"Gah!" A bead of cold sweat appeared on Kanna's forehead. How could she forget that Kal'tsit was someone with very low security and strict management of Rhodes Island?
"Dahlia is a good child, she shouldn't do anything bad, right! Hahahahaha... she shouldn't..."
Wiping the non-existent sweat from her forehead, Kanna awkwardly explained,
"Besides, we can't just look at the bad side, can we? Isn't Dahlia's ability better for controlling Rhodes Island? And now, she's the absolute bane of those seafood creatures we saw in Iberia. With her around, we can totally go to the beach to play later. No matter how many seafood creatures come, Dahlia alone can handle them all."
Seeing Kal'tsit's expression growing darker, Kanna hastily explained.
After listening to Kanna's explanation, Kal'tsit closed her eyes and leaned back in her chair.
"Since Dahlia is your doing, you must resolve these three issues. First, Dahlia must not perform actions or do things that endanger any Operators or patients within Rhodes Island. Second, you must ensure she accepts Rhodes Island's management. Of course, even though her appearance has changed, due to her unique nature, Rhodes Island can grant her Operator qualifications. Finally, Dahlia must provide no less than 1000CC of special water daily to the Medical Department for their use. Also, you must write a report detailing everything you know about Dahlia's current form—remember, *everything*—and submit it to my desk no later than tomorrow morning."
...
"The first problem isn't big. Dahlia herself has no ill will towards Rhodes Island and has a very good relationship with Ifrit. You can go yourself or send Amiya to talk to her; she'll listen. Second, while Dahlia can move around most watery areas of Rhodes Island, she is, after all, a Purewater Spirit and needs to be in water for most of the time. If you put a speaker in the water source area, she'll hear you as soon as you call. The third condition is even simpler: just go find her. 1000CC of water is only about an hour's work for her, so it's not difficult.
As for Dahlia's matter, I'll write up a document and submit it. Well, I'm off!"
Fearing that she would be conscripted by Kal'tsit if she stayed too long, Kanna quickly accepted the task and dashed out of the room.
Kal'tsit exhaled, then said to Amiya, who was beside her, "The communication and interaction with Dahlia are entrusted to you. Then, notify Closure to install a waterproof communicator in the water source area."
Amiya, who was nearby, nodded. She had heard about Dahlia before coming and knew that she had completely changed her appearance. She was quite curious and wanted to see what she had become.
"Where can I find Dahlia?" Amiya asked before leaving.
"At Ifrit's place. If she's not there, check the water source area. According to Kanna, she'll likely be in one of those two places," Kal'tsit said after a brief thought.
After Amiya walked out of the room, she went to Ifrit's location and saw Kanna and her group already there. Ifrit was still receiving treatment at the time, and a small, transparent blue Ifrit was nervously peering through the glass at the entrance.
Seeing Amiya, Kanna poked the small Ifrit. "Alright, alright, even if you watch Ifrit, she still needs to finish her treatment before she can come out to play. You know this person, right!"
The small Ifrit turned around, looked at Amiya, whom Kanna was pointing at, and nodded.
Kanna said to Amiya, "Dahlia hasn't fully mastered her abilities yet, so she can't speak."
Amiya squatted down, looking shocked at the "creature" completely made of water, which was gradually taking on the appearance of a miniature version of herself.
"Is this Dahlia? No wonder Dr. Kal'tsit said Dahlia is completely different from before. How did this happen!" There was no discernible core within the flowing water, and Amiya couldn't understand what kind of life form this was.
However, through the consciousness sensing of her Originium Arts, she could feel the joy and happiness emanating from her.
"I've already told Dahlia Kal'tsit's requests, and Dahlia has agreed, but now she wants to wait until Ifrit's treatment is over…"
Kanna told Amiya.
"It's alright. Ifrit also introduced me to this child before. I was very sad that Rhodes Island's current medical technology couldn't save her. Although Dahlia has changed her appearance, I'm very happy that she can continue to be with everyone." Amiya extended her hand, and Dahlia, in her transformed state, jumped onto her hand, then happily danced on it.
