Let's Get Engaged! / Great, They All Took the Bait

Of course, Raiden Ryoma couldn't possibly know so much inside information; Kevin had mixed in a lot of his own biases, some of which were half true and some of which were false.

Moreover, this operation of using biochemical viruses to control people with access to classified information and block news is all too familiar; it's a signature tactic of the former Umbrella Corporation.

Therefore, he could be fairly certain that the Crystallization Sickness, which was only prevalent in the mining area, was definitely related to Schrodinger Company. In that case, he might as well pin the blame on them.

With Raiden Ryoma as a shield, even without conclusive evidence, Kevin, skilled at smearing others, could easily fabricate a bunch of half-truths.

"I know I've always avoided getting involved with the dark side of Schrodinger Company, but now that the reality is right in front of you, wouldn't continuing to pretend to be asleep go against your principles?"

"Hundreds of thousands of people have already paid the price with their lives for the ambitions of a few at Schrodinger Company. Isn't that enough?"

Kevin tried to reason with him and appeal to his emotions, hoping to win over this key figure from the Thunder.

Lei Ting stared at the photo of the sisters on the wall, their faces beaming with smiles. His conscience and his deep attachment to family ties clashed within him, and his voice became somewhat hoarse.

"I just want to protect Sera..."

Kevin smiled nonchalantly, his tone softening.

"Of course, I'm not asking you to state your position right now. Just take Mei in for me first, and while you're at it, let me know about Schrodinger Company's recent actions. Consider it repaying the favor I did you for the money I lent you last time..."

"I'll take care of the rest..."

Upon hearing such a modest request, Thunder relaxed instantly and nodded.

The boy breathed a sigh of relief, and the two nodded to each other tacitly, temporarily forming an alliance.

Of course, Kevin's Oldest One goal was to keep the Thunder neutral. Trying to persuade a hardcore sister-obsessed guy to disregard his sister's safety for the sake of so-called "greater good" seems highly unlikely.

Therefore, as long as we do our best to win them over and avoid becoming enemies, there will be room to maneuver in our next plan against Schrodinger Company.

After all, the creator Jenova alone made him wary, and with that group of black and white roasted chicken wings and the half-step King-class saint in front of him, the difficulty level would increase exponentially.

Now that he has convinced Thunder to remain neutral, the abandoned commercial district is a temporary safe zone, allowing him to proceed with his next steps with peace of mind.

"Alright, Mei and I will stay at your place for the time being..."

"And, as payment for the room, how about I do you a favor?"

Kevin's lips curled into a cunning smile.

"You're looking for a man named Sno at the Seventh Heaven Bar, right? He not only appeared in the Seven Star Village mystery, but also organized a large-scale anti -Shinra march."

"It seems this guy is already on the blacklist. I can act as an inside man and provide clues about his whereabouts."

Lei Ting frowned slightly, somewhat puzzled.

"Aren't you on very good terms with those people from Seventh Heaven? Aren't you afraid of their retaliation after things fall apart?"

At this moment, Kevin's smile became even brighter.

"I'm not worried about that, because I have something else to report... Sister Tifa and the others are probably the [Avalanche] organization that Schrodinger Company has been investigating for a long time..."

His teammate sacrificed himself to the heavens, granting him boundless power—this was a move he was most adept at.

Chapter 519, Section 547: Let's Get Engaged!

In the afternoon, at Lightning Sis's house, after Kevin hung up the phone, he crossed out the name of Officer Jill from the manuscript. He recalled his old friend's cryptic statement and frowned deeply.

For some unknown reason, according to the order of the second Speaker of the O5 Council, the SCP Foundation will not intervene in this conflict. Most of its personnel have been evacuated, and many of its facilities have been shut down.

The Valkyrie from the St. Freya Academy who were placed in the summer camp for teenagers also received orders to evacuate. However, these stubborn children chose to stay in Japan after seeing that the Cursed Children were not on the list, and prepared to face the challenges ahead together.

As expected, the SCP Foundation is no longer the organization he once led; the second chairman has gradually gained the upper hand.

Kevin analyzed intelligence from various sources and was shocked to discover that since Japan closed itself off from the world, this area had become a vacuum for various forces, with only the Schrodinger Company dominating and nowhere to turn for support.

For a time, Japan seemed like rotting flesh cut away by human society; no one cared, and no one wanted to stay.

Since we can't rely on anyone, let's slowly break the deadlock.

At present, Schrodinger Company is virtually invincible.

Politically, they have powerful allies like the Tendo Family; militarily, they control the Imperial Army and Shinra Special Forces, as well as the trump card of their creator, Jenova; only reputation is a potential point of attack.

Having committed too many evil deeds, while not every enemy is in the world, there are quite a few that can be exploited.

