After leaving the laboratory, Elysia and Lin Li ran for several minutes before they finally dared to stop.
"Phew, Xiao Li, don't run so fast. At least consider how I feel."
Elysia panted heavily, leaning against a wall as she touched her forehead.
Several times just now, her hand had nearly slipped away from Lin Li's. Luckily, she had held on tightly enough.
She had a feeling that if she hadn't been holding Lin Li's hand, Lin Li would have shaken her off long ago.
She ran way too fast... almost as fast as Elysia's full sprint.
She looked at Lin Li. The other girl was also leaning against the wall, no better off than Elysia—if anything, she looked worse.
Fine beads of sweat covered Lin Li's forehead. Elysia took out some tissues she carried with her and wiped them away, only to receive an annoyed look in return.
"I didn't want to go there at all. Why did you speak up for me?" Lin Li snorted.
"It was an emergency. Dr. Mobius was practically about to make a move, and... Xiao Li, you looked so scared of Doctor. I was afraid it would be too late if I didn't say anything." Elysia explained as she raised her hand to wipe Lin Li's sweat again.
This time, Lin Li did not resist and simply let Elysia fuss over her... though it did not really count as fooling around.
"I'm not scared of her!" Lin Li retorted.
"Mm-hmm, mm-hmm. My Xiao Li is the bravest. You're not afraid of anyone." Elysia agreed. "Be good, don't move around. Let me wipe you clean, okay?"
"Hmph... who's your Xiao Li...? You're the one living in my home, aren't you?" Unable to win the argument, Lin Li started picking at something else.
"Ah... Xiao Li, are you saying that I'm actually part of your family?" Elysia lowered her head slightly and said shyly, "I wouldn't mind, as long as Xiao Li is happy..."
"Stop talking already!"
"Okay."
Teasing a cute young girl really was a delightful thing for both body and mind, Elysia thought.
After wiping away the sweat, she saw that Lin Li had no intention of moving, so she pulled her over to sit on a nearby bench.
"So, what do we do now?" Lin Li pulled back the hand Elysia had been holding, folded her arms, and looked at the slowly advancing line of recruits in the distance. Someone there seemed to have noticed them, but after looking for only a few seconds, looked away.
"It's all your fault. Now I have no choice but to go."
"Um... there are actually plenty of benefits to going to Dr. Mobius's research institute," Elysia said.
In truth, she had no idea what those benefits were. But the most important thing now was to calm Xiao Li down, since their current situation really was the result of what she had said.
Still, putting herself in Lin Li's shoes, if she had not spoken up for her back then, they would probably still be in the institute right now.
"Benefits? What benefits could there be? I... I just want to make money." Lin Li's voice grew quieter and quieter, until Elysia could not even hear the last two words.
But judging from Lin Li's money-grubbing behavior that morning, she could roughly guess that those two words were "make money."
"That problem is actually easy to solve." Elysia pulled Lin Li into her arms and gently stroked her soft, fluffy black hair.
"Look, Dr. Mobius is a Doctor at Flame-Moth's First Research Institute, so her research funding must be quite substantial. It's just that she probably spends it all buying materials for experiments."
"If Xiao Li works well with Doctor and every experiment goes smoothly, then the research expenses will go down, right? Your salary will go up too."
"Tch..." After hearing Elysia out, Lin Li rolled her eyes. "Where I'm from, we'd call that selling me a pipe dream."
"A pipe dream? What does that mean? Is it tasty?" Elysia asked, confused.
"Tasty my ass! That's just... forget it. Anyway, your pipe dream isn't tasty. My stomach is bad, so I can't digest it."
"Your stomach is bad? Oh no, that's serious. I'll take you to see a doctor right now."
The moment Elysia heard that, she became worried. She stood up and grabbed Lin Li's hand, ready to leave.
But Lin Li pulled her back down again.
"Elysia, tell me honestly. Do you really not understand what I'm saying, or are you pretending not to?"
