Asura in Arknights

She had tried her best to avoid that dangerous place, so why did this still happen?

Destreet prayed desperately in her heart that if she were lucky enough to survive this time, she would definitely resign and go back to her hometown to retire.

The dream that drove her to become a lawyer was shattered the moment she first stepped onto the defense bench. The only reason Destle is still at Long Ridge Law Firm is to make money.

But even if she earns a lot of money, she won't live to spend it!

Just as Destreet was racking her brains, trying to figure out how to escape, she heard a voice that made her feel like she had fallen into an ice cave.

“My employer has arrived.”

Ruined.

This was the only thought that remained in Destreet's mind.

As Li Ang walked out of the ruins, he saw Sona and Destreet, who was being trampled underfoot by her.

Although he had already observed this scene through his senses, seeing it with his own eyes still left Li Ang feeling speechless.

Sona really went all out... her boots were made of metal.

"You're back? I caught a voyeur. I don't know what her purpose is. Should we kill her?"

Upon hearing the word 'kill,' Descartes trembled violently.

"Let her go. She's just a reporter. I've met her once before."

Leon looked at Destreet with a hint of pity and said...

"Oh."

Sona didn't say much and readily let go of Destreet, then muttered under her breath, "My legs are almost numb from stepping on them for so long."

Destreet sat up on the ground, one hand pressed to her chest, panting heavily with the joy of being reborn.

Should you thank the other party for sparing your life?

Just as Destreet was thinking this, a strange helmet suddenly appeared in her field of vision... She remembered that it seemed to be part of the Hurricane Knight merchandise.

Destreet's gaze shifted slightly, and she saw the Caprini girl give her an apologetic smile.

Destreet opened her mouth wide, pointed at the two of them, and couldn't utter a single word.

"Oh,"

Leon waved to Daisy and said with a smile, "I didn't expect to see you again."

"You...you...how could it be you?!"

Chapter 25

Destreet's body trembled, and she couldn't utter a complete sentence.

The employer that Zalak mentioned... is actually these two guys?!

Seeing these two people she had met once before at this time was not good news for Destreet.

Just as countless complex thoughts were churning in Desmond Desmond's mind, a hand appeared in her field of vision.

The strange man who always wore the Hurricane Knight helmet and never showed his true face walked up to her.

"I'm sorry, are you alright? Sona might have been a little rough. Should I take you to the hospital?"

"……Need not."

After a moment of silence, Destle grabbed the hand and was pulled to her feet by the man.

As she stood up, something seemed to reflect the dim sunset, dazzling Destreet's eyes.

Her gaze fell on the small, semi-transparent black crystal on Li Ang's arm; it was this that had reflected the sunlight earlier.

and many more……

When I met those two this morning, did he have this Originium crystal on his arm?

Having just escaped the threat of death, Destle's mind was still somewhat confused.

She can't recall seeing the Originium crystal on the man's body during their brief encounter of just over ten minutes that morning.

This person is actually infected? How is that possible?

Destreet was immediately plunged into deep self-doubt. Could an infected person really appear so brazenly in the core area of ​​the Great Knight Territory?

Although they only knew each other for a short ten minutes, they left a very deep impression on Destreet.

On the surface, the two appeared to be just an ordinary young couple, but the observant Miss Destreet noticed something amiss with them.

Destreet keenly noticed that their clothes were not from any popular brands on the market, nor were they crudely made handicrafts; in fact, they looked even more exquisite than the lawyer's uniform that the Yangtze Law Firm had given her.

Those are high-end custom-made clothes that wouldn't be considered impolite even when meeting the Grand Knight Commander.

If that were all, Destreet would have assumed they were wealthy young masters and ladies from a family traveling incognito. However, the black Originium crystal on Li Ang's arm refuted all her assumptions.

If someone contracts Oripathy, the best outcome is being expelled from the family; if they're less lucky, they might even be erased as a stain on the family's reputation.

Even the champion of the previous tournament, Shining Knight, a member of the renowned Nearl family, was expelled from Kazimierz after being discovered to be infected. Although the Knights Association recently restored Shining Knight's reputation, proving that she was not infected but was framed by villains, it still shows how low the status of infected people is.

The young master of a wealthy family is an infected person... Is this really not a joke?

Moreover, during the random survey in the morning, these two gave completely different answers from other fans, helping Destle eliminate many wrong choices, which led her to focus on the two infected areas in Plot Zero and the Old Town.

At this moment, a terrible guess suddenly popped into Destreet's mind.

Could it be that I was deliberately lured here by these two people?

The good mood that came from narrowly escaping disaster vanished instantly.

Swallowing hard, Desty asked nervously, "You...are you following me?"

“That’s right.” Li Ang readily admitted, “We’ve been following you ever since we parted ways at the theme park.”

I'm doomed... I'm really being targeted...

According to Destreet's understanding, within the Great Knight Territory, there is only one type of person who, as an infected individual, can acquire substantial wealth—

The henchmen of the Business Federation exist only in the legendary Unarmored Alliance.

