Chapter 106

"Lord Fu Hua, what happened to your neck?"

After carefully observing Fu Hua, Rita finally noticed something different about Fu Hua. There was a faint red mark on her fair neck, quite noticeable against her delicate skin. Rita frowned and asked about it, instinctively feeling that something was wrong.

"It's probably because of insect bites. When I brought Shen Gonglin back, we passed through the woods, and that's probably when she got bitten. Mosquitoes are really annoying this time of year."

Fu Hua remained calm and composed. After taking several deep breaths, she had completely calmed down. She didn't try to cover it up with her hands; it was fine to expose it openly. Fu Hua gently touched the mark on her neck with her fingers, while glancing at Shen Gonglin next to her. This guy really seemed completely unaffected.

That's right, it was a mosquito bite. Calling Shen Gonglin a mosquito is really apt. Not only does she suck blood, but she also makes people very itchy... Speaking of which, I'm really glad that Shen Gonglin didn't bite my neck. If it was just a kiss, Fu Hua could accept it, but if it had bitten her, Durandal, who is sitting in the chair now, would be in this situation. She still can't stand up.

She sat there partly because of her status, and partly because the aftereffects of Shen Gonglin were quite significant.

"Hmm, so Mei, why don't you sleep with me tonight? And while you're at it, help me swat away the mosquitoes. My blood smells so good, mosquitoes will definitely love biting me."

Shen Gonglin nodded in agreement with the Class President. After calling them all to the command room, Theresa established communication with that person. Since there was nothing else to do, Shen Gonglin thought she could trick Mei into coming over to sleep with her. Even if it didn't come true, it would be good to just talk about it. Shen Gonglin quite liked talking about it.

"Pah, you're dreaming! Mei is here to swat away mosquitoes for me, don't even think about it."

Before Mei could speak, her best friend Kiana quickly rejected Shen Gonglin's immature idea. This girl was just dreaming. Mei was her person. If Mei went to take care of Shen Gonglin Mei, wouldn't she be cheated on? And double cheated on? Kiana wasn't crazy. She didn't want to be drugged.

"You two idiots, get yourself clean, or I'm not going to swat away mosquitoes for you. What do you two idiots take me for?"

Mei was both amused and exasperated. While she was indeed happy that she was popular, what did these two idiots take her for? A maidservant to the landlord and his wife? They even chased away mosquitoes for them. Mei wanted to force-feed them both a bottle of insecticide. If they were so afraid of mosquitoes, they should just drink insecticide; it would definitely work.

"... A very useful zookeeper? A portable rice cooker? A fully charged power bank?"

Kiana obediently fell silent, while Shen Gonglin seriously began to think about it. He tentatively revealed Mei's role in his mind, saying that she was indeed very useful. He felt that he could ask her for help with anything, just like he could ask her for help if he didn't have a girlfriend in the future. Mei was really useful, and Shen Gonglin had a very high opinion of her.

"Shin-gu, I've had some new insights while studying sword techniques lately. Why don't you try it with me? The kind where you can't dodge or counterattack."

Amid Kiana's barely suppressed laughter, Mei gave Shen Gonglin a kind smile. Even kindergarten teachers get angry sometimes. It seems that a gentle approach won't work when dealing with someone as mischievous as Shen Gonglin as Kiana; he'll need a good beating every now and then.

Zookeeper, rice cooker, power bank... These are all very useful, but Mei doesn't want any of them!

"Um... Mei, you misunderstood. I won't talk about the other two, but the power bank is really useful. You know, I often run out of power, and when I do, I can't move at all. Only you can recharge me. So, in other words, you are very important to me. Without you, I can't do anything."

Even the most good-tempered person gets angry, let alone a pretty girl like Mei. Shen Gonglin felt like she was praising Mei, but it seemed Mei didn't understand what she meant. Zookeeper, rice cooker, power bank—aren't these all necessities? Mei is a very useful and important girl; she can't let her misunderstand.

