After seeing off Kamisato Ayaka, Lin Yide quietly returned to his office. He meticulously brewed himself a cup of fragrant coffee, its rich aroma slowly filling the air. Lin Yide sat at his desk, the coffee's fragrance accompanying his thoughts.
The real difficulty in currently managing Inazuma City lay solely with Raiden Ei. Facing the Puppet Shogun, he had ample connfidentce in victory; however, the moment he thought of Raiden Ei emerging from the Plane of Euthymia, his connfidentce began to waver. He genuinely wasn't entirely sure if he could defeat her.
Currently, Lin Yide had two directions for strengthening his power: one was to further deepen his mastery of the Kitsune Intent Cultivation Secret Art and acquire other elemental Visions; the other was to activate his C3 and C4 Constellations. After weighing the pros and cons, he chose to activate his Constellations to enhance his burst damage capability. Raiden Ei's most powerful ability was her Musou no Hitotachi. If he couldn't withstand this single slash, having all elemental Visions would be futile.
Having made his decision, he no longer hesitated. Currently, he had a total of [Number] experience points. Activating two Constellations required [Number] points, leaving a deficit of [Number] points. In the past, this would have been a considerable number for Lin Yide. However, now, he just had to wait, because someone would deliver them.
He picked up his coffee and took a deep, satisfying sip. The richness and strength of the coffee deeply permeated his heart, bringing him indescribable comfort. A sense of drowsiness gradually crept in. He planned to relax and take a short nap, so he gently rested his head on his desk.
But just as he was about to drift off to sleep, he suddenly sensed something alertly, yet he maintained his calm demeanor on the surface, continuing to rest on his desk as if deeply asleep. Before long, a figure appeared silently like a ghost in front of Lin Yide's desk.
"Yide, you have finally fallen into my grasp," the person slowly walked towards Lin Yide, a cruel smile appearing at the corner of his mouth. "Tell me, how do you wish for me to torment you?" A silver cone suddenly appeared in his hand, its cold metallic sheen glinting in the light, carrying infinite coldness and murderous intent. He grinned sinisterly, his eyes filled with a chilling madness that made one shudder.
"Don't worry, I won't let you die so easily," he stared viciously at Lin Yide, his voice filled with cruelty and twisted pleasure. "First, I will sever your limbs so you cannot escape. Then, I will slowly peel off your skin. I will sew your body into the skin of a dog. Finally, I will parade you in front of the Palais Mermonia in Fontaine, in front of the people of Fontaine." He grew more and more excited as he spoke, seemingly eager to see that scene.
Dottore strode up to Lin Yide, raised the cone in his hand, and prepared to viciously plunge it into his spine. However, just as he was about to strike, a black sword suddenly pierced through his chest. The black sword, carrying four elements of furious power, instantly triggered a violent elemental reaction within Dottore's body. These elemental forces, like savage beasts, rampaged through Dottore's body, destroying his form. Intense pain spread throughout his body, making him let out a shrill scream.
At the same time, Lin Yide, who had been resting on the desk, lifted his head, looking at the struggling Dottore with a look of amusement. "Dottore, it's been half a month, and your assassination technique is still so crude."
Dottore's face alternated between green and pale; he was enduring dual pain, physical and mental. He glared at Lin Yide with venomous hatred, his eyes filled with deep-seated animosity and boundless fury. "Yide, I will kill you! I must kill you!" Dottore roared, his voice filled with determination and madness.
Lin Yide smiled, calmly stood up, and slowly pulled the black sword out from his chest. There were still mottled bloodstains on the tip of the sword. "Try harder next time, Dottore," Lin Yide said indifferently. "Stop using little tricks like invisibility and shapeshifting; they are far too low-level."
As soon as he finished speaking, there was a loud "bang!" A violent explosion occurred centered around Dottore's body. The aftermath of the explosion, like a wild giant beast, instantly destroyed everything in the office, sending debris flying. The entire West Factory office building vibrated a few times under the impact of this force.
Thunderclap and Kaedehara Kazuha, who were in the office building, rushed to Lin Yide's office at the fastest speed almost the instant they heard the explosion. Their faces were filled with worry and tension, fearing that something untoward had happened to Lin Yide. When they rushed into the office, they saw it filled with smoke and dust, their vision obscured. However, they could vaguely see a figure standing amidst the ruins.
They walked closer, and their previously tense hearts instantly relaxed. They saw Lin Yide, protected steadily by four-colored elemental shields, leisurely savoring the coffee in his hand.
"Was it Dottore?" Thunderclap asked in a deep voice, with a hint of anger.
Lin Yide nodded slightly. "Yes, it was him. That guy snuck into the office when I wasn't paying attention and released hypnotic gas. Fortunately, I was just drinking coffee and noticed something was wrong." He paused, then continued, "Otherwise, this time next year might really have been my death anniversary."
A hint of anger flashed in Thunderclap's eyes. "Dottore, what a despicable and shameless fellow!"
Kaedehara Kazuha solemnly suggested to Lin Yide, "Director, for your safety, please allow Thunderclap and me to always be by your side from now on as guards."
Lin Yide thought for a moment, then nodded in agreement to this suggestion. The information leaked in advance by the Fatui was not always that accurate. Subsequently, the West Factory operatives also hurried over. After confirming that Lin Yide was safe and sound, they returned to their respective posts with peace of mind.
...
In a dimly lit laboratory, Dottore's strongest segment was mixing a bottle of reagent. His usually gentle and refined face suddenly twisted in a certain moment, revealing a ferocious and terrifying expression. This emotional outburst was brief; he quickly returned to his usual calm, continuing his meticulous and complex mixing work.
Before long, the reagent was finally prepared. He picked up the reagent and walked to the other side of the laboratory. There, a middle-aged man was confined in a cage, his face filled with fear and unease. Dottore said no unnecessary words and directly injected the reagent into the shivering man's arm. The man tightly closed his eyes, believing he was about to face death. But unexpectedly, time passed minute by minute, and his body did not show any adverse reactions.
A look of ecstasy appeared on the man's face. He shouted excitedly, "I can live! I finally don't have to die! As long as I survive this experiment, I will be free!" But his joy seemed to have come too soon.
Dottore coldly threw him onto an experimental bed stained with blood, his voice icy and cruel: "Next, we will study why you are able to survive." The man's cheers came to an abrupt halt, replaced by screams of terror. In Dottore's hands, he suffered the torture of live dissection.
An hour later, Dottore's face was splattered with crimson blood, his eyes gleaming with anger and hatred. He squeezed out a few words fiercely through his teeth: "Yide! Next time, it will be you!"