The Cloud-Raised Brave Man's Travels

"Well, it seems that you still haven't adapted to the taste of snail noodles, Keya. What a pity."

"I think I probably won't be able to adapt in this lifetime. I'll wait for the next life."

Wei Yanwu scheduled a dinner at the Longmen Guard Station. It was nominally a celebration for the police officers, and it also allowed the police officers to bring their families to attend. And Keya attended the dinner as a family member of Shi Huaiya.

Wei Yanwu is a truly cautious man. If Kal'tsit and Amiya had suddenly agreed to the banquet invitation, it would have been held at Longmen City Hall, and the guests would have been Longmen's celebrities. Meanwhile, the banquet Koya attended was a celebration of the Guards' success. Wei Yanwu, the old dragon, is indeed cautious, but is there a possibility that, with such thoroughness and impeccable execution, some might see you as guilty? Perhaps you have ulterior motives?

Anyway, Keya was already sitting at the dinner party. Wei Yanwu probably got some information from his shadow guard (Hei Suo), and he was so direct in thanking Keya. At the banquet, Keya was surrounded by Longmen's socialites. Even Keya felt powerless in the face of this scene. They were too enthusiastic... these young ladies were really too enthusiastic.

Let's not talk about why so many famous ladies would attend the Guard Bureau's celebration party. Koya wants to ask... Where are the Guard Bureau's officers at this celebration party? Why is there nothing but women at this party?

"Old Wei, are you sure that Lord Koya likes this?"

"A hero is often tempted by a beautiful woman. This is an eternal truth. And he's a dragon, so there's no way he wouldn't like her!"

In a corner of the banquet hall, two ancestors, a dragon and a rat, were staring at Koya.

"Old Wei, what do you think he is? A giant beast?"

"I don't know, but I only know that the power he controls can destroy us in an instant. It is said that... the people of Simuitai have begun to find a way to contact him."

"These are troubled times, these are troubled times!"

"But I really didn't expect that you would be willing to bring Xiaolin here?"

"Unlike you, an old dragon, I really don't have much time left. Before I die, I have to find a safe home for my child. Yuxia is the best one she likes. If she doesn't like me, I have to think about how to find her a 'nest'."

"What a shame! I was planning to give the black sandalwood to Xiaolin, but now it seems there's no chance."

"Old Wei, if you really drag Yuxia into the black straw raincoat, don't blame me for being ruthless. I will definitely stir up a sandstorm with the determination to kill you."

"Alright, you're already so old, stop unleashing that restless 'arrogance' of yours."

The two elderly men's banter attracted no attention. Keya, the absolute center of the party, finally found a moment of peace. Shi Huaiya, accompanied by Chen, Xingxiong, and an unfamiliar Zarak girl, approached Keya. While those ladies were attractive, they were nothing compared to these four. The stark contrast made them feel ashamed and they all left...

"Thank you, Shi Huaiya——"

Chapter 237: Arknights: Journey to Dragon Gate

Keya didn't see Wei Yanwu until the end of the banquet, but he had already received his gratitude. Of course, Keya wasn't talking about being surrounded by the group of celebrities, but rather that at the moment the banquet ended, Keya saw Wei Yanwu's new decree on Longmen TV.

First, he affirmed the effectiveness of the Originium Potion, using his position as the Governor of Longmen to assure the infected that it was a reliable and safe cure. He then immediately announced the inclusion of Originium Potion in Longmen's medical insurance plan. With Longmen's financial subsidies, a bottle of Originium Potion cost less than 100 Longmen coins, a price even those infected in the Lower City could afford. Furthermore, the effectiveness of the Longmen Originium Potion was not significantly diluted; approximately 25 bottles would cure all cases, and 2,500 Longmen coins were roughly equivalent to a typical Longmen family's monthly income.

This was also the most significant news. Longmen had decided to begin rebuilding the Lower Town, dedicating itself to developing it into a new urban area with comprehensive development of emerging industries, commerce, and entertainment. At the same time, Shi Huaiya also confirmed his investment in the construction of the Lower Town.

