Chapter 261
"I've seen about thirty people..." Majian spoke haltingly under Efnir's gaze. "Back then, we lived and were managed separately, so I suspect there were others before and after us."
"Yes, indeed, I think I've met some of you once."
For example, Hatsukawa Fuka and Fujisaki Ryoka from the Maesakagawa, those Apostle, or rather "Quasi-Apostle," were actually a group of low-adaptability Eligible who were selected and eliminated after being trained by the Apostle Organization.
And Majian is probably the "lucky one chosen" that Hatsukawa Fuka mentioned.
Lucky or unlucky? Efnir wasn't one of them, so she couldn't empathize or comment.
All she knew was that the root of all this was converging on the Apostle Organization.
Efnir frowned, deep in thought.
Based on Majian's statement, it can be inferred that the Apostle Organization had mastered the technology to manufacture Apostle Beacon at least six years ago, and the organization's establishment must have been much earlier.
Perhaps the spirits of the Flagbreakers from nineteen years ago did not truly leave, but rather settled within the Human Federation, waiting and lurking. In other words, the Apostle Organization, which has only gradually surfaced in the last two to three months, actually began its large-scale infiltration of the Human Federation and various cities at least six years ago. However, due to the lack of communication and oversight between cities, the Human Federation remained completely unaware of the Apostle lurking in the shadows.
Looking at the tense and silent Majian in front of her, Efnir extended her hand.
Give me your Beacon.
Majian nodded silently, then, in front of Efnir, raised her hand and unbuttoned her collar, revealing a clean lining and a patch of snow-white skin beneath the collar. Her delicate skin was fair and smooth, and a black metal clasp adorned her neck, which was covered by the collar, while a thin black rope was visible in the middle of her snow-white skin below.
Efnir didn't say a word, but merely frowned slightly and looked away.
Majian glanced at Efnir subtly.
Why are you avoiding me? We're both girls, there's no need to look so disgusted.
She inwardly grumbled for a while, but kept her mouth shut. Silently, she unfastened the metal clasp around her neck, then gently pulled on the black cord inside the lining, revealing a necklace with a silver ring at the end.
Majian handed the metal clasp and the necklace she always kept close to her body to Efnir.
Efnir glanced at Majian, taking only the ring necklace. "That thing around your neck... it was supposed to be a leg ring, right?"
Majian nodded, "It's quite inconvenient for me to wear it on my leg, so..."
Because Majian's body still looked the same as it did a few years ago, the leg ring didn't fit her, so she simply hung it around her neck.
"It looks like a collar, it would suit you perfectly."
Majian lowered her eyelashes and remained silent. Efnir simply smiled enigmatically, examining the necklace between her fingers. "Do you know, we've captured seven Apostle alive. They're just pawns; the Apostle don't care whether they live or die."
Faced with Efnir's pointed sarcasm, Majian could only remain silent and say nothing.
"You've carried this with you for six years?"
"Yes... ever since I left the organization..."
"A pointless persistence."
Efnir placed the ring in her palm, slowly drawing upon the Order Force to make contact with it, while observing the Beacon.
This Apostle Beacon, from six years ago, differs slightly from the Beacon held by Efnir. It is wider on the outside, lacks Ruins symbols, and features more exquisite and intricate patterns. The elegant engravings create a beautiful sense of ritual, solemn and refined. However, upon closer inspection, Efnir discovers that the Beacon in Majian's hand is not pure enough. The construction of the "channel" is somewhat chaotic, and the flow of energy is like trying to draw water through a thick cotton net, with clearly perceptible resistance.
Clearly, the Apostle Organization six years ago did not yet possess the sophisticated Beacon manufacturing technology of today, Apostle Beacon at that time had considerable room for improvement in terms of performance. In contrast, the First Generation Beacon "Zero Series" developed by the Human Federation nineteen years ago was actually the most powerful generation of man-made Beacon in history, which is completely contrary to the development trajectory of the Apostle Beacon.
This perhaps confirms the starkly different philosophies between the Human Federation and the Apostle Organization —if the Human Federation remains true to its original mission.
Efnir withdrew her Shallow Synchronization with the ring and returned it to Majian, Majian carefully tucked the necklace back into her undergarments.
"You've been in Hamikawa City for so many years, who's been the one giving you these tasks?"
"Efnir asked."
16. Conditional Exchange
"I know nothing about her, only that she was sent by the organization to contact me..."
