Before long, Director Fobole, his huge belly protruding and even his leather shoes polished to a shine, was brought into the station dripping with sweat by two women wearing plain clothes but obviously Valkyries at a glance.
"Miss Xina, what happened today... was actually a misunderstanding..." Director Fobole wiped sweat as he looked at Xina, who wore a sly little fox-like smile, silently cursing those blind idiots under him.
Why were they dragging just anyone into the station?
Could Schicksal people be arrested so casually?
Although North America was currently dominated by Anti-Entropy, how could Schicksal, an old powerhouse even stronger than Anti-Entropy's predecessor—the North American Branch—have failed to leave behind its own personnel in North America?
In any case, this FBI director knew he was nothing more than a tiny shrimp before those two behemoths. He definitely did not want to offend either side.
"So it was a misunderstanding!" Xina nodded with a smile, leaning back with her arms behind her head. "Then I can leave now, right?"
"Yes, yes, yes!" Director Fobole nodded frantically, the fat on his cheeks wobbling like jelly with every vigorous nod, making the two Valkyries beside him twitch at the corners of their eyes.
"Chief, but she..." Old Fobole looked at his timid chief, hesitation flashing through his eyes. Before he could finish, Director Fobole covered his mouth. "Enough! Don't say another word! Schicksal isn't someone we can afford to offend! If you still want to support your family, stay out of matters ordinary people have no business meddling in!"
"That's right, officer. You're not as smart as your boss." Xina turned around with a beaming smile, rubbing her fingers together provocatively. "The most important thing is knowing your place."
"Enough, don't waste time. The Far East Branch contacted us and asked us to send you over. We've already booked your ticket, so hurry up and come with us! Don't delay!"
The Valkyrie responsible for bailing Xina out of the station checked the time and urged her along with a stern face.
In her eyes, Xina was from territory under the North American Branch's jurisdiction. Even if she became a Valkyrie, she should join their New North American Branch!
So why had Far East Branch Director Theresa personally called and asked them to help get her out?
For an S-Rank Valkyrie to care enough to personally call for her, their New North American Branch had probably missed out on another promising recruit guaranteed to reach A-Rank.
Damn it! Just thinking about it was infuriating!
After leaving the station, Xina looked at the two Valkyries in plain clothes and asked curiously, "So after the North American Branch split off and formed Anti-Entropy, Schicksal still has people in North America?"
"Mm. The Bishop's brilliance isn't something those disgusting Anti-Entropy traitors can compare to. Even before Anti-Entropy broke away, the Bishop had already made arrangements with remarkable foresight!"
At the mention of Otto, the New North American Branch Valkyrie revealed an almost reverent expression. Even her attitude toward Xina improved considerably.
Hearing the Valkyrie's worshipful words, Xina's eyes shifted as she leaned closer and asked, "Oh! From the sound of it, the Bishop must be amazing. What other impressive things has he done? Tell me!"
"There's plenty. Come on, I'll tell you all about it..."
Watching from the window as the Valkyries' vehicle gradually drove away and vanished into the night, Old Fobole wore a complicated expression. He turned around as though he had made up his mind, picked up the phone on the desk, and dialed a number...
After half an hour of mutual flattery and idle chatter, the two New North American Branch Valkyries had developed a far better impression of Xina. They even vaguely felt the regret of having met too late.
"We'll reach the airport in another twenty minutes. Study hard once you get to the Far East Branch. Strive to become a Valkyrie as soon as possible. When you finish your training and return to North America for missions, we'll welcome you back!" The Valkyrie driving the car opened the window to light a cigarette, casually glancing at the rearview mirror.
Two orange-red "headlights" were rapidly speeding toward them... No, those weren't headlights! They were missiles!
"Damn it! Incoming missiles!"
Realizing something was wrong, the two well-trained Valkyries unbuckled their seat belts, roared, kicked open the doors, and jumped out. As they rolled rapidly across the ground, they watched helplessly as a missile trailing a long plume of flame caught up with the out-of-control vehicle and turned it into an erratically moving fireball.
"Where's the girl?!" The Valkyrie team leader staggered to her feet, her face dark as she scanned the surroundings. That interesting little girl had not appeared on the road like they had!
Did that mean...
At that thought, both Valkyries' expressions instantly turned ugly.
Looking at the blazing wreckage, the Valkyrie who had jumped out first said in a low voice, "Team Leader..."
