Arknights, but the sickly pretty girl starts

"Eh?" Tallulah hesitated, but still turned her head as Noah ordered. Then a prismatic mark immediately appeared in Noah's eyes. With the help of the Originium authority, she did see that there seemed to be a completely different [existence] in Tallulah's body. Her intuition was not wrong. This thing was like some kind of parasite, deeply rooted in Tallulah's spirit... It was like a time bomb.

Noah thought for a moment and decided to make an attempt - to try to communicate with another will.

So she reached out and gently touched the back of Tallulah's head. Before she immersed herself in it, she even spoke up to remind her. "It might be a little itchy, don't move."

Tallulah had just witnessed Noah's miraculous treatment of Frost Star, and was quite convinced of Noah at this time. Noah told her not to move, and she really did not move. Noah also successfully sank his consciousness into Tallulah's body. After discovering the invader, the other consciousness seemed to have sensed something and seemed to want to escape, but Noah would not let this guy mess around. His expression immediately condensed, and he directly wrapped up this strange consciousness.

"Who are you? Why did you appear in Tallulah's consciousness?"

"..."

Noah's questions fell on deaf ears, and the consciousness was only concerned with rushing around trying to escape, but Noah's consciousness level was obviously higher than its own, and no matter how it struggled, it was useless.

"I'll ask you again, what exactly are you..." Noah had already begun to frown. If she still didn't get a response to her question this time, she might as well stuff this consciousness into the Originium and take it away. It didn't look like a good thing anyway.

Perhaps sensing the hostility, the will finally became docile after confirming that it could not escape.

"You can call me... Kosice. I'm Tallulah's adopted father and the Duke of Ursus." After realizing the absolute disparity in power, the other party finally began to try to resolve the issue through conversation. "I think there must be some misunderstanding between us."

"...Tallulah's adoptive father? Your Ursus parenting style is truly bizarre... Do you raise children by injecting your own consciousness into them?"

Noah frowned and started thinking about how to deal with this thing. After all, this thing didn't look like a good person.

"You're joking, miss. Let's not talk about my educational policy, but this matter has nothing to do with you, right?" Kosice tried to find a flaw in the conversation, but Noah hated this kind of rhetoric the most.

"Originally, it had nothing to do with me, but now that I've discovered it, I can't just leave it alone—don't worry, I won't kill you." Noya certainly wouldn't arbitrarily decide the life and death of others, but she also couldn't let such a thing continue to exist in Tallulah. So, according to her original plan, she casually created an Originium and sealed this consciousness within it. After removing her hand, Tallulah, of course, had no idea what had happened, but she clearly felt a sense of relief.

"What did you just do? I feel... pretty good," Tallulah asked curiously, while Noah, lost in thought as he stared at the black source stone in his hand, finally reacted after a while. "It just cleared your fatigue," he said. "Relaxing is a good thing, and you shouldn't get tired so easily in the future."

She didn't tell him about Kosice. On the one hand, there was no need to make him feel uneasy. On the other hand... she also wanted to study what the so-called mental parasites were.

"Thank you." Tallulah didn't doubt anything. After a sincere thank you, she escorted Noah back to camp as planned. The journey was uneventful, save for a piece of black snake amber in Noah's pocket. Of course, at this point, Noah didn't realize how much trouble she had solved for Tallulah. However, the two observing from the side, after reflecting on what had happened in their own world, could probably guess why this Tallulah was so different from the Tallulah they remembered.

This thing most likely took over the body of the then young Tallulah in the later period, which is why the Integration Movement became a so-called terrorist organization in history instead of an organization to rescue infected people in this world.

"I didn't expect this kind of thing... existed?" Noah also thought about his ability to create spirit seeds. In a sense, it was similar to this thing. However, the memories here should belong to Noah Kyrielight from another world. The reason they appeared here was probably because the other Amiya deliberately mixed them in to make it easier for them to watch the whole process.

However, this world line is indeed completely different from what Noah knows. Rhodes Island does not exist. The Reunion Movement has replaced Rhodes Island. And until now, Noah has not even seen where Kal'tsit is.

If we were to name the most stable being in any world, it would probably be Kal'tsit. Given her circumstances, she'd be the most trustworthy being in any world. However, due to Theresa's death, this world lacks Rhodes Island, and presumably no Tower of Babel either. Perhaps only Kal'tsit remains. Without Rhodes Island, those people wouldn't have gathered together... In a sense, this is a form of unofficial history.

"I never thought I'd see something like this one day..." Noah couldn't help but sigh that people can see everything after living long enough. "But what message does Amiya want to convey to me... This world is so different from ours, and the amount of information is so overwhelming."

"Why does Amiya have your memories...is that possible?"

