Hello, Arknights

Chapter 216: Breaking the Obsession

When Lukaszech woke up, the snowstorm had stopped and the boy was nowhere to be seen.

The bonfire had gone out, and there was a little light outside, which seemed to be dawn. He still felt a little cold, so he groped for the flint and lit the fire again. He added a piece of wood, and the moment the light came out, he saw something written on the ground with charcoal.

"...Uncle...thing, let's go first...it's been cleaned up, it should be safe..." Lukasech probably understood what the kid meant and smiled helplessly. The young man was not like him, a loser who arbitrarily left the fanatical worship out of disappointment.

"Really... Never mind, I'll stop warming myself by the fire. It's time to go. I don't know where this escape will end." He was ready to extinguish the source of heat.

"Excuse me, the snowstorm outside just passed and we are freezing. Can you lend me a fire to warm our clothes?"

A voice sounded, and two Sarkaz appeared in his sight. He had heard of the Wendigo warrior in the army. As a soldier who survived such a cruel battlefield, the truth he learned was not very profound. When dying, every race was no different, that's all.

He does not reject foreigners who suffer discrimination at this moment.

"Thanks, *mercenary swear* It's really freezing... Do you have to risk your life like this? Did your injury cause you to develop some kind of illness?"

The red-horned Sarkaz woman took off her cloak and shook off the white frost and snow, as if complaining had become a habit for her.

"I still say that. At worst, you just don't follow me."

“Haha, I’m just sympathizing with you, right? I don’t care about my life. Also, are you really from Kazdel?”

"Even if it is, you have no choice but to follow him if you want to know more. I am following him because of the general's orders."

"It's so funny! If I find out that you're playing a trick on me, I'll make sure you're hung all over the street lamps in Victoria." W smiled and threw a bunch of frozen dry food at Anasa.

Of course, she couldn't beat him directly.

"Yes, yes, hang on, hang on..."

"Are you a frog?!"

"I'm not, but you look like some kind of southern insect." Perhaps because he was in a good mood, Wu made a rare joke.

"drop--"

Wu, who had just sat down, changed his expression, jumped up, and was out of the cave in a breath. Then Lukasech heard a sharp explosion outside, which shook the small cave slightly again.

"When did you *nomadic greeting* plant the bomb?!"

W didn't take Wu's roar seriously. After all, it was just a blank bullet to scare people. If Wu couldn't defend against that little bit of explosive dregs, he would have no chance of survival.

Then she thought back to what Wu had said to Lin En, and cleared her throat in imitation: "This guy - oh my god, I can't talk that way, so I just want to ask you something."

"...Please speak." Lukaszech's eyes twitched. He couldn't figure out what these two people were up to for the time being.

"You've become a poor runaway, right? Do you want to go on your own, or do something with us? I can hire you as a mercenary."

"Interesting... Let me ask you, what are you going to pay me?"

"Well... you definitely don't care about money, so how about a place to enjoy your old age?" W spread his hands, unable to think of anything good to say.

"Although I am disappointed, I still don't want to leave my homeland." Lukaszech shook his head.

"Then, how about a long battle for hope? You can devote the rest of your life to this battle." Wu walked into the cave again with a slightly disheveled hair and glanced at W coldly.

W smiled back.

"I'm not young anymore... I'm not that easy to fool."

"No, it's not a voucher, because there's no way to issue you a receipt. You can withdraw at any time."

"You guys are really weird... for what?"

"I live for a little hope."

"I'm going back to somewhere."

"So follow that person." The two replied.

Lukaszech narrowed his eyes. His long-lost curiosity was aroused. The young man who confronted the internal guards did not look simple.

"One last question, why did you come to me?"

"Because you have seen him, and you still feel unwilling to give up, and your strength is not enough to be a burden--"

W interrupted Wu: "The most important thing is that we are lost and need a local to lead the way."

After recovering from his injury, the Agor man ran away the fastest. Zi cleaned up his tracks very well this time and they couldn't catch up with him. They finally found Ling Dengxian again, but he ran away when the two of them were not paying attention before the wind and snow stopped. After the wind and snow passed, the two of them were left speechless facing the vast white land.

I can only say that it’s fortunate that there is such a local person who is quite suitable.

Integration movement.

