Arknights, but the sickly pretty girl starts

But after everyone left, Mo Xi found a way to leave on his own.

Before she could take a few more steps, Nosis's voice came from the headphones.

"You're being followed."

"What?!" Mo Xi immediately looked around, but did not find any follower. Logically, she should not be followed so easily.

"But there's only one person on the other side, and he's already gone after the person Xu Lusi gave you." Noxis continued, "Be careful, Moshi. We don't have room for error."

"I'm deeply ashamed to have failed Lord Nosis's expectations," Moshi apologized softly. It was indeed her fault for not noticing the stalker. This could even ruin Nosis's plan.

"No, it's okay. You've done a good job." Nosis didn't blame her, but comforted her, "It's not surprising to make mistakes in a hurry."

"...I am mentally prepared and willing to be abandoned and obey your orders." As soon as Mo Xi said this, the voice of Nosis coming from the headset sounded a little serious.

"I'm a researcher, Moshi," Nosis said. "Pawns are useless to me. I need partners who can work with me."

"..." Although Mo Xi didn't say anything, she was really touched when Noxis really said this. Partner, that is to say, he regarded her as his equal. She didn't even notice that the corner of her mouth was covered with a smile.

"Continue with the plan. Don't worry. Latatos and Hulus won't be able to catch you."

"Yes!"

Although it was only a brief conversation, Moshi felt like he'd been given a shot of adrenaline, his steps becoming more powerful. The guilt he'd felt for deceiving the Second-in-Command seemed to fade away. Indeed, he was Lord Nosis's "Partner," and he had to seek justice for him.

Since Lord Nosis expects this, I will give everything.

I won't hesitate even if I become an abandoned pawn!

Mo Xi continued to move forward with this feeling that he himself had not even discovered.

Aurora, who was following the Brown Tao troops, finally determined the enemy's movements. He quietly turned on the intercom and reported to Sharp.

"Something's not right. The doctor guessed right. There are a lot of people gathered here."

"Are they heading towards the factory?"

"Yes...I'm sure of that."

"Find a way to keep up and report back at any time."

"receive."

After the call ended, Aurora closed the communication channel and took a deep breath nervously.

...I don't want to engage in combat with Kjerag's men...but I'm still an operator of Rhodes Island, and I must follow the doctor's orders.

Chapter 20: Faith and Technology (4k)

What Valais didn't tell Noah was that they had encountered an attack before leaving the Shivaash territory. The attackers shouted Enthiotis's name and charged the prosecutorial team led by Chester. Fortunately, two operators from Rhodes Island and the guards led by Valais stopped them. Although everything was safe, Valais still understood that in this land, the people supported Shivaash.

And this support is enough for them to show their swords to people from other territories—

If Kjerag is like a snowy mountain, then the worst thing to do there is to shout loudly. Hundreds of years of accumulated snow could easily be shattered by a roar or an impulse, transforming into an avalanche that sweeps away everything.

After learning about the attack, Actos's face was obviously not very good, but he was not a fool. Noah was still in his hands. If this attack was arranged by Enthiotis, then either Noah's life was not within his consideration at all, or Noah was just a cover to divert attention. Anyway, no matter which the result was, he now understood that it was meaningless to hold on to Noah as a card.

Therefore, Actor took the initiative to withdraw most of the guards in Noah's room and opened up Noah's right of action to Valis.

This was already considered giving up on imprisonment, but Actos did not say it explicitly. Noah could also realize that the situation had changed.

Someone was trying to make the three major families go to war with each other. Noah had actually realized this a long time ago. The three major families, the Bronto family, the Perlochi family, and the Shivaash family, had controlled the Snow Region for more than a hundred years. The situation in Kjerag had actually been stable for a long time, but it was obvious that someone wanted to break this situation. At the beginning, Noah also suspected Ensiodis, but soon she gave up the idea.

Enthiotis is not a man without bottom line. Perhaps he will be prepared to give it a try, but he is also a very standard perfectionist.

That's right, perfectionism.

If possible, he would not take the initiative to develop the situation to the point of no return.

