Chapter 224

Upon hearing Rita's reason, Alvit was deeply moved and realized how narrow-minded she had been. She had only thought that Rita wanted to save face, but she hadn't expected that this was her purpose. As expected of her vice-captain, this was the difference between her and Rita. She was worried about the thousands of people in this city.

"I understand, Alvit. Valkyrie don't only fight by relying on Honkai energy. The training I received in the past is etched into my body, and I have never forgotten it. And don't forget, I'm not alone. Rin-sama is by my side."

Understanding her subordinate's worries, Rita gently comforted her. At the same time, the maid looked up at Shen Gonglin. It was because of him that Rita felt completely at ease. Shen Gonglin would protect her from everything, and this feeling of being protected wasn't bad at all. Rita wanted to savor it.

"... That's why I'm becoming increasingly aware... Miss Rita, although Shen Gonglin is sometimes quite reliable, and with his combat strength there's really nothing to worry about, this person is problematic. You must be careful and keep a close eye on him. If there are chains, it's best to tie him up securely, otherwise he'll definitely get lost in no time. He has no sense of direction and can't remember people. I really don't know how he recognizes people... In short, Miss Rita, please be very careful."

Alvit was initially relieved, as Rita had always given off a reliable vibe. Although she could be a bit reckless at times, the entire Immortal Blade trusted Rita. However, after hearing that she would be going on a mission with Shen Gonglin, Alvit suddenly felt uneasy. Reliability was the last thing that came with Shen Gonglin; she was terrible with directions and face blind. How could Alvit feel at ease letting her infiltrate such a complex industrial area with the vice-captain?

"Alvit ...you really know Rin-sama well."

Hearing Alvit's instructions, Rita's eyes gleamed slightly. It had to be said that Alvit's understanding of Shen Gonglin was indeed quite thorough; the problems she mentioned were indeed likely to occur. But how did she know? Rita didn't recall Shen Gonglin being so familiar with her. Could it be...?

The person I should be most concerned about is actually my own lecherous subordinate? I never expected that you, Alvit, who looks so dignified, would actually be this kind of person. I really underestimated you.

"Yes, yes, I've dealt with him several times, so I completely understand these things."

Chapter 252 Come and let me kiss you

I've already dealt with Shen Gonglin several times... How come I knew nothing about this? My lord is certainly not well-behaved at all.

Hearing the words in the earpiece, Rita's eyes narrowed slightly. Now she was experiencing Durandal's feelings a little. So this is what it feels like to be betrayed by a subordinate. Wasn't she Durandal's subordinate as well? She betrayed Durandal, and then Alvit betrayed her. Was this Schicksal's traditional art? But no matter what, Alvit, you've narrowed your path again.

Speaking of which Alvit has already narrowed her path many times, and now she's practically walking a tightrope.

After hanging up the call, Rita looked at Shen Gonglin, who was squatting on the ground playing checkers with her out of boredom, and quietly pouted. In front of Shen Gonglin, this perfect maid also wanted to act cute. She quietly walked over and leaned on Shen Gonglin's back. Her curvaceous figure pressed against her back immediately drew Shen Gonglin's attention to her. What was going on? She was just waiting for her to finish the call, so why was she acting like this?

Rita seemed to be angry for some reason. Shen Gonglin, who was squatting on the ground, turned his head to look to the side and rubbed against Rita's flawless face. Although he didn't know why she was angry, Shen Gonglin was used to it. Kiana was the same way, and even the Class President would sometimes get angry for no reason. Shen Gonglin felt that he probably just couldn't understand why.

"What's wrong?"

Rita was being held by the maid, and her sweet scent surrounded Shen Gonglin. Shen Gonglin reached out and touched Rita's cheek, while the maid rubbed against Shen Gonglin's hand like a cat. What's wrong with this cute girl?

"It's nothing, I just wanted to act cute towards Lady Rin. I hope Lady Rin won't mind... Even if she does mind, it's no use, because I'm a mischievous maid, and I'm going to be naughty right now."

