Arknights' Lock of Heaven

However, by then the mistake had already been made.

It's useless to say anything.

But should we really tell Big Bob all this?

Xia Yu hesitated.

The joy in Big Bob's eyes is genuine.

If he doesn't plan to go find Talulah, then letting him think this way might not be so bad.

"Are you willing to go back to her?" Xia Yu asked tentatively. "Talulah is currently imprisoned on Rhodes Island, and I have already banished the evil spirits of Koschei."

"Would you like to come back with me to see her?"

Upon hearing this, Big Bob's expression froze on his face.

He slowly lowered his head, without saying a word.

After a long silence, he said in a hoarse voice, "Maybe... we should just forget about it."

158. Carol, who wants to change.

"I think... no thanks."

He forced a bitter smile, "Go back..."

"There's no going back."

“I see,” Xia Yu said, looking at the vast, boundless land before her. “That’s fine too.”

"That……"

"Patriots led the guerrillas back to the snowfield," Xia Yu knew what he was going to ask before he could even speak.

"He's quite imposing now. Just two months ago, he almost killed a duke who came to suppress the guerrillas."

"Nobody dares to mess with him now."

"Frostnova, she stayed on Rhodes Island, which was also the Patriots' decision."

"Patriot had some connections with a high-ranking official at Rhodes Island in the past, so we sent her to Rhodes Island to maintain the deal between the two sides."

"You know what life is like on the snowfield. The guerrillas and the elderly, women and children they shelter need food and medicine, and Rhodes Island can provide some of that."

"So Frostnova stayed at Rhodes Island to oversee the exchange of supplies between the two sides."

"She's living a very comfortable life now. She doesn't have to fight every day. She just needs to stay on Rhodes Island to study and can occasionally go to see Talulah."

"As for the others, some died, some fled, and those who were willing to accept the Patriots' orders in Chernobyl all returned to the snowfield with the guerrillas."

"Those who were used to burning, killing, and looting all died in that city, and the remaining centrists, along with the distraught Faust, went off with who knows who."

"Before leaving, they even kidnapped one of our Rhodes Island operators."

At this point, Xia Yu smiled helplessly. Rhodes Island's attitude towards the infected also affected the operators inside. When Kal'tsit learned that an operator had followed those infected, she didn't say anything.

But Xia Yu could sense that she was even somewhat delighted.

“I see,” Big Bob said, his eyes vacant, seemingly lost in thought. “That’s good.”

"That's good."

At least, someone survived.

They were not completely wiped out as Ursus claimed.

When they learned from the official Ursus news that the Reunion Movement had been completely wiped out in Chernobog, Big Bob and his group were devastated for a while.

It wasn't until rumors of Wendigo and the guerrillas resurfaced on the snowfields that he realized things weren't as bad as he thought.

"..."

If they are all safe and sound, then I... have nothing to worry about here anymore.

Perhaps Colombia really is a good place where our brothers can find refuge again.

Let's hope so.

-

"Are they... really good people?"

The ignorant villagers stared at the glittering gold coins before them, exchanging bewildered glances.

Instead of immediately persuading her fellow villagers, Coral arranged for a chest of treasure to be moved back to her home.

Then, in front of everyone, the gold coins in the iron box were poured out, and under the flickering candlelight, their golden brilliance filled the entire room.

The villagers could hardly believe that they had really left like that, leaving all the treasure behind.

Krol directed the trusted villagers to begin taking inventory.

The fortune was not fully accounted for until midnight.

“One thousand and one gold coins,” Korol said, looking at the mountain of gold in front of her. “A full one thousand and one gold coins.”

More than a thousand gold coins...

This is undoubtedly a huge sum of money.

But wasn't this treasure left behind by an unknown knight? Why are there so many gold coins?

Krol didn't know that; all she knew was that her village was saved.

“Korol,” a villager asked hesitantly, “you said they are all good people?”

Krol raised her head and looked at his veiled face.

You could tell what he wanted to say from his flickering eyes.

Krol saw greed in him.

If... they really are good people, then these treasures...

They dared not look up at the bandits, but dared to reach out to good people.

Koro believes that this idea must be swirling in the minds of many people right now.

They were just more restrained.

If it were her former self, she might have felt incredulous, or perhaps utterly disappointed.

But after what happened that evening, for some reason, Kel felt a sense of joy.

These villagers who knelt down before I could even explain were not as docile as they seemed...

They are willing to take advantage of any opportunity that offers sufficient benefit.

Although she wouldn't agree with their ideas, Coral finally breathed a sigh of relief.

At least, they weren't so bad off that they wouldn't even dare to look Jinshan in the eye.

This is not a virtue, but simply a kind of docility that has been passed down for hundreds or thousands of years.

Just like the cattle and sheep in a sheepfold.

She knew that perhaps the man in front of her was just momentarily blinded by the golden light, and that once the fully armed Big Bob came to stroll around the village, he probably wouldn't dare to say anything more.

However, this at least proves that they were not completely spiritually castrated.

If properly guided, they might be able to take up arms and resist the next time someone comes to the village.

Gold coins will eventually run out, but we must continue to live on this land; it is our only home...

That's why she insisted on investing the money in repairing the village and improving everyone's living conditions.

Instead of becoming a nouveau riche with this windfall, only to have nothing left after the money is gone, leaving behind only a fleeting dream.

Although my ideas seem difficult to realize, I am still young and have plenty of time.

"What do you want to say?"

Krol stared intently into the man's eyes. "Has your heart also been blinded by gold?"

"Just like those bounty hunters who run rampant in our village?"

"I...I'm not...I just..."

The man stammered for a long time but couldn't give a coherent explanation.

Then a cane struck him on the head with a loud crack.

Old Parker glared at him angrily and roared, "Are you out of your mind? They may have left, but who says they can't come back?"

"How could we possibly mess with someone who managed to snatch treasure from so many bounty hunters?"

"Would you like to test which is harder, your neck or their knife?"

The person who had spoken earlier begged for mercy repeatedly, then fled in a disheveled manner to the back of the crowd.

“Korol,” Old Parker said breathlessly after reprimanding him, looking at Korol, “you…do you really think those people are trustworthy?”

"Are they really willing to leave the treasure to us?"

Upon hearing this, the villagers' eyes lit up with hope, and they all looked at Koror.