So, who is it...

"Noah, someone from Rhodes Island wants to meet with you." Just as Noah was thinking about this, Kuro walked into the room and said, "The doctor said he wants to discuss something with you."

"I understand." Noah stopped thinking for a moment. There was too little information now, and it was actually quite difficult to piece together the facts. It wouldn't be a bad idea to discuss it with the doctor. Now that the Perlochi family has reduced the intensity of their supervision over him, Noah has the right to enter and leave the Perlochi family freely. Although he must be accompanied by Valais, this is more about protecting Noah's own safety than surveillance.

There is no doubt that the Perlochi family does attach great importance to Noah's personal safety.

Leaving her rented cabin, Noya quickly noticed that the newcomer wasn't a familiar Rhodes Island operator. However, she didn't find it strange. Having only been in Rhodes Island for a short time, it was normal for her to not recognize all the operators. She gestured for Kuro to push his wheelchair in front of the two of them and said, "Sorry for the wait. Who are you?"

"Sharp, an elite operator of Rhodes Island, commands field teams and is also responsible for training Guard operators. Hello, Ms. Noa—I heard about you from the doctor."

"Aurora, a Rhodes Island operator, is... well... a Kjerag native, so she's joining the team this time."

The two of them introduced themselves for a while, and then Sharp got straight to the point and said, "We are here on the doctor's orders. The doctor wants to hear Miss Noya's opinion on this operation."

"Take my advice..." Noah hesitated for a moment before asking, "Doctor, do you have any ideas? It seems to me that someone is trying to sow discord among the three families, but I don't know what force it is."

"On this point... the doctor also said something similar, and he said he already has a suspect."

"...Could it be that... the doctor is suspecting the Brontao family?" Noah asked curiously, "But the Brontao family has no reason to do this..."

"The doctor didn't explain this to us directly." Sharp shook his head, indicating that he didn't have any definitive information. "I'm sorry, Ms. Noa, I can't give you any more information."

"No, that's just my own speculation." Noah shook his head. "After all, I can only serve as a supporting role this time. I still have people to deal with. The doctor should also be repairing the mineral sickness protection in the Shivaash territory. Let's hand over the work first. Some things must be dealt with first."

When Rhodes Island and Noah were handing over, in the territory of the Bronto family, Nothis finally met the head of the Bronto family, Latatos.

"His Excellency Nosis Edelweiss."

"Lady Latatos Brontao."

Both sides began the conversation politely, but the more formal it was, the more wary both sides were. Nosis, in particular, looked at Latatos with a deep sense of distrust, even now.

"It seems that I have finally obtained the qualifications to interview you, right?"

"That boastful arrogance hides nothing, Nosis." Latatos wasn't one to be led by the nose. The embarrassment Hulus had made in front of Nosis wouldn't happen to her. She stared at the orphan of the Edwis family before her and sneered. "You're a smart person, too. Let's be frank. If you didn't want something from me, you wouldn't come to visit me again and again."

"Heh..." They were both thousand-year-old foxes, and Nosis was no pushover. "If you're just trying to assert your control, then I think I should take my leave."

Nohis's meaning is also very clear: if there is sincerity, then we can talk. If there is no sincerity, then at worst we can just break up.

Anyway, it's you who wants the information from me now. Whether I give it to you or not is another matter. It's not a good idea to lower the price.

"Don't be impatient, Nosis. I have some questions for you." Latatos, as expected, stopped him. A sneer curled his lips. He wasn't afraid of Latatos's intelligence, but rather that she didn't realize her own value. The smarter the fish, the easier it was to catch. If he really let Hulus come, he might have a hard time—he wasn't good at talking to fools.

"When I first heard that the Edelweiss had returned to Kjerag with Enthiotis, I wasn't surprised, to be honest." Latatos looked away, gazing at the burning fire inside, not at Edelweiss, her tone tinged with nostalgia. "I thought you had evidence that proved the Edelweiss hadn't harmed the Shivaashes, or perhaps you had something against Enthiotis. But neither you nor Enthiotis spoke of that incident, allowing the Shivaashes' subjects to accuse you of being shameless."

