The World of Bengtieli: They All Have designs on me

“Sister, your clothes seem to be soaked.” Luo Ning pointed to her tattered technician uniform lying on the ground. “Should I have someone send over a new one?”

“No…no need!” Hiluva hurriedly shook her head. “I…I’ll wear this.”

She was referring to the robe. All she wanted now was to leave as quickly as possible and find a secluded corner to hide in. "But wouldn't it be inappropriate to go out wearing a bathrobe?" Luo Ning asked innocently, tilting her head. Shiluwa confirmed.

"Yes, how could she, the eldest daughter of the Lang family, walk around in a bathhouse in a bathrobe? What... what should we do?"

She looked at Luo Ning with a blank expression, realizing for the first time that she would actually seek the opinion of an eighty-year-old child.

Luo Ningxia glanced at her: "Didn't Bronya say before that she would have someone send her some sweet soup? We can go back to our room first and wait for the clothes to be delivered. Or, I can go to Bronya and ask her to help arrange it?"

At the mention of Bronya, Hilva's body trembled uncontrollably. "No! Don't look for Bronya!" she cried urgently, her voice becoming shrill.

Luo Ning looked surprised: "Why? Sister Bronya is a very nice person."

"I... I just... didn't want to bother her." Silva made up an excuse haphazardly, her mind a jumble of panic. The person she feared seeing most right now was Bronya.

Luo Ning said "Oh," and nodded cleverly, "Alright then. Sister, where is your room? I'll help you there." Xiluwa mechanically recited her room number.

The two walked slowly out of the bathroom, one after the other—or rather, Luo Ning half-supported, half-carried Xiluva—a place she would never forget. Back in the room, Xiluva immediately collapsed onto the soft sofa, covering her face tightly with a cushion, as if that would shut her out everything. Luo Ning, meanwhile, curiously surveyed Xiluva's private space.

The room was spacious, decorated with a touch of rebellious rock 'n' roll style, yet the details revealed a refined femininity. His gaze fell upon a group photo on the bedside table.

The photo shows a much younger Hilva and an equally young, smiling Cocolia. Between them stands a serious-looking boy in a Silver Guard uniform, and... a little girl with pigtails, a somewhat innocent expression, but with a strong gaze.

Luo Ning recognized the little girl. It was Ling Ke. Xiluwa's younger sister, another daughter of the Landau family, and his next target.

“Sister,” Luo Ning walked to the sofa and gently tugged at Xiluwa’s sleeve, “Are you sad?” Xiluwa let out a muffled sob from her cushion.

“Don’t be sad,” Luo Ning said softly. “Look, the weather outside seems nice. After we change our clothes, how about we go for a walk? Or… Sister, tell me about the fun places in Belleburg?”

Hiluva slowly put down the cushion, revealing a pair of red and swollen eyes. She looked at Luo Ning, her small face full of genuine concern.

A strange warmth welled up inside her again. She thought, perhaps… perhaps things weren't so bad. At least, this child genuinely depended on her.

"A fun place," she murmured to herself, her mind blank.

Luo Ning's eyes lit up, and she coaxed, "For example, is there anyone special? Or... in your family, are there any other people like you... um, as interesting as you?"

He deliberately emphasized the word "interesting".

After confirming her identity, Hiluva subconsciously thought of her eccentric younger sister, Lingke. ... Would her sister, who spent all year in the snowfields and was colder than ice, be an interesting person? For Luo Ning...

A thought, which she herself was unaware of, quietly arose within her: a desire to please Luo Ning.

“I… I have a younger sister,” Hiluva said softly. “Her name is Lingke. But… she’s strange.” A barely perceptible smile curved the corners of Luo Ning’s lips.

"Sister Lingke?" he asked curiously. "What's wrong with her?"

Hiluva opened her mouth, but for a moment, she didn't know how to describe her younger sister.

Luo Ning had already gleaned the information he wanted from her reaction. Next up, Ling Ke.

Chapter 171 Silva's "Morning Grumpiness"

Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the heavy curtains, casting a thin ray of light on the dark carpet. Hiluva was awakened by a strange feeling of emptiness.

It wasn't hunger, but rather a kind of emptiness that came after being completely hollowed out.

She shifted, feeling as if her bones were shattered; the lingering effects of the previous night's utter devastation, both spiritual and physical, still ached faintly throughout her body. The space beside her was empty.

She sat up abruptly, the blanket slipping off to reveal skin covered in warm, lingering marks from last night.

Luo Ning agreed to her absurd, almost desperate "request" and stayed with her.

Unexpectedly, she slept more peacefully than ever before, a peace that even sent chills down her spine. "Sister, you're awake?"

A soft, sweet voice came from the corner of the room.

Hiluva looked in the direction of the sound and saw Lonin sitting by the window at a small table, his legs swinging, holding a steaming cup of milk in his hands, his cheeks bulging out like a hamster stealing food.

The morning light gilded him with a soft golden edge, and his pure black eyes were so clear they were unsettling.

