Honkai, why do you only throw me into high-level battles? (Chapter 477-479)

Chapter 477: Am I That Untrustworthy to You?

Schrödinger wanted to say more, but Lin Wei had already closed his eyes again, so she had to let it go.

"...What an unreasonable person."

She muttered to herself, a little helplessly, "He gave a whole bunch of seemingly grandiose reasons, but he avoided the core issue of the risk. That's a truly despicable way of arguing."

With her intelligence and life experience, how could she be deceived by Lin Wei's calculating words?

It was purely a case of evading the important and dwelling on the trivial, only good enough to fool a child like Seele!

Is the key point whether the lost Stigmata can be found?

The key point is whether you will die, you bastard!

The thought of Lin Wei's attitude, as if he were treating everyone like an idiot, made her furious.

The most infuriating thing was that this guy, taking advantage of being a patient, had forcibly ended the topic with the excuse of "I'm not feeling well, I'm going to sleep," not even giving her a chance to raise any objections!

In any case, the topic had come to an end for the time being.

A little while later, Bronya, who had quietly left to give the "three outsiders" some space, returned with a sulking Sin.

They hadn't been eavesdropping; they just didn't want to participate in this "outsider" gathering—especially with Seele there.

Sin had a bad temper, and her prideful nature made her hate this feeling of not being in control of her own destiny.

It made her feel weak and powerless. Knowing that if she stayed, she would inevitably cause some trouble, she had decided that out of sight was out of mind.

As for Bronya, she didn't want Sin to be alone, so she had followed her out. With her by her side, although Sin didn't have any kind words to say, she still felt a lot better.

But even so, as soon as she stepped through the simple "gate" of the cave, Sin's usually aggressive mouth couldn't help but start with the sarcastic remarks. "What, you've already finished discussing the great topic of 'deciding the fate of us all' so quickly?"

"Sin."

Bronya pulled her back. Sin pouted, but with a "I'm giving you face" expression, she shut up.

"Seele, did you come to a conclusion?"

Bronya asked softly. She and Sin also had a right to know the answer.

"...Yes."

Seele's mind was in a turmoil, but she still told her two companions about Lin Wei's decision.

"Huh?"

Sin immediately cried out. After being pulled back by Bronya, she lowered her voice and said, "As the one who was originally supposed to be the next test subject, she and Bronya, although they didn't feel it as deeply as Seele, were also very aware of the danger and horror of this experiment. Before them, eight children had already died because of it. If nothing unexpected happened, she and Bronya would be the ninth and tenth."

She was also afraid of such a future, which was why she especially didn't want Bronya and Seele to end up the same way. That was why she had helped them escape, and why she had agreed to escape with them.

It was precisely because she was afraid that she found Lin Wei's decision so unreasonable. She sneered, "Does he think this is just a minor surgery to remove an appendix?"

Ignorance is bliss. What does he know!

"..."

Seele looked at her and silently shook her head, and Sin also fell silent.

Then, she snorted coldly, turned, and walked out again.

"...Sigh..."

Bronya looked at Seele helplessly and had to follow her again. So much to worry about, day in and day out...

The winter days in Siberia were short. When Lin Wei woke up for the third time, the sky was already dark again. Everyone was once again gathered in the small cave. After all, it was night, and it was cold outside.

"Phew..."

Lin Wei sniffed. He felt much better than before and sat up.

"You're awake?"

Sin impatiently tossed a small box over.

This was her "unexpected gain" from her last trip out. "Here, these are the medicines Mother Cocolia prepared for you. There are also some daily necessities, including food and winter clothes."

With that, she looked at the person who had just sat up. From under the several layers of animal hide "blankets," a shockingly out-of-place beach T-shirt was revealed. She couldn't help but click her tongue and say sarcastically, "You look so cool, some people can't stand it anymore!"

"Medicines?"

Lin Wei didn't mind Sin's sarcasm. He was surprised by her words. "Cocolia was here?"

He was a little uncertain. Why would Cocolia suddenly do this?

