Platinum's Redemption

For a long time, she could only stand on high-rise buildings and look out at the various port areas of Kazimierz from afar, but she never thought that one day she could actually pass through here.

She had long been prepared to stay here for the rest of her life—of course, she might not even live to retirement.

The fate of an assassin is like an inescapable vicious cycle—killing, acquiring too many secrets, being killed by another assassin sent by the employer, and then the endless cycle begins.

There will always be people killing, and there will always be people being killed.

"It's really... out."

Centaurea breathed a sigh of relief. Unbeknownst to her, her back was wet, her clothes clinging to her skin. But the girl felt incredibly relaxed, for she could finally escape the suffocating city.

The organization that had been troubling her for so long was wiped out overnight, and she was sent to an unfamiliar city.

What will the future be like?

Centaurea looked at the sealed letter in her hand, and a jade-green ring.

"Giving a ring to a girl you just met is quite a special gift..."

Centaurea couldn't help but laugh.

However, she didn't know how the new future would differ from the past.

"It can't get any worse, can it..."

Having already experienced hellish living conditions, I've hit rock bottom, so things shouldn't get any worse, right?

Platinum's good mood ended when the vehicle stopped at a station to let passengers off and on. Centaurea got off to refuel, but suddenly stopped in her tracks.

Just as she was about to run away, she felt someone aiming an arrow at her.

"Oh no, we were too lax..."

Centaurea stood there, stunned. Her weapon was left on the vehicle's roof rack, and all she had left was a short knife.

"Little Platinum, don't move."

Two familiar figures approached; they were none other than the two former Lapis Lazuli Envoys, Roy and Monique.

"You...?"

Sure enough, the threat came from behind her; the arrowheads beneath Monique's cloak were pointed directly at her.

"It's only natural that we should see our old friend off," Roy said with a smile, then looked at Monique, "We agreed not to fight before we came, so put down your bows and arrows, don't scare our little Platinum."

"Hmph, I was just trying to scare her." For Bai Ye's sake, Monique put down her bow and arrow.

"So... what exactly are you planning to do?" Platinum remained wary; she had been given PTSD by these people and had developed a psychological aversion to the Lapis Lazuli Envoys.

"As I said, I was just seeing you off and... catching up."

Roy glanced at the departure schedule, then found a bench and sat down.

"Speaking of which, the boss has been really good to you." Roy sighed as he looked at Platinum's casual clothes.

"Young girls are always popular, after all, she's quite pretty. Ah, youth is wonderful..." Monique complained. "Someone like me probably wouldn't be so popular."

"That's not necessarily true. Didn't a nobleman woo you last time?"

"I've already taken care of that idiot you mentioned. Ha, he tried to lay a hand on me just because he's a board member... I pierced his chin with the tip of an arrow." Monique clenched her fist.

Centaurea stood there, listening to the two chatting casually.

However, she didn't think so, since there was no desire in Bai Ye's eyes when he looked at her. He simply treated her calmly.

Moreover, Bai Ye was accompanied by an exceptionally talented young woman. Even knowing that she was a terrifying being who could easily slaughter an entire Armless Union squad, Centaurea couldn't help but be attracted by her elegant and beautiful figure when she saw her.

Laurentina's charm when not in combat is incredibly high; her aura is so unique—mysterious, elegant, religious, nun-like, dress-wearing... she's appealing to almost everyone, regardless of gender. The Deep Sea Woman is indeed terrifying.

With such an outstanding woman by her side, Centaurea felt that she definitely had no chance.

Centaurea's silence was taken as a sign of wariness and vigilance by the two Lazurite.

No one knew what the girl was thinking.

"Relax, Platinum, oh no, from now on I should just call you by your name..." Roy chuckled. "We might need your help later. It seems you're more favored by the boss than we are."

Centaurea hesitated for a moment:

"So, you're really not here to hunt me down?"

"Who would dare? You were personally appointed by the boss. I wouldn't dare touch you at all. In fact, I'd have to protect you all the way out of Kazimierz," Roy said, revealing the purpose of his trip.

"If something happens to you, we'll definitely be implicated." Monique nodded.