Shen Gonglin reached out and covered Mei's small hand. His gaze sincerely conveyed his feelings. Although this guy had almost no emotional intelligence, he was still very intelligent. He made up for his lack of emotional intelligence with his intelligence. Shen Gonglin was quite good at sensing danger.

If they don't explain now, they can eat at their own banquet. Shen Gonglin only wants to eat at other people's banquets; he has no desire to host his own.

"Alright, everyone quiet down, the headmaster is about to give instructions."

Seeing Shen Gonglin and Mei holding hands, Fu Hua felt a strange unease. Durandal and Rita on the other side felt the same way. Fu Hua reminded Shen Gonglin and Mei that they were here to receive a mission, not to flirt.

This kid just did something so outrageous to me, and now he's doing this to Mei, especially in front of me... Of course, Fu Hua didn't want them to do this in private. In short, Shen Gonglin has absolutely no self-awareness.

"Yes, Grandpa... Your Excellency, I understand. Well then, goodbye."

The headmistress on the other end of the communication did indeed end. Her short figure was hidden behind the monitor and could not be seen at all. Only when she stood up could the top of her head be barely seen. Theresa crossed her arms and looked at the group of people in front of her. Yes, a new mission was coming.

"Although the assessment has just ended, and considering what Honkai before, you should all get a good rest, but there's no way around it, a mission is a mission. Are you all ready to accept the next mission?"

Chapter 420 Still in Pain

"Huh? Another mission so soon, Theresa, this won't do. I feel like I should take a proper vacation. I've been so tired lately. Missions don't really need someone like me, an S-rank, to handle them."

Upon hearing Theresa's words, Shen Gonglin immediately refused. In truth, he was quite lazy and would only travel far if absolutely necessary. To carry out a mission, he would definitely have to leave St. Freya Academy. This place was so nice; he could sleep in every day, the food was delicious, and he could even flirt with the female classmates when he had nothing to do. Why would he have to go out and carry out some mission out of boredom? If he could, Shen Gonglin would rather eat, drink, and have fun until he died.

"Does the word 'tired' even apply to you? Besides, you're basically on vacation every day, either going out to play or staying in the hospital. Do you know that you're Schicksal employee of Schicksal? Shen Gonglin, you're still young. You can't be so lifeless. If you have the chance, you should go out and see the world."

Theresa tried to persuade Shen Gonglin with all her heart. If this guy didn't leave, the snacks and comics she hid in the office wouldn't be safe at all. Just now, this kid had sneaked under her desk and eaten her snacks while she was talking to her grandfather, and he even wiped his hands on her lap. Because she had to maintain communication with her grandfather, Theresa didn't dare to do anything big and could only endure it. She was also too embarrassed to say anything in front of so many people. Theresa could only suffer in silence. Now the headmaster just wanted to get rid of Shen Gonglin. This guy dared to do such a thing in front of so many people. Who knows what he will do in the future?

"Hospital... Oh right, Theresa, I'm still a patient. How can you bear to send a patient like me on a mission? Of course, if it's your order, Headmaster, I'll definitely obey. At worst, I'll just ignore my own health... cough cough cough cough!"

Suddenly remembering that she was a patient, Shen Gonglin immediately started to put on an act. First, she faked a cough, and then the coughing turned into a real one. She choked on potato chips and cried out in pain, "Someone save me!"

"...Fine, I won't let you go. Honestly, choking on potato chips or something, sending you out would only embarrass St. Freya."

Theresa looked at Shen Gonglin, who was kneeling on the ground with pity. Rita and Mei patted him on the chest and back to calm him down. This was the retribution for stealing their snacks. Sending this guy out would only Schicksal. Since he was unwilling to go out on missions, they would have to send someone else. Although she was his superior, it was really embarrassing to send him out like this.

The shame of Schicksal refers to Shen Gonglin Jingu.

"Since Shen Gonglin is unwilling to carry out the mission, the reward will be slightly..."

