Chapter 219

[Shencheng Medicine, starting from the Second Honkai, proposed to provide moral aid to cities around the world affected by the Honkai. After the Third Honkai Eruption, they began to increase their support for the Far East and Shenzhou. This industrial zone was built around that time.]

As Alvit introduced Shencheng Medicine to her, Rita became interested in the business plan in her hand. Shencheng Medicine, on the surface, really seemed like a socially responsible company.

"Providing free special medicine to citizens infected with Honkai energy... providing free clinical treatment to patients with Honkai energy... it's really quite remarkable."

Reading the contents of the plan aloud in a low voice, Alvit also heard the purpose of Shencheng Medicine's plan from Rita. The entire plan was filled with the word "free". What a wealthy philanthropist! This is a worldwide aid project. This is not something that ordinary people can do.

"Alvit, you should know that free things often come at a higher price, sometimes even at the cost of your life."

Rita casually put down the plan and walked to another table. Hearing her subordinate's sigh, she earnestly advised him, "Everything in this world comes at a price, even yourself. Wasn't I being so good to Shen Gonglin so that he would be good to me in return? So, this kind of 'free' probably doesn't come without a price."

"Yes, Vice Captain, I know. It's like the game I've been playing lately. There are a lot of free powerful items, but you really have to grind like crazy to get them. Sometimes, free things are more expensive than they seem."

Alvit could relate to this, and she could even give examples. Rita's eyes lit up when she heard this. So Alvit was even playing games during the mission? Looks like she'd have to teach her a lesson. Playing games, huh...

Maybe we can have this guy help Shen Gonglin grind for items in the future? Rita knows Shen Gonglin's hobby; he also likes playing games. But Rita would feel bad if he kept grinding like this. She'll have Alvit help out more in the future.

Putting the matter aside for the time being, Rita picked up another file and began to read it. This file was clearly more eye-catching. The maid's rose-colored eyes were very serious. Sure enough, this Shencheng Medicine was doing something strange.

"Research on Schicksal's patented anti- Honkai energy vaccine HBA-022"?

The drug analysis report for HBA-022... Isn't this the same vaccine model that has been shipped from headquarters to Shenzhou all along?

The drug model was undoubtedly the one that Schicksal had been providing aid to Shencheng Medicine. Rita understood this very well. Her trip to Sky City was ostensibly to deliver this batch of vaccines as aid. As for Shencheng Medicine' drug analysis and research, what were they trying to do?

Could it be that Shencheng Medicine wants to analyze and steal our drug formula?

Alvit suggested this possibility, but Rita shook her head. This speculation was inaccurate. Based on the analysis of the remaining drug in the syringe, Shencheng Medicine shouldn't need to do such unnecessary things. The medicine in that syringe had already been completely improved, and its effect was even better than the medicine provided by Schicksal's Aid.

"Check the inventory quantity of HBA-022 drug."

Rita inserted the ID card into the computer and issued the command to Shencheng Medicine's terminal. The result displayed surprised Rita; there was indeed a problem.

"Inventory is...0?"

[Even the nearly 30,000 doses of vaccine that were shipped this time have all disappeared completely?]

On the other end of the communication line, Alvit was also speechless. What did Shencheng Medicine do with all the vaccines? Schicksal provided so many vaccines, plus the ones that were transported this time, and now there wasn't a single one left. What on earth were they doing?

"It's a bottomless black hole..."

Rita continued reviewing the information on Shencheng Medicine. Time slowly passed, and her unease grew stronger. She had gathered a lot of information, which seemed disorganized, but they all vaguely pointed to a terrifying answer. However, Rita was still missing a crucial clue, a key clue that could piece together all this information. Miss Kiana was right; Shencheng Medicine had serious problems. Investigating what they were doing there was indeed more important than bringing her back to Schicksal.

"I have a feeling that something even more shady is hidden here."

Rita looked up and opened the eyepiece. A pale light covered Rita eyes. She slowly turned her head to analyze everything she saw through the eyepiece. She had a premonition that she might not be far from the truth.