"What is it that sustains you... I'm curious."

In fact, Latatos was still testing at this time, but Nosis knew that if he did not give a suitable reason, she would terminate the cooperation without hesitation. She was a person who knew how to let go very well. When she was not sure, she would decisively cut off contact with herself. The Brontao family had been weighing the pros and cons and doing things that were in their own interest. This is how it has survived among the three major families until now.

The reason she welcomed the Shivaash family back was because she hoped that Shivaash could check and balance Perlochi and allow Bronto to return to its original neutral position.

Balance, balance is very important. Only a balanced and stable situation can prevent the Bruntao family from being gradually eroded by a monopoly.

Although the head of the Perlochi family may not have such ambitions, what about the next generation? And the next generation after that?

In any case, this is necessary. No matter who the leader is, there must be someone who can compete with Perlochi. Brontao is not capable - then only Shivaash can come.

However, she did not expect that the Shivaash family would actually become so powerful. Now, even Perlochi is vaguely suppressed... This is not what the Brontao family expected.

For Brontao, whether it's Perlochi or Shivaash, it would be bad if either side dominated...

Only when there is a balance of power can the Bruntao family avoid becoming a vassal of other families and have a say.

It is precisely because of this way of survival that Latatos developed such a suspicious character. She would never act rashly unless she was sure of gaining benefits.

Therefore, my next answer becomes extremely important——

"He promised me a future."

"future?"

"Kjerag's future. A new industrial and technological nation where I can pursue my research without worrying about my findings being plagiarized, misused, or buried."

"That's all?" Latatos frowned. The other party didn't seem to be lying, and it seemed to align with his time studying at Columbia. After all, Columbia was an emerging technology hub. As a researcher, he chose to leave Columbia and come to Kjerag. Perhaps it was because he was suppressed and marginalized as an outsider scholar in Columbia? Or perhaps it was just as he said—plagiarized, misused, and buried.

"Before coming here, I was invited by Rhine Life—" Nosis continued, "They promised to give me a platform to exact my revenge, but I refused."

"Why? According to what you said, Rhine Life can definitely give you what you want."

"Yes, they will give me everything I want, but Rhine Life has too many outstanding researchers." Nosis said with a smile, "Have you heard the saying that it is better to be the head of a chicken than the tail of a phoenix?"

"……heard about it."

"I've read a paper by Rhine Life's founder, Christen, known as the General. Just a random paper she'd tossed into a journal was enough to shock me. I can understand that some people are born to lead the way. In front of her, any star pales in comparison. So, I gave up Rhine Life and chose Enthiotis. After all, here, I'm the best researcher."

"...I see. I don't quite understand the thinking of researchers like you, but the Edweiss family—it seems that they do insist on this." Latatos was already somewhat convinced. What the other party said was indeed very true, and it was very reasonable when you think about it, and it would be easy to verify.

From any perspective, there is no reason for the other party to lie in such a place.

"So I didn't expect you to understand from the beginning, Latatos. You will never become a researcher—" Nosis began. "You don't understand that in front of that governor, the entire academic community in Columbia pales in comparison."

"You can't even comprehend how intoxicating it is to explore technological innovation and application with ample resources and power, a legitimate purpose, and complete peace of mind—"

And Enthiodis provided the platform, and it was a very simple and straightforward deal.

Indeed, in Kjerag, only Shivaash would allow him to act like this—

"So what then?" Latatos finally asked. "You're not trying to tell me that he's really just trying to save himself by pushing you out as a scapegoat, are you?"

If this is true, then the weighing of pros and cons in the Kalan trade is too naive and ridiculous.

"You seem so confident in Kalan Trade. Why didn't you accept the invitation and surrender to Enthiodis two years ago?" Facing Latatos's mockery, Nothis retorted. "Can't you give up your position as Patriarch?"

"Stop the nonsense! Even with Enthiotis's extraordinary talent, he can't change the beliefs ingrained in the Kjerag people for millennia," Latatos said coldly. "His path is a dead end. Kjerag will never become an industrialized and technological nation."

