After speaking with Theresa in private, Himeko and Theresa both agreed that, due to her past, Xia Ling might have certain self-destructive tendencies.
The psychological tests they secretly conducted afterward also confirmed this.
However, Xia Ling felt rather innocent about the result.
If you could be resurrected without paying too great a price, would you let your friends and family enter danger—or die—before you did? Of course not.
Yet it was precisely because of this string of coincidences that Himeko finally put her mind at ease about Xia Ling.
Outside of their regular missions, Himeko also began teaching Xia Ling combat techniques and experience.
As for Welt, thanks to the private cooperation the two had reached, Xia Ling no longer had to avoid him every day. Beyond their usual work, they also began interacting much more often.
The knowledge and experience Xia Ling had accumulated from a world before her transmigration made her fit the identity of a well-traveled wanderer perfectly. Some of her insights often gave Welt additional inspiration.
Meanwhile, Welt's knowledge thoroughly satisfied Xia Ling's curiosity as a setting enthusiast.
Over time, their relationship even improved considerably.
At night, Xia Ling spent a fixed three or four hours sparring with Flame Willow in the training ground every day.
Due to the special nature of the system space, when Xia Ling's consciousness entered it, her body entered a sleeping state. As for her mental fatigue, she only needed two or three hours of sleep after training to recover.
And during breaks from training, she could enjoy the happiness of cuddling with Elysia whenever she wanted. Life could not have been more comfortable.
Xia Ling's days passed slowly amid such fulfillment, while on the other side, Raven completed her mission outside and returned to headquarters to report in.
While handing over the mission, Raven also told Gray Serpent everything about Xia Ling.
"Traveler... to be honest, that identity isn't very credible." After hearing Raven's account, Gray Serpent fell silent for a moment before speaking slowly.
"So she was lying to me after all?" Raven was not particularly surprised by that judgment. After all, it was rather unlikely for someone to reveal everything to a person they had only met once and who might even be hostile.
"Lying to you? No, no, no..." Gray Serpent shook his head. "She probably did not lie to you. If she wanted to deceive you, there were countless explanations more believable than that origin story."
"I believe she has no intention of becoming enemies with you. That information may not necessarily be false either—or rather, it may be incomplete truth."
"When I say it lacks credibility, I mean it is not credible that the truth ends there."
"Is that so?" Raven shrugged indifferently. She completely trusted the judgment of the Gray Serpent before her, because this one was among the few Gray Serpent individuals who specialized in psychology.
"So how should I interact with her from now on? If she's still in Changkong City."
"Just interact with her normally. Follow your own thoughts." Gray Serpent considered for a moment, then added, "If she continues showing goodwill, you can also offer her a little help depending on the situation."
"Help? Such as?"
"Just go along with what she wants. For example, since she is a traveler, then having just arrived in a new world, accommodation, identity, and common sense are probably all problems for her."
Gray Serpent tapped his terminal and sent a mission notification to Raven's phone.
"With this mission voucher, you can apply for some funds. You do not need to be frugal in that regard. To World Serpent, money is the least valuable thing."
Successful Conversion to Full-Time Status?
"Teacher, you're back!"
The moment Raven entered the Nest's gates, she was surrounded by the children she had not seen for nearly a month.
"Teacher, Teacher, how long are you staying this time?"
"Did Teacher finish her mission?"
"Teacher seems to have brought back lots of tasty food!"
"Hey, hey, break some off for me!"
A warm smile rose naturally onto Raven's lips. She crouched down and interacted affectionately with the children.
Only after quite some time did the children disperse at her and Little Kong's urging.
"Little Kong, have things been going smoothly lately?" Raven rubbed Little Kong's head. "Did you encounter any danger while going out to gather supplies?"
"About that... Teacher." Little Kong answered hesitantly, "We actually ran into several accidents."
"But there has always been a mysterious person helping us from the shadows!"
"A mysterious person?"
"Mhm." Little Kong nodded heavily. "When Teacher came back last month, Lyle and I encountered a zombie while we were out looking for supplies."
"But before that zombie could pose any threat to us, it somehow burned itself to death."
"Since Teacher returned not long after we got back, I initially thought Teacher had saved us..."
"But this month, whenever we nearly ran into danger several times, the same thing happened—those monsters burned themselves to death."
"Once could have been a coincidence, but we've encountered that situation at least four times this month. So I'm sure someone has been protecting us in secret."
"At least four times..." Raven pondered. "So the actual number may have been even higher."
"Mm... That mysterious person seems unwilling to let us notice. The way she acts has become more and more concealed. Especially the last time—if I hadn't found a pinch of familiar black ash after burning in the room, I wouldn't have known there had been a zombie hiding in there."
"I see..."
"Teacher, is that mysterious person someone you know?" Little Kong looked up at Raven with her watery violet-red eyes.
"Mm, you could say that." Recalling their first meeting, which had been fairly pleasant, Raven sighed. "Maybe she could barely count as a friend?"
"Then when Teacher sees her next time, please make sure to convey our thanks on behalf of me and the children in the Nest!" Little Kong said happily. "That mysterious person really has saved everyone many times. It's a pity that although we paid attention too, we were never able to thank her..."
"Alright, I understand." Raven patted Little Kong's head. "It's late, so hurry up and go to sleep. I'll keep an eye out for that mysterious person. That girl comes and goes like a ghost, so I might not necessarily be able to find her."
"Now, I need to go clear out the Honkai Beasts around the Nest first."
"Mm, Teacher, be careful!" Little Kong nodded obediently, then returned to her room.
"Honestly, what another troublesome matter."
Raven sighed and gazed into the night beyond the window.
