Poseidon in Arknights

Lappland appeared in front of Texas the next moment and stopped her: "Don't rush, don't you think it's a miracle that the two of us could reunite in Syracuse?"

Texas, sword in hand, said, "I have something to attend to right now."

Lappland looked at Texas, who was carrying a sword, and smiled: "Coincidentally, I also have something to do."

Lappland glanced back at the figure over there: "Is protecting this person your mission?"

"You are..." The guards of the Bellone family heard the commotion and rushed over to see what was going on. Just as they were about to ask what was happening, they saw Lappland swing her sword and slash at them.

Texas moved even faster, circling around Lappland's side and deflecting Lappland's sword with her own.

"Ah...!" The guard had just realized that the person in front of him might be an enemy and immediately tried to draw his weapon, but Texas stopped him.

Lappland watched Texas's actions and smiled, "You really don't understand romance, do you, Texas?"

Texas gestured with her chin behind her: "You guys go protect the target, I'll handle her."

"Be careful~" Suddenly, a soft voice came from Texas's ear.

The sound was so faint that even Texas couldn't be sure if she had heard anything at all; it was like a fleeting thought in her mind.

"And be careful..." Texas looked at Texas and reminded him again, "The operation against him has already begun, it won't be that simple."

The guard nodded quickly: "Yes, yes!"

Lappland paid no heed to the guard who turned and ran; he was now more interested in Texas. With a flick of his wrist, a mille-feuille pastry appeared in his hand. He waved it at Texas: "So, would you like some mille-feuille?"

Texas was silent for a moment, then held out her hand to Lappland: "...Give me a piece."

“Ha, that’s right!” Lappland handed the mille-feuille to Texas. “Texas, no, in Syracuse, wouldn’t it be more appropriate to call you Cellina?”

Texas took a bite of the Lappland mille-feuille: "...No thanks."

“Okay, to be honest, I’m more used to calling you that now. The power of habit is terrifying, isn’t it?” Lappland stretched. “Living a leisurely life in Lungmen, occasionally bumping into each other on Rhodes Island, and maybe even going on a mission together.”

"My sword is getting rusty."

Lapland spread her arms wide to let more of the rain soak in: "It's that familiar rain again, it really lifts your spirits."

Texas looked at Lappland: "A sword only rusts when it gets rained on."

“But the rain in Syracuse is meant to wash away bloodstains.” Lappland raised her sword at Texas. “Only someone like you, who flaunts a sword in public but never intends to use it, would worry about it rusting.”

"..." Texas looked at Lappland. As long as he was still here, there shouldn't be any major problems, so Texas didn't suggest chatting for a while. "Why are you here?"

“It’s simple, because you’re here.” Lappland raised her sword and pointed it at Texas. “Hey, Texas, how long has it been since you’ve been to Syracuse?”

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"Hurry up, the operation against you has begun, we have to leave immediately." Bellonega's men surrounded him, and Karachi was trying to shove him into the car. Clearly, the assassination had begun, and they had to get him away immediately.

Just as Karachi was about to get into the car, he heard a sigh in his ear, and then he felt someone pull him back.

The force was very slight, so slight that it could be resisted without any effort, but it still made Karachi pause in his action of getting into the vehicle.

Before Karachi could even ask any questions, the car suddenly exploded, sending flames soaring into the sky and the impact throwing everyone around it away.

"What?!" Texas heard the commotion and immediately turned to look at the towering flames. "A car bomb?!"

"So classical?" Lappland looked at the firelight and stroked her chin. "They really have no imagination at all."

The Bellone family guards quickly helped up Karachi, who had fallen to the ground and been thrown by the shockwave of the flames. He lay motionless on the ground, seemingly affected by the shockwave of the explosion: "Minister Karachi!"

The other guards quickly contacted others: "The banquet venue has been attacked. Family members in the vicinity, come to our aid immediately!"

"Tsk." Texas gritted her teeth. That minister was obviously no match for her. She didn't even need to look at him; he would never survive such a massive explosion.

"A simultaneous attack from both sides? How interesting!" Lappland chuckled, watching the car explode in the distance. "Who on earth is so audacious, Texas?"

"Well, it's not surprising, is it? It's always been like this here, hasn't it? A wilderness disguised as civilization, it's always been like this."

Chapter 223: Gangster Classics

Texas ignored Lappland's words, grabbed her weapon, and charged into the alley. Lappland, meanwhile, paid no attention to Texas's departure.

She just watched Texas run into the alley with a smile on her face. Everything felt familiar: the cold rain, the dark streets, oh, and the classic car explosion, and of course, Texas.

Texas even wore Texas family clothes. Hmm, were they made for Texas by the Bellone family? By the way, is this considered mockery?

Oh, wait, am I trying to announce something? Seriously though, this doesn't seem really worth it. Hiring a Texas bodyguard would bring far more benefits than risks.

"So what are they trying to do?" Lappland tapped her fingers lightly on the hilt of her sword, then glanced to the side. "Speaking of which, how come that fat guy is still alive? Did his fat shield him, or is there some other reason?"

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Texas ran into the alley, looked at the seemingly empty alley, and said coldly, "Come out."

As Texas finished speaking, several people carrying weapons emerged from the surrounding shadows.

Texas sighed as she watched the assassins closing in: "Just as I expected."

The cold rain was still falling. Texas saw the two assassins behind him exchange glances through the raindrops before lunging at him with their weapons.

"Really, there's no need to worry so much." Texas smiled and swung her sword, killing the two assassins who lunged at her.

How can I get back to Lungmen?

From the moment he stepped into this city, Texas had been pondering this question.

According to the agreement with Zarro, the simplest way was to completely obey Bellone's orders.

