Over a long-abandoned city in North Africa, a transport plane slowly traced a line across the azure sky.
Inside the cabin, Lin Wei had his eyes closed, seemingly resting, while Yuno couldn't help but peek curiously out the porthole.
The sky was crystal clear, without a cloud in sight.
Perhaps due to some irresistible force filtering out modern pollution, the visibility was extremely high. Not only could she clearly see the layers of silent, half-buried buildings on the ground below, but she could also make out the distant coastline and the ant-sized tourists on this side of the shore, a dense, silent yet bustling crowd.
The fuselage shuddered slightly as the aircraft began its slow descent. The familiar sensation prompted Lin Wei to open his eyes, and like Yuno, he cast his gaze out the window.
It was a city of deathly silence.
Yet, even in its silence, looking down from above, one could still discern the tragic outline of what must have once been a bustling metropolis, now resembling a desiccated corpse in the desert.
The streets were wide, and though now completely covered by yellow sand, the buried silhouettes of a long line of cars were visible, like a series of silent tombstones. An occasional gust of wind would blow past, revealing a corner of a car that had been worn down by the grit, resembling a polished ticket.
Buildings of varying heights were scattered across the landscape; some had long since collapsed, while others still stood tall. But the once-clear and bright exterior glass was now completely shattered and gone.
A sand-laden wind swept through, and the few remaining intact panes of glass shattered with a crisp crack, falling to the ground like a dying person taking their last breath.
All that remained were the skeletal, tragic husks of buildings, being slowly buried by the yellow sand, from the bottom up, from the inside out.
At the distant airport, dozens of planes of various sizes were still neatly arranged, though some were riddled with holes, and others were reduced to heaps of wreckage. In the nearby forest park, the trees were withered and the ponds were dry, all signs of former life long gone.
"I never would have thought that a city so close to Schicksal could end up in such a state," Lin Wei said, a hint of emotion in his voice.
"The Honkai is a global disaster. While Schicksal has some ability to predict it, we have no way of completely preventing it," Rita said calmly, as if she had long grown accustomed to such sights.
"Whether it's right before our eyes or on the other side of the world, all we can do is try our best to stop it, mitigate the damage, and save as many lives and preserve as much of civilization's vitality as we can."
"That's true."
Lin Wei smiled and asked, as if unintentionally, "To choose a place like this for your base... you seem to have a lot of confidence in the desert sands..."
The underground of North Africa is riddled with tunnels made by the World Serpent. Aren't you afraid some formidable enemy will pop out of the ground one day and give your esteemed Overseer an unexpected surprise?
"It's not for a subordinate as insignificant as myself to speculate on the Overseer's considerations," Rita said, neither servile nor overbearing.
"However, compared to densely populated areas, experiments with a certain degree of danger like this one should naturally be conducted in such a secluded place, where it is not easily affected by the outside world, nor will it affect the outside world."
"Is that so? That does make sense."
Lin Wei smiled. Just like how you placed the Babylon Tower in the wastelands of Siberia?
If that was the case, then it was probably a traditional practice...
But saying that out loud would be a bit like pointing out their shortcomings to their face, so there was no need to voice it.
"Alright, pull yourself together."
Lin Wei gently patted Yuno, who was still staring blankly out the porthole.
"We're almost there. Get ready."
Yuno was taken aback for a moment, then met Lin Wei's gaze and nodded, turning back around.
"...Mr. Lin, you're making things difficult for me."
Rita looked a little helpless. The meaning behind Lin Wei's last words couldn't have been more obvious.
"Don't worry. Since I'm here as a guest, I know a thing or two about proper guest etiquette," Lin Wei smiled, gesturing out the window with his eyes.
"Besides, the Overseer is so thoughtful, he specifically arranged the 'meeting place' at the site where the Second Divine Key is housed—the gift I gave him. How can one not be moved by such sincerity?"
"...In that case, Rita is relieved," Rita said politely, lowering her gaze.
She had never mentioned the "Second Divine Key," yet Lin Wei had brought it up himself. It was hard not to read into it.
As they spoke, the transport plane slowly landed in an open area.
It was clear that this was once a plaza in the unknown, abandoned city, surrounded by a ring of tall buildings—some stubbornly standing, some leaning, some shattered. As the transport plane descended, the powerful airflow it generated stirred up the dormant yellow sand, instantly filling the air with flying sand and dust.