The maid, in her own way, fawned over Shen Gonglin, rubbing against him as if trying to leave her scent on him. This was her way of declaring her territory; no one else, no matter how insignificant, could even dream of touching Shen Gonglin.

"Um... I don't mind you being naughty at all, whatever makes you happy. But we have to get started now. How about I let you be naughty again when we have more time?"

Is this considered mischievous? Anyway, Shen Gonglin is quite comfortable being rubbed against by Rita. The obedient maid instantly transforms into a spoiled puppy. Rita's current state gives Shen Gonglin a sense of déjà vu. She seems to have raised a pet girl like this before, and Rita like this... looks like a puppy, a dog-puppy?

Of course, Shen Gonglin only thought about this; he wouldn't dare say it out loud.

"Then it's settled. If you have time, Rin-sama, you'd better let me do some good mischief. Rin-sama, let's get moving. Kiana's current situation is still unclear, so we need to hurry."

As if for this purpose, after receiving Shen Gonglin's promise, Rita immediately became serious and said, instantly transforming from a coquettish maid into a working state. This is the true charm of a maid. She can be coquettish and cute, and she can also switch between serious and solemn in a second. This is Rita Roseweisse.

"Don't worry, that girl is actually very smart. Maybe her capture was part of her plan. Everything is under the watchful eyes of the insect."

Shen Gonglin also stood up. He took the maid's hand and walked towards the heavily guarded industrial area. He wasn't too worried about Kiana's situation. The Class President was still with her. Kiana was also a smart girl. Now they needed to focus on the matter at hand: infiltrating... As long as no one saw them, that would count as infiltrating.

Shen Gonglin rubbed his hands together, it had been a long time since he'd infiltrated anything, and now was the perfect time to pick up the tradition again. Seeing Shen Gonglin's actions, Rita took out her scythe. With the support of her Valkyrie Armor, she could still wield it. It seemed that Rin-sama's infiltration was different from what she had imagined. However, as a proper maid, she would naturally obey her master's orders.

"Infiltration successful. I guarantee no one will notice."

After pulling the Spear of the Void from the back of the guard robot, Shen Gonglin said to Rita with a smug look on her face. She thought to herself that her skills hadn't deteriorated. If no one survived, then she had successfully infiltrated the robot. This was the so-called unparalleled infiltration technique. She also thought that her backstab skills hadn't fallen behind. In the past, when she played games with Bronya, this was always the prize they fought over. She was still as good as ever. She had to take a good look at herself.

"Wow, that's amazing, Rin-sama. Such an exquisite infiltration method makes me want to give you a Rita."

As Shen Gonglin's personal maid, Rita naturally knew that this was the time to Shen Gonglin. She put away her scythe and left everything to Shen Gonglin, the maid who had nothing else to do, and slowly walked to Shen Gonglin's side. Rita knew exactly what to say at this moment.

"You've already kissed her! Rita, what... what are you looking at?"

Caught off guard by Rita's sneak attack, Shen Gonglin, her face flushed and heart pounding, took a step back and hurriedly wiped her mouth. Ever since they woke up in the same bed, this maid seemed to have become particularly arrogant. This fleeting kiss was as easy as eating or drinking. Shen Gonglin glared at Rita, somewhat embarrassed and angry, while the maid thoughtfully looked around. What was wrong? Was this girl trying to change the subject again? She had done this more than once. Did she think she would fall for it again?

"I'm looking for... where is the wreckage of the Eos?"

Rita frowned as she looked into the distance. According to her expectations, the wreckage of the crashed Eos should be lying there quietly, but now there was nothing there except a deep crater. The wreckage was gone. What happened?

"Hey, right, where did it go? Did they dismantle it? Such a big spaceship, even if they dismantled it and sold it for scrap metal, it would probably fetch a lot of money. How did it disappear?"

Shen Gonglin realized at that moment that the cleanup was incredibly thorough; how could it have disappeared so quickly?