Centaurea suddenly felt that the world was somewhat magical, because she felt that the two people who used to be arrogant were now lowering their posture in front of her.

"All these changes were brought about by him..." Centaurea stroked the ring in her pocket.

As the two Lazurite said, they then escorted the Platinum almost all the way out of Kazimierz until Centaurea reached the border.

Kazimierz and the Ursus Empire share a border and are not exactly harmonious neighbors. Throughout history, the two sides have had countless conflicts, large and small, along their border, and the Ukrainian-Kazimir War has occurred at least 10 times.

However, this did not prevent Centaurea from crossing the border, because she had the long-term residence permit for the Talulah March, which was included in the handwritten letter from Bai Ye.

The validity period is 10 years.

In other words, Centaurea can legally stay in Chernobog's Core City for at least 10 years, and since the Core City has a cooperative relationship with Lungmen, she can also travel directly to Lungmen without a visa.

With the help of her documents, Centaurea crossed the buffer zone and successfully passed through the heavily guarded border between Ursus and Kazimierz, thus entering the Ursus Empire legally.

Chapter 44 Platinum's Redemption

(Right now I just want to play Sami Rogue; I'm tired of Phantom and Suiyue's sex scenes! I'm making a prediction: the main character in Sami Rogue will be Magellan, and I want to play Little Penguin's sex scene!)

After successfully crossing the border of the Ursus Empire, Centaurea felt the gaze that had been watching her back finally disappear.

This finally put the girl at ease.

Although neither of them has shown any hostility so far, the subtle glances they exchange still make Platinum feel uneasy. After all, no assassin wants to be exposed to the enemy's gaze.

Although those two are not enemies now, the long-term oppression makes it difficult for Centaurea to let go of her resentment. At most, she can only ensure that she does not show any signs of disgust first.

Even so, the two men's "escort" left her feeling mentally exhausted. She couldn't help but doubt their true purpose, whether it was really Bai Ye's order, as they claimed.

In fact, Centaurea's guess was entirely correct. Bai Ye had never given such an order; it was purely the two former Lazurite Saints who took it upon themselves to carry out the so-called "escort."

They had to make sure that Centaurea had indeed left the Kazimierz Grand Knight Territory. They had sensed that this little Centaurea seemed to hold a higher place in Bai Ye's heart than they did.

After the destruction of the Armless Union, Platinum Enya was theoretically no longer subordinate to the two Lazurite. The power structure was reshuffled, and the past hierarchical relationships were completely overturned and rebuilt.

If the girl remained in the Grand Knight Territory, and if she harbored ambitions, she might one day rise above them. Considering how they had treated this lovely subordinate in the past, the two men shuddered at the thought of that future.

Previously, they had bullied Centaurea, relying on their status, power, and the intimidating presence of the Armless Union, and had tried their best to exploit this new employee. If the young woman were to gain power in the future, they would certainly not have a good time.

Roy, in particular, has done a lot of bad things. At the very least, the reason why Centaurea was able to become Platinum is because of Roy's appointment.

If Centaurea becomes Bai Ye's confidante and gains power, she certainly won't let him off so easily.

Therefore, the two were overjoyed to learn that Centaurea intended to leave Kazimierz. They couldn't wait to see her off, hoping to get her completely out of there and never have to come back.

In this way, their positions in Kazimierz remain secure; it's just that they've changed owners, nothing more.

The border between Kazimierz and the Ursus Empire lies on the western side of the country, while the Talulah March, the Core City of Chernobog, is located in the southeast of the empire. Therefore, after entering the Ursus Empire, Centaurea will need to cross most of the empire's territory.

Fortunately, she could hitch a ride.

On the road, she was stared at by passing Ursus people as a Kuranta, some with curiosity, others with hatred. Some reported Centaurea to the Ursus military police, believing her to be a stowaway.

The military police who came to check the girl were initially rude, but when they saw the Talulah March's identity certificate that Centaurea presented, they immediately left.

It seems this person doesn't want to have anything to do with that city.

To some, it was a city of sin, a sacred territory of the empire seized by the infected, while others saw it as a city of freedom, the last utopia in the world, an ideal city.