Hiss—
The cabin door lowered, and a cloud of fine sand even poured into the cabin, causing them to squint and raise their hands to shield their faces.
Clang, clang, clang!
The sound of running on a steel deck suddenly rang out, approaching rapidly from a distance. In just a few seconds, a familiar girlish presence arrived in front of Lin Wei.
Slap!
Before Lin Wei could even lower the hand he had raised to shield himself from the dust, he felt a merciless blow to the side of his cheek, followed by a sharp, stinging pain.
"Hiss..."
Lin Wei didn't rub his cheek. He just let out a helpless, wry smile.
"Your welcoming gift is as enthusiastic as ever, Anna."
Needless to say, on Schicksal's turf, there was no one else who would treat him like this.
Whether it was under Coral Island, where she had pinned him to the ground the moment they met; or in the skies over Manila, where she had greeted him with a passionate embrace that nearly sent his aircraft spiraling out of control; or now...
This gentle-hearted, yet somewhat reckless and impulsive silly girl, her heart was always so fiery, both in the past and now.
"When was the last time someone treated me like this?"
Lin Wei felt the other side of his face begin to ache faintly in sympathy, and he let out another bitter smile.
I really brought this upon myself, he couldn't help but think.
"...You deserve it!"
Anna, whom he hadn't seen since they parted in Manila, had her long hair in a bit of a mess, perhaps from running. Her eyes were bloodshot, as if from sorrow, or perhaps burning with a rage that threatened to incinerate the person before her. With a suppressed, trembling voice, she hissed,
"Who told you to come here?"
Her words seemed to be squeezed from between her teeth. It was the first time Lin Wei had ever seen someone actually grind their teeth with an audible creak while speaking.
"If I didn't come, what would you have done on your own?"
Lin Wei sighed softly and reached out to smooth her disheveled hair, but she roughly batted his hand away.
"I don't need you to meddle in my affairs!"
Anna swung her arm forcefully, a movement that nearly shattered the strong facade she had so carefully constructed. She sniffled, forcing back the tears that were about to well up in her eyes, and managed a somewhat mocking expression.
"You, a guy who can't even walk without someone supporting you, what kind of hero are you trying to be here? Get out! Get out!"
Her voice wasn't loud, but by the end, it had a heart-wrenching quality, like a shattered piece of porcelain rattling.
After hitting, cursing, and mocking him, she grabbed Rita's arm, who was standing nearby, and tried to pull her away.
"Yuno, you promised me! Get him out of here!"
There's still time. I'm so barbaric, so rude, I'm not worth anyone's affection. Yuno is a Valkyrie, she knows how to fly a Schicksal aircraft. She can get him out of here. There must still be time!
Thinking this, Anna clung tightly to the only sister she had by her side, trying to leave with her. Rita neither struggled nor stopped her. She didn't say a word, just watched him silently.
Clang, clang, clang...
Another set of steady footsteps approached from the front, stopping right in front of Anna. Durandal's figure, not broad but as steady as a mountain, blocked the boarding ramp. She looked at Anna with a slightly reprimanding gaze and said in a deep voice,
"Stop being so naive, Anna."
"Move!"
Enraged, the unarmed Anna charged at the strongest Valkyrie she had once admired and revered, as if trying to force a path through. But Durandal calmly sidestepped, swept her leg out lightly, and, without looking back, reached out and caught Anna, who had lost her balance and was about to fall.
"You've worked hard, Rita."
Durandal didn't make things difficult for the disheartened Anna. She simply turned her gaze to the other girl, giving her a helpless smile that only Rita could understand.
What a day this has been.
"Greetings, Lady Durandal. It is all part of Rita's duty."
Rita gave a slight curtsy and returned a smile, replying in her own unique way.
Anna's appearance seemed like a trivial interlude. Neither Durandal nor Rita wanted to dwell on the matter.
"Miss Durandal, long time no see."
At that moment, Lin Wei, with Yuno in tow, came up from behind and greeted her with a smile.
"Every time we meet, your attire is always so refreshing. It's truly surprising."
Durandal was dressed in a military-green outfit, resembling a uniform, as meticulous as her personality.
