On the Ark.

Lin Ye was stunned.

“Yes, she abandoned Ifrit, leaving when Ifrit was most helpless and needed her most.” Himer’s eyes grew colder. “I’m the one who kept Ifrit alive, I’m the one who brought Ifrit to Rhodes Island. Ifrit is mine, and I will never hand her over to someone who hurt her so badly.”

This was the first time Lin Ye had heard such a secret, and he was at a loss for words.

"So, Dr. Lin Ye, if you really want to be good to Ifrit, then don't let Ifrit get close to that woman again." Himer walked past Lin Ye and said softly, "Consider this my request to you."

……

……

Author's BB:

Ah, I only need Indra to complete my Pokédex.

Chapter 159 That guy with the sword is the strongest on Rhodes Island! (3K5)

"Time to get up."

While fast asleep, Lin Ye felt a large hand pat his shoulder. He groggily opened his eyes and saw a burly man with a thick beard standing beside his bed, putting on gloves. Lin Ye wasn't fully awake yet, his mind still racing with thoughts of when Ansel had developed such massive pectoral muscles, and even his face had changed. A few seconds later, he realized this wasn't Ansel, it was Ace, and he wasn't on Rhodes Island, but in Lungmen.

He propped his head up and got out of bed: "What time is it?"

“It’s just past eight o’clock,” ACE said with a smile. “I was originally going to let you sleep a little longer, but breakfast is here, so it’s better to get up and eat.”

"Breakfast?" Lin Ye was taken aback, then looked around but couldn't find the food cart.

Upon seeing this, ACE chuckled and said, "You didn't expect the food to be delivered to your room, did you? This isn't a five-star hotel."

"Okay," Lin Ye said with a wry smile, "I was just half asleep."

“You do look a little dazed.” ACE patted Lin Ye on the shoulder. “Go wash up. The others are already waiting for us. We have work to do today.”

Before Lin Ye could even ask ACE what kind of work it was, ACE had already left. Left with no other option, he immediately got out of bed, washed up, and followed ACE out of the room. The building's cafeteria was on the second floor. When Lin Ye arrived, he found that, just as ACE had said, everyone else was already there; he was the last to arrive, even Ifrit was sitting obediently next to Himer.

Good heavens! This little devil is behaving like a quail in front of her mother.

Lin Ye had just found an empty table and sat down with his plate when Ifrit ran over and sat down next to him.

"Lin Ye!" Ifrit said in a low voice, sounding a little expectant. "Let me call Saria again today."

Lin Ye refused without hesitation: "Impossible."

"Why?!" Ifrit glared at Lin Ye. "Why not?"

"Your mom won't allow it."

“Hermer is going out today,” Ifrit said. “It’ll just be the two of us here. We can sneak in without Hermer noticing.”

Lin Ye couldn't help but roll his eyes at Ifrit, wanting to say, "Can't you Sarkaz people speak normally? Is this a characteristic of demons? You just can't speak properly. Even the most normal things sound abnormal coming from your mouths."

“Last night.” Lin Ye glanced at Himer first. Himer was still in her previous seat, talking to ACE, and wasn’t looking this way. So Lin Ye lowered his voice, as if he were whispering to Ifrit, “Didn’t your mother say anything to you?”

“It’s nothing…and could you just call Himer by her name?” Ifrit frowned. “You keep calling me ‘your mother,’ it makes me feel like you’re insulting me.”

"Isn't that your mom?"

“Hime and I are not related by blood,” Ifrit said. “We are not even of the same race.”

"Oh, then what is she to you?"

Ifrit thought for a moment, then lowered her head: "She's like my mother."

Lin Ye shrugged: "That settles it then."

"You're really annoying. After Himer leaves, remember to lend me your phone."

Lin Ye shook his head: "I won't lend it."

Ifrit was furious: "If you don't lend it to me, I'll burn you!"

"Then burn it." Lin Ye put a small steamed bun in his mouth, took a few bites and found that it was not as good as the one Chen had invited him to last night. He mumbled, "Just burn me to death. If I burn to death, I'll tell your mother."

"How can you file a complaint if you're burned to death?"

Lin Ye said slowly, "Even if I'm burned to death, turned to ashes, and scattered by the wind, my soul will still run to Himer and complain about your mother."

Ifrit stared at Lin Ye for two seconds, then burst out laughing.

“Hey, you’re so funny.” Ifrit tilted her head. “I’ve never met anyone like you before.”

"So what kind of people did you meet?"

Before Ifrit could answer, Himer's voice rang out behind them.

Ifrit, you're coming out with me today.

The two turned around and found Himer and Ace standing behind them.

"Me...do I have to go out too?" Ifrit asked. "But didn't you say I could just stay here?"

“I’ve changed my mind,” Himer said calmly. “You’re coming to work with me.”

When Himer said those words, Lin Ye saw Ifrit's face fall visibly.

Lin Ye remained silent, but in his heart, he figured that Himeru was probably preventing Ifrit from contacting Saria through him, so she preferred to take Ifrit out rather than keep her by her side. In reality, if she had simply forbidden Ifrit from calling Saria, Ifrit wouldn't have dared to do it. But Himeru hadn't mentioned it to Ifrit last night, clearly not wanting to upset her—truly the good intentions of a mother.

