In the Ark, Starting as Griseo

"What's wrong? Why the rush?"

As she spoke, Talulah stood up and walked towards Alina, gently supporting her.

"Hoo— I have something very important to discuss. Please have Talulah, Yelena, and Patriot come over. We can talk about it on the way."

After taking a deep breath, Alina looked up at Patriot and the others and said.

"..."

Hearing this, Talulah didn't ask any further questions. She simply nodded gently towards Yelena and the others.

Then, Yelena exchanged a look with her "big daddy" and they both stood up.

Following Alina, the group left the area, leaving behind a group of confused Yetis looking at each other.

"What exactly happened? Can you tell us now?" Talulah asked again, walking beside Alina after they had put some distance between them.

Alina offered a wry smile at her words.

Then, she explained softly:

"...Griseo's Sakura-sister has come looking for her. She's in the tent."

ps: I was careless, my head hurts so much, and I've got a fever again...

Going to sleep now. Good night everyone, and please take care.

Oh, and about the group chat... I can only say that opening one is too much trouble, and I don't plan on opening another one for now... Let me recover first. Next, I'll recommend a book.

Chapter 60: Sakura's Bargaining Chip (Chapters 59 & 60 combined)

"...Griseo's Sakura-sister has come looking for her. She's over at the tent."

After Alina finished speaking, the other three present were stunned.

"What? That Caster came looking for us directly?"

After reacting, Talulah asked with a face full of shock.

Although Patriot and Yelena didn't speak, they both turned their gazes back to Alina, awaiting her answer.

"Yes, I just remembered there were some things I hadn't finished. So after settling the little one, I left to take care of them." Alina paused here, then continued:

"But not long after I left the tent, I was stopped. Before we could even exchange a few words, Miss Sakura asked me to call you all over."

"Ah... what a presumptuous guest. Let's go meet her together then. We'll see what she wants to talk about." After a moment of silence, Talulah's eyes flickered, and she rubbed her temples helplessly.

Just then, Patriot, who had been quietly observing, spoke up and cautioned the three people beside him:

"Her... strength... is not... weak. Later... if it comes to... fighting, all of you... be careful."

Patriot hadn't forgotten the sharp sword energy from earlier that day, which had stung him even from a considerable distance.

"Mm."

Hearing this, the three nodded, taking Patriot's words to heart.

Sakura, who had been waiting quietly in place, had already adjusted her mindset and was fully prepared to face the familiar faces ahead.

She had even prepared herself for the possibility of a fight... Although she wanted to talk peacefully, who could guarantee that conflict wouldn't arise?

Take Patriot, for example. Sakura felt he might try to put her, the "intruder," in her place. Of course, this would be under the condition that no innocent lives were harmed.

Otherwise, the aftermath of a fight alone could kill many infected individuals in the Reunion camp.

After a short while, four familiar figures appeared in Sakura's sight. However, she didn't rush to speak, simply observing the people before her quietly.

As Sakura watched the four, they were simultaneously sizing her up and scrutinizing her.

"It's late. May I ask why this lady has intruded upon our camp?" After observing Sakura for a moment, Talulah tentatively opened the conversation.

"I have no intention of offending. I came here to discuss matters concerning Griseo. So, let's find a quiet place..." Sakura explained softly after hearing Talulah's words.

Although she had prepared for potential conflict, she still hoped for a peaceful discussion if possible. There was no need to create conflict here.

In a sense, they were all on the same side... so whichever party suffered a loss would be a loss for Sakura.

"...What is your relationship with Griseo?"

Without immediately agreeing to Sakura's request, Talulah pondered for a moment before asking a crucial question.

"With Griseo? I suppose I'm one of her older sisters."

Sakura didn't hesitate and quickly answered Talulah's question.

"..."

Upon hearing this answer, the people on the other side frowned slightly and fell silent... The atmosphere began to gradually solidify.

"Since that's the case, let's move. We'll find another place."

Finally, as the atmosphere reached a critical point, Talulah spoke again, a polite smile gracing her face.

"After all, my tent isn't suitable for chatting right now. Some children are already asleep, aren't they?"

"Then come to my place. Mine is still empty."

At this moment, Yelena slowly withdrew her gaze, which had been fixed on Sakura, and spoke coldly, picking up where Talulah left off.

"Mm, I'll do as you say."

Seeing four familiar faces acting like complete strangers, Sakura's expression beneath her mask became subtle. It was a truly novel experience for her.

After Sakura agreed, Talulah and the others didn't hesitate. They led her away, heading in the direction of Yelena's tent.

Inside the tent—

Griseo, lying in the now-warmed bedding, also felt a flicker of novelty in her eyes…

Honestly, this was the first time she had ever seen Talulah and the others like this.

It really was better to be a well-behaved child… cute and lovable.

No, being a child still had its downsides… the schedule was too strict, making her sleepy at certain times, and adults didn't take her seriously when she spoke.

"Awoo~"

Just as Griseo thought this, she let out another big yawn, her eyes showing signs of sleepiness.

"If you're sleepy, then go to sleep… it's getting late. Besides, you didn't take a nap at noon," Alyona said softly, noticing Griseo yawning.

