Regarding How I Was Picked Up and Adopted by Talula

"Hey, you! Is your prejudice against me a little too deep!?"

Orson loudly complained. Anyone could tell Koschei's attitude had changed with bias.

"Then, what do you wish to know, my daughter?"

Koschei directly ignored Orson. After all, in his thousand-year life, anyone who understood statecraft or political intrigue would be destroyed by his own rhetoric and schemes.

As for those who were completely clueless about such matters, they were extremely easy to exploit.

Orson was like playing music for a cow, and Koschei couldn't defeat him, being completely countered by his abilities. Koschei could only stubbornly retort with "I can't be bothered with you."

"The power distribution of the nobles within Kazimierz City."

Talula stated her request. Koschei smiled, closed his eyes, and nodded gently.

"A sharp, core point of entry, Talula. But I won't be offering my help for free this time. If you want information, you must agree to one objective for me."

"You—"

"Wait, Orson."

Orson walked towards Koschei but was stopped by Talula.

"What objective?"

"Very simple, truly simple. My daughter—don't let this guy bother me for the next month."

Koschei pointed at Orson, finally unable to maintain his composure.

27. Sister Zao's Last Stand on High Ground

"I still can't let it go, Uncle Isaac..."

"?"

In the off-road vehicle, Orson drove this powerful mode of transport, which he didn't know how Talula had obtained through whatever channels, and complained to the Ursus engineer uncle beside him who knew how to bypass Kazimierz City's security checkpoints.

"Normally, this kind of operation would be with a girl, and during the process, the two would gradually understand each other's inner thoughts, and finally, when the mission is completed, their relationship would have progressed further—!"

"Normies are disgusting. And you think bringing a girl to a place like this can win their hearts? Don't dream. Hmph. Chernobyl, that's just a respectable grave covered in cement. Hmph, at least in the wilds of the North, I could vent by stomping on Originium insects."

Engineer Isaac's tone was impatient and irritable. It was likely he had received a lot of unfair treatment in this city.

"Stomping on Originium insects... Big brother, you're really something else."

Orson already had PTSD just hearing about Originium insects. The Originium insect riot in the North had almost cost Orson his life. The benefit, however, was obtaining a pile of unrefined Originium with varying purity, which made the initial stages of the "Reunion Merchant Guild" much easier.

"As long as you wear the RIG Engineer Armor, it's fine. And speaking of tough guys, Orson, you're the most terrifying one, aren't you? The Silence of the North—I heard that when you fall silent, that's when your enemies are completely torn apart?"

Isaac asked with some curiosity. Orson, upon hearing this topic, could only give a bitter smile and say, "That's all exaggerated nonsense."

However, as he said this, Orson instinctively tugged at his high-necked clothing that covered his throat, while also confirming that his simulated vocal cords, powered by Originium Arts, were functioning properly.

After a brief chat, the two had arrived at the border of Kazimierz City. Following the coordinates provided by Isaac, they quickly found an abandoned entrance on the border of Chernobyl.

Isaac took out a card and swiped it on an inconspicuous door lock. The screen immediately lit up.

"Beep— Employee Isaac, good morning. You have been absent from work for 566 days. Please proceed to the nearest Enforcement Team outpost to schedule your execution service."

The abandoned gate creaked open. Orson was stunned by the sight.

"It's still active after two years?"

"Because this broken system is older than two emperors combined. Even if it encounters a situation it can't recognize—"

"Beep— Invalid card. Please remain where you are. Security department is en route to silence you..."

Thump!

"Like this, just punch it."

"...Amazing."

Orson watched Isaac punch the door lock, and the locked screen immediately changed to allow passage.

Russian maintenance, BEST maintenance.

After passing through the abandoned gate, the two arrived at Kazimierz City's underground power district. As Isaac searched for the correct maintenance pipeline, he chatted with Orson about the history of this city-state.

It was said that Kazimierz City was one of the few relatively stable and peaceful cities within Ursus's borders, but even so, the persecution of Infected individuals had never ceased.