As soon as these pieces of news came out, all the people in Longmen focused their attention on the Lower Town. The original residents of the Lower Town were jubilant, believing that their good days were finally coming. Ordinary people and some businesses in the Upper Town judged from these pieces of information that the Lower Town would be the next hot spot, and they were preparing to go there to show their talents. Higher-end capitals had already begun planning for the construction of the Lower Town.

This was a carnival for the people of Longmen. Everyone was excited about the news, and Rhodes Island... the medical company that developed the Originium potion was also remembered silently by many people.

Keya listened to the news on the radio, a smile breaking across his face. Lungmen... of all the forces cooperating with Rhodes Island, it was the one that made Rhodes Island feel most comfortable. This was what the doctor had told Keya, and it now seemed to be true. Keya was quite satisfied with this trip to Lungmen. If there was anything that made him uncomfortable, it was that he was returning to Rhodes Island, but this time he was on a flying vehicle again.

There were still three people riding in the aircraft with him, but Xingxiong's position was replaced by Miss Zaik, whom Keya had just met.

"So... Miss Lin and Shi Huaiya, what's going on with you two?"

"I'm here to join Rhodes Island."

"Ahem, Koya, since we're such close, there's no need to call me by my code name anymore. Just call me Beatrix. I'm going to Rhodes Island to establish a Lungmen liaison office. By the way, Kal'tsit agreed to my establishing the Lungmen Guard Bureau and Chernobog branch in Chernobog. Now you can call me Director Beatrix!"

"Huh?! Lungmen Guard Bureau, Chernobog Branch. Hearing the name, I thought Chernobog was already part of Lungmen."

"Don't listen to that BBQ Cat. This Imperial Guard Bureau is actually called the Lungmen Liaison Office in Chernobog, specifically to assist Lungmen people in Chernobog. In other words, it's an embassy, but since Rhodes Island isn't a country, it can't be called an embassy. Congratulations, BBQ Cat, you've made the leap from Lungmen Superintendent to ambassador."

"You're a street-beating dragon!"

"Okay, you two, stop arguing!"

But obviously, Lin Yuxia did not have the same deterrent power as Xingxiong. Shi Huaiya and Chen ignored this friend who they had played with since childhood. Fortunately, they still had some rationality and did not fight on the aircraft, but only launched verbal attacks.

"You, a char siu cat, have always dreamed of taking over the Imperial Guards and becoming their head. Now that I'm quitting the Imperial Guards, you don't even seize this opportunity and come here to be an ambassador. What kind of love-brained person is this?"

"Flop Dragon!"

Suddenly, Shi Huaiya seemed to have thought of something, and a smug smile appeared on her face.

"Little Chenchen? I wonder if you still remember Sui Hongxia from last year's New Year's Eve party. I've saved quite a few photos. Ah Koya, are you interested? Do you want to show them to Tallulah when we get to Rhodes Island?"

"You, you! Despicable!"

In this pitch-black night sky, it was nice to be able to hear sounds other than the hum of propellers. Most importantly, Chen and Shi Huaiya's voices were pleasant to the ears, even when they were arguing. And most importantly, this war wouldn't affect me anyway.

After about two hours of flight time, the aircraft landed on the flight deck of Rhodes Island. This aircraft was Shi Huaiya's personal property, so she had no plans to fly it back to Longmen. Instead, it remained in the Rhodes Island hangar as her means of transportation. As a parking fee, Rhodes Island could use the aircraft when Shi Huaiya didn't need it, with her consent. The captain of the aircraft also joined Rhodes Island and became a pilot.

Koya had already informed Rhodes Island about the arrival of Shi Huaiya and the others through the network communicator. Dormitories had been arranged for the permanent residents Lin Yuxia and Shi Huaiya, while Chen, who was a temporary visitor, was given a guest room.

"After you have a good rest, remember to go to the medical department for a physical examination tomorrow morning."

"understood."

When Koya said goodbye to the Longmen trio and returned to his room, Klushiele was already waiting for him in his room. Today, Klushiele was wearing a very "cute" outfit, which made Koya feel a little novel. Although Klushiele had a poor figure and was small in stature, she was really good at playing. With the help of the purchasing director, Klushiele bought a lot of interesting things in Longmen today.