"Um... I think I really don't understand? I understood every word Xiao Li said, but once they were put together, I had no idea what they meant." Elysia shook her head, a hint of grievance flashing through her eyes.
This time, she was genuinely hurt.
"..."
Lin Li also realized that she had been too harsh. After a moment of silence, she apologized.
"I'm sorry."
"What are you apologizing for? We're good friends. Friends don't need to apologize to each other." Elysia immediately beamed, as if those emotions from before had never existed.
"Who's friends with you?!" Relieved by her reaction, Lin Li said, "I've decided that from now on, every time you hold my hand, it costs one dollar. Pay up!"
"Just one dollar?"
"Yeah. If that doesn't work... then fifty cents."
"Pfft, then one dollar it is." Elysia could not hold it in when she saw Lin Li seriously bargaining with herself. "But wouldn't it be a little too frequent to pay one dollar at a time? How about I pay you once it adds up to a certain amount?"
"Hmph, that... works, I guess. But don't try anything sneaky. I'll remember every time you owe me money!" As soon as Lin Li finished speaking, she took out her phone and wrote down the time and incident in her notes.
"..."
Elysia quietly watched her finish writing.
She really wanted to ask why Xiao Li clearly looked like an adult, yet seemed to have the mind of a child.
Lin Li put down her phone and looked up, meeting Elysia's bright blue eyes. For some reason, her face reddened slightly, and she stood up.
But before she could say anything, someone walked over from the opposite direction.
"Yo, Elysia. Fancy seeing you here."
The newcomer was a man wearing a combat uniform, with several medals hanging from his shoulder. He looked to be of fairly high rank.
He had sky-blue hair and a sharply chiseled face that carried an air of resolve. He was currently smiling at the two of them.
Wasn't he the one she had seen looking this way just now? Lin Li thought.
She did not know him, but he seemed quite familiar with Elysia, so she did not plan to say anything.
"Hi, Heng. It is quite a coincidence." Elysia returned a sweet smile. "Why do you have time to come find us? Shouldn't you be training the recruits right now?"
"Let Immer handle those little bastards. I only came over because I saw you two," Heng said before looking at Lin Li. "This must be Miss Lin Li, right? You're so young."
With that, he looked up and sighed. "Heroes truly do emerge in their youth. I never expected the first person to defeat a Herrscher alone to be younger than me."
"..."
"Alright, Heng. Xiao Li doesn't like hearing all those compliments. Tell us why you came instead." Seeing Lin Li's expression, Elysia seemed to have guessed what she was thinking. She turned to Heng. "Has the notice from the higher-ups been issued? What was the result?"
"Isn't it obvious? Almost half of Flame-Moth knows about you and Miss Lin Li now." Heng smiled. "They've decided to have Lin Li fill the long-vacant position of captain of the Second Special Squad."
"Huh?" Lin Li looked completely bewildered.
"You don't need to be so surprised. After all, you defeated the Herrscher by yourself. The satellite footage showed it clearly," Heng explained.
"No... I mean... can I refuse?" Lin Li lowered her head and asked awkwardly.
"Hm?" Heng frowned. "Why? Being the captain of a Special Squad is an immense honor for Flame-Moth soldiers. Other soldiers would fight tooth and nail just to become members of one."
"...Does it come with a salary?" Lin Li asked weakly.
"..." Elysia had known Lin Li would say that and rubbed her forehead.
"Huh?" Heng's frown deepened. "If we're talking about salary, it's only four hundred higher than that of an ordinary soldier."
Heng did not understand why Lin Li would ask such a question. Salary was the sort of thing he had never cared much about.
He patiently explained, "Compared to ordinary units, Special Squads have access to more training resources and more combat missions, letting you improve faster."
"So I'd be really busy?"
"Yes, somewhat busier."
"Then I don't want the position."
"...?"
Heng wanted to continue, but he noticed Elysia giving him a look, so he stopped talking.
"Xiao Li, think carefully. Are you really not considering becoming captain?" Elysia asked. "If you don't, you'll have to train alongside the ordinary soldiers."
