The city planning of the Anti-Entropy headquarters was exceptionally well done.
Even from an amateur's perspective, the straight roads, orderly buildings, abundant greenery, and various robots scattered throughout gave off an air of novelty and comfort.
Ana was curiously observing the city.
She realized that, likely due to the significant nature of the Herrscher of Thousands and her own unstable condition, she had been sent directly into the heavily guarded inner city upon her arrival at Anti-Entropy. In reality, she had never properly explored this renowned city.
"Uncle Albert, a little to the left! Move it left!"
"No, no, it needs to go right!"
"Lift it! Just a bit higher!"
"Yes, that's it! Hold it right there, Uncle Albert!"
While marveling at the advanced mechs and heavy weaponry surrounding her, Ana was pulled back from her thoughts by the children's cheerful voices.
Turning her head, she saw a young man in a deep green military uniform with black hair. He held out one arm, using its not-so-wide surface as a base for a large, single-legged Titan mech to stand on—a heavily modified Anti-Entropy combat unit. Comparable in individual combat ability to Valkyries, Titans were typically deployed alongside mechanical armies and heavy firepower, often acting as dominators on the battlefield.
The young, handsome soldier, referred to as Albert, wore a helpless expression as he looked at the little ones around him, his tone tinged with irritation:
"Stop chattering and finish your drawings already— Also, call me big brother! I'm only eighteen!"
"Pfft!"
Kiana burst out laughing.
Albert turned to her, veins nearly popping on his forehead.
"Captain Kiana, we're in the same graduating class!"
"Sorry, sorry, it's just— Pfft! Your face! You look way too mature for your age!"
"...Captain Raiden, what do you think?"
"Well... I mean… To be fair… It's hard to tell, but Albert, you do look older than me."
Raiden Mei covered her mouth, struggling to maintain her composure and politeness.
"Hahaha!"
Finally, Kiana let out a hearty laugh, mocking her comrade's overly mature appearance without restraint.
Albert's face turned completely dark.
Then, a small, fair hand tugged at Albert's uniform.
"Albert, Tina finished her drawing!"
"Call me big brother! Forget it, let me see."
Albert took the little girl's drawing, glancing at it while still steadily holding up the Titan. Under Tina's hopeful, starry-eyed gaze, a vein throbbed visibly on his forehead.
The bright crayon colors, simple lines, and childlike charm of the drawing matched Tina's adorable personality perfectly—except for one glaring issue. Despite making Albert perform acrobatics for the drawing, Tina's picture featured only the sun, buildings, and trees. Neither Albert nor the Titan appeared in it.
Thud!
"Ahhh!"
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Albert used the sketchbook to repeatedly tap Tina's little head, sending her scurrying off with a wail.
"Albert is so mean!"
"Tina, your drawing didn't meet the requirements, so I'm confiscating it! Figure out how to make a new one!"
"Huh?! No way! I worked so hard on that! Now I can't turn in my homework! Give it back, Albert!"
"I already told you! Call me Big Brother Albert! Or even Uncle is fine, but stop just calling me by my name!"
Tina clung to the tall Albert, trying to retrieve her sketchbook. But due to her height and strength disadvantage, her jumping and pleading were futile.
The scene brought a heartfelt smile to Ana's face.
"They seem to get along really well," Ana said softly to Kiana, who had come closer to her.
Kiana scratched her nose.
"Tina was someone Albert rescued from the battlefield."
"Hmm?"
"A Honkai outbreak caused mutations—Tina's mother turned into a Honkai Zombie, and Tina herself was infected by Honkai energy. Albert was the main force in that suppression mission. I heard he killed Tina's mother, who had become a Honkai Zombie, right in front of her. I don't know the exact details, but when they returned, Albert had lost an arm. The one he's using to hold the Titan now is actually a mechanical arm. Later, Albert used his military merits to secure a house in the outer city. But since he's often on missions, that place has basically become Tina's private little base."
"I see…"
Ana quietly processed the story. Looking back at the warm and lively scene, she felt not just amusement but also a profound sense of how precious it was.
The story between Albert and Tina was something Ana could only piece together in fragments, but her eyes grew moist.
"That's beautiful," Ana murmured with a sigh, smiling softly.
