Arknights, but the sickly pretty girl starts

Only when you ask the right questions will he look up from his own research and answer them carefully. If you ask stupid questions, he will ignore you and even kick you out.

Sikunda was a good student, adept at identifying problems, and thus the first to be able to communicate effectively with Professor Ulpian. During her time under Ulpian, Sikunda learned a great deal. Because of this teacher-student bond, Sikunda had always harbored a yearning for the Deep Sea Hunter profession, even applying to become one. She simply wanted to continue to follow Ulpian, but he personally rejected her application.

Having failed to become a deep-sea hunter, she joined the Coast Guard and has been there ever since... Could Sikunda have held any grudge against Ulpian? Of course she does.

But compared to that resentment, she hoped that Ulpian, the teacher who was not good at interpersonal communication, could stop for a moment and look at those who wanted to follow him.

"...Ms. Noa, do you know Ulpian?"

Sikunda took a few quick steps and asked in a low voice beside Noya.

“…Why do you ask this question?”

"I'm just guessing. After all, Miss Gladia didn't answer my question. I guess he wouldn't just leave the deep-sea hunters alone... If Miss Gladia doesn't have any news about Ulpian, then he's most likely with you."

Sikunda knew Ulpian very well. Although it was just a guess, her tone sounded as if it was confirmed.

There is no point in lying in front of Noah, so Noah knew that the other party was not testing him, but had already confirmed that Ulpian was definitely in this city.

“…I can’t tell the Coast Guard about this.”

Noah subconsciously glanced at the Coast Guard soldier behind him and said in a low voice.

"It's okay. The person you're talking to now isn't a Coast Guard officer, but Mr. Ulpian's student, Sikunda."

Although it was only a verbal change of identity, the meaning was completely different. After learning that Sikunda was actually Ulpian's student, Noah was obviously a little surprised, but she quickly reacted.

"You want to know the whereabouts of Mr. Ulpian?"

"No, I don't think you know either. After all, my teacher is a strange man who is hard to find."

“That’s a fair assessment.”

Noya smiled bitterly. Indeed, she didn't know what Ulpian was doing or where he was in the city.

"I just want to know what Miss Noah thinks of him?"

Sikunda asked tentatively.

"Miss Goletia trusts you very much, and so does Skadi. You seem to naturally gain the trust of these deep-sea hunters. I'd venture to guess that Ulpian also treats you the same way."

"That's a strange thing to say... but it's true that I think Mr. Ulpian is a..."

Noah paused, as if searching for an adjective.

"He's a weirdo who won't admit to caring about anyone else."

"……puff."

"what happened?"

"You are quite right."

Sikunda couldn't help laughing, but this comment also made her put aside the last bit of doubt in her heart.

"It seems that Ulpian hasn't changed. He's still the same as before."

"Mr. Ulpian cares deeply about the deep-sea hunters. To him, these deep-sea hunters must be special beings."

"I know."

Sikunda's eyes darkened. She had once wanted to be one of these people. Not for Agor, but for Ulpian alone. She considered fighting under Ulpian a blessing and an honor, but unfortunately, she ultimately failed to become a member of the Deep Sea Hunters.

"Unfortunately, I am not his subordinate."

"...Miss Sikunda, have you ever wanted to become a deep-sea hunter?"

Noah finally came to his senses.

"Yes, but Ulpian himself vetoed it." Sikunda nodded and explained, "Of course I know he didn't mean to stop me, but because of the risks inherent in the operation. However, I still regret it."

"Oh..." Noah looked at Sikunda's expression and was suddenly touched.

How could she not understand the feeling of longing for someone?

"Miss Sikunda, if possible, I will try to arrange for Mr. Ulpian to meet with you. If you have anything to say, I hope you can speak directly to Mr. Ulpian. Don't leave yourself with any regrets."

Noah spoke, speaking to Sikunda with empathy.

"Once you miss out on some people, it's a lifelong thing. At the very least, you should explain it clearly."

——Even before he left Casimir, he wrote down everything he wanted to say on that thin piece of letter paper, and left his hometown with great reluctance.

"I don't want Miss Sikunda to have any regrets. We must make things clear while there's still time."

Sikunda didn't say anything, she was just in a daze. After a long time, she nodded.

"I know why those deep-sea hunters like you so much, Miss Noya. You are truly an amazing person."

"...?"

"I can listen carefully to others and feel their feelings, and I will do my best to help even the people I just met - even if we are not even friends."

