22. Don't Let Me Catch You in Sky City, Okay? / 23. Xiy: You're Hitting Your Allies!

"Idiot, who puts all their eggs in one basket? If I get caught, I'll be counting on you to save me."

Xia Ling tapped Kiana on the head. "Besides, with your counter-surveillance awareness, if you go in and take a stroll, World Serpent will probably know even the color of your underwear."

"How could that be... I was only photographed once... twice... uh, several times..."

Kiana's voice became increasingly insecure as she spoke.

"Good to know. Kids shouldn't try to play sneaky like adults, or they might get caught and used for experiments!"

"Hmph, when that day comes, I'll just stand by and watch Sister Xia Ling suffer, then film her defeat and use it to mock Sister Xia Ling later."

Kiana pouted, looking unconvinced.

"Then you probably won't have that chance. After all, starting tomorrow, our infiltration plan will be suspended."

Xia Ling sent a photo to Kiana's terminal.

"In two days, Schicksal, the sponsor of Kamisato Pharmaceuticals, will be supplying medicines and supplies for the next month, and this time, Rita will be the escort."

"Since Rita is coming, World Serpent will definitely bring back their high-level combatants as a precaution. At that time, this place will truly be full of S-class soldiers."

"Sister Kamisato Pharmaceuticals Sister Xia Ling, do you think Schicksal knows that he is funding the World Serpent industry?"

"It's highly likely they don't know. Although Otto often does inhuman things, under his leadership, Schicksal is indeed a qualified and upright organization."

"This kind of funding is common all over the world, not just in Schicksal, but also in Anti-Entropy. It's a very normal way to enhance one's reputation, and Otto doesn't have time to personally review every company he sponsors."

"Otherwise, given his cautious nature, it wouldn't be Rita leading the team this time, but Durandal."

"I see... Then tell me, could we try to win Rita over?"

"... It's hard to say."

Xia Ling pondered for a moment and said, "You can believe with absolute certainty that Rita and Durandal, or rather, most of the Valkyrie of Schicksal."

"They are all good people, but Kiana, even good people have their own stance."

"Just like how Wendy could privately message us Schicksal War to ask if we needed support, but on the surface she couldn't have any connection with us."

"Rita would certainly not mind taking action to eliminate this cancer, but she might not necessarily give up her mission to hunt you down because of it."

"Even so... that's my own business later. Right now, it's definitely more important to resolve the crisis in Changkong City."

"Besides, with our spatial abilities, it should be quite difficult for us to crash, right?"

"Don't make such a prediction. People who make such predictions usually end up in the game's recap collection."

"Sister Xia Ling, you're so knowledgeable..."

"You're quite impressive that you can understand what I'm saying."

Xia Ling retorted without hesitation.

"I knew it! That's why Bronya's game console has weird online games. You must be taking advantage of Mei's lack of gaming knowledge and deliberately making Mei play with you, right?"

"Hehehe..."

"Still laughing? Do you think I'm praising you...?"

Xia Ling pinched Kiana's cheek hard.

"I can roughly guess how Rita will find you."

"To prevent any unexpected situations from arising, I'll designate a few areas for you in advance."

"When the time comes, you just lead Rita and the others to these places, and I will provide you with some support."

"Is this Sister Xia Ling's sniping spot?" Kiana opened the map and looked at it. "No, the field of view doesn't seem very open. It doesn't seem like a place suitable for sniping..."

"That's because you're not good enough, not because I am." Xia Ling scoffed. "Maybe my bullets will curve?"

"Sister Xia Ling, how come you can still cheat in real life?" Kiana chuckled. "Okay, okay, I believe you, Sister Xia Ling. Just remember not to get your account banned, okay?"

"Don't worry, my bag hanger is stable."

Chapter Twenty-Two: Don't let me catch you in Changkong City!

On the Hyperion screen, Tesla's face showed obvious anger.

She had just spent five minutes ranting about how useless Gray Serpent was.

Fortunately, the experienced Ain accurately translated what she wanted to express from her long list of censored words.

"You mean..." Ain's expression was uncertain. "There's no intelligence at all in Gray Serpent's data?"

"He can't say he didn't," Tesla said, his voice still trembling with anger. "He did say that Kiana was in Changkong City, and he even provided corresponding photographic evidence."

"But he didn't say where Kiana is, which is the most crucial person!"

"Not only did he not give Kiana's specific movements, but he also only drew a range for Kiana and Xia Ling's stronghold."

"My God, that area covers three city blocks! Even if we mobilized the entire Changkong City police force to conduct investigations, it would still take two or three days!"

"This person did it on purpose, right? It must have been on purpose!"

"Sigh... I knew it."

Ain covered her head with a headache. "No wonder Gray Serpent didn't mention Changkong City at all when he was in Abyssal City. Sure enough, there was basically no valuable information in those data."

"Things have come to this..."

Ain's gaze fell on Theresa, who was standing to the side.

