Looking at Theresa's expectant little face, Ming Yu found himself in a difficult position.
Frankly, he didn't want to go to Jiu You and fight Chiyou. Because he knew very well, he couldn't win...
What's more, he couldn't get anything useful from Jiu You at all.
In his opinion, a high-risk, low-reward instance like this had no strategic value whatsoever.
The high-value items in Jiu You were nothing more than the Xuanyuan Sword, Soulium, and a damaged quantum computer, but none of these things were useful to him.
He couldn't possibly claim the Xuanyuan Sword for himself; this was completely different from the situation with Jizo Mitama. In a large-scale mission like this, Ming Yu wouldn't be the only contributor, and all spoils of war would have to be handed over to the Far East Branch for redistribution.
And it was obvious that Theresa would never give the Xuanyuan Sword to Ming Yu. Their relationship was more of a transaction; their personal friendship wasn't that good. An item of this level was not for him to have.
As for the Soulium and the quantum computer, Ming Yu completely lacked the ability to use such items. No matter how good something was, without the proper method to use it, it was no different from scrap metal in his hands.
For the Far East Branch and Schicksal, conquering Jiu You could elevate Schicksal's strength by a small step. But for Ming Yu, there was no benefit in it at all.
Besides, what did the strength or weakness of Schicksal have to do with him?
It was good to have shade under a big tree. He wouldn't be the one to cut the tree down, but he wouldn't dedicate his everything to it either.
As long as this giant wasn't on the verge of collapse, losing its ability to shelter him, he couldn't be bothered to fight to the death for Schicksal.
After pondering for a moment, Ming Yu lifted his head and looked directly into Theresa's eyes, speaking slowly, "What is the rating for this mission?"
"Huh?" The Principal, not getting the answer she wanted, was taken aback, her large azure eyes blinking in confusion.
A few seconds later, Theresa realized Ming Yu was asking about the mission's danger level.
Thinking of her own recent embarrassment, the Principal's small face flushed slightly, and she shot Ming Yu a fierce glare. In her mind, she had already offered so much; if Ming Yu had any sense of gratitude, he should have agreed without hesitation.
Despite her dissatisfaction with Ming Yu, Theresa patiently answered his question, saying in a deep voice, "The level for a typical exploration mission is B. But considering our lack of information on Jiu You and the unknown dangers within, the mission risk could rise to A-rank, but it will depend on the specific situation."
Hearing the Principal's explanation, Ming Yu couldn't help but sigh and cover his face.
At this point in time, Theresa had no idea what Jiu You and Chiyou truly represented; she only saw the potential stigmata. That's why, in the original timeline, she only dispatched a team consisting of one A-rank Valkyrie and three B-rank rookies.
Of course, this didn't mean the Principal was reckless. If it were Ming Yu, he wouldn't have bet the entire Far East Branch on it either without knowing the real situation.
It was simply the inevitable result of asymmetrical information.
If the situation in Jiu You was as simple as she now described, this team composition wouldn't be considered weak; it might even be a bit excessive.
Regardless of the specific strength of Kiana and the other two, Himeko in her prime was capable of single-handedly killing an Emperor-class Honkai Beast. And undertaking a mission with a potential risk of rising to A-rank wasn't that difficult.
But the problem was, things weren't that simple...
"What if... Chiyou is still alive?"
Ming Yu said with a cold expression, looking at the clueless Principal.
"Mmm~"
Although she didn't understand why Ming Yu was so resistant to this mission, Theresa patiently entertained his hypothesis. "Based on the descriptions of Chiyou in mythology, excluding the inherent exaggerations of the ancients, Chiyou is likely an Emperor-class Honkai Beast. Even if it never died, so many years of silence are enough to determine it's not at its peak. Your and Himeko's combat power is more than enough."
"Then, what if Chiyou isn't Emperor-class?"
Ming Yu said through gritted teeth, his voice growing colder.
"If it's not Emperor-class... wouldn't that be even easier?"
Theresa had an expression of someone looking at a simpleton. Her gaze toward Ming Yu was full of concern, and her tone carried a perfectly pitched note of surprise.
Noticing the Principal's expression, Ming Yu felt a surge of anger, but he didn't argue, just continued to stare coldly into Theresa's eyes.
"Are you trying to say that Chiyou's strength is above Emperor-class?"
Seeing that Ming Yu's reaction was a bit off, Theresa knew she had misunderstood at first and cautiously probed with a question.
Seeing the Principal had finally caught on, Ming Yu nodded solemnly and gravely, his expression instantly softening.
Bang!
The infuriated Principal slammed her fist on the desk, and a large dent instantly appeared on the solid wood surface.
"Enough! Do you take me for an idiot? If you don't want to go, just say so! This mission isn't impossible without you, and I won't force you!"
Theresa's small face was flushed red, and she gritted her teeth, her voice erupting with undisguised anger.
The reasons for choosing Ming Yu for this mission were, firstly, that his record was sufficient for a promotion to A-rank Valkyrie and he should try different types of missions, and secondly, to test the newly developed battlesuit for subsequent adjustments.
This mission happened to satisfy both conditions, and Ming Yu's own strength could provide an extra layer of security for Himeko.
But Ming Yu was far from Theresa's only choice. The Far East Branch had plenty of existing A-rank Valkyries who were not much weaker than him, at least sufficient for this mission.
However, with the existence of a Natural Stigmata involved—a treasure that could perfectly solve the drawbacks of Artificial Stigmata and extend a Valkyrie's lifespan—she couldn't guarantee that other Valkyries would be able to resist the temptation.
And given Himeko's physical condition, she might not win in a struggle against other A-rank Valkyries. Only a few trusted individuals, like Fu Hua from Squad 5 who had a close relationship with her, wouldn't fight over the stigmata.
Besides them, Ming Yu, with his outstanding strength and excellent Honkai resistance, was also on this list of candidates. Although he might covet the stigmata, it was something that could be exchanged for other benefits.
According to their agreement, if Ming Yu dared to breach the contract and touch this stigmata, she could impose any form of punishment, including but not limited to execution.
But if it were other A-rank Valkyries from the branch, she wouldn't have any good recourse. As the supreme commander of the Far East Branch, she had to be magnanimous and couldn't wantonly punish her subordinates over the distribution of spoils.
But this tactless fellow actually tried to shirk his duty by claiming the enemy was too strong. Did he really think she, Theresa, was a fool?
It was common knowledge that the intensity of the Honkai was directly related to the level of civilization's development. With the level of civilization five thousand years ago, the appearance of an Emperor-class Honkai Beast was the absolute limit; it was even more likely to be weaker than an Emperor-class Honkai Beast.
Yet Ming Yu thought Chiyou's strength was above Emperor-class and used that to refuse the mission.
If Ming Yu had explained his reasons properly, Theresa wouldn't have forced him to carry out this mission. After all, their relationship was merely transactional; Theresa had neither the right nor the reason to force him to do things.
But Ming Yu just had to find such a ridiculous excuse, which was simply an insult to her intelligence!