"They're now preparing to cause a Honkai Eruption... Is, is that really possible?"
After saying this, Kiana suddenly realized.
"Wait, you said Cocolia—is she really from Anti-Entropy?"
"Yeah."
*Damn it, people from Anti-Entropy want to kidnap me???*
*That useless old man, how could he be so unreliable!*
"Wait another second!"
At this moment, Kiana thought back on what Leo Ash had just said and felt that something was even more wrong.
"You people from Schicksal knew that Anti-Entropy was preparing to trigger a large-scale Honkai Eruption?"
"Then why didn't you inform the citizens of Nagazora City!"
Seeing the obvious anger on Kiana's face, Leo Ash sighed helplessly.
*Sigh, that heart of justice...*
*Having this kind of drive, I don't know whether to say it's good or bad.*
"There are several reasons."
"First, although a Honkai Eruption is about to happen in Nagazora City, the citizens don't know about it. If we at Schicksal take any drastic action, Cocolia will find a way to trigger the large-scale eruption ahead of schedule."
"Acting recklessly will only get the surrounding civilians killed faster."
"Second, because the eruption Cocolia is preparing could give birth to a Herrscher, the Herrscher's power has already begun to cause malfunctions in Nagazora City's electrical equipment."
*What the hell?*
*Everyone's phones not working is also related to the Honkai???*
"For this reason, even if someone wanted to spread this information, they wouldn't be able to due to hardware limitations."
As he said this, Leo Ash's gaze suddenly became a bit frightening.
"My family died because of the Honkai."
"My hometown was destroyed by the Honkai."
"Do you think if I had a way, I would just stand here and watch these people die, watch this city be completely destroyed by the Honkai?!"
"S-sorry..."
Seeing Leo Ash's terrifying gaze, Kiana immediately apologized.
"Senior..."
"I don't want to talk about this topic anymore. If I had any ability to stop all this, I wouldn't be wasting my breath here with you."
At this moment, Leo Ash suddenly seemed like a deflated ball. He walked over to a seat and leaned against it wearily.
"So just go if you want to go. If you stay in this city, you'll sooner or later be killed by the Honkai Beasts and Honkai Zombies that could appear at any moment."
"I know you're strong, but there are too many of them."
After saying this, Leo Ash took a Glock he had previously taken from a mercenary out of his pocket and tossed it to Kiana.
"You should know how to use this thing."
"Is this... a Glock G19?"
Catching the firearm, Kiana muttered.
"This thing isn't very effective against Honkai Zombies and Honkai Beasts..."
"It's not meant to be used against them."
With his eyes closed, Leo Ash said tiredly.
"That thing is for you to end yourself when you absolutely can't escape."
"Hey!"
Kiana, who was about to scold Leo Ash, looked at his current listless and weary state and suddenly felt...
*Have my prejudices against people from Schicksal been too strong?*
*Dad was also from Schicksal before.*
*And in Schicksal, there are many warriors like Dad and Senior Leo Ash who fight against the Honkai.*
*Although Schicksal and Dad have a grudge... have I been too guarded against them? Was that a bit too much?*
[Too much? All you Schicksal dogs deserve to die!]
*Huh, what was that sound?*
Looking around nervously, Kiana embarrassingly realized she must have been hearing things.
"Um, Senior."
"Don't talk anymore."
At this moment, Leo Ash, as if in an extremely bad mood, opened his eyes to look at the night sky, a melancholic expression on his face.
"Let me... have a moment of quiet."
[Brilliant!]
[With words that were a mix of truth and lies, you have successfully made K423 feel guilty towards you.]
[This is the kind of tactic that should be used on people like her.]
[Staring at the obvious guilt on the girl's face, you now understand how to bring her under your control in the future.]
*Ah, yes, that's right.*
*You're not wrong this time.*
*My family died because of the Honkai, do you think if I had a way, I would just stand here and watch these people die—I can't believe I actually said that.*
*I have no family.*
*From the past until now, I have always lived alone.*
*I couldn't get along with the people at the orphanage, and the bastards in my class only feared me.*
*When I started working, interactions with colleagues were only superficial.*
*Even after my death and up to now, I have never held any familial affection for anyone else.*
*Not even for Rita Rossweisse.*
*We've only met once, exchanged a few words. How could I immediately consider her family just because she showed concern for me?*
Just now, Leo Ash's terrifying gaze was not, as Kiana thought, due to anger and frustration at his own powerlessness in the face of the impending Honkai rampage.
As he was telling lies, Leo Ash realized something.
Leo Ash, who lied and deceived others for his own sake, was essentially no different from Otto and Cocolia.
He was certainly not as cruel to the point of being atrocious, but at this moment, he was indeed using the girl's sympathy to lure her into a trap woven with his words.
Kiana Kaslana was someone susceptible to a soft approach but resistant to a hard one.
It was because he understood this that Leo Ash did not take a forceful stance with her, but instead chose this 'do as you please' attitude, presenting a posture of letting her choose her own path.
But Leo Ash knew very well in his heart that Kiana was not an unreasonable person.
As long as he could make her feel that you were acting in her best interest, that you cared about her, many things that seemed non-negotiable could be negotiated.
For instance, right now, although Kiana hadn't said much, the fact that she didn't take the car keys from Leo Ash's hand, nor chose to leave on foot, already showed her choice.
The reason the later Leo Ash showed a weary demeanor was also because he was somewhat struck by the realization of his true nature.
He was deceiving someone who trusted him.
Not just with words, but even the expressions and demeanor born from self-loathing had, at this moment, become tools for him to deceive others.
[Self-loathing? This unnecessary emotion appeared in your mind and then quickly vanished.]
[You know very well that in this world, one cannot get by with good intentions alone.]
[Tactics and lies are necessities—telling yourself this, you immediately dispelled this state of self-loathing.]
[Because you know very well that unnecessary emotions like self-loathing cannot change a single thing.]
*Ha, thank you so much for thinking so highly of me.*
*It's just a shame that I'm just an ordinary person.*
*Even if I know rationally that your reminder is correct, when these people appear before me, alive and breathing...*
*How could I possibly act based on reason alone?*
.......