Seeing Amiya and Dahlia getting along well, Kanna also felt relieved. "Then I'm going back to write my report! I'll leave Ifrit to you all!"
Amiya and Dahlia in her hand waved simultaneously, "Don't worry! I'll take good care of Dahlia and them."
Kanna bid farewell to Popukar and Rosmontis, then returned to her room.
Kanna's understanding of Purewater Spirits actually only came from games. However, considering the abilities of water spirits in other games, Kanna believed that Dahlia had broad development prospects. With complete control over flowing water, she didn't need to foolishly create a few inexplicable creatures to deal with enemies like in games. A Purewater Spirit retaining Dahlia's former control over water could be the nightmare of all life forms if she wished. After all, she could control water both in nature and within the body. When facing enemies, with a single thought, if they were unprepared, they would instantly turn into a dried corpse. This terrifying killing efficiency made it unsurprising that Kal'tsit could only helplessly choose to trust Kanna to control her.
Picking up her pen, she wrote down all her understanding and conjectures. Then, at dusk, she handed the report to Amiya, asking her to pass it on to Kal'tsit.
Why didn't she deliver the report herself? It was a joke. With the horrifying things written in it, Kanna worried that if she delivered it herself, Kal'tsit, whose brain would be fuming, would spank her.
The result was exactly as Kanna expected. After reading Kanna's report, Kal'tsit's blood pressure continuously rose. After searching for Kanna everywhere on Rhodes Island and not finding her, she called and scolded her for over an hour without repeating herself.
Meanwhile, Kanna was hiding on a protruding outer wall of Rhodes Island, hanging her communicator aside, letting Kal'tsit rant. She leaned on the other side, holding a soda, "Burp~," looking contentedly at the moonlight scattered above her head.
"I'm telling you, you're truly incredible. After all these years, besides the assassination of Theresa back then, this is the angriest I've ever seen Kal'tsit." Scout climbed down from the wall and sat next to Kanna, giving her a thumbs-up.
Chapter 178 One Hundred and Seventieth Chernobog
After hiding for a few days, Kanna, realizing that Kal'tsit's anger had mostly subsided, timidly returned to the interior of the landship.
Of course, besides the previous reason, another important factor was that Rhodes Island was nearing its destination. It was currently December 14th, and Rhodes Island was expected to reach a location not far from Lungmen and Chernobog two days later, on the 16th.
The teams inside were already fully prepared, waiting for the order to advance towards Chernobog according to the previous plan.
However, before that, one team would proceed to Chernobog first: the information channel team consisting of Raidian and Kanna. The two would go to Chernobog ahead of time to set up communication equipment covering the entire Chernobog, so that Rhodes Island's team would not lose communication due to the Calamity's influence after entering Chernobog.
That's right, the Calamity Messenger stationed on Rhodes Island had already contacted the Calamity Messengers on the Ursus and Yan borders, confirming that a Calamity was about to occur on the path of Chernobog.
Originally, Kal'tsit hadn't intended for Raidian to go so early, but after learning this news, she consulted the Engineering Department's opinion and ultimately agreed for Raidian to go ahead to provide technical support for Rhodes Island's communication.
Kanna's accompaniment was a form of insurance for Raidian, because Kal'tsit had noticed that Ursus's actions were very strange. Even an organization like Rhodes Island could detect Reunion Movement's objective, so there was no reason for Ursus to be completely unaware. However, they brazenly allowed Reunion Movement's actions, which made Kal'tsit feel unusually uneasy.
Sitting in the car, Raidian and Kanna patiently explained their mission this time and said, "Ursus is different from many other places. The oppression and control of the Infected here are very strict, so Rhodes Island's team will definitely not be able to rescue the Doctor through official channels. Therefore, the early reconnaissance and communication assurance tasks are very important. I hope we can work together happily."