Has my disguise been exposed so quickly? It shouldn't be...

"No, it wasn't Mother Cocolia herself. It was one of her subordinates. She delivered the things to the place where... we met them. And Sin just happened to see it and brought it back."

Bronya explained for her, then added, "I just checked. There are no traps or anything."

The fact that the usually tough Cocolia she remembered would do something that seemed like a sign of weakness also surprised her.

Out of suspicion, she couldn't help but open it and check first, to prevent Lin Wei from accidentally falling into some trap.

Although she hadn't known Lin Wei for long, and they had barely spoken, she couldn't help but care about his safety.

"Thank you, Bronya."

Although Lin Wei didn't understand Cocolia's intentions, he trusted Bronya. He reached out and opened the box, glanced inside, and indeed, as Sin had said, it was neatly packed with some futuristic-looking medicines, high-calorie food, and a few sets of similar clothes, which seemed to be for changing.

Lin Wei checked it carefully and scanned it several times with Pandora. There were no hidden listening devices or any other traps.

"..."

Lin Wei frowned slightly. After a moment of thought, he looked up and asked, "Seele, can you roughly describe your experiences with Cocolia in these few loops?"

This Cocolia's style of doing things felt a little strange. Considering that the personalities and habits of characters in a world bubble often had subtle differences from their original world counterparts, he decided to learn more.

"Uh... okay, okay..."

Seele was a little nervous. She timidly glanced at Bronya beside her, then at Sin. She took a deep breath, mustered her courage, and told him everything about her "encounters" with Cocolia in these two loops.

When she mentioned that Sin had secretly prepared a bag of food for Bronya to take her and escape, Sin scratched her chin a little unnaturally.

When she mentioned that in the second loop, after being seriously injured by Sin after her precious secret was discovered by Mother Cocolia, Bronya couldn't help but look back at Sin, only to be glared back at.

What are you looking at? I don't remember any of this!

"..."

Bronya silently looked away, just feeling that it reminded her of the story Seele had told, of what her other self had suffered in another world...

And the ending of being taken to participate in the experiment for different reasons in the two loops made the two of them feel a sense of sorrow.

Unlike the "participants" who were deeply involved, Lin Wei, as an outsider, listened much more seriously.

"You're saying that her attitude toward Bronya and you... was very cold?"

Lin Wei asked thoughtfully. Seeing Bronya shake her head with a somewhat bewildered expression, but not very resolutely, he couldn't help but feel a stir in his heart and asked, "Bronya, what's wrong?"

"...It's nothing."

Bronya shifted a little unnaturally and said, "Mother Cocolia... she's just very strict with us."

"I see..."

Lin Wei nodded in understanding. "Then, in the second loop, she was able to find the runaway Seele in a distant town all by herself. Then she was able to notice the abnormality in Seele on the way back to the orphanage. She was also able to bring her to the trap I had set up beforehand without arousing suspicion, and then mercilessly and decisively interrogate her..."

"Hiss..."

Lin Wei's teeth ached. This woman... was not easy to deal with!

Compared to the arrogant, self-righteous one from the original world, the Cocolia in this world bubble was strict, sharp, ruthless, and calculating...

No matter how you looked at it, she seemed like a formidable character who could go a few rounds with Otto!

Compared to her cunning and forbearance, something like "defeating Veliona with a slow, cold approach" seemed insignificant.

"But, if that's the case, why was she so easily persuaded to back down before?"

Lin Wei was suspicious. Could it be that she hadn't interacted much with "Welt," but had great faith in him, which was why she hadn't noticed his disguise in that short conversation?

That's also possible. After all, using the Divine Key to make a grand entrance was very impactful...

"But why would she send me these?"

Lin Wei's gaze fell on the exquisite box that was quietly placed on his left, and he couldn't help but understand.

It seems that although that woman had outwardly obeyed and retreated, she was still hiding somewhere and observing me. It's just that I was indeed too weak at the time and fainted, which happened to fit the bullshit story I told her about "having a big fight with Schicksal." Plus, there was nothing to observe about an unconscious me, so she didn't find any flaws immediately.