"I have a bad feeling... Lady Rin, come here and let me kiss you, I need to think about this."

"Oh, okay... wait! Why do I have to come over and let you kiss me? Why can't you be the one to come over and let me kiss you!"

"Such a good thing! That works too."

Chapter 253

I'm thinking about the past again. Sure enough, no matter how much time has passed, memories are just memories, like a scabbed wound—they still hurt, they still get remembered...

Inside the recovery pod, Raven opened her eyes. Because she had forcibly used a potion to restore her Honkai energy during her battle with Kiana, she had gone straight to the recovery pod for treatment upon her return. During this time, the image that had been lingering in her memory reappeared in her dreams. Honkai, what a disgusting thing. Shaking her head, Raven reached out and pushed open the pod door in front of her, stepping out again. Although it would cause some damage to her body, it was truly insignificant compared to the results of such a battle.

[How are things? You should be almost fully recovered by now. Aren't you a little proud of yourself? You defeated the Herrscher of the Void, proving that the will of the World Serpent is unstoppable. This also proves my conclusion: even if the Honkai grants the Herrscher devastating power, they are still just flesh and blood.]

As soon as she stepped out of the recovery pod, Jackal's communication came through. Facing the woman on the screen, who was wearing a dog's head and talking incessantly, Raven suddenly felt an inexplicable irritation. However, she managed to hide her feelings well, as it didn't really matter. Looking at the woman on the screen who was so happy and excited that she was almost jumping for joy, Raven's mood became much calmer.

"Jackal, I hope you know what you're doing."

Raven warned Jackal in a deep voice that this woman was plotting against the Herrscher. Even though she had indeed defeated Kiana, Raven was not at ease. Her instincts reminded her that the Herrscher was not so simple. The plan that Jackal wanted to carry out was like walking a tightrope in a desperate situation.

[Of course I know that since the organization was founded, we have never obtained a research sample of Herrscher, let alone a living Herrscher. Studying her would give us a leap forward in our understanding of the nature of Honkai!]

Like a fanatical mad scientist, the Jackal could hardly contain her joy. She lifted her mask and looked at the Raven with excitement. Did she even understand what this meant? This silly woman really didn't understand what kind of great research they were doing.

"Can these studies bring the dead back to life?"

I really don't understand Jackal's idea. Raven's casual remark made the excited Jackal suddenly freeze. Could people who died because of the Honkai come back to life? This is clearly beyond the scope of my research.

[... You wouldn't understand what such an opportunity means to us researchers. If you can't understand your enemy, you can't defeat him, no matter how much pain it brings you. You must embrace it, see it clearly, and find opportunities to defeat it. If you can't do these things, then your suffering is just a waste. And in the end, personal pain or failure... is just a tiny speck of dust, one in billions. There is only one kind of pain that needs healing, and that is the pain brought about by the common fate of all mankind—the pain of Honkai. So let's do our part.]

Provoked by the Raven's words, the Jackal suddenly launched into a long tirade. There was no point in arguing with someone who didn't understand the magnitude of their work; the two were never on the same level from the start, so there was no need to continue the conversation. They simply needed to do their jobs and follow the snake's orders.

This guy seems to be getting impatient. Honestly, what's the point of saying all that? Are all the World Serpent philosophers? Gray Serpent used to love saying these kinds of things that were hard to understand but sounded impressive, and now even Jackal has become like that. What a strange organization. In this strange organization, even I seem to have become strange.

Raven sighed and said, "The Herrscher of the Void is now under your control, and the activation switch has been set up. Now, no one will stand in the way of the plan. Do what you want to do."

Meanwhile, inside Shencheng Medicine, Rita was holding Shen Gonglin's hand as they walked down the quiet corridor, looking at the route map provided by the microcomputer on her arm. According to previous data, this area should be the drug research institute in the industrial zone. The antidote for the Honkai energy deactivation drug in the human body should also be stored in some corner of this area. If everything goes smoothly, they should be able to find clues about the antidote inside.

