"East Capital, Rhodes Island—I need all the details."
"I do have some leads," came the slow reply from the other end of the line. "But they come at a high price."
The voice didn't waver, as if it had all the time in the world. "Still, I suggest you slow down, Mr. Revy. Rushing won't help."
A glint of killing intent flashed in Revy's eyes.
"...Who did it?"
"That, I don't know."
The elder calmly continued, clearly expecting the question: "All I know is what was being delivered to Rhodes Island—and who sold it."
"Charge it to Rhodes Island. I'm buying that intel."
"Excellent. It'll be sent to your personal terminal within 10 minutes. A pleasure doing business."
Revy hung up coldly and turned to the visibly nervous pilot beside him.
"...Let's go. Head to East Capital."
Cutscene – Aboard Rhodes Island
Kal'tsit and the Doctor stood on the deck, watching the aircraft disappear into the distance.
"I assume you're curious why I recommended him, of all people?"
Retracting his gaze, the Doctor spoke with a slight unease, though calmer than before: "I don't believe you'd do anything that harms Rhodes Island. But yes... I'd like to know what that line he said to me meant."
"In that moment—he wanted to kill you."
Kal'tsit said this with unnerving calm: "But the killing intent vanished too fast. That's why you probably didn't notice it."
"Why? We've barely met. He shouldn't have any grudge against me."
"Logic doesn't explain everything. And yes, he does have reasons to want you dead."
Her voice turned even colder: "I won't tell you what those reasons are. But remember—he's not a pawn. He can be the sharpest blade in your arsenal."
"I don't treat people like pawns."
"You'd better not."
She fixed her eyes on him, her tone somewhere between serious and detached: "What I can tell you is that Regulus Harvey is one of Rhodes Island's top assets—and vital to our future plans."
"Forget his attitude, forget his words. Your job is to make the best use of him."
Kal'tsit sighed.
"I don't yet know why he returned to Rhodes Island, or what he truly seeks. But he's already done two—no, three—things for us that would each earn a normal operator elite status."
"And he's already elite."
"Exactly. He operates like a machine, fulfilling missions as if he were a living blade. It fits how he sees himself... But I still can't read him. Less and less each day."
Kal'tsit turned her back on the Doctor and walked off. She had two surgeries to perform that afternoon—no time to explain further.
"There's nothing more I can tell you. Just remember this—"
"—Use him as much as you need to. But stay away from him. Don't try to understand him... unless you're brave enough to risk your life doing so."
Scene – East Capital, Northern Outskirts
The Rhodes Island aircraft landed.
Revy said nothing the whole trip. The pilot—clearly one of Kal'tsit's selections—also stayed silent.
Fiddling with the intel on his personal terminal, Revy furrowed his brows and muttered:
(...Dealing with the Yan royal family? Bold move.)
This clearly wasn't Kal'tsit's style—only the Doctor would take a risk like this. Kal'tsit would never put Rhodes Island in such a precarious spot.
(Still, it was a secret transaction through official channels. At least it won't spark political backlash.)
The pilot rolled Revy's motorcycle, Shadowchaser, out of the aircraft. Its distinct look caught many curious glances from the ground crew.
"That's enough. Head back—this is my job now."
Revy mounted the bike, waving lazily with his right hand. But his left hand flashed a subtle signal on the handlebar.
"Shall we schedule a return pickup, sir?"
The pilot responded with an equally subtle gesture.
Revy nodded.
"Tell Kal'tsit: 'The mire holds no light, yet filth remains.' Got it?—'The mire holds no light, yet filth remains.'"
Without waiting for a reply, he revved the engine and shot out of the airport—vanishing in seconds.