First, with Jill Hera's connection, Mina's Gastrea can serve as external support, effectively restraining the massive number of the Imperial Army and making up for the lack of soldiers.

The downside is that these monsters have no mercy when it comes to revenge, and you must not act rashly unless absolutely necessary, otherwise they will inevitably become the target of everyone's hatred.

Secondly, the Tendo Family is making every effort to integrate the nation as a whole with Schrodinger Company, and under their manipulation, Schrodinger Company is gradually replacing the functions of the government.

This puts the anti -Shinra forces in a very passive position. Therefore, before the final battle, they must first deal with the scum of the Tendo Family.

It seems like teaming up with that ruthless partner, Sister Mugihito, would be a good choice; helping people get revenge is practically his favorite thing.

Then, it seems that the Shinra Special Forces on the other side are not a monolithic entity. Kevin couldn't help but suspect that Zack, a chatterbox, had managed to remain infiltrated safely for so long. He had to suspect that Zack must have someone protecting him, and that Zack must hold a high position within Schrodinger Company. If they could make contact with the person behind Zack, things would be much easier.

In conclusion, if you don't have good cards in your hand, then you should try to break up your opponent's hand.

Who should we target first? The Tendo Family? Kevin immediately shook his head. That family is a bunch of good-for-nothings. They're easy to deal with, but there will be too many complications later on. It's best not to alert them prematurely.

It's still unclear who's behind Zack, and even if they've expressed goodwill, it's best not to make contact too early.

After thinking for a long time, Kevin looked at the simplified symbols that had filled a napkin, and a slight smile appeared on his lips.

The three pillars of the Schrodinger Company — the Imperial Army, the Shinra Special Forces, and the Tendo Family —had been arranged meticulously.

As expected, the only option is to strike at Lightning Sis first. If we can win her over, given her prestige, the Imperial Army's structure will be severely damaged.

Of course, simply reasoning with her will only keep her neutral, so we need to add fuel to the fire.

To seduce this sister-obsessed girl, all you need to do is get her sister.

Since the Crystallization Sickness originated from the Apocalypse Virus, he, who once fused with the Herrscher Core of Erosion, is the perfect cure for the crystallization state.

Once Sera Fallon awakens, it means that Eclair of Schrodinger Company, is on their side.

Because, compared to her sister's cold, hard military style, this young girl is a passionate and ambitious young woman who dares to organize anti -Shinra demonstrations.

If you put her in Avalanche Organization and publicize Schrodinger Company's evil deeds, this child will eventually grow into a "Hero of Justice."

At that point, it's only a matter of time before Lightning Sis betrays us.

However, according to Lightning Sis's account, Sera Fallon's ex-boyfriend Sno was an impulsive, irritable, and unstable individual, and things could easily escalate to extremes.

To successfully lure Sera into the "Avalanche" organization, and barring any unforeseen circumstances, Sno had to be removed beforehand. That was his reason for eagerly becoming a spy that morning.

Moreover, whether it's bringing Sera Fallon from within Schrodinger Company or gaining her trust, the most appropriate role would undoubtedly be for her to join Avalanche and lead the resistance against Shinra's tyranny.

Therefore, from now on, he needs to find an opportunity to join Avalanche and become an important core member of the organization.

As for why, in order to subtly deceive others into becoming the second-generation "Hero of Justice," one must first be a genuine "first-generation" oneself.

However, the political vetting there must be very strict. Based solely on his relationship with Sister Tifa, it would probably be difficult for him to enter the inner circle.

A tragic and moving story must be fabricated to convince these people that they are genuine comrades and sworn enemies of the Shinra!

As the boy pondered, he noticed the chip on the table, and a cunning smile spread across his face.

Kevin then got up and knocked on the door. Raiden Mei, whose eyes were slightly puffy, hurriedly invited the boy into the room.

"How's it going? Any news about my dad? Is he alright?"

Within half a day, according to outside news, the Japanese Government completely shut down ME Company on the grounds of economic corruption, and even her own bank account was frozen.

Even before everyone had left, Raiden Ryoma's mansion was sealed off; the other party's actions were remarkably swift.

To avoid getting too involved with Kiana and the others, Raiden Mei declined the company of her sisters and sought refuge here alone.

Due to the construction of the Seawall, news from within Japan could not be transmitted to other countries, so St. Freya Academy and the SCP Foundation could not contact each other at all.

Without anyone to rely on or confide in, Raiden Mei felt utterly powerless regarding her father's arrest.

"My sister's friend, Interpol Officer, checked through the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department and found that Uncle Ryoma is safe for now, but this time he was framed, and it seems that the Japanese Government is behind it. The problem is very complicated."

"Although we can manage for now, I'm very worried that Uncle Ryoma might run into danger."

