Hello, Arknights

Chapter 256: Farce

"So Miss Xiyin has just arrived in Rhodes Island not long ago... I'm so sorry to let you see such a special scene." Ling Dengxian released his hand that was pressing White-Faced Owl against the wall, and simply grabbed her, completing the task of seizing the camera.

"It's okay. Miss Xiyin said that she actually envied Miss White-Faced Owl for having the opportunity to play around like this." The one who answered him was not the main character, but the small camera cart next to him - the "lens".

This was the first time that Ling Dengxian saw the "Pirosa" race. In fact, he had never heard of this race before.

Precisely because he had never heard of it before, Ling Dengxian felt very curious about this race that spoke and moved extremely slowly.

"How did you guys continue to be in this situation...ah, sorry." Ling Dengxian realized that he had said something wrong and quickly apologized.

Xiyin still maintained the posture of looking at him. After all, it took her ten seconds to complete this action, and her customized car faithfully helped her express her open-minded attitude: "It doesn't matter. With the camera in Miss Xiyin's daily life, there is no need to worry. It will assist Miss Xiyin in completing what she wants to do."

Ling Dengxian found it very interesting. Rhodes Island also had medical robots, but most of them - yes, they even had genders - did not have language modules installed, and those with distinct personalities like Lens were even more special.

When introducing herself, she said that after she came to Rhodes Island, Klosher was very enthusiastic and installed the language module of the car for her before Xiyin could refuse.

So the reason why the lens is so unique is probably related to Klucie.

"Then next time if I have the chance, I will take Miss Xiyin and Lens... Miss to visit Rhodes Island. I have something to do today. Oh, by the way, you can call me Baige." Ling Dengxian almost forgot to introduce himself. He looked back at Surtel and Shuangye. The two were not in a hurry, but Ling Dengxian couldn't leave them alone any longer. And he cared a lot about what Kal'tsit asked him to do, to find something in the dormitory closet.

"Okay, Miss Xiyin said she was very happy to meet you today, and hopes to chat with you like today next time." The voice of the camera was full of understanding. After Ling Dengxian dealt with the white-faced owl, she looked back and saw that Startel raised his hand, said hello and left. She had already received his answer; when Shuangye saw that he was done, she took off her headphones and just looked at him simply.

"... I may not have a regular team here, but I will be responsible for your, uh, returning to the battlefield as you mentioned before." Ling Dengxian replied. Facing the pair of seemingly calm red eyes, he seemed to be able to see a little uneasiness.

"……Thanks."

She seemed to answer in a hurry, and after seeing his eyes, the uneasiness seemed to surface. Finally, she thanked him and prepared to leave.

"Wait a moment, Miss Shuangye, can you add the number of the communication terminal?" Ling Dengxian gently raised the communication terminal. The white-faced owl held in his arms looked up and memorized the number of the communication terminal.

Come to think of it... I seem to have come across quite a few red eyes on Rhodes Island, some mischievous, some lonely, some uneasy.

Before returning to the dormitory, he wanted to ask Yukari what would happen in the end. Although he had received a reply from Kal'tsit that she would stay and work as a special operators training consultant to pay off the debt for repairing the gate, it was only a reply from Rhodes Island after all, and he had to listen to Yukari's own thoughts.

He didn't have to put in much effort. After all, Zi's misbehavior was caused by him, so he probably wouldn't have to spend much time looking for her. Sure enough, when he was looking for the teaching materials that Ben Yaye had specified in the library, after crossing a bookshelf, Zi, who guessed that he was looking for her, showed up on her own initiative. The fatigue in her eyes was not accumulated over a day or two.

"…Is there a place to rest?" Ling Dengxian asked this while holding a book.

"That Feilin said that the library's utility room is big enough, so I can tidy it up myself and be responsible for the security of this information room." Zi nodded.

To be honest, a room with just teaching materials doesn't need any security. The fact that other elite operators are not arranged to live nearby shows that Kal'tsit has a very relaxed attitude.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Ling Dengxian sighed.

"...I'm starting to doubt you." Zi said coldly, and Ling Dengxian's heart trembled.

"what happened?"

"As far as I can remember, you couldn't express such anger when facing me at Longmen." The sharp weapon had been confiscated, but Zi's lips moved, slightly revealing her sharp canine teeth, and her dangerous eyes reminded him that she would always endure some troubles, but the premise was that his confusion would not bring trouble to the transaction.

Ling Dengxian raised his hand and placed it on her shoulder. Her vision gradually became clearer. She could feel the hand on her shoulder. It was very light, but it finally had the power to make her feel at ease again.

"...Thank you. If you can't do it, I might..."

“When the rootless duckweed takes root, its strength cannot be ignored; the pigeon looking for its way home will fly forever until it lands on the land of its hometown.” Ling Dengxian looked at the glittering dust floating in the light between the bookshelves and inexplicably envied them for having a home.