"Theresa, you should take the transport plane and head to Changkong City alone."

"As for Tesla, I will have Mei set off simultaneously, with Bronya providing remote command."

"You can meet up inside the city."

"Huh? Wasn't it said that Hyperion was going too?"

Theresa turned her head, looking puzzled.

"That was indeed the original plan, but..."

Ain hesitated before speaking, then said, "Sigfried has disappeared."

"Just a few days ago, during the World Serpent's attack on the Anti-Entropy base, Sigfried stayed behind to cover the rear, buying time for Raiden Ryoma and the other base members to escape."

"Since there has been no news for so long, it's highly likely that they've been captured by the World Serpent."

"The Anti-Entropy base in New Mexico is in a mess right now, with a severe shortage of personnel and mechs. I need to send the Hyperion there with a batch of supplies, while leaving the Titan Unit there and seeing if we can find any trace of Sigfried."

"In short, if nothing else happens over there, we should be able to get to Changkong City within a few days."

"So regarding your operations in Changkong City... my recommendation is to be a little conservative, at least until the Hyperion arrives."

"Of course, if the situation is urgent, we need to be flexible."

"I understand, I know that principle." Theresa nodded. "However, we've been traveling for so long, and there's still no movement from Changkong City."

"It shouldn't happen in the next few days..."

Changkong City, Kamisato Pharmaceuticals.

[Automatic navigation function terminated; Eos initiates landing procedures.]

As the mechanical notification sounded from inside the spaceship, Alvit's image appeared on the screen.

"Vice Captain, the receptionist from Kamisato Pharmaceuticals requests a communication."

"I'll have the team members stay on the ship and return immediately after I complete the handover."

"Sister Rita, do you need me to come with you?"

Xi's little head suddenly popped out from the corner of the screen.

"No need, Little Xi. Theoretically speaking, this mission doesn't require the members of the Immortal Blade to show up."

Rita's voice immediately softened.

"Little Xi, stay on the boat and don't come out."

"Okay, Rita."

Xi nodded obediently and disappeared from the screen.

With a formulaic smile, Rita stepped off the spaceship and looked at the representative from Kamisato Pharmaceuticals, a rather tall woman dressed smartly.

"Welcome to the industrial zone, Ms. Rita. I am Xiola, an advisor from Kamisato Pharmaceuticals stationed in Schicksal."

"This time, I will greet you and accompany you on your inspection tour."

Rita nodded politely and followed the guide robot to begin her tour of Kamisato Pharmaceuticals.

Of course, while completing her inspection mission, she also made sure to get some friendly assistance from local businesses through this consultant.

For example... the Honkai Energy leakage records over the past five months.

A few hours later, on the Eos.

"Vice Captain, I have finished screening all the data submitted by Kamisato Pharmaceuticals."

As always, Alvit is the most useful tool in Schicksal's arsenal.

"As you said, Vice Captain, Kiana's name has not appeared in Kamisato Pharmaceuticals's medical records. However, among the four thousand records of Honkai Energy, thirty-five of them caused large-scale property damage."

"Several injured patients did indeed describe seeing a mysterious girl at the accident site who helped defeat the Honkai Beast."

"Very good, this is indeed an important clue."

Rita nodded in satisfaction.

"Next, it's time to verify our conjecture..."

"Alvit, send the times and locations of the thirty-five mass leaks you found to my terminal, then you all stay put."

"Hey, where's the vice-captain going?"

"Although Gray Serpent died in the previous battle, the vast intelligence network he left behind was not damaged."

"Since I possess his biometric authentication element, I can naturally access it freely within the system he left behind."

Rita changed into her Assault Suit - Shadow Iron and disappeared into the city.

Some time later, Alvit received another communication from Rita.

"Alvit, the intelligence has been confirmed."

"In at least half of the 35 cases, there was eyewitness testimony about this mysterious girl."

"It seems our Miss Kiana is a diligent guardian of the city..."

"Vice Captain, what's our next step...?"

"Have the members of the Immortal Blade connect to the city's emergency management center and be prepared to handle every subsequent Honkai Energy leak."

"If such an event occurs, I need at least one-third of the Immortal Blade members to be able to quickly move in."

"Little Xi and I will be stationed in the center of the city. Once you spot Kiana, do not make any rash moves. Wait for me to arrive before surrounding her."

"If I don't arrive, it means I'm letting her go. None of you are allowed to show yourselves, so as not to alert her. Do you understand?"

"Understood, Vice Captain!"

"I understand now, Sister Rita!"

Evening imitates.

"Me too, Rita- neechan~"

Xia Ling, who was eavesdropping along with Xi, also replied with a sentence.

"Since Rita has arranged everything this way, then I won't stand on ceremony and will choose the meeting place myself this time~"

Chapter Twenty-Three: You're attacking friendly forces!

One day later.

"Captain, we've intercepted an alarm from the Sky Patrol!"

"Honkai Beast invasion has occurred in the northern urban area D-2322."