Kevin reluctantly admitted it, but before Raiden Mei could show any sadness, the little boy immediately gritted his teeth and hurriedly made a promise.

"Don't panic, Mei. I think the safest way right now is to break them out of prison!"

"Prison break?"

Raiden Mei, who had received many years of higher education, was speechless for a moment. She had never done anything so audacious in her life.

"First, ensure Uncle Longma's safety, then find a way to prove our innocence. That way, we won't be in a passive position all the time!"

"I can handle the contacting of professional personnel. Uncle Longma seems to have some information they desperately need, and I'm confident I can get them to help."

"But before that, you may have to make a small sacrifice..."

Raiden Mei thought for a moment and realized there was no better way, so she gritted her teeth and nodded.

"I'll do anything as long as Dad is safe!"

Kevin looked at the girl with a look of resignation to her fate, waved his hand helplessly, and chuckled lightly, diluting the tragic atmosphere.

"It's not that exaggerated. To gain their trust, I need a legitimate reason to appear in person..."

"In other words, while I'm willing to make sacrifices for you, it doesn't align with my motivations and raises serious questions. Our relationship needs to take things to the next level..."

"How about I pretend I'm pursuing you?"

Raiden Mei's breath hitched. She lowered her head and looked at the little kid who was half a head below her, her face full of regret.

"Let alone other people, do you believe that kind of excuse?"

Kevin's lips twitched; he seemed to have forgotten that he was still just a child...

Then, the girl gently closed her eyes, gritted her teeth, and suddenly opened them, as if she had made some difficult decision.

"Why don't we... get engaged?"

P. S.: I'm sorry, I've deleted more than I wrote this afternoon. I'm not satisfied with many of the transitions, and I can't finish the fourth one. I'll have to do it tomorrow.

Chapter 520, Section 548: Very good, they've all taken the bait.

In the Seventh Heaven Bar, in a somber, enclosed room, Tifa places a letter and the chip inside on the table, waiting for her companions to verify it.

"First, according to our intelligence, Dr. Ryoma's arrest has been confirmed to be the work of the Japanese Government and Schrodinger Company. He must possess some secret that they are wary of..."

"Secondly, his daughter Raiden Mei, did indeed seek Kevin's help immediately, indicating their relationship is definitely not ordinary. This explains why his sister dared to settle her younger brother in Tokyo..."

"Third, considering ME Company's previous actions of angering Schrodinger Company in order to allocate supplies to the Cursed Children, Dr. Ryoma is indeed an ally worth winning over!"

"Everyone, the proliferation of Star Mark Syndrome proves that the fusion of Jenova Cells and the entirety of Japan is gradually maturing. This also means that the time before the Creator Jenova fully descends is not far off..."

"To save this This Planet, we must find Schrodinger Company's weaknesses as soon as possible and unite all forces that can be united."

Vincent, the trench coat-wearing man who serves as the team's strategist, broke from his usual silence and couldn't help but offer more reminders after seeing Schrodinger Company revealing a flaw.

He was originally a security employee of the Schrodinger Company's predecessor, the "Triad Company," responsible for protecting three scientists, including Hojo. But everything changed after the "Remains of a God" named Jenova were unearthed from the snowfield.

Those people, after spouting some nonsense, began to desperately try to resurrect Jenova and grant them immortality. Even Vincent himself unwittingly became one of the first sacrificial test subjects.

According to the snippets of conversation he overheard during his transformation, Jenova is an alien god, and the arrival of the stars signifies that Earth has regained the environment to nurture her.

A full month has passed since the last Meteor Calamity. The Star Mark Syndrome is rampant, the Seawall has been erected, Japan has become an isolated island in the civilized world, and the oppressive rule of the Schrodinger Company is gradually intensifying.

Without a doubt, the final arrival of the Creator Jenova is probably just one step away, and everyone is making preparations in earnest.

"Tifa, you said before that Kevin wanted to leave you this farewell letter so his sweetheart wouldn't worry, and then he planned to break you out of prison alone tonight?"

Barret tapped the barrel of the machine gun in his hand, showing little interest in Vincent's rational analysis, and instead pressed him for another matter.

Tifa nodded slightly, her eyes filled with pity.

"Just now, I noticed he looked strange and even sneaked into my room to put something there. After figuring out what was going on, I locked him in the secret room to prevent him from doing anything foolish."

Barret slammed his fist on the table and grinned.

"Bold and decisive! Not bad, a real man! And I heard he's been in the Middle East war zone? Quite skilled with firearms?"

"Since everyone has a grudge against Schrodinger Company, let's just recruit him into the organization."

The young girl, Yuffie, scratched her head, somewhat confused.

"Hey, Uncle Barret, you've already agreed? Isn't that a bit too hasty?"