However, Texas had a vague feeling that what was happening in the city was not simple, but it didn't matter, she was familiar with it.

Texas turned around and looked at the assassin, asking, "Who sent you?"

After a moment of silence, the assassin said calmly, "You don't need to know."

Texas wasn't surprised by the assassin's answer; after all, this was Syracuse, she knew Syracuse, and she knew that this kind of thing would never end.

She felt that everything was so familiar, yet everything was still so disgusting, a disgustingness she herself hadn't anticipated.

There will be no one here to meet her during the battle.

【Hey!】

Afterwards, no one will ask her if she was injured, or force her to go to a party.

They're at the hotel.

This had long become a matter of course for her, so much so that now, after only a short time away from Longmen, she found that everything about Longmen was so nostalgic.

Finally, Texas sensed a disapproving gaze fixed on her through the rain.

'I know you're here, thank you, but please let me handle this myself now, okay?'

Whatever you want~

As the last soft whisper fell over Texas, the feeling of being watched disappeared. However, Texas guessed that she was probably still watching her from somewhere nearby. But, at least until she crashed, Yuuki probably wouldn't offer any more help.

Speaking of which, is Zaro being given trouble by the boss and Yuzuki? Probably so. So, next, we should continue dealing with these guys in front of us.

"Get out of my way." Texas raised her still-dripping sword. "Don't block my path, don't get in my way home."

——————Syracuse Wilderness——————

"Your help was way too obvious, wasn't it?" The Emperor nudged Xi Yue's arm in dissatisfaction. "She could have handled it herself just now."

"What's wrong?" Xi Yue sat in the chair, looked at the water curtain in front of her and shrugged. "I'm just killing time anyway, it's just a little bit of help."

"It's a bit of a pity that the rain didn't get any heavier. I could only pull him up and help him avoid the most terrifying impact, but he should be alright."

"So what's next?" The Emperor patted the crystal ball under his butt. "What are you going to do? But I have to say, the car bomb is such a classic."

“A classic in gangster movies.” Xi Yue smiled. “There are so many places to hide things in a car. It’s secretive and deadly. A classic of gangster culture.”

The Emperor curled his lip: "Gang culture, huh? I really don't like it. I like the Colombian thing even less."

“Actually, it’s all the same.” Xi Yue slid the water curtain. “Before everything becomes self-sufficient, civilization will always go through this stage.”

"The law of the jungle has always existed." The Emperor nodded, then pulled the glass ball out from under his buttocks, shook it, and looked inside, his expression revealing a sense of utter despair.

"It's just that people have put a cloak on him, called rules or civilization, and added more rules to him, so I think you're the stupid one, Zaro."

The Emperor looked at Zaro, who had raised his head inside the glass ball: "In the end, you're still in the wasteland, and the game you're playing is still that kind of game. Don't you find that ridiculous, my friend?"

"So what do you want now?" Zaro looked at the Emperor through the sky, his voice weak. "What? Have you vented your anger enough? Will you let me go?"

"You'd have to ask Xi Yue about that." The Emperor shrugged and turned the glass ball around. "Look at your body, I don't have the ability to put your soul back in."

"...So you're just here to insult and mock me?" Zaro rolled his eyes at the Emperor. Since he was already in the Emperor's hands, he might as well save face and be stubborn for once.

"Wow, you're really stubborn. Did you put on a cast before you left?" The Emperor tossed the glass marble up and down. "Now that it's in my hands, shouldn't you be talking to me nicely?"

"With such a stubborn mouth, how long do you intend to remain a decorative object on my desk?"

"That's not your skill either." Zaro looked at the Emperor and continued to be stubborn. "If we fought, it would be a 50/50 chance at best. You cheated first, and now I'm not allowed to be stubborn?"

"What are you saying?" The Emperor handed the crystal ball to Xiyue. "Xiyue was originally my employee, so this is also my skill. But since you put it that way..."

'As expected…' Zarro's eyes gleamed with the satisfaction of a successful plan. He knew that Daichi was so concerned with his reputation; once provoked like this, he would definitely try to regain it, and then he could…

"Xi Yue, you just..." Just when everything seemed to be progressing in the direction Zaro had envisioned, the Emperor took the crystal ball back. "Did you think I would say that?"

"I told you, you should try this on ordinary people instead. Anyone with a brain won't fall for it."

"You bastard!" Zaro looked at the ground, and his expression gradually changed as he realized that he had been tricked.

Just then, Xi Yue rushed over and took the glass ball from the Emperor's hand: "You guys are so noisy. Alright, that's enough."

"What?" Zaruo looked at Yuuki's somewhat impatient expression with a puzzled expression.

But before Zaro could ask anything, Yuuki threw the glass ball at Zaro's body, and the originally hard glass ball shattered instantly upon contact with Zaro's flesh.

After a while, Zaroo stood up and looked at Yuuki: "What does this mean?"

"What does this mean?" Zhalo looked at Xiyue, somewhat puzzled. "Why did you suddenly release me?"

"You guys are so noisy." Xi Yue waved her hand. "Go do what you need to do and enjoy your fun. We've vented our anger."

Having obtained Yuuki's permission, Zaro didn't waste any words and immediately transformed into black mist, disappearing from the spot. He didn't want to stay there any longer.

The main problem is that if I stay any longer, my younger brother will definitely tease him for being two years younger, so it's better to leave quickly.

"I haven't had enough fun yet." The Emperor looked in the direction Zaro had left. "You're just going to let him go like that?"

"That's good enough~" Xiyue waved her hand. "Boss, you're putting that glass ball under your butt, doesn't it hurt your butt? Or do you want to hatch eggs?"

"I'm a beast owner, not a real penguin." The shopkeeper rolled his eyes. "So, what are you planning to do next? Just watch the show from here?"