High in the sky, a considerable distance from Russia, an 'Anti-Entropy' main ship hovered quietly. It was the warship belonging to the Anti-Entropy 'Executor' Cocolia. Its performance was in no way inferior to the 'Hyperion' that 'Schicksal' had spent great effort to build, and was even a good deal stronger...
Now, all the scattered crew members on this warship had gathered, holding 'Anti-Entropy' standard-issue weapons and surrounding the research lab, or more accurately, the 'Space Gate' in the center of the lab...
"Lady Cocolia... what do you plan to do with them?" a girl with long red hair tied in twin tails, wearing a white researcher's coat, pushed up the red-framed glasses on her nose and asked softly as she looked at the pitch-black 'Space Gate'.
"...Tesla, I will handle this matter..." Cocolia said noncommittally to Nikola Tesla beside her.
"...Alright, but Lady Cocolia, don't forget... the rule set by the Alliance Leader... We cannot become mortal enemies with 'Schicksal'..." Tesla said indifferently, turning and walking towards the door.
"..." Cocolia didn't speak, just quietly looked at the 'Space Gate' before her... As for what she was thinking in her heart, only she herself knew...
After just a minute or two, the figures Cocolia and the others were waiting for finally appeared in the 'Space Gate'... Li Xuan and the others, carrying Bronya, finally rushed out of the collapsing Illusory Sea space in a hurry.
Then Li Xuan and the others looked up to see the cold muzzles of guns pointed at them, and what greeted them was standing
"...Li Xuan-kun, welcome to 'Anti-Entropy'..." Cocolia couldn't help but reveal a teasing smile as she looked at the dumbfounded Li Xuan. The other party hadn't wanted to join Anti-Entropy, but now he had fallen into her hands... This made Cocolia once again feel that life is unpredictable.
"..." Li Xuan was speechless. He had just escaped the tiger's den only to enter the wolf's lair... He never expected that 'Anti-Entropy' would be on the other side of the passage... This time, he had really fallen into the thieves' den...
"...What do you want?" Li Xuan took a deep breath and said to Cocolia. Perhaps in a moment of rashness, he added, "Let the others go, if there's anything, direct it at me..."
"..." Cocolia was silent for a moment, then suddenly smiled and said, "Alright..."
"..." You're not playing by the book at all! Li Xuan was stunned... When he came back to his senses and saw Cocolia's somewhat teasing smile, he knew that she was just messing with him...
"No, I'm serious. I hope Li Xuan-kun can stay..." Cocolia suddenly dropped all expressions and said coldly with a blank face, "So... choose. You stay and I'll let your companions leave, or your companions stay and you leave..."
"However... I can't guarantee that your companions will be fine after you leave..." as if to add on, Cocolia said with a smile full of threat. "So... choose."
"...What do we do? Li Xuan..." Kiana, looking like disaster was imminent, sidled up to Li Xuan and whispered, "Should we try to break out or something?" Kiana looked at the circle of Anti-Entropy members with their guns and didn't look scared at all... her nerves were as thick as a tug-of-war rope...
"..." Li Xuan glared at Kiana irritably. Break out?! Not to mention how many people are in this room alone... the entire warship is so big... where could they break out to? They can't just find a window and jump down, can they?!
"Kiana, Li Xuan-kun... Should I release the power of the Third Herrscher again? We should be able to escape..." Mei bit her lip and said quietly. Although a small bomb had been installed on her heart, and she could use the power of the Third Herrscher for five minutes after the bomb was triggered by an excessively high Honkai energy concentration... she only had five minutes...
"No!..." Li Xuan said firmly. It was too dangerous to let a girl like Mei risk breaking through a heavy siege! Moreover... the identity of the Third Herrscher was still a secret of sorts... if it was exposed too much, Mei's studies at St. Freya High School would also be hindered to some extent.
"Alright, you two... I promised Principal Theresa... that I would bring everyone back safely." Li Xuan sighed and said, his eyes becoming somewhat sharp...
Now is not the time to give up... there is still another way...
"Have you finished discussing?" Cocolia said faintly, looking at the group who had been whispering amongst themselves. In the current situation, Li Xuan could only accept staying and working for her...
"We're done..." Li Xuan said with a smile. "I choose... the third option!" An azure diamond-shaped crystal appeared out of thin air in Li Xuan's right hand, and then, stimulated by Honkai energy, it instantly burst into a dazzling blue light...
This was the six-star weapon [Ciel's Flash Crystal]... Amidst the dazzling light, Li Xuan's figure became illusory and then completely disappeared... Even his own [existence] became ethereal... as if he were in another space, where only he could see others, but others could not see him...
"..." In his stealthed state, Li Xuan quickly moved behind Cocolia. A short knife appeared out of thin air in his hand again. Perhaps due to the effect of [Ciel's Flash Crystal], a sharp white gleam extended from the snow-white blade like a laser...
"Hmph!..." Just as Li Xuan ran a few steps and was about to threaten Cocolia, Cocolia, as if she had a premonition, suddenly snorted, turned around, and swung her right fist at Li Xuan's head...
Cocolia's action almost made Li Xuan think his invisibility had failed. Fortunately, he reacted in time, dodged Cocolia's fist, and Li Xuan, who had studied at St. Freya High School for a few days, had learned a few moves from Fu Hua...
