Revy wasn't feeling well.
He had never liked Kal'tsit, and as for the Doctor, he harbored a mix of disdain and indifference—mostly the former. These two sources of irritation combined only worsened his mood.
"I believe... there's a reason you brought this woman to see me."
Revy tried to keep his voice steady, but there was still a tinge of anger:"However, if this is just some game, I'll say right now—I'm not in the mood to play house with some amnesiac woman."
"I don't waste time. And my time is just as valuable as yours."
Kal'tsit seemed unfazed by the hostility between Revy and the Doctor, but there was a chill in her gaze."I brought her because she told me she needs your strength."
"...She said it herself?"
"She did."
"...Fine. I'm listening."
He shifted gears with startling speed, leaving the Doctor—who had been bracing for mockery—visibly stunned.
(He was so hostile just a moment ago... Why the sudden change?)
Kal'tsit remained impassive, only glancing briefly at the stunned Doctor."I don't know why you're so certain Regulus Harvey can accomplish your mission. But now that he's standing before you, tell him your plan—he never fails."
"Ah… Oh, okay."
The Doctor was still slightly stunned but quickly regained composure. Revy, noticing this, subtly furrowed his brows, though he said nothing.
"One of our squads went missing during a reconnaissance mission in Yan. They were carrying out a classified operation for Rhodes Island when contact was lost."
"...Time? Location? Last known communication? Were there nearby support units? Have potential enemy factions been assessed?"
Revy's barrage of questions came like a drill sergeant, but the Doctor responded without hesitation:
"Assuming 24 hours with no contact as our benchmark, the exact time of disappearance is unclear. The last signal came from about 20 kilometers outside East Capital. Due to the mission's secrecy, nearby operators weren't informed. Afterward, scouts searched the area, but no clues emerged about how—or where—they vanished."
Revy nodded slightly.
"So, my task?"
"Find the missing squad and bring them back safely." The Doctor paused. "Their safety is the top priority. If that's impossible, recover the intel—or destroy it."
"Rhodes Island Confidentiality Protocol Chapter 2, Article 5. This is S-rank intel?"
"Theoretically, triple-S."
Kal'tsit, who had been silent, added:"This information is just as important as the intel you retrieved before. But this time, if it falls into the wrong hands, Rhodes Island could be destroyed."
"So if someone else gets this intel, we're doomed... That's what you mean, right?"
Kal'tsit nodded. Revy let out a soft sigh.
"How much time do I have?"
"As soon as possible." Kal'tsit was blunt. "The Doctor prepared a craft—it's ready anytime. But you may rest first if needed."
Revy glanced at the Doctor with a frown, sending the latter pale with anxiety.
"No rest. I'll sleep on the plane."
He turned toward the hangar:"Take care of Ifrit for me... Also, I want my motorcycle for this mission."
"Mr. Revy, anything else we can help with?"
Revy suddenly turned, closing the distance to the Doctor in a single step, his face nearly touching the Doctor's masked one. The Doctor turned ghostly white, stepping back.
"Your face and voice are familiar, but your behavior... completely foreign. Who are you, really?"
"Ah… I...?"
The girl stumbled for words, only incoherent syllables spilling out.
"—Just kidding."
With that almost predatory gaze withdrawn, Revy's face went blank again.
"In the future, use my codename. I don't like people calling me by my real name—especially my nickname. It's not for just anyone."
Without another word to the embarrassed Doctor or the indifferent Kal'tsit, Revy strode out of Ifrit's room.
-----------------------------------------------
Walking through the corridors, Revy felt uneasy.
Passing through the work area, he arrived at the front of the ship's bridge—where the helipad was located. A sleek silver aircraft was already parked and ready, awaiting his command.
His destination? As mentioned earlier in the conversation: Yan's East Capital.
(East Capital... huh.)
It was once Yan's imperial capital, but failed to evacuate during the infamous Dong Zhuo Rebellion. The entire city was consumed by Catastrophe and burned to the ground. It reportedly took 40 years just to detoxify the Originium within the ruins before they could even consider rebuilding.
When the new city rose, the name of the old capital—symbolizing destruction—was discarded. From then on, it was no longer Luoyang, but East Capital.
To this day, it remained one of Yan's core centers of power.
"This won't be easy..."Revy let out a low sigh.
East Capital, with its massive sprawl and complex terrain, covered over 20,000 square kilometers. Trying to locate a missing covert squad here was like searching for a needle in a haystack.
But still... he had his ways.
Revy didn't board the plane right away. Instead, he pulled out his personal terminal and made five phone calls.
More precisely: he dialed each one, then immediately hung up after it connected.
After repeating this process five times, a sixth call finally went through. This time, instead of a young voice, an elderly voice picked up.
"Well, well, isn't this rare—you actually used my personal line."
The old man's tone was slow and unhurried."So, what kind of intel do you need this time... Regulus Harvey?"