And these things she sent, were they a gesture of goodwill to him as "Welt," or a meaningful warning?

"...It seems we don't have much time."

Lin Wei thought for a moment. In addition to his admiration, he also decided to raise Cocolia's danger level. He let out a long breath. "If we can't have another loop and reset the progress, I'm afraid we'll have to start acting by tomorrow at the latest."

With that, he couldn't help but smile. "It's not so bad. When I made the 'agreement' with Cocolia yesterday, I happened to say 'I'll give her an answer in a day or two.' So, it's not a breach of contract?"

Bronya was stunned. She shook her head. "Whether it's the X-10 experiment or..."

She swallowed the words "making things difficult for Mother Cocolia."

"Hehe, my body isn't as bad as you think. Thanks to your care, I've rested well for a few days. I should be almost recovered by tomorrow."

Lin Wei smiled. After all, he had been tempered in that Honkai-ravaged world for so long. How could his body really be as weak as it used to be? "Besides, if we delay any longer, I'm really afraid that mother fox will suddenly figure things out and make a preemptive strike!"

With the same face and the same identity, the Cocolia from the original world is far worse than her!

"..."

Hearing Lin Wei use such a derogatory term to refer to that woman, Seele was at a loss, Bronya was speechless, and Sin didn't give him any face at all, glaring at him fiercely. "Hey, watch your mouth!"

Lin Wei was speechless.

"You're taking a risk, Lin Wei. Not just by acting hastily without being fully recovered."

Schrödinger ignored this little interlude. She was concerned about something else. "All your previous reasons were just rationalizations. You say you want to use it to get your Stigmata back, but without the protection of the Stigmata, you're not prepared, and it will be difficult for you to even last until the end of the experiment!"

Cocolia might not be able to do anything to Lin Wei, but if he was looking for death himself, then not even a god could save him.

"Don't worry, Doctor. I cherish my life. But that is a problem."

Lin Wei smiled lightly and turned to ask, "Bronya, if I remember correctly, the selection criteria for the X-10 experiment subjects is based on their Honkai energy adaptability, right?"

"...Yes."

Bronya nodded hesitantly.

"Is that so? Then there's no problem."

Lin Wei let out a long breath. "Due to some past experiences, I once injected a super-large dose of anti-Honkai serum. Even without the extra bonus of the Stigmata, my Honkai energy adaptability is probably among the top."

His body had once been an absolute "one-in-ten-thousand waste," but after receiving the anti-Honkai serum of two thousand people, he could be called a "one-in-ten-thousand genius." It was just that he had never had the opportunity or the time to properly develop this talent.

"...Sigh, alright."

Schrödinger was speechless. You're so confident, what else can I say?

"Tell me, what exactly do you plan to do?"

After that, she added, "Tell me everything, and don't hide any key points."

"..."

Lin Wei was speechless. Am I that untrustworthy to you?

Chapter 478: Snowy Fields, Hot Springs

Before the next dawn arrived, Lin Wei, his face having just regained ninety percent of its color, suddenly asked, "Anyone want to take a bath?"

"Uh..."

Seele subconsciously scratched her short, blue-tinged hair. The small tuft of hair that usually stood up playfully at the top of her head now drooped lifelessly, as if neglected for the past two days.

After all, they were in the wilderness. For living conditions that were practically like being displaced, the simple act of "washing up," so common in civilized society, seemed a bit too luxurious here.

If it were in other parts of the world, or during the height of summer, they could have used rivers and mountain streams to manage. But now, with the heavy snow and ice, the little bit of melted snow from the bonfire could only provide the most basic cleaning for a few people.

"Is it... really possible?"

To be honest, Seele was a little tempted by Lin Wei's proposal. After all, she was also a girl who liked to be clean. Although she didn't know how it could be done under the current conditions, for some reason, she couldn't help but feel that since Mr. Lin Wei had brought it up, he must have a way.