"I'm back~~ Do you want to eat me first? Eat me first? Or eat me first~~"

"Do I have any other choice?"

"Heh heh~~No!"

Keya and Krusil spent the entire night exploring the practical effects of high-tech products. Ultimately, they concluded that none of those fancy gadgets could compare to Keya's younger brother's. Krusil felt that the sheer joy of wearing a "cute" outfit was even greater than all that high-tech stuff. At least after last night's experience, Krusil concluded that a pair of white silk stockings was far more effective than 80% of the other products!

Regardless, Kal'tsit was still a bit dehydrated. She hadn't rested all night. If it weren't for the Blood Demon's powerful constitution, she would have been a Sarkaz by now. When Koya emerged from his room, refreshed, Kal'tsit was lying in his room, fast asleep. She had finished her work yesterday, and Kal'tsit had granted her a day off today, so Kal'tsit was able to sleep in Koya's room.

Koya was not as leisurely as Lucille. He still had a lot of things to do today. In the Rhodes Island cafeteria, Koya found the Longmen trio who were having breakfast, and walked over to them with a bowl of rice noodles.

"After dinner, go see Tallulah. The specific route will be sent to your terminal, but remember not to get followed."

In fact, being followed is not a big deal. After all, Rhodes Island has decided to let Tallulah go out to cause trouble. It is just a matter of time. Now more and more spies are gathering on Rhodes Island. Their primary task is to obtain information about Koya, and the secondary task of these spies is to find out the whereabouts of Tallulah, the former leader of the Reunion Movement.

"Just give it to us like this?"

"Tallulah herself wasn't imprisoned. She stayed in that room of her own free will. In fact, we at Rhodes Island haven't restricted her freedom at all."

"...Aren't you afraid she'll run away?"

“That’s not something I want to consider.”

Perhaps they were too eager to get Jiantalula. When Keya was halfway through eating the rice noodles, Chen, Shi Huaiya and Lin Yuxia had already finished eating, cleared their dishes, and looked at Keya with burning eyes.

"I know, I know. I've sent you the route. Don't worry, the navigation is very detailed. You won't get lost."

"Koya, aren't you going with us?"

"I have work to do later."

The three people who had obtained the map turned and left immediately, their actions swift and decisive. Koya, slurping rice noodles, opened the Rhodes Island terminal. Koya did have a mission. Last night, Kal'tsit had assigned him a task through the terminal, to assist Zi Lan in interviewing new employees. Koya was looking at the operators who would arrive in Rhodes Island for interviews today. He took a quick look and found that most of the resumes sent out were young and beautiful women...

These were probably the spies sent to Rhodes Island by various forces. No wonder Kal'tsit gave this task to herself. Koya looked at the list and felt that the rice noodles in his mouth didn't taste good anymore.

About two hours later, Keya was already sitting in the HR office. Also interviewing with him today were our Miss Zilan and Huafalin.

Kal'tsit outlined the passing criteria before the interview began. It didn't matter whether they were spies for that faction, as long as they had a skill, they'd stay. Rhodes Island and Chernobog were both short of staff right now, seriously short of staff! Don't refuse this labor force that's right here at your doorstep!

However, after looking at a few candidates, the three interviewers fell silent. These spies seemed unreliable... some of them blew themselves up, and some had nothing but good looks. Koya had originally thought Kal'tsit's standards were already very low, but unexpectedly, these spies were all talented!

This was understandable, however. Those with genuine espionage skills had already taken action. However, due to SWEEP's strict defenses, these true spies hadn't gleaned any valuable intelligence. Those sent in for legitimate employment were essentially cannon fodder. Getting in was best, but not making it to Rhodes Island didn't matter; there wasn't much loss anyway. The "gifts" carefully selected for Koya by various factions after the iceberg incident at Xiosta were still largely en route. Those currently being interviewed were all cannon fodder from the previous round, and how could cannon fodder possess any special skills?

But... there are some who are faster.

"Ms. Cintrea, your resume is quite impressive. May I ask why you gave up your knighthood in Casimir and joined us in Rhodes Island?"

