Air Force?

Rustle, rustle, rustle…

A refreshing breeze swept through the valley, down the slopes, and into the dense rainforest. Amidst the rustling leaves, it picked up humid air, transforming the initially cool wind into something heavy and damp.

Rustle, rustle, rustle…

Arriving with the breeze, Yae Sakura gracefully descended from the towering branches, landing lightly on the ground. She picked up a handful of soil, mixed with fallen leaves and twigs, and sniffed the faint scent of blood amidst the decaying earth, carefully discerning the "prey's" direction.

As a shrine maiden of Yae Village, Sakura was also a skilled hunter.

"..."

Sakura removed her Shikigami mask, taking a deep breath.

Too hasty…

This was Southeast Asia, the Philippines. Not the Japan, and certainly not ancient Shinano. The forest here was too dense, the sunlight filtering through the canopy too weak. The narrow eyeholes of the Shikigami mask were proving impractical in this environment.

She'd been too excited about acting alone after so long.

Sakura gently stroked the fox face of the mask, hanging it back on her waist, a strange smile playing on her lips.

Lin Wei wouldn't tease me about this, would he? she mused, letting out a soft sigh.

Despite her previous resistance, she'd unconsciously been influenced by SAKURA.

The Shikigami mask was a sacred object used in shrine rituals, not a tool for concealing one's face and acting in secret.

But SAKURA always wore a strangely shaped mask during battle, which, combined with her fierce fighting style, created a rather intimidating aura.

Sakura, competitive by nature and already disliking SAKURA, naturally refused to be outdone in this regard, promptly donning her own Shikigami mask in response.

As for whether this would anger the gods?

Sakura scoffed at the thought. When had she, as a shrine maiden, ever truly revered the gods?

It was all an act!

Living with Lin Wei in Elysian Realm for so long, it had become a habit.

And now, she'd been slightly inconvenienced by it…

The mask severely restricted her vision, making it difficult to spot small obstacles. The dense branches along the way had scraped against her ears, causing a dull ache.

Specifically, the long ears atop her head.

Sakura took off her hat, smoothing her waist-length pink hair, suppressing her slight annoyance. After briefly confirming the prey's direction, she continued her pursuit.

The girl moved swiftly and silently through the dense forest, like a hunter stalking its prey, maintaining a steady distance, intending to follow it back to its lair and capture the ultimate prize.

Although Lin Wei hadn't shown it, Sakura knew he was furious and worried about Anna's sudden injury.

And she felt his anger.

Therefore, she wouldn't let that creature escape. It would pay the price!

With these thoughts, Sakura's expression remained calm, her sharp gaze piercing through the dense foliage, one hand firmly gripping her katana's hilt.

At this moment, Sakura resembled a swordsman, a warrior, rather than a gentle shrine maiden.

"Hmm?"

Sakura stopped again. The space here, compressed between towering trees, felt constricted.

"The scent ends here. Could it be…?"

Sakura muttered to herself, slightly bending down, her alertness reaching its peak.

Behind her, concealed by tangled roots and low bushes, was a hunting ground favored by small predators.

And at this moment, a seemingly inconspicuous small cat lurked there, its large eyes fixed on its prey, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

Stan had initially planned to retreat into the forest to lick his wounds before returning to base and reporting to his master. But his animal instincts alerted him to the fact he was being followed.

The clever cat never doubted his intuition. He quickly recalled his days as a stray, toying with the mice he hunted, and how he himself had been toyed with by larger stray dogs.

And Stan was furious.

He was no longer the same. After paying a heavy price, he now possessed immense power. He was no longer that pitiful, vulnerable stray.

So, he decided to eliminate this ignorant fool.

Stan seized the moment Sakura turned her back, his four paws propelling him forward like a cheetah. The collar around his neck flashed red, transforming him into a monstrous beast as he leaped, pouncing on the slender figure like a hungry tiger.

Boom!

Roar!