"...I can't sit still anymore. I have to go find him!" Shuangxing stood up suddenly, and the members of the Snow Monster Team followed suit and said carefully: "But big sister... big father is leading people to cover the team, and the leader's condition is a little strange. The restless voices in the organization are getting louder and louder..."

"..." Shuangxing gritted her teeth and said, "I'll be back soon, you guys stay."

"Big sister... Doctor Bai Ge is very capable, everything will be fine. If something happens to you and he comes back, we won't be able to explain..."

"What do you want to confess?!" Frost Star glared at Big Bear and immediately understood what he was thinking.

"Because Dr. Bai Ge doesn't have a partner yet... I thought you, big sister..."

"You don't think about your work all day long. The Integration Movement is facing such a danger right now. Many newly joined infected people may become emotional at any time. You still have the mind to--" Frost Star coughed twice and didn't intend to continue scolding.

"Sister... I'm just trying to make you happy. Daxiong is right. There are too many people in the team now and they are too diverse... We can be a big help if we help Doctor Baige protect Xuanlang." Yang Ge was much calmer than Daxiong.

"But...that Miss Rupert...is a little bit abnormal now..." Petrova looked in a certain direction worriedly. After a good rest, Xuanlang's body had recovered initially, but his emotional state was very abnormal.

Strolling in the snowy forest irritably, Texas stroked Chi Yu's hair beside her, feeling uneasy. She looked at Chi Yu, who responded with an "apology" look. It was obvious that she knew that she didn't want to leave at that time, but still took her away by force.

"Am I too useless?" Texas felt her own anger. She didn't care on her way to escape from yesterday. She didn't mind being despised or denied, because that was not the life she wanted.

But this time, she rebelled against fate, but was repeatedly blocked.

Yes, leaving was indeed the wisest choice this time, but it was also her abnormality this time that made her discover the danger of Ling Dengxian.

He was too lonely, and perhaps his original choice was partly due to his perception of the hidden pain.

He is not as good as many people, but his nature does not allow him to turn a blind eye. No matter how terrible the danger is, he will ignite himself to fulfill that non-existent responsibility.

"If he had been born in Syracuse, he would have died soon in an alley somewhere."

Stubborn, afraid of loneliness and chose a dangerous path, even her colleagues rejected her... I still say...

"Reach out your hands to the people in the slums, reach out your hands to the infected, reach out your hands to me... Who has reached out their hands to you? If so, how many?"

Texas tried to catch the falling snow, but his palms were too hot.

"Good feelings... did you have one? Then when did it happen..."

Texas suddenly stopped, and Chi Yu showed a look of joy, which made her once simple and empty mind become complicated. The person who once again overcame the danger appeared in front of her.

The momentary happiness was washed away by the bursting anger. Texas knew something was wrong, but the strange irritability at this moment was indeed mixed with her real anger.

"I'm back..." Ling Dengxian smiled at her with frost still between his brows.

"Yeah, okay." Rupert closed his eyes, trying to calm his violently fluctuating breathing. The rational line in his brain was gradually becoming tense. Chi Yu felt extremely uneasy and made a worried hum.

"Should I stay away from you..." Ling Dengxian stopped approaching and said with a wry smile.

"I do not know."

Why why why... The overwhelming restlessness disrupted her clarity, and Texas fumbled in her pocket.

pat.

Flames flashed between the flints, and the smell of burning tobacco gradually spread. She ignored Ling Dengxian's gaze.

step.

Chi Yu retreated in silence.

Two steps.

A small sky blue dragon slipped out from Ling Dengxian's arms.

Three steps.

The girl raised her red eyes and growled threateningly at the boy.

Ling Xian reached out and snatched the cigarette.

The roar that he had endured to the limit broke out under the strong suppression. Texas drew out his two swords, still maintaining a bit of rationality at this moment: "You! Go!"

“Instead of that, why not swing your sword at me?” Ling Dengxian unsheathed the red lotus, a trace of fear flashed in his eyes, “Don’t worry, I won’t sit and wait for death.”

If you are afraid, don't be brave! !

The cigarette butt fell to the ground and was extinguished by the snow water. The sword edge suddenly rose and the rain poured down.

The terrifying and intensive sounds of swords and sabers tore apart all the peaceful falling snow. The sword light shattered the surrounding snowy trees. The passionate battle was just for catharsis.

The white sword whistled out of the sheath, and Ling Dengxian was wounded by the sword on his cheek and shoulder in a few breaths. White flames swarmed out to try to weaken Texas's sword light, but unfortunately, she was not an Ursus inner guard, nor a demon.