"Really? I see you seem quite comfortable on this ship," Zi said softly.

"...Maybe, it's because the bed is very good?" Ling Dengxian smiled with relief, waved his hand, and prepared to leave.

"Wait a minute." He turned around, Zi hesitated for a moment, and said, "Can you lend me the badge on your chest...?"

Ling Dengxian was stunned. He had pinned the badge that Texas gave him very secretly under his coat, but she still found it.

"What's wrong?" He didn't take it out immediately.

"It's just that I suddenly wanted to take a look. After all, it once represented the freest and most powerful new force in Syracuse."

Ling Dengxian paused, freed one hand, unbuttoned his collar, felt the scars on it, and handed it to Zi.

"...The people who left these scars have also begun to add such scars to themselves." Zi stared at the family emblem for a long time, and finally laughed at himself and returned it to Ling Dengxian.

"Let me remind you, Lost Dove, that's what you call yourself, right? The Texas badge has never been given to outsiders. Those who receive the badge will eventually become members of the Texas family. The wolf is well aware of this."

"But the family no longer exists, and the unwritten rules naturally no longer exist. You should know best what she means." Zi sighed and glanced at him teasingly, "And as far as I know, there are quite a few female participants in your story."

Ling Dengxian burst out laughing.

"Probably... it's still an ending that can't be reached."

“I can be so calm because I am just looking forward to it, not hoping to get there.”

"... Finally, let me tell you an anecdote, a ridiculous thing that happened in Syracuse."

"There is a member of a Syracuse family. His status is not high, but not low either. He is placed in the Guard Hall. I don't see any charm in him, but he is liked by the daughter of a judge, the successor to the head of another big family, and a messenger who traveled here. Moreover, he likes them too." Zi emphasized the last two words.

Ling Dengxian: "...Uh, six?"

"Do you think he's a winner in life? Unfortunately, the judge's daughter and the daughter who will inherit the family were classmates and friends. His appearance in the future that was destined to drift apart has become a catalyst, leading to a very bad future. The traveler brought important information needed by the core family, and the big family that the heir's family is on the side of wants to intercept this information, and they will use any means necessary."

Ling Dengxian seemed to know what was going to happen. He sighed and said, "It's a tragedy."

"Wrong," Zi showed an inexplicable expression, it was hard to tell what she was feeling, "It's a ridiculous farce."

"That man finally abandoned all his identities and walked on the streets, doing meaningless things. He was just a little bit good at fighting, but when everyone found out that he was just a fool and had no background - his family had already expelled him - no one cared about his life or death anymore. The guards from the Legal Affairs Department and the assassins from two not-so-small families could overwhelm his determination. His tendons in his hands and feet were almost severed, and he fell in a roadside ditch, dying. He was basically no different from those corpses."

"Not a tragedy? It seems that we don't have the definition of this—"

"This farce naturally has an absurd ending. The chaos spread from the dark alleys to the streets. People all know that the aftermath of this big family game may continue for a whole day, or it may stop after an hour. However, the answer is the next second."

"An old man appeared on the street. No one could touch him. The giant wolf who was secretly observing to prevent the situation from getting out of control didn't know when he appeared. He shouted in a hoarse voice, 'It's going to snow! Go home and collect your clothes!'"

Ling Dengxian's eyes twitched. This old man... Is there such a strange man in Syracuse?

As for Syracuse, snow is a bit of a fantasy, because there are quite a few plum rains throughout the year.

Besides, the clothes were wet, which seemed a bit funny.

"and then?"

"it sleets."

"what?"

"The huge hail came very suddenly, knocking out a lot of family members as soon as it fell. The bloody fight one second turned into a speed race with stray dogs tumbling and crawling the next second."

"The protagonist has changed?"

"Of course not. The old man pulled that family member up and asked him to think clearly whether he wanted everything or nothing, integrity or eternal separation, infamy or daily necessities."

“What is all this… Why are you telling me this story…” Ling Dengxian admitted that this was a farce, a farce at the level of playwright Lei.

"Well, the ending has something to do with what I want to say."

"What?"

"That boy kidnapped all three of his favorite people. The traveling messenger was seriously injured and lived a very happy life in the last three days of his life. The judge's daughter died in the pursuit because of his half-hearted determination. Only the family heir continued with him."

"..."

"Four people reconciled because of his half-hearted determination, but two people died because of man-made disasters and half-hearted determination. Originally, this story could have been happy if he could have realized it earlier."

"…This has nothing to do with me, right?!" Ling Dengxian immediately exploded, "Bye, bye."

Sure enough, it is still too conservative. How could playwright Lei write such a ridiculous plot?

Zi looked at his back and shook her head slightly.

“Perhaps, it is indeed a tragedy.”

"But he finally caught the tail of happiness. Is it really a tragedy?"