Asura in Arknights

However, this also resolved Hinterlea's initial doubts—why Li Ang believed her so easily and wasn't worried that she was faking it...it turns out there was such a cheat version of the ability.

"In that case, boss, you can decide. I have no objections." Hinterlaya indicated that she was just an employee who was paid to do a job and would not have any objections.

"Then let's leave it at that."

As soon as he finished speaking, the door to the next room slammed open, and Li Ang waved in that direction. The large metal shell that had been holding Monique in place floated over.

Controlling Monique to land in the center of the living room, Li Ang casually pulled out the rag that was stuffed in Monique's throat to prevent her from biting her tongue and threw it into the trash can next to her... He didn't know what Shining had stuffed in there.

"Cough cough cough..."

Monique coughed violently, looking quite distressed because her body, except for her head, was completely restricted.

It took her five or six minutes to calm her breathing.

After calming down, Monique's gaze swept over everyone, but she didn't even linger on Hinterlea for a second before landing on Li Ang.

“What do you want to do?” Monique asked in a hoarse voice.

"Your attitude has taken me somewhat by surprise."

Seeing Monique so calm, Leon raised an eyebrow.

"So how do you think I should react? Should I curse that traitor, or should I bow my head and beg for mercy?"

Monique retorted with a single sentence, her attitude so forceful that it was as if she weren't the one who had been captured.

"My phone was taken by that traitor. Don't you already know all the secrets? What else do you want to ask me?"

Hearing Monique repeatedly call someone a traitor, Hinterlea wanted to explode, but she held back and didn't interrupt the conversation between Leon and Monique.

After all, Monique was right; she was indeed one of the few traitors in the Unarmored Alliance.

"Fine, I'm too lazy to argue with you. Tell me, what did Roy tell you on the phone three months ago?"

“What would I gain by telling you?” Monique retorted.

“Freedom, I can let you go. You should know how valuable a former Undefeated Alliance Azure King is; Ioleta should be very interested in you.”

“Not enough,” Monique shook her head, then said meaningfully, “My freedom alone is not enough.”

Just as Hintleya said, Monique seems to really value Roy, and even in the current situation, she hasn't forgotten to try to save him.

Putting aside political stances, Li Ang actually quite admires people with such strong will.

Unfortunately, they are now enemies.

"You mean Roy? You want me to spare his life?"

Monique pursed her lips and did not answer, but her attitude said it all.

“I do have the ability to bring Roy out of that place, but it’s no easy task, and how can I be sure you’re not lying to me?”

"I don't trust you either. What if you use me and then abandon me?"

The negotiations between the two parties reached a stalemate after only a few minutes. Lacking a foundation of trust, the two sides could not reach an agreement unless one side took the initiative to make concessions.

After a period of silence, Li Ang sighed and said, "Even if you resist now, it's pointless. I have a rough idea of ​​what Roy wants you to do."

As if afraid that Monique wouldn't know, Li Ang went out of his way to explain again, "Just so you know, when you received that text message seven days ago, I happened to be in the ruins of Plot 21, or more precisely, in the basement of the city hospital, in front of that abandoned laboratory."

"The pure Originium you painstakingly collected was accidentally detonated by me."

Upon hearing this, Monique's expression finally changed. Her eyes widened as if she wanted to tear a piece of flesh from Li Ang's body.

According to Monique's diary, Hintrea discovered that Monique had been collecting pure Originium all this time, in quantities that were beyond her comprehension. This made her realize something was wrong, and she discovered evidence that Roy was still alive.

For Li Ang, these two pieces of news have helped him resolve a mystery: where did the energy released when the dinosaurs exploded in the ruins of Plot 21 come from?

And, who was the other intruder that Li Ang discovered back then?

When these pieces of information are put together, the answer is quite obvious: who else could it be but Monique?

Considering the message Roy sent, her purpose in collecting so many Pure Originium stones became crystal clear—

They attempted to emulate the Originium lifeforms of the past, using a massive energy explosion to forcibly open a passage between the real world and the outer world.

Clearly, their research was on the right track, and they came very close to success.

If it weren't for the Rhine Life Energy Department suddenly appearing and insisting on retrieving the experimental data from Plot 20, they probably would have accumulated enough energy to forcibly open a passage in just a few months.

