Arknights' Lock of Heaven

“Now it seems I was wrong, terribly wrong,” Herman said frankly. “I was never a good father.”

“Doctor, Ceylon wants to join you, and I will allow Black to go with her.”

“I’ve seen the new geological reports. The Rhodes Island experts wrote them very clearly. At this rate, Siesta will eventually perish in the erupting lava.”

"We postponed that day, preventing my life's work from ending in tragedy. I am grateful for your efforts today."

"I've been looking for a complete solution to this problem for years. I found one, but at a huge cost."

“I have been putting my energy into the High-tech Zone, which will be a brand new mobile city. Now it seems that it will become the new Siesta.”

“I have a deep attachment to this place, but that doesn’t mean I’ll ignore the dormant volcano next to me.”

“Be prepared for danger even in times of peace,” the doctor nodded. “This is something that many people have failed to do.”

"After this Obsidian Festival, we will move into the moving city; the current Siesta will be abandoned by us and sooner or later submerged in molten lava."

Hermann's eyes were filled with sadness.

"Maybe one day, you can tell her what I've said."

"You can also choose never to tell her."

Herman put down his glass. "And one day, when she needs some help, you can come to me."

"No matter where Siesta is or what form she takes, this city will always be her support."

This is a father's belated love for his daughter, born out of guilt.

332 Lion Scorpion

Sargon.

A land of oases and yellow sands.

Located in the southwest of Terra, apart from a few mobile cities, most of the Sargons live in harsh wilderness and dense forests.

They rarely interact with the outside world, and their secluded lifestyle has allowed ancient traditions such as martial spirit and tribal life to continue to this day.

The Sargon Empire guards the southern border of Terra.

A thousand years ago, Sargon's monarchs and border chieftains led a large army to conquer the south, establishing the empire's borders and nearly venturing into even more distant, unknown territories.

Once upon a time, there was an empress who carried a huge amount of red gold and set off from the wasteland to travel west, revitalizing the commerce and trade along the way.

Today, the empire's rulers are intoxicated with power and money, giving Colombia's long arm an opportunity to exploit them. Ancient glory and tradition are crumbling bit by bit under the crushing force of modern technology.

Although the Sargon Empire still had a nominal emperor, in Sargon's history, apart from the Pashas in various regions and a few royal chieftains who received imperial favor, no one else had ever seen the ruler of this great empire or the golden city where he resided, so much so that it had almost become a legend among the ordinary people of Sargon.

Therefore, to a large extent, it was the Pasha and the chieftains who ruled over Sargon, which was built on the yellow sand.

Since modern times, young Colombia has risen rapidly by relying on advanced technology, while its neighbor Sargon has become a synonym for backwardness and decay in the eyes of some people who have become inflated by power and wealth.

The Colombian government and tycoons, coveting Sargon's land and wealth, sent mercenaries into the vast desert, and some local chieftains also colluded with these outsiders.

As similar incidents occurred more and more frequently, the empire's upper echelons remained inactive, while the invaders and traitors became increasingly unrestrained, viewing this silence as a sign of the empire's weakness and incompetence.

Of course, none of the above has anything to do with manticores.

Or rather, there is a connection, but it's not a strong one.

After all, compared to national affairs that affect the livelihoods of millions, her purpose was so insignificant.

At that moment, she was pulling her dagger from the throat of a strong man named Vaiva.

Ignoring the latter's terrified eyes, his bleeding throat, and his outstretched hands as if trying to grab something, he looked up at the clear blue sky.

Yes, she came to kill someone.

They were only there to kill, with no regard for national righteousness or the future of this ancient, vast, and corrupt empire.

The Manticore never cared about those things. Although some people had shouted righteous slogans to incite people to die, she remained completely unmoved.

Here, she only learned how to kill, so she would not respond to her country in any way other than killing.

Yes, while everyone on Rhodes Island was enjoying the summer, she quietly returned to Sargon, to her homeland.