[Just in case, I mean just in case... just in case you get discovered, Deputy Captain, remember to activate the Shadow Hound's auto-mode. It will cover your escape.]

During the communication, Alvit gave Rita some very worried instructions, while the maid smiled gently. Alvit really liked to worry. With Shen Gonglin right beside her, what could possibly happen to her? Did she lack confidence in herself or in Shen Gonglin? What a worrier she was.

"Alvit, can you have some faith in us? Even if you don't believe me, you should believe in Lady Rin."

Rita hung up the call and went into the room with Shen Gonglin. On the other end of the call, Alvit smiled bitterly. It was precisely because she was with Shen Gonglin that Alvit was worried. According to the plan, they should have already entered the research lab to find the antidote. But because Shen Gonglin was terrible with directions, they had been wandering around for a long time. The vice-captain was the same. She knew that Shen Gonglin was terrible with directions, but she still let Shen Gonglin lead the way. Could it be that she wanted to prolong the time the two of them held hands and did this on purpose...? Hmm, very likely.

"Lady Rin, let's split up and investigate. You investigate the location of the Eos wreckage, and I'll investigate where the antidote is. Don't go too far, okay?"

Upon entering the lab and seeing the several terminals in front of her, Rita finally let go of Shen Gonglin's hand. Now that they were in the same room, she wasn't worried about Shen Gonglin getting lost. It was time to get down to business.

Shen Gonglin nodded and walked to the computer next to her, while Rita bent down and knelt on the computer to search for the location of the antidote. Heaven knows why Shencheng Medicine set the computer position so low. But then again, her back view should look pretty good, right? Knowing Shen Gonglin's personality, she'll probably peek. If that's the case... Rita slightly paused, making her body curves more obvious. Hmm, this is suitable. Now let her see where the antidote is placed.

Chapter 254 Mei's Arrival

The fluorescent light from the screen cast a soft glow on Rita's face. While not a professional hacker like Bronya, Rita was quite knowledgeable about codebreaking. After all, she was an all-around maid; she needed to know a little about everything. Soon, Rita discovered the location of the antidote. However, judging from the tight security, it seemed she would need Rin-sama's help...

Just then, Rita's brow twitched. Her attention was completely focused on the computer survey, and she didn't even realize that someone had come up behind her. This couldn't be Shen Gonglin; if it were him, he would have already embraced her. Feeling the coldness of the blade behind her, Rita turned her head slightly, and sure enough, what appeared in front of her was a blade gleaming with a cold light.

"Mei, it's been a long time..."

Rita stopped typing on the keyboard. She glanced sideways at the figure behind her. Long, dark purple hair and cold eyes—just as she had suspected, the figure had probably received her message to be here.

"Rita, I received the message you sent..."

Behind Rita, Mei stared intently at the maid who had her back to her, showing no sign of letting her guard down. Mei knew the woman's identity; she had been humiliated by her before, so this time, she absolutely could not relax!

However, things didn't go as Mei expected. Completely focused on guarding against Rita, Mei overlooked the possibility of others in the room. Rushing forward, a figure suddenly pounced on Mei. Before the girl could finish speaking, Shen Gonglin tackled her to the side. Overjoyed, Shen Gonglin hugged Mei tightly around the waist, pinning the girl to the ground and rubbing against her. "Long time no see! It's been so long since I've seen Mei!"

"Mei, Mei... It's been so long! You still have such a great figure."

Since the troop split up in Sea Abyss City, Shen Gonglin had never seen Mei again. Now, the long-awaited reunion filled him with joy. Upon seeing Mei, Shen Gonglin couldn't help but think of the delicious dishes she used to make. Since leaving St. Freya, Shen Gonglin hadn't had proper cooking for a long time. This was the feeling, the feeling of these pots and pans. His cook was finally back.

"Shin, Shen Gonglin... No, don't hug me like this, it tickles... Quick, let go of me... What are you doing here?"