Although everyone had different motives, Li Ang and his group still managed to thwart Roy's plan by a series of unforeseen circumstances.

It was that explosion that temporarily re-established the connection between reality and the outside world, which is why Roy, who was trapped there, was able to send a second text message.

"To be honest, I'm too lazy to bother with you guys. All I want to know is about that guy who's with Roy."

With the crucial evidence provided by Monique, most of Li Ang's recent doubts have been answered.

This place once had a passage to the outside world, so the barrier between the two is slightly weaker here compared to other places.

The debris of the Pathfinder that fell from the sky broke through that barrier and landed directly outside the world, eventually falling into Ayin's hands. That's why those Sealings inexplicably appeared in the ruins of Plot 21.

At this point, the only question Li Ang couldn't answer was what the knocking sound they heard that day actually was.

Anyway, that voice is definitely related to Ayin.

After giving Monique a few minutes to think it over, Leon asked, "What's your decision now?"

Seeing that Monique remained silent, Li Ang knew he couldn't expect to get any more information from her.

It wasn't that Monique was unwilling to answer; it's likely that what Li Ang had just guessed was all that Monique knew.

With just a slight hesitation, Monique lost her last chance, and Li Ang could only feel sorry for her.

Li Ang is a man of his word. If Monique had agreed to tell him the contents of that phone call, Li Ang would have kept his promise and spared their lives.

Unfortunately, what's done is done, and Li Ang won't give her a second chance.

"That's settled then. Lock her up first, hmm... how about locking her up in the Bloodblade Knights?"

Chapter Ninety-Nine Misunderstanding

“I think it’s fine. The security there is good, and Byron is trustworthy. There’s no need to worry about her escaping,” Hinterlea said first.

"Then let's take her there later."

With Li Ang's permission, Hinterlay picked up the rag from the trash can and shoved it back into Monique's mouth without any politeness, drawing an angry glare from the other woman.

However, this level of malice was nothing to Hinterlea; she didn't even flinch.

"Um... isn't this a bit excessive?"

Seeing Hinterlea's violent behavior, Adele couldn't help but say.

Of course, because she lacked confidence, Adele spoke very softly.

"Excessive? This is not excessive at all. She and those two bastards, Roy, exploited me for who knows how long. I haven't even had a chance to get revenge on them yet. This is what those two bastards deserve!"

The mere mention of this Xintelaiya elicited great anger.

Seeing how agitated Hinterlea was, Adele stopped bringing it up. One shouldn't advise others to be kind without knowing their suffering. Adele didn't know what Hinterlea had been through, but the Unarmored Alliance was, after all, an assassin organization, and Hinterlea's life must not have been easy.

"In that case, you can handle this guy."

After thinking for a moment, Li Ang still gave Hinterlea a special reminder, "Remember to watch your methods. You are no longer an assassin of the Unarmored Alliance. If you violate the laws of Kazimir, the Supervisory Council will have an excuse to cause you trouble."

The Supervisory Committee is not a monolithic entity. There are those who dislike Hinterlea, the former Unarmored Assassin, those who have been bribed by the Business Federation and want to get rid of this traitor, and those who simply want to find something to use against Hinterlea and get in touch with her.

Unlike the elusive Li Ang, quite a few eyes were watching Hinterlaya's every move.

"Don't worry, boss, I wouldn't risk tarnishing my hard-earned reputation again," Hinterlea replied calmly.

"You just understand."

Li Ang certainly didn't want such a capable secretary to end up in prison.

"Anyway, thanks to you this time, I was able to obtain such important information. I've been thinking about it, and I think what you lack most right now is time. How about extending your paid leave by another month?"

"Thank you for your generosity, boss."

Hinterlea was so happy that her eyes curved into crescents, and she didn't hesitate to say a few more flattering words.

Unexpectedly, she only came to go through the motions and got a month of paid leave from Monique. Now, Hinterlea felt that she seemed a little more agreeable.

"But boss, there's a question I've wanted to ask you for a while now."

"what?"

"The Candle Knight".

Hinterlea pointed to Viviana lying on the medical bed and asked, "Why is she lying there? Is she injured?"

Viviana's medical bed was placed in the very center of the room, making it difficult for Hinterlea to ignore even if she wanted to.