"... Stop talking, I'm scared." Noah was genuinely terrified. To be honest, she had some idea why Amiya had the memories she should have. After all, she could do the same thing. If she could just... place Amiya's consciousness into her own soul space, she could also access Amiya's memories. Conversely... Amiya probably also accessed her memories through a similar method.

In other words... in this world... she has most likely entered a state where she can no longer recover.

"...What on earth happened to me..." Noah whispered, but all the answers were at the end. Noah didn't want to disappoint the other Amiya...

But perhaps it was fate, they all had a feeling... they would soon know why fate arranged it this way.

Chapter 20: Kelsey

Not long after Noah left, Amiya actually started to worry.

After all, the situation between Dayan and Ursus is tense now. Although the war has not officially started yet, in the tense atmosphere, it is just a matter of who fires the first shot. Whether it is Dayan or Ursus, the aftermath of their war cannot be stopped by these people.

Especially since Noah's identity is quite special, and he is still in a state of amnesia [at least that's what Amiya thinks], which makes her even more worried.

After finishing the rescue work, she waited anxiously at the entrance of the camp, and only breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Tallulah and Noah. She raised her hand and wanted to call Miss Noah's name, but Noah seemed to have seen her earlier and waved to her. Then she and Tallulah came to the gate of the camp together. Amiya looked Noah up and down, and after making sure that Noah was not injured, she patted her chest and said with a bit of blame.

"Why didn't you tell me when you left the camp? I came out or someone else told me you left the camp."

"To save people." Noah's answer was concise and to the point. "Tallulah asked me to help."

"Yes, Miss Noah has truly helped me a lot. I sincerely thank you. If you need any help in the future, Reunion and I will do our best to help!" Tallulah meant what she said. On the one hand, she had a good impression of Noah, and on the other hand, both organizations were dedicated to saving lives, so it was only natural for them to look out for each other. Furthermore, she felt that Noah must have many secrets, and even if it was just to impress her, she should show some respect.

"Ms. Talulah, you're too polite. I've also heard about the Reunion Movement. You're an organization with ideals and goals, much better than a mob like us." Amiya wasn't being modest. Rather, the temporary camp they had set up didn't really have a name. It was a truly ragtag army, or the Lungmen Self-Rescue Army. Apart from greeting everyone in the Royal Guards, they had no political stance and were there only to save people.

This is also to avoid getting involved in the war, which is the same approach as Doctors Without Borders.

"I see... You're just setting up a makeshift camp?" Tallulah's eyes lit up. Since these two still didn't belong to an organization, wouldn't that mean she could poach them? Noah Kyrielight possessed miraculous medical skills. At least Tallulah had never seen anyone as miraculous as Noah. She understood Frost Star's condition. Most doctors hesitated even to approach, let alone treat her. But Miss Noah, after only a few minutes, confirmed the patient's ability to be saved. Her decisiveness was like a rebuke to the god of death.

This kind of momentum was also the reason why Tallulah decided to hand Frost Star over to Noya. After all, anyone with such momentum was more or less confident in their plan. Besides, this was a last-ditch effort.

As for Amiya, although Talulah didn't know much about her, just looking at the camp plan she built, she knew that she was no ordinary person and her approach was very smart. If this place was controlled by the Lungmen Guard Bureau and was a medical camp affiliated with Lungmen, it would most likely be involved in the war after the war officially broke out, and it would be very likely to be destroyed by artillery fire, but they chose to disconnect from Lungmen and simply search and rescue the wounded.

In this case, unless Ursus is extremely cruel, it will not openly attack this medical camp that has no political stance.

"Um... although it may be a bit abrupt, Miss Noa Kyrielight, Miss Amiya, are you two interested in joining the Reunion Movement?"

"Huh?" Amiya was stunned. "...join the Reunion Movement?"

"Of course, this is just a suggestion from me. After all, you don't know much about Reunion, but I think your ideals align perfectly with Reunion's. I'm also very interested in both of you, so I'm just making this suggestion. You're free to refuse, and our friendship won't be weakened in the slightest. Everything I promised you before is absolutely valid. Please trust Reunion's sincerity. We exist for equal rights for those infected, and if possible, we hope to recruit more friends... no, comrades, I should say."

Tallulah explained to the two of them seriously.

"The Reunion Movement is a flame, a flame that has burned ever since the snowy plains of Ursus. We've faced many difficulties, but we've overcome them all, relying on the friendship and aspirations of our comrades—we could even call it 'faith.' I believe you too are people of faith, the kind who understand our ideals. We are willing to call you comrades, and we long to march forward with you. Could you please give me this opportunity?"

"..." Noah looked at Amiya, and her meaning was very clear. As long as Amiya agreed, she didn't mind adding a tag of a member of the Integration Movement to her resume.

