Bang!
The door of the back-alley bar burst open. Looking at the scene inside, which was both strange and somewhat familiar, a trace of surprise flashed in Fu Hua's eyes.
At the counter, Kiana and Higokumaru each had a cup of milk tea in front of them. The pink-haired girl was sipping the liquid in her cup in small mouthfuls, while the white-haired girl downed hers in one go, constantly urging the waiter for another.
And next to them, one seat away from Higokumaru, Ming Yu was looking at the lemon tea and bottled coke in front of him with a rather hesitant expression.
Seeing Fu Hua walk in, Ming Yu's expression immediately became natural. He picked up the lemon tea and pushed the bottled coke to the empty seat next to him.
"Good morning, Class Monitor."
With a sincere smile on his face, Ming Yu greeted the slowly approaching Fu Hua.
"Good morning, Class Monitor!"
"Fu Hua... classmate, good morning."
Following closely behind Ming Yu, Kiana and Higokumaru also greeted Fu Hua.
Returning their greetings one by one with a calm expression, Fu Hua also secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Although last night's raid had failed, she fortunately still had a chance to turn the tables.
With the intelligence gathered last night, plus the strength of these comrades, she was confident she could break through Anti-Entropy's defenses.
Moreover, she still hadn't used Fenghuang Down and Moonwheel.
"From the looks of it, the mission didn't go smoothly..."
Sighing, Wraith unscrewed Ming Yu's coke and placed it at his own spot, then brewed a fresh cup of Longjing tea for Fu Hua.
Looking at the tea leaves floating up and down in the transparent glass, Ming Yu couldn't help but frown. First, the two girls' milk tea, and now Fu Hua's Longjing tea; he seriously suspected the professionalism of this bar.
"Just a small setback."
Tightening the coat on her body to slightly cover her disheveled state, Fu Hua said calmly.
Without using her trump cards, A-rank Valkyrie Fu Hua's combat power was not particularly strong. Although she managed to escape from Anti-Entropy's grasp, Fu Hua was inevitably in a somewhat sorry state.
The defensive properties of ordinary clothes were truly worrying. Even if Fu Hua could protect herself from harm, the damage to her clothes made her situation look much worse than it actually was.
"What about your next mission?"
Casually sitting down between Ming Yu and Higokumaru, Fu Hua took a light sip of the Longjing tea brewed by Wraith. The tension in her brow eased a little as she stared straight into Ming Yu's eyes.
Even though Ming Yu was her junior in every sense of the word, Fu Hua did not use a forceful tone, nor did she directly demand his help.
As an A-rank Valkyrie who could stand on her own, Ming Yu would have his own missions. Fu Hua couldn't bring herself to ask him to put aside his own mission to help her.
"Dealing with the remnants of Anti-Entropy in the Queen's Hotel is also part of my mission."
Looking into Fu Hua's deep blue eyes, Ming Yu was slightly taken aback, then immediately showed a warm smile.
After all, in the mission Theresa had given him, obstructing Anti-Entropy's plan was indeed within his scope of responsibility.
"Excellent."
Nodding, Fu Hua said faintly, her tone betraying neither joy nor sorrow.
Noticing the pink-haired girl's slight pout, Wraith smiled secretly to himself and nudged Fu Hua, saying, "You should go change your clothes first! Look at the state of this outfit~"
As he spoke, Wraith tilted his chin in Ming Yu's direction.
Hearing Wraith's words, Fu Hua finally noticed Ming Yu's serious expression and his unwavering gaze, and the look on her face couldn't help but soften.
Just as she was about to nod in agreement, Fu Hua's expression suddenly stiffened, as if she had discovered a shocking secret.
The next moment, Ming Yu, who had been stealing glances at Higokumaru out of the corner of his eye, also had his expression freeze.
In his perception, an exceptionally scorching Honkai Energy reaction had suddenly appeared within his detection range.
That heat and light were like a blazing sun.
No, it was even more dazzling than the sun.
A name quickly flashed through his mind, and an imperceptible smile touched the corners of Ming Yu's mouth.
"I'm going to change my clothes."
After saying this quickly, Fu Hua's gaze swept over Kiana without leaving a trace, and then she stood up and walked towards the back of the bar.
Once Fu Hua's figure disappeared down the corridor, Ming Yu also stood up unhurriedly, smoothed out the wrinkles on the corner of his clothes, and said, "I'm going to the restroom."
"This..."
Watching Fu Hua and Ming Yu leave one after another, Kiana's face was filled with unconcealed surprise. Although they each had seemingly valid reasons, her intuition told her that something was definitely happening.
Her gaze fell on the lemon tea that Ming Yu had only taken a few sips of, and Higokumaru couldn't help but frown.
Even though her reason told her that there must be a deeper reason behind this, she still couldn't help but be bothered by the sense of rapport between Ming Yu and Hua just now.
"Alright, don't mind them, let's have our own fun..."
Pouring himself a glass of red wine, Wraith took out a deck of cards, a mysterious smile on his lips.
...
