Kai leaned heavily against M3’s slender but surprisingly sturdy shoulder, dragging his feet as they rejoined the Doctor’s formation.
He tried his best to maintain a cool, collected smirk, but the trembling in his knees completely betrayed the physical toll the battle had taken on him.
Amiya took one look at his pale face and crossed her arms.
“Mr.
Kai!
You can barely stand straight, yet you’re still trying to worry about your image?” she scolded, her long rabbit ears twitching with a mix of frustration and deep concern.
“Skullshatterer’s forces have completely withdrawn.
Something doesn’t feel right,” Liskarm reported, approaching Amiya after a swift inspection of the scarred battlefield.
Amiya frowned, her gaze sweeping over the lingering smoke and debris.
She had noticed the tactical anomaly earlier.
Before Kai had intervened, Rhodes Island was steadily losing ground.
Yet, whenever the Reunion operatives gained a clear advantage, they deliberately eased their forward pressure.
They weren’t trying to break the line; they were just bleeding Rhodes Island out, stalling for time.
Just twenty minutes prior, the Lungmen Guard Department escort team had broken through the blockade with Rhodes Island’s assistance.
Misha walked silently in the center of the armored formation.
The heavy, oppressive silence of the LGD officers felt entirely different from the warm, chaotic company she had experienced with the Rhodes Island operators.
“Officer…
Ch’en, right?
Amiya said you could be trusted,” Misha ventured softly.
“What is it?” Ch’en asked, her tone flat, her eyes constantly scanning the shadows of the slums.
Misha clutched the edges of her jacket.
“I…
there are some Infected children hiding in these alleys.
If possible, could you…
take care of them?” Ch’en didn’t miss a beat.
“Protecting Lungmen is the responsibility of the Guard Department.” She paused, the cold reality of the city’s laws hanging in the air.
“The Infected are not Lungmen citizens.” Misha lowered her head, having anticipated exactly that answer.
But then Ch’en glanced back over her shoulder.
“However, the Infected within Lungmen still fall under Lungmen’s jurisdiction.
I cannot make you a promise, but I will fulfill my duty.” Silence stretched between them once more, broken only by the crunch of combat boots on broken concrete.
“Regardless, thank you,” Misha whispered, her voice hoarse.
Ch’en looked at the exhausted Ursus girl.
“…Do you know why we are looking for you?” she asked, immediately regretting the breach of protocol the moment the words left her mouth.
Misha shook her head.
“I don’t know of any reason I deserve to be hunted like this.
But I think…
perhaps the reason isn’t me.
It’s my father.” Ch’en’s grip tightened on her scabbard.
“…Yes.
Your father.
As Chernobog’s most renowned scientist and a crucial political figure…
perhaps you possess…” She weighed her words carefully, watching Misha’s reaction.
“…perhaps not.
But regardless, we cannot allow you to fall into the hands of the Reunion Movement.” A deafening roar shattered the conversation.
Concrete rained from the sky as a massive explosion ripped through the adjacent structure.
Ch’en whirled around, drawing her blade in a flash of silver.
“It’s an ambush!
Defensive formation!” By the time Amiya, Kai, and the Doctor arrived at the coordinates, the dust was still settling.
Only the LGD personnel remained, coughing and treating minor wounds.
Amiya scanned the perimeter, her heart sinking.
Misha was nowhere to be seen.
They found Ch’en taking a headcount of her battered squad.
Seeing the scorch marks and exhaustion on the Rhodes Island operators, Ch’en let out a heavy sigh.
“It seems you haven’t had it easy either.” “Let’s put that aside for now, Officer Ch’en.
What happened here?” Amiya asked, her voice tight.
Ch’en sheathed her sword with a sharp click.
“We were ambushed by Reunion.
Communications were jammed, blocking any call for reinforcements.
The enemy was thoroughly prepared and hit our blind spots.” “Where is Misha?” Amiya pressed, a dark premonition settling in her chest.
Ch’en hesitated for a fraction of a second.
“Taken.
By a Sarkaz woman in red.” Amiya froze, at a loss for words.
“Officer Ch’en, what exactly is so special about Misha?
If you continue to withhold critical information like this, it will only sabotage our future cooperation!” Ch’en shook her head, her expression hardening into an impenetrable mask.
“I have no obligation to disclose classified intelligence to you.” The air grew heavy.
Amiya’s usual gentle demeanor vanished, replaced by a chilling authority.
Kai shifted his weight, ready to step in and defend her, but the Doctor placed a firm hand on his shoulder, shaking his head slightly.
Amiya took a slow, deep breath.
When she spoke again, the anger was gone, leaving only cold, piercing logic.
“But we have an obligation to understand our objectives so we can formulate appropriate tactical responses.
Rhodes Island operates under the Guard Department’s command for this mission.
Even when you use the Infected to deal with the Infected, we still require basic intelligence to function.” Kai blinked.
For a split second, the imposing shadow of Kal’tsit seemed to overlap perfectly with the young Cautus.
Ch’en fell silent.
Her dark, scaled tail swished back and forth in a slow, agitated rhythm.
Finally, she relented.
“Very well.
I understand your position.
Previously, during our investigation into Misha’s background, we uncovered intelligence indicating her father was a vital figure in Chernobog…” A brief exchange of classified data followed.
As the pieces fell into place, the Rhodes Island operators exchanged shocked glances.
“If Misha is that important, we need to launch a rescue operation immediately!” Amiya urged.
Ch’en shook her head.
“Pursuit falls under the Guard Department’s jurisdiction.