"Because it wasn't profitable, I became a knight after graduation. However, my Originium skills weren't impressive, so I didn't have many fans. After the club forced me to play a few fake matches and I deliberately lost them, I lost all my fans. Although I'm quite cute, the people in Casimir prefer mature, well-built female knights, so I couldn't continue."

"Ahem, I see. Then what weapon are you proficient in?"

"Bow and arrow."

"What do you hope to gain from coming to Rhode Island?"

"Sufficient salary, five social insurances and one housing fund, and preferably not too much work."

Xinteleya is the only interviewee who can be considered capable so far. The fact that she has been a competition knight for Casimir and has not lost any limbs shows that she is extraordinary. If nothing unexpected happens, she should be the first one to pass the interview.

Zilan and Huafalin both nodded in satisfaction. Just as they were about to sign the interview form, they suddenly remembered that there was a Keya beside them...

"Koya, do you have anything to ask?"

"Well... then let me ask a less important question. Ms. Cintrea, what do you think of the current situation in Casimir?"

“…Will this issue affect my employment?”

"No, I'm just a little curious about Casimir myself. Whatever your answer is, your employment is certain."

"Then let me just say this. Casimir is like a powder keg right now. The conflict between the Supervisory Council and the Chamber of Commerce has become irreconcilable. The ideologies of the established knight class and the emerging business elite are in great conflict. If even a spark is thrown into Casimir, unstoppable change will begin. This is also the reason I left there."

"Is that so? The situation in Casimir has become so critical that even ordinary people can perceive it. Thank you for your answer, Miss Sintraya. You have passed the interview. Next, please go to the medical department for a physical examination, and then to the training room for the job assessment. One last question. Rhodes Island often issues missions by code name. Miss Sintraya, do you have any code names you like?"

"Then let's call it Platinum."

"Okay, Platinum Operator, congratulations on joining us."

The interviews continued, and Koya and the other two didn't even have a moment to rest. After the interviews were over, a total of twenty-four people passed. After confirming the employment of these twenty-four people, Huafalin sent the list to S.W.E.E.P.

Huafalin: "Tsk tsk, guess how many of these twenty-four people are not spies~"

Zilan: "Instead of guessing how many spies there are, you're guessing how many aren't spies?"

Huafalin: "Well, guess what~"

Koya: "Then I'll guess three. Three times is the limit."

Zilan: “Two!”

Warfarin: "Then let me reveal the answer! Unfortunately, both of you guessed wrong. Of the twenty-four, only one wasn't a spy. Koya, do you still remember that Cintela?"

Koya: "You don't mean to say that she is the only one?"

Warfarin: "That's not the case. She's an assassin from the Unclad Alliance, the Platinum Lord. I just mentioned it because you were quite impressed by her. The only one who's not a spy is the Argo mercenary named Skadi—"

Chapter 238: Arknights: Their respective futures

Five days have passed since the Lungmen trio arrived in Rhodes Island, Cintrea joined the company, and the expedition to Kolucia. The Doctor is finally back, and Koya is finally free... I don't know what Kal'tsit was thinking. During the few days when the Doctor was away from Rhodes Island, all the tasks that originally belonged to the Doctor were thrown to Koya. Thanks to the fact that Koya learned a lot from Hera, and he could ask the Doctor through the chat group if he really didn't know, he managed to hold on for these five days.

Now that the doctor is back, these jobs will naturally return to their original owners!

In addition to the operators who were on vacation in Rhodes Island, Ceylon and Hei also came back with the doctor this time. Their purpose was similar to that of Shi Huaiya. Speaking of which, the Longmen Guard Bureau branch on Shi Huaiya's side had started to be built in Che City with great fanfare in the past few days, and Longmen had actually sent a lot of Guard Bureau members over. Her "Guard Bureau" looked quite serious, but those Guard Bureau members who came to Che City were to protect the safety of the "embassy", that is, the so-called military attachés, and the civil servants were Shi Huaiya and Lin Yuxia.

The configuration of Ceylon and Hei is the same. Ceylon is a civil servant and Hei is a military officer responsible for protecting Ceylon. The official name of the "embassy" they built in Che City is: Xiosta Tourism Information Office.