However, the fact that the Candle Knight was injured and unconscious did not shock Hinterlea as much as the capture of Monique. As Monique's matter came to an end, Hinterlea's attention naturally turned to Viviana.

"This matter... is very complicated, and it's best if you don't know."

After considering for a moment, Li Ang decided it was best not to involve Hinterlea in this level of danger.

While Hinterlea has some skill, she's only at the level of an ordinary person. When it comes to matters involving a god like Dionysus... even a master like Shining would have a hard time getting involved. If Hinterlea gets caught up in Dionysus's drama, she'll just be pure cannon fodder.

After saying that, Li Ang felt it was still a bit too risky, so he added, "You'd better not have any contact with her in the future. If you need anything, just have your subordinates handle it."

After years of opposing the Dionysian followers, the Witch King gradually figured out some patterns in their performances.

Just like in a real stage play, those qualified to step onto the stage are at least some well-known figures. In reality, they are people with a certain status and position, not particularly strong, but who frequently come into contact with the main characters. Selecting these people as supporting characters can very easily advance the plot.

With her decent skills, respectable status, and ability to frequently interact with Viviana through her work, Hinterlea is the best choice for a supporting role from any perspective.

If Li Ang hadn't reminded her, she would most likely have been dragged into it.

"That's so dangerous... I won't ask then," Hinterlea clicked her tongue.

She connected the dots between Viviana and the Grand Knight Commander, and wondered if the outrageous rumors she had heard before were true... Viviana had noble blood flowing through her veins, and the Grand Knight Commander planned to use this to launch a counter-invasion of Letania.

She didn't plan to get involved in such exciting things...

Although the process was almost entirely wrong, Hinterlea was at least right about one thing: the further away from Viviana, the better.

Afterwards, Hinterlea summoned some men from the Bloodblade Knights to escort Monique to the Knights' headquarters.

Before leaving, he also had Li Ang remove the iron shell from Monique's body and replace it with the simplest handcuffs and shackles.

Otherwise, how would Monique manage her various physiological functions over time?

Hinterlea left in a hurry, just as hastily as she had arrived. Not long after Hinterlea left, Shining, who had finally managed to calm the chaos in the hospital, also came over.

Shining checked Viviana's condition and, after confirming that she was simply suffering from overexertion and numerous ruptured capillaries throughout her body, cast several healing spells on her and summoned some medical personnel to take her to the intensive care unit.

Soon, Shining left again. She had many things to take care of and didn't even have time to repair the damaged door to her office.

As dusk fell, only Li Ang and Adele remained in the dean's office. No... if you count the little girl Zalak next door who was pretending to be unconscious, then there were three of them.

Sona had already woken up, but she was just pretending to be asleep... or perhaps she just felt that everything was beyond repair and wanted to escape reality by closing her eyes.

Leon gave Adele a look, signaling her to check on Sona's condition.

Adele gave a confused look; she had no idea what had happened or why Sona was lying there unconscious.

Li Ang hadn't explained it to her before, and she hadn't asked any further questions.

“I don’t know what kind of ideas Sona has been instilled with, but she is extremely hostile towards me and won’t listen to a single word I say,” Li Ang said helplessly. “I originally wanted to help her and see if I could save her friends, but if she doesn’t cooperate, there’s nothing I can do.”

"Why don't you try to get in touch with her? It should be easier to get along with someone of the same sex. If it doesn't work out, then forget about it."

Sona is currently the only unresolved problem in this fishing plan.

In fact, from the diary left by a certain Qingjin Grand Master, Li Ang already knew where the fellow villagers' association was hiding. He could lead his men to launch a surprise attack there at any time to eliminate the last threat.

But he still didn't do it.

Unlike Monique, who is his enemy, Leon is willing to give Sona another chance.

"Then I'll give it a try."

Adele nodded, walked over to Sona who was curled up in the corner, and softly called her name.

"Sona...Sona? Are you awake now?"

To prevent the girl from suddenly turning on him, Li Ang found several ropes and tied Sona up tightly.

At Adele's call, she saw Sona's ear tips suddenly twitch slightly and turn in her direction.

This instinctive physiological reaction cannot be overcome by willpower. Realizing that her act of pretending to be asleep had been exposed, Sona reluctantly rolled over on the floor, opened her eyes, and looked at Adele.

"What do you want from me? Are you here to mock me too?"