Some things need to be put to rest.

Therefore, she refused Xia Yu's help. Well, that's not quite accurate; she refused Xia Yu's personal assistance.

Xia Yu originally wanted to come with her.

However, the lion scorpion didn't want to bring anyone along.

In the end, I had no choice but to give her a whole bunch of magical costumes.

Xia Yu respected her wishes.

Why don't you want to accept help from others?

Even the Lion Scorpion herself couldn't understand it, but being as naive as she was, she knew perfectly well that she didn't want to.

I was resisting it in my heart.

In the end, she returned to Sargon alone, carrying a huge amount of supplies that could dazzle anyone.

The Vaiva man before them was a lord.

In Sargon, the emperor of Sargon is at the pinnacle of power in the entire country, but almost no one has ever seen this nominal supreme ruler in person, nor has anyone personally managed the affairs of the empire.

Then the governors, known as Pasha, formed the power center of the empire and were even able to summon the kings and chieftains under their rule to wage war.

The kings and chieftains they appointed each ruled over vast territories.

Below that are the lords.

The man in front of me, Vayvan, is one of them.

Why kill him?

Because he had come to this territory on a mission assigned by an assassin organization and killed an old man.

In the past, I knew nothing. No one could see me, no one cared about me, and no one tried to teach me anything.

They don't know what is good or what is evil.

He killed the old man just for a bite to eat.

The old man was a learned man who had seen much of the world and was highly respected in this lord's territory.

The lord's father, the previous lord also respected him greatly, and would consult him on the implementation of many policies.

He was kind and capable, so the territory developed quite well under the rule of the previous lord.

But after the death of the previous lord, the current lord, who is now lying on the ground convulsing, took office.

The first thing he did was find the killer organization and have them kill the old man.

Perhaps it was dissatisfaction with being disciplined for many years, perhaps the old man's firm opposition to his imposition of those unreasonable taxes, or perhaps his incomprehension and weariness of the public expenditures used to maintain the prosperity of the territory.

He's just that kind of ignorant and incompetent person.

What's even more tragic is that such people are everywhere in this country.

The Lion Scorpion still remembered the night he killed the old man, and the sorrow in his eyes as he looked towards the noble mansion.

Now, after so many years, I have returned to this land once again.

The former prosperity is gone, because the taxes are too high and complicated, and merchants avoid this place like the plague.

Without the circulation of commerce, the fate of the territory is predictable.

The lord's income plummeted, which puzzled and perplexed him. He then turned his attention to his own people in order to maintain his luxurious lifestyle.

Originally, the assassination was not part of the Lion Scorpion's plan.

That old man was just an interlude in her career as an assassin.

But as I passed through this land, seeing its former prosperity gone, seeing people displaced and homeless...

All of this was because of the knife I swung.

If Xia Yu were here, she would correct her, saying that you are not wrong, at most you are just an accomplice, and that the murderer is not me, but the soldier. How ridiculous is such a theory.

Unfortunately, Xia Yu wasn't here, so she took all the responsibility upon herself.

Before entering the lord's mansion, Lion Scorpion seriously considered what Xia Yu would think if she were here.

Then, she recalled everything Xia Yu had done in Kazimierz.

Then, she naturally and easily entered the lord's mansion using her abilities, patiently waited until the young, reckless, and incompetent lord was alone, and then easily slit his throat.

In that instant, she saw disbelief, fear, panic, and a longing for life in the lord's eyes.

Just like the people she killed in the past.

Ultimately, not everyone is as noble as the old man.

The lion-scorpion looked at the lord, who was still struggling on the ground, with annoyance, wondering why he wasn't quite dead yet.

The lord is Vairvan.

Both male and female Vayvans possess exceptional physical attributes, renowned throughout Terra for their immense strength and thick skin.

A strong, adult male Vayvan can easily throw a heavy javelin at least 50 meters.