Arknights: The Cycle of Light and Darkness

"Although you were lifted by the neck and looked a bit pathetic, you looked really handsome when you were showing off, Revy," Teresia teased, having watched everything Revy did at the East Capital City Guard Bureau from the same perspective.

"I can't help it, I couldn't actually fight him," Revy said with a wry smile. "I still had to cover up when fighting that fatty, let alone with Li Rufeng, the director of the East Capital City Guard Bureau. If it really came to blows, openly assaulting a police officer isn't something extraterritoriality can cover up."

"But you still convinced him, didn't you?"

"That person isn't from the First Prince's faction, otherwise, upon obtaining 'that thing,' he could have destroyed it for his master... What he truly wanted to know was the 'truth' behind all of this."

"So, he actually fully knew that Rhodes Island's actions were legal and legitimate, and that we were just intermediaries, yet he still made things difficult for our operator?"

"Something like that, " Revy conceded. "After all, Rhodes Island isn't a large system like Blacksteel. We're still treading on other people's territory and crossing their red lines, so encountering this kind of 'bullying' is normal."

Teresia was silent for a moment, then sighed.

"Actually... the original intention of Rhodes Island's establishment was just to help all infected people. In the beginning, there was no intention of building economic or military power..."

"Others won't allow an uncontrolled organization revered by infected people to appear freely, Teresia," Revy also sighed slightly. "The establishment of military power is necessary, just as that great king said, peace is the noblest ideal, but to achieve that ideal, one must fight for it."

"Ideals and reality, the gap is truly wide..."

"Who says it isn't... Hmm?"

Revy slowly walked towards the building ahead. As agreed beforehand, Platinum and Qingjin should have been waiting for his negotiation to end there.

But.

"They're gone?" Revy looked around, somewhat surprised.

He never worried that Qingjin would betray him, after all, the channel he found was unique in this world, and betraying him would bring Qingjin no benefit.

However—

"Excuse me, are you Mr. Reguluss Harvey?" A man appeared behind him at some unknown time, dressed in a black robe unique to Yan, standing in the shadows, almost indistinguishable. And at this moment, he stood directly behind Revy, staring intently at the Sarkaz before him.

"?"

To his surprise, Revy didn't show much astonishment at his appearance, merely glancing at him twice.

Those two glances made him feel a chill down his spine. Because the two places Revy stared at were precisely the route he had to take when he quickly approached from behind using his movement technique, and the other was his weak point in practice!

This young Sarkaz, with just a glance, told him that he was not to be trifled with!

"Mr. Reguluss, my master invites you," the long-robed man's tone became polite, and the plan he originally had in mind quietly changed—he almost understood why his master had concluded that this person was not someone he could deal with.

"...It seems I don't need to go to the Panlong Association after all," Revy spoke faintly. "Have you been to the Willow Gang's place too?"

"Replying to Sir, we did go to the Willow Gang's place, " the long-robed man answered. "But the 'thing' there should now be in your hands, right?"

The long-robed man smiled faintly: "You could say you saved the lives of the Willow Gang. They will be grateful to you."

Revy narrowed his eyes.

(In other words, the Panlong Association should already be... never mind, what does it have to do with me?)

"...Your companions are also being entertained by my master. Please, if you would follow me."

Seeing Revy's subtle glances left and right, a drop of cold sweat trickled down the long-robed man's temple, but he stepped forward, blocking Revy's path. It was clear that both Qingjin and Platinum had fallen into the hands of the "master" the long-robed man spoke of, but it was unclear whether they were imprisoned as captives or being "well entertained" as pawns to control him.

"...It seems I have no choice but to wade into this murky water," Revy shook his head, then suddenly vanished from the long-robed man's sight.

"Wait... Mr. Revy! Mr. Revy! Rev—" The long-robed man panicked, thinking Revy intended to escape. "Our master means no harm, he merely—"

"He merely wants what's in my hands and, by the way, my life and the lives of all those in the know," a faint voice appeared beside the long-robed man's ear. When he turned his head to look, his nape had unexpectedly received a heavy blow.

"I don't like to waste other people's good intentions. Since you came to invite me, I will definitely go," Revy said. Looking at the unconscious long-robed man on the ground, Revy had appeared beside his body at some point, coldly looking at the man lying there unconscious: "However, I also never like to waste other people's malice. Those who dared to scheme against me are all dead now. Your master... will be no exception."