"It's just a small matter. There's no need to go to such great lengths."

Bronya, who had been a child soldier, was used to the low-quality life of sleeping in the open snow. She didn't have any particular desire for this and shook her head calmly. "You haven't fully recovered yet. There's no need to waste your energy on such a small matter at a time like this."

Even the usually impatient and ill-tempered Sin, after learning that this outsider, Lin Wei, was going to take their place in the X-10 experiment, had softened her attitude toward him considerably, though she still seemed a little awkward.

She sneered and said disdainfully, "Hey, sicko, I advise you not to try to be a hero."

She was quite fond of giving people unflattering nicknames, but very few had the "honor" of receiving one. For most people, she couldn't even be bothered to look at them.

"Hehe, it won't be too much trouble. It's just a small matter."

Lin Wei, who had been cooped up in bed for two days, also wanted to move around a bit. He stretched and patted the so-called "bearskin coat" on his body, which Seele had tried her best to modify to look a little more like a piece of clothing. He smiled self-deprecatingly. "Even if I look like a primitive man, I can't really think of myself as one, can I? Besides, this is also a small gesture, right? After all, you three have been taking care of me for so long. I hope I can let you relax a little before you go back."

"What? In this season? A bath? Relax?"

Sin looked at the confident Lin Wei as if he were an idiot. "Are you sick in the head? How can you connect those words?"

Soaking in cold water in the ice and snow is a fool's errand. Whoever wants to do it can go ahead!

Lin Wei didn't explain. He just smiled faintly and gestured for the three of them to help him tidy up the cave where they had been living for two days and two nights.

They cleared a space a little further away from the cave, moved the embers there to start a new bonfire, and transferred everything they needed, including food, utensils, and leather goods for warmth. Even the "door curtain" was taken down. Then they burned the rest of the things and scattered the ashes in the distant forest.

In a short time, the small wilderness cave was clean and tidy, with not a single trace of any living creature ever having been there.

"...It seems you've really made up your mind."

Schrödinger seemed to have understood some of his thoughts and sighed.

"Is there anything worth lingering for here?"

Lin Wei smiled, picked up the demon blade that had been stored in the deepest part of the cave, and walked out. Then, after walking a few dozen steps to the left, he suddenly turned and drew the blade. CLANG! A crimson blade light instantly cut across the ground. Whether it was the soft snow or the hard frozen earth and rock, they were all mercilessly split open by this one slash.

After a moment of silence, the rustling sound of falling sand and soil gradually grew louder, followed by the clattering of small falling stones, and then the rumbling of large boulders. The rock near the cave entrance, as if it were a sliced egg yolk, separated and collapsed into the broken porcelain bowl.

"Look out!"

Even though they were already far away, Bronya still subconsciously pulled Seele and Sin to a safer distance.

Cough, cough...

Using the demon blade was never easy, but he still did it. He coughed a few times, his face flushed, and endured the dizziness and nausea as he sheathed the blade again.

Hmph, what's he showing off for? I can do that too! a little further away, Veliona snorted in Seele's consciousness. Didn't he say we were going to take a bath? Why all this commotion?

The dust that had just risen was quickly dispersed by the winter mountain wind. A pile of broken rocks had formed on the ground, just happening to surround the low cave, which had also been cut in half. Some of the rocks of various sizes had rolled in, filling the cave tightly. But in the center of this pile of rocks, a small, concave hollow had formed.

Lin Wei smiled. Now, even if I wanted to go back, I couldn't.

But that was one of his goals. Cutting off this false "retreat" made him feel refreshed. Lin Wei calmed the dizziness in his head a little, then once again turned the demon blade into a walking stick, went around the pile of rocks that had just quieted down, and climbed up the mountain step by step.

"What is he trying to do?"

Veliona was clearly puzzled. She wasn't the only one; the others had the same question, wondering what Lin Wei was up to.

Lin Wei's pace was neither fast nor slow. After all, the snow was deep, and it was easy to slip. He was also afraid of climbing too high, so he stopped after reaching a height of a few dozen meters from the ground. He looked down, then moved to the side, as if looking for a specific spot.