Two days later, inside an abandoned residential building in Changkong City's East District.
"I'm saying, even though the codename you left me last time was Raven, you don't need to climb through windows like an actual raven."
Hearing the repeated thumping from someone knocking on the window, Flame Willow, who was slurping instant noodles, sighed helplessly and went to open it.
"Has it occurred to you that your door has already been welded shut?" Raven looked speechless.
"If your hideout had a normal door, I wouldn't have needed to climb in through the window."
"Hiss, it seems that really is the case." Flame Willow was startled as she remembered that both her room door and the building entrance downstairs seemed to have been welded shut when she casually burned off their locks.
Raven did not dwell on that for long. She casually found a place to sit, then frowned at the messy furnishings in the room and the instant noodles on the table. "You eat this?"
"Just making do for now." Flame Willow looked unconcerned. "I haven't eaten this stuff in a long time, so I found a few boxes to try again. Don't judge by appearances—I'm actually quite a good cook."
"What about you? How long will you be staying this time?"
"What, are you itching to go be a bodyguard for Little Kong and the others?" Raven raised her brows.
"So that girl is called Little Kong." Flame Willow nodded solemnly. "That's quite a nice name."
"I'll still be here for a while. I'm bored every day anyway, and your group of children are fairly well-behaved and cute, so I looked after them while I was at it."
"Of course, if you don't want me to, I can leave later. It doesn't really matter to me where I stay."
"Oh? May I ask what it is you seek?" Raven immediately became interested.
"World peace. Does that count?" Seeing Raven's disbelieving expression, Flame Willow sighed. "Fine, it seems you refuse to give me even a little trust."
"But I can tell you this: I'm waiting for an opportunity. Before that time comes, it does not matter where I am or what I do."
"Where did you learn that cryptic way of talking?" Raven complained. "But whatever. So you really helped those children simply because you were bored and kind-hearted, right?"
"Mm, what else? Do you think I'm after your beauty?" Flame Willow curled her lips.
"If I really wanted to use those children as hostages or something, I could have acted long ago. What I'm curious about is why you left those children here."
"Even taking ten thousand steps back, even if you firmly believed I was a good person with no designs on you, were you really not worried about those children encountering danger while exploring outside?"
"Everyone has their own difficulties. You wouldn't understand. I just don't want these children to have too much connection with my organization..." Raven gave a casual explanation, then changed the subject. "Since you're idle here anyway, how about I offer you a job?"
"Oh? Let's hear it."
"While I'm away, go to the Nest and look after my children—their safety and daily lives included. The salary is paid monthly, about this much." Raven held up a number of fingers. "You may not have a concept of what that means yet, but don't worry, I definitely won't cheat you."
"Oh, does this mean I'm becoming officially employed?" Flame Willow chuckled. "Are there employee benefits?"
"If you want them, there can be."
To Flame Willow's surprise, Raven actually nodded very seriously.
"Interesting." Flame Willow became intrigued. "I originally thought this was just something you decided on a whim. Looks like it wasn't."
"You may not have a proper understanding of your own strength." Raven sighed. "Someone with your strength would be treated seriously by any organization."
"Alright, I accept. I'm idle anyway." Flame Willow raised two fingers. "But I have two conditions."
"Let's hear them."
"First, get me an identity. It needs to be real enough to withstand investigation."
"I can only promise to do my best." Raven answered decisively. "There are no walls without cracks in this world. You should understand that."
"Doesn't matter. Doing your best is enough." Flame Willow was not surprised by that answer. "Second, I may leave briefly at any time. This job needs to give me some private space."
"That is not a problem either. Rest assured, World Serpent does not have enough manpower to watch you every day."
"Then, deal?"
"Deal. Oh, right, what should the children call you?"
"Mm... Let them call me Sister Reed."
Peaceful Daily Life Begins Again
"Ahem, children, I gathered you here today because there is something I need to announce."
The next day, Raven gathered the children in the Nest and prepared to introduce their new teacher.
"I believe many of you have already heard about her. That's right, she's the mysterious person who has protected you several times while you were out gathering supplies."
As soon as Raven finished speaking, the children immediately erupted into loud cheers.
Children often judged good and evil very simply. Flame Willow had helped them many times and never sought credit for her good deeds, so they already thought highly of her.
Especially because of the mysterious way she came and went without a trace, along with her great strength, Flame Willow's image in the children's hearts became even more favorable.
"Mm, seeing how happy you all are, I'm relieved. My two days searching for her were not wasted."
Seeing the children's delighted expressions, Raven nodded in satisfaction, then called loudly toward the doorway, "Reed, come out."
However, there was no response.
"Hm? Reed?"
Raven walked over in confusion, then pushed Flame Willow out from behind the corner.
"You're already this old and still so shy? Where did that calm confidence you had when talking to me go?"
"How is this the same? I'm just not very good at handling this kind of situation..."
Seeing Flame Willow being pushed out by Raven, the children burst into even louder cheers.
"So the mysterious person is such a beautiful big sister!"
"Big Sister who can use fire, does that mean we can barbecue whenever we want from now on?"
"Ahem, quiet down. This is my friend. At my request, she has come to the Nest to take charge of your safety and daily lives. You can call her Sister Reed."
"I won't go into further detail. If there's anything you're interested in, ask her yourselves."
Under Flame Willow's stunned gaze, Raven gave her a look that said, "Good luck," then quickly left the scene.
"Wait, Raven, you..."
Before she could finish speaking, the enthusiastic children surrounded Flame Willow.
"Sister Reed, thank you for helping us before!"
"Sister Reed, can you cook...? Teacher's cooking is so strange..."
Before you continue