Faced with Efnir's scrutiny, Majian didn't hesitate to conceal the truth. "She's usually very careful. I've only seen her a few times from afar. She always wears a hood to hide herself and a mask. The only distinguishing feature is that she's a woman; other than that, it's hard to tell... I guess she might be part of the Orderkeepers Organization like me, because she's been to our headquarters..."
In Efnir's view, Majian is actually very intelligent, and beneath his cheerful exterior lies a very decisive, observant, and steady personality.
However, under the influence of the Shard, this decisiveness became sluggish and hesitant.
Efnir glanced at Majian and shook her head. "Information of this level is meaningless. There are so many people at headquarters; even if we searched them one by one, we might not be able to find them."
"Hmm..."
Majian lowered her eyes.
"If you saw her again, would you recognize her?"
"Efnir asked."
Although there is a somewhat unrealistic conjecture, if Majian can identify that person through screening, Efnir has no fewer than ten ways to make her disappear without a trace.
"I'm afraid that's unlikely..." Majian could sense the faint killing intent in Efnir's eyes and couldn't help but shiver. "She doesn't always wear the same clothes... and she's also disguised her appearance and physique..."
"Besides her, who else do you know who are informants for the Apostle Organization?"
"No... I don't know... All I know is what that person was willing to tell me..."
There was nothing to be gained.
Efnir looked away, lost in thought.
Majian's answer did not surprise her. It was quite normal for an undercover agent to know very little about the informant he was contacting, in order to prevent being wiped out if the undercover agent was exposed.
The fact that the Apostle have been able to develop so far under the noses of the Human Federation without being detected is not due to stupidity.
What are Jin and Flying Swallow's identities?
"They... they aren't!"
A hint of panic flashed across Majian's face. She quickly denied it, saying, "They've only been with the agents for less than a year, and their prior records are verifiable. They're clean... they have no connection to the Apostle..."
"You think you can just say you don't have it?"
Efnir turned her head and looked down at the girl who looked even younger than Yukina, a smile on her face, but the smile didn't reach her eyes.
Majian stood there stiffly, her sharp gaze making Ma Jian break out in a cold sweat.
"I'll say it again, I don't trust you," Efnir began. "You are Apostle, I am an agent. You are my enemy, not an ally. I have neither the patience nor the obligation to heed any of your requests. I haven't killed you because you are still somewhat useful; it's an exchange of interests, not because you have the right to speak to me now. Even without you, I could kill each and every one of you in my own way. The number of people in Hamikawa City makes no difference to me, whether they are more or less, understand?"
Efnir's tone was indifferent, devoid of any emotional fluctuation, as if she were stating a mundane, commonplace matter.
"I..."
Majian moved her lips as if to refute, but she couldn't utter a single word. She dared not, and could not, just as Efnir had said, her words were not worthy of trust.
Moreover, in her opinion, Efnir might really have the strength to overturn the entire Hamikawa City by herself. She had personally experienced it, and even if it was only for a moment, she was very certain that Efnir was several times stronger than any agent or Apostle she had ever seen. It was like the difference between an infant and a powerful beast.
She lowered her eyes, clenched her fists slightly, and, suppressing the turmoil in her heart, whispered, "I... I can do things for you, in exchange for their safety?"
If it's a matter of exchanging benefits, this is all Majian can do.
Efnir glanced at Majian with a hint of surprise, then turned to face Majian for the first time, scrutinizing her for a moment.
"I didn't hear you," she suddenly said, uttering something that puzzled Majian. "Say it again after you're in Synchronization."
"Ah?"
Majian was taken aback. How could an agent not be able to hear what was being said face-to-face?
But she didn't hesitate at all. A silvery light rose up from her feet, and the necklace around her neck emitted a hazy silver light that enveloped her. The next moment, she appeared in front of Efnir in Synchronization state.
Efnir shifted her gaze until the purple light reflected in Majian's eyes.
What did you just say?
"I..."
Majian bit her lower lip tightly, clenching her hands, her rapid heartbeat seemingly pounding in her ears. "I can do anything for you, but please don't hurt Jin and Flying Swallow... or the others at headquarters..."
Efnir squinted, watching Majian's lips tremble.
The overwhelming sense of urgency from the Fragment Radiation almost suffocated Majian; the silence between them felt like a sharp blade pressed against her throat, sending chills down her spine.
"I never said I was going to do anything to them."
