times out of ten?

She carries the weight of many people's lives and fortunes on her shoulders; she can't possibly let her feelings dictate everything.

“You can stay,” Kal'tsit’s tone softened slightly, no longer as harsh as a winter wind.

3 Lion Scorpion

"Kal'tsit!!!"

Watching Xia Yu happily leave the cabin, Warfarin rubbed her stiff face, then roared as she stormed into Kal'tsit's office.

How could you leave him here?

“I have my reasons,” Kal’tsit said, reaching for another stack of documents and handling them nonchalantly, her cool voice as always.

But the way her fingers were gripping the pen so tightly that they turned white showed that her inner state was not as calm as her expression suggested.

"And what's the reason? Can't you even tell me?"

"Feel sorry."

Those two short words were so resolute, so ruthless.

But I've gotten used to it, haven't I?

From the day I met her, Kal'tsit has always been so mysterious.

“Kal'tsit,” Warfarin took a deep breath, trying to calm her voice, “I know you have many secrets you can’t tell anyone.”

“I know this time will probably be the same; you always carry so much on your shoulders alone.”

"I won't say anything stupid like asking me to share your burden, but please tell me."

Warfarin rested her hands on the table, looking intently into Kal'tsit's eyes.

Do you really think he can be trusted?

“I’ve already put Manticore with him,” Kal’tsit finally looked up from the documents. “If nothing unexpected happens, this mission will continue.”

Until the day I feel I can trust him.

“I see,” Warfarin’s eyes narrowed upon hearing this.

Of course she knew what that meant.

Kal'tsit felt that this person could not be trusted.

But he offered a deal that Kal'tsit couldn't refuse.

As for what kind of bargaining chip could make the usually calm Kal'tsit so impulsive, she had a rough idea.

After all, Kal'tsit only cares about one or two things.

"Didn't he say he was coming to see a doctor?" Warfarin put away his earlier aggressive expression.

"Mental illness? Who are you planning to appoint as his attending physician?"

"Myself."

-

Xia Yu's steps were light and quick.

After all, he had achieved his goal for this stage and stayed on Rhodes Island.

It feels so good to be able to wander the wilderness without having to go out and endure the elements.

As he casually walked past another corner, a small hand tugged at his clothes from behind.

“Um…” a somewhat timid voice sounded haltingly from behind, “The Human Resources Department… should… go this way…”

This is the third time I've taken the wrong turn.

This was the third time the lion scorpion had mustered the courage.

She has never been good at communicating with others; writing on paper is her most comfortable way of communicating.

But Xia Yu left so quickly that she hadn't even finished writing the first part before she reached the next corner.

In the end, the lion scorpion had no choice but to muster up the courage to approach and speak to her.

"Ah," Xia Yu stopped in her tracks and turned to look when she heard her soft, sweet voice.

"We should... go this way... pass through three compartments... then turn right..."

The lion scorpion was giving Xia Yu directions earnestly, even drawing a simple map on paper as he spoke.

Xia Yu smiled slightly. In fact, he had already noticed the invisible girl, but he had been waiting for her to speak.

The A++ rating for breath perception is no joke.

He recognized the elusive child.

She has long, light purple twin ponytails, two cute hair clips on her forehead, long ears like those of an elf from a fantasy, and a second pair of ears on her head that represent her race.

And then there's the most eye-catching feature: the enormous scorpion tail.

Lion scorpion.

Xia Yu used her as the mascot for a period of time in the game.

After all, among so many operators, there are very few who would act cute towards you.

Although the Manticore was trying its best to give Xia Yu directions, the latter's attention was not on the cute map.

Tail!!!

It wasn't a big deal in the game, but in reality, her tail, which was almost as tall as her body, was incredibly eye-catching.

Xia Yu had always been curious: how did the lion scorpion sleep with such a big tail?

But now is not the time to think about this, and it would be extremely rude of the girl to ask such a question on our first meeting.

So he could only keep this question to himself, and perhaps he could ask it later when they were more familiar with each other.

"Um, what should I call you?" Xia Yu asked casually as she took the map from the lion scorpion.

He naturally knew about the Lion Scorpion, but he couldn't talk about games, so he could only ask again.

"Just call me... Lion Scorpion..."