"Koya, you've worked hard these past few days."

"That's fine. Now that the work is handed over to you, I can finally take a break."

"Ah."

This time, Koya is expected to stay in the Terra world for one to two months. After returning, Hestia will announce to the public that Koya has been upgraded to Lv.5. With Hera's background, this speed is exaggerated but not unacceptable.

After handing over the work, Koya prepared to go see Tallulah. In the past few days, Chen and others went to Tallulah's residence every day, and even the patriot came several times. It seems that those red books had a huge impact on these people.

After reading these books, Koya's heart was also filled with passion, but considering the actual situation in Orario, he gave up. The existence of gifts and gods naturally planned the class, but the planning for a better future in the books is worth learning from. In the Hestia family, because of Koya's special relationship with the goddesses, everyone is indeed equal.

Ahem, I think we've strayed off topic a bit, so let's get back to Tallulah. Koya figures she'll be leaving Rhodes Island in a month at most. Patriot will probably leave with his guerrilla shield guards, while Yelena, Lyudmila, and the others will likely stay. Speaking of Lyudmila, she's quite the tough one. She charged at Kal'tsit the moment she saw her, only to be pinned against the wall by Mon3tr.

The doctor was confused at the time and quickly organized a three-party meeting. He called Lyudmila and Kal'tsit to his office and had a good chat for the afternoon. Koya didn't know what they talked about in detail, but after that, Lyudmila joined S.W.E.E.P. under the code name Regicide. I guess the misunderstanding was resolved?

When Koya reached the lowest floor of Rhodes Island, he rubbed his eyes in disbelief at the sight of Tallulah's room. A photo of the three mentors hung prominently in the room. A large blackboard sat on the wall, and Operator Truth was writing something on it with chalk. Tallulah, Patriot, and Chen listened intently, as if they were a teacher teaching their students in a classroom. (The book in Truth's hand was titled Marxism-Leninism.)

Koya did not interrupt the class, but found a seat and sat down to listen to the class together.

"Simply put, Marxism is a doctrine concerning the liberation of the proletariat and humanity—the science of human liberation. It is the rigorous and thoroughgoing worldview of the proletariat and its political parties, the theory of the proletarian liberation movement, and the scientific expression of the fundamental interests of the proletariat. In Ursus, royal power had fallen, and the young Emperor Fyodor Vladimirovich faced an empire that had exhausted its war gains and was plagued by internal strife, a shaky era filled with the aftermath of rebellion."

"Comrade Tallulah, Comrade Bodracasti, do you know the current composition of the Ursus army?"

"There are currently four major armies in Ursus. The Third and Fourth Armies are controlled by the pro-war nobles. The Che City incident was instigated by the Third Army. Its controllers, Grand Duke Baikal and Viscount Dunkel, committed suicide out of fear of punishment after Rhodes Island took over Che City. The Third Army has returned to the Emperor's control. Currently, the Emperor controls two armies, while the old nobles control two armies."

"Yes, if it weren't for this city-sweeping incident, the Ursus Emperor's military power would have already fallen behind. However, the rise of social classes is unstoppable, and the power struggle between the royal power and the emerging aristocracy in Ursus has become increasingly intense..."

Although Zhenli was the youngest among the people present, and was even just a high school student before the accident, her understanding of Marxism-Leninism was higher than that of the people present, so Tallulah and the others were here listening to her lectures.

The most active student in this class was Patriot. He spoke out all the questions that he had accumulated over the years. It happened that every question he had in this class received a perfect answer. It is no exaggeration to say that after this class, Patriot Bozhukasti has become the most determined fighter.

When the get out of class was almost over, the doctor came over and took over from Mari as the teacher, telling Tallulah and the others how to proceed on this path.

"First and foremost, a unified goal is a team's most valuable asset, so this ideology must be disseminated. Patriot and Tallulah, you can pass on what you've learned here to the members of the Reunion who are willing to leave with you. Once the team is established, these people will become the new disseminators. Similarly, in addition to the commanders and fighters, each team must have a political commissar responsible for ideological work. Your original Reunion was in chaos because of a lack of unified ideology. You must learn from this lesson."