The city planning at Anti-Entropy Headquarters was exceptional.
Even through the eyes of someone unfamiliar with urban design, the straight roads, orderly buildings, lush greenery, and ubiquitous robots evoked a sense of novelty and comfort.
Ana curiously explored the cityscape around her.
It suddenly dawned on her that due to the critical nature of the Herrscher of a Thousand People and her own unstable condition, upon arriving at Anti-Entropy, she had been immediately taken to the heavily guarded Inner City. In truth, she hadn't yet properly explored this renowned Main City of Anti-Entropy.
"Uncle Albert, left—just a bit more to the left!"
"No, no, it's supposed to be to the right!"
"Lift higher! Just a little higher!"
"Yes! That's perfect! Hold steady, Uncle Albert!"
As Ana admired the scenery, marveling at the dazzling array of advanced machinery and countless heavy-duty armaments, the crisp voices of children pulled her out of her reverie.
She turned to see a black-haired young man clad in deep green military attire with his arms extended, providing a not-too-wide but stable base for support. Standing precariously on one foot atop him was a colossal Titan—a modified warrior from Anti-Entropy possessing equal individual combat capabilities as a Valkyrie. However, they often coordinate with mechanical legions and heavy firepower, typically functioning as regional dominators on the battlefield.
The handsome young soldier, referred to as "Albert," looked helplessly at the surrounding kids, slightly exasperated, and said:
"Don't make so much noise; hurry up and finish drawing... And hey, call me 'Big Brother'! I'm only eighteen years old!"
"Ha!"
Kiana burst out laughing beside them.
Albert shot her a dark glare.
"Officer Kiana, we're from the same graduating class!"
"My apologies, but it's just too..." Kia tried to stifle another laugh. "Your face really does make you look so much older!"
"...What do you think, Officer Raiden?"
"Well... Although... I mean... From a generally rational perspective, it is quite hard to tell that Captain Albert here... is actually younger than me."
Raiden Mei bit back a giggle, barely managing to maintain her composure.
"Hahahaha!"
Finally, Kiana let loose with unrestrained laughter at her colleague's prematurely aged appearance.
Albert's expression turned completely stormy.
Suddenly, a small, fair hand tugged on his sleeve.
"Albert, Tina finished her drawing!"
"Call me Big Brother first! Never mind, let me see."
As he held up the little girl's artwork amid her starry-eyed anticipation, veins began popping on Albert's forehead while still balancing the Titan machinery steadily with one arm.
With vibrant crayon colors and simple lines, Tina's whimsical drawing perfectly matched her adorable young self—the only issue was that as the one who had prompted Albert to perform acrobatics, she'd drawn the sun, skyscrapers, and green trees without any trace of Albert or his Titan.
"Whack!"
"Wahhh!"
"Whack! Whack! Whack!"
Albert rapped Tina's little head hard with the sketchbook, causing the girl to wail and scamper away.
"Albert is so mean!"
"Tina... your drawing doesn't meet the requirements. Confiscated! You'll have to figure out how to draw another."
"Huh?! No! It took me so long to finish it! Now Tina can't turn in her homework, give it back quickly, Albert!"
"I've told you already! Call me 'Big Bro'—or even 'Uncle' if you prefer—but don't just use my name directly!"
Tina clung to the tall Albert, trying to snatch back her sketchbook. However, her height and strength were far too inadequate; all she could do was anxiously jump up and down, to no avail.
This heartwarming scene brought a smile to Ana's face.
"They seem really close," she whispered softly to Kiana standing nearby.
Kiana rubbed her nose thoughtfully. "Tina was saved from the battlefield by Albert."
"Huh?"
"Due to Honkai-induced mutations, Tina's mother turned into a Zombie, and Tina herself was also corrupted by Honkai Energy. Albert led the suppression mission during that incident. Apparently, he had to kill Tina's mother-turned-Zombie right before her eyes. The exact details aren't clear, but I know that upon his return, Albert lost an arm. That Titan arm he wields now is actually prosthetic. Later, using his military merits, Albert acquired a house in the Outer City. However, since he spends most of his time on missions away, it has become Tina's personal little sanctuary."