"Ah... I don't want to train..." Lin Li recalled the rows of soldiers she had seen marching past earlier... she could not stand that kind of thing.
"That won't do. Ordinary soldiers have to train."
"Then... then can you be the captain, and I'll be your squad member...? Would that mean I don't have to train?" Lin Li suddenly came up with this idea.
"..."
Heng and Elysia exchanged a glance, both seeing helplessness in the other's eyes.
"Heng, it looks like we'll have to trouble you to speak with the higher-ups."
"Mm. I'll pass along what happened today."
After saying that, Heng looked at Elysia and glanced toward the corner of a building.
Elysia understood. She patted Lin Li's head and softly said, "Xiao Li, Heng and I are going to talk for a bit. Stay here and don't wander off, okay?"
"...Okay."
As they spoke, Heng had already reached the corner and waved to Elysia. She followed him to somewhere Lin Li could not see.
"What is it? Is there something else?" Elysia asked. "You're being so mysterious, making sure Xiao Li can't hear."
"Ahem, it's actually nothing much." Heng looked relaxed. "The higher-ups actually want Lin Li to become my squad member. I made up everything I said just now."
"Huh? Why didn't you tell me something so important earlier? Then why did you say Xiao Li would be made captain?"
"Tch, think about it. Flame-Moth's First Squad exists in name only, the Second Squad was disbanded by the higher-ups, and that leaves only my Third Squad all by itself."
"I think the higher-ups' idea is wasting her talents. Lin Li defeated a Herrscher by herself, so having her serve as one of my squad members doesn't seem appropriate no matter how you look at it. Besides, everyone in my squad is male."
"So I was thinking that if Lin Li agreed to what I said, I could report that Lin Li wanted the position of captain of the Second Special Squad. That way, the higher-ups might consider reorganizing the squad."
"..."
Elysia fell silent for a moment, then turned and poked her head around the building to look at Lin Li.
Lin Li was sitting on the bench, absentmindedly counting on her fingers and muttering something under her breath.
Then Elysia turned back.
"..."
"Mm... how about you tell them what Xiao Li said instead? Say that Xiao Li wants me to be captain and wants to be my squad member."
"Huh? Why are you saying that too?" Heng asked in confusion. "I do know you fairly well, and I trust your abilities, but Lin Li is the one who defeated the Herrscher... the higher-ups..."
"You don't need to worry about that. They'll definitely agree." Elysia sounded extremely confident. "When you explain it, you only need to mention that Xiao Li is Dr. Mobius's good friend."
"Good friend? Since when?"
"Just now." Elysia blinked.
Her expression made it impossible for Heng to tell whether she was telling the truth or lying.
"Alright... I'll say it," Heng said, pursing his lips.
"Mm-hm. I'll go praise you in front of Bianca." Elysia smiled happily.
"...Uh, if you can, that would certainly be nice. Haha."
The two returned to Lin Li.
Elysia sat on the bench and took Lin Li's hand.
Xiao Li didn't ask for money, so this time was free, right? Elysia thought.
"By the way, Heng, have any new missions appeared on the commission board? The kind that can make money?" She was asking for Lin Li.
"Oh, if you hadn't mentioned it, I nearly forgot to tell you. Flame-Moth was attacked a few days ago," Heng said.
"Um... what does that have to do with commissions?"
"If you're interested, you can look it up on the official website. It was only posted yesterday."
"If the commission is completed, the reward is a bonus of one hundred thousand..." Heng glanced at Lin Li. At the mention of one hundred thousand, she abruptly lifted her head, her eyes seeming to sparkle.
Seeing that, Elysia smiled. "Mm, we'll go take a look. Thanks for the reminder."
"No need to thank me." Heng waved a hand. "If there's nothing else, I'll be going. I hope those little bastards haven't caused any trouble for me."
"Mm, bye-bye~" Elysia waved as she watched him leave, then pulled Lin Li to her feet and headed off in the opposite direction.
Before you continue