Looking at the glass of water in front of her, then at the coffee in front of Ming Yu and the other person, a clear flash of anger appeared in Mo Xi's eyes. But she was in a weaker position, and Singapore still had a favor to ask of Ming Yu, so she could only endure this small slight.
"Then may I ask, what enlightenment does Mr. Yu have for me?"
Clenching her right hand on the water glass, Mo Xi forced a stiff smile, suppressing the disgust in her heart.
Seeing the smile on the girl's face, Ming Yu nodded in satisfaction, as if he hadn't noticed the hatred in her eyes at all.
"This is Hiyokumaru, you could say she's my second-in-command."
Pointing to Hiyokumaru beside him, Ming Yu said unhurriedly.
Although Ming Yu was well aware that Mo Xi had come to ask about the battle between him and Raven last night—after all, the battle scars were so obvious and completely unconcealed that it was impossible for Singapore not to have noticed them. But, so what?
In the face of a behemoth like Schicksal, the tiny nation of Singapore was not worth mentioning. What's more, his own strength and status were enough to look down on this small country.
Even though she was quite anxious, Mo Xi remembered the orders from her superiors before she came and patiently extended a hand to Hiyokumaru, saying, "Hello, Miss Hiyokumaru, I am Mo Xi."
"Oh, um, hello."
Suddenly hearing Ming Yu's introduction and Mo Xi's greeting, Hiyokumaru was also a little surprised and hurriedly extended her hand, but her gaze towards Mo Xi carried a hint of danger.
Although Mo Xi herself might not be aware of it, the fact that Singapore had sent a young girl in the prime of her life instead of a seasoned politician already made their intentions to curry favor quite obvious.
This was especially true when the girl was also very attractive, which made Hiyokumaru pay even more attention. If Singapore insisted on placing Mo Xi by Ming Yu's side, considering the goal of winning over Singapore, the Far East Branch might really not refuse.
In terms of organization, the core of the Inverse Feather Squad still had at least two open spots. Even though Ming Yu had pushed Hiyokumaru into the position of vice-captain, as a logistics Valkyrie, she couldn't occupy any corner of a three-person combat team.
Even if Mo Xi herself was unwilling, in considerations of a national scale, an individual's wishes were ultimately insignificant.
Ignoring the thoughts of Hiyokumaru, whom she had just met, Mo Xi immediately turned her gaze back to Ming Yu and said anxiously, "Now can you tell me who exactly you were fighting last night?"
For Singapore, even though they knew an uncontrollable enemy had appeared on their soil, that reckless battle still frightened many people.
If Ming Yu's assault on the Presidential Palace made Singapore understand Schicksal's power, then his battle with Raven made Singapore understand the kind of destructive power a powerhouse of this level possessed.
The entire park was completely razed to the ground, with craters of all sizes everywhere, and the remnants of frost and fire lingered on.
If not for deducing from various signs that there were only two people fighting, Singapore would have even suspected that a small army had engaged in a firefight there.
In the battle at the Presidential Palace, Ming Yu had shown his restraint, which was a great relief to Singapore's high command. But the mysterious powerhouse he fought against was a complete enigma; no one knew this person's character or what their purpose was for being here.
To be able to fight fiercely with Ming Yu for so long meant that this mysterious person's strength must not be much different, and they were also not someone Singapore could fend off.
This situation was enough to make Singapore's top brass feel insecure.
It was precisely because of this consideration that Singapore sent Mo Xi to ask Ming Yu for information. With their interests tied, Schicksal also had to look after its newly acquired little brother.
"Of course." Taking a light sip of the bittersweet coffee, Ming Yu pondered for a moment before speaking slowly. He had to be careful with his words about Raven, so as not to cause Singapore to waver too much in its stance towards Schicksal. "World Serpent. You just need to reply with that."
Looking at the relaxed and content Ming Yu, the look of anticipation on Mo Xi's face instantly froze. Just these three simple words could lightly brush over the damage they had caused to Singapore?
The affected citizens, the frightened populace—how was the government supposed to explain? How could they answer to the nation?
Anger burned in her heart. Mo Xi's eyes flew wide open at Ming Yu, her clear eyes filled with red veins, giving her originally pretty face a somewhat ferocious look.
"You people... don't be too arrogant!"
Endless anger rose in her heart, and the girl's voice became deeper.
"Arrogant?" His black eyes lifted slightly as Ming Yu looked down at the angry girl. "The weak have no right to sit at the same table and talk with the strong."
