A Master's Responsibility

After finishing her morning exercise, Kiana walked back while drinking water, glancing sideways at Anqi was unusually looking at her phone as she walked.

"Hey, what are you looking at, Anqi?"

"In contact with Delta."

"Delta? What are you talking about? Wait, is that lazy bum already up at this hour?"

"New Zealand time is 3 hours ahead of the Far East, so it would be past breakfast time there at this time. Also, Delta is health-conscious, not just lazy; she usually goes to bed early and gets up early."

Anqi replied expressionlessly.

Then, she looked at Kiana with a serious expression.

"Didn't you want to look up information about the Babylon Experiment Tower? I've seen it in the library's database before, but detailed information requires very high privileges to unlock. We're only B-rank Valkyrie right now, so if we want to see it, we'll have to ask S-Rank Valkyrie for help."

"Oh, I see."

Kiana blinked blankly, then felt a warmth in her heart.

"You've already started investigating for me so quickly?"

"It's obvious that Kiana cares a lot. The sooner we find out, the sooner we can solve the problem, right?"

"Mmm, I'm so touched! Let me hug you!"

"Don't come any closer, you smell like sweat..."

Anqi reluctantly accepted Kiana's passionate embrace.

Despite his outward expression of disdain, the corners of his mouth involuntarily curved upwards into a smile.

There was a slight smell, but it was perfectly fine. In fact, the hot and sticky experience was fantastic!

Oceania Branch, on the coast where the sun is gradually warming up.

Delta put down her phone, picked up the thermos next to her, and poured out hot goji berry water.

"What were you looking at just now?"

Wendy peeked out from behind the wheelchair, her short, green and dark hair swaying gently in front of Delta's eyes.

Delta blinked her crystal-clear, gem-like eyes.

"Is your mission finished?"

"It's over. I just got back, and I brought you some local specialties!"

Wendy said with a grin, handing over a high-quality massage pillow.

Delta's eyes lit up.

"This is—a massage pillow I saw online last time, but it's not available for mail order yet!"

"Hehe! I knew you liked it, so I bought it from a physical store."

Wendy rubbed her nose smugly, feeling a strong sense of accomplishment seeing Delta's delighted expression.

It was worth it for her to travel to a distant city to buy supplies after completing her mission; she wanted to see Delta's reaction!

Wendy nodded in satisfaction.

Delta placed the massage pillow behind her waist and started it, moving in sync with the massage pillow.

"Ugh, this feeling is so uncomfortable!"

With a snap, the massage pillow was thrown to the ground.

"Ha?"

Wendy froze.

Meanwhile, Delta, guided by the Ideal Fluid beneath the wheels, began to move, slowly maneuvering the wheelchair back.

"Oh dear, you really can't trust advertisements. They claim to be inventions that will change lives, but in the end, they're just gimmicks."

Delta sipped her goji berry tea and sighed slowly, like an old man who had seen through the ways of the world, detached from worldly desires and strife.

"Oh, by the way, although it's not very useful, thank you anyway. I'm really touched, Wendy."

"No, no... you're welcome! If it's useless, it's fine. We can find a better one later! Hahaha!"

Wendy glanced at the massage pillow on the ground, kicked it into a trash can some distance away, and then jogged to catch up with Delta's wheelchair.

"Speaking of which, you've been working quite hard lately. You haven't even used the electric function on your wheelchair and have been practicing your motor skills. Hehe, you must be feeling pretty upset about being defeated by that little girl Ninti last time, right?"

"Displeased? No, not at all."

"Ah?"

"Using powers is just because it's convenient; you don't even need to grab a joystick. So why be unhappy about it?"

The lazy girl explained matter-of-factly, blinking her eyes in confusion.

Wendy paused for a moment, then slammed her fist down in realization—that's right, what kind of mood does a salted fish have? What's the point of talking about ambition and competitiveness with a fish that's just lying flat!

"I was being naive. Never mind what I said."

Wendy covered her face.

She walked parallel to the wheelchair, just as she was walking side by side with Delta, and casually remarked:

"By the way, what were you looking at just now? You seemed quite serious about it."

"I completed a transaction."

Delta raised her index finger and began to speak, her tone serious yet slightly smug.

Wendy tilted her head.

"What deal? No, I should say, who's so stupid as to make a deal with a loser like you?"

"It's Anqi, whom I met last time. She wants to borrow my S-level access to look up some information. Afterwards, she will cook me a high-quality, nutritious meal."

"Oh, I see... Wait a minute, can S-level privileges be borrowed? Isn't that against the rules!?"

Wendy broke out in a cold sweat.

She knew, of course, that Delta's loyalty to Schicksal was limited. Rather, given that dark childhood, it was already a miracle that Delta could maintain her current detached attitude; loyalty was simply not something to be expected of her!

However, rules are rules, and even if you're not entirely loyal, you should still follow them, or at least avoid causing trouble for yourself!

Delta sipped her tea blankly, then said slowly:

"Oh, that's what she said too, and she told me to keep it a secret and not to tell anyone."

"So that's all you're telling me!?"