"Hmph, after those guys abandoned me, I realized that Infected or not, it was just a pretense. For this city, anyone without value is destined for the same fate. Those citizens who oppressed the Infected have no idea they'll be the next target!"

More and more people like Uncle Isaac, who were not Infected but came to understand after experiencing misfortune that the Infected were just a manufactured conflict, were appearing.

"Never mind... I won't talk about that anymore. This is the blueprint for the underground maintenance tunnel. I've memorized it. Here, little brother, take it. It might be useful."

Isaac handed a blueprint to Orson. After a glance, Orson immediately noticed a "?" mark near the center of the diagram.

"What does that mean?"

"That question mark? I'm not sure. I only know it's a restricted area with high current flow. Little brother, remember to stay away from it. You might encounter strange individuals."

"Okay."

Orson put away the blueprint, wondering if the question mark represented the sarcophagus from the original game where Babel's Pear was buried, the one belonging to Rhodes Island's silly guy.

After walking a bit further, the two arrived at the exit of the maintenance tunnel. After confirming there were no sentries or anything similar around, they successfully reached the central station of Kazimierz City.

"Oh..."

In a daze, Orson momentarily thought he had returned to his original world.

The asphalt roads, speeding four-wheeled cars, bustling crowds, and all sorts of bear ears.

Although the architectural style and human races were different, Kazimierz City was indeed very close to Orson's impression of a "modern city," especially after spending two years in the snowfields. The contrast was even more apparent.

"Then, as planned, let's split up first, Orson."

"Do you really have the walkie-talkie? Are you sure you'll be alright?"

Orson was a little worried about the hot-tempered engineer, fearing she might punch someone from the army group.

"The Emperor has changed once, no one will care about a nobody like me. Just don't get caught by those scumbags from the Internal Affairs Department."

"Then be careful. I'll contact you tonight."

Orson waved goodbye to Isaac, and the latter left in a hurry.

Even though she always cursed this city, she still cared about her family and friends, didn't she?

"Well, it's about time I got down to business. Standing around on the street like an idiot is a sure way to get noticed by the police. It would be too stupid to end up in jail right at the start."

Orson cracked his knuckles and moved to a deserted alley to begin his actions.

The primary objectives were to "obtain legal illegal identity" and "make contact with the new noble forces."

According to the information compiled from Talula and Koschei's previous conversation, the most prestigious family in Kazimierz City was the Rostov family. It was a family that rose after the Great Rebellion, using commerce as a weapon to ally with Marquis Boris and seize control of Kazimierz City.

Orson felt a sense of familiarity when he heard the name Rostov, but he couldn't recall why.

Aside from the emerging noble forces led by the Rostovs who dominated Kazimierz City, the city-state was also secretly watched by the old noble forces led by "Duke Baikal." After all, those nobles who considered themselves to have "pure Ursus blood" wouldn't easily watch their interests be divided by newcomers.

The old nobles harbored resentment towards the Rostov-led new nobles for seizing power, and it was likely that Kazimierz City was now filled with the informants of these families.

In any case, the first step was to get an identity from the black market, then find an opportunity to contact the Rostov family. If Koschei's intelligence as the Black Serpent was accurate, the Rostov family might have a certain affinity for Infected individuals.

"Easier said than done. How am I supposed to find this Rostov guy in such a big city—"

As Orson was complaining, his passively activated skill, [Wide-area Low Frequency] exploration, suddenly detected several running targets. It seemed like one person was being chased by three or five others.

Was it a scene from "Flower of Hope"?

Orson didn't pay much attention, merely sidestepping to let the person running behind him pass.

"Please get out of here quickly!"

A girl's voice came from behind Orson. When Orson turned his head, he only saw a head of pure white long hair and heterochromatic eyes, one red and one blue.

There is an illustration here, which can be viewed after updating the version.

Lumen—no, shouldn't it be Natalia? Natalia... isn't she the young lady of some Rostov family?

