Arknights' Lock of Heaven

"They are fleeing."

Amiya stood upstairs, watching the Reunion Movement being routed by the Guard Bureau on the street, and muttered to herself, "Where does this confidence come from? Why do they think Lungmen is so vulnerable?"

"Confidence?" Xia Yu smiled. "That's from Chernobog, of course."

"But Lungmen and Chernobog are completely different!"

“But they don’t know either,” Xia Yu shrugged. “Even though you always say you’re not very mature, you should be able to figure this out, right?”

“I know,” Amiya lowered her head, “I know…”

"The Integration Movement has been on the wrong path from the very beginning."

"I'm not accusing them of not being able to violently resist their oppression...it's just...it's just..."

"You've just chosen the wrong target to resist, haven't you?"

Xia Yu sighed, stepped forward, and shook her head as she watched the Guard Bureau agents downstairs detaining the Reunion Movement thugs who had been completely defeated.

"The Reunion Movement... perhaps its original intention was good, but it has long since become corrupt."

"The guerrillas on the snowfield used to only attack the mines that harmed the infected and the mobile castles of the nobles. They would not oppress the ordinary people who were struggling to survive on the snowfield just because they were not infected."

"But look at what the Reunion Movement is doing in Chernobog now, indiscriminately attacking civilians and wantonly venting their hatred on the weak."

“This shouldn’t be the future for the infected,” Amiya clenched her fist in agitation. “Such actions will completely push the infected and ordinary people to opposite sides!”

"It will not only fail to alleviate the discrimination faced by those infected, but will actually add fuel to the fire!"

"The leader of the Reunion Movement is able to maintain such a large organization in the cruel snowfields of Ursus, so why... can't she even understand this?"

Why be so lenient with your own people?

“Not everyone cares about the future of the infected as much as you do,” Xia Yu sighed, looking up at the overcast sky.

What you cherish may be insignificant to others.

"Let's call her Talulah, the leader of the Reunion Movement, for now."

"Perhaps Talulah in the past cared about these things just like you do, which is why she was able to build such a team on the snowfield and gain so many followers."

"But now, Talulah is not the Talulah of the past."

"The future of the infected is no longer what she pursues; her sights have long been set elsewhere. That's why she can send her subordinates to their deaths in Lungmen without a second thought, and why she can so easily incite conflict between the infected and ordinary people."

"Can a person really change so easily?" Amiya clutched the ring tightly in her hand.

As the successor to the Demon King, she was actually able to sense it.

The feeling of resentment and regret inside the ring.

“You can ask her about that yourself when the time comes,” Xia Yu shrugged. “Right now, it’s best to focus on the mission.”

“And what about Mr. Xia Yu?” Amiya looked into Xia Yu’s eyes, then changed the subject, “You’ve always given me a… uncertain feeling…”

"There's an old saying in Yan, 'A bird startled by the twang of a bow.' You're already so powerful, what are you still afraid of?"

“Powerful?” Xia Yu lowered her head, her long green hair obscuring her face. “There are always people more capable than you, and there’s always something higher than the sky. There’s always something higher than the mountain.”

“But I can’t see him,” Amiya said, taking Xia Yu’s hand. “Maybe I’m just too short and have a narrow perspective. Mr. Xia Yu is the most powerful being I’ve ever seen.”

"I have seen the pardoners who serve the Sarkaz kings, the most powerful demons fighting on the battlefield, the world's top sorcerers, the most advanced firearms in Sarkaz, and powerful weapons that can destroy an entire city with a single shot."

"I've seen everything on the battlefields of Kazdel."

"But nothing can compare to the scene you showed me that day."

A hint of determination flashed across Amiya's youthful face.

"Why are you so insecure? You are already the most powerful person I have ever met."

"Are you insecure?" Hearing this, Xia Yu looked down at her hands. Was she insecure?

Well, actually, there are some. After witnessing Tiamat's power, people naturally become wary of so-called gods.

But it will be soon. After weighing the Terran god with Koschl, his ecological niche will be determined.

“Yes,” Amiya reached out and grasped Xia Yu’s large hand, “At least in my experience, you are an unparalleled powerhouse.”

"It's such a waste for him to be my bodyguard."