"Wendy isn't just anyone."

Delta said matter-of-factly, even looking at Wendy with suspicion, as if questioning why she would ask such a question.

Wendy slapped her forehead, feeling both angry and helpless, touched and at a loss for words.

"That's just like you, Delta! I'll let it go for myself, but don't say it to anyone else. Also, if headquarters investigates, remember to let me know, and I'll try to explain it to you."

"Oh..."

"Don't look so nonchalant! Do you know how serious this is? You could be severely punished. I'll talk to Anqi to find out what she's up to—no, things have come to this point, contacting her now would just leave evidence. It's better to let things take their course; maybe she won't notice."

Wendy bit her finger.

As a model Valkyrie who was once loyal to Schicksal, she began to seriously consider a comprehensive plan to clean up the mess for Delta.

Delta ignored Wendy's dilemma. She simply glanced at the sky in the direction of headquarters and gave a faint smile.

After all, the investigation focused on the Babylon Experiment Tower. Surely, the astute Mr. Otto has already noticed something, hasn't he?

"Old friend, old friend, your good apprentice 'borrowed' Delta's S-level privileges to query information about the Babylon Experiment Tower. I wonder what your explanation is for this?"

Otto asked with a smile.

On the other end of the video call, Fu Hua had a blank expression, his hands clasped together under his body, rubbing and pinching, his gaze beginning to wander.

She understood the rules of Schicksal.

Things like "borrowing" S-level permissions can be treated as treason if taken too seriously.

My apprentice made a big mistake, and I've been called in by the police. What should I do?

Fu Hua has survived for 50,000 years, but still has no relevant experience!

Chapter 166 The Master's Responsibility

"How about I compensate you with something?"

Fu Hua rubbed her small, jade-like hands together, and gave a polite but somewhat awkward smile.

As an honest person, she attempted to engage in some dirty deals in private to take care of her beloved disciple, thus defiling the sacred rules—this alone was enough to make Immortal Crimson Kite blush with embarrassment.

Moreover, this immortal was completely unaware that the foundation the Book of Cang Xuan had built for her was already thriving. After much thought, she realized that she didn't have any treasures that could impress Otto.

This made the immortal even more embarrassed!

"Oh, is that what you think, old friend?"

Otto's unfathomable gaze pierced through the screen and fixed directly on Fu Hua, causing her to instinctively take a half-step back.

For the first time in five hundred years, Fu Hua felt utterly ashamed in front of Otto.

"Hahaha!"

The tense atmosphere was immediately broken by Otto's hearty laughter.

He wiped away the tears of laughter from the corners of his eyes, slapped his thigh, and said with unbridled joy:

"I was just kidding, old friend!"

"Is... is that so?"

Fu Hua stiffly tugged at the corners of her mouth again, not relaxing at all—anyone who believed Otto's nonsense was a fool, and Fu Hua certainly didn't believe it.

Otto noticed Fu Hua's nervousness, smiled and shook his head, remarking that his old friend had finally been warmed by his little apprentice and had regained his human nature.

He was happy for Fu Hua, then changed the subject:

"Speaking of which, you reported that K423 has been acting strangely lately, seemingly troubled by nightmares, right?"

"That's true, Kiana has been quite troubled lately."

"So, my old friend, K423's nightmare, and Anqi, who is very close to K423, suddenly going to investigate the Babylon Experiment Tower —don't you make any connections?"

Otto stroked his chin, a calm yet meaningful smile on his face.

Fu Hua was taken aback.

She was just honest, not stupid. After Otto pointed it out, the clues suddenly connected in her mind.

Fu Hua's eyes widened suddenly, and she hesitated, her voice tinged with seriousness:

"You mean..."

"Actually, it's not surprising that Anqi asked Delta to borrow S-level access. My dear granddaughter is still holding back her A-level promotion order. It's normal for her to take a shortcut in order to find out the truth about Changkong City. But she deliberately didn't investigate Changkong City, but instead investigated the Babylon Experiment Tower. Such a strange situation, yet you, my old friend, know nothing about it. You really should pay more attention!"

Otto shook his head and sighed.

Fu Hua's mind became increasingly chaotic.

"Otto, what do you mean?"

"This means that at least two pieces of information are revealed in this matter: First, your little apprentice is consciously refusing to learn about the inside story of Changkong City; second, K423 may have already begun to access the memories and personality of the Herrscher of the Void."

Otto replied slowly.

The first thing was already within his expectations. Otto had no intention of interfering and could only hope that St. Freya truly possessed the miraculous power to resolve grudges, so there was nothing more to say.

The second thing, to be honest, wasn't exactly unexpected. It was a necessary part of the Sirin Project, something that was bound to happen sooner or later. If the progress was too slow, Otto might even push things forward himself, so it wasn't exactly an unplanned situation.

Anqi's overstepping of authority and Delta's capricious behavior were both advancing his Sirin Project, so Otto wasn't angry at all and could simply pretend nothing had happened.

Fu Hua pondered the meaning behind Otto's words, and her expression gradually darkened.

"So, Anqi really did sense something?"