Arknights, but the family has fallen into decline again and again and again

Oute confirmed it with Specter's eyes. It was real.

"Since Rhodes Island has no interest in identifying the Infected... let's discuss something else. Hui Jie, pour the tea."

After leaving, Ch'en could not help saying in the corridor, "What a pity."

Rhodes Island had only signed a few utterly ordinary commercial agreements with Lungmen, and the landship's docking was restricted to a certain extent—just as Oute had planned.

She had developed a measure of respect for Rhodes Island's almost foolish ideals and their genuinely foolish refusal. But then again, if Oute had not foolishly rejected Wei Yenwu's contract, would that respect have turned into regret?

"There is nothing to regret, Superintendent Ch'en," Oute said calmly. "Chief Wei's interest in our medical technology is a good thing."

"..." Ch'en stiffly changed the subject. "Trust your employees. They should have already prepared a place for you to settle in, right? Do you need me to take you there?"

After his short-term demands of Rhodes Island were directly rejected, Wei Yenwu turned to pursuing his long-term objective: Rhodes Island's medical support.

On one hand, he was confident he could force Rhodes Island back to the line he wanted, so there was no harm in letting Oute off for the moment. On the other hand... his heir, Ch'en, was infected.

"I'll contact them."

Through the terminal, Blaze quickly sent over an address.

It was somewhere in Lungmen's Outer Ring.

In other words, the slums.

Ch'en's expression darkened. "Perfect. I need to patrol after dropping you off anyway."

Within the Lungmen Guard Department, almost only Ch'en's patrol route included the slums.

"Sorry for the trouble, Superintendent Ch'en."

Meanwhile.

"Rhodes Island Pharmaceuticals..." Wei Yenwu rose to his feet and took a deep pull from his pipe.

Then he slowly exhaled a long stream of white smoke.

"You should smoke less too." Another dragon, dressed in a kimono, stepped out from behind the folding screen.

She was Wei Yenwu's wife, Madam Wen Yue from the East Country.

"When did you get here?"

"I came after Little Ch'en entered."

"What did you think?"

"That nun was a little strange."

Wei Yenwu chuckled. "I meant Dr. Oute."

"Don't ask me about politics."

"What do you think of him as a person?"

Madam Wen Yue replied, "He spoke coldly, but he was very serious. He was just as serious about the things you laughed at."

"I think he simply doesn't care. He doesn't care about anything."

"Oh?"

Wei Yenwu explained, "You haven't involved yourself in politics for many years. And you were separated by a folding screen—you could hear him speak but not see his movements. Naturally, your judgment is somewhat off."

Old Wei took another puff, the corners of his mouth curling up. "But my nose is still sharp. I can smell the bloodiness on him."

"Didn't you say it was his movements? Why are you talking about your nose now? And why are you still smoking?" Madam Wen Yue reached out and snatched away Old Wei's pipe.

"Wait, wait, wait, don't take it!"

"Hm!?"

"I-I-I'll quit smoking this month! Don't take it away!"

Having barely preserved his right to smoke, Old Wei continued, "This Oute has an arrogance rooted deep in his bones when he speaks, and even more..."

He clicked his tongue. "A condescending indifference."

"Did you notice the part where he imagined how we would handle acute cases among the Infected?"

Wen Yue nodded.

"His tone when discussing that, his tone when evaluating other places' policies toward the Infected, and his tone when stating Rhodes Island's ideals... they were all the same."

All the same.

"What feels even stranger is that when he called Originium Infection 'the simplest part,' he still used that same tone."

"No passion, no helplessness, no hope, and no concern for despair."

"In his eyes, it seems... everything is the same." Wei Yenwu shook his head. "But that makes me even more interested in Rhodes Island's technology. With that attitude, he must have something to rely on, right?"

"Perhaps... it can at least reduce her risk somewhat."

Madam Wen Yue said, "He is a doctor, after all. People like him possess an extraordinary certainty in their own theories and calculations."

"Common sense?" Wei Yenwu mused. "Yes. He sees himself as common sense... no, as truth."

