Arknights' Lock of Heaven

"A one-on-one fight?" Swire said suspiciously, "What are you still thinking about? Do you still think this is just a matter between the two of you sisters? That a fight can solve it?"

"You know, I've caught no fewer than 20 Reunion Movement spies today alone. This is something that two people can't handle alone."

"Wake up!"

“Wait a minute,” Chen said, rubbing his temples. “It seems we’re not talking about the same thing.”

"Uh," Hoshiguma paused, "then why are you so down today, Old Chen?"

"I lost a sparring match," Chen said with a wry smile. "I was utterly defeated, so I'm starting to question the meaning of life."

"That's it? That's it?"

Upon hearing this, Swire's eyes widened. She stepped forward, grabbed Chen's horns, and used them as hands to grab her head, shaking it left and right as she looked her over.

"Are you still the same Pinky Dragon I know? Why are you so depressed over a sparring match? Or was the Chen Huijie I met before a fake?"

Even Hoshiguma looked completely dumbfounded.

This isn't the Chen I know!

"Stop fooling around," Chen shook off Swire's hand, sighed, and explained, "Because this time it's really... a complete defeat..."

"What do you mean? What do you mean?" Upon hearing this, Swire became interested. It turned out that it wasn't what she thought. It seemed that she had worried for nothing.

But since there's this kind of fun, we certainly can't miss it.

For a moment, she even considered finding a camera to record it as an embarrassing moment in her life.

"You were subdued without even using a single move?"

Poetry and elegance asked cheerfully.

She was always so unconventional. Hoshiguma looked at her with a helpless smile, while also perking up her ears.

“No,” Chen shook his head, “He didn’t even make a move… I used all my strength, and my Chixiao sword couldn’t even touch him. He blocked all my attacks with just the scabbard, without even moving an inch.”

She touched the Crimson Cloud in her hand, her face full of bitterness.

"What kind of swordsmanship have I been practicing all these years...?"

After hearing what she said, Hoshiguma and Swire were both stunned.

They all knew Chen's capabilities.

Because they knew, they understood just how terrifying this matter was.

He withstood all of Chen's attacks, watching her use every trick in the book, yet he didn't even need to move...

Do people like that really exist?

Shi Huaiya murmured to himself.

Incredible.

But we have to believe it, after all, Chen is in this state.

"I'm sorry, I was too fragile and made you worry," Chen said, patting his cheeks and cheering himself up before they could recover from the shock. "It won't be like this again."

"I promise!"

“Who wants to hear your assurances?” Swire said, frowning. “Who is that person? Is he friend or foe? Lungmen is going through a turbulent time right now. To have such terrifying strength, we need to find out more about him.”

She asked these questions instinctively, after all, she had been a police officer for so long.

“Remember Rhodes Island?” Chen replied, “The company that stood us up last time.”

Upon hearing this, Swire frowned.

News of the cooperation between Rhodes Island and Lungmen had reached the Guard Bureau, and she, like Chen, harbored a somewhat distrustful attitude.

After all, the appearance of Rhodes Island was rather coincidental.

And why would a pharmaceutical company get involved in this kind of thing?

Their headquarters aren't in Lungmen, so if the Reunion Movement thugs come, they can just drive away in a land-based ship, right?

“The Rhodes Island people,” Hoshiguma said calmly, “seem to be a powerful ally.”

“That’s not necessarily true,” Swire shook her head.

“I’ll keep an eye on them,” Chen said, composing himself. “No matter what their purpose is, they’ll eventually slip up.”

“How about assigning them to my team?” Swire suddenly said. “I happen to be short-staffed.”

She wanted to help Chen reduce his burden as much as possible. Although the latter had explained that she was not depressed because of 'Talulah', who could say whether she was actually affected or not?

After all, Talulah and she are real sisters...

“No way,” Chen shook his head. “That guy named Xia Yu is a guard of the Rhodes Island leader. If we want to transfer him, we’ll have to transfer the entire squad. That would be too much of a fuss.”

“I see…” Swire hesitated for a moment, but finally gave in.

"If you can't hold on any longer, you must tell us."

“Yes,” Chen smiled, “I will.”

She then left Chen's office with Hoshiguma.

"It's been a long time since I've seen you two separate so harmoniously," Hoshiguma joked.

“Harmony?” Swire looked up at her. “Are you sure?”

“Missy,” Hoshiguma asked softly in the corridor of the Guard Bureau building, “Do you really think Old Chen is okay?”

“How could that be?” Swire scoffed. “Who could possibly be fooled by her forced composure?”

“She’s been this strong-willed ever since the day I met her,” Hoshiguma sighed. “I haven’t seen her smile like she used to since the news came from Chernobog.”

“What an idiot,” Swire said angrily, kicking the wall and then glaring at the officers who peeked out after hearing the noise.

"You really think I can't tell? You think you can get away with just keeping a straight face all the time?"

"Everyone in the entire Guard Bureau has noticed her recent changes; it's just that others don't know the reason."

"Deceiving yourself."

"This is really..." Hoshiguma sighed.

“No,” Swire glared, “I have to take Rhodes Island from her.”

“They always bicker,” Hoshiguma joked, “but I still care about her quite a bit.”

“We grew up together after all,” Swire said, raising her head. “Let’s give her a hand.”

"..."

in the office.

The forced smile crumbled once again, and Chen slowly buried her face in her arms.

She couldn't bear to look at herself in such a vulnerable state.

But...but...at least here, in this empty room...

"..."

No one knows what the decisive and efficient Mr. Chen looks like in his office.

But once she's outside, she'll put on her old mask again and become the decisive and efficient Chen once more.

Until... everything comes to a head.

-

“Doctor, Doctor,” Amiya clung to the doctor, “what do you think about this problem…”

Kal'tsit returned to the medical department, and now only the two of them and Xia Yu are in the control center.

He was flipping through a book of ancient myths from the Yan Kingdom.

Scattered myths and legends, such as Xi'e flying to the moon.

To be honest, looking at these myths that seem similar to or different from my past life always gives me a sense of novelty and is a great way to pass the time.

Until Swire came to our door.

“I need Rhodes Island’s assistance,” she said bluntly. “Didn’t your company sign a treaty with Lungmen? I need a powerful Guardian to help me clear out the Reunion Movement’s strongholds in Lungmen.”

"We need to set off now."

Amiya found the request somewhat strange, since most of Rhodes Island's operations operators had already been deployed to assist the Guard Bureau's operations, with the remainder being essential defense personnel and her own small groups.

Their team had completed Chen SR's task for the day and was now resting. In principle, wherever assistance was needed, it should be negotiated by Chen SR personally.

After all, she is the only one who has the authority to command and dispatch Rhodes Island in name only.

But the identity of the police superintendent in front of him cannot be faked.

“This is a list of reserve dispatch operators,” Amiya handed over a list, “Take a look and see if you need any…”

“No need to choose anymore,” Swire raised an eyebrow and pointed to Xia Yu, who was reading a book beside her, and said, “He’s the one.”

“This is probably… against the rules,” the Doctor unexpectedly retorted. “Mr. Xia Yu is Amiya’s bodyguard, and according to the contract, he cannot be too far away from her.”

“It’s fine, I only need him,” Swire said nonchalantly. “Isn’t this the main ship of Rhodes Island? Do we need guards in our own company?”

"I'm only borrowing it for a short while, and I think I'll be done before midnight."