A Vulpo Lady's Life as a Rhodes Island Operator

A knot in the heart was still a knot, but after so many years spent struggling just to survive, time had worn many things away.

If fate brought her back to Gouwu City in the future, she could look into it then.

And if fate allowed, she could see her childhood friend again.

The one Fengling had given to Fengling.

"I just don't know whether she still lives in the mountains... Come to think of it... it's been so many years."

"...Anyway, this conversation will be put on record! As part of an operator's personal file," Gavial reminded her at the right moment.

It seemed Gavial had also tacitly accepted that Fengling was basically qualified to join Rhodes Island.

"Whatever. When Rhodes Island goes to Gouwu City, just remind me."

"It won't be too far off, anyway. For this voyage, Rhodes Island will probably make a circuit." Gavial took out a liquid-crystal tablet terminal and opened a map.

"Setting out from Lungmen, we'll go to Siracusa, then Laterano, before turning back. We'll pass through Rim Billiton, then head straight back to Yan. Gouwu City will be our first stop."

So many place names had been mentioned all at once.

For Fengling, who had never traveled far from home, it was an almost unbelievable feeling.

A long journey.

Traveling aboard a landship, going to places she had never reached before.

There was something rather romantic about it.

"The next time we return to Lungmen..." Gavial checked the time. "It'll probably be a year from now, assuming nothing else delays us along the way."

That meant... around June 1095?

Fengling checked the date.

It looked like she would be spending her coming-of-age birthday aboard Rhodes Island.

After they finished filling in the remaining miscellaneous information, Amiya returned before long.

Behind her stood a green-haired Feline.

"Doctor Kal'tsit, she's Sister Fengling, the one I told you about."

Amiya gestured toward the doctor named Kal'tsit.

"Hello." Kal'tsit offered a polite greeting in a cool voice.

Fengling returned it in kind.

Then Kal'tsit's gaze...

fell upon the ornament hanging at Fengling's waist.

"Have you worn it all this time?"

Doctor Kal'tsit asked.

Fengling nodded. "I've worn it ever since the day I received it as a child."

"Then continue wearing it. Be sure to keep it safe."

After that, Kal'tsit asked a few questions that seemed unimportant to Fengling.

They were mostly about her past experiences, things she had just told Gavial as well.

Before long...

Having gathered the information, Doctor Kal'tsit gave a nod, seemingly preparing to leave.

Just... like that?

"Ah... Doctor Kal'tsit, don't you need to examine Sister Fengling again?" Amiya seemed thoroughly puzzled.

"Not for now. I already know the reason. Send a sample of the blood we drew for testing to Warfarin's laboratory. Warfarin will examine her again afterward."

Then Kal'tsit looked at Fengling once more.

"If you have no further questions, and if we have reached an understanding."

"Operator Fengling, welcome to Rhodes Island."

"But remember, for now, you need not have too many doubts. When the time is right, you will naturally learn everything."

Before leaving, Kal'tsit gave Amiya one final instruction.

"Amiya, encrypt Operator Fengling's file. Set the encryption level to... Level Eight for now. Her examination data is not to be used as a reference by the Medical Department."

"For Operator Fengling's Oripathy, conservative treatment will suffice."

Battle Test

"I didn't expect even Doctor Kal'tsit to say that..." Amiya thought for a moment before continuing, "Then, Sister Fengling, congratulations in advance on joining Rhodes Island."

So that was it?

Fengling found it a little surreal.

Her conversation with Doctor Kal'tsit just now... hadn't included anything particularly shocking, had it?

It had gone a little too smoothly. It felt like the sort of trap where someone would harvest her kidneys.

Of course, that was merely Fengling's private grumbling.

As for what things were really like, she would confirm them with her own eyes.

"Based on Sister Fengling's wishes, you hope to become a field operator, correct?"

Amiya confirmed once again.

"Mm, of course!" Fengling nodded.

"Then... please do your best in the combat test."