Having just suffered a setback at the hands of the two Valkyries, Stan didn't dare underestimate this pink-haired girl. He unleashed his full power from the start, his claws, capable of tearing through giant trees, swiping down at Sakura with overwhelming force.

Sakura sneered. She wouldn't be fooled by such simple predatory tactics. With a slight bend, she dodged the sharp claws in a flash, the wind whistling past her ears.

Having evaded the first attack, Sakura instantly spun around, drawing her katana. The crimson blade flashed, piercing the monstrous cat's "soft" underbelly. Stan, unable to stop his forward momentum, was nearly disemboweled, purplish-red blood gushing out like a spring.

"Aooo!"

Stan's massive body crashed to the ground, rolling and crushing trees in its path. Without the dense canopy, brilliant sunlight finally reached the forest floor. But Stan had no time to appreciate the scenery, consumed by agonizing pain.

How could this be?

Hunter and prey, their roles reversed in an instant.

Sakura's counterattack was too swift, too deadly, leaving him no time to react.

Stan looked up at Sakura in agony. Bathed in sunlight, amidst the surrounding darkness, the girl appeared divine.

The divine maiden simply flicked the blood from her blade, calmly sheathing it, and stared down at him with cold, blue eyes, like a god observing a sacrificial offering.

That emotionless gaze told Stan he would die…

Terror filled him. He didn't want to die.

"A slight mishap, but capturing you here saves me some trouble. Using the Divine Key for intel gathering will be much more efficient…"

Sakura murmured, walking towards Stan, her mood noticeably brighter. It seemed she was stronger than she'd previously thought, having lacked a suitable opponent for comparison.

Sparring with the Flame-Chasers in Elysian Realm, she'd always been at a disadvantage, leading her to underestimate her own abilities.

Overwhelmed by the fear of death, Stan trembled, desperately searching for a way to survive.

Suddenly, Sakura stopped, looking back in a different direction with a startled expression.

"A chance!"

Stan jolted, shrinking his body, ignoring the searing pain as he desperately fled.

Escape… Run! Run!

I'm not strong enough! I need to become stronger!

Stan urged himself on, pushing his body to its limits.

"..."

Sakura turned back. Her prey had escaped.

Composing herself, suppressing her worry for Lin Wei, Sakura decided to continue the hunt.

She was still worried, but since Lin Wei had said he could handle it, she should trust him…

She reassured herself.

......

"Would you mind telling me everything you saw, and everything you know?"

Elsewhere, Otto, having restrained Lin Wei with a golden, simulated Feather of Dust, asked the question he cared about most, hoping against hope for a breakthrough.

The strange Honkai beast was also valuable, but why had he been so confident he could capture the mastermind behind it?

This was truly frustrating.

Why were you even looking? Why didn't you just die from fright? Otto glared at the pale, trembling Lin Wei with disappointment.

Realizing his "air force" status, Otto was unwilling to give up, hoping to salvage something.

Just give me something useful, even the Honkai beast's escape route would do…

"Yes, sir…"

The controlled Lin Wei opened his unfocused eyes, truthfully relaying the information he knew,

"I saw that huge Honkai beast… attack two Schicksal Valkyries… and then, it ran away…"

"Hmm?"

A glimmer of hope sparked in Otto's eyes. Who said I was an air force?

Honkai beast, Valkyries. These weren't terms ordinary people knew.

This man definitely had a problem. Otto's mood brightened, deciding to press further.

"Who are you? Why do you know these things?"

Interrogation should start from the basics to gather complete information.

"My name is He Kun, sir…"

The controlled Lin Wei responded like an emotionless answering machine, answering every question without elaboration.

"I've read the files, sir…"

Well, at least he was polite.

Otto appreciated Lin Wei's manners, deciding to give him another chance.

"What are you doing here?"

"Carrying out a mission, sir…"

Lin Wei replied obediently.

"..."

Just shut up.

Otto's patience wore thin. Another golden feather brushed down, directly altering Lin Wei's language mode from the mental realm.

"Now, answer my question again."

Otto's tone turned slightly menacing.

