Starting as a Behind-the-Scenes Boss in the Honkai World Chapter 40

"General Andre is injured."

The burly man continued to explain with his head bowed, showing no intention of peeking into the car.

"Fine."

Accepting the reason, Raven finally lifted her foot, her high-heeled boots clicking on the stone slabs.

On the other side, Shi Hen, who had changed into a white robe and mask, also got out of the car, and even Peggy donned a black cloak.

When it came to concealing his identity, Shi Hen was never ambiguous.

"This car..."

The burly man asked.

"Leave it here."

Raven said in a light, airy tone.

"Yes!"

The burly man bowed his head heavily.

Seeing this, Shi Hen nodded slightly from beneath his mask.

Raven's presence was truly imposing when she acted as a mercenary.

However, he suspected that the hood was responsible for at least eleven-tenths of that imposing aura, as the Queen of Mercenaries' face was far too cute.

Shi Hen strongly suspected that if Raven didn't wear her hood, someone might foolishly try to pinch her cheeks.

Well, he'd try it sometime when she was asleep; the texture would surely be great.

Unaware that the young man beside her was developing impure thoughts, Raven followed the burly man deeper into the manor. Before long, they entered a luxurious villa.

"Andre, you truly are useless!" As soon as she entered the villa and saw a thin middle-aged man standing in the hall, Raven cursed coldly. "You were outnumbered twenty to one and still got beaten like this."

In the recent melee, Cocolia had only had forty thousand troops, while the opposing coalition had a full two hundred thousand.

Although modern warfare was no longer solely decided by numbers, and the quality of equipment was the key.

Even in terms of equipment, the coalition side held the advantage.

To be routed in such a situation clearly indicated a problem with his abilities.

Being reprimanded by Raven, Andre merely lowered his head, not daring to retort, and had to agree, "Yes, yes, yes, Lady Raven is correct."

If Andre's soldiers saw this scene, they would probably be stunned.

After all, Andre was known for his fiery temper.

But when facing Raven, especially Raven standing there as a cadre of World Serpent, Andre could only bow.

Otherwise, the only other option would be to lie down.

"Useless!"

Seeing Andre's demeanor, Raven's voice grew colder.

Andre fell silent.

After a long pause, seeing that Raven had no intention of continuing her scolding, Andre finally raised his head slightly and said, "Knowing of your arrival, I immediately had people prepare a banquet. What do you think..."

Glancing at the silent Shi Hen and the expectant Peggy, Raven nodded slightly. "Lead the way."

Since she had found the person, she was no longer in a hurry and could properly see what tricks they intended to play.

"This way, please."

Bowing and making a "please" gesture, Andre personally took the lead.

As for the burly man from before... he didn't dare to enter the villa at all.

After all, if your boss is getting scolded, would you dare to watch from the side? Might as well shoot yourself in the back six times?

Upon arriving at the opulent dining room, the long dining table was already laden with food, each dish a delicacy only found in top restaurants, making Peggy almost drool.

"Eat as you please."

Sitting down at the first seat on the left, Raven commanded like the host.

Swallowing hard, Peggy turned to look at Shi Hen.

"Listen to her."

Nodding, Shi Hen cut a piece of steak and put it in his mouth, the mask below his nose automatically disappearing.

The texture was delicate, the rich meat aroma complemented by a hint of spicy seasoning – a truly chef-level standard.

With permission granted, Peggy finally reached for the food she had only heard of but never seen.

At first, the girl tried to maintain some semblance of composure, but after tasting the deliciousness that made her involuntarily swallow, she quickly let go and began to eat heartily.

Watching the girl eat without any grace, Andre couldn't help but frown, but with Raven present, he didn't dare say anything. He cautiously asked, "My lady, who are these people?"

On Raven's previous visits, she had always come alone.

And while he could overlook the young girl, the other person in the white robe gave him a very strange feeling.

Although he didn't feel any danger from the other party, Shi Hen had been too calm from start to finish. Facing Raven, he wasn't subservient at all, instead acting as if they were equals.

"Don't ask what you shouldn't."

Raven said indifferently, not even lifting her head.

She didn't believe Andre was qualified to know about Shi Hen.

In fact, she could have completed this mission alone.

But she simply wanted to bring the young man to Siberia to see.

It wasn't for any consideration of combat power.

She just wanted to do it, so she did.

"Yes."

Bowing respectfully, Andre softly introduced the various dishes on the table to the group.