In this cruel world, the law of the jungle was so starkly clear. With the threat of the Honkai imminent and the fate of destruction in sight, no one would abide by the rules of peacetime.
Even a neutral country like Singapore had secretly allied with Anti-Entropy, hadn't it?
"Within Schicksal, you can count the number of people stronger than me on one hand. And Singapore, this tiny piece of land, is even less worth mentioning in the face of Schicksal's vast territory. What right do you have to demand a dialogue as equals?"
Looking at the calm-faced Ming Yu, a deep sense of powerlessness rose in Mo Xi's heart.
Several months ago, when faced with powerful Honkai Beasts, she could only flee in disarray, watching helplessly as ordinary people used their lives to buy her a chance to fight back.
And now, facing Ming Yu who was running rampant in Singapore, she couldn't even utter a single word of rebuttal.
Guilt, anger, powerlessness—the girl's face turned red and then pale, and her body trembled uncontrollably.
"What's more, do you think only Anti-Entropy wants to experiment with the lives of Singapore's millions?"
His expression didn't change in the slightest, but Ming Yu uttered an incredibly shocking fact.
"What... what do you mean!?"
A look of terror uncontrollably appeared on Mo Xi's face, and the girl's eyes went vacant for a moment.
It was frightening enough that Anti-Entropy had its eyes on Singapore. If there were others with the same goal...
"That Honkai Energy crystal is one of Schicksal's most precious treasures. Without someone's authorization, do you think this thing could be stolen so easily?"
Staring intently at the panicked girl, Ming Yu's lips curved into a mocking smile, selling out the Archbishop without a shred of guilt in his heart.
The more critical Singapore's situation became, the more they would cherish the Far East Branch as their only lifeline.
To Schicksal, Singapore was just an insignificant piece of land. But to the Far East Branch, it was a considerable piece of meat. If handled properly, the Far East Branch could even bring most of Southeast Asia into its fold.
Even though the relationship between the Far East Branch and Schicksal was very good right now, Ming Yu, who knew the future, was aware that Theresa was destined to lead the Far East Branch down the path of rebellion.
In addition to the support from Schicksal HQ, the Far East Branch also needed some territory that truly belonged to it.
Giving Singapore to the Far East Branch could be considered a small repayment for Theresa's past care.
"A man's heart is never satisfied, just as a snake tries to swallow an elephant. Singapore, you'd better not try any funny business!" Tapping on the wooden table, Ming Yu said slowly, his eyes tinged with a bit of blood-red. "Otherwise, a pile of ruins would also be in a certain high-ranking person's interest."
"What do you mean by that!"
Her face instantly flushed red. Even though her heart was filled with fear due to the information Ming Yu revealed, Mo Xi still leaned her body slightly forward and hissed at Ming Yu in a low voice.
"Heh! What I mean by that, you know perfectly well in your heart."
Looking at the red-faced girl, Ming Yu's tone remained unhurried.
Although one night was a short time, it was enough for Singapore to make some countermeasures. Yet, the news Ming Yu received through Wraith was still a picture of calm.
Even if Singapore's current president was unconscious, the nation's operations would not grind to a halt due to the absence of a single leader.
The power of the Gem of Serenity was enough to make most people green with envy. Even if it was extremely dangerous, there were plenty of people who weren't afraid to die.
If Singapore was adventurous enough to gamble for high stakes, Ming Yu wouldn't find it strange at all. Schicksal and Anti-Entropy were powerful, but they were not omniscient.
In the best-case scenario, Singapore might be able to directly acquire a top-tier combatant. Anti-Entropy's rise was primarily based on a single Herrscher, after all.
In this morning's report, the President of Singapore was unconscious after being shot in the chest from a distance of no more than five meters, a clear testament to the attacker's audacity. But this level of marksmanship... Ming Yu felt like someone was trying to imply something.
"Loyalty and betrayal both have their price. I've said my piece. I hope you will all conduct yourselves accordingly!"
With a cold snort, Ming Yu immediately grabbed Hiyokumaru's wrist, and the two figures vanished in an instant.
Staring blankly at the empty seats, Mo Xi's eyes went vacant. Although she didn't get the answer she wanted on this trip, her gains far exceeded her expectations. The information Ming Yu revealed was enough for Singapore to readjust its course of action.
Her gaze fell on the half-empty cup of coffee, and the corner of the girl's mouth couldn't help but twitch.
If she remembered correctly, it seemed Ming Yu... hadn't paid the bill.