The once dashing and aloof girl vanished in an instant. Mei had initially thought she'd been attacked by some kind of trap, but after being tackled to the ground, she realized who was on top of her. Unable to maintain her earlier imposing manner, the girl blushed and pushed away Shen Gonglin, her long sword falling to the side. She'd finally managed to be so imposing, only to have that idiot Shen Gonglin ruin it. She knew he was happy to see her, but couldn't he at least show her some respect? Why was he rubbing against her chest like that in front of everyone?!

"Mei, are you happy?"

Before they knew it, a maid had appeared beside them. The elegant maid spoke softly, her tone filled with envy and jealousy. "Even Lady Rin has never done this to me. I'm so envious. Miss Mei must be so happy and arrogant right now."

"Where did you get the idea that I'm happy! Shen Gonglin... Shen Gonglin, let go of me! Are you trying to strangle me?!"

Being stared at so intently by the maid was becoming unbearable for Mei, the innocent girl. She struggled to pull Shen Gonglin, who was clinging to her and trying to get close, away. Oh no! All the imposing aura she had painstakingly built up was gone thanks to Shen Gonglin. The once cool and sharp girl was now disheveled, her hair a mess, while Shen Gonglin just blinked innocently. Damn it...

How could I not be angry with him at all when he looked so innocent?

Mei tidied her hair, looking at Shen Gonglin's pitiful appearance. In the end, the girl had no choice but to stretch out her hands to him. Upon seeing her like this, Shen Gonglin immediately beamed and rushed over. He hadn't seen Mei in a long time and missed her terribly.

"It seems that luck is on my side. As my ally, Mei, I hope that things like holding a knife to an ally's throat like before will not happen again."

Rita was clearly furious but still had to keep smiling. Her body trembled slightly as she said these words through gritted teeth. She was so angry, so very angry, but for the sake of her perfect maid image, Rita could only force herself to smile and endure. She could only endure it now. Shen Gonglin hadn't seen Mei for so long, so it was normal for her to be excited about seeing her again. Rita forced herself to calm down, but she couldn't help but interrupt this touching reunion. This was not the time to be excited and happy.

"Reinforcements... I have no intention of helping you. After intercepting your information, Dr. Tesla and I made the worst-case scenario plan. Now, why should I trust you?"

Mei blushed and blushed when facing Shen Gonglin, but when facing Rita, her face turned cold again. She had been tricked by this maid before, and now that she was talking about reinforcements, how could Mei believe her? However, perhaps because Shen Gonglin was with her, Mei herself might not have realized that, subconsciously, Rita was no longer an enemy. But the girl still picked up the knife and pointed it at Rita. In any case, this maid was still a member of Schicksal on the surface.

"When a knife is at your throat, lying is the most unwise choice. Look around and you'll understand. There are no ambushes here, and right now, I have no chance against Miss Mei."

Even with a knife pointed at her, the maid showed no sign of panic. She lifted her skirt and Mei to Mei, but Mei didn't sense any of the aura of a top-tier Valkyrie from her. What was going on? What was wrong with this maid? Wasn't she Schicksal S-rank Valkyrie? Why was she acting like an ordinary person now?

"Because Rita was too reckless, she was ambushed and ended up like this. It's pitiful. Mei, please don't point the knife at her. She's one of my people."

Shen Gonglin pressed Mei's hand down. They were both her children, and she couldn't let Mei bully Rita just because they hadn't seen Mei for a while. The fluorescent light from the screen dimly illuminated Rita's face. Although not a professional hacker like Bronya, Rita was quite knowledgeable about codebreaking. After all, she was an all-around maid; she had to know a little about everything. Soon, Rita discovered the location of the antidote. However, judging from the security, it was very well protected. It seemed she would need Rin-sama's help...

Shen Gonglin pressed Mei's hand down. Both of them were her children, and she couldn't let Mei bully Rita just because they hadn't seen Mei for a long time.

Chapter 255 I'm sorry