Arknights: Studying medicine can't save Terra

"The city defense command headquarters is located at the junction of the central district and the highbury district, and controls the information network of the entire Londinium city defense system."

Since the supply line passes through Lentinium, it will inevitably leave a record in the system.

“But I’ve heard that most of the city’s defense forces have chosen to submit to the Sarkaz,” the doctor cautioned.

Clovisia nodded: "The city's defense commander, Leto, defected to the Sarkaz several years ago."

Amiya volunteered for this mission:

"I can lead a team to make contact. With the Storm Commando team there, we can try peaceful communication. If that fails, I will take force."

"As long as there are clues at the city defense command headquarters, Kroos is absolutely capable of retrieving them."

“Then I’ll take care of the supplies,” Aldey said, offering to do what she could. “Besides that, I can also provide Vina with some mercenary support.”

"Provide Vina with mercenaries?" Clovisia asked, puzzled.

Vina looked at her and nodded in confirmation:

"While you are on your mission, I am also preparing to search for Victoria's national sword, the Breath of Kings. Allardy will be traveling with me."

Chapter 616 Gray Top Hat

Mandela strolled leisurely along the garden paths of the Duke of Cumberland's mansion.

She was in a bad mood.

"It's all that bastard Qi Yan's fault for causing such a commotion. Now that I've rescued people, I can't even run away."

Muttering to himself, Mandra gently kicked a pebble away from in front of him.

Watching the pebble fly out, roll on the ground, and finally come to rest at someone's feet, Mandela immediately regained his usual composure.

"Hmph, isn't this our great Princess Vina?"

Mandela, not wanting Vina to discover his emotions, stubbornly provoked, "It seems that the great Princess Vina has finished preaching her great dream of restoring the nation to her subjects and is now happily touring her manor."

"Whatever you say."

Vina didn't hold a grudge against Mandela.

She knew Mandrake's identity, and even more so, she knew that the leader of the Deep Pool was a red dragon.

Mandela's dislike for himself was understandable.

Vina wasn't in a very good mood either.

The situation was clearly improving; the Self-Rescue Army was cooperating well with Rhodes Island, and she was about to set off to find the Breath of the Kings.

With the legendary power of the Breath of Kings, capable of splitting storms, the efforts of the Self-Salvation Army and everyone on Rhodes Island, and Qi Yan, a powerful force walking in the midst of the battle, Vina saw the dawn of victory for the first time so clearly.

"But why do I feel a little lost and... timid?" Vina murmured softly.

Mandela tilted his head and made a Liberi-like sound.

Vina smiled and looked at the dazed girl in front of her. Even though she knew that the other party was on a different side, she still couldn't feel any disgust towards Mandela.

“Mandra, your leader of the Deep Pool, that Ms. Abrahana, what kind of person is she?” Vina suddenly asked.

"Is there any information you're trying to get from me?"

Mandela took a half-step back warily: "Don't even think about it. The leader is the most powerful and perfect person I've ever met. You will never be her match!"

Vina didn't take Mandela's attitude to heart.

Her gaze swept over the garden, which appeared to have been neglected for some time, and she slowly said:

"Yes, she is very powerful. I learned from everyone who came back from Xiaoqiu County that she is an ambitious and decisive leader with formidable methods."

Mandra was even happier to hear someone praising Abrahina than if she were being praised herself, and her fluffy tail started wagging.

She gradually lowered her guard and was easily opened up to talk:

"Let me tell you, the leader is far superior to you. I'm not just praising the leader; I'm stating the facts. While you were still hiding and hiding, the leader had already won over her faction and taken control of her troops..."

Just as Mandela was proudly listing Abrahina's achievements, Vina's eyes suddenly narrowed, and she rushed towards Mandela.

Mandela jumped in fright: "What are you going to do..."

"Get out of here!"

Vina rushed to Mandela's side, kicked Mandela in the back, and shielded Mandela behind her.

Mandela then realized what was happening, turned around, and was horrified to find a man in a dark gray suit standing behind her.

The opponent's dagger was kicked aside by Vina, but she didn't linger. She gracefully moved aside a few steps, put away the dagger, and elegantly adjusted her dark gray top hat.

The dark gray top hat obscured the man's face, making it impossible to see his features clearly, but the gaze that pierced through the shadows under the brim seemed to be sharp enough to see through everything.

Mandela broke out in a cold sweat.

The opponent's methods were too strange; they were able to sneak up behind her silently. If Vina hadn't been standing right in front of her, she would definitely be lying in a pool of blood by now.

Realizing what was happening, she stopped Vina, who was about to give chase, and warned her in a low voice:

“Be careful, I know this guy. He’s the Duke of Caesar’s henchman, and belongs to an organization called ‘Grey Hat’.”

Upon learning the other party's identity, Vina's brows immediately furrowed.

“Alexandrina Vina Victoria, Your Highness, the Duke of Castile, ‘Grey Hat’, greets you.”

The man in the grey top hat bowed gracefully to Vina.

Vina's face darkened, secretly alarmed that the other party knew her identity.

She showed no sign of anything amiss, but simply questioned:

"You call this an audience with my companion?"

“She is from Deeppool, and she is your enemy, Your Highness. I am merely helping you eliminate some troublemakers,” the man in the grey top hat said matter-of-factly.

Vina shielded Mandela tightly behind her, not delving into the matter further, and quickly began to ponder the situation.

The other party dared to show up suddenly, so they must have their own confidence, but Vina wasn't afraid of anything.

Now, everyone from Rhodes Island is in the Duke of Cumberland's mansion. As long as Vina makes a fuss, the gray-hatted man will know what the four cornerstones of Rhodes Island are, and what it means for me and my Crimson Sky to come from the Great Yan.