"Ah? If there really is some terrible secret hidden down there, then Vice Captain, aren't you in danger right now? Miss Rita, should we retreat temporarily and plan carefully before resuming our operation?"

Alvit also sensed something was wrong. Something was definitely wrong. This operation... how should I put it? It felt like it went a little too smoothly. If Shencheng Medicine really was hiding such a big secret, they shouldn't have been able to infiltrate so easily. So she couldn't help but try to dissuade Rita, saying that retreating now was the best option.

However, no sooner had she finished speaking than Rita noticed something alarming. A small, bubble-like signal source suddenly lit up on her pale blue goggles. The armor Rita was wearing, crafted by the Schicksal Hymir Research Laboratory, was designed to hunt any creature infected by Honkai energy. Now, like a hunting dog smelling flesh and blood, the Shadow Iron's biological detection radar had detected a faint signal belonging to Suicide Squad. If they abandoned the operation now...

"The opportunity to seize intelligence is fleeting... Alvit, will you wait until the prey has flown away before you fire?"

After downloading the map of the Shencheng Medicine Industrial Zone into her terminal, Rita said to Alvit on the other end of the communication channel, "The truth is about to be revealed to us. It would be a pity to retreat now."

Hey, Vice Captain... seems a bit reckless...

Alvit understood Rita's plan. She knew she couldn't persuade Rita, but the unease in her heart bothered Alvit. In this situation... shouldn't she do something?

Thinking this, Alvit secretly took out her phone, edited a text message, and sent it out. She couldn't control Miss Rita herself, but someone else could.

Chapter 230 The Truth About Shencheng Medicine

Rita made a decisive decision and decided to continue exploring. She downloaded the entire map of the industrial area into her eyepiece. The map did not show any underground building layers, but the radar on the eyepiece detected Honkai energy reactions deep underground. It seems that there are still some things that are not shown on the map.

Turning off the map on her glasses, Rita stood up and looked at the elevator. Although she wanted to break through by force, she knew she had to be more careful to stay out of sight. However, Rita sensed that a conflict might be unavoidable, and she needed to prepare in advance.

"Alvit, order all members of the Immortal Blade to be on standby and ready to support my location."

After giving this order to Alvit, Rita began her plan. There were some places that were invisible to human eyes, but Rita's loyal hound could see them. Her armor, specially designed for stealth and infiltration, was equipped with special devices to handle this situation. Good dog, it's time for you to make your appearance.

Rita snapped her fingers lightly, and the eyes of the mechanical hound that had been waiting behind her instantly lit up with a green light. It was time for a walk. The mechanical hound, known as the Carbon-based Hunter, leaped up. This kind of reconnaissance work that was difficult for humans to do could be left to it. Rita just needed to wait. After a while, Rita received a signal from the mechanical hound. It seemed that it had been found.

"Well done, Alvit. I've found the location of the underground passage. Keep an eye on things here. Now, my good dog, open the passage for me."

With a roar, the mechanical hound swiftly deciphered the elevator's program. The elevator doors opened, and in the darkness, the unknown seemed to extend an invitation. Rita strolled into the elevator with an air of nonchalance, demonstrating her immense confidence in her abilities. No matter what problems arose, she didn't think she would encounter any issues. The elevator descended rapidly, and after an unknown amount of time, they were likely deep underground. Rita felt an instinctive sense of unease and discomfort, but she put these feelings aside. What she needed to focus on now was everything before her.

What appeared before Rita was an enormous hall, but what shocked Rita even more was the scene within. The two small hands on the hem of the Valkyrie's skirt were clenched into fists. Rita, who had been calm and composed all along, was now experiencing a great emotional upheaval. In this hall, experimental pods were lined up one after another, and the experimental subjects suspended in them were both familiar and strange to Rita. These were... Suicide Squad.

Each experimental chamber contained a Suicide Squad. On the skin of these undead, whom Rita had fought countless times, intricate patterns intertwined, forming glowing marks—these were Stigmata. Alvit hadn't been mistaken; Stigmata did indeed appear on the Suicide Squad. Until Schicksal developed Artificial Stigmata, in the long history of humanity, only a very few chosen by fate would display these special marks. But now...