"..."

"..."

As soon as these words were spoken, the entire reception room fell silent. Latatos took a deep breath. "So, he's found a new bargaining chip?"

"You're right. Enthiodis couldn't make the Kjerag go against Yelagund. He could only find a balance," Nothis scoffed. "But he's been stagnant for too long. Even though I tried to push him repeatedly, he remained indifferent. Until—things finally took a turn for the better."

And this turning point came from... Rhodes Island.

Enxia's oripathy was under control. Although it was incurable, she was able to return to him in good health. She excitedly told him that perhaps they could expand their cooperation with Rhodes Island to better control the spread and harm of oripathy at a lower cost.

"...You mean."

"But once the borders are opened, they can't be completely closed again. The number of infected people in Kjerag will only increase—this is the objective reality of the nations of Earth. As Kjerag continues to develop, the ability to treat oripathy will eventually become a new bargaining chip."

Between faith and technology, Kjerag people always have to choose one—

But faith cannot stop the growth of mineral disease.

Chapter 21: Grasshopper on a Rope

Latatos naturally wouldn't believe that Enthiotis would play such a big game, but soon, Nosis gave her a way to confirm it.

He was the former CEO of Kalan Trading, and he knew, and could know, much more than Latatos had anticipated.

He brought Latatos to a desolate wilderness. This place was once Kjerag's gateway, but it had been abandoned because the bridge had been damaged by snowstorms. Blizzards were frequent here, and even the reinforced bridges were difficult to maintain, so people had given up on redeveloping the road. Compared to the stability of Tulikam, developing this place was clearly a bad deal.

"Are you saying that Enthiotis bypassed Tulicum and built a railway in a place like this?" Latatos found it absurd. It was a railway, how could it be hidden? "How is that possible?"

"Look, here it comes." Nosis did not refute, but just pointed to the end of the seemingly dead end. Then, Latatos saw a shocking scene.

It was a temporary bridge constructed by mechanical power. The bridge, tracks, and load-bearing structure were all tucked away within the cliffs on either side. Clinging to the mountain, it was completely invisible when closed. But when a train was about to pass, a steel road stretched out from the mountain like an iron dragon. This required extremely high technical skills, and even spending such a large sum of money to build a secret railway... to conceal it from the public was simply a loss-making business.

But Enthiodis did it—no, it was Kalan Trade that did it.

He built a bridge of civilization on a cliff that everyone believed was a dead end. This scene not only shocked Latatos, who saw it, but also seemed to shock the dusty old faith of Kjerag in Latatos's mind.

Carving paths out of nowhere, building bridges across canyons. The greatness of civilization has never been more impactful.

The bridge's bearings lit up with tiny sparks, like the lights of civilization that illuminated Kjerag. The locomotive, carrying the train cars behind it, raced across the bridge. Perhaps sensing the weight of the freight cars, the sparks began to light up.

This magnificent scene shocked Latatos and her team.

The next moment, the young man turned around to face everyone and snapped his fingers.

Then, a roar engulfed the entire canyon. Flames burst through the train, growing ever hotter, engulfing several cars in the middle of the train, like a bonfire on a festive evening. The flames devoured the train, exploding car after car. The contents of the cars were sent flying like fireworks in the explosions, clanging against the steel bars of the bridge before plummeting into the bottomless canyon.

Fire, explosions, the creations of civilization are destroyed by the same violence, and the landscape of human conquest of nature is destroyed by human violence.

I don’t know if it was because everything happened too suddenly, but everyone was watching it all numbly, their brains unable to accept the amount of information, and their mouths unable to utter anything.

The young man, however, calmly unleashed his Origin Stone skills, seizing one of the standard sabers that flew out of the carriage. He then displayed it to everyone. "Victoria's casting is exceptionally sharp. This faint light blue veining—have you seen similar metals in the Shivaash family's mines?"

"Victoria..." Although Latatos had guessed it long ago, she knew that building this railway... was definitely not something that Kalan Trading alone could do.

Who provided such a large amount of funds, and who supported Enthiotis in building this... railway?