The transport plane was much slower and more stable than usual, likely considering Mei's physique was much weaker than an average soldier's.
After reaching the designated altitude, the transport plane activated its light camouflage, becoming completely invisible from the outside as it cut through the air toward the branch base.
Lin closed the external view on his helmet's visual display, then activated the soundproofing. He pulled up the novel he hadn't finished last time and continued reading, adopting an attitude of complete detachment.
The reason for this was...
"Lin, what's it like wearing the helmet? Does it look very high-tech inside? Mei says there's an artificial intelligence in there now. Can you talk to it?"
The white-haired young man gave the impression of being Mei's hanger-on at headquarters, not entirely silent, but mostly cold-faced by Mei's side, which meant most people were unaware of his sunny, cheerful personality.
When Lin, Mei, and Kevin were together, his habit of incessant chatter, which he hadn't shaken off since joining the Moth of the Flame, was fully exposed.
Lin was frustrated enough to isolate himself inside his helmet. It wasn't that he disliked Kevin, but Lin had developed a habit of not speaking any unnecessary words that might reveal information in unfamiliar environments or during work.
The order to escort Mei was broad in scope, and his work had begun the moment he stepped out of headquarters.
Although the essence of the higher-ups' order was clear to both Mei and Lin, Lin would not relax his principles.
[Lin, Private Kevin is requesting communication. Shall I disable the soundproofing?]
Lin had activated the Prometheus auxiliary system on this trip, simultaneously testing its performance to lay a good foundation for the future.
"No." Lin devoured the novel's plot at ten lines per second.
The reason he still read novels was, in part, to broaden his imagination. Many actions in combat could be achieved with imagination, raising the ceiling of his abilities.
Of course, he had no intention of trying out the overtly fabricated plots.
[Lin, Dr. Mei is requesting communication. Shall I disable the soundproofing?]
"..." Lin paused when he saw this line of text.
He strongly suspected that if he refused to disable the soundproofing now, Mei would activate a backdoor system in Prometheus.
"Disable."
The confined world vanished. Hearing and sight returned to Lin. He immediately looked at Mei, who was sitting opposite him and happened to be looking back.
"Is something wrong?"
"How are you adjusting to Prometheus's assistance?"
"Some parts are superfluous."
"Is that so? I had already reduced the auxiliary parameters to the maximum extent. I didn't expect it would still interfere with your thought process."
Lin and Mei's conversation was direct; they didn't require unnecessary verbal padding, but Lin's tone was noticeably gentler than with others.
Kevin asked curiously, "Lin, what does the AI assistance feel like?"
"Doesn't feel like much." Lin slightly restrained some of Prometheus's operational permissions and said faintly, "Like adding training wheels to a bicycle."
"Uh, then isn't it a burden? You can handle most things just by wearing the helmet."
"If you want to know, you can go to R&D and ask for a contact lens-type version. The system is the same, just with an added information simplification function."
Lin's equipment technology was indeed no secret. It was just that his specific style was one of the most unique in the Moth of the Flame.
At this moment, Kevin quietly leaned behind Lin's helmet and whispered, "Lin, aren't you going to talk to that girl? She looks like she's been watching you."
"..."
He doesn't need to 'look like' it. From the very beginning, the inner-dyed girl hadn't shifted her gaze, looking at the silent Lin with an expression of wanting to speak but holding back.
Seele was also in this escort detail for some reason.
Having three people guard Mei was entirely an overreaction, but in reality, only Kevin was truly responsible for protecting Mei.
After some thought, Lin spoke to Seele, who was staring intently: "Seele, is something wrong?"
"Ah, well..." Seele was startled that Lin would suddenly address her, especially since she had been around Lin for a while and knew he wouldn't say unnecessary words during a mission.
She lowered her head, flustered, then seemed to remember something. She mustered her courage and asked Lin, "Squad Member Lin, your injury isn't fully healed yet, is it? Are you okay?"
"Don't worry. This mission won't be too strenuous." Lin was about to dismiss her with an "I'm fine," but remembering what Elysia had told him, he explained, "Dr. Mei has good judgment. Our mission is very easy."
Although it was a brief response, it was a huge improvement compared to his previous responses of no more than three words.
"Mhm..." Seele glanced at Mei. The girl, who was about her age, felt even colder than Lin. Are they friends, indeed?
Of course, Kevin was the biggest surprise to her. Lin and Kevin's personalities seemed fundamentally incompatible for the close relationship Kevin described.
Lin continued to ask, "Aren't you on a mission with Himeko?"
"No. Fifth Squad hasn't received personnel supplements since you left, and since I'm on a solo mission, the Captain is resting at headquarters."
"Why are you on a solo mission?"
Kevin's eyelids twitched a few times.
Why does Lin's conversation style feel less like casual chatting and more like a question-and-answer interrogation?
"Heh heh, actually, my parents work at the Fifth Science Department, and we haven't seen each other for a long time," Seele rubbed the fine hair by her ear, embarrassed. "I asked if I could try to visit the Fifth Branch, and I was assigned to this mission. I'm really sorry, Dr. Mei, I might cause trouble for you."
Mei was organizing the files in her hands. Without looking up, she said coolly, "It's fine. This mission, as Lin said, is not overly complicated work."
"Parents, huh..."
Kevin's gaze dimmed slightly, but the sadness was quickly hidden.
Kevin turned back, intending to say something, but saw Lin's visual display go dark again: "Lin, you... Lin? Can't you hear me again? Is that thing that convenient?"
"Dr. Mei, we will arrive at the Fifth Branch in two hours. You may rest now."
The accompanying personnel walked over from the rear cabin and notified Mei.
"Mhm."
Lin quietly watched in his visual display as the accompanying personnel took a step a little too close to Mei. He seemed completely unaware that his distance was too short, but he quickly turned and left again.
Lin closed his eyes.
An not overly complicated job, huh?