Rita gritted her teeth and silently walked past each experimental chamber. She breathed a sigh of relief only after seeing that none of the people she knew were inside. However, after seeing the experimental subjects clearly, an even stronger anger surged up with her blood. These experimental subjects varied in height, size, and age. Some had Honkai Beast tissue implanted in their bodies, covered with a white silicon-based shell. Others had parts of their bodies removed and replaced with artificial prosthetics. This place was like a bizarre human museum, showing everyone who entered just how far the human body could be modified. Was this the root of the secrets of Shencheng Medicine?

Rita lowered her head slightly. She was Valkyrie who fought for all of humanity. Now, after witnessing the horrific scene before her, intense anger filled her heart. Shencheng Medicine, how wonderful! Sharp nails pierced her palms, causing blood to slowly seep out. At this moment, the killing intent in Rita's heart was simply impossible to conceal.

As Valkyrie protects humanity, she was deeply disturbed by the sight of such a tragic scene.

"Miss Rita... Are you alright? I can detect that your heart rate and blood pressure are both elevated. Has something happened?"

Alvit, who had been monitoring Rita's condition, suddenly noticed something was wrong. What was wrong with the vice-captain? This heart rate and blood pressure were only possible in cases of extreme excitement or rage. And Miss Rita... she really couldn't imagine that such a dignified and elegant maid would experience such strong emotional fluctuations.

"...Phew... Nothing happened."

After calming herself down, Rita regained her composure thanks to her strong self-control. Anger wouldn't solve the problem; she still had things to investigate. Although she had regained her composure, Rita tone was still icy. She commanded the mechanical hounds to enter the database of the terminal in the hall. In an instant, countless documents flooded Rita's vision, and amidst the flurry of documents, she immediately spotted the target she was looking for.

[Stigmata, the most precious legacy in human blood, Stigmata not products of natural evolution, but rather miracles of Previous Era biotechnology. Their principles and mechanisms remain shrouded in mystery. Previous Era demise, these pre-civilizations inoculated a small number of their offspring's embryos with complex Honkai antibody genomes. These genomes then formed marks on the human body surface—these are the Stigmata.]

Humans carrying Stigmata possess greater resistance and control over Honkai energy, thus exhibiting various incredible powers. However, unfortunately, with the inheritance of humankind across generations, genes continue to mutate and exchange, eventually causing the originally complete Stigmata genome to break apart. Once the puzzle is disrupted, the meaning of the pattern ceases to exist. Therefore, although every modern human carries Stigmata genes, only a handful of people can naturally express the Stigmata.

[Schicksal prevented the artificial creation of Stigmata and their subsequent implantation, but such technology was fraught with flaws and dangers, amounting to nothing more than a clumsy imitation. However, inspired by the omniscient and omnipotent serpent, our research has made a leap forward.]

Rita saw this information: an omniscient and omnipotent snake, the World Serpent...?

Chapter 231 The Rose in the Trap

Suppressing her doubts for the time being, Rita continued to explore the hard-won intelligence. However, while she was fully focused on acquiring information, she was unaware that danger was slowly approaching her.

[We now know how to activate and recombine latent Stigmata fragments within the human genome through artificial intervention, allowing them to be fully expressed. This process is extremely difficult; those who cannot withstand it will die, or even become zombies. However, those who survive will possess the power to survive the Honkai. The price is very high, but it is well worth it... The current activation progress is still slow, far from the expected number. We plan to conduct the experiment in a densely populated city.]

"This is insane, this plan... they're absolutely insane."

Rita muttered to herself. Having seen this, Rita had obtained all the information she wanted to know. She had a considerable understanding of the Shencheng Medicine... no, the World Serpent's plan. Rita's rose-colored eyes were filled with unconcealed astonishment. She never expected that they would plan such a thing, to experiment on the entire population of the city. They must be insane!

Sometimes, I feel that way too.