However, if he remembered correctly, the uniforms at the Far East Branch were white. The contrast between her outfit and those looked as vast as the difference between the navy and the army, which was rather interesting.
Was it that Schicksal had a wide variety of uniform styles, or had the Far East Branch, due to its geographical location, picked up the bad habit of the Far East and deliberately twisted the screw in the opposite direction?
"It hasn't been that long, actually, Mr. Lin."
Durandal met Lin Wei's gaze calmly, her words devoid of any emotion.
"Although your actions just now were a bit reckless, she was right in what she was trying to express—you shouldn't have come."
No one wanted to see Lin Wei and Otto clash, just as no one wanted to see Welt die at Otto's hands. Regardless of the outcome, regardless of who won or lost, there would be no winners in such a matchup.
Hearing Durandal's words, Anna's silent back trembled slightly, followed by an even longer silence, as if she was hating herself for her weakness, or perhaps too ashamed to face the person behind her.
"There's no 'should' or 'shouldn't,' Durandal."
Lin Wei smiled faintly.
"Some things have to be done by someone, and some prices have to be paid by someone. I think you of all people should understand that."
If I turn and run today, am I supposed to let everything fall onto Anna's thin, fragile shoulders?
"In that case, please proceed."
Durandal shook her head and stepped aside slightly to clear the path.
"Thank you."
Lin Wei smiled, walked over, and led Anna behind him.
"Thank you for taking care of her during this time."
Although he had never asked, and never specifically investigated, it didn't stop Lin Wei from being absolutely certain of one fact—to prevent leaving himself any openings, Otto would have placed Anna under Durandal's strict supervision from the very beginning.
Just as he would have entrusted the Second Divine Key to her for protection to prevent any possible risks.
Therefore, the fact that Anna, the Second Divine Key, and Durandal could all appear before him at the same time was not a last-minute arrangement by Otto. It was because they were already in the same place.
So close, yet so far. And it was for this very reason that when he made his public appearance in North Africa, Otto would inevitably choose this place for their meeting, even without any prior communication.
What you want, what I want; what you rely on, what I rely on—it's all here!
So, come!
And so, Lin Wei came.
"It was no trouble. She has her own mission here," Durandal said, glancing back at Anna, her tone as calm as ever.
"In fact, she wasn't even willing to communicate with me. If you're talking about 'taking care,' she's been taking care of herself."
"...Is that so? I understand."
Lin Wei was taken aback for a moment, then nodded lightly.
He remembered that Durandal had always been Anna's goal and role model, but now they were like strangers. He couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness.
Watching one's dreams shatter piece by piece was probably one of the cruelest things in the world...
"But, a mission? Heh!"
Lin Wei scoffed at the word, his contempt overflowing.
Rustle, rustle, rustle...
The sound of footsteps on the sand approached softly, accompanied by a familiar, nauseating voice.
"Hehe... The scene of old friends reuniting is always so delightful, so moving."
Otto, with his hands clasped behind his back, walked over leisurely from a distance and chuckled.
"I hope my sudden appearance hasn't disturbed your pleasant gathering. And also—"
Otto's gaze swept lightly over everyone's face, finally settling on Lin Wei's. The warm, spring-like smile on his face grew even more distinct.
"Welcome, guest from afar. Otto Apocalypse has been waiting for you for a long time."
As he spoke, he bowed deeply, performing an exquisitely elegant noble's greeting.
"Yes, the feeling of reuniting is indeed incredibly moving," Lin Wei smiled faintly.
"At least this time, Your Excellency is not sitting on your high and mighty throne. It's truly flattering for a commoner like myself!"
"Hehe, Otto deeply apologizes for the rudeness and disrespect during our last meeting."
Otto chuckled, then turned his gaze to Anna, whose body had been trembling more and more since his appearance. His expression softened and became much more complex as he said softly,
"Well? I told you he would come back to see you."
For some reason, on this matter, he had been full of confidence in Lin Wei from the very beginning.
"Overseer!"
Anna suddenly emerged from behind Lin Wei, stepping in front of him and pleading loudly with Otto.
"I beg you, let him go! My preparations are complete! The mission to explore the Sea of Quanta can begin at any moment! I..."
Why did he have to come so soon?
Anna thought in agony. Why did I have to be so stupid?
If I had just gone down that path of no return, no one would have been able to threaten him!
