Setting aside the chaos, wailing, and bloodshed that would surely erupt at St. Freya Academy in the Far East after a certain student was caught skipping class and browsing the internet by a leader from another department, the western hemisphere of the Earth remained sunny and peaceful—at least on the surface.
"Lord Overseer, Rita is in position."
Rita, who had already arrived in Egypt to investigate after monitoring Anti-Entropy's abnormal communication, contacted Overseer Otto immediately upon receiving Amber's notification.
"Oh! Rita, you are becoming more and more outstanding!"
Even Otto couldn't help but express his sincere admiration for Rita's speed and efficiency.
"Even I didn't expect you to arrive at the mission location in such a short time—this is not just a great surprise for me, but I believe it would be a great surprise for any mission target."
"You praise me too much, Lord Overseer. Assisting you is my duty."
Rita said humbly, showing no trace of the pride and sharpness an S-rank Valkyrie should have. Instead, she explained her actions in extremely concise language.
"I have carried out a similar mission before. So this time, after receiving the news, I decided to come here to investigate at the first opportunity."
Last time in Singapore, it was also because the intelligence department detected an abnormal communication from Anti-Entropy, and Amber, worried that Anti-Entropy had some unknown conspiracy, entrusted her to investigate that famous coastal city—only to unexpectedly unearth not Anti-Entropy, but something even more troublesome...
"You did very well, Rita."
Otto also seemed to remember something and smiled faintly.
"If I remember correctly, your original intention in Singapore was an investigation aimed at Anti-Entropy, but it ended up unearthing Lin Wei, who was hiding there at the time—I have to say, even if it was unintentional, such an experience is enough to leave a lasting impression."
"You are right, Lord Overseer..."
Rita said with a smile, but she felt a bit helpless inside—she really hadn't expected that this matter in Egypt would also be related to Lin Wei!
Schicksal had placed the newly acquired Second Divine Key in North Africa. As the person in charge of the previous search operation, although Rita had already been relieved of her heavy burden and no longer needed to travel around the world searching, she couldn't help but pay more attention and be more careful with it.
After all, she had put in so much effort and gone through so many twists and turns to finally obtain the Second Divine Key. Rita certainly didn't want to add any unnecessary accidents and troubles at this moment of newfound joy due to her own carelessness.
The perfectionist Rita would not allow any flaws or mistakes within her sight.
Therefore, the fact that Anti-Entropy showed its tracks at this delicate time, in a delicate location like Egypt, which was also in North Africa, made Rita inevitably raise her guard.
In addition, due to the experience of the previous investigation mission in Singapore, Rita and Amber had already established a successful communication and cooperation. Therefore, after detecting Anti-Entropy's abnormal communication this time, Rita just gave Amber a heads-up and rushed to the "scene of the incident" at the fastest speed, wanting to nip any possible threats in the bud.
As a result, just as she had contacted the local department and before she could take action, things took a small but significant turn—this matter was very likely related to Lin Wei again, go and handle it...
Having served Schicksal and Otto for so many years, the reason she was able to quickly rise to her current position at such a young age in just a few years was not only due to her own efforts and talent but also because she was well-versed in the "workplace philosophy" of surviving in Schicksal—don't have too many of your own ideas; tasks assigned by the Lord Overseer must be completed without fail, no more, no less...
Coincidentally, "grasping the proper measure" was something Rita was extremely adept at.
Therefore, although this new intelligence was somewhat hasty and unexpected, she quickly adjusted her mentality and contacted Otto at the first opportunity to obtain more detailed and specific mission requirements and intelligence.
"Alright, let's get back to business!"
The smile at the corner of Otto's mouth became inscrutable and interesting.
"I believe you've already received Amber's message—our popular great hero has reappeared in Alexandria after disappearing for so long. Hehe, it seems our respected gentleman probably has his own ideas this time..."
"Yes, Lord Overseer. According to the intelligence Lady Amber gave Rita, that Mr. Lin Wei has already appeared in Alexandria where I am now, and is currently in the company of the locally stationed Valkyries."
Rita recited what she knew in concise and refined language.
"However, it is currently unknown why he appeared here, or in what manner he appeared here—after all, as Lord Overseer just said, he has been missing for a long time."
Rita was as sharp as ever, grasping the crux of the problem almost immediately.
"Hehe, perhaps this 'gentleman' who is accustomed to hiding his head and showing his tail has suddenly become open and upright. Information about how he appeared in Alexandria is actually quite easy to find."
In just these dozen or so minutes, all of Lin Wei's consumption records and tracks in Alexandria had appeared completely on Otto's desk. He just glanced at it obliquely and said with a rather sarcastic tone,
"Our Mr. Lin Wei is probably used to hitchhiking. He actually boarded a cargo ship from Shenzhou to get here—hehe, I wonder if the crew on that ship knows that they actually have one, or even two, strange visitors on board?"
From the moment he docked, Lin Wei's movements had become extremely open and aboveboard. Therefore, when Schicksal followed the clues, they obtained all the information they wanted almost without any hindrance.
"But, just a simple arrival record doesn't explain much."
Rita raised a finger gently, pointing out the loophole in this "intelligence" with pinpoint accuracy.
"Although the cargo ship's route is indisputable, it doesn't mean Lin Wei also departed from Shenzhou with the cargo ship—in fact, on the vast sea, there are too many places, too many ways for him to mix in unnoticed, and then arrive at this prosperous port city in disguise."
"Is that so? A very interesting analysis."
Otto smiled.
"Then in your opinion, what is his purpose for doing so?"
"In Rita's humble opinion, it's probably to hide his true hiding place."