"What, Theresa, there's a bonus too?"

Having barely managed to get away with it, Shen Gonglin, who was sitting on the ground catching her breath, jumped up excitedly upon hearing Theresa's words. "You should have said so earlier if there was a reward! A reward would make all the difference. Shen Gonglin loves carrying out missions!"

"Yes, all the tasks come with rewards, such as time spent in the training room, the use of virtual immersion equipment, or even just basic bonuses. It's a pity that you, Shen Gonglin, can't use them."

Theresa glanced at Shen Gonglin with surprise. Isn't this normal? There must be a reward for completing a mission. How could they let these lovely students work for free? Everyone is working hard, so a proper reward is necessary.

And why does this guy keep calling me by my first name? I've already told him to show some respect and call me Headmaster properly.

"Headmaster, I've thought it through. I can't continue to be so decadent. I still need to do the missions. I've accepted this mission. After all, as a member of Schicksal, it's my duty to fight for the betterment of the world."

Shen Gonglin said with a straight face... ugh, with an air of righteousness, but why did these noble and righteous words sound so off coming from his mouth? How did this guy change so quickly? What does fighting for the good of the whole world have to do with Shen Gonglin?

"... Actually, you're just after the bonus, aren't you? I really don't know why you're so greedy. Isn't the S-rank allowance enough?"

Durandal had been sitting quietly to the side, finally spoke up. Although she was in St. Freya, she didn't have to take orders from Theresa. In fact, her status was still above Theresa's. Durandal had only come to the command room to kill time. She hadn't spoken until now, and no one had paid any attention to her. But as soon as she opened her mouth, she attracted everyone's attention. However, Durandal didn't seem to want to talk to anyone else. She was just looking at Shen Gonglin. There was no need to communicate with the others.

"What bonus? I don't care about that at all. I don't do missions for bonuses. Am I that kind of person?"

Shen Gonglin spoke with righteous indignation. If there were any strangers around, they would definitely think he was a pillar of the nation destined for Schicksal. Unfortunately, everyone present knew Shen Gonglin's character. It was confirmed that all he cared about was the bonus; he was a money-grubber.

"You don't care about money? That's perfect. Actually, there's something I didn't want to tell you, but since you're so carefree, well, that card Rita gave you before, it actually had some of my money in it too..."

If you don't care about money, then give your salary card back to yourself. You haven't used money much before, but when you're really Durandal, you find it troublesome. You really don't want to eat those free meals anymore. Durandal also want to live a better life. This is a good opportunity to get your bank card back. Shen Gonglin doesn't spend money, so what is he doing with your card?

"By the way, Durandal, does the back of your head still hurt?"

Durandal could finish speaking, Shen Gonglin quickly interrupted her. He didn't mention the bank card issue at all; it was too embarrassing to talk about being scammed online, and it would damage his image. He would find a way to pay Durandal back the money.

"Um... it doesn't hurt anymore. Take the card Rita gave you earlier..."

Why are we suddenly talking about this? Durandal's pretty face flushed slightly. This isn't something that can be said in front of so many people. Didn't we agree that it would only be the two of them who knew?

"The head doesn't hurt anymore, but the back still hurts..."

Shen Gonglin interrupted again, and this time Durandal couldn't stand it anymore. This guy dared to say anything, and she couldn't let him spout nonsense anymore.

"It doesn't hurt anymore, it doesn't hurt anymore. I'm leaving now, and you mustn't mention this again!"

Chapter 421

Something's fishy. There must be something fishy going on between Durandal and Shen Gonglin. Judging from her serious illness, something must have happened between them that we don't know about.

As Durandal fled the command room as if escaping, everyone present shared the same thought: Durandal seemed unable to maintain her composed and powerful demeanor as the strongest Valkyrie when she was around Shen Gonglin. However, this was to be expected; no one could maintain their true self in front of Shen Gonglin. This guy's toxicity had been known for a long time. Nevertheless, Durandal's reaction still surprised them. As expected of Shen Gonglin, even Durandal seemed to be afraid of him.