Only that terrifying killer organization would recruit infected individuals as members, and only they could receive large sums of bounty from the board, thus living a life of extreme luxury.

Even if it's just one infected person.

Because... the Knights Association doesn't allow infected people to register at all! Even the champion of the Major is still a penniless wretch.

There's no mistake, these two are definitely assassins from the Unarmored Alliance!

It seems her investigation has indeed touched a nerve with some people, as even assassins from the Unarmored Alliance have appeared.

Am I... going to be killed?

Standing there, Destle's mind went completely blank.

Li Ang, who was not far away, felt somewhat confused and wondered what had suddenly gotten into her.

After asking one question, intense fear overwhelmed her.

The intense smell of fear was so pungent that even Li Ang couldn't help but move a few steps away from her.

Although he didn't know what Destreet had just imagined, Li Ang felt it was best to ignore her for the time being.

At this moment, Sona also walked past Destreet, who was in a daze, and went to Leon's side to ask.

"What have you all discovered?"

"There have been some discoveries, but it may not be the answer you're looking for."

Li Ang shrugged and replied, "That hometown association is just a pawn."

"...Is that really how it is?"

Sona's mood sank to the bottom in an instant.

Although Li Ang didn't tell her exactly what he had discovered, Sona could probably guess.

Sure enough... they had been targeted long ago.

"So, the previous riots were also aimed at you?"

“I don’t know,” Sona shook her head.

The riot was clearly just a ruse; someone wanted to create unrest in Plot Zero to cover up their true purpose.

It could be Lucifer, the leader of that hometown association, or it could be a more deeply hidden mastermind.

Whether they came specifically for the Red Pine Knights remains unknown.

However, even if there is only a one in ten thousand chance, Sona cannot let her guard down.

Xiao Hui and the other two are staying in the bakery, so there shouldn't be any problems, right?

Shaking her head, Sona banished the unease from her mind.

Each of the three of them is just as strong as I am, so with the three of them around, there will definitely be no problem.

Taking a deep breath, Sona asked, "So, boss, what do we do now? Go back?"

"Wait a few more minutes, I need to see someone else."

"In a place like this?"

“That’s right, she’ll be here soon.” Li Ang nodded.

Hinterlea will be arriving soon. Li Ang will hand over the evidence he just collected to her, and also put on a show with his secretary to solidify his identity as a 'detective'.

Chairman of Boer Pharmaceuticals... Hurricane Knight... These two identities are too conspicuous and not suitable for the upcoming plans.

It was truly thanks to Adele for putting this helmet on him that no one saw his true appearance; otherwise, Li Ang would have had to leave everything to others to investigate.

It would be more reassuring for Li Ang to investigate this matter personally.

-------------------------------------

Chapter 26

Although Li Ang had instructed Xintelaya to notify the Rose Newspaper Group to block the news, it is likely that what just happened in Plot Zero will still spread.

Although the Rose Newspapers Union was the leading newspaper in Kasimir, many tabloids still struggled to survive in the cracks.

Moreover, nothing in this world stays secret forever. Even if newspapers, television, and radio are blocked, the Great Knight Territory still has an 'intercity network,' and news will always get out.

If Li Ang wanted to stir up trouble, the first thing he would do was to have the Grand Knights muddy the waters.

"Li Ang, what are you thinking about?"

Before he knew it, Adele had walked up to him and asked softly.

"Me... I'm wondering who cast that spell."

A spell capable of instantly destroying dozens of large shipping containers is not something just anyone can use. Even if it's just pure destructive power without any other sophisticated effects, it's enough to place the caster among the ranks of top-tier sorcerers.

After all, while Originium Arts play a very important role in scientific research and daily life, this ability was originally invented for killing.

“It shouldn’t be one of those infected, right?” Adele guessed. “They’ve only been infected with Oripathy for a few months, it’s unlikely they could do something like this.”

Adele's conjecture has a very rich theoretical basis.

First, it should be clear that while the adaptability of Originium Arts is related to the amount of Originium crystals in the body, it is not absolute.

Race, gender, personality, and even a person's past experiences can all affect Originium Arts adaptability, with blood crystal density being just one of the more important aspects.

Otherwise, wouldn't every infected person become a great mage? Or would the more severe the illness, the more powerful they become, even dragging a group of people down with them when they're about to die?

The enhancement of Oripathy is an inherent trait of those infected, but it takes time.

People have studied this kind of thing long ago; the world is not lacking in people who want to trade health for strength.

Those infected members of the Radom Hometown Association contracted Oripathy four months ago. Even if they awakened Originium Arts, it would be impossible for them to have improved to this extent in such a short time.

“…What if it was caused by those infected people?” Li Ang said quietly.

"This……"

Adele's expression froze, and she said blankly, "That would be terrible..."

Assuming that Rhine Labs was behind all of this, and that they sent people to destroy the Radom Association's headquarters, that's perfectly fine.

There aren't many sorcerers who can destroy that place, but they can still be found if you look around.

Given Rhine Lab's power, there would certainly be sorcerers of this caliber serving them.