"Lin, who was that just now..."
It didn't take long for Kevin to inevitably seek Lin out while he and Elysia were chatting. For him, who constantly stayed by Mei's side, he was completely unaware of Elysia and this Party.
He looked at the blooming, smiling Elysia with a very peculiar expression, then back at the quiet Lin.
How to describe it? It felt subtly strange, like he had just established a relationship with a girl, wondering when his unpopular friend would find happiness, only for that friend to suddenly tell him he was already married.
"Hello, I'm Elysia. I know you, Kevin~" Elysia couldn't use her hands because she was pushing Lin's wheelchair, but her eyes sparkled as she spoke to Kevin.
"You know me?"
"You've gained quite a reputation for showing astonishing combat talent during the month-long cleanup after the Third Honkai Eruption. Many people know you, including the fact that you're constantly by your adorable girlfriend's side~"
"Oh, well... not constantly..." Kevin scratched his head a little sheepishly, completely missing the main point of Elysia's words.
"Should I say it runs in good friends? Your performance after joining the Moth of the Flame is quite similar to Lin's. Oh my, time flies! I didn't expect Lin's title of 'genius young man' to be taken so quickly." Elysia patted Lin's head pityingly, only to have her hand swatted away by him.
"Lin, is she..." Kevin's expression grew even stranger. He carefully gave Lin a look.
Elysia had already introduced herself, so Kevin was clearly asking about the relationship between the two of them.
If Kevin had joined the Moth of the Flame any earlier, he probably wouldn't have asked this question.
"..." Lin glanced at the expectantly looking Elysia. His lips twitched, and he sighed, "Friend."
Elysia nodded in satisfaction.
Kevin couldn't help but ask again, "Uh, just friends?"
"You're asking too explicitly." Lin's face darkened again. He rubbed his forehead. "Just friends, don't overthink it."
He thought again of the discussions about Lin and Elysia's relationship on the intranet. He couldn't understand why the Moth of the Flame's intranet would specifically have a shitposting section. It contained everything from a lost cat in the lab to a summary of the Moth of the Flame leadership's first loves and all sorts of gossip, with new posts daily and constantly high popularity. They truly had nothing better to do.
"Alright." Seeing that Lin seemed displeased, Kevin didn't press further and instead offered his congratulations. "Although many people have already congratulated you, still, congratulations, Lin, on becoming the Captain of the Seventh Squad."
"...This is nothing worth celebrating with such fanfare. It's just an appointment."
A combat squad captain certainly had more authority than a regular soldier, but it wasn't a particularly rare high-ranking official. The reason these captains were appointed was simply because they were capable of commanding their respective squads well.
"What about you? Which squad are you in?" Lin started chatting with Kevin. Since he couldn't dance with his current body, no one came to invite him. Even if he were physically fine, he wouldn't accept. He might as well chat more with Kevin to learn about his situation since joining the Moth of the Flame.
"First Squad. I'm mainly doing miscellaneous tasks right now."
"First Squad..."
Lin's squad currently only had Hua as a member. Logically, Kevin was rescued by the Fifth Squad, so he should have been assigned to either the Fifth or the Seventh Squad, yet he went to the First Squad, which had no personnel losses.
Lin immediately guessed that the higher-ups had transferred Kevin to the First Squad so he could frequently be near Mei and protect her. It was a form of protection.
Lin should have been the most suitable person, but the final result was that Lin was transferred to re-establish the Seventh Squad with a more challenging mission. From this, it seemed that someone had deliberately tried to distance him from the two.
Did the higher-ups have a difference of opinion, or a split into factions? Both those who were against Mei and those who wanted to protect her had their own methods. And the reason for this situation must be the matter Kevin mentioned about Mei being "busy" recently.
Lin narrowed his eyes. Elysia also smiled, but neither of them said anything to Kevin.
Human organizations almost inevitably reach a stage where different viewpoints emerge. This is the fuse for the demise of most organizations. The cause of destruction often comes not from external factors, but from within.
"What are you planning to do after you fully recover, Lin?"
"Take on missions," Lin answered lightly.
"That's not what I meant. I mean..."
"Take on more missions."
Elysia couldn't help but laugh. She gently pulled Lin back and said to Kevin, "He's a workaholic. No matter how much you ask, that's all you'll get."
Kevin frowned, arms crossed, looking at the unflappable Lin. "Even though I know the reason for Lin's change, this shift is still hard for me to accept. He used to be the person who disliked work the most."
As soon as Lin heard this, he inwardly panicked.
Elysia rushed over to Kevin, her eyes shining, her words tumbling out like machine-gun fire: "Huh? What? What? What was Lin like before? What are his hobbies? Does he have a girlfriend? And most importantly, what does he actually look like?"
"Ah? Ah..." Kevin was startled, then instinctively prepared to answer.
"Kevin, shut up."
Lin instantly shut down the topic. He did not want Elysia to know too much. This woman's abundant curiosity and clever mind, which was rarely used for proper things, combined to form a human gossip generator. He'd bet that if Kevin spoke out today, the headline on the Moth of the Flame intranet tonight would be 'Shock! Unmasked Helmet Man Has THIS Side! Take a Look Into the Inner World of Seventh Squad Captain Lin!'
"Lin also disliked showing his face before. He often wore a hood at school. His hobbies include arcade games, novels, and music. His favorite should be Eden."
Another cool voice interjected into the conversation.
Mei, wearing an evening gown, pushed her ever-present glasses up. She walked over from behind Kevin and smiled at the now utterly black-faced Lin, likely meaning, "You told Kevin to shut up, but you didn't tell me to shut up."
"It's Eden, is it? Hehe..."
Elysia's smile sent a shiver down Lin's spine. She had probably already planned out how to mess with him in her head.
What Lin couldn't guess was that Elysia actually knew Eden.
"Mei, why did you come over?"
"I couldn't handle things over there, and I should also check on my friend."
"..."
Lin shook his head, about to say something, when the lights overhead suddenly dimmed.
"Tap."
A spotlight illuminated the center of the dance floor.
The Party had begun.