Starting as a Behind-the-Scenes Boss in the Honkai World Chapter 42

"Time to rest."

After tidying up the documents, Cocolia stood up, stretched widely, and walked out, pushing her chair away.

So cold!

Leaving the office, which had been kept warm, Cocolia shivered as the cold wind from the hallway blew past her.

I wonder if the children are sleeping soundly?

Walking down the long corridor, listening to the tap-tap-tap of her high-heeled boots on the floor, the Iron-Blooded Iron-Fisted Warlord, known for her strict and ruthless demeanor, found her thoughts drifting. A smile couldn't help but form on her lips, softening her expression.

But in the next second, sensing something unusual in the air, Cocolia paused slightly before continuing forward with the same pace as before.

And just as Cocolia was about to turn the next corner, a cold glint flashed.

Swish!

Reflecting the overhead lights, a dagger darted towards the Iron-Blooded Iron-Fisted Warlord in a flash.

What a weak assassin...

Looking at the dagger aimed at her abdomen, Cocolia couldn't help but think.

If she were the one to kill someone, her target would definitely be the enemy's heart, ensuring a swift and fatal blow.

However, while this assassin's technique was poor, their strength and speed were undeniable.

But she was stronger!

With one hand, she grabbed the assassin's wrist like a vise and twisted. The steel dagger clattered to the floor with a clang, while Cocolia's other hand grabbed the assassin's collar and slammed them against the wall.

Thump!

A dull thud echoed as flesh met wall, mixed with the girl's suppressed cry of pain.

"Who are you? Who sent you? How did you find this place?"

A string of questions escaped her lips instinctively. Cocolia finally looked at the assassin's face, and her fierce expression faltered slightly.

A child?

Instead of the ruthless demeanor she expected, Cocolia saw a thin, small face. Upon closer inspection, the lingering traces of past malnutrition were clearly visible.

The girl's face contorted with clear pain from Cocolia's rough handling.

But even while enduring the pain, there was no sign of submission in the girl's eyes. She simply stared directly at the blonde Iron-Blooded Iron-Fisted Warlord who held her life in her hands.

Like a cornered kitten.

The thought crossed Cocolia's mind.

She saw no murderous indifference in the girl's eyes, only a stubborn refusal to yield.

"I'll deal with you later!"

Knowing she wouldn't get anything from the girl in a short time, Cocolia delivered a chop to the girl's neck, knocking her unconscious. She then found an empty room to temporarily house her.

If the enemy could send an assassin, it meant this orphanage's location had been exposed. The other children...

With that thought, Cocolia moved swiftly, rushing towards the dormitory area at her fastest speed.

Chapter 47: Two Targets

An enemy has infiltrated the orphanage!

Bronya's eyes snapped open from her light sleep. She looked at the dimly visible ceiling reflecting the moonlight, her body remaining still as she tensed up.

The footsteps were light; the intruders were skilled.

Judging by the pattern, there were definitely more than five of them.

The footsteps were approaching with a clear objective. Was their target me?

No, it must be Seele!

Recalling the kidnapping incident from half a year ago, Bronya's mind immediately made the connection.

Her greatest value was as the Ural Silver Wolf's military might, something that couldn't be obtained through a simple kidnapping.

If they wanted to subdue her, they would have chosen other methods.

Therefore, the enemy's target could only be the other person in this room!

I should quickly notify Mama Cocolia... No, there's no time!

The thought had barely crossed her mind when Bronya heard a faint "click." Immediately after, a slight, cold breeze entered the room.

The orphanage's facilities were old, and the windows lacked security bars. They were also old-fashioned latch-type, easily opened from the outside with a little skill.

Along with the cold wind, a faint, strange fragrance drifted and spread.

It was a sleeping drug.

Her senses on high alert, Bronya immediately held her breath.

For the Ural Silver Wolf, who had undergone the most rigorous training, holding her breath for an extended period was not difficult.

After only about seven or eight minutes, the creaking sound of the window opening could be heard. A large gust of cold air poured in, but the blue-haired girl in the other bed remained sound asleep, completely unaware.

This is good too. Seele won't find out anything, as long as she cleans up the traces thoroughly.

Bronya thought to herself, her body already tensing silently.

No matter who the opponent was, she wouldn't let Seele get hurt.

The footsteps were getting closer...

Opening her eyes a sliver, Bronya watched as several dark figures approached the bedside.

"Which one?"

Someone asked softly.

"The one on the left."

Another person replied.