After a moment of silence, Efnir finally withdrew her gaze, resuming her indifferent demeanor. "If they truly have no connection to the Apostle —I only trust my own judgment."
At least Efnir wasn't completely unreasonable, Majian breathed a slight sigh of relief.
At the same time, a very subtle and hazy feeling began to spread in her heart, but she was completely unaware of it.
What tools do you use to communicate?
Efnir returned to the main topic and continued asking questions, while signaling to Majian to disconnect from the Synchronization.
"Her cell phone, usually... sometimes she'll use notes or cards. Only I can understand her secret messages; to others, they look just like ordinary letters or business cards," Majian answered hastily. This time, because of Efnir's previous promise, her attitude was more sincere. "For example, if there's a new mission, she'll contact me and tell me to go to a certain location, which she specifies, and then she'll tell me the specific objective."
"A cell phone? What a simple way to do things..." Efnir glanced at him dismissively. "Give me your cell phone."
"I... I didn't bring it..."
Majian's hands were clenched together nervously, her palms damp with sweat. As she spoke, she cautiously tilted her head back to look at Efnir.
Agents typically don't carry many other tools when on missions, since cell phones don't have a signal Beyond the Boundary anyway, so it's more valuable to carry a few more bullets.
Efnir didn't speak, but squinted, raised her toes, and lowered them, her leather boots tapping repeatedly on the gravel and rubble-strewn ground.
"It's alright, I'll go back to the city with you tomorrow. I'll give you two days to contact her and lure her out." Efnir lifted her boot, leaving a footprint on the ground. "I want to see her, face to face."
17. Ledgers without names
"Ah?"
Majian's heart skipped a beat. "You're going to our city? But wouldn't that...?"
A subtle feeling spread through her heart, and halfway through her sentence, Majian met Efnir's sharp gaze.
"No victory is ever achieved overnight, not only for me, but also for the Apostle ... They may have been too comfortable lately and forgotten that, and I am the one who has reminded them."
A chill permeated the air. Efnir slightly raised her chin, squinting as she gazed at the city skyline at the horizon. Under the darkness, the lights of Hamikawa City were clear and bright, illuminating a patch of night sky.
There is only a single-line contact between Majian and the informant responsible for making contact. This is a protective measure taken by the Apostle Organization to safeguard the entire intelligence network of Hamikawa City. However, conversely, there will always be a node that connects the entire network of Hamikawa City through this protective measure. Wherever there is manipulation by humans, there will always be clues left behind. What Efnir wants is to uncover all of this through the existence of "that person" and, in turn, gain control of the intelligence of the Apostle Organization.
Majian's heart tightened, and she bit her lower lip, remaining silent.
Efnir glanced at her, then changed the subject, "Do you have anything to say?"
Majian's lips trembled. After hesitating for a moment, she cautiously asked, "Do you perhaps intend to... kill them?"
She thought of her older sister, who was also the reason she had stayed in the city.
After speaking, seeing that Efnir didn't reply, Majian anxiously tried to explain, "I mean... some people actually..."
"I have a question for you," Efnir suddenly interrupted Majian, her gaze drifting down from the starry sky to Majian's eyes, "Have you ever killed anyone?"
Majian paused, then shook his head.
"That's right. Your 'identity' is that of an agent. You don't have the opportunity or the need to take the risk to do those things."
Efnir turned her head, neither confirming nor denying.
"So you'll never know how many people have died because of you; your hands are clean, which creates the illusion."
Efnir smiled faintly as she slowly walked towards Majian.
More and more of it was filling Majian's field of vision. She nervously bit her lower lip until Efnir approached her to within a foot, expressionless, her cold gaze looking down at her, sending chills down her spine.
"Some people never think about what they've done, but when they think it's appropriate, they feel that's enough to atone for their sins, and then they forgive themselves. Tell me, which type of person do you think you are?"
"No... I... I mean..."
"Shut up," Efnir's fingers brushed against Majian's temple, the soft yet cold touch freezing Majian in place.
Efnir narrowed her eyes, her fingers gripping Majian's chin, slowly increasing the pressure as she lifted Majian's terrified face. "Didn't I say? You have no right to contradict me."
"Hmm..."
Majian was covered in cold sweat. After a few moments, she was released. Her legs went weak and she knelt on the ground, clutching her throat and gasping for breath. There was a bruise on her jaw and cheek.
"Because of the Apostle Organization, more than three thousand people have died in my city, including all the innocent people in an entire satellite city, all of them."