Although the sky in December was still bright, it was very cold under the biting north wind. After leaving Rhodes Island and traveling for three more days, at noon on the 19th, the two finally arrived at the entrance and exit of Chernobog.
After inspection, the two finally successfully entered Chernobog.
Looking back at the strict, almost harsh, inspection at the entrance, Kanna was somewhat displeased. In such cold weather, all personnel entering had to expose their limbs for inspection. If the guards were still suspicious, they would even demand that entrants remove their outer clothing.
Chernobog, which appeared to be very strict, seemed to have controlled the entry of the Infected very well, but Kanna knew that Reunion Movement had already entered Chernobog under internal arrangements and had begun to incite unrest. Thinking about what was actually happening on the other side of this seemingly strict city felt like a well-dressed "gentleman" secretly eating feces, making one feel disgusted.
After entering Chernobog, Raidian bought a map of Chernobog at a nearby newsstand and began to read it. After a while, her expression became very serious. "There's a problem with Chernobog's map and reality. Kanna, you remember we circled around before entering Chernobog, right!"
Kanna nodded.
"According to this map, there should actually be several more urban areas here, here, and here. But if I remember correctly, these places were empty when we were outside. Kanna, can your Originium Arts detect the exact layout of Chernobog?" Raidian seemed very anxious. At this time, although some news of Infected riots was spreading in Chernobog, there was no serious unrest within the urban area.
Raidian believed that the remaining urban areas here might have been abandoned by Ursus, because those detached urban areas were all the regions where the wealthy of Chernobog resided.
Then the situation in Chernobog was even more severe than Rhodes Island had previously studied. If this news was confirmed to be true, then she had to quickly send the situation here back to Rhodes Island headquarters, so that the Operators coming to pick up the Doctor would not step into a trap built by unknown parties and with unknown participants.
"No problem, but I need half an hour. In half an hour, I can draw you a map of the current Chernobog."
Kanna pointed upwards and then said.
After speaking, she immediately cast Pray for Rain into the sky, and then the two walked towards the hotel they had booked earlier.
It was exactly half an hour when they entered the hotel, and a light drizzle began to fall, sprinkling over every inch of Chernobog's land.
Using her Rain Tiger at Will Art, Kanna drew the entire outline of Chernobog. After Raidian saw it, she confirmed that her previous observations were correct; the wealthy district of Chernobog had indeed detached from the main city of Chernobog.
Raidian immediately used the communicator and her Originium Arts to send the intelligence she had discovered about Chernobog towards Rhodes Island.
At this time, several teams within Rhodes Island were ready to go. After receiving Raidian's message, Kal'tsit called all the team leaders involved in the operation and announced Raidian's discovery.
"Clearly, Reunion Movement is even faster than we imagined. They should have already reached Chernobog, but I know Marquis Boris, the mayor of Chernobog. Unless there is a very important situation, he would absolutely not split Chernobog and only take a few people to escape. I don't think Reunion Movement could so easily conquer a military fortress of Ursus, so there must be a deeper, hidden hand behind this."
Kal'tsit spoke after everyone had finished reading the intelligence.
"Exactly. Then our actions must also be faster. The Doctor is in Chernobog and completely unprotected. If the 'Sarcophagus' is attacked by those people, I'm afraid the Doctor will truly never wake up." Amiya, upon hearing this, was not afraid; her resolve to go to Chernobog grew even stronger.
Kal'tsit glanced at Amiya. "I'm not stopping everyone from going, but everything in Chernobog seems very strange, so everyone must be vigilant about everything they encounter in Chernobog. Remember, no matter what situation you encounter, do not fight head-on. The ultimate goal is to preserve strength. The Doctor is indeed an important member of Rhodes Island, but I don't want to lose any of you present because of him."
After Kal'tsit finished speaking, a convoy of more than a dozen vehicles advanced towards Chernobog, while the two helicopters, "Bad Guy" and "Good Kid," were also on standby on the deck.
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