Finally, Lin Wei stopped again. He looked up at the slightly brightening sky and couldn't help but chuckle.

"What are you laughing at?"

Schrödinger's voice was always with him. She was a little confused by his sudden laughter.

"Nothing, just couldn't help but think of some interesting things..."

Lin Wei rubbed his slightly sore waist, his smile not fading. "And, what I'm about to do will probably be considered extravagant, even exaggerated, by some old friends..."

"Hmm?"

This answer was completely out of the blue. Schrödinger was full of questions.

Lin Wei didn't explain further, but answered with his actions.

He held his hands in front of his chest, and the pitch-black Judgment of Shamash was unsheathed, its black-flamed tip pointing to the sky. The next second, Lin Wei turned the sword upside down and plunged it into the mountain rock beneath his feet, burying it halfway.

The black flames continued to leap and dance. Searing heat waves spread out from the greatsword, melting large patches of snow. The clear water flowed down like a small waterfall, forming a small pond in the pile of rubble at the foot of the mountain. Steam rose like a mist.

"Ha, the effect is not bad!" Lin Wei laughed with satisfaction.

"...What you said just now was right. It is indeed very extravagant."

Even the calm Schrödinger was a little speechless. Is this how you're supposed to play with a Divine Key?

Lin Wei didn't mind the Doctor's little complaint. He pulled the greatsword out of the ground, went around to the other side of the mountain, and above the "bath" that he had either "carefully crafted" or "casually thrown together," he once again casually plunged the greatsword into the rock wall. Thus, both the air and water temperature were stabilized at a relatively comfortable range.

"Done!"

Lin Wei snapped his fingers with satisfaction, feeling very pleased with his "masterpiece" of a mess. Then he turned and waved to Seele and the others.

"Is... is this really okay?"

Seele was dumbfounded. Who does things like this?

Bronya, on the other hand, was calm. She actually found this whimsical method quite to her taste.

"I have to try this if I get the chance!" she thought eagerly, then felt a pang of regret. The "future" seems a bit too luxurious for me...

The girls took the original "door curtain" of the cave, expanded and modified it with other animal hides and branches, and hung it in the middle of the steaming "hot spring bath," dividing it into two areas, one large and one small.

Even so, the girls couldn't help but look at each other, feeling a little awkward and even shy.

Lin Wei didn't force them, nor did he invite them. He just took out a set of clean clothes from the box Cocolia had sent, and a few pieces of pre-cooked roasted meat from the other side. Then he went to the smaller area that he had conveniently separated for himself, took off the animal hide on his arm and threw it aside, but kept on the summer T-shirt underneath. He waded into the waist-deep hot water and found a relatively flat and comfortable rock to sit on.

The steam was like a mist, swirling around, making the area around the water's surface hazy and making people cautious.

"So this is what it feels like to soak in a hot spring? It's really unique."

Lin Wei closed his eyes and leaned back against the Judgment of Shamash. The water was slightly hot, but it felt exceptionally comfortable, even making him a little sleepy.

Schrödinger floated in the shadows, silently watching him. After a moment, she asked, "Are you venting?"

Lin Wei's somewhat abrupt and mischievous behavior today, in her opinion, didn't have much practical meaning.

"I've been lying down long enough. Getting up and moving around a bit at least proves that my body is recovering quite well."

Lin Wei smiled slightly, but didn't refute her. He pointed to the other side of the curtain. "Doctor, would you like to rest a little too? It's very comfortable."

"..."

Schrödinger was silent for a moment. A moment later, the sound of splashing water came from the other side of the curtain.

"You knew from the beginning that I could enter this world bubble in my true form, didn't you? After all, you've always been very smart. The first time I appeared in the cave, there wasn't a single trace of surprise in your eyes."

Schrödinger's voice came from the other side of the curtain. "But you never brought it up, neither from the beginning nor now. Even at the beginning of this loop, on that night when you were at your weakest, you never asked me for any assistance."