"Alright, since Himeko Shen Gonglin is willing to accept the mission, that's great. Himeko will still be in command this time. Kiana, Mei, and Bronya, according to the message you brought back from the Moonlight Throne Central, headquarters has ordered the Valkyrie to search for the four gems. Our first destination is the Oceania Branch in New Zealand. The Gem of Desire is there. The Conquering Lightning, the flames of plague, the Storm of Desire, the Silent Death. If we follow this guidance, the retrieval of the Gem of Desire is essential."

While announcing Kiana and the others' mission, Theresa glanced at Mei. "Conquering Lightning... let's leave that aside for now. Headquarters has ordered the retrieval of the Gem of Desire as soon as possible. The Oceania Branch hasn't been able to protect the Gem of Desire properly, so it's time for their Far East Branch to step in."

"Wait a minute, Theresa, you said this is Kiana and the others' mission, so what about mine? It's not for the reward, I just want to complete the mission too. After all, I feel uncomfortable if I don't work hard for a day."

Seeing that Theresa didn't mention his intentions, Abyss Flower Shen Gonglin got a little anxious. How could he not be anxious when it came to the bonus? It would be a crime not to take the money right in front of him. Shen Gonglin was never one to waste money. He had managed to fool Durandal this time, but what about next time? Although that Durandal didn't seem to be very bright, Shen Gonglin couldn't guarantee that he could fool her every time. He still had to make money quickly.

"You have another mission. Remember the girl who caused the Honkai? According to headquarters' intelligence, it was because you were wearing that dress that the suspected Herrscher appeared. According to the investigation, the owner of that clothing store said that he accidentally found the dress while on vacation in New Zealand. So this time, although you are going with Kiana and the others, the mission is different. Fu Hua will accompany you, and the two of you will be responsible for investigating the origin of that dress."

Theresa turned to Shen Gonglin, her azure eyes holding a deeper meaning. That girl could trigger Honkai —undoubtedly Herrscher's ability—but the relationship between her and Shen Gonglin was obvious to anyone with eyes to see. The girl controlled Honkai, while Shen Gonglin seemed to control her. Furthermore, the angel armor she wore earlier appeared to be women's, and Shen Gonglin only triggered this series of events after wearing that gothic dress...

A bold hypothesis popped into Theresa's mind: it couldn't be like that, could it?

Moreover, headquarters really values Shen Gonglin's matter very much, practically putting it on par with the search for the gems. I really don't know what Grandpa is thinking.

"I see, I understand now."

Shen Gonglin nodded thoughtfully. Actually, he also wanted to go and see. According to Kurumi, she came to this world by accident, and her original power was divided into many pieces and fell to the corners of the world. Icarus also said that the source of his power was... cross-dressing. Shen Gonglin wanted to see what it would be like after they collected all the power fragments. Maybe they could find their lost memories and know who they were before. Kurumi wouldn't tell him, so some things had to be found by himself.

"Alright, everyone, we can get ready to set off now."

After assigning the tasks, Theresa slammed her hand on the table with great authority. For their St. Freya Far East Branch, there was no task that was impossible to complete!

On the bridge, a biting wind whipped Durandal's brilliant golden hair. The Hyperion sped across the sky towards the horizon. Rita stood beside Durandal, waving to the Hyperion without caring whether the people on the warship could see her. The maid glanced at Durandal beside her. What a hypocrite! She clearly wanted to see him off, but she wouldn't say it outright. She just watched from afar. If she wanted to watch, she could have come herself. Why did she have to drag her along? Rita wanted to see Shen Gonglin off in person, maybe even get some perks. Watching him off like a resentful woman was really not in Rita's style.

But there's nothing we can do about it. It's what Durandal wants to do, and we can only accompany her.