"Can you explain your presence here, Mr. Siegfried Kaslana~"
Hearing the clear, cold female voice, the man leaning against the alley wall finally looked up.
The man had a pair of sapphire-like eyes, and his slightly long white hair was tied into a neat ponytail. His world-weary face still carried a trace of youthful vitality.
If Kiana were here, she would definitely recognize this smiling man as the father she thought of day and night, Siegfried Kaslana!
"As one of the three targets personally wanted by the Archbishop, your head is worth quite a lot."
His deep eyes staring at the approaching Valkyrie, Siegfried still wore a sincere smile on his face as he said, "Well then, is this beautiful young lady here to capture me and take me back?"
"Forget it. I'm just an A-rank Valkyrie. I don't have the confidence to defeat you, who once had the strength of an S-rank Valkyrie."
Her gaze sweeping over Siegfried's empty left sleeve, then lingering for a few seconds on the black and yellow dual pistols hanging at the man's waist, Fu Hua, who had changed into a combat-ready outfit, shook her head and said helplessly.
Even with Fenghuang Down, she wasn't completely certain she could subdue Siegfried.
In terms of Divine Keys, he had one too, and it was the Key of Destruction, renowned for its annihilating power.
Moreover, she and Siegfried had no reason to be enemies. Even if Siegfried was Schicksal's number one wanted criminal, this was not something an A-rank Valkyrie like Fu Hua could handle.
"In that case, let's get down to business."
Seeing that the Valkyrie seemed to have let go of her hostility, Siegfried's hand also relaxed from the Judgment of Shamash at his waist, and he laughed heartily.
...
Looking at the box in her hands, she could feel the distinct texture of alloy from her fingertips.
So this is the device made by Anti-Entropy that can block the reaction of the Gem of Serenity? To think he just handed it over to me so easily.
Watching Siegfried's retreating back, Fu Hua once again had a new understanding of the name Kaslana.
The mutual scheming between Otto and Cocolia, the conflict between the radical and conservative factions within Anti-Entropy, Ming Yu with his mysterious mission... this incident was truly complicated.
Rubbing her temples, even she felt it was a bit tricky.
Sensing the two approaching Honkai Energy signatures, Fu Hua sighed but still turned and walked back towards the bar.
When children grow up, they will have their own ideas.
All she could do, and all she was able to do, was to urge Ming Yu not to stray onto the wrong path.
...
"Come on out, young man."
Walking into another secluded alley, Siegfried's steps came to a sudden halt. He slowly turned 180 degrees, his gaze fixed on the path he had just come from.
The light and shadows suddenly shifted, and a figure appeared before Siegfried. It was none other than Ming Yu.
Looking at the middle-aged man before him, a complex expression flashed across Ming Yu's face.
The excitement of meeting his idol, the anger for the suffering Kiana had endured, the shame born from his own insignificance... Although he had imagined many scenarios for meeting a character like Siegfried, the rush of emotions that flooded him when he actually appeared before him still caused Ming Yu to lose his composure for a moment.
But soon, Ming Yu composed himself, and his face returned to a calm smile.
"A pleasure to meet you, Father-in-... Mr. Siegfried. My name is Ming Yu."
Bowing slightly to Siegfried, Ming Yu gave a brief self-introduction.
"Mhm, I know you. The man who's always around my daughter. As her father, I naturally have to pay close attention."
In response to Ming Yu's respectful demeanor, Siegfried merely returned a cold laugh, his tone holding little goodwill.
Although he himself had been quite wild in his youth, that didn't mean he had a favorable impression of such people, especially those who dared to hang around his daughter.
Even if he hadn't caught Ming Yu in the act yet, as long as this young man had the capability, he had to give him a good warning to avoid future regrets.
Seeing the eager look in Siegfried's eyes, Ming Yu broke into a cold sweat.
This development... isn't something wrong here?
Did I get the wrong script? Am I not the behind-the-scenes boss? How did it suddenly turn into an urban romance drama?
Besides, the one stealing your cabbage is your good buddy Raiden Ryoma's daughter!
No, wait, it's your daughter who stole the Raiden family's cabbage!
"Wait! Mr. Siegfried, I already have someone I like!"
Although Ming Yu didn't know if he could be considered to have someone, the most important thing right now was to distance himself from Kiana. Didn't he see the other guy had already taken out the Judgment of Shamash?!
"Is that so? Then we should have an even better chat!"
With a cold laugh, Siegfried swiped the Judgment of Shamash at his waist, and the dual pistols instantly combined, forming a greatsword wreathed in flames in his hand.
If Ming Yu liked Kiana, then he naturally had to test him properly. If not, then he had to correct this kid's taste even more!
A person who could earn the praise of an S-rank Valkyrie candidate couldn't be that fragile, right?
"Siegfried! I'm here to talk about serious business!" Seeing Siegfried even pull out the greatsword form of Shamash, Ming Yu couldn't help but get anxious, his voice rising, "If you don't want Singapore to be reduced to ruins, put away the Divine Key!"
"...Tch!"
Hearing Ming Yu's words, Siegfried clicked his tongue, but he still put away the greatsword as requested.