Perhaps in a "bathroom," people unconsciously relax. For the first time, Schrödinger asked Lin Wei her questions as an equal, not as a judge. "Why?"

"It's nothing."

Lin Wei was still resting with his eyes closed. "I know you have your reservations about me, Doctor, and want to keep a relatively safe distance. But for one, I have no proof. Second, forcing the issue would only make our relationship more awkward. And third, you've already helped me enough. I never thought to ask for more."

Lin Wei smiled slightly, then sighed. "In fact, after that, when you were able to appear in your true form instead of just your voice, I was actually very surprised, and even a little... grateful."

"Grateful? That's not necessary. It's just that at that time, you really did need someone to take care of you a little."

Schrödinger clumsily tried to hide the water in front of her and said at a leisurely pace, "In fact, I didn't expect Seele to find you so quickly. It saved me a lot of trouble."

"The gratitude I was talking about wasn't for that. It's that although you didn't think highly of me before, Doctor, at least you didn't think I was completely unapproachable."

Lin Wei gently tapped the simple curtain made of leather not far away, as if greeting a good friend in the same bath. "To me, that's already a form of recognition. It was truly an unexpected surprise."

"Not happy? Heh, that's not it."

Schrödinger shook her head. "I'm just a little surprised. Why is there someone like you in the world? Both humble and arrogant, or rather, it's precisely because you're as arrogant as a god that you can humbly communicate with anyone on an equal footing. I've always wondered if there's anything in this world that can leave a real mark on your heart."

"...And then?"

Lin Wei asked, his tone extremely flat, as if he didn't expect her answer at all.

"I don't know. I used to think Otto was an unfathomable person. But now, you seem even harder to understand than him. At least with Otto, you just have to understand all his actions from a malicious point of view. But you..."

Schrödinger shook her head, choosing her words carefully. "At least you're more restrained than him, but also more impulsive."

What a complicated person, she thought.

"Hehe, is that so?"

Lin Wei smiled. "I hope the next time we chat like this, we don't have to talk about unpleasant people and things."

"..."

Schrödinger was silent. She wasn't good at chatting.

"If you can, please take care of Seele and Bronya for me. It seems they're a little reserved because of me."

Actually, Schrödinger was also reserved, but Lin Wei didn't point it out. He proactively ended the topic that was making her feel a little awkward. "Let's leave the future to be decided in the future..."

The water was warm. Lin Wei soaked most of his body in it, resting his head on a soft piece of leather. Soon, he became drowsy and fell into a deep sleep.

On the other side of the curtain, the awkward and reserved interactions between the girls, the sound of their conversation, were transmitted to Lin Wei's chest along with the ripples of the water, and then abruptly stopped, rarely reaching his quiet dreams.

"Is he okay?"

Bronya asked. Schrödinger was the one who knew Lin Wei best.

"He should be fine."

Schrödinger thought for a moment and commented, "People who like to be strong are probably always prone to fatigue..."

Chapter 479: Suspicion and Probing

Washing away the old dust, body and mind felt refreshed.

At noon, Lin Wei, "as promised," brought Seele and the others back to the orphanage to meet with Cocolia again.

"Lord Welt."

While they were still on the way, Cocolia had already spotted Lin Wei's group and was waiting outside the gate.

Bronya glanced up at Lin Wei. Although she already knew the whole story from him, hearing Cocolia call him by that name still gave her an indescribably strange feeling.

"Mhm."

Lin Wei nodded nonchalantly and gently patted Bronya's small shoulder. "I've brought the children back to you."

Then, as if he were truly the Sovereign of Anti-Entropy, he walked past Cocolia with a calm and composed expression and entered the orphanage.

"It seems Your Lordship is satisfied with the new clothes I took the liberty of preparing."

Cocolia's gaze lingered on each of her three daughters for a second, showing no emotion at their safe return, as if they were just irrelevant passersby. She turned and followed behind Lin Wei, strictly observing the etiquette of a subordinate, but her words were a subtle probe.