In short, Centaurea sensed the ambivalent attitudes people had towards their future destinations.

Using the identity card given to her by Bai Ye, Centaurea found the "Northern Cross Private Logistics Courier Company" near the "Adventurers' Association" office after arriving in the first city of the Ursus Empire.

It was only then that Centaurea realized that this emerging company in the messenger industry was actually her boss's business.

Platinum, working part-time as a bodyguard, hitched rides from one city to another. Instead of rushing to her destination, she stayed in each city for one or two days, relaxing and exploring the sights.

Perhaps this was the vacation she had been longing for. Although the journey was somewhat arduous, compared to her work in the Kazimierz Grand Knight Territory, this kind of life was already paradise for Centaurea.

There's no need to worry about the phone ringing unexpectedly at any time, nor about being called upon by your boss to be a scapegoat. What's even more unbearable is the despair about the future.

After all, no matter how prestigious or high-class they may seem, the Armless Union is ultimately an assassin organization, and they almost never have a good ending. Centaurea didn't know where in the Grand Knight Territory she would ultimately die.

So, with the future uncertain, the girl decided to enjoy the present moment as much as possible, taking advantage of this hard-won holiday.

However, the journey will eventually come to an end.

After passing through security and entering the port in a truck, Centaurea disembarked and arrived at her destination, the Core City of Chernobog.

After a year of development, the city has acquired three new plots of land and a brand-new industrial platform. Therefore, it is much larger than Centaurea initially envisioned.

Standing in an unfamiliar, Mobile City, the girl felt somewhat lost.

The guidance of the Bai Ye ends here.

The contents of the letter were written in ciphertext that Centaurea could not decipher; it was not written for her.

"You'll know when you get there."

Bai Ye's words were like a riddle, leaving Centaurea completely baffled.

Just as the girl was about to find a place to stay, she suddenly realized something was wrong.

She looked around warily, but saw no one she thought she might be there.

Sunlight streamed down the ground, casting no shadows, yet Centaurea sensed impending danger—a primal instinct befitting Platinum Position Armless Union. This instinct had repeatedly saved her from dire situations during missions.

Platinum threw her luggage on the ground, and a folding bow slid out from her robes. Without aiming, the girl first shot an arrow into the open space not far away.

"Snort--"

The previously empty space was suddenly filled with the crisp sound of metal clashing together.

After a collision and a muffled groan, a figure appeared out of thin air, gradually taking shape. In her hand, she held the arrow that Platinum had just shot.

Platinum showed no surprise; she continued to draw her bow and nock an arrow.

However, she was stunned for a moment, because more invisible people were appearing out of thin air beside her.

Without her noticing, she was surrounded.

"Captain, she is...?"

"Yes, this must be the new colleague the superior was talking about."

The first girl to appear walked up to Centaurea and returned the arrow to her. Then she carefully examined the ring on the girl's hand and the secret message written by Bai Ye.

Finally, she nodded, removed her mask, and extended her hand:

"Welcome to the Talulah March, Miss Centaurea."

Paid Bonus Chapter: Crossing the Stars

(This is a supplementary explanation of the world-building. If there are any instances of retconning, the settings described here should be considered the primary basis. This book is not science fiction, so the world-building may not be scientifically accurate and contains many references and jokes. Please do not take it too seriously.)

(Actually, I feel like I'm writing a fairy tale, "A very small, very grand, very important fairy tale of love and courage.")

Mars, the world created by humankind.

This is the second planet that humans have colonized after the Moon. About 40 years ago, humans completed the habitable terraforming of Mars' atmosphere and began large-scale industrial relocation.

Mars is indeed a suitable world for casting. This red terrestrial planet has reserves of up to 1,500 trillion tons of ilmenite, about 22.5 billion to 40 billion tons of rare earth elements, and also abundant reserves of elements such as phosphorus, potassium, thorium, and uranium.

However, Mars' function is not simply to provide resources for Earth. The Center-AI has given Mars a brand-new responsibility—to become a forward base for humanity's journey to the stars, replacing Earth as a new starting point.