Rita answered cautiously.
"After all, since this Mr. Lin Wei has come to this land with such high profile, he obviously doesn't want us to notice what's hidden behind him."
"What's hidden behind him?"
Otto greatly admired Rita's sharpness.
"Then in your opinion, what kind of thing would it be?"
"After thinking about it, besides Anti-Entropy, there's only that World Serpent that has never been captured by Schicksal."
Rita replied.
"After all, the former's tracks don't need to be hidden, and Lin Wei even openly contacted them without any cover not long ago—from this perspective, Anti-Entropy is more like a smokescreen to cover their tracks. Not to mention, the open conflict they had not long ago that was almost a complete break."
Lin Wei had caused too much trouble at Anti-Entropy headquarters before, even Durandal was involved. How could such a thing be forgotten?
"Is that so? Then in your opinion, this Mr. Lin Wei is inextricably linked to that World Serpent?"
Otto asked with great interest.
"That possibility cannot be ruled out. However, based on Lord Overseer's experience in Manila, his relationship with World Serpent doesn't seem to be harmonious either."
Rita analyzed calmly.
"Therefore, Rita believes there is another possibility—World Serpent itself is another layer of smokescreen used to cover his true intentions. Once we focus our suspicions on World Serpent, the secret hidden behind him may very well be able to escape like a golden cicada shedding its shell."
"...Oh, is that so?"
Otto tapped his fingers on the armrest, pondered for a moment, then asked.
"In other words, besides World Serpent, there are other unknown hidden organizations in this world?"
According to the cockroach theory, since the world can hide one serpent, there must be more serpents hidden even deeper...
"On this point, please forgive Rita's ignorance."
Rita said with considerable shame, although her analysis so far was already enough to prove her keen sense and ability.
"Hehe, no matter."
Otto didn't press further, just smiled nonchalantly.
"Perhaps there are no unknown hidden organizations at all. He just simply wants to mislead us with these little tricks of feint and reality. It's not impossible."
Judging others by oneself, for people like him and Lin Wei, whose thoughts were already extremely complex, using a more direct way to speculate was actually more effective.
"What Lord Overseer said is not impossible either."
Rita said, and then said no more, because she knew she no longer needed to actively express any opinions.
"Compared to those unimportant, true or false speculations, Lin Wei's appearance itself is more worthy of attention, and this is the reason why I've dispatched you."
Otto said calmly.
"At this time, to appear so opportunely in Egypt, on the edge of North Africa, what do you think this Mr. Lin Wei's intention could be?"
"I'm afraid it can only be the Second Divine Key."
Rita answered with a light sigh.
"Only something so important could attract him to this land..."
To be honest, she didn't want to reach the point of fighting with Lin Wei, but unfortunately, things often go against one's wishes.
"The Second Divine Key? Hehe..."
Otto shook his head lightly, noncommittally.
"On the contrary, he doesn't value the Second Divine Key at all. Otherwise, he wouldn't have so easily handed it over to me before, and even in the final stage of excavation, he didn't make any attempts to obstruct or destroy it."
"..."
Rita remained silent, because she knew that Otto's next words were the key.
"But he knows that the Second Divine Key is extremely important to me."
Sure enough, Otto's tone changed, and he continued in an inscrutable voice,
"Just as I know, some things I don't care about are very important to him..."
"..."
Rita's expression didn't change, but her heart sighed faintly. She naturally thought of Ana, who had become silent and depressed since that day. Her own home still displayed the letters and gifts Ana had sent her after she was first transferred to Manila.
She still remembered the former Ana, a cheerful girl full of laughter, her eyes filled with longing and fighting spirit for the future. And now, those once incredibly bright eyes had dimmed, becoming tired and numb.
Rita really couldn't bear to see Ana like this, but she was ashamed to find she could do nothing for her.
"Therefore, without a doubt, the reason he has appeared here so openly, his intention is already self-evident—he is declaring war on me, on Otto Apocalypse!"
Otto stood up proudly, as if welcoming something, full of interest and smiling broadly.
"Putting what I care about on the gambling table, sending me such a sincere invitation, hoping I can also put up an equivalent stake! Hehe... Rita, don't you find this very interesting?—A person of unknown origin, an unknown entity, just like that, alone, like Don Quixote charging at a windmill, so openly draws his rusty longsword against this behemoth called Schicksal!—Ah, what ridiculous courage, what pathetic foolishness..."
Lin Wei's thoughts and actions seared his already empty and numb soul with pain. But the more it was so, the more an uncontrollable rage and ferocity welled up in him, wanting to brutally break and crush that tiny, ridiculous, and even utterly hateful flame!
"...But, Lord Overseer."
Rita reminded cautiously.
"The threat of the Key of Corruption is too great. If we act rashly, would it be somewhat inappropriate?"
"Take action? Hehe, how could that be? We just want to have a friendly exchange."
Otto smiled faintly, input a string of commands on the control console in front of him. Then, a blue stream of light flashed in front of Rita, far away in Egypt, and an ancient longsword in its scabbard was quantum-teleported into her hands.
"This is..."
Rita looked at this old possession of Lin Wei's, lost in thought.
"Institute 1504's analysis of it is complete. It's just right to return it to its original owner at this time."
Otto smiled.
"This meeting gift is enough to convey Otto Apocalypse's sincerity, and that insignificant respect, to this gentleman..."
"As you command."
Rita, holding the longsword in her hand, calmly and smilingly accepted Otto's new instructions, but her heart felt another wave of helplessness—Why are the most troublesome, most difficult, and even most annoying tasks always given to me?