If the Feather of Dust hadn't proven its reliability countless times, he would have suspected he was being toyed with.

"Yes, sir…"

Lin Wei's opening words made Otto's eye twitch.

"My name is He Kun, an employee of Anti-Entropy, currently investigating a case of 'hostile organization infiltration and theft of organizational assets.'"

"..."

As if Anti-Entropy hasn't been infiltrated enough, Otto thought.

It was his old rivals. The answer left Otto somewhat disappointed.

He recalled the Anti-Entropy mechs found on Coral Island that weren't under their control, and Amber's subsequent report of a large-scale internal investigation within Anti-Entropy.

The Coral Island incident did have some connections to Southeast Asia, as far as he knew. It was reasonable for Anti-Entropy to send someone to investigate. The information matched.

But if this man had nothing to do with World Serpent, wasn't he still an air force?

(╯‵□′)╯︵┻━┻ [table flip]

"Alright, esteemed Mr. He Kun…"

Otto suppressed his rising blood pressure – why did his Soulium body even have that function? – and continued his interrogation, unwilling to give up.

"Since you say you're in Southeast Asia investigating the loss of Anti-Entropy assets, can you tell me why you're in the middle of nowhere?"

While this was technically a tourist spot, Otto didn't want to waste time on such trivial details, pressing his question with a menacing tone.

"Mr. He Kun, are you withholding some crucial information?"

He didn't believe in such coincidences.

"..."

Lin Wei's expression turned troubled. He opened his mouth, as if wanting to speak but hesitant.

Otto raised an eyebrow. There was definitely something more to this.

"Esteemed Mr. He Kun, can you please tell me why you are here?"

"...Yes, sir…"

Lin Wei seemed to have made a difficult decision, his unfocused eyes showing a hint of struggle, making Otto even more anticipating of his answer.

"It was a personal initiative, sir…"

But Lin Wei's answer left Otto hanging, utterly frustrated.

Rubbing his forehead, he gestured for Lin Wei to explain.

"I previously discovered that all clues in the Anti-Entropy asset loss case pointed to Southeast Asia."

Having made his decision, Lin Wei's expression calmed, his eyes still unfocused as he spoke slowly and methodically.

"But as I was investigating, Schicksal's Valkyrie units in Southeast Asia suddenly began unusually large-scale maneuvers."

"..."

Otto felt like he'd been hit by a boomerang, his blood pressure spiking again.

"Therefore, I suspect Schicksal is involved…"

Absolutely not! I issued the mobilization orders, but this really has nothing to do with Anti-Entropy, I swear!

Otto insisted that while he'd done plenty of shady things, he wouldn't stoop to stealing from Anti-Entropy!

"You… Forget it, continue…"

Otto realized he'd made a mistake. He should have pursued the Honkai beast. It would have been better than this!

But Lin Wei clearly had more to say. Since he was here, Otto decided to hear this absurd story to the end.

"While I had my suspicions, I lacked evidence, so I didn't dare report it rashly. Anti-Entropy can't afford a direct conflict with Schicksal right now…"

Lin Wei spoke with an air of selfless devotion to his organization.

Don't suspect anymore, it's true! I'll call Welt tomorrow and explain everything…

Why is it that every time I try to do something, someone from Anti-Entropy shows up to mess things up?

Useless at everything except causing trouble!

Otto inwardly condemned Anti-Entropy's unprofessionalism.

But then, Lin Wei's next words dealt another blow, making Otto's vision darken.

"Not long ago, we learned through public channels that Schicksal suddenly transferred a C-Rank Valkyrie from HQ to the Philippines. This was highly unusual, leading me to suspect a conspiracy!"

"..."

There is a conspiracy, I admit…

But today's events have nothing to do with Anti-Entropy, I swear to God…

Can you just stay out of this? I'm very busy! Don't cause trouble at a time like this!

Otto finally understood the cause and effect, the meaning of "boomerang."

Every order had been issued by him personally, publicly, without concealment. It was normal for Anti-Entropy to see them.