"Bishop, why won't you allow me to go with you on the mission to retrieve the Conquest Gem?"

Unaware of the resentful look in the eyes of the maid beside her, Durandal directly contacted the bishop of Schicksal. According to her original plan, she should have gone with Shen Gonglin, but she did not receive such an order. Instead, she was told to wait in St. Freya and then return to headquarters. So, although it was not explicitly stated, Durandal was indeed unhappy.

"It's just recycling a gem. There's no need for our Schicksal blade to be deployed. Besides, Durandal, you're not in good shape."

Otto on the communicator remained as composed as ever. Durandal had the right to communicate with him directly, but he hadn't expected her to do so this time. It seemed he hadn't anticipated that Durandal would do so. Indeed, Durandal had changed.

"No, there's nothing wrong with my body."

Durandal, of course, could not admit it. In fact, the truth was just as Otto said. Although she seemed to be fine now, only Durandal herself knew her current state. The aftereffects of vampirism had not completely subsided. She could only exert about 50% of her strength now. However, even at 50%, she was ridiculously strong. At least Rita, who was also an S-rank, could not beat her. This was not to say that Rita was weak, but only to prove that Durandal was too strong.

"Oh? But I heard... Durandal, you spent the night with Shen Gonglin yesterday, right? Like, sharing a room."

For some reason, Otto suddenly changed the subject. As the strongest representative of Schicksal, Durandal must always maintain her most powerful appearance, at least when she appears in front of the "public". She is Durandal, the most powerful Valkyrie in Schicksal's history. She cannot appear in front of the "public" in her current state. The strongest can only be the strongest.

"You're spying on me?"

Durandal's eyes sharpened. Although she was Otto's subordinate, Durandal's attitude towards him was not as blindly obedient as that of the command. Their relationship was more of a cooperation. She did not deny the matter because Durandal knew that since Otto had brought it up, he must know about it. A powerful aura instantly enveloped the entire spaceport. Even with the communicator on Otto could feel the aura. Very good, Durandal, still maintaining her strongest presence.

"No, Durandal, how could I possibly arrange for someone to monitor you? You know that would do me no good at all."

Otto shook his head. He really didn't do it. He always gave his subordinates the greatest freedom, especially Durandal. He wouldn't take the blame for this. He wasn't lying.

"How did you find out about this?"

Durandal didn't believe a word of it. How could he know such things if he wasn't monitoring her? Moreover, he knew about what happened last night today. He even knew about such things. It seemed that Otto had a spy in St. Freya. Although this was quite normal, after all, he was a bishop, Durandal was still extremely unhappy. No one wants to be monitored. She really had to find out the truth about this.

"I saw this on the Valkyrie forum."

"...What?"

Otto made no attempt to hide anything; he directly revealed his source of information. In truth, there was no need to conceal this matter at all. Not only himself, but anyone who frequently browses forums should already know about it, given that it included both illustrations and textual descriptions, making it incredibly authentic.

"That's it. I'll show you the title... Shocking! Newly promoted S-rank Rin stayed out all night, suspected of having a secret rendezvous with Deir. Also... Never mind, I'll just send you the link. And don't look at my ID, it's just something I made up. Emerald Husband... I've sent it, see for yourself."

With a soft beep from the communicator, Otto sent Durandal the source of his gossip. Meanwhile, Rita, who had been standing quietly, secretly opened her phone and went to the forum. There was no need to search; this was the first result. Durandal never looked at this kind of thing, and Rita hadn't looked at it for the past few days either. She hadn't expected something like this to happen. Who wrote this? There were illustrations and text descriptions. The writing was quite good; the author must be a professional writer. After reading a few pages, Rita found it quite interesting.

"... Who is it?"

Durandal's hands trembled slightly as she gripped the communicator, her fingers turning white. The contents were so detailed, it was as if she had actually seen it. Whether it was subjective speculation or objective consideration, everything was written down completely. Not to mention others, Durandal almost believed it after seeing it. Shen Gonglin stayed out all night in her hospital room, and there were even photos. Looking at the number of views and clicks, she was probably doomed.