"I see..." Ana quietly processed this information, then looked back at the lively, affectionate scene. This time, beyond finding it amusing, she felt a profound sense of its rarity and preciousness.
From their story, Ana could only piece together a vague outline, but her eyes gradually welled with tears.
"How wonderful," she murmured softly, smiling.
Then, Kiana grinned mischievously and produced a pair of silvery handcuffs from somewhere out of sight.
"I don't care what Tina thinks. But if Albert can't control himself before she comes of age and does something he shouldn't, these limited-edition platinum handcuffs will find a new owner! Heh heh heh!"
"Uh... huh?!?"
Bewildered, Ana stared at Kiana.
Kiana proudly puffed out her chest.
"What's up? Need me to reintroduce myself? I'm Kiana, personal guard to Anti-Entropy's Chief Officer, holding the rank of lieutenant colonel, and also serving as captain of Headquarters' disciplinary patrol squad! Just a heads-up: don't mess around on my turf unless you think you can outrun someone wielding spatial powers!"
Ana chuckled silently.
Kiana as a police officer? It seemed somewhat unreliable, yet oddly reassuring at the same time.
During dinner, Ana met the orphanage's Dean.
"Good evening, Dean!"
"Good evening."
"Here's the drawing I made today, Dean!"
"Let me see... Hmm, keep at it. You might have some talent as an abstract artist."
"Deannnn..."
"Pow!"
"Call me 'Big Sis'!"
Cioara, face darkening, rubbed her fist menacingly while the little girl clutched her head and wailed in pain below.
Mechanically, Ana speared a piece of fried chicken with her fork and popped it into her mouth.
The revelation that this woman was the Dean caught Ana off guard.
She knew Cioara: the general manager overseeing various departments at Anti-Entropy Headquarters, as well as an instructor for special forces and intelligence units. Rumor had it she maintained close ties with Cocolia, the executive with the worst reputation among Anti-Entropy's upper echelon. The pair often appeared together worldwide, suspected to be involved in numerous secretive operations on behalf of Cocolia.
For such a person to become an orphanage Dean... Could there be some hidden agenda?
Frowning, Ana had already decided to confront Anti-Entropy's top brass on behalf of these children she'd just met and voice her concerns.
"Hey! What's up with that face? You don't look too happy."
Cheeks puffed out as she chewed, Kiana asked.
Ana hesitated briefly but ultimately trusted Kiana's character enough to share her worries.
In response, Kiana firmly patted Ana on the back.
"That's enough speculation about people you barely know. Big Sis Cioara loves kids, and Auntie Cocolia does too. Trust me, they'd rather open more orphanages than buy dresses, cosmetics, or fancy jewelry any day. In fact, several floors of the orphanages currently run by Anti-Entropy only exist thanks to their strong advocacy, along with many additional benefits for the children... Even I almost called Cocolia 'Mom' at one point. I understand them better than anyone."
Feeling slightly awkward, Ana remained silent and lowered her head.
Kiana's character was unquestionable. Upon reflection, this place also fell under Welt and Zeke's jurisdiction—there was no way they would let someone with malicious intent care for these extraordinary children. Moreover, it was impossible to fake the closeness between the kids and Cioara.
Perhaps Ana had indeed been too narrow-minded?
She quietly continued eating, feeling somewhat lighter after all she'd experienced today.
It wasn't that the unforgettable events had faded; rather, being exposed to more of the world allowed her perspective to broaden, easing some of the burdens on her mind.
"Oh right, where did Tina go? I haven't seen her."
"Big Sister Dean, Uncle Albert returned today. So, Tina is probably helping him cook now?"
"...That damn little brat! Trying to whisk away Tina from me when she's still so young? I'm going to bite him right now!"
Cioara's short gray hair fluttered without any breeze, her sleeves rolled up as she raised her pistol, eyes flashing with a menacing red glow—completely undermining the gentle aura of her long black dress.
She burst out the door and swiftly vanished from sight.
"Uh... Is that okay?" Ana, startled by Cioara's murderous aura, timidly asked.
However, everyone else remained calm, acting as if this were just another ordinary occurrence.
Without receiving a response, Ana silently continued eating—wait, upon closer taste, the orphanage's food was surprisingly delicious!