Sikunda said sincerely.

“You are really a very, very good person.”

"...You're too kind." Noah blushed slightly. "I just want to do what I can do."

"This alone is something that many people cannot do. Miss Noah."

Sikunda sighed.

"If I had spoken my mind to Ulpian like you did, perhaps everything would have been different."

In just a few words, the distance between the two was suddenly shortened. Although neither Sikunda nor Noah took the initiative to say that, the two had obviously become true friends.

"We're here." As they were talking, the two returned to the door of the institute. Xikunda used her ID card to swipe open the door. Before entering the institute, she reminded.

"I forgot to tell you before—Cassia just gave birth. Her mental and physical condition may not be very good."

"...That's it."

Childbirth... This Miss Cassia is actually already a mother?

"Then her husband..."

"...She's not married, but this situation is quite common in Agor. Since there are special public welfare institutions for raising babies, it's not inconvenient for single mothers."

"...Even if that's the case, we should be able to find out who she's closely connected to, right?"

"...Although it should be considered a private matter..." Sikunda hesitated, then spoke. "Based on our investigation so far, it seems likely her teacher, Professor Avitus, is a scholar of prehistory."

"Avitus..." Noah took note of the new figure who had appeared in his field of vision. "I understand. You will still lead the interrogation. I will just listen from the side."

"as you wish."

Sikunda and Noah smiled at each other and walked into the research institute. Soon, they received permission from the institute and took their target, Cassia, to a secluded small room.

The other party was quite cooperative, even very calm.

After entering the interrogation room, her expression gave Noah a feeling that she had known this day would come.

"Hello, Ms. Cassia," Sikunda greeted. "I'd like to ask you a few questions. What were you doing around 2:50 this afternoon?"

"…2:20. I just left the institute."

She answered bluntly.

"I was going back to my dorm, and I borrowed a book from the library. It's on me now."

"You left the institute at 2:20. Doesn't that count as leaving early?"

"I'm not feeling well. You should know that I just completed an embryo separation surgery." Cassia said with a smile, "And I've reported it. It's an officially approved leave."

"So, your dormitory is only ten minutes away from here. You left the institute at 2:20. What time did you return to the dormitory?" Xikunda was not shaken by this. If she could be fooled to this extent, then she would have no use for her job.

"-Three o'clock." Cassia knew that there were many witnesses when she returned to the dormitory, and lying about the time would only put herself in a worse position.

"That's strange. You spent a full forty minutes on a ten-minute journey... What did you do along the way?"

"I'm reading," Cassia replied, placing the book on the table. "This is it."

The Death of Life.

Noah caught a glimpse of the title of the book and also of the translator's name.

【Avitus】.

Chapter 55: The Desperate Man Cannot Answer

"Is there any witness?" Xikunda continued to ask without changing her expression.

"No, I was reading alone and didn't notice if anyone saw me." Cassia shook her head. "But I can tell you where I was reading. You can ask me. Maybe someone saw me."

"Okay—" Sikunda nodded. Her attitude was already cooperative. They would then check if there were any surveillance cameras in the area, and then investigate if anyone had seen Cassia. That would provide evidence of her having the time to commit the crime. "Thank you for your cooperation. Miss Noah, do you have any additional questions?"

"..." Noah stared at Cassia. She gave her a strange feeling. She was clearly not hostile to them, even indifferent. During the interrogation, Cassia's eyes were always fixed on the book on the table, indicating that in her mind, the book was much more important than the interrogation. However, as a major suspect, Cassia would obviously be detained. There would be no time to question her later. So Noah shook his head, "Let's go through the procedures first. I don't have any questions."

Although he said he had nothing to ask, Noah still memorized the book.

"The Death of Life", translated by Avitus, became the most popular reading material among citizens in the year it was published.

"A glimpse into an unfamiliar life, a boring and stupid curiosity."

This is what Gloria commented when she saw Noah reading the book.

"Gladiya, these few words are enough to cause an uproar in any country on earth." Kal'tsit has returned from Clemenza, and she also has a copy of "The Death of Life" in her hand.

The diary of a pre-civilized person could have such a translation only possible from Agor.