The first person immediately picked up the blue-haired girl from the left bed.

Just as she suspected, the target was Seele.

Bronya's heart tightened.

"What about the other one?"

The person holding Seele asked.

"Don't worry about it. Headquarters only wants this one, don't cause any trouble."

The person who answered earlier spoke up.

With their opinions aligned, the two immediately left through the window with the blue-haired girl, not forgetting to close the window before they left.

Phew~

Only when the room fell silent again did Bronya start to gasp for air, inhaling enough oxygen to reactivate her body.

There were only two people who entered the room earlier. While she was confident she could deal with them, the commotion from a fight would have attracted other enemies.

If she had been put in that situation, even she wouldn't have been able to win.

Moreover, there were other children in the dormitory building. Choosing the battlefield here would have inevitably affected them.

Therefore, she had to be patient, patiently waiting for the enemies to let their guard down, waiting for a situation where they could be dealt with one by one, and waiting for the enemy to leave the orphanage.

With that thought, Bronya put on her warm coat and also slipped out the window as quietly as possible.

The Ural Silver Wolf, mobilizing once more!

Under the moonlight, a team of eleven... no, it should be twelve people, though one of them was essentially baggage.

The large group moving through the orphanage should have been quite conspicuous.

But the reality was the exact opposite.

Eleven fully armed men walked through the orphanage, yet there wasn't the slightest extra sound.

Furthermore, these were all well-trained individuals. The eleven split into several small teams of two or three, vigilantly observing every minute change in their surroundings, not relaxing their alertness at all due to the simplicity of this mission.

They didn't even exchange a single word of idle chat.

What kind of people were these?!

Using her familiarity with the orphanage to keep a distant tail, Bronya couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat.

Such skill, such quality – they were top-tier in Siberia, not inferior to her.

But such a terrifying group had stormed into an old orphanage like theirs, just to abduct a little girl?

What kind of secret did Seele possess that was worth such a large-scale operation?

Bronya clenched her fists, her fingernails digging into her flesh, as she struggled to control her breathing to avoid making any noise that might alert the enemy.

The enemy this time was very strong, possibly stronger than any opponent she had faced before.

Therefore, she had to be extremely careful and cautious, not allowing even the slightest mistake.

Slowing her breathing and heart rate, Bronya could feel every cell in her body becoming increasingly active.

She was getting excited.

The orphanage wasn't large, and both parties were moving at a good pace, so they soon evacuated the orphanage grounds.

Suddenly, the eleven people ahead stopped abruptly in a clearing in the woods.

A lean man at the front made a gesture, and the man holding the blue-haired girl immediately nodded, carefully placing the sleeping girl on the ground.

In the moonlight, it was clear the girl was fast asleep due to the medication, but the cold outside the covers made her frown occasionally, her body curling up to conserve more heat.

This was a scene that would break anyone's heart and make them immediately pick up the girl and wrap her in thick clothing.

But unfortunately, the elites present were all well-trained and wouldn't develop any superfluous emotions for their mission target.

Clang!

The lean man pulled out his pistol, the sound of it being cocked crisp and powerful. The dark muzzle slowly aimed at the girl's head on the ground, as if he were about to pull the trigger at any second.

No, the other party had already done so.

In the bright moonlight, Bronya could clearly see the man's finger pressing down, about to reach the critical point of firing.

What's going on? Wasn't their target Seele? Why kill the girl here? What's the point of doing this?

With no time to think further, Bronya had already chosen to act.

Whoosh!

Bang!

The sound of the stone flying out coincided with the gunshot, causing the skinny man's muzzle to deviate. The bullet landed in the snow beside the girl.

This should have been an unexpected situation, but the skinny man slowly started to smile. "Finally, you've appeared, Ural Silver Wolf."

Seeing that she had been discovered, Bronya had no choice but to step out from behind a tree.

"Your target is me?"

Bronya asked with a frown, raising her hands to indicate she had no weapons.

This was an effective way to lower the other party's guard.

"No, no, no, Miss Bronya misunderstands." The handgun remained aimed at the sleeping Seele's head as Andre shook his head and softly denied the girl's guess. "Our target is you, both of you."

"Why?"

Bronya asked, confused.

Although the name Ural Silver Wolf was renowned, it wasn't something particularly precious to those who truly held power.

Bronya didn't believe she was worth these people making a move.

As for Seele... she might be, but why was Bronya herself also a target?

Did the other party have some strange hoarding fetish?