Let's Play a Game

"Should I address you as 'He Kun,' or 'Lin Wei?' Or perhaps… Welt… Yang?" Otto asked, a hint of amusement in his eyes, curious to see if the young man would maintain his composure.

As expected, Lin Wei's smile faltered. He patted his pockets, then turned to Rita with a look of feigned helplessness. "Rita, I seem to have lost everything. Could I borrow your communicator?"

Rita blinked, taken aback by his audacity.

Before she could appeal to Otto, the Overseer chuckled. "Such a small dilemma shouldn't trouble you, my friend."

"It's not the dilemma that troubles me, but the question itself. I need some outside help to understand." Lin Wei smiled wryly, then looked at Otto suspiciously. "Is that a problem? Is Schicksal's hospitality so… restrictive?"

"Not at all," Otto chuckled. "I'm merely curious about who you intend to contact for this 'outside help.'"

"Welt, of course!" Lin Wei replied, as if it were obvious. "Aren't you Welt? I should consult him, shouldn't I?"

Otto's eyes narrowed. Was this a blatant admission? Did he intend to contact Anti-Entropy, have them teleport their mechs to Schicksal HQ, create chaos, and escape in the confusion?

Do you really think Anti-Entropy's meager forces can save you, or threaten me?

"Oh, right, you two are enemies. My apologies. I forgot…" Lin Wei slapped his forehead dramatically.

"No matter. As your host, I should make you feel welcome." Otto smiled magnanimously, signaling to Rita. If his guest wanted to struggle, he would indulge him, using the opportunity to warn those Anti-Entropy remnants against acting rashly. After all, their most valuable hostage was in his hands.

A cruel smile played on his lips. "If Anti-Entropy is foolish enough to try anything, I'll gladly crush them."

Rita, reluctantly, handed Lin Wei her communicator.

Lin Wei nodded his thanks, then dialed a familiar number.

"I knew a good person wouldn't stay out of touch forever," Otto sneered under his breath.

"Hello? Ri—" The urgent voice on the other end was abruptly cut off.

"Long time no see, Dr. Tesla. It's Lin Wei." He glanced at Otto, a playful glint in his eyes. "I'm at Schicksal HQ, using their communicator."

"What?!" Tesla was stunned. What was going on?

Otto, using his authority, projected the call onto a large screen, smiling at the red-haired scientist. "Long time no see, Doctor." Durandal and Rita stood ready, anticipating an attack.

"Otto?! You?!" Tesla's heart skipped a beat at the sight of that smug, familiar face.

"So, Doctor, the Overseer asked me a question, and I'm not sure how to answer." Lin Wei glanced impatiently at Otto. "It's a strange question. Sounds familiar, but I can't quite place it. So, I decided to call you…"

"Ask what?" Tesla asked, completely bewildered.

"Remember our first meeting? You mistook me for Otto, right?"

"Well, that was…" Tesla stammered, unsure how to respond.

"See? I'm not Otto." Lin Wei pointed at himself, then at the Overseer. "But this esteemed Overseer just asked me if I'm Welt. Now I'm confused." He spread his hands, gesturing at Otto and the screen showing Tesla. "One of you says I'm Otto, the other says I'm Welt… you're both so confident, I don't even know who I am anymore! How about you two fight it out? Winner takes all."

Otto, Tesla, Durandal, Rita, and Yuno were speechless. No one had expected this. He seemed so earnest, so… entertained, it was hard to tell who was in charge.

"…Lin Wei, don't mind that madman. Hold on, we'll find a way to get you out!" Tesla, ignoring Otto, spoke urgently. "If all else fails, use your…"

The screen went blank. The call ended.

"Oh dear, the signal's gone," Lin Wei said, feigning disappointment. "What a pity. I didn't get my answer."

Yuno felt a chill of disappointment, even resentment, at seeing Lin Wei's familiarity with Anti-Entropy. But she remained silent. It wasn't over yet. He hadn't explicitly confirmed his allegiance. And she remembered Anna's heartbroken plea. She would wait.

"My, my, you're full of surprises," Otto chuckled, not entirely displeased. At least this "Lin Wei" had secrets, and wasn't willing to share them.

Was this a show of force? Otto scoffed internally, but admired his tenacity.