But these paranoid fools had overcomplicated things, seeing it as a conspiracy against them…

Well, even I only just grasped the snake's tail. How could those idiots at Anti-Entropy possibly detect their presence?

Otto indignantly expressed his disdain for Anti-Entropy.

It seemed this was indeed a misunderstanding caused by a series of coincidences.

Otto sighed wearily. He was indeed an air force this time…

But Lin Wei's "work report" wasn't over.

"Therefore, using my hacking skills, I began monitoring this C-Rank Valkyrie, attempting to uncover any clues to this conspiracy."

"...How did you monitor her?"

Otto felt the Void Archives about to seize the opportunity to mock him mercilessly.

"I'm a hacker, sir."

Lin Wei's report was concise.

"I hacked into Manila's city-wide surveillance system, using the cameras for remote monitoring."

He added with a hint of regret,

"And because of that, in areas without network coverage, I had to resort to risky tailing…"

"HAHAHAHAHA!"

As expected, the Void Archives erupted in laughter.

"..."

Otto rubbed his forehead. So, the feeling of being watched all this time was because of this guy?

Otto quickly accepted this absurd reality, calming himself. But, ever suspicious, he didn't fully believe Lin Wei – even if these words were spoken under the Feather's influence.

Another feather brushed down, Otto personally searching the man's memories, confirming his words. After a moment of silence, he burst into laughter.

"Hmph hmph…"

"Hehehe…"

"HAHAHAHA!"

Otto's laughter transitioned from a wry chuckle to self-deprecating amusement, and finally, to unrestrained laughter.

What this guy had done was…

…brilliant!

Otto patted Lin Wei on the shoulder, his tone gentle.

"Mr. He Kun, you've done an excellent job. I commend you."

"Thank you for your praise, sir…"

Lin Wei maintained his businesslike tone.

Otto seemed unfazed by his impoliteness, smoothing Lin Wei's slightly rumpled clothes, a warm smile spreading across his face. He spoke earnestly,

"But, I must remind you of something important, esteemed Mr. He Kun…"

Otto, with a chillingly pleasant smile, brushed down another feather.

"You seem to have forgotten that you are a Schicksal spy planted within Anti-Entropy, specifically tasked with gathering intel for the Overseer…"

Lin Wei's expression shifted, then dawned on him with a look of realization and annoyance.

"Ah! Yes, how could I forget such an important matter?"

"Ah, that is indeed a grave mistake, esteemed Mr. He Kun."

Otto's smile was gentle and warm, like a spring breeze.

"But it's alright, I can forgive this small error. However, I now need your assistance in completing an important task."

Lin Wei's expression turned serious, stepping forward.

"Please tell me, sir!"

Otto nodded with satisfaction.

The fleeting appearance of the Honkai beast proved his plan hadn't completely failed, just encountered some unexpected twists and turns.

And these twists were all related to Anti-Entropy, and to this He Kun.

Otto didn't mind the embarrassment or ridicule. He'd realized that since this He Kun had managed to make him look so foolish, he clearly had some value.

In that case, he would let him fully utilize his technical skills to dig out that elusive snake!

Seeing "He Kun" so cooperative, Otto nodded approvingly, then put him to sleep, indistinguishable from the other unconscious tourists scattered around.

Leaving Lin Wei there, Otto turned and left, no longer paying him any attention. The police would handle the mess later; he didn't need to do anything more.

Once this mission was complete, perhaps letting him actually become a spy within Anti-Entropy wouldn't be a bad idea? Otto mused.

Elsewhere, after Otto's departure, Lin Wei remained "unconscious" on the ground, seemingly lifeless.

But deep within his closed eyes, a black feather floated, gradually fading and dissipating.

Then, a pink feather appeared, bobbing gently, emitting a faint glow.

"I didn't expect you to be so… playful…"

A flash of light, and the feather transformed into a familiar human form, Fu Hua standing beside Lin Wei's consciousness, her expression a mix of amusement and bewilderment.

"You're quite the trickster."