Seeing his innocent and naive appearance, a nameless anger mixed with an indescribable bitterness surged up to Hiluva's head. This must be what they call morning grumpiness.

A little brat, in the cruelest way, filled me with morning grumpiness.

"Who gave you permission to touch my things?" Hiluva's voice was hoarse, with a heavy, strange tone, and her manner was far from pleasant.

Luo Ning glanced at her, put down the milk cup, ran to the bedside, and looked up at her: "Sister, I'm hungry. I heated up the milk myself when I saw it. Do you want some, sister? Luo Ning will go pour you another cup?"

His small hands rested lightly on the edge of the bed, his fingertips unconsciously digging into the texture of the sheets. A lump formed in Shiluva's throat.

Her "rock sweetheart" personality made it impossible for her to truly get angry at the child. She wanted to say, "Get out!", but what came out was, "No, thank you. I'm not thirsty."

Luo Ning said "Oh," a hint of disappointment flashing across her face, but it quickly brightened again: "Then, sister, what are we going to do today? You said yesterday that you would tell me about the fun places in Belleburg, and... your very strange little sister?"

When he mentioned the "strange sister" for three hours, his eyes sparkled with undisguised curiosity.

Hiluva's heart sank. (Ling Ke)

Her younger sister, who spends all year in the snowfields and is colder than ice.

“She… there’s nothing to say.” Hiluva pulled the blanket up, trying to hide the wolfish urges on her body, and also trying to avoid the topic. “But my sister seemed really interested yesterday.” Luo Ning tilted her head, her little hands restlessly climbing onto the blanket, gently patting it, like…

He tried to comfort her, saying, "Are you feeling unwell, sister? You don't look well."

His fingertips touched her hand and buttock through the thin blanket. Hiluva's body stiffened.

Luo Ning remained completely unfazed, even feeling a slight urge to laugh. Hiluva's flustered yet forced-to-end reaction was indeed quite amusing. The "morning grumpiness" reference point provided by the system was proving remarkably effective.

He continued in that genuinely caring tone, "Sister, if you're not feeling well, we don't have to go out. You can lie down, and Luo Ning will tell you a story."

“I’m fine,” Hiluva said through gritted teeth.

She threw back the covers, stepped barefoot onto the carpet, and hurried toward the bathroom. "I'm going to wash up."

Behind us, Luo Ning's voice came through: "Sister, are we still going to see Sister Ling Ke later? You said she's strange, and Luo Ning wants to know just how strange she is, is she even stranger than me?"

Hiluva stopped in her tracks, turned her back to him, and took a deep breath.

She didn't understand why she felt such a strong protective instinct and...submission towards this little devil.

She wasn't in town. "Hilva tried to keep her voice calm," she said. "She's doing geological surveys in the snowfields, spending most of the year out there."

This was the truth. It was also the reason she subconsciously thought of that would be the quickest way to get rid of Luo Ning.

"A snowfield?" Luo Ning's eyes lit up even more. "Is it... a place where there's snow everywhere, and it's really, really cold? That sounds so cool! That Ling Ke..."

When is my sister coming back?

Hiluva's head was throbbing. She realized she had completely underestimated how clingy the child was. "I don't know," she said dismissively, wanting nothing more than to get into the bathroom.

"Can I contact her, sister?" Luo Ning pressed, reluctant to let go. "Just tell her that a very cute little brother has come to visit and he wants to meet his interesting explorer sister."

Hiluva turned around abruptly and glared at Lonin.

Is this kid really unable to understand human speech, or is he doing it on purpose?

Luo Ning shrank back under her gaze and mumbled softly, "Sister, don't be angry. I just... I just think that someone who can be called 'weird' by you must be very special. Just like you, sister."

The phrase "as special as your sister" was like a feather gently brushing against the tip of Hiluva's heart, miraculously calming her inexplicable irritation.

Looking at Luo Ning's little face, which was filled with "grievance" and "curiosity," a soft feeling welled up in a corner of her heart.

“She… has a terrible temper.” Hiluva’s voice softened slightly. “And she’s a sociable person who hates anything unnecessary.” Luo Ning thought: Great, pretty much what I expected. This kind of personality, once you break through her defenses, makes winning her over even more rewarding.

"Is it troublesome?" Luo Ning walked up to Xiluwa, tugged at the hem of her bathrobe, looked up at her with her big, wet eyes, "But Luo Ning doesn't think it's troublesome. Luo Ning just wants to get to know more of the people around my sister. That way... Luo Ning can understand my sister better."

He paused, his voice softening, carrying a barely perceptible hint of coaxing: "Besides, if Sister Lingke is really that strange, maybe... Luo Ning can become good friends with her? After all, Luo Ning can be quite strange sometimes too."

Hiluva looked at him.

This child always manages to leave her speechless.

She sighed, a sense of helplessness washing over her: "I... I'll try. Her last communication was that she was about to finish her mission. But nobody knows exactly when she'll be back."

"That's great!" Luo Ning's face immediately lit up with a smile, all her previous grievances vanished. "Then you must keep an eye out for me, sister! Maybe I can even help Sister Lingke solve some troubles!"