Just then, another voice suddenly rang out in the quiet hall. At the far end of the laboratory, a huge screen suddenly lit up, and the figure on the screen said, "It's Chiora, and also Raven." Before Rita could react, the entire laboratory suddenly sounded an alarm, and several Suicide Squad suddenly appeared around Rita. In the experimental chamber in the very center, an uneasy feeling welled up in Rita's heart. Tsk.

[I'm surrounded. The Immortal Blade, prepare to converge.]

Having already prepared herself for this turn of events, Rita picked up her scythe and warily eyed the Suicide Squad before her. At the same time, she relayed the order to the Immortal Blade. Alvit immediately sprang into action. "Immortal Blade, proceed swiftly to Miss Rita's coordinates!"

"As expected of Schicksal, daring to so brazenly trespass on someone else's territory without permission and spy on their secrets, Miss Rita. Since you're so interested in this place, why not take a few more looks... That way, I'll have some time to properly entertain you. However, one must always pay a price for what one gains, right? Exchanging your life and the lives of your subordinates for everything you see here... isn't that a too high price?"

The Raven on the screen looked at Rita, who was surrounded by Suicide Squad, and smiled with triumph. "I've spread the net, and this maid has jumped in. I knew she couldn't resist the lure of this information. So what if she's S-rank Valkyrie of Schicksal? She's still walking into my trap. Let her see what the difference is between S-rank Valkyrie and an ordinary person."

"Oh? Do you really understand what kind of opponent you've chosen? If World Serpent thinks it can destroy the Valkyrie of Schicksal with just these things, then I can only express my deepest sympathy."

Rita's rose-colored eyes showed no panic as Rita looked at the World Serpent modified Suicide Squad before her and gently shook her head. Although she might have fallen into a trap, what could she do? With overwhelming power, any conspiracy was as powerless as a bubble. Rita had anticipated this situation, but she remained resolute because she had unwavering confidence in her own strength. S-rank Valkyrie of Schicksal —it seemed the other party didn't understand the true meaning of that title. Well then, Rita would show her what a true S-rank Valkyrie really was!

A cold black light flashed, and when Rita's figure reappeared, all the modified Suicide Squad surrounding her were already lying on the ground. With such strength, they still wanted to ambush her? What a disappointment.

[Of course I understand the strength you possess, Miss Rita. Therefore, I've prepared a small gift for you. I hope you'll like it. Let me see if the so-called Immortal Blade, hailed as an elite weapon, can still perform as well as ever in dire circumstances.]

Rita's displayed combat power did not surprise Raven. After all, she was a top-ranked Valkyrie in Schicksal. If she didn't have such strength, then Raven would truly be disappointed in Schicksal. As Raven finished speaking, several canisters of what looked like tear gas were thrown into the hall. Hearing the sound of the gas leaking from the canisters, Rita frowned slightly and then took out the gas mask attached to her Valkyrie Armor and put it on her face. Such a despicable tactic.

"Whether it's Suicide Squad or poisoning... this insignificant method only makes you look more pathetic."

Rita's voice carried a subtle mockery as she twirled the massive black scythe in her hand. With a casual flick of her wrist, the maid sliced through an oncoming Suicide Squad. Was this all she had to offer? This method wouldn't stop her from finding this despicable woman and torturing her severely.

"Really? Poisoning? I don't think so, Miss Rita. I hope you like the gift I prepared for you."

The Raven on the screen was still smiling, looking quite interested, showing no sign of frustration at her thwarted plot. This stuff works very quickly; she believed it should be working by now.

Rita frowned slightly. The other party's attitude made her feel uneasy. Just then, she noticed the change in her surroundings. The Suicide Squad and Honkai Beast surrounding her were retreating. They looked as if they had been drained of their strength, and their bodies were shrinking. The cause of this phenomenon... Rita looked down at the canister that had already run out of gas not far away. Was it this thing?