"So in that case, he is merely another arrogant scholar?"

Wei Yenwu sat back down and spread out the "Routine Catastrophe Survey Briefing" again.

"Can you understand it?"

"This report is quite interesting. It hides all the technical jargon meant to brush off laymen and makes some rather bold, rather definitive conclusions."

"And what is its conclusion?"

"One thing we already know: Chernobog's catastrophe department did not forecast the catastrophe."

This meant that the danger Wei Yenwu had sniffed out went beyond a dispute between two border cities. A force within Ursus was stirring. It had used Chernobog as a sacrificial pawn, halted Chernobog's catastrophe forecasts, and cut itself with its own blade.

It could not help but raise a question: Why?

As for that, Wei Yenwu had... his own view.

Even Minos

"That superintendent actually patrols this place..."

Watching Ch'en's retreating figure, Blaze could not help clicking her tongue. Because of their earlier conversation, she had misunderstood Ch'en somewhat.

Blaze had thought Ch'en was like most mid- and high-level administrators in most regions, someone who despised or even loathed the Infected.

Oute merely said, "The terrain here is good. Easy to defend, hard to attack."

This was one of the rare high-rise buildings in the slums. From its commanding position, most of the surrounding streets fell within view. The few buildings that could rival its height could also be fully secured with ground troops.

Blaze said excitedly, "Meteorite said the same thing!"

Meteorite was somewhat helpless.

Yes, as long as they set up a high-pressure machine gun, the entire neighborhood would be within its field of fire... Even now, with only sniper operators and ground units holding the position, this place could hold out until they ran out of ammunition and supplies.

But weren't they choosing a location for an office? She had been sarcastic!

Blaze was one thing, but Doctor, you too...?

"Make haste and purchase some supplies. At the same time, get our combat materials settled."

The operators caught the strange implication.

"Doctor, you mean...?" Frostleaf removed her headphones.

"Be prepared. There are already a great many Infected here. The slums are Reunion Movement's best point of entry."

Oute added, "Medical operators, prepare to offer free consultations, but reserve enough trauma medicine, painkillers, and inhibitors for us. At the same time, recruit some people from among the Infected. The exact number is unimportant. What matters is making the slums aware that we are recruiting the Infected."

"By the way, has the communications base station been set up? It is time to speak with Karlan Trade."

As the eldest son of the Silverash family and its current head, Enciodes Silverash actually spent more of his time outside Kjerag.

The reasons needed no explanation.

First, Karlan Trade's external "branches" truly required his attention. Second, the training of his private troops was also a priority...

Third, Kjerag was not actually all that friendly toward him—at least two-thirds of Kjerag was not friendly toward him.

This situation would likely continue for a long time, until the day he longed for finally arrived.

"Sir, you have a communication."

A Vulpo employee entered Enciodes's office.

Karlan Trade's employees included both Kjeragians and locals from the regions where its branches were located. Most of the Kjeragian employees who had come out to work in the outside world also had feudal ties of allegiance to Enciodes.

"They specifically asked for me? A communication from Kjerag?"

"It is Rhodes Island Pharmaceuticals."

Enciodes remembered this company.

From a certain perspective, Kjerag was similar to the Acahualla Region, possessing a complacent disregard for both catastrophes and Originium Infection.

Thus, its people also possessed a fearlessness born from ignorance when it came to the Infected. These "people" included Enciodes himself.

Out of the goodwill born from that fearlessness, Enciodes had included the Infected in Karlan Trade's medical coverage.

With confusion and unease, Enciodes accepted the communication.

"This is Enciodes. What happened to my sister?"

"This is Dr. Oute of Rhodes Island. Mr. Silverash, please calm down. Your sister's condition has already improved. There is another reason for this communication."

Enciodes let out a breath of relief, then felt that he had been too eager just now, perhaps creating a negative effect on the negotiations to follow.

He slowed his voice. "Then what does Rhodes Island require?"

"After our previous cooperation, Rhodes Island considers Kjerag a suitable partner."

Kjerag?