"Report to the higher-ups! Say the mission failed and we were attacked by Anti-Entropy! Request reinforcements!" The Valkyrie team leader expressionlessly pulled shrapnel embedded in her body from the car explosion out of her wound. Through gritted teeth, she said, "Those damned traitors will pay for this sooner or later!"
"Team Leader, the signal is being jammed. Communications have been blocked..." The Valkyrie team member tried several times, but no call from the branch came through her earpiece—only harsh static.
"Jammed? Then get ready. Looks like we're in for a hard fight!" The Valkyrie team leader pulled out her weapon from behind her waist and spoke coldly.
"5th Squad Tactical Mecha, disengage stealth mode."
As the mechanical electronic voice fell silent, black humanoid mechas appeared all around the two Valkyries.
In an unnoticed corner, the flames raging over the wrecked vehicle had already vanished, replaced by frost that continued to spread.
Just as the two Valkyries had kicked open their doors and made their desperate escape, Xina had copied them and kicked at hers... but the door did not budge.
Then, she had been blasted into the air by the missile...
Xina slowly opened her eyes and looked down at the parts of her body damaged by the flames as they rapidly regenerated under the Herrscher of Death Authority. Silently, she swore in her heart that if she did not avenge this, she, Xina, would not be a Herrscher...
"Schicksal Valkyries, tsk tsk tsk. You really look pathetic. Even with such an overwhelming gap between us, you still refuse to lay down your weapons and surrender?" A mocking, sarcastic voice came from the leading black mecha. Its only reply was a burst of bullets that dealt little damage but offered immense humiliation.
"You refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit!" The black mecha raised its mechanical leg high and stomped heavily on the ground. A violent shockwave instantly sent the Valkyrie before it flying.
Another mecha blocked the energy bullet fired by the second Valkyrie, then punched the Valkyrie away before she could react.
The Valkyrie who had been sent flying spat out a mouthful of blood and crashed heavily to the ground. Beside her lay the team leader, her fate unknown.
"Reporting to headquarters, 5th Squad, mission complete. All Schicksal Valkyries have been—!"
The leading black mecha abruptly froze halfway through its report. The surrounding mechas did the same.
Cocolia frowned slightly as she watched the live footage transmitted back by the mechas on the screen before her.
What was going on? Was the connection lagging?
That made no sense! Anti-Entropy's mechas couldn't possibly lag!
As she was thinking, the screen before Cocolia went black, as though something had instantly destroyed her second mecha squad.
"Why is it Anti-Entropy again? Last time you sent an impostor to disgust me, and this time you actually used missiles to blow me up. Fine, fine, fine. I'll remember this grudge. Just wait for me!!"
The sharp ice spikes vanished after tearing open the damaged vehicle wreckage. Xina unhurriedly stepped out through the opening, looking at the Anti-Entropy Mechas sealed beneath thick Ice Crystal like mecha amber and silently adding another mark against Anti-Entropy in her little notebook.
Seeing that the Valkyries who had just been chatting and laughing with her had now become cold corpses, a hint of melancholy flashed through Xina's eyes. Humans truly were such fragile creatures.
But there was no time to mourn for them now. What she needed to do was call for reinforcements!
Picking up the earpiece dropped by a Valkyrie, Xina clearly heard an urgent voice calling from the other end. "Catherine, Catherine, this is command center. Respond if you receive this, respond if you receive this! What's happening over there? Why were we unable to monitor you just now?!"
After steadying her emotions slightly, Xina put the earpiece on. "Hello, is this the North American Branch?"
"..."
After a brief silence, a suspicious voice came through the earpiece. "You're not Catherine. Who are you? State your identity! Otherwise, Schicksal will mark you as an enemy."
"I'm Xina!"
"Xina? The one Branch Leader Theresa of the Far East Branch told us to pick up? What happened over there? Why can't we contact you, and why can't the satellite see anything...?" A string of questions came from the electronic earpiece, giving Xina a headache.
"We were attacked by Anti-Entropy. I'm the only one left now. I'm currently at... well, I don't know where I am either. Anyway, Catherine said earlier that we were about twenty minutes away from the airport." Xina looked around at the unfamiliar wilderness and felt a little lost.
But it made sense. No matter how reckless Anti-Entropy was, they would not fire missiles in a crowded area. This deserted country road was the perfect place to kill people and cover it up.
If it were Xina, she would have chosen this place too.
"Anti-Entropy? Understood. We'll send reinforcements immediately!" After delivering that sentence, the communications earpiece fell completely silent.
The Valkyrie on duty hurriedly found the head of her branch and reported the situation exactly as it had happened.
Before you continue