[This doesn't contain tear gas, but HSN-B46 serum. You should know what that is—a serum that rapidly deactivates and disperses Honkai energy within living organisms. It's the masterpiece of a scientist from Schicksal, a version specially formulated for you Immortal Blade ... It doesn't require breathing; it enters the circulatory system through skin contact, rendering Valkyrie as defenseless as ordinary people... Using weapons created by Schicksal against Schicksal's own people—what an ironic and amusing situation.]

The Raven on the screen confirmed Rita's conjecture: having lost control of Honkai energy, even Valkyrie are just ordinary people. At Raven's command, several mechs suddenly appeared, replacing the completely inactive Honkai Beast and Suicide Squad, and surrounded Rita. This was another gift: a specialized Valkyrie hunting weapon, codenamed Death Weaver.

Chapter 232 Rescue

Rita's breathing grew heavy. It seemed the enemy hadn't lied to her; this was indeed Honkai energy disintegration potion. Rita could feel her power rapidly draining away. The once sharp edge of her scythe now seemed somewhat dull. Rita remained silent and continued fighting, staring at the combination of machine and Suicide Squad before her— the Valkyrie Hunter.

That's really quite funny.

[Oh, right, it's time to show you the situation of your close subordinates. You're not still hoping for reinforcements, are you? Wake up, you're not getting any.]

As if to break down Rita's psychological defenses, the scene on the screen suddenly changed while Rita was fighting hard. It was the Immortal Blade team members. The screen was divided into many sections, and each section showed the Immortal Blade members fighting the enemy. Sure enough, her actions were all within the enemy's expectations, and she had already prepared a response.

[The Immortal Blade, truly tenacious. Don't worry about your companions; to be fair, I will give each of them the same gift.]

The video suddenly cut off, Raven's smiling face reappeared on the screen. She was eager to see the look of panic on Rita's face, but the maid slowly revealed a smile. Looking at that smiling face, even though she had the upper hand, Raven still couldn't help but feel a little uncomfortable. This maid was really dangerous.

[You can still laugh as you watch your comrades fall? What a cold-blooded bastard.]

"No, I'm just thinking about how I should deal with you when you fall into the hands of Schicksal. Stay tuned."

Although she was furious and on the verge of exploding, Rita didn't show it at all. She knew that such impotent rage would only embolden the enemy. All she could do now was trust her teammates. Self-pity was useless. She hoped they wouldn't fall into her hands, or Rita would show them that sometimes, even death was a luxury.

Raven, let's settle this score today!

"Really? I hate people who can't keep their promises. Kill her."

Ignoring Rita's threat, Raven casually issued the kill order. The neutralizing agent was taking effect on Rita, whose power as Valkyrie was rapidly diminishing. In this confined environment, the agent was more effective, and all Raven had to do was wait.

"It seems that Schicksal has already taken action. Rita has chosen to believe our ideas... We really have to thank you, Shen Gonglin. If it weren't for you, that woman would never have believed me."

Under the cover of night, Shen Gonglin and Kiana, who had rested all day, stood in the distance watching the commotion in the Shencheng Medicine industrial zone. Without a doubt, it was the Immortal Blade launching an operation. Kiana felt a little jealous at the thought of it. She reached out and pinched Shen Gonglin's cheek gently, getting angry just thinking about it. That maid was way too close to him; she believed him just because he said so. So infuriating!

"Ouch... Rita is a good girl, she's beautiful, has a great figure, and a wonderful personality, so what's so strange about her believing me... Kiana, do you want her not to believe me? And aren't you being a bit arrogant? Do you really think I won't fight back and beat you up?"

Reaching out, Shen Gonglin slapped Kiana's hand away, rubbing her cheek and glaring at Kiana. What on earth was this idiot girl angry about? Shen Gonglin couldn't figure out what she was upset about. Wasn't it a good thing that Rita listened to her? Who wouldn't love such an obedient maid? In any case, Shen Gonglin's affection for Rita had been steadily increasing. She believed that Rita must have made a meticulous plan to infiltrate Shencheng Medicine. After all, Rita had always been perfect, Shen Gonglin was quite at ease about her.

"Alright, alright, we can beat you up later. We should get going now."