With that in mind, Vina calmly said, "I believe the Duke of Castells sent you here not just to kill an insignificant kitten."

The man in the grey top hat chuckled lightly and said generously:

“Your Highness is absolutely right. The Duke summoned me here to show my loyalty.”

"The Duke of Caster is different from other ducal factions; we are absolutely loyal to Victoria, and will follow you to the death at Your Highness's command."

Vina narrowed her eyes slightly.

She didn't believe a single word of what Grey Hat was saying.

The Duke of Caesar, Vina, knew perfectly well that he was by no means a loyal subject, but rather a man full of ambition.

"Very well, since the Duke of Caster has this intention..."

Vina's lips curled into a slight smile: "Please go back immediately and tell her to gather the army so that we can work together from within and without to take Lentinium back from the Sarkaz."

To Vina's surprise, the man in the grey top hat readily agreed.

"Of course, no problem. As long as Your Highness gives the order, the Duke will take immediate action."

This made Vina fall silent, unsure of what the other party was up to.

Seeing Vina remain silent, the man in the grey hat continued:

"Now that Lontinim's situation has changed drastically because of Qi Yan, all the dukes have realized that Qi Yan has a clear purpose for targeting Sarkaz."

"Your Highness, now is the perfect opportunity. Let us join forces and eliminate the Sarkaz in one fell swoop, and reclaim Londinium. His Excellency the Duke will fully support your return to the throne."

"I see."

Vina finally understood what the other person was thinking: "You're not here to see me, you're here to see Qi Yan. I'm afraid you'll be disappointed, Qi Yan is not one of my people."

The man in the grey top hat chuckled and shook his head, offering kind advice:

"Your Highness, there's no need for such angry words. Qi Yan's regard for his comrades is evident to all across the land, Your Excellency the Duke..."

Before he could finish speaking, the communicator in his pocket suddenly vibrated, interrupting him.

The man in the grey top hat raised his hand to end the communication and prepared to continue his lobbying mission.

But the communicator, as if deliberately picking a fight, vibrated again as if it were about to kill someone, barely quiet for a second.

"Excuse me, I need to take this call."

The man in the grey top hat bowed to Vina in apology, then picked up his communicator and answered the call.

As the information transmitted by his companion through the communicator reached his ears, his body seemed to vibrate, trembling incessantly.

"Qi Yan has established Kazdel outside the city?!"

"Qi Yan was once a demon king?!"

"Qi Yan has come to the Duke of Cumberland's mansion... Holy crap, why didn't you say that first thing!"

The series of explosive news reports caused the man in the gray hat to break down and swear.

Without any hesitation, the man in the grey top hat turned around to say something to Vina, only to find that Vina and Mandela were staring intently at his back.

The man in the grey top hat felt a chill run down his spine and stiffly turned to look behind him.

In his line of sight, at the far end of this not-so-lush garden, a white Lupo, its eyes gleaming, locked onto him from afar and galloped towards him with its mouth wide open, like a runaway husky.

Chapter 617 Gray Top Hat: I'm not worthy, I'm not worthy!

As the man in the grey top hat watched Qi Yan rushing towards him, he felt as if he had fallen into an ice cave, his whole body turning cold.

At that moment, his mind raced as he quickly came up with his last words, and he picked up the terminal to reconnect to the communication.

"you are still alive?"

The call was connected immediately, and the words of his companion on the other end almost made the man in the grey top hat throw his hat to the ground.

"Tell Biura that I love her, and also... next time, put the most crucial intelligence first."

Ignoring his companion's response on the other end of the communication line, the man in the gray top hat crushed the communicator to prevent his organization's channel from being tracked.

Then he stared directly at Qi Yan, who was grinning as he approached, and carefully examined this god who had single-handedly turned Londinium upside down, a former demon lord of Sarkaz.

Why are you so stingy?

Qi Yan stared longingly at the remnants of the communicator in the grey hat's hand, and said disappointedly, "I still wanted to chat with Aunt Castle and ask her if she could take me into the Grey Hats... Hmm, we're quite similar in size."

Grey top hat: "..."

Qi Yan circled the gray top hat once, patted the standard weapon behind him, and asked curiously:

"This thing of yours looks like a grappling hook. Compared to the Lungmen Black Cloak, which is stronger?"

"...Mr. Qi Yan is joking." The man in the gray top hat chuckled dryly. "We are just some insignificant intelligence personnel, not comparable to those national-level annihilation agents."

“Indeed, you all acted like you were seeing your own father when you saw the Ursus Mobile Embassy.”

Qi Yan pursed his lips, losing interest in the gray top hat.

It was a strange name, but Gray Hat found himself inexplicably understanding that Qi Yan was referring to the inner guards of Ursus.

Then the gray top hat felt a bit difficult to hold.

What merit or ability do they, a group of intelligence agents, possess that Qi Yan always compares them to these monsters?

The Ursus Inner Guard is a genuine national-level war weapon, while the Black-Cloaked Shadow Guard of Lungmen is a retired veteran of the Great Yan Imperial Guard, which is of the same level as the Inner Guard.

If he, a mere lackey of a duke, were comparable to someone of that caliber, the Duke of Castells would have already stormed into Lentinium.

"Mr. Qi Yan... what brings you here..."

The man in the grey top hat sensed that Qi Yan didn't seem to intend to make a move, and a renewed desire to survive welled up inside him.

"I'm here to find someone. By the way, what are you doing here?" Qi Yan snapped out of his daze and asked, puzzled, "Looking for Aldey? Then why are you facing off against Vina? Isn't Aldey your undercover agent? Why are you just showing up like this? Aren't you afraid of exposing her identity?"

Grey top hat: "..."

Mandela: "Ha, that's it! Give me some more!"

"What are you doing, you stupid cat?" Qi Yan said with a look of disgust.