At the very least, he could now be certain that this Ming Yu before him bore no ill will. Otherwise, he wouldn't have gone along with his nonsense.
If that slash had landed just now, the unarmored Ming Yu would have been in grave danger.
To trust him to this extent, this Ming Yu was truly bold.
"Speak, what do you want to talk to me about."
Clipping the dual pistols back to his waist, Siegfried tossed a small tin flask to Ming Yu and said with a hearty laugh.
Looking at Siegfried, who was like two different people before and after, Ming Yu couldn't help but feel a surge of anger.
So, he was just testing him?
Ming Yu sighed softly, but felt a sense of relief in his heart. To have survived Schicksal's pursuit and encirclement, Siegfried was naturally no fool.
Even Kiana only became a Paramecium after coming to St. Freya High School. Hmm... but the possibility that she was a Paramecium to begin with couldn't be ruled out.
Ming Yu toyed with the flask Siegfried had tossed him, and streaks of red light appeared in his hand.
"I don't drink, nor do I need to drink."
After a simple explanation, Ming Yu tossed the flask back.
"A pity..."
Firmly gripping the finely crafted flask, Siegfried shook his head and sighed, as if Ming Yu had missed out on some magnificent worldly spectacle.
Without much ado, the Kaslana skillfully opened the lid with one hand, tilted his head back, and took a large swig.
As the liquor went down his throat, Siegfried's expression suddenly changed.
"Impressive! Next time we have a chance, I'll drink with you again."
Staring at Ming Yu's right hand, from which the red light had yet to fade, Siegfried's eyes were filled with admiration.
In just a few short seconds, Ming Yu had heated a flask of cold liquor without damaging the flask in the slightest. Such control over Honkai Energy was truly eye-opening.
Want me to warm your liquor for you?
A corner of his mouth twitched, and Ming Yu rationally chose not to say this out loud, lest he break the fragile friendship between them.
"Mr. Siegfried, you should be aware of the mecha troops that Anti-Entropy has deployed outside of Singapore city, right?"
After pondering for a few seconds, Ming Yu spoke to Siegfried.
"Of course." Admitting it readily, Siegfried spread his remaining right hand outward, his face full of regret. "But unfortunately, I don't have the authority to command them either."
"Schicksal should have the ability to solve this problem... right?" Seeing Ming Yu's face gradually darken, a great deal of surprise immediately welled up in Siegfried's eyes. "You don't possibly want me to go, do you?"
"I have asked the Singapore side for help, but their combat strength is truly worrying. If the mecha troops are allowed to enter the city, Singapore will be severely wounded at the very least, and countless civilians will be involved."
Staring straight into Siegfried's eyes, Ming Yu said in a low voice, his tone filled with solemnity.
Although in the original timeline, the mecha troops were dealt with by Durandal. In front of that strongest Valkyrie, these mechs were even more pathetic than children's toys.
But Otto had clearly given this mission to Ming Yu, so he naturally couldn't count on riding Durandal's coattails.
Looking into Ming Yu's deep eyes, Siegfried suddenly smiled.
"Do I look like a fool?"
As a traitor to Schicksal, Siegfried could be considered part of the Anti-Entropy camp at this point. Asking him to stop Anti-Entropy's mecha troops and clean up Schicksal's mess, Ming Yu was clearly dreaming.
Although it was illogical, since Ming Yu dared to bring it up, he naturally wouldn't be shooting in the dark.
"Mr. Siegfried only needs to prevent the mecha troops from entering the city district." A cold smile curled at the corner of his mouth, and Ming Yu's tone became a few degrees colder. "I can ignore the deaths of innocent Singaporean civilians. It's an acceptable loss within the mission parameters, and no one can blame me. But Mr. Siegfried Kaslana, what about you?"
Looking at Siegfried's world-weary face, Ming Yu's own was full of confidence.
He believed that Siegfried would make a choice befitting a Kaslana.
As a shield for the people, Siegfried Kaslana could not possibly stand by and watch a tragedy unfold.
"Is that a threat?"
His eyebrows raising, a genuine chill flashed in Siegfried's eyes.
"No, it's a plea, and also a deal." Shaking his head, Ming Yu pondered for a moment before continuing, "In return, I will give you a reagent that can neutralize Honkai Energy. It can effectively alleviate Honkai Energy corrosion."
Staring at Ming Yu's young face, a hint of struggle flashed in Siegfried's eyes, as if he was trying to judge how much truth there was in Ming Yu's words.
Although he was somewhat interested in what Ming Yu promised, he wasn't particularly concerned. He simply couldn't bear to see the city and its people ravaged.
"How can I trust you?"
A teasing look appeared on his face, and Siegfried chuckled lightly.
Seeing the coldness in Siegfried's eyes, Ming Yu breathed a sigh of relief. He knew that the other party had already agreed.
But the issue of trust was indeed a bit tricky. If Ming Yu could easily gain others' trust, the Principal wouldn't always be thinking of messing with him.
"Perhaps, on account of my handsome face?"
Taking half a step forward, Ming Yu said tentatively.