Volume 1, Chapter 30: A Special Investigation Mission

"Near the Mariana Trench, located by the Marianas Islands northeast of the Philippines, unknown creatures resembling Honkai Beasts have been spotted. Although no traces of Honkai Energy exist in the trench, according to Ghost's intelligence, there is evidence of Anti-Entropy Titan activity in that area, possibly conducting explorations."

On board the aircraft, Ana briefed Xia Chen about their mission.

"After the Manila Major Honkai Eruption, there were no established Valkyries in the region. The base suspects that Anti-Entropy's survey may be connected to the incident in Manila."

She paused before continuing, "Our task is to determine the origin of these creature-like beings and investigate if there exists another force, distinct from Honkai Energy, on this planet."

"Mariana Trench..."

Xia Chen couldn't help but frown.

Although he wasn't strictly a lore enthusiast in his previous life, he was familiar with this location.

After all, it was where Seele had shattered the barrier to the Sea of Quanta.

The source of those creatures became evident—they must likely be quantum entities.

But why would quantum beings appear in the real world?

"Hmm, what's on your mind?" Ana asked, noticing Xia Chen lost in thought.

"Nothing much, any other information?"

"No, just that Anti-Entropy seems to be getting more audacious. I suspect they might be behind the Manila Honkai event."

"Uh..." Xia Chen didn't know how to respond.

While Anti-Entropy claims to combat Honkai, they were responsible for the Nagazora City incident. Schicksal doesn't concern itself with internal divisions within Anti-Entropy.

Furthermore, the near Honkai event in Singapore also had undeniable ties to Anti-Entropy.

He paused briefly and said, "For now, let's keep this suspicion to ourselves; uncovering the truth is paramount."

Honkai inherently brings sudden disasters, but he lacked confidence in asserting that no human involvement played a role in this particular outbreak.

"By the way, how's your recovery progressing?" Xia Chen quickly changed the subject.

"Don't worry, even without using my holy blood, I won't hold you back. After all, House Schariac didn't rely solely on lineage to become Valkyries," Ana reassured him.

During this period, Ana has been undergoing intensive rehabilitation training, overseen by Durandal herself.

In Schicksal, there isn't a concept of needing 100 days to recover from severe injuries. Unless affected by Honkai Energy, mere blood loss can be swiftly addressed with specialized medications replenishing vital fluids.

However, it would still take some time for Ana to fully regain her peak condition.

"I haven't undertaken this type of mission before. Is there anything specific we should know?" he couldn't help but ask.

Most tasks assigned to the Immortal Blades involved combating Honkai, and gathering intelligence was not their forte.

Ana shook her head, "Not just you, these missions are typically handled by specialized personnel. We were called upon only because it involves Anti-Entropy. Once we reach the Philippines, someone will contact us."

"Then all we need to do is follow their instructions at that time."

"Yes."

Gathering information wasn't the primary expertise of Valkyries.

Xia Chen closed his eyes to rest, choosing not to engage in any simulations for now. Prioritizing mental rejuvenation was crucial; missing out on a few hours wouldn't be detrimental.

However, instead of heading directly to the Philippines, their aircraft made a detour, landing at Yap Island within the Federated States of Micronesia.

This small island had a population of merely 11,000 residents and boasted only one international airport. Although it had its own government, no Valkyries were stationed here.

Fortunately, Schicksal held some influence in the area. While they couldn't command local military or police forces, arranging for accommodations and meals wouldn't pose any significant challenges.

"How beautiful!"

As Ana stepped off the aircraft, she took in the nearly unspoiled island scenery. The salty sea breeze brushed against her face, revealing picturesque views everywhere she looked.

She couldn't help but sigh, "It would be wonderful if we had a chance to vacation here someday."

"Yes, it truly is beautiful," Xia Chen agreed.

"I've decided," Ana suddenly exclaimed, "once the Snow Lotus Squad is fully formed, our first team outing will be right here!"

Xia Chen remained silent, slightly taken aback.

"Excuse me, you two."

Not far from them, a woman dressed in staff attire approached. "I've been waiting here for quite some time; please stop with the romantic moments already."

Ana turned towards her, curious. "Who are you?"

"Ghost."

The person before them was the intelligence operative who had intervened in Singapore's Honkai incident two months earlier.

Surprisingly, Ghost was also involved in this operation.

However, upon reflection, it made sense. With Anti-Entropy present, and given Ghost's exceptional intelligence capabilities, it was natural for her to personally handle matters.

"Just the two of you?"

"Well, that's fine, should be enough."

Pausing briefly, she said, "Let's do introductions to confirm identities."

"I am Ana Schariac, member... of a numbered squad, A-ranked," she managed to refrain from saying 'Snow Lotus' when mentioning her squad.

"Xia Chen, Ana's teammate. Recently passed the A-rank assessment."

"Two A-ranks? The base is quite generous this time. Are you two on a romantic getaway?" Ghost couldn't resist teasing them.

"All right, I've prepared a temporary resting place for us. Now, follow my instructions carefully."

Ghost interrupted before Ana could defend herself, leaving her cheeks flushed.

On the other hand, Xia Chen remained unfazed.

He was curious about what methods Schicksal's special department employed.

However, after emerging from the designated rest area as described by Ghost, both were genuinely astonished.

Ana had transformed from a young woman into someone resembling a 26-year-old lady, while Xia Chen changed from a handsome man to a middle-aged gentleman in his thirties.

"Hmm, now that looks more like people on vacation." Ghost seemed highly satisfied with her work.

At that moment, their appearances had drastically altered. Xia Chen was certain that only dogs would recognize them based solely on scent.

However, Xia Chen was puzzled.

"What's the purpose of these disguises? Can we really infiltrate Anti-Entropy's facilities like this?"

"Of course not," she replied casually. "These identities are just covers. Two individuals appearing out of nowhere would certainly draw attention from Anti-Entropy."

"In other words, going outside now will only attract Anti-Entropy's notice." Xia Chen began to understand. "So, someone else is actually gathering intelligence, right?"

"Not bad, you're catching on. That's correct." She shrugged and said, "I've already located Anti-Entropy's base, but I didn't disclose it due to concerns about interception. For now, you two should enjoy yourselves here for a few days. Naturally, I'll release some Honkai Beasts; remember to eliminate them."

Xia Chen remained silent, unsure how to respond.

Ana also hesitated, processing the situation.

Alright, they understood. Reconnaissance wasn't exactly the forte of Valkyries, and their primary role here was simply to serve as distractions, drawing attention away from the actual investigators.

"Honestly, this isn't what I expected for an investigation mission," Ana couldn't help but remark sarcastically.

"Look on the bright side," Xia Chen smiled. "At least it's our squad's first team-building activity."