You Know I Trust You Most

That familiar ceiling…

Lee blinked at the overhead light as she woke up—this hospital room is really starting to feel like home. I didn't expect to be back so soon.

She'd been rescued by the Fire Moth after being injured by the Herrscher and rushed back to HQ from the Australian branch.

As their poster child, with Mei's protection, Lee received top-notch treatment. The high-tech ward was fully equipped, and the moment she regained consciousness, the medical staff were alerted.

While waiting, Lee calmly checked her energy balance.

As expected, several large sums had been added since she lost consciousness.

It seemed she was getting the hang of this Herrscher-slaying business.

Back at the Australian branch, the moment she saw Himeko—no, the Seventh Herrscher—Lee's instincts screamed danger, telling her that the seemingly normal person before her was no longer the captain of the Fifth Squad.

If she had raised the alarm then, everyone would have died when the Herrscher of Flames revealed herself. So Lee chose to approach and attack, only to be stopped by Hua.

Judging by the way her dagger had melted, even if Hua hadn't interfered, she couldn't have killed the Herrscher. The power difference was too great.

If the Seven Thunders of Retribution hadn't been confiscated, or if she hadn't been weakened, Lee was confident she could have taken the unsuspecting Herrscher by surprise.

Unfortunately, there were no ifs.

The moment the Herrscher of Flames descended upon Himeko, the fate of everyone in the base was sealed. Even if Lee had exchanged for Herrscher-level power from the system shop, she could at best achieve a stalemate, unable to protect the nearby Fire Moth members.

So, adhering to the principle of not wasting resources, Lee capitalized on the situation. She couldn't save everyone, but she could protect Hua—or at least, make it look that way.

She unhesitatingly shielded Hua, taking the brunt of the Herrscher's attack, falling unconscious.

But Lee hadn't actually lost consciousness. With the Herrscher of Flames present, being truly unconscious was too risky. She remained aware. If the Herrscher decided to finish them off, Lee would have to unleash her full power, reminding the Herrscher of what a peak MANTIS could do…

Fortunately, that costly scenario didn't happen. The Herrscher didn't bother with a complete extermination, just scorched the base and left.

Lee, who "selflessly" protected Hua, earned another 200,000 energy, then, after confirming there was no further threat, she allowed herself to pass out.

But besides Hua's contribution, there were several other five and even six-figure sums in her energy records. Most likely from Kevin and the others, upon learning of her injury.

"Lee, how are you feeling?!"

A disheveled, green-haired Mobius rushed into the room as Lee was lost in thought. "Are you feeling any better? Vill-V used Abyss Flower on you, but she said it wasn't very effective earlier…"

Abyss Flower?

Lee suddenly understood why her back didn't hurt. Vill-V had given her another emergency heal.

"I'm fine, Doctor…" Seeing Mobius, Lee struggled to sit up, her voice anxious. "The Seventh Herrscher! The Seventh Herrscher appeared at the Australian branch! She can release incredibly powerful flames! What's the situation?!"

"Don't worry, Lee, it's… it's under control. Kevin and Elysia have gone to fight her. Mei and Vill-V are discussing countermeasures. It'll be over soon." Mobius avoided Lee's gaze, focusing on the monitor readings. "We'll handle it, Lee. Just rest here—"

"Ever since the Herrscher of the Void attacked HQ, the Fire Moth's policy has been to keep powerful Warrior stationed at HQ." Lee cut her off, her eyes fixed on Mobius. "If everything was fine, why would Kevin and Elysia both be fighting the Seventh Herrscher? Do they think I'm capable of protecting HQ now?"

"Doctor, you've always been the person I trust most, so…" Lee lowered her head, her voice soft. "Please, don't lie to me."

[Energy +90,000]

"…"

What could Mobius do?

Even if her intention was to prevent Lee from worrying, when faced with such a plea from the person she cared about most, how could she lie?

She could only answer.

"The situation is… not good. The Seventh Herrscher is far stronger than any previous Herrscher. Elysia was quickly defeated, and Kevin, who went to support her, was injured and retreated." Mobius lowered her voice. "The Herrscher's destructive power is immense. In less than a day, the entire eastern coast of Australia is ablaze… personnel units and missiles are ineffective. The Fire Moth is scrambling for a solution. Mei and Vill-V are working on it."

Mobius relayed the information she knew. Silence fell over Lee.

After a long pause, she spoke, her voice hoarse.

"What about Hua?"

"You mean the warrior who carried you out of the fire? She was in contact with both you and the Seventh Herrscher. We wanted to keep her at HQ for questioning, but the Australian branch is short-handed, and she insisted on returning, so she rejoined the rescue team."

"I see… That's good… What about the others at the base?"

"…Most of the warriors perished when the Herrscher appeared."

Mobius hated saying it, but Lee demanded the truth… She watched Lee's already tired eyes grow even dimmer.