Hiluva did not respond.

Help Lingke solve her problems? She should be grateful if this little brat doesn't cause Lingke any trouble. She went into the bathroom and closed the door.

In the mirror, her face was reflected, flushed yet strangely red. She composed herself, trying to calm herself down.

Lingke... that younger sister who hates being restrained more than anyone else. If she knew what she was like now, knew what she was doing to an eight-year-old child...

Hiluva dared not think any further.

Outside the door, Luo Ning sat on the sofa, swinging her legs, a knowing smile playing on her lips.

[System Notification: Target: Lindsay Landau, initial information unlocked. Key personality traits: Extremely efficient lazy person, socially insensitive, wild intuition.]

[System Analysis: Conventional social methods have a low success rate with this type of target. It is recommended to adopt a "no unnecessary disturbance" principle and approach them by focusing on their need for "efficient problem-solving."]

Luo Ning touched his chin.

"Efficiently solve problems?" he muttered to himself. "In other words, create a huge problem that only I can help her solve efficiently, or an efficient reward that she can't refuse?"

interesting.

He picked up the glass of milk he hadn't finished earlier and sipped it slowly.

As for Shiluva, thanks to her "Rock Sweetheart" traits, things have basically stabilized. The next step is figuring out how to naturally approach that "freak" sister.

Perhaps we could start with Silva's storyline, having her "inadvertently" reveal more about Lindsay's whereabouts and habits.

After all, the current Hilva is capable of "unconditionally trusting and fulfilling all of the host's reasonable and not-so-reasonable needs." Loning's gaze returned to the tightly closed bathroom door.

The water inside was splashing loudly. He gently licked his lips.

What will Sister Hiluva make for breakfast today? I'm kind of looking forward to it.

As for Lingke... no rush, take your time. Prey on the snowy plains requires plenty of patience.

He jumped off the sofa, walked to the communicator in the room, and touched it with his little fingers.

Hiluva's contact list should be...very useful.

Chapter 172 Lingke's Encrypted Communication

The bathroom door finally opened.

Hiluva emerged wrapped in a bathrobe, her hair dripping wet, her face pale, with only the faint redness of last night lingering at the corners of her eyes. She didn't even look at Luo Ning, heading straight for the wardrobe.

"Sister, you're awake?" Luo Ning jumped down from the communicator, holding a data tablet in her hand, the one that Shiluwa usually used. "I was just watching Bellenberg's morning news, and it didn't seem to be anything special."

Hiluva paused for a moment, without turning around: "Who told you to touch my things?" Her voice was still hoarse, but it had a more deliberate coldness than before.

Luo Ning jogged over and looked up at her: "My sister's communicator rang; it was an encrypted call. I was worried it might be urgent, so I glanced at the summary. It looks like it's from Sister Ling Ke."

Hiluva whirled around, her bathrobe sash loosened from the sudden movement. She snatched the data panel: "Linke? What did she say?"

"Did you get it?"

Her heart jumped into her throat.

Ling Ke's communications are always only made when there's a specific reason.

Luo Ning looked at her large, unfortunate eyes: "It was a very short message. It said that the main power module of her [Polar Walker 7] backpack seems to have malfunctioned, and the backup can't be activated either. She's trapped in a temporary shelter near an ice crevasse, and her supplies will probably last her for about three more days. She asked you to help her see if there's a newer model of power module in the city, or if there's any way to remotely assist her in repairing it."

He paused, a perfectly measured worry appearing on his little face: "Sister, is Sister Lingke in danger?" Hiluva quickly scanned the information on the data panel, her expression growing increasingly grim.

That girl, Lingke, always reports good news and never bad. She says she can hold out for three days, but I'm afraid she'll be in trouble with both trials! The area near the ice fissure is one of the most geologically unstable regions!

"Troublesome!" Shiluwa cursed under her breath, her fingers flying across the data panel, trying to bring up more detailed module parameters and Lingke's location.

Luo Ning stood quietly to the side, watching her frantically try to do something.

He thought to himself: [System, how well did you create this "trouble"?]

[System: Evaluating... This aligns with the target, Linco Landau's, "ultimately efficient lazy person" characteristics. She will prioritize the most efficient way to seek help. Having the host "accidentally" discover and relay this crisis will minimize Hilva's wariness and provide a rationale for the host's subsequent intervention.]

[Luo Ning: So, you're saying I did a good job as a "messenger"?] [System: Preliminary assessment: Yes.]

Fine beads of sweat appeared on Shilu's forehead. She knew the military and the Geological Survey had recently jointly developed a batch of the latest energy modules, but they were still in the testing phase, the process extremely cumbersome, and Ling Ke simply couldn't wait. Remote repair? In that godforsaken place, it would be a miracle if a distress signal could even be transmitted!

"Sister, what's wrong? Is it serious?" Luo Ning gently tugged at her bathrobe sleeve.

Hiluva irritably shook off his hand, but before she could exert any force, her "rock sweetheart" nature caused her arm to go limp, and the movement turned into a gentle slap.