But Amiya was also secretly glancing at Noah. She was indeed struggling with this issue. On the one hand, the reputation of the Integration Movement was indeed very good, and it was in line with Amiya's ideas. There was absolutely no problem in saying that they were gay, but she still felt that it was very strange to suddenly join an organization, or perhaps the events of Doctors Without Borders were still vivid in her mind, and she still had some PTSD. Later, she joined Uni Company only for Miss Noah.

Now Miss Noah is still in a state of amnesia. When she has to make a decision, she feels the heavy responsibility and naturally finds it difficult to make a decision.

"Ms. Tallulah, I'm sorry, I can't give you an answer right now, or it's meaningless to give you an answer now. We can't abandon our camp. There are still many people who need help and many wounded who need rescue. We must first ensure their safety. Let's discuss this issue after things here are over, okay? What do you think?" Amiya tried to make her tone as tactful as possible. Tallulah also knew that now was not the time, so she nodded with some regret.

"I'm looking forward to your joining us, but let's stop here for today. Thank you again, Miss Noah." Though Talulah regretted it, she had to temporarily withdraw. As the dragon lady's figure gradually disappeared, Noah was quite satisfied with Amiya's reaction. She was neither humble nor overbearing, and her response was very reasonable, responsible, and a leader. Compared to the little bunny who followed her around before, Amiya had indeed grown up.

Although Amiya was nervous, she was able to think calmly when something really happened, which was beyond the level of many people.

Staying calm in the face of difficulties is the foundation of leadership.

"Huh..." Amiya finally let out the breath she had been holding. She wiped the sweat off her face with some fear. "Ms. Tallulah's aura is so strong... I almost nodded."

"You did a great job." Noah was not shy about praising when it was due. "You handled the situation well. You're really a leader."

"Your praise is useless..." Amiya blushed slightly, "But you really are an amazing person. It seems like you can get along well wherever you go, even in this state..."

"It's a piece of cake." Noah nodded expressionlessly. "Amiya, it's almost nightfall. Any news from Commander Chen?"

"Commander Chen said he'd send over supplies before nightfall... but it looks like something happened along the way. I'm a little worried about Commander Chen." Amiya frowned, her ears drooping. "If there's no supplies by tomorrow, everyone's going to starve."

"Let's not talk about everyone for now. Did you not eat today?"

"I...it's okay if I don't eat now." Amiya touched her stomach awkwardly. "I can get energy directly from the Originium now. It's much more efficient than eating."

"Then you'd better eat something, Amiya. We are not Originium creatures, we are living people, and humans need to eat. This is also to remind ourselves." Noah couldn't help but say a few more things. Although theoretically Amiya could not eat at all to save resources, Noah understood that if she didn't eat but looked lively and energetic and was discovered by other wounded, it would arouse suspicion - even if it was to maintain her image, she had to eat something.

"I understand... Miss Noah." Amiya knew Miss Noah was always right, always offering the best answers even in this state. However, she genuinely felt that her eating was a bit wasteful. If these things could be saved, they could be used to prepare more food for the wounded. They needed it more. However, right now, Noah and Amiya weren't eating to survive, but to remind themselves that they were still human.

The desire for food no longer meant anything to them. As long as they were in the environment of Originium, they would not starve to death. Now, they were eating essentially for the wounded to see. They could eat less, but they could never stop eating or sleeping. If they discovered this, Noah and Amiya's special nature might be misunderstood by them... for example, whether they had withheld food or something like that.

This means that we should not have the intention to hurt others, but we must be on guard against others.

Noah has gone through so many years of training, so he naturally knows that he cannot appear too special.

After returning to the camp, it quickly got dark. In Terra during this period, it got dark very quickly and the temperature was low at night. A fire was lit in the center of the camp, and many people gathered around it to keep warm. Amiya was lying on Noah's lap, staring at the stars in a daze.

Not long ago, this place was a bustling metropolis, but because it was close to the collision site, it suffered the greatest damage. Most people were injured, and quite a few died in the collision. Those who are still alive are gathering together for warmth. If Noah and Amiya were not there, a group of more people would probably have died.

The people from Penguin Logistics are still preparing supplies, especially the Angels, who have helped a lot... but they are not omnipotent and it is impossible for them to conjure supplies out of thin air.

After several supply storage points were exhausted, they also needed to consider what to do next.

When the city lights went out, the starry sky seemed so bright. Noah couldn't remember how long it had been since he had seen such a brilliant starry sky. There was no light pollution and it was a sunny day today, so he could see such a brilliant starry sky. Someone among the suffering civilians took out an acoustic guitar, which seemed to be the only intact thing he had found in his house with great difficulty. Now most people here have nothing.

So they relented—and just started playing guitar and singing around the fire.

That's an old song.

I've been suffering from insomnia lately.

Imagine what we can do.

But baby, I have been praying hard.

I wish I wouldn’t count the money anymore.

We want to count the stars in the sky.