"The publisher is anonymous. Although I used the highest level of privileges, I can only know that the source was published from a terminal within the St. Freya area. It seems that the publisher is quite capable. Even with the highest level of privileges, I couldn't find anything. Durandal, do you have any clues?"

Otto chuckled and shook his head. How interesting. He had been browsing the forum in his spare time and never expected to find such gossip. He had underestimated Shen Gonglin's abilities. It hadn't been long, and he had already managed to trick Durandal into staying overnight in her hospital room. His ability to deal with women was perhaps even stronger than his own combat prowess.

As for weapons designed specifically for women, Durandal Shen Gonglin n't withstand them, so if it were someone else... or even Herrscher, would they be able to fulfill their intended purpose?

"The source is St. Freya, who is proficient in computer network intelligence technology, huh... I understand."

Her face was very pale. After hearing Otto's description, Durandal already had someone in mind. After hanging up the call, she turned and walked towards the hospital. There was no doubt about it. It was probably that guy. It seemed that she really didn't learn her lesson. Birth control pills and digestive tablets were no longer effective for her. It seemed that she had to try a new drug. How about rat poison?

It seems like a good choice.

"Durandal, please calm down. It might not be Alvit. Please stay calm."

Rita, seeing Durandal's expression, quickly pulled her back, just as the maid was fiddling with her phone behind her back. Durandal wasn't stupid; anyone could tell who it was from that description, after all, that guy had a criminal record. If she didn't stop it now, the Immortal Blade might really suffer losses. She had to notify Alvit and tell her to run away quickly.

Why doesn't this child understand the preciousness of life? Although she tried to hide it, this approach is simply making things worse.

"I haven't even said it's Alvit yet, Rita. I'm sure you've already guessed it's her. Don't stop me. I need to clean house for the Immortal Blade. This child's brain has been Honkai by Honkai. Giving her three cuts and six holes is the best option now. Don't worry, I'll stab her where it hurts the most. I definitely won't let her die easily."

Durandal gritted her teeth and said, "This Alvit is really fearless. Is it a side effect of spending too much time with Shen Gonglin? If that's the case, then it doesn't matter. If she wants to die, I'll grant her wish. Alvit, don't be a human in your next life. After all, being human is the original sin."

"Captain, calm down. Alvit is still very useful. Spare her life, really spare her life. She's still a child."

If Alvit dies, where will she go to eat gossip? I didn't expect her to have this kind of talent. Rita decided to protect Alvit at all costs and not let her die easily.

"It's precisely because she's still a child that we can't let her go. Rita, let go of me! Don't stop me! If you keep blocking me, I'll beat you up too!"

Durandal continued forward, while Alvit had already started packing her bags. She hadn't expected that even though she was anonymous, the captain would still find out. After receiving Rita's text message Alvit knew that she couldn't stay at St. Freya any longer. No, she had to leave quickly.

Chapter 422 Don't Subscribe

"Wow, it's so high... Class President, that's enough, you can pull me back now. If I look any higher, my legs feel a little weak... Hmm, let me down a little more. This feeling is really amazing."

On the Hyperion, Shen Gonglin pressed her face against the window, gazing at the sky outside. Her deep purple eyes were filled with longing for the heavens. Normally, such a look shouldn't be seen in Shen Gonglin's eyes; after all, her fear of heights was ingrained in her bones, and this height was a nightmare for her. But now...

To be honest, it's really exhilarating to recklessly do something reckless when you have the means to do so.

Behind Shen Gonglin, Fu Hua hugged him with a look of utter despair. The Class President's blue eyes were full of helplessness. Following Shen Gonglin's instructions, Fu Hua hugged Shen Gonglin and approached the window again. She was trembling with fear, but Shen Gonglin was eager to try again. This behavior was truly perverted.