Bai Yan's special attack allows Ling to easily defeat the enemy, but when facing Texas, he always knows that he is no match for her at this stage.

Unless extraordinary measures are used.

But he can't.

There was no sign of restraint or concealment in this fight. Frost Star and others who were on their way to protect Black Wolf hastened their movements when they heard the loud noise of the snow tree collapsing, fearing that Black Wolf would get into an accident.

"White dove?!" They became even more incredulous when two people in the center of the fight came into their sight.

"What's wrong with you? Stop it!"

"...Don't worry about it! She needs to vent!!" Ling Dengxian risked being injured to warn the Snow Monster Team. The two fighting figures whizzed past snow pits, broken fallen trees, and fractured frozen soil, even forcing the Snow Monster Team, who were asked not to interfere, to retreat again and again.

Ling Dengxian's injuries were increasing. Bai Yan maintained his last defense. The groaning Honglian let out a wail. Only Bai Jian remained silent.

Chi Xiao? Tear Front!

He couldn't hold back and turned from defense to offense in an attempt to disrupt Texas' rhythm, but Rooper had already given up.

Bai Yan needs to consume his mental energy, and he is unable to achieve precise control now. The rhythm of the battle that leaves him no time to catch his breath makes his wounds increase.

Fight back!

Juechen? Reborn from Chixiao Jueying!

The rain of swords continued, and the white flames struggled to resist.

……

Kill her!

Ling Dengxian was frightened by this terrible thought. This is not...how could he be like this?

White flames burst out, he needs a moment to catch his breath!

Amid the sound of swords ringing one after another, he seemed to hear a painful roar from someone.

Thousands and thousands of false things... Kill anyone who stands in my way!

When the infinite oppression almost suffocated Texas, a flash of clarity flashed through her mind. She raised her sword and with this sword, she seemed to see endless shackles wrapped around her body. Those shackles were invisible and could not be disobeyed, and there was no end in sight at the other end.

Prime culprit……

The collapsing sword not only knocked Ling Dengxian's sword away, but also knocked the sword in her own hand away. She did not give in, but turned over and grabbed Ling Dengxian's white sword. With one sword, all her will burst out, and the strong and strange emotions dissipated like haze, breaking through the blazing white flame defense and falling on Ling Dengxian's head.

"boom!!!"

The snow waterfall sounded like thunder in the sky. Frost Star was extremely anxious in the spreading snow dust. He immediately raised his hand to press down the ice dust, wanting to see the situation clearly.

The Rupert girl knelt on one knee on the boy's chest, with the white sword blade inserted into the frozen soil next to his head. Ling Dengxian, who was exhausted, was panting violently, his heaving chest was pressed against her knees, and he was breathing with difficulty.

Texas held the sword in both hands with her hair hanging down. Ling Dengxian's vision was a little blurred for a moment and he couldn't see her expression clearly.

"……what?"

"What did you say?" Ling Dengxian asked in a low voice.

"Why... don't you hide?"

"...I believe you." Ling Dengxian gave a somewhat difficult smile.

Texas loosened her sword-bearing hand, and her trembling fingertips touched his collarbone. She slowly pressed her palm down, took a deep breath, and whispered, "I'm fine."

"What do you mean?" Ling Dengxian didn't know what he meant and felt confused.

"I said, I'm back to normal now." The vision gradually brightened, and Ling Dengxian finally saw the Rupert girl smiling rarely, with a drop of crystal tears flowing from the corner of her eye.

"Thank you... I promise that this time, you won't be alone." Texas made a promise, and her sword broke the silence about fate from then on.

Ling Dengxian's eyes narrowed, then slowly curved, and finally he smiled very softly: "Then...thank you in advance."

Shuang Xing and the others didn't know whether they should step forward or not. It seemed... it was over? So what was the reason for the fight between the two?

You know, this movement has already attracted some people from the Integration Movement to watch. Since then, no one dares to underestimate the doctor "White Dove", at least not in person.

On an invisible level, a sword mark appeared on the invisible chain between the two people, which then gradually expanded. Slowly, a terrible chain collapsed.

"The thing I'm most worried about...can't be avoided after all..." A voice sighed and withdrew its hand, ultimately failing to succeed.

"But it doesn't matter."

“I can still see the light.”