Rhodes Island’s current priority is to cooperate with us in eliminating the remaining Infected threats in the sector.” Her eyes narrowed.
“That is an order.” “…I understand,” Amiya conceded.
“By the way.
You are Kai, correct?” Ch’en turned her sharp gaze toward Kai and the silver-haired woman supporting him.
Kai blinked, pointing a finger at his own chest.
Why was he suddenly in the spotlight?
Wasn’t this supposed to be his good daughter Amiya’s character development arc?
“That’s me.
What is it, Officer Ch’en?” “The woman who abducted Misha asked me to deliver a message to you.” Ch’en’s voice was entirely devoid of emotion, reciting the words with mechanical precision.
“She said: ‘Thank you for the reminder.
For your sake, I’ll spare these idiots from the Guard Department.
I originally had a very interesting script prepared, but I’ve changed my mind now.
Looking forward to our next meeting.'” Kai’s jaw practically hit the floor.
Hold on, Sister W, are you seriously throwing me under the bus like this?!
True to form, Ch’en had repeated the message verbatim, including the blatant insult to her own people.
Instantly, several LGD officers turned to glare daggers at Kai, their hands drifting toward their weapons.
M3 didn’t say a word.
She simply took a half-step forward, her slender frame completely shielding Kai from their hostile stares.
The air around her dropped a few degrees.
‘Thank you, M3,’ Kai thought, sweating bullets.
She really was the most reliable bodyguard when dealing with outsiders.
Kai’s mind raced.
He knew exactly what ‘script’ W was talking about.
In the original timeline, she had planned to manipulate Skullshatterer into a death match with the Doctor—the very tragedy that ultimately forced Misha down a dark, irredeemable path.
But what did she mean by changing her mind?
Before he could puzzle it out, Ch’en activated her radio, contacting the other commander of the Special Inspection Unit.
Moments later, heavy footsteps echoed down the street.
A towering Oni woman approached, a massive triangular shield resting effortlessly on her shoulder.
“Yo, Old Ch’en, and folks from Rhodes Island.
Sorry for the delay on the road; got held up by some trash.
I’m Hoshiguma.
You can just call me Officer Hoshiguma.” She offered a casual, friendly grin, then immediately shifted to business, speaking openly in front of the Rhodes Island operators.
“The situation is bad.
The main support force took heavy losses.
We caught up with some scattered units, but they were clearly just disposable pawns left behind as a rearguard to slow us down.
Their main force has likely completely evacuated.” “Heavy losses?” Ch’en’s brow furrowed deeply.
“Did you take any prisoners?” “Yeah, but they’re all small fry.
Probably won’t squeeze much out of an interrogation,” Hoshiguma replied, scratching the back of her neck.
Ch’en’s expression turned icy.
“Whether they can be broken in interrogation is not my concern.
Our absolute priority is tracking the remnants of their main force.” She glanced at Amiya.
“Rhodes Island, since you are so eager to fulfill your obligations, this tracking operation will be entrusted to you.
Leave the actual combat to the Guard Department.” “Understood, Officer Ch’en,” Amiya agreed without hesitation.
Tracking was a job for specialists, anyway.
The Penguin Logistics crew would likely jump at the chance for a new commission.
“Good.
Let us commence operations.” With a sharp gesture, Ch’en led Hoshiguma and her battered squad down the street, leaving Rhodes Island and a few logistics operators to secure the perimeter.
The moment the LGD was out of sight, the tension drained from Amiya’s shoulders.
She turned back to Kai and the Doctor, her fierce leadership persona melting away into that of a lost, tired girl.
“Um…
Mr.
Kai, Doctor, do you have any suggestions on how we should proceed?” Kai and the Doctor exchanged a knowing look, both smiling faintly.
Kai stepped forward, raising his hand to pat her on the head, but suddenly remembered the heavy atmosphere and paused his hand awkwardly in mid-air.
Seeing his hesitation, Amiya stood up on her tiptoes, reached out, and actively caught his hand, pressing it against her hair.
“What’s wrong, Mr.
Kai?” she asked, blinking up at him with innocent confusion.
Kai’s heart instantly melted into a puddle.
He gently ruffled her soft hair.
Amiya was still just Amiya.
“It’s nothing,” he said softly.
“The Doctor and I both agree that you should trust your own judgment.
You don’t need to ask for our suggestions to lead.” “Mm!” She nodded brightly, a small smile returning to her face.
Then, her gaze shifted to the space just behind him.
Kai turned his head.
M3 was standing a few paces away, watching the exchange in total silence.
The moment she realized both of them were staring at her, a faint dusting of pink spread across her pale cheeks, and she quickly turned her head away, pretending to inspect a nearby lamppost.
“Aww, is someone feeling shy?” Kai teased, closing the distance between them.
“You want a head pat too?” “N-no!
Don’t be ridiculous!” M3 stammered, her usual cool facade cracking instantly.
“I was just…
making sure you weren’t bullying Amiya!” Her excuse was incredibly flimsy, and she knew it.
Kai didn’t give her a chance to retreat.
Direct hand control!
He reached out, bypassing her weak defensive posture, and thoroughly ruffled her pristine silver hair.
“Hey—stop that!” What followed was a highly unprofessional display, resulting in Kai sprinting halfway down the ruined Lungmen street, laughing out loud while being chased by a deeply embarrassed and thoroughly furious M3.
[Rhodes’s Note: Enjoying the operation so far, Doctor?
(This daily grind literally pays the landship’s rent!
to use the links!)