Kiana waved her hand dismissively. She wasn't afraid of Shen Gonglin's threats anyway. In her eyes, it was just about increasing the intimacy between the two of them. However, seeing how good his relationship with this maid was, she still had to give him a little revenge, otherwise this kid would dare to do it again.

Kiana reached out and hugged Shen Gonglin's waist, then gently fell towards the top of the building. By the time Shen Gonglin realized what Kiana was about to do, it was too late. Shen Gonglin stared wide-eyed at Kiana in disbelief. "This brat! What an idiot! Jumping off such a height! Is she trying to scare me to death?"

With this in mind, Kiana felt the body in her arms stiffen and panic. A smile tugged at the corner of her lips as the girl leaped between the tall buildings, quickly heading towards the Shencheng Medicine Building. She hoped that Rita had already found out the truth.

However... it seems that something is not quite right.

As Kiana approached, her expression changed. She could hear the sounds of battle; the members of the Immortal Blade were fighting some kind of enemy—staggering Suicide Squad and monstrous mechs. These enemies were fighting against the Valkyrie of the Immortal Blade. This was the scene Kiana witnessed upon arriving. She wasn't surprised that a battle had broken out, but the way the battle was unfolding puzzled Kiana. Was this really the Immortal Blade? This battle felt... like ordinary people fighting against Honkai.

Despite the elite members of the Immortal Blade's valiant resistance, the overwhelming number of Suicide Squad gradually gained the upper hand. Moreover, these Valkyrie were starting to suffer injuries. The members who were still in good fighting condition were fighting hard on the periphery, while the wounded members were protected in the middle. They looked quite disheveled.

Kiana, Shen Gonglin, something's wrong. Be careful. Also... we don't have much time.

Suddenly, Fu Hua, the embodiment of Kiana, spoke, calmly explaining the current situation. They should be focusing on understanding the inner workings of Shencheng Medicine; wasting time here would only...

"Since time is running out, we should definitely hurry up and save them."

Shen Gonglin made his decision immediately, and in a flash of golden light, he had already charged into the battlefield. Kiana smiled upon seeing this, for Shen Gonglin's choice was also the choice she herself wanted.

"Class President, what you said makes a lot of sense, but it seems like you can't control Shen Gonglin."

Kiana drew her dual pistols and joined the battle. Yes, that's right, Shen Gonglin's decision was exactly what Kiana wanted.

Chapter 233 A Bold Idea

If I could control him, he'd pin me to the bed and tickle my stomach! That's ridiculous.

In Kiana's mind, Fu Hua silently complained that Fu Hua was also happy that Shen Gonglin had made the decision to rescue her. Although she had just stated the facts, Fu Hua also hoped that Shen Gonglin would be like this. In the long years, many things will change, but some things should remain forever, just like Shen Gonglin. This guy has never changed at all from beginning to end.

The Immortal Blade had reached its limit. Originally, Valkyrie like Alvit, who were more focused on administrative roles, were always protected by their teammates. But now, she had taken up an axe and spear and stood at the forefront of protecting her teammates. When the battle began, everything was still in accordance with the plan. Although they were ambushed, the Immortal Blade elite Valkyrie squad was not afraid of such an encirclement. However, after the enemy introduced some kind of gas into the battle, the situation turned one-sided. With the Honkai energy within their bodies dissipating, and without the control over Honkai energy, the Valkyrie of the Immortal Blade were just ordinary people who had been trained. Against ordinary people, such an offensive was simply unstoppable.

I wonder how Rita is doing... In short, this will probably be the biggest casualty the Immortal Blade has ever suffered since its creation.

A wave of despair washed over her. By then, the Suicide Squad had broken through the defenses. When she saw the cold glint of the scythe, Alvit was ready to close her eyes. Now that she thought about it, perhaps growing potatoes in Siberia wasn't such a bad place after all. At least there wouldn't be this kind of danger. Potatoes, I miss you.

"Hey, isn't this... um, Alvit? You look so cool going to your death, but the tears in your eyes are kind of embarrassing."