Yes, we want to count the stars in the sky——

Playing and singing in Victorian, the people around the campfire also responded softly. Longmen is a metropolis, a harmonious and inclusive city, where many people with different experiences, thoughts and even nationalities gather, but at a time when everyone has nothing.

They are singing the same song...

This song makes the night seem less cold.

Amiya was secretly glancing at Noah's face, which looked angular in the firelight. She seemed to be singing along, and her eyes had softened a lot.

Amiya was thinking, how nice it would be if everything were like this.

There is no longer any gap between people, no class, no injustice, everyone gathers around the fire, singing songs and looking at the twinkling stars in the sky.

She knew that this was just people trying to find joy in the midst of suffering after a disaster.

But, only on this night, without anything else, it is very pure, a very pure communication between people.

What can bring people closer together than singing the same song?

People have nothing...but that's why.

So people can temporarily put everything aside and celebrate the fact of being alive, and celebrate life itself.

That is something more precious than the stars. It is the hope that they dug out from the ruins one by one with their own hands. It is something shining and more dazzling than the fragments of stars.

In the song, the night is no longer cold and the future is no longer bleak.

Even if it was only for tonight, they finally looked up from their busy lives and saw life itself.

There is no fame, wealth, or discrimination. They all live under the same starry sky and are moved by the same song.

It's obvious that we can live such a simple life.

Amiya seemed to understand a little bit why the doctor looked at her so meaningfully before sending her away...

The suffering of this land...seems to become blurred at this moment.

The singing voice floated and drifted far away on the wind - and fell into the ears of a man named Filin wearing a black cloak with a green interior.

"Mon3tr, did you hear that?"

"Roar!"

The monster following behind her, which looked like it was made of Originium, roared.

"We should be in the right place."

Chapter 21: War

Kal'tsit's appearance was not accidental. After learning that Chernobog and Lungmen were in love, as the former Lord Ursus, or the person in charge of the sarcophagus research project, she naturally needed to come and check the situation, especially to find out whether the sarcophagus was damaged in the explosion.

But she couldn't teleport, so it took her some time to get to Chernobog. Now, Lungmen and Chernobog had collided, and both mobile cities had basically lost power. Although someone was already doing emergency repairs, repairing mobile cities was something that could not be rushed. Now Lungmen and Chernobog would need to remain conjoined twins for a while longer.

As the guardian of Terran civilization, Kal'tsit has been watching over this civilization for thousands of years. She knows the nature of this civilization very well. Not long ago (shortly after the birth of the Immortal Race), she led Victoria and other countries in a siege against Kazdel, which completely destroyed the hope of the Sarkaz race's revival. However, she did not think of exterminating the Sarkaz. It can only be said that even she could not control those people's desire for destruction.

After that incident, Kal'tsit disappeared for a while, partly to recuperate. While battling Kazdel's Black General Tracys, a powerful blow from him nearly cost her a regeneration spell, but ultimately the coalition emerged victorious. Her goal had been partially achieved, though she hadn't recovered [Civilization's Survival], as the White Demon King had disappeared during the battle.

It was naturally impossible for Kal'tsit, who was seriously injured, to find the Demon King, let alone take away the survival of the civilization in her hands. When she regained her ability to move, the Sarkaz race no longer existed in the world.

The survival of civilization is even more lost...

Even someone as stubborn as Kal'tsit had to admit that she might have made a mistake... She had previously known that civilization's survival lay in the hands of the Sarkaz. Now that the Sarkaz were gone, and civilization's survival had vanished, it was like searching for a needle in a haystack. Fortunately, Kal'tsit had almost unlimited time to correct this mistake. Perhaps, perhaps, there was still a Sarkaz somewhere in this world, and civilization's survival lay in her hands.

But... to be honest, Kal'tsit didn't know how to face the [Demon King] she was looking for.

Are you saying that her original intention was not genocide?

Or do you mean that as long as you hand over the Demon King's crown, I will protect you from death?

Sometimes, when you do something wrong, no matter how good your intentions are, you can't get even a sliver of comfort from it.

Kal'tsit, Ama-10, the relic of a previous civilization, the guardian of civilization is not a perfect person. Of course she makes mistakes. She has made countless mistakes in her long life... But the genocide of the Sarkaz is still her sin. She must admit it and must move forward with the guilt.

In this situation, no matter how nice the words are, they are meaningless.

Walking through the ruins, everything that once belonged to the prosperous city, the glorious scenes created by the Terra civilization, is so fragile.

After so long wandering through history, Kal'tsit rarely connected with others. For a nearly immortal being, everything was fleeting. Even friends and loved ones she once had would fade away over the course of time. Therefore, she maintained a rather indifferent attitude towards most things. However, after walking for a while, the evening breeze carried the sound of a song into her ears. She raised her head and looked in the direction of the song.

Finally—a refugee gathering point?