"But I don't see that new colleague with the unfamiliar face."

Lin Wei raised his hand, and Schrödinger slowly appeared by his side. She nodded gently to Cocolia and said calmly, "Hello, Ms. Cocolia. I've heard a lot about you."

And she truly had heard a lot about her. Her group's reputation had been all but ruined by this woman's hands—though that had happened in another world.

"Let me introduce you. This is Dr. Schrödinger."

You want to see her, I'll let you see her. Lin Wei calmly introduced her, then suddenly said, "Cocolia, how is the investigation going? Has Schicksal made any major moves recently?"

His tone wasn't harsh, but it wasn't polite either, filled with the arrogance and pressure of a superior to a subordinate.

"...According to my investigation over the past two days, everything is as usual with Schicksal."

Cocolia was still pondering the famous name. She was a little surprised by Lin Wei's directness, but she didn't hesitate. She stopped and asked, "Including the major battle you mentioned that resulted in heavy losses for both sides... Forgive me, but I have not found any clues."

"Is that so?"

Of course you can't, Lin Wei thought, but he said, "If you send a force to attack Schicksal, you'll naturally be able to probe their true strength."

Behind him, Cocolia's footsteps had unknowingly stopped.

"What's wrong?" Lin Wei asked, feigning confusion.

"Unfortunately, I have sent out two forces to attack Schicksal's Far East and Oceania branches respectively," Cocolia said with a calm expression.

"Schicksal's S-rank Valkyries responded quickly, and our forces suffered heavy losses."

"Oh, is that so?" Lin Wei's brow furrowed, and he sneered. "If you have doubts about my identity, it's better to be direct. There's no need to waste time on such a low-level and absurd trick."

"A trick? Heh, to investigate an enemy's unknown intelligence, there is nothing faster than throwing a stone to test the path," Cocolia said coldly.

"The results of the probe are clear. Everything is normal with Schicksal."

For a moment, the already howling sea wind seemed to have grown a few degrees colder.

Lin Wei's expression was calm as he sneered, "Is that so? The more you say that, the more it proves you didn't do it at all."

The air grew even more still. But the next second, it began to flow again.

"As expected, I can't hide anything from the Sovereign." Cocolia sighed.

"The two forces that attacked Schicksal did achieve some results, and Schicksal's support was indeed a little slow. But other intelligence departments have made no progress, so I still have some doubts about Your Lordship's previous words."

Then, she lowered her head slightly, as if willing to accept punishment.

Lin Wei looked at her deeply. After a few seconds, he slowly spoke again. "Cocolia, you probably haven't seen me for a while, have you? Otherwise, why would you probe me like this?"

"I don't quite understand, my lord."

"Hehe, Schicksal has just been hit, but as they say, 'a tiger's might remains even in death.' The more they are provoked at a time like this, the more fiercely they will react. I'll be direct. If you had really sent forces to attack Schicksal, their support would have been very active, but how could a seemingly strong but inwardly weak reinforcement have caused you heavy losses?"

Lin Wei sneered and slowly paced. "Besides, since you're so suspicious of what I've said, at this critical moment when the X-10 is in urgent need of completion, how could you possibly provoke Schicksal?"

"..."

Cocolia was silent.

"Alright, withdraw your ambush. A perfectly good orphanage, without a single sound of children laughing and playing, but the buzzing of mechanical rotors is everywhere."

Lin Wei waved his hand and walked away a dozen meters.

He raised his walking stick and tapped it in the air, as if it had hit something hard, making a crisp clang, clang sound of metal striking metal. He couldn't help but smile.

"Caution is good, Cocolia. If I were an enemy of Schicksal in disguise, luring me into a trap without a sound would indeed be a smart move. However, I am not your enemy, and these arrangements of yours cannot take down the First Herrscher, even if his condition is not good."

Lin Wei's voice still carried a hint of weakness from his recent illness, but his tone and demeanor were always calm and composed, as if he were the real Sovereign of Anti-Entropy. "Now that we've come this far, as an Executive of Anti-Entropy, do you really intend to continue probing me?"