"This concerns the survival rate of field operators, so our standards in this regard are extremely strict. Even if Sister Fengling passes the test, you will still need to attend the subsequent tactical courses and practical combat training."

Mm... a "medical company."

Fengling quietly made the jab in her heart.

Still, it was understandable.

After all, the environment of this land was simply too harsh, and the social situations in many regions were chaotic beyond measure.

Fieldwork itself meant taking risks.

Without a certain level of ability, this Rhodes Island landship would likely have been stolen long ago.

Amiya began scrolling through her personal terminal.

"Mm... but Instructor Dobermann doesn't seem to be here today. How about doing the combat test another day, Sister Fengling? We won't assign you any additional risky work over the next few days. Take the time to say goodbye to the people you know here. Rhodes Island will set sail in three days. The next time we return will be more than a year from now."

"Alright."

"Wait, wait. If Dobermann isn't here, why not let me do it?"

Before Fengling could finish speaking, Gavial interrupted her.

Do what?

The combat test?!

"Miss Gavial is a doctor, isn't she?" Fengling asked in surprise.

"Miss Gavial... don't be so formal... ugh, that's disgusting." Gavial shuddered as she clutched her shoulder. "No need to be so polite. Just call me Gavial. Besides... who said doctors can't fight?"

Amiya seemed to have a headache as she pressed her temples.

"It wouldn't be impossible for Doctor Gavial to conduct the test personally... If Sister Fengling can pass Doctor Gavial's combat test, your operator evaluation will probably rise significantly."

So that meant...

Gavial was very strong?

"Don't underestimate me!" Gavial grinned. "Whenever someone refuses to listen to me and starts fooling around while I'm treating them, I smash their damned skulls in with my staff."

So that was how she practiced medicine?!

"Ahem... ahem!" Fengling hurriedly cleared her throat.

She felt as though, in this short time, she had already traveled quite far down the road of becoming the straight man.

Rhodes Island was simply too full of eye-opening surprises.

"Then enough nonsense, let's go! Amiya, I'm borrowing Fengling for a while! I'll call you when we're done!"

With that, Gavial grabbed Fengling, wearing a bright smile as she dragged her toward somewhere beyond the door.

"I can walk, I can walk!"

Fengling hurriedly steadied herself and followed.

Her whole image was about to collapse.

At least back in Lungmen's slums, Fengling had always presented herself as a sly, fox-eared beauty.

The kind who would sigh, "Oh my, oh my," while tricking troublesome little thugs until they were completely turned around.

If she could avoid fighting, she did. She had navigated relationships and social etiquette with ease.

But it had not even been a full day!

Fengling could only feel how powerless her old way of doing things had become.

But then again...

When the time came to settle things with her fists...

Following Gavial's footsteps, a faintly combative smile appeared on Fengling's face as well.

Her naturally soft and alluring eyes now carried a hint of sharpness.

Gavial looked back.

"Heh."

She saw the unconscious smile on Fengling's face.

"What the hell! So you're one of those people too. Vulpos like you aren't common."

Gavial curled her lips.

She could no longer suppress the upward curve of her smile.

"We're here."

Gavial swiped her ID badge over a tightly sealed door.

The heavily reinforced door slowly opened.

"Go wild. This place is sturdy."

Gavial led Fengling through the door.

Whoosh, whoosh!

The slightly dim lights gradually became bright and gentle.

And they were not alone in the room.

The moment she entered, Fengling felt a powerful wave of heat, along with a peculiar fragrance.

A black-haired, blue-eyed Feline girl with an exceptionally curvaceous figure was training by herself.

"Blaze! You're hiding away and training alone again."

The Feline girl Gavial called Blaze wiped the sweat from her face.

"I have to put in at least a little effort, or I'd be letting those guys down."

Blaze set down the equipment she had been using to train and turned around.

The smile on her face also seemed vaguely familiar to Fengling.

"What? Since it's such a coincidence, want to spar?"