"…A large number of Bonegrinder clansmen took advantage of us being busy dealing with the anchor point and the Angels in the Hub District, and occupied the position that was originally meant for building the integrated industrial core…"
Qin Jiangchi finished a brief description of the current situation. Perlica, however, turned her head to look at Bai Ling, who was standing at the very back of the team together with the two little sheep.
Bai Ling, in turn, stepped forward from behind Chen Qianyu, his tone gentle.
"If you mean that side… we already cleared it all out on the way here. They even tried to raise the drawbridge leading toward the valley passage—we dealt with that too."
"Huh?"
The moment she heard that, Qin Jiangchi froze.
Cleared it… already?
If she wasn't mistaken, these three had only just come out of the old industrial zone together with Andre and the other three Endfield Industries members, didn't they?
"…The road is already very clean, so now you can head straight over and set down the integrated core."
As he spoke, Bai Ling looked back—just in time to meet the two sheep's eyes.
For the three of them to reach the valley passage directly from the Power Highlands had taken quite a bit of effort.
And the ram-horn mark on the back of Bai Ling's hand now only had the final little sheep face left.
The horn and fleece纹路 had already gone completely dull.
"By the way—do you know a woman with purple hair and horns on her head? We ran into her on the way here. She cut off the bridge from the Power Highlands to the valley passage."
Perlica tilted her head, the feathered tufts by her ears trembling slightly. "That should be the Groundbreakers' leader—Niephis. What are they trying to do here in Valley No. 4?"
"Regrettably, we didn't get anything out of her when we met."
"To be able to make contact with someone that dangerous and still come back safe is already the best possible outcome, Mr. Bai Ling."
Just as the discussion was going smoothly, Qin Jiangchi suddenly spoke up.
"In that case, I'll return to the hub center first to tally losses and try to restore communications in some areas."
Given the situation, Endfield's people already outnumbered Valley No. 4's. When they talked, Qin Jiangchi really had no reason to keep inserting herself.
"Mm."
Watching Qin Jiangchi leave with her people, Perlica gave two light coughs. The little penguin rubbed her head—her expression hidden behind the mask.
"…We've been talking for ages, but we still haven't properly introduced ourselves."
Taking the lead position, Bai Ling stared at the girl in a black mask who looked cool and aloof—black, white, and gray top; shorts and black stockings completely covering her legs and showing off their clean lines—overall, she looked exactly like an adorable penguin.
"My name is Bai Ling. I'm an Originium Arts testing staffer."
He extended his hand and easily clasped the little penguin's.
Unlike a real penguin's tiny cold flipper, her hand was warm.
And… how to put it…
Bai Ling could see the energy flow paths he wanted to see.
Before, on the Di Jiang, when he'd merely passed by the Administrator, he hadn't felt much.
But now that she was standing right in front of him—
For the first time in his life, Bai Ling saw what could be called a "sun."
Inside other people's bodies, even if they had Originium Arts, their energy reserves were concentrated in a few areas, then mobilized through bodily channels when needed.
But the Administrator was different.
She was like living Originium—every inch of her stored energy, with no part lacking.
Within Bai Ling's "opened" vision, she was literally a self-luminous individual.
Aside from awe, there was nothing else he could say.
"Hello."
"Hello. I'm Eyjafjalla. You really resemble someone I know, Administrator."
Eyjafjalla looked at the Administrator, a strange feeling rising in her heart.
Back on Rhodes Island, there was someone whose aura felt quite similar… though their appearance was completely different.
Last was Eldera.
"Administrator, I'm Eldera. I'm very glad to meet you."
"…Mm."
Even with her amnesia, in most situations the little penguin still maintained her innate calm and natural composure.
Perlica also seemed relieved, smiling.
Now that introductions were done, it was time for real work.
"Even though the anchor point has been dealt with, there are still a large number of Angels in the Hub District that need to be cleared. If everyone goes… defense over here might end up too thin."
Perlica scanned their current team composition and decisively voiced her suggestion.
"That's a good arrangement. The people staying behind need some logistical recovery capability."
Chen Qianyu echoed, glancing around at the scene.
The entire hub center was full of rubble—the anchor point's destruction was simply too severe.
"Teacher Bai Ling doesn't look like he's in good condition. You should find a place to rest for now."
In front of Bai Ling, Chen Qianyu was obedient, her tone gentle—completely unlike her earlier show-off swagger.
"Mm… the three of us won't go."
Bai Ling really wanted to keep observing the little penguin, but he forced himself to stop.
Eyjafjalla and Eldera were both in rough shape from traveling and fighting. If they kept pushing, they'd only become more vulnerable.
Getting down from that bridge Niephis destroyed had not been easy at all.
With Bai Ling's Command Seal support, Eyjafjalla deployed her Noble Phantasm. Under its protection, they were able to drop straight from that height into the valley passage—and even saved a worker carrying medicine.
At the same time, with the Noble Phantasm's final remaining duration, Eyjafjalla casually cleared several small nest-condors around the main one, disabling the strange field of ability around it.
Originally, the Groundbreakers had planned to close the bridge leading to the valley fortress—but thanks to that worker guiding them, the trio stopped that from happening.
"Oh—by the way. If you plan on heading to the valley fortress later…" Bai Ling turned to Chen Qianyu.
"Little Chen."
"Hm? Teacher Bai Ling?"
"…Protect the Administrator. Don't let anyone point a gun at her head."
Thinking back to when he'd passed through the valley passage—if Eyjafjalla hadn't reacted fast, that muzzle really might've ended up aimed at his skull.
How could anyone do something like that?!
Pointing a gun at someone's head without saying a word!
"No problem, Teacher Bai Ling."
Even though she didn't know why Bai Ling would say such a thing, Chen Qianyu still memorized it instinctively.
Bai Ling was about to turn away, but he paused—and spoke again.
"Oh, right… Little Chen."
"Just now, back in the old industrial zone—your pose… you really had the air of an old acquaintance."
-------
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