The evacuation went quite smoothly—or at least, it did at first.
After meeting up with Penguin Logistics, who were familiar with Lungmen's slums, the group made good progress. Thanks to Lewei's familiarity with the Emperor, he actually blended in better with Exusiai and the others than Amiya, who was supposed to be the "employer." The addition of Liskarm and Franka from Blacksteel International only further improved the mission's odds of success.
After handing Misha over to Lewei, the Rat King took his leave—but not before having a private word with Lewei for a few minutes.
Lewei kept quiet about the conversation, and Amiya didn't press him on it.
"We're almost at the exit. Lewei, you seem pretty familiar with this place, huh?"
Exusiai's voice was lighthearted, clearly unfazed by the scattered groups of Reunion operatives they'd encountered along the way.
"Man, those Reunion guys just won't give up. Is Misha really that important to them?"
"Faith can be… terrifying sometimes," Lewei replied flatly. "To put it bluntly, most Reunion members were just ordinary infected people who had suffered discrimination or injustice."
"Talulah exploited their psychological vulnerability and incited them to seek their rights through violence. It's not even a sophisticated tactic, but in Ursus, where the infected are so badly persecuted, it's sadly effective."
"..."
Misha gripped the edge of Lewei's coat tightly without saying a word. As an infected in Ursus—one of the most persecuted at that—she wholeheartedly agreed with his view.
(If I hadn't met Brother Lewei… I probably would've ended up just like them.)Misha lowered her head, deep in thought.
"...Eh?"
She was suddenly pulled from her thoughts by Lewei gently patting her head. The warmth of that not-so-large hand atop her head made her close her eyes in comfort. It reminded her of the feeling of being nestled in her mother's arms, something she hadn't felt in years.
(How long has it been since I last felt this safe…?)
Truthfully, Misha didn't really understand Rhodes Island.She had no idea what would happen after they took her there.But she trusted Lewei—the young man who had saved her in her most desperate hour. She believed he would, just like when he brought her to Lungmen, help her find a new "home."A place where they could live together…
"Don't worry. I'll protect you—just like last time."
Lewei's voice was soft and gentle, a stark contrast to the cold-blooded killer he had been mere minutes ago. Only the still-smoking barrel of his gun proved how intense the recent battle had been.
"Yeah! I believe in you!"
Misha smiled faintly. Despite still being on a battlefield, she didn't seem the least bit afraid. After all, this was the man who could freely come and go from Chernobog. What were a few Reunion members compared to that?
But at that moment, a sudden explosion behind them interrupted the peaceful conversation.
"They have a commander! Lewei! Their target is Misha!"
Amiya's urgent voice crackled over the radio, and Liskarm and Franka instantly stepped in front of Misha, warily turning toward the source of the blast.
"Persistent bastards... I've killed so many already, and they still keep coming…"
Lewei's face remained calm, but inside, he was fuming.
"Looks like I'll have to flay their commander and hang their skin on a wall before they finally back off…"
"You talk big! You'll pay for what you did to my brothers!"
As the voice rang out, two figures emerged from the smoke.
One was a familiar face—Ludmila, aka "Kingslayer," one of Reunion's leaders, dressed in a black hooded cloak. The other was a complete stranger: a slender figure completely shrouded in a hooded windbreaker and wearing a strange gas mask.
But what caught Lewei's eye was the weapon.
"Milkor MGL grenade launcher… A knockoff from a small nation south of Sargon. It hits harder than most guns, and aside from being a bit heavy, it doesn't really have any drawbacks. Not exactly a toy for kids."
Lewei only needed one glance to assess the weapon, but the skinny figure paid him no mind—his (her?) gaze locked firmly on Misha.
That crazed look pierced through even the gas mask, making Misha feel a chill down her spine.
(Wh-what…? Who… are you…?)
"At last… I finally found you…"
The voice, though youthful, carried intense emotion.
"Finally… I get to meet you… Big Sis!"
"Big… sis?"
Amiya cried out in shock.
"Misha, didn't you say you only had a little brother?"Lewei turned to the girl beside him, raising an eyebrow."Seems like you've got a little sister too."
"What are you talking about!"Misha protested, visibly annoyed."I only have one little brother!"
"Ooh~~ I see."
Lewei's eyes turned sly as he scanned the "boy" in front of him, eventually focusing on the legs—slender, wrapped in black stockings, delicate enough to make even Franka envious.
"…A crossdresser?"
"——You're dead!!"
The battle erupted.