But Lin Ye soon realized he was wrong.

"Dr. Lin, why don't you come with us?" Hermer then looked at Lin Ye.

"Huh?" Lin Ye was taken aback. "Do I have to come along too?"

"Hmm, this child doesn't really like going to crowded places." Himer stroked Ifrit's head. "So I hope you can look after her."

Normally, Ifrit would have said something like "I don't need him to take care of me" with disdain, but this time Ifrit said nothing and just let Himer rub her head.

"Are you going to work?" Lin Ye asked.

“Yes, I’ll tell you the specifics of the ACE.” Himer patted Ifrit’s shoulder again. “We’ll set off after breakfast. Ifrit, come back to the room with me and get ready.”

Ifrit responded with an "oh," feeling somewhat dejected because she couldn't secretly call Saria while Himer was working. She looked listless, but still followed Himer back to her room.

After the two women left, ACE sat down next to Lin Ye.

“Parents always have such a loving heart,” ACE said to Lin Ye with a smile. “Hermer has really gone to great lengths for Ifrit. Even though she’s not that old herself, she feels like an old man like me.”

Lin Ye was somewhat puzzled: "What do you mean?"

"Why do you think Himer suddenly changed her mind and asked you and Ifrit to go to work with her?" ACE asked Lin Ye.

Lin Ye thought for a moment and said, "So you don't want Ifrit to come looking for me when she's not here and secretly call Saria, right?"

Is that all?

"What else could it be?"

ACE shook her head and said with a smile, "So you're not a parent yet."

"I'm still a long way from becoming a parent."

“Maybe it’s getting late? Who can say for sure?” ACE shrugged and said, “But Himer has clearly a more important reason for having Ifrit accompany her to work.”

Lin Ye asked, puzzled, "What reason?"

"I want Ifrit to mature."

"What?"

“Liz is already able to go out and complete missions with Shining and Nearl, right?” ACE said. “Obviously, Himer hopes that Ifrit can also be like Liz, able to leave her protection and work and live like a normal person.”

"...Is that so?" Lin Ye really hadn't thought about it that way.

“Yes, think about it. Of all the main operators from Rhine Labs on Rhodes Island, only she herself, along with Ifrit and Shining. You know Shining's situation, and ifrit…” ACE looked at the corridor where Himer and Shining had left and said softly, “So Himer has always had a hard life. She doesn’t know how long she can hold on, but hopefully, when she can’t hold on any longer and can no longer protect Ifrit, ifrit can survive on her own.”

Lin Ye was silent for a moment, then asked, "Did He Mo tell you all of this?"

“No.” ACE smiled. “That’s all just my guess.”

"You could have guessed so much?"

"Actually, it's not that difficult. Just a few days after you completely healed Liz, Himer brought you out to take care of Ifrit. He definitely wants Ifrit to become the next Liz, the healed Liz."

ACE's words suddenly reminded Lin Ye of what Himeru had mentioned to him in the cafeteria before he left Rhodes Island: Liz and Shining had carried out a mission together. Himeru seemed to have made it clear at the time that she hoped Ifrit could also be healed by Lin Ye like Nightingale, but Lin Ye hadn't taken it seriously then.

“That’s about it.” ACE patted Lin Ye on the shoulder. “In the past, when Himer went out to work, he would leave Ifrit at home, but this time is different. The fact that he called you along is quite obvious. Let’s start with simple tasks and let Ifrit gradually get acquainted with this world.”

"Okay." Lin Ye stuffed the last steamed bun in his mouth and mumbled, "What's today's work?"

“Inspect a batch of sample equipment,” ACE said. “It was in the hands of a former RheinLife employee.”

……

An hour later, at a factory in Longmen.

Former Rhine Lab researchers were on the second floor of the factory, looking at the factory gate through binoculars.

"They're here," someone whispered.

Kado turned to a female researcher behind him and called out, "Hannah, you know Himer best, go down there and make contact with them."

The female researcher, referred to as Hannah, nodded and then went downstairs.

Kado raised his binoculars again, watching the people getting off the armored vehicle.

"Hemer, it's been a long time," he said softly.

The researcher beside him said, "Is that Rhodes Island? There are quite a few armed personnel there; we definitely can't handle them on our own."

“So we need to call on those lunatics,” Kado said. “Bring paper and pen, and write down everyone who showed up today. Today, Rhodes Island will get the sample equipment they want, and we will get the data we want.”

The researcher nodded, then took out the banknotes he had prepared beforehand. Before he could even pick up his pen, he heard a slightly surprised voice from Kado.

"Even Ifrit is here."

“Ifrit?” The researcher was taken aback. “Didn’t you say that Himer never brought Ifrit out with him?”

“Who knows. But the fact that Ifrit is here means that all of Rhodes Island’s guards are here, which is perfect for recording.” Kado sneered, “I’ll tell you, you write it down. There are eight armed personnel from Rhodes Island, among whom the shield-bearers are… wait.”

"Ok?"

"No, there are more than eight. There's also a young man standing next to Ifrit, carrying a sword."

The researcher looked over as well and then said, "That person isn't armed, is he? Why doesn't he even have any protective gear?"

“Ha, you don’t understand,” Kado said. “That’s a disguise. That young man only carried a sword, but he was standing closest to Ifrit. What does that mean?”