Arknights' Lock of Heaven

Page 347

256 Xia Yu hates working overtime

They claim they're buying their lives with money, but that's just wishful thinking on their part.

Xia Yu is not someone who can be bought off with such a small amount of money.

When Rhodes Island presented them with the list of supplies to be purchased, and Charner, a representative whom the Trade Federation knew all too well, explained that the supplies were for the development of the Red Pine Knights' territory, the entire Trade Federation erupted in excitement.

They had previously worried that Xia Yu was the kind of person for whom money and their families were unimportant, and that their absence was the most important nemesis.

Now that this order has been placed, aren't we back on the track we're familiar with?

Isn't it just soliciting bribes or collecting protection money? They know it all too well.

Kazimir has done this kind of thing countless times.

Isn't it all for a piece of land? Aren't the lives of those high-ranking board members worth more than this money?

So even if they lose money, these people will still deliver the orders, just to spend money to save their lives.

And let's also see this jinx off.

Building a territory is great! It would be best to go and build it for hundreds of years and never come back!

A great knight leading a small temple is truly unworthy of you!

That's why we have this grand occasion now.

Meanwhile, Xia Yu...

What? You spent money? I didn't know that?

Where's the money? It hasn't even reached my hands yet! Why should I spare your life?

Where's the evidence? Where's the written evidence? Where's the evidence that I won't kill you if you pay me?

The treaties I haven't signed are just toilet paper; the ones I have signed will be converted into toilet paper depending on the circumstances.

If you make baseless accusations without any evidence, I might sue you for defamation!

You're slandering me, aren't you?

What? Those orders?

What does this have to do with me? Yes, I have a good relationship with Hongsong, but it's just a personal one. You spend money to build up their territory, but the money doesn't end up in my hands!

Even brothers should keep clear accounts!

Let alone between just friends!

It has to be said, the doctor's move was really underhanded.

They got the supplies for free and put those people at ease. When the trial comes, their expressions will be quite interesting.

The only loss was Xia Yu's reputation.

However, Xia Yu didn't care. After doing something like that, what kind of reputation could he possibly have?

Whether he cheats or not, after hanging so many upper-class people, the result is the same.

Ordinary people might applaud, but for those in power, their credibility has plummeted.

But what use is this so-called credibility to monarchs of various countries?

Xia Yu doesn't see herself as someone who can reason, just like the professor said.

natural disaster.

Try reasoning with a natural disaster and trying to uphold your credibility.

Let's see if they'll even acknowledge you.

In this era, reputation may be a very useful brand, but in a crucial moment, it can never compare to having a cannon pointed at someone's head.

Simple, straightforward, convenient, and quick.

As for reputation, what does Xia Yu's bankruptcy of reputation have to do with me, Emiya Shirou?

This has nothing to do with Ishtar, right?

Am I right?

"You finally came!"

In Rhodes Island's workshop, Kroos grabbed Xia Yu's arm as if afraid he would run away.

"Big brother, I'm begging you, please stop being a hands-off boss, okay?"

"Our project team has been established, and the funding has been approved. We're just waiting for you!"

"Didn't I send over a batch of materials?" Xia Yu asked, puzzled. "Isn't that enough?"

"Is this a question of whether it's enough or not?" Kroos asked, somewhat exasperated. "All the technology is in your hands! If you don't come to oversee it and communicate with us regularly, this project is going to take forever!"

"What can we do? We just test the card you sent, analyze its strengths and weaknesses, send our feedback back to you, and then we all go our separate ways until you revise it based on your feedback and send it back next time..."

Do you know how much of a waste of resources this is?

"So many operators come to the workshop three times a day after the testing is over to ask when the new equipment will be available... Do you know how much time I have to spend explaining to them every day?"

"Big brother! Grandpa! I'm begging you, please, forget about those idiots outside," Kroos said earnestly. "Why don't we just come back, develop our new equipment, and then crush them?"

"With this equipment, what are Silver Spear Pegasus and the Business Federation? They're all trash, okay?"

"But," Xia Yu said, puzzled, "even without this equipment, I could still crush them, right?"

"..."

"That's why I hate talking to superhumans like you..." Kroos gave him a resentful look. "But seriously, the waste of resources is too serious. If you were in the project team, many problems wouldn't have to drag on for so long."

"Like the one before, the one about the enhanced defensive capabilities of heavy-armored operators, if we could communicate with you in person, we wouldn't have dragged out such a simple problem for a week."

"Something that could be resolved with a simple yes or no has been dragged on for so long."

"The efficiency is just too low!"

“But I’m not only responsible for things here,” Xia Yu said helplessly. “There’s the issue of Hongsong’s resettlement, the Business Federation’s problems, and the issues with Kal’tsit…”

"There's also the construction of the snowfield transportation network, the analysis of the Patriot guerrillas' situation, and the cooperation with the Kazimierz Bounty Hunters Guild..."

I'm not just sitting around doing nothing.

“Let’s wait until the Special Championship is over,” Xia Yu said. “Then I’ll be able to find the time.”

"It's a deal!" Kroos exclaimed, overjoyed. "No backing out!"

"I won't go back on my word. By then, it'll probably only be Kal'tsit and you who need me."

"Oh right," Xia Yu said, slapping her forehead and turning around to pull Maria, who had already curiously touched the workbench, back.

“Aren’t you always complaining about not having enough manpower? This is Lin Guang’s younger sister. The project you’re working on was something she and I came up with together,” Xia Yu said sincerely. “If there’s anything you don’t understand, you can ask her when I’m not around!”

"Really?" Kroos asked, half believing.

"Of course it's true," Xia Yu said sincerely. "Why would I lie to you?"

"We developed this system together on her family's estate."

Upon hearing this, Kroos was overjoyed and immediately abandoned Xia Yu, who was unreliable, and grabbed Maria's hand.

With a master like this, why would we need Xia Yu, who can't be contacted for half a day?

"Master, hello! How should I address you? Master, could you please look at this problem I have?"

"Um, just call me Maria, and Master or whatever... wait... wait..."

Before she could finish speaking, Kroos pulled her away.

Xia Yu nodded when she saw this.

Yes, it was indeed 'developed' by me and Maria together.

He was in charge of R&D, and she was in charge of testing. They were working together, so it made sense, right?

Hopefully, Maria can hold off Kroos for a while.