—It's too easy, I really am a man favored by destiny!

Orson gradually understood everything.jpg

"Um, Miss White Bear—Ugh?"

Orson tried to greet Lumen, but this woman completely ignored him, lowering her head and continuing to run.

"What a bad temper, is this the younger generation? Let me tell you, the road ahead is a dead end."

Orson clicked his tongue, lamenting how impure the younger generation was nowadays, and then saw another group of people running towards the alley.

"Did you run into a dead end yourself, young lady?"

The group held machetes and daggers, and carried a very distinct smell of blood.

I saw it, oh, so they were being chased. That's fine then.

...No, this isn't fine at all!? How is it that I've been caught up in super troublesome matters less than 10 minutes after arriving in Kazimierz City?

Looking at the assassins running towards him and Lumen, Orson sighed and used every cell in his brain to think intently.

Thinking about what pose to strike when I heroically save the damsel later.

28. That's enough.

"Get out of here quickly, you people over there!"

Lumen shouted at Orson, signaling him to leave, while also surveying the alley, which had already become a dead end.

"Hmm... I can't contact the other guards. Is the signal being jammed? Or—why haven't you left yet?"

The white-haired Ursus girl with heterochromatic eyes first looked at her phone anxiously, then was surprised to find that Orson, a "complete passerby," had no intention of leaving.

"Uh, there are two reasons—first, those thugs have already blocked the road. Second, there's something I'm also quite interested in."

Orson took a few steps back. At the entrance of the alley not far away, the group of people holding cold weapons had already noticed Orson and Lumen.

Orson's gaze didn't linger on these people for too long. Having danced on the tip of a blade in the Northern Frontier for over a year, Orson could tell at a glance that these people were just hired hands. The real middleman was a Sarkaz mercenary in the corner behind them.

Sarkaz...

Orson frowned. One of the most important common sense he had learned during his time with Reunion was:

When facing Sarkaz mercenaries on the opposing side, it's usually not a good sign.

The general atmosphere of this "Demon Race" collective nation is that life and death are taken lightly, and if you don't like it, you fight. Because of this habit, the Sarkaz are also the most numerous mercenary group in Terra.

Although many Sarkaz have become national mercenaries—that is, part of the army—in recent years, a large number of Sarkaz mercenaries who brand themselves as "free" still do the dirty and illegal work for independent mercenary groups.

The bottom line for these people is money, and their methods are unscrupulous. In a way, they are more troublesome than the Enforcement Team and the Ursus army.

"Mmm..."

Upon seeing these people, Lumen took two steps back, but her back soon hit the cold wall.

How can I contact others and tell them my current location? Or is there any way to escape this situation?

Lumen forced herself to think of a countermeasure. Orson was a little surprised that Lumen could remain so calm in this situation, but Orson quickly discovered that this girl, who was after all just a high school student, was only pretending. Her trembling body and eyes had already revealed her current panic and terror.

"There's a passerby, what do we do? Kill him too?"

Those thugs noticed Orson, and they discussed with sinister smiles how to deal with him.

"Same as usual. Just kill him, chop him up, and dump him in the sewage system."

"...!"

Listening to their conversation, Lumen gritted her teeth desperately, forcing herself not to show fear or weakness.

As for Orson, he wore a bored expression, thinking, Why do all these weaklings' lines sound the same? He heard these kinds of templates almost every other day.

I thought I'd only encounter guys like that in the simple and honest North, but even in a big city, why are these people still like this, ready to fight at the slightest disagreement?

Orson sighed and prepared to deal with these low-level thugs, but as he took a step forward, Lumen's slightly immature voice, trembling with nervousness, suddenly came from behind him.

"Wait—I don't know him at all. This person has nothing to do with this. I swear on the name of the Rostov family, I will go with you, so let him leave!"

Although she was flustered by her current predicament, and although the weapons in the hands of those people made her feel sick, Lumen, who had always received a noble education, still stepped forward.

However