"Uh... if I told you I was just passing by, would you believe me?"
"Vill-V, no one's going to believe that!" Orion Astra said, annoyed. He didn't expect that at such a critical moment, Vill-V would slip.
"Alert! Protect the doctor!"
The soldiers weren't fooled. Strange people in a vents weren't normal.
"Ahhh!" Vill-V felt a strong pull from behind. It was Orion. Seeing that they were caught, he hurriedly dragged the reckless magician out of there.
"Chase them! Use the building's blueprint to find where they went!"
More than 10 soldiers in black combat uniforms chased after them. The old doctor, who had been talking, heard the commotion and said to the soldiers, "I can count on you, right? Miss Elysia."
The old man read Elysia's name from her badge. She was one of the top fighters in the MOTH.
"Don't worry, Doctor. You can count on me!"
Elysia smiled brightly, her confidence contagious. Even the doctor, who had been upset earlier, was calmed by her.
"I'll leave it to you" he nodded and left.
Elysia brushed her long pink hair behind her ears and looked at the empty vent.
Though it was brief, she thought she sensed someone familiar in the darkness behind Vill-V.
"That girl was kind of cute," Elysia said while jogging along.
Meanwhile, Orion and Vill-V had traveled quite a distance through the tight vent.
"Orion! Can you slow down a little?"
"We don't have time for that."
"Can you at least be gentler?" Vill-V complained.
"He's rough, direct, and not at all like a magician should be," she complained inwardly. Still, she couldn't deny that Orion was efficient and reliable when they were in danger.
As they moved, Vill-V felt like a fish being dragged down a conveyor belt.
"Get ready to land!"
Before Vill-V could ask what he meant, she heard a loud bang and started sliding downward.
After a short fall, she landed on her feet and felt a wave of relief. Orion had punched a hole in the vent to make an exit.
"Where to next?" Vill-V asked, looking around. They were in what seemed like an employee locker room.
"Remember the doctor from earlier?" Orion asked, glancing cautiously around.
"Of course, it hasn't been that long," Vill-V replied as she dusted herself off.
Orion then tapped her forehead with his finger, making Vill-V step back.
"What are you doing?"
Though Vill-V felt uneasy, Orion's voice had a calming effect. "Remember what the doctor looked like…"
As Orion touched her forehead again, Vill-V suddenly recalled the doctor's face clearly.
Before she could say anything, Orion pulled his hand away.
"Okay, I need you to do something now," Orion said.
Vill-V was confused, not sure what he meant.
"We're outside their detection for now, but the soldiers will find you soon. Your machines will break through their defenses."
Vill-V pulled out a device that showed red dots on a radar screen.
"Those red dots are my robots. Looks like some have already broken into the building."
"Good," Orion said, patting her on the shoulder. "You need to create chaos and distract the enemy. If they catch you, find that pink-haired girl, Elysia."
Elysia's image popped into Vill-V's mind—her striking appearance was hard to forget.
"Just whisper my name in her ear, and she'll know what to do."
Vill-V put her hands on her hips. "You really think I'm going to get caught by ordinary soldiers?"
Orion scratched his head. While Vill-V wasn't the strongest fighter, her weapons and machines made her formidable in battle. He sighed, "Okay, I trust you."
"Good! I won't be caught that easily," Vill-V said confidently.
"My goal is to catch the guy who escaped earlier. He's got something important." Orion's eyes narrowed. He could sense a strange energy from the equipment the man had.
"Honkai energy," Orion whispered. He knew Elysia had likely sensed it too. That's why he felt comfortable leaving Vill-V in her hands.
"Time is running out. Let's move."
Even though Orion had explained everything, Vill-V still had one question.
"Can you find the doctor?"
Orion walked toward the door and turned back, smiling mysteriously.
"I've already memorized everything."