Show some respect to your Lord Welt!

"My apologies, Sovereign. But this matter is of great importance. As an Executive of Anti-Entropy, it is my duty to be cautious."

Cocolia's expression was calm, showing not a single trace of shame at having her thoughts exposed.

She gently raised her hand, and to the astonishment of Seele not far away, large swathes of the surrounding air distorted.

Hundreds of ambushing mecha, a magnificent and menacing sight, simultaneously deactivated their stealth. In the courtyard, outside the courtyard, on the rooftops, and even in the sky, there were large and small flying mecha.

Then they all disappeared in a flash of blue light, as if everything had just been a small illusion.

"The Sovereign's identity is ever-changing, and you have not shown yourself in Anti-Entropy for a long time. To suddenly appear in my territory in this way is indeed suspicious. Even though you have proven your identity with the authority to suppress all things, Otto is a conspirator who is proficient in human cloning. I must be on my guard."

Lin Wei burst out laughing, applauding in admiration. "Hahaha, even after all this, our dear Lady Cocolia still hasn't completely let down her guard, has she?"

Cocolia was silent for a moment, then after some thought, she said, "That was indeed the case. But Your Lordship's mind is so meticulous, you cannot be a simple clone. If you really are not Lord Welt himself, then it could only be that the Overseer of Schicksal has come in person."

Tsk, this woman is truly remarkable!

"Alright, we've wasted enough time. It's time to talk business."

Lin Wei walked back to Cocolia's side at a leisurely pace and said in a commanding tone, "Take me to your laboratory in the Sea of Okhotsk. Since I'm back, the X-10 experiment should be restarted."

The only secret you have of any value is the X-10. Now I even know where your most hidden laboratory is. Can you still suspect me of being Otto?

"...Yes, my lord."

Cocolia obviously understood Lin Wei's subtext. After a slight pause, she obediently agreed.

As a loyal subordinate, it was right to follow her superior's instructions.

"Mhm, bring Seele along." Lin Wei nodded. "As for Dr. Schrödinger, you can have her as your assistant, or simply as my escort for protection."

Schrödinger silently watched Lin Wei's performance without saying a word.

"This lady's appearance is so peculiar, it's quite memorable," Cocolia said. After all, that half-real, half-phantom face was indeed a bit frightening.

"I ended up like this thanks to Otto. I was only recently found by this gentleman here," Schrödinger said, fiddling with her starry Roman curls, her tone flat. "I am just a researcher responsible for observation and recording. If Ms. Cocolia still has any doubts about my identity, you can make other arrangements for me. I will have no objections."

"That won't be necessary," Cocolia said after staring at her for two seconds. She thought to herself that if there was anything suspicious about her, it was better to keep her in sight than to leave her in a place where she couldn't be seen.

Schrödinger naturally had no objections.

Seeing that the adults had decided to take Seele to that laboratory, Bronya opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but held back.

"Bronya, thank you for taking care of me these past few days."

Lin Wei walked over and gently patted her silver-gray head, sighing a little. "Perhaps, the next time we meet, you won't remember me anymore."

He couldn't help but feel a little sad. Although it wasn't a matter of life and death, things would never be the same.

In the end, he could leave nothing behind here, and take nothing away. Only a story and an experience that would remain in his and Seele's memories.

Ten minutes later, a helicopter landed here in the howling snow and wind, took on several passengers, and then flew away again.

Bronya watched silently from the ground until the plane became a small dot and disappeared into the vast snow and wind, remaining silent for a long time.

"You could have gone with them, Bronya."

Sin also stood beside Bronya, uncharacteristically quiet, so quiet that she didn't seem like the usually boisterous Sin Mal at all.

"..."

Bronya silently shook her head. It was just a brief encounter between a bird and a fish. How far could they have gone together?

She watched them go in silence, then silently looked away and turned to leave.

"Let's go, Sin. Today... let's have lunch together."

"...Okay."