"Ugh..." Li Xuan turned, twisted Cocolia's arm, and held her in front of him. The short knife, enhanced by 'Ambush Strike' from 'Ciel's Flash Crystal' to resemble a laser weapon, casually cut a long gash in the clothes on Cocolia's arm, and even a trickle of blood flowed out...
"State... your demands." Cocolia kept her composure and said faintly. The things she had experienced had already made her remain calm even when held hostage... Although she didn't know how Li Xuan became invisible, the other party was only holding her hostage to escape.
"Prepare a flying ship, let us go and don't follow us... and we'll be even." Li Xuan threatened fiercely. "Think about it, your life is worth much more than ours..."
"Mm, I understand." Cocolia said straightforwardly without even retorting, and even waved her hand to signal the trembling adjutant beside her to go and prepare.
"Hmph..." Li Xuan was slightly stunned by Cocolia's straightforwardness. He snorted in annoyance, glanced at the Anti-Entropy members who were slowly surrounding them, and moved the short knife in his hand threateningly towards Cocolia's fair neck. The snow-white blade even pierced the skin, causing a trickle of blood to flow...
The surrounding Anti-Entropy members hurriedly scrambled back... This person was a big shot now, and they were afraid he would accidentally slip up and kill their superior... According to 'Anti-Entropy' regulations, all of them would be done for...
"Lady Cocolia... it's, it's ready..." Cocolia's adjutant, looking extremely nervous, hurried over and said softly to the hostage Cocolia.
"Alright... you can come with me now, right?" Cocolia said nonchalantly.
"..." Are you holding me hostage or am I holding you hostage?! ... Li Xuan looked at the calm Cocolia and felt a little frantic... But he still took a deep breath and gestured for Mei, who was holding Bronya behind him, and Kiana, who was holding her dual pistols against Anti-Entropy, to follow.
Holding 'Cocolia', the biggest boss on this warship, hostage, Li Xuan and the others were met with countless silent gazes as they walked from the research lab to the hangar where the small combat airships were parked... Even the cleaning staff of the entire warship came over to join in the fun...
The 'fiery' gazes made Li Xuan feel that if he were a pot full of tap water, it would probably have already boiled... and even the pot would have burned through... Of course, this didn't include Mei, who was concentrating on taking care of Bronya, and Kiana, who was looking around curiously.
However... after slowly inching forward for ten minutes, the group finally arrived at the warship's hangar... Li Xuan had Kiana randomly point to a ship that looked pleasing to the eye, then had Kiana and Mei take Bronya inside first. He would only release the impossibly calm 'hostage' in front of him after Mei had started the ship's engine...
"I wish you a pleasant journey..." Cocolia blinked and said calmly to Li Xuan, "Also... whenever you are willing to leave that 'cannon fodder' academy... Anti-Entropy will welcome you."
"Ha?!..." Li Xuan was stunned and slightly loosened his grip, looking at Cocolia in front of him. Just as he was about to ask what Cocolia meant... the ship's engine roared to life...
"...Goodbye." Li Xuan turned his head, glanced at Mei who gave him an OK sign, and replied casually as he forcefully pushed the Cocolia he was holding hostage out of the hatch...
The hatch closed quickly, blocking the angry bullets of the Anti-Entropy members... The super-alloy hatch was not something that could be penetrated by this kind of standard-issue weapon... With a huge roar, the warship's tail and bottom spewed flames and airflow, rising steadily..
Although the members of Anti-Entropy had already started to close the hangar doors of the flight path, it was ultimately a little too late... The small warship, spewing flames, lifted off lightly like a frolicking bird and easily rushed out, returning to the embrace of the sky...
"Lady Cocolia, are you alright?!..." a concerned Adjutant Yuudachi was the first to rush out and help up the fallen Cocolia.
"I'm fine... just a scratch." Cocolia said softly, looking at a small cut on her fair, delicate palm.
"Lady Cocolia... why did you wait for them to come out in person? If you had been in the command room, this situation wouldn't have happened..." Adjutant Yuudachi said complainingly as she clumsily began to bandage Cocolia's wound.
"Because... it was to let them go back..." Cocolia said with a slight smile, looking at the adjutant who was clumsily bandaging her.
"It would be too much of a pity not to use the pieces I've laid down..." the adjutant faintly heard her superior mutter to herself.
"By the way... all the airships' energy tanks have been cut open, right?" Cocolia glanced at the bow tied with a bandage on her palm and said softly.
"Yes... as you instructed before, all the energy tanks of the warships parked in the hangar have been slightly damaged..." the adjutant replied seriously.
"Mm... let me think... flying for ten minutes from here... it should be that place, right?" Cocolia said, recalling the world map.
"That place is?" The adjutant was a little confused.
"Siberia..." Cocolia said with a wicked smile.
Siberia is located in the middle and high latitudes, with a cold climate. Both of the Northern Hemisphere's two "cold poles" (Verkhoyansk and Oymyakon) are located here. The continental climate is significant and gradually strengthens from west to east. Winters are cold and long, while summers are mild and short. The average annual temperature is below 0°C. The absolute low temperature in the Yakutsk region in the northeast is -70°C.
At the same time... Siberia was also the battlefield between Schicksal and the 'Second Herrscher'!
(End of this chapter)