"..."

-

Chen looked at Amiya in front of him, feeling a mix of emotions.

She wanted to say something, but when she opened her mouth, she found that she couldn't say anything.

"Commander Chen," Amiya spoke first, "how is the Guard Bureau's operation going?"

"So far, there haven't been any major discrepancies," Chen could only reply when she asked about the battle situation. "Although some elite squads from the Reunion Movement have caused us some trouble, they won't be able to hold out for long."

"Now all the remaining forces of the Reunion Movement are fleeing towards the slums."

“So, they think there’s still hope in the slums, right?” Amiya nodded. “Well then, Commander Chen, now that I have all the information I need, I’m going to meet up with my team.”

After saying that, he nodded to Chen and then turned and headed toward the street that Huang was in charge of.

"Amiya," Chen called out after much hesitation, "I'm sorry about what happened before."

Everyone present knew what she was talking about.

“You don’t need to apologize,” Amiya turned around, a slight smile playing on her lips. “We all know that some things are beyond our control.”

"..."

"You seem quite happy?" Xia Yu looked at Amiya, who was bouncing around beside her. "It seems you have a good impression of her?"

“Yes,” Amiya nodded, “After all, it’s really rare to meet someone who has no prejudice against infected people.”

“We’re almost there,” Xia Yu hesitated for a moment before speaking, “With Huang around, you’ll be safe.”

"I have some things to take care of. Could you give me a day off, Amiya?"

Amiya's hopping and skipping figure paused.

“Of course,” she said with a smile. “If you need anything, just tell me over the communicator.”

"..."

“You seem very happy, little bunny,” Huang said, looking at Amiya and picking her up in one scoop. “Rubbing against her, rubbing against her, how can there be such a soft face in the world!”

"Don't be like that," Amiya pushed Huang's face away, "We've only been apart for an hour! Be serious!"

"What an unlovable child," Huang pouted, putting Amiya down. "By the way, where's Xia Yu? Wasn't he always by your side?"

“He has other tasks,” Amiya said, turning her face away. “Huang, do you think… if I go back and ask Dr. Kal'tsit to transfer Mr. Xia Yu from his current position, will the doctor agree?”

"Why are you being transferred?" Huang frowned upon hearing this. "Did he bully you?"

“No, no,” Amiya quickly waved her hand. “It’s just that I feel like Mr. Xia Yu always has a kind of hesitation in his heart, and… well, I can’t explain it in a short time.”

"I just feel that someone like me, who is basically on the Rhodes Island main ship every day, doesn't need to keep someone as strong as Mr. Xia Yu by my side."

"Perhaps he'll want to go out and see the world?"

-

Xia Yu is heading towards the slums.

He didn't know why he had come.

I just feel uneasy if I don't come.

Xia Yu dislikes Wei Yanwu.

Aside from other reasons, his instigation of the Black Cloak to carry out massacres in the slums was the most significant factor.

He set a low profile for himself in this world.

You can reveal your powerful physical abilities and some less obvious Noble Phantasms, but you must not be reckless before you have a clear understanding of this world.

So even though he knew Mephisto would carry out a massacre in the ruins of 59, he didn't kill him in advance in Chern.

However, as the herds continued to surge towards him, his heart was filled with indescribable feelings.

The massive herd was utterly helpless against the barrage of swords; they couldn't even touch the hem of his clothes, falling in rows like wheat being harvested.

If this happened in a game, such a scene of mowing down enemies would be enough to make him shout with exhilaration.

But when it appears in reality, looking at those ferocious faces rushing towards me, I don't feel any sense of satisfaction.

So much so that Mephistopheles, the clown whom Amiya had wanted to tear to pieces in her previous life, was ultimately dealt with by Amiya with a single, hasty stroke.

Now, faced with yet another massacre, should he stand up?

The people in the slums are not related to me, and I have no connection with them. It's not worth getting involved in this mess for their sake.

but……

They don't say anything lofty or righteous, nor do they try to justify their actions as being for the sake of justice.

It's simply that I don't want this massacre to happen.

Some might think I'm being dramatic, since I didn't kill Mephisto beforehand even after learning about the massacre in District 59.

But to be honest, one is influenced by one's surroundings.