Beside her, Kiana suddenly smirked mischievously, pulling out a pair of silver handcuffs from who-knows-where.
"What Tina thinks, I can't control. But if Albert doesn't behave himself and does something inappropriate before Tina becomes an adult, my limited-edition platinum bracelets might just find a new owner! Heh heh heh!"
"Hmm... Huh?!"
Ana stared at Kiana, utterly confused.
Kiana puffed out her chest proudly.
"What? Do I need to reintroduce myself? I'm Kiana, First Executor of Anti-Entropy, Lieutenant Commander rank, and also the Squad Leader of Headquarters' Discipline and Inspection Team! Just a heads-up, don't do anything shady on my turf, unless you think you can outrun someone with spatial powers!"
Ana chuckled silently.
Kiana as a law enforcer? It didn't sound particularly convincing, yet somehow, it was oddly reassuring.
<+>
At dinner, Ana met the orphanage director.
"Good evening, Director."
"Good evening."
"Director, here's the drawing I made today!"
"Let me see... Hmm, keep trying. You might have a future as an abstract artist."
"Director!"
Thud!
"Call me Sister!"
Cioara, the director, glared as she rubbed her fist, while the little girl clutched her head, crying out in pain.
Ana woodenly picked up a piece of fried chicken with her fork and put it in her mouth.
The director's identity came as a surprise.
Ana knew Cioara. She was the comprehensive supervisor at Anti-Entropy headquarters and also an instructor for the special forces and intelligence departments. Rumor had it that she was closely associated with Cocolia, the most controversial executive within Anti-Entropy. The two were often seen together worldwide, seemingly engaging in shady dealings on Cocolia's behalf.
Such a person, running an orphanage... Could there be some kind of conspiracy?
Ana frowned, already contemplating reporting her suspicions to Anti-Entropy's senior leadership for the sake of the children.
"Hey! What are you thinking about? You don't look too happy."
Cheeks puffed up like a chipmunk, Kiana spoke as she chewed her food.
After a moment of hesitation, Ana decided to trust Kiana's character and shared her concerns.
In response, Kiana gave her a hearty slap on the back.
"Come on now, don't jump to conclusions about people you don't know. Sister Cioara loves kids more than anyone else. So does Auntie Cocolia. Trust me, they'd rather give up dresses, makeup, and pretty jewelry to open more orphanages. In fact, two or three out of every ten orphanages run by Anti-Entropy only exist because of their strong advocacy. Many of the additional benefits here are thanks to them too. Back in the day, I almost called Cocolia 'Mom.' I know them better than you do."
Ana fell silent, lowering her head in embarrassment.
Kiana's character was indeed trustworthy. And thinking carefully, this was Welt and Sigurd's domain—there was no way they'd let ill-intentioned people care for these special children, right? Besides, the children's evident closeness to Cioara couldn't be faked.
So, it was her own narrow-mindedness after all.
Ana quietly continued eating. The events of the day left her feeling oddly lighter. It wasn't that her unforgettable experiences had faded but that seeing more of the world had broadened her perspective, easing her burdens slightly.
"By the way, where's Tina? I haven't seen her."
"Director, Uncle Albert came back today. So, Tina is probably helping him cook right now."
"—That little rascal! Tina is still so young, and he's already trying to steal her away from me? I'll kill him right now!"
Cioara's short gray hair moved as if caught in an invisible wind. Rolling up her sleeves and picking up her pistol, her red eyes gleamed with murderous intent—a stark contrast to the elegant black dress she wore.
Then, she stormed out the door and quickly disappeared.
"Um... is that okay?"
Ana was startled by Cioara's murderous aura and asked hesitantly.
But everyone else remained unfazed, as if it were a routine occurrence.
With no response forthcoming, Ana continued eating quietly—wait, upon closer taste, the food at this orphanage was surprisingly delicious!
<+>
Tn: If you want to see more chapter of this story, please go to my Patreon[1], just for $5 each month, you can read till the latest chapter.
Latest Chapter in Patreon: Chapter 307: This Is a Coup[2]
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[1] https://www.patreon.com/collection/95348?view=expanded
[2] https://www.patreon.com/posts/honkai-strijder-131269637
[3] https://www.patreon.com/posts/honkai-strijder-131269637
[4] https://www.patreon.com/collection/95348?view=expanded