"Huh? Mm, hug…"

Hearing this, Griseo, already a little groggy from sleepiness, blinked a few times before reacting.

Once she came to her senses, the little loli blinked her misty violet eyes and hugged Alyona, who was sleeping beside her.

"…!"

Alyona froze completely when Griseo suddenly hugged her, not daring to move.

Even though they were sharing the same bed and blanket, Alyona had unconsciously kept her distance from Griseo since they got in.

But now, that distance had vanished in an instant… they were pressed right up against each other.

"Mmm… Goodnight, Alyona."

After gently nuzzling Alyona's shoulder, Griseo slowly closed her eyes and whispered goodnight.

She was genuinely sleepy now and didn't even have the energy to eat snacks… She decided to ask Sakura about tonight's events tomorrow.

"Mm, goodnight."

Watching the little loli close her eyes, a hint of helplessness flashed in Alyona's eyes. Her body, which had been stiff since moments ago, gradually relaxed, though she still didn't dare to move much.

Then, as time passed, the little white bear also slowly closed her light green eyes, feeling the warmth of the little loli beside her as she drifted off to sleep.

However, unlike Griseo's peaceful conclusion, Sakura's story was just beginning…

Inside FrostNova's tent—

Several people sat around the table with serious expressions, none of them speaking first, all waiting for Sakura to initiate the conversation.

Meanwhile, outside the tent, many ears were perked high, trying to eavesdrop on what was happening inside.

And whose ears were those, you ask? Naturally, they belonged to the Yeti Squad.

As FrostNova and the others were bringing Sakura back to the tent, they were coincidentally spotted by a Yeti… and soon, it turned into a whole group of Yetis, drawn by various reasons, curiously coming to eavesdrop.

However, the people inside the tent were no ordinary individuals. The commotion caused by the Yeti Squad had already been detected by them.

But Sakura didn't seem to mind, so she didn't plan on chasing them away.

Since she didn't speak up, Talulah and the others naturally remained silent. If she didn't care, there was no reason for them to drive the eavesdroppers away.

Moreover, if they were to rank them by closeness, they all trusted and cared more about the Yeti Squad, as they were their own people.

"…"

Sakura, seated at the table, looked up at the four people in front of her. Then, she reached out and removed her mask in front of everyone.

A young, delicate face was thus revealed to Talulah and the others.

The light in Sakura's sapphire-blue eyes swirled. She slightly raised her head to meet Talulah's gaze before softly saying:

"There's no need to be so tense. I've only come here to have a chat with you all."

"In that case, Miss Sakura, you don't intend to take Griseo with you?" Alina asked softly, having discerned the implication in Sakura's words, a hint of unnoticeable anxiety in her voice.

"Mm, I won't take that child," Sakura replied without hesitation, shaking her head gently.

If she were the real Sakura, and if Fire Moth existed in this world, she might have considered taking the child.

But for now, it was best not to. They were both herself, so where could she take herself? It was even highly likely they'd have to live rough…

"Since that's the case, what did Miss Sakura want to discuss?" Seeing Sakura's straightforwardness, Talulah didn't beat around the bush and directly posed the question.

Sakura paused for a moment at Talulah's question, organizing her thoughts before saying:

"Hmm… these are some precautions for Griseo, for what it's worth. That child is truly special, both in personality and abilities."

After hearing Sakura's words, it could be said that everyone present, including the Yetis eavesdropping outside, immediately became ten times more attentive.

This was because they had already been filled with curiosity about the magical and mysterious child known as Griseo. Even Patriot wanted to understand the little loli's origins.

However, Talulah, now more alert, didn't rush to question Griseo's special traits. Instead, she asked another question that had been bothering her for a while.

"Griseo is indeed a wonderful child, and she's helped us a lot. But I still have a question: since you're her family, why didn't you take her back with you?"

As Talulah's question was asked, the gazes of several people present turned back to Sakura, quietly awaiting her answer.

This was because the question wasn't just on Talulah's mind; they were all quite curious about it.

After all, that little one's past life didn't seem bad at all, and she was so well-behaved and powerful. Normally, one would expect her to be taken back.

"There are two reasons why I didn't take her back. First, Griseo really likes you all, so I respect her choice. And I can see that you all take good care of her."

After explaining the first point, Sakura took a gentle breath, paused for a moment, and then continued:

"Second, we've run into some problems… many people are unreachable. And you've likely guessed my identity; I'm an assassin. I don't want that child to witness bloodshed by my side."

Upon hearing Sakura's explanation, everyone present understood.

However, while they understood, Alina still had some reservations, and this time she couldn't help but speak up.

"So that's how it is… so, Sakura, are you entrusting the little one to us for now? But you should know, the nature of our organization isn't really suitable for taking care of someone."

Sensing Alina's concern, Sakura first nodded gently, then calmly replied:

"Yes, I'm aware of that. But Griseo isn't an ordinary child, is she? She's much stronger than you imagine."

However, as if remembering something, Sakura continued to add:

"As long as you don't use Griseo for any wrongdoing, and simply seek her help normally and communicate with her properly… then it's fine."

"Of course, I'm not just handing her over for nothing. As a condition of this exchange, I can help you kill one person."