"Anna!"
Lin Wei shouted, stopping Anna, who was still clinging to her naive hopes and begging her Overseer. He gave her a look filled with complex meaning, then fixed his gaze on Otto and said in a mocking tone,
"Our esteemed Overseer would never send you down that path. He only issued such an order as a way to force me to show myself."
Being mocked like this by Lin Wei, Otto didn't get angry. He just shook his head and laughed.
"For Mr. Lin to say that, it truly makes me feel ashamed."
"Of course, if I had really delayed my appearance, then whether our Overseer was disappointed, angry, or simply wanted to teach me a painful lesson—he would have eventually sent you on that mission with an uncertain future."
Lin Wei's smile didn't fade either. He raised one arm gently, as if extending an invitation at a ball.
"But now, I believe the Overseer will have other uses for you, won't he?"
"Hehe, of course!"
Like a perfectly rehearsed duet, Otto said with a beaming smile, "Anna Shariac, for her outstanding performance during the Manila Honkai Eruption, will naturally return to Schicksal HQ and take on more and more difficult missions in the Immortal Blades. I believe that with Anna's talent and hard work, she will soon become the next highly anticipated S-rank Valkyrie!"
His words were calm and resonant, like a wise man who had seen through another's fate—the only difference being that this "fate" was orchestrated by him.
"I don't want to!"
Anna screamed, as terrified and desperate as an insect caught in a spider's web.
"...Otto, you really are as detestable as ever."
Lin Wei didn't comfort the grief-stricken Anna. He just watched Otto's performance with a cold smile, and after a long moment, he sneered.
Although he had expected it, that cloying, enslaving tone of voice always managed to evoke an involuntary sense of disgust.
"Hehe, for Mr. Lin to say that, it's truly saddening."
Otto spread his arms wide, a look of helplessness on his face, as if he were genuinely sad.
"Alright, our esteemed guest has come from afar. It's not very pleasant to be eating sand here all the time."
His impromptu performance over, Otto put away all his expressions, leaving only his usual smile. He casually issued a new, irrefutable instruction.
"Rita, please take these two beautiful young ladies, who have been reunited after a long separation, to the lounge to catch up. As for the whispered secrets between young girls, it's best for outsiders like us not to intrude."
"Yes."
Rita composed herself and nodded, then raised a hand in front of her.
"This way, you two."
Yuno didn't move an inch. Anna glared at him with fury.
Otto, however, seemed not to notice and continued issuing new instructions.
"Durandal, your presence is no longer needed here either. Return to your post. This guest from afar should be entertained by me personally."
"Yes."
Durandal nodded lightly, then leaped into the air, her figure disappearing among the sand-swept buildings in the distance. She landed on the roof of a tall building with a wide view, watching everything from afar.
As the head of security here, she had her own duties...
After the strongest person on the scene had left, the atmosphere seemed to relax somewhat.
"As a guest, I'll follow the host's arrangements. Yuno, you go with Anna and Rita," Lin Wei said with a smile.
"Our esteemed Overseer probably has some secrets he wants to share with me."
"..."
Yuno looked up and met Lin Wei's gaze deeply. After a moment of holding his unwavering stare, she nodded firmly.
"Mm."
Then, she gently helped the struggling Anna up and followed Rita's lead.
"Yuno, what are you doing? Are you crazy?"
Anna grew more and more terrified, but she was no match for Yuno's grip.
For some reason, from the moment the aircraft landed, Yuno had become silent and withdrawn again. Even when reprimanded like this by Anna, she only glanced at her with a slightly apologetic and comforting smile.
"Hm?"
Rita, who had been silently observing the two, couldn't help but look at her with surprise.
Although she had noticed a significant change in Yuno since they met this time, compared to her time in Schicksal, the smile Yuno showed just now still astonished her.
"Can a person really change this much?"
She decided to continue observing.
After Durandal, Rita, Yuno, and Anna had all left, under the shadow of the cold transport plane, with the endless yellow sand as a backdrop, only two people remained.
"Hehe, Mr. Lin's nonchalance is truly admirable," Otto said with a laugh.
"Oh, it's nothing."
Lin Wei walked up to him, his feet crunching on the soft sand. With a blank expression, he said, "I just don't like hiding behind women and watching them sacrifice themselves for me."