Listening to Andre's explanation, tasting the delicious food worth thousands of gold, and then thinking of the soldiers still patrolling outside in the wind and snow, a line of poetry inexplicably appeared in Shi Hen's mind:

A warrior, half-dead on the battlefield, while beauties still sing and dance in the tent.

This Andre truly lost without any injustice.

Chapter Forty-Five: Shi Hen's Art

The dinner concluded, and both hosts and guests were pleased.

Well, regardless of whether Andre was happy or not, at least Shi Hen and the others had a good meal, and Peggy's stomach was bulging.

The girl swore this was the best meal she had ever eaten since she was born. Even compared to when she followed Shi Hen and the others... well, there was no need for comparison.

After all, a certain someone only made her catch rabbits herself and often didn't provide any food.

"By the way, General Andre, do you drink coffee when you fight?"

Shi Hen suddenly asked, looking at the thin man with slightly thinning hair.

"???" Andre was bewildered by Shi Hen's question but still answered honestly, "No, we usually drink vodka when we fight.

Siberia's winters are very cold."

"I see."

Shi Hen sighed.

"Is there a problem with that?"

Andre asked cautiously, appearing very polite.

"Nothing, just asking," Shi Hen said indifferently, then turned to the blonde girl beside him, "Peggy, you should go to the restroom."

Although he brought the girl to mooch a meal, some things were not suitable for children to hear.

"Ah? But I..." She was about to say she didn't need to, but meeting the profound eyes beneath the young man's mask, Peggy finally nodded obediently and hopped off her chair. "Where is the restroom?"

Andre quickly clapped his hands to summon a female soldier.

This hospitality seemed very professional.

Shi Hen gave Andre a look of approval.

After patiently waiting for Peggy to leave with the female soldier, Raven slowly spoke, swirling the wine glass in her hand, "Andre, the Serpent is very disappointed in you."

"I'm very sorry, Lady Raven!" Andre, seated at the head of the table, bowed deeply, as if Raven were the true master of the house. "This time, it was those guys from Bulwo who dragged us down. Just give me another chance, give me a little more time, and I will definitely reassemble my soldiers. I will be able to kill that woman Cocolia, I..."

"Andre," Raven said softly, and Andre's rambling voice instantly stopped. "I'm not discussing this with you."

Raven's tone wasn't strong, and combined with her gentle voice, it had a beauty like a nightingale's song. However, the expression on Andre's face instantly turned panicked, and large drops of cold sweat broke out on his dry, old face.

"No! Lady Raven, give me another chance, please give me another chance!"

Andre pleaded bitterly, even getting up from his chair and kneeling, completely disregarding his general's dignity.

"Hand over everything you have. This is your only chance."

Raven said indifferently, her attitude unchanged by the man's plea.

The Serpent only valued profit, and the failed Andre had little value left.

Or rather, his only value was in the resources he still held.

Soldiers, land, industries... these things would be reclaimed by the Serpent one by one and used as chips for the Serpent's next transaction with others, just as Andre had obtained all of this from the World Serpent.

Remaining in his kneeling posture, Andre remained silent for a long time. Only his tightly clenched fists proved how turbulent his emotions were.

He had struggled in the army for half his life and had finally achieved his current status and position. Yet, with just a casual word from Raven, all of it would be stripped away.

How could he accept this?!

"Don't make things difficult for me, Andre."

Raven said, her calm tone backed by a clear threat.

"...Yes, Lady Raven."

The man's tightly clenched fists slowly relaxed.

He knew that if he made things difficult for the other party, the outcome awaiting him would be a hundred times worse than death.

Even if he were protected by a thousand soldiers, it would still be as easy as picking something up from a bag for Raven to kill him.

Five years ago, before he was even a general, Andre had personally witnessed how the previous general was killed by this woman in a completely undignified manner.

Then, he became the new general.

"Lady Raven, it's getting late today, may I ask if you..."

Andre asked with a kneeling greeting.

He understood that at this moment, he had to show obedience; only then might he have a slim chance of survival and an opportunity to start anew elsewhere.

"Stay here for the night?"

Raven looked at the young man.

She wanted a comfortable bed to sleep in and didn't want to spend the night in the car, as the mission wasn't urgent anyway.

"Listen to your big sister."

As a little follower, Shi Hen naturally had no objections.

"Fill up my car with gas, I'll need it tomorrow."

Raven instructed Andre.

"Yes, Lady Raven."

Andre's attitude was respectful.

"Let's go, I can finally take a shower, I feel like I stink."

As Raven walked out of the restaurant, she stretched and yawned.

During this time, they had mostly been training with Peggy, with few opportunities to enter towns.