Arknights' Lock of Heaven

Kal'tsit couldn't imagine it.

How dangerous such a world would be.

“That’s not all,” Xia Yu said calmly upon seeing this. “I know that Fujimaru Ritsuka will win. She will be victorious at the Grand Temple of Time.”

"But after reclaiming human history from the Demon King, the battle is far from over."

"Soon, alien gods will descend, the Imaginary Tree will take root on Earth, and the civilization we so painstakingly reclaimed will once again be reduced to nothing..."

"What she will face next is an even more brutal Lostbelt war, where there is no right or wrong, only survival."

"To be honest, she really had a tough time. It's such a difficult world."

"Fortunately, I've already escaped from there."

Upon hearing this, Kal'tsit couldn't help but nod.

Yes, what a world full of disasters and hardships.

Compared to that, Oripathy doesn't seem like such a big deal.

After all, to erase a civilization from time so easily... that's just too cruel a method.

Can't be bothered.

“Is this your past?”

Kal'tsit could tell that Xia Yu didn't seem to want to continue.

I reckon things won't be so easy from here on out...

So they wisely stopped the conversation.

She turned to look out the porthole and realized that they had unknowingly spent a long night in the office, and now the sun was rising outside.

"What a long and wonderful story."

"So, have you achieved your goal?" Xia Yu glanced at her sideways. "I've told you everything. I won't say you're immediately at ease, but at least you should believe that I really don't want anything from you."

“Of course,” Kal’tsit smiled faintly upon hearing this. “As expected, I couldn’t hide it from you.”

Ha, all that talk about not being able to trust anyone is utter bullshit.

Is this a matter of trust?

Certainly, the problems Kal'tsit mentioned exist, but the more important question is, so what?

Can Rhodes Island still function without Xia Yu now?

With a ship full of infected people, a newly established network, and a glimmer of hope that has been hard to come by, can anyone really give up on this?

If Kal'tsit were truly so rational, she wouldn't have allowed Xia Yu's influence on Rhodes Island to deepen in the first place.

It should have been nipped in the bud.

Now that all ninety-nine bows have been done, only that one final kowtow is left, and you tell me I can't believe you...

Don't be silly, she's not that kind of person.

Or to put it another way, what's the point of doing anything if you're afraid of this and that?

Kal'tsit couldn't possibly be unaware of this.

“So, it must be those people who disappear at sunset,” Xia Yu said definitively. “What did they say to you?”

"Why did you have to come here so roundaboutly to probe my intentions?"

“It’s nothing, I just learned a little about your interactions,” Kal’tsit said casually, “so I became a little curious.”

In fact, this curiosity had been there for a long time and had only grown stronger, after all, she had never seen anyone like Xia Yu in all her years of life.

Adding to the unforeseen events involving the deep sea and the giant beast, she couldn't help but pay close attention.

She knew that her words wouldn't convince Xia Yu if he was determined not to say anything.

So, it was just a test, but I never expected him to reveal everything.

It was a pleasant surprise.

In short, Xia Yu knew that Kal'tsit had ulterior motives, and Kal'tsit also knew that Xia Yu could see through them, but neither of them said anything.

At the very least, the outward appearance must be maintained.

Kal'tsit took what she said seriously, and Xia Yu took what she said seriously.

“I understand completely,” Kal'tsit nodded, “but… now that you’ve come here… what about the things from your hometown?”

It's clearly a pointed remark, but it's also quite normal, since ordinary civilizations wouldn't be able to withstand the emergence of those monsters and demons from Type-Moon.

“You’ve asked the wrong person,” Xia Yu shrugged. “I don’t even know how I got here.”

"I see..." Kal'tsit rubbed her temples, her head aching. "Let's call it a day then. Go back and get some rest. The situation in the snowfields... is really not good."

-

"senior?"

Looking at the bright moonlight in the sky, Fujimaru Ritsuka was slightly lost in thought.

Then he was awakened by Mash.

"Are you worried about something?"

“Ah, it’s nothing,” Fujimaru Ritsuka lowered her head, “I just suddenly remembered that I still don’t know his name.”

"he?"

“Ah, it’s that Kingu who talked himself out of turn and kept us in the dark with Merlin,” she smiled helplessly. “Honestly, the atmosphere was so good before, and then we had to face the returning beast Tiamat... and he was the one who kept talking to himself and held Tiamat back at the most crucial moment…”

"If it weren't for him, we wouldn't have made it this far."

"Ah, it's Mr. Jingu, but... isn't Mr. Jingu's name Jingu?"

"No, that's what the Babylonians called him. I always felt... he had his own name."

"Unfortunately, in the very end, I still couldn't get the answer out of him."

"Even Valhalla can't find his record. Anti-heroes like Jeanne Alter are recorded, so why can't we find him?"

"I always felt that the senior really cared about him."

The little eggplant was a bit jealous.

"Ha, it's not that I care about anything, it's just..." Fujimaru Ritsuka smiled awkwardly, "but... sigh."

"There are still some regrets."

"Let's not talk about this anymore. This cycle of reincarnation is our last chance!"

-

"Captain," a shield guard said anxiously, looking at the bustling camp outside the house, "when will the caravan arrive?"

Upon hearing this, Patriot was momentarily dazed.

This is extremely rare for a warrior like him.

But recently it has become the norm.

Caravan.

Caravan!

Even the shield guards who had followed them for so many years began to eagerly anticipate the much-publicized caravan.

The camp was filled with legends of caravans.

From the unique food of Casimir to the testimonies of infected individuals who personally experienced Rhodes Island's rescue during the Chernobog incident, it's clear that this company has something to offer.

Then there's Yelena, who's been praised to the skies by the infected.

Frostnova already had a high reputation among the snowfield guerrillas. After it was explained that she led the caravan during promotional activities, Frostnova's name became incredibly popular in the camp.

Many people eagerly await the legendary successor to this patriot.

Patriots had initially worried about Frostnova's lack of prestige, but now there's no need to worry.

But the louder the outcry from the camp, the more serious the problem is.

Yes, the problem has become so serious that it has affected the shield guards under his command.

Now even they are starting to look forward to it.

The root cause is very simple.

Everyone knows the current situation in the camp.

As the plan to "kill with praise" was implemented, more and more infected people appeared near the Patriots' camp.

Some of them came from mobile cities and were driven directly into the snowfield after being captured. Others came from mines that were already close to the guerrillas. The merchants and nobles thought that since they couldn't stop the Patriots' attacks anyway, they might as well close the mines to cut their losses and throw these infected people they had stuck with to the Patriots to cause them trouble.

Some came here after hearing about the snowfield, gritting their teeth and abandoning everything; others were helplessly swept along by fate, powerless to resist and forced to drift with the tide.

Just getting these people to obey took up most of the patriots' energy.

But will those ill-intentioned nobles keep the patriots quiet?

If he were to actually find the time, who knows which noble family would suffer.