"Indeed, I'm surprised myself." Lin Wei shrugged. "Both Anti-Entropy and Schicksal… you're both terrible at recognizing faces. Your professionalism is… concerning."

As long as Otto maintained his smug facade, hiding his true intentions, Lin Wei would play along.

I'm in no rush.

Otto, tired of the banter, decided to get down to business. Whether he was Welt or not was irrelevant.

"Mr. He Kun, we meet again. You won't deny that name, will you?" What mattered were the missing World Serpent members, and the location of the Second Divine Key.

"Oh, that's just a college nickname. Borrowed, temporarily." Lin Wei smiled innocently. "My real name is Lin Wei. The one and only." There was no point hiding it.

"Really? How… surprising." Otto's smile remained fixed, his voice smooth. "So, you deceived me during our last encounter. How disappointing."

"How so, Overseer?" Lin Wei feigned surprise. "As a Schicksal spy within Anti-Entropy, using a false name to conceal my identity is standard procedure, isn't it?"

A sly smile played on his lips. "You assigned me that role yourself. Have you… forgotten?"

"Allow me to remind you. You admitted it to Durandal herself!"

"Overseer, you wouldn't… forget, would you?"

Durandal's expression remained unchanged, but Otto's smile faltered. Being tricked, then mocked for it, was unpleasant.

While he didn't care about appearances, he did care about losing a valuable opportunity.

"Let's not dwell on the past. You were simply more… resourceful. I admit defeat." Otto's smile returned, deflecting the taunt smoothly. "He Kun or Lin Wei, the outcome remains the same." "Your clever words won't change the fact that you're trapped."

"What outcome? Resourceful? Are you saying I deliberately antagonized you?" Lin Wei feigned confusion.

Otto looked down at him, a sardonic smile on his face, his silence speaking volumes.

"You're right, Overseer. We both know the truth." Lin Wei, unfazed by his silent intimidation, chuckled softly. "You were the one who intruded, attempting to read my memories, even alter my consciousness… without my consent. I was merely defending myself. Surely even I am allowed that much?" He tore down the pretense of civility.

"Given your esteemed position, you wouldn't deny these facts, would you?" He sneered. "You want to save face? I won't let you. Your humiliation is my victory."

If he had to lose, he would drag Otto down with him. He would lose gracefully, on his terms.

"It's fine. I have plenty of time. Let's play a game."

"Your account is… enlightening. In a way, it's quite accurate," Otto said, still smiling, unfazed by the accusations. "But the world is vast. If you hadn't laid such an elaborate trap, using yourself as bait, I wouldn't have stumbled into it, would I? That's what I meant by your resourcefulness and my… miscalculation."

"Indeed, the world is vast." Lin Wei smiled back, his voice calm. "But to say I laid a trap in Manila, specifically targeting you, Overseer… that's quite an accusation. How could I, a mere nobody, predict your movements so accurately, in such a remote location?"

He paused, studying Otto, then chuckled wryly. "Besides, you were there in disguise, using a different name, even a different gender. I had no way of knowing your true identity, let alone your intentions. How could I possibly target you?"

Otto couldn't refute this without looking foolish.

"Such sharp wit," Otto conceded, changing tack. "Then, perhaps you can enlighten me, Mr. Lin Wei. Why were you there, in disguise?" "Stop stalling. Tell me about World Serpent!"

"Me?" Lin Wei feigned surprise, then pointed at Yuno. "Someone told me this girl, Yuno, whom I'd entrusted to Schicksal, was in Manila. I was concerned for her safety, so I went to check on her. That's all."

Yuno's eyes widened. "I—"

"I know. No need to explain," Otto interrupted, chuckling. "After you disappeared, Mr. Lin Wei, we learned that the 'Yuno' in Manila… was me."

Lin Wei gasped dramatically. "My, my, Overseer, your… hobbies are truly… remarkable."

"…" Yuno, despite her suspicions, felt a pang of anger at having her identity stolen. Someone had lived a part of her life, without her consent.

Durandal, who had been observing Yuno, remained silent. Otto's occasional eccentricities were well known among his inner circle.

"Oh dear, I just noticed something rather awkward," Lin Wei said, slapping his forehead dramatically. "Wasn't I supposed to be a guest? An honored guest? I feel more like a suspect under interrogation. Is it my imagination? Or is this Schicksal's unique brand of hospitality?"