"Valeria's been back for half a month, but the package sent from Taros probably won't arrive. Those precious technological prototypes and biological samples, along with the civilian-grade environmental simulation unit I ordered, have all been lost. There were no broadcasts, no accident reports. The universe closed its doors on us without warning." Noya read out the contents, his words flat. "Poor mother, she'll have to endure a little longer in the life support capsule. Selfishly, I insisted on saying goodbye to her in the simulation. Right before she went into hibernation, she still longed to see her grandchildren. How could I tell her that the grandchildren she imagined didn't exist? She must still be living in that glorious era when the Nexus was covered in starry seas to believe that continuing life wasn't just about adding to suffering."

"...That sounds like a middle-aged man's complaint," Laurentina commented. "Boring and anxious. Why is a translation like this so popular? I really don't understand Agor's fashion sense."

"Because he's cloaked in the guise of a prehistoric civilization," replied Goletia. "People aren't curious about this middle-aged man's experiences, but the lives of those who lived in prehistoric civilizations. They've discovered that the prehistoric civilization they once thought was so advanced has also revealed a decadent side amidst its demise and collapse. In a sense, it's similar to the sea heir problem facing Agor, similar to how films and TV shows filmed before apocalyptic predictions are guaranteed to be hits."

"A tiny slice, through the exhaustion and despair between the lines, more vividly depicts the end of a glorious civilization than any data." Noah shook his head. "There's nothing wrong with the book itself. It doesn't promote anything, and it doesn't seem to harbor any hidden agenda. It's simply a very objective and accurate translation. And... I don't think the appearance and popularity of Agor's book is accidental."

"Agor is the heir of a prehistoric civilization, but not its vassal. We don't have to identify with their exhaustion and despair," Goletia emphasized. "I believe this book should be banned. Even if it's perfectly harmless, it will cause many people to harbor unnecessary thoughts. We must maintain rationality and preserve what is most indestructible about Agor."

"Could it be possible that it's precisely this rationality?" Noah speculated, "that makes people realize that the destruction of Agor, and indeed all of humanity, is a real possibility."

"...Noa...you?"

"Of course, I won't become pessimistic about the future just because of a book. Even when I'm most despairing, I still hold onto hope," Noah sighed. "But I deeply understand that under heavy pressure, not everyone can persevere. And the Agor community is all about seeking common ground while reserving differences. The battle of wits is a place that can accommodate a wide range of ideas, so Agor is accustomed to thinking from all angles, or objectively considering all possibilities. It's only natural for some to go astray."

Noah put the book on the table and spoke.

"Of course we can ban it, even burn it, forbid the publication of the book, collect it from everyone's home, and destroy it. But, Gladia—the book isn't important. What's important is that once this book has appeared and been read, its influence will not disappear. There's no point in doing anything about it now."

Noah emphasized.

"Thoughts cannot be killed. Even without this book, there would still be 'The End of Life,' 'The Destruction of Life,' and 'The End of Life'... The point is, the pressure Agor is facing today has caused many people to lose their so-called 'hope,' and this is the real cause of the problem."

"The lives of too many Agor people have been changed. That's why people seek answers, and at this time, this book becomes their answer. Even civilizations more advanced than theirs are so desperate when facing destruction, so they will wonder - is civilization destined to be destroyed?"

"This nihilistic idea..." Although she understood what Noah was saying, Gladia still wanted to refute it. But she suddenly realized that apart from refuting his nihilism, she seemed to have no other position to prove that Agor would not be defeated by Hai Si.

"That's the problem. The fundamental reason we can't stop this kind of thinking is that it can't be disproven. To truly suppress this kind of thinking, we need a victory."

Kal'tsit concluded that she had seen too many farces on the ground. After all, this idea came about because Hai Si put too much pressure on her. It was like a pressure cooker, which would always explode if left alone.

"I think what Noah said is right." The doctor beside him also spoke up. "It's better to open it up than to block it. Instead of banning the circulation of the book, the key is to consider the next steps. As long as we can capture the members of the Deep Sea Church, it will at least boost morale."

"...Ah." The doctor's words were the final word, and their discussion ended there.

After all, until they prove that Cassia is the kidnapper, they really can't catch any evidence against the Deep Sea Church.

This is the most fatal point.

-

"Cassia..."

"How did you come?"

"Let me... take a look at you."

Avitus paused and hesitated. It was already very risky to come in to see Cassia. There was a member of the Coast Guard sitting next to him. Obviously, Cassia was under strict surveillance. Every word he said here would be recorded, and he had to be brief.

"You just had an embryo separation procedure, so naturally I'm worried."

"You know, the damage to the body caused by embryo separation surgery is almost negligible."

Cassia didn't seem to appreciate it.