The next day, in the first-class cabin of the plane, Welt Yang watched the three Valkyries across from him, his eyes twitching slightly.
Of the three Valkyries, only Ninti gazed curiously at Welt. The other two turned their heads and began whistling.
"So you... are also going to Singapore?" Welt's eyebrow twitched as he regarded the trio.
Only the four of them occupied the first-class cabin on this flight, thanks to a certain young lady's capricious demand. No one would be allowed to disturb them until the plane landed.
"Exactly. Officially, it's a vacation, but in reality, we're going to retrieve samples of our most critical asset: the Honkai Energy Serum," Snow nodded.
"Since Mr. Yang is also going to Singapore, that saves us a lot of trouble."
"So... what happened?" Welt asked, his expression puzzled.
"Schicksal's Gem of Serenity has been stolen. Care to guess which Anti-Entropy Executor did it?" Snow smiled slyly at Welt.
"...Cocolia," Welt replied after a moment's thought, quickly arriving at the answer.
"Why would she bring the Gem of Serenity to a neutral country like Singapore?!" Welt Yang's expression turned both alarmed and furious.
"Considering Lady Executor's past... the Gem of Conquest and the Third Herrscher she birthed," Snow said, shaking her head dismissively. "She's probably trying to create a new Herrscher... a typical Anti-Entropy radical."
"Mr. Yang, you were planning to attend that Homu autograph event, weren't you?"
"That was the plan... but I suppose I'll have to change my plans now," Welt said, falling into deep thought.
"No... you don't need to. The exhibition is still necessary," Snow interrupted his train of thought.
"Cocolia will most likely place the Gem at the city's center. Mr. Yang, you need to set up the exhibition venue in the city's outskirts."
"As the world's most famous IP, Homu wields extraordinary influence. Mr. Yang, you must leverage this influence to its fullest extent, drawing crowds to the farthest outskirts of the city."
"We'll find a way to secure the Gem of Serenity in the city center. And if all goes according to plan, the two Doctors should have already detected Cocolia's movements."
"We might even encounter some unexpected allies."
Snow rested her chin on her left hand, tapping her right index finger on the armrest of her seat. Suddenly, she thought of a certain white-haired, one-armed middle-aged man.
"Understood. Contact me directly if you need any assistance. I'll do my best to divert the crowds away from the city center."
"I'm counting on you for the city center," Welt said, his gaze earnest as he looked at the three before him.
"Leave it to us," Snow nodded.
"Oh, Mr. Yang, do you happen to have the latest chapter of Homu's Great Adventure on you...?"
"Uh, yes, I do. What's up?" Welt Yang pulled out a comic book from his backpack, its cover featuring a bizarre yellow rabbit.
"Could you sign it? I'll take it back as a special souvenir for Headmaster Theresa at St. Freya Academy. She loves this series."
"Uh... Headmaster Theresa likes this?" Welt's expression turned peculiar.
"Mr. Yang... regarding the Anti-Entropy Conservative Faction's funding in recent years, let's just say Headmaster Theresa gets the lion's share."
"This..." Welt looked utterly dumbfounded.
The passenger plane soared through the city's airspace, descending toward Singapore International Airport. Upon landing, the four travelers scattered in different directions.
Welt immediately made a phone call to inform the organizers of the venue change, while the Divine Authority Squad charged directly toward the city center.
Meanwhile, at the Empress Hotel, a landmark building in the heart of the city, another pair was already in action.
Or rather, one was actively working while the other indulged in a lavish feast.
"Ladies, this way please," a server in a qipao guided Fu Hua and Kiana, who had arrived earlier due to the urgent mission, toward the buffet restaurant.
"Wow, so much food!" Kiana exclaimed, instantly losing herself in the sight of the lavish spread and pouncing on the delicacies.
"So delicious! Hmm, this is delicious too!" The White-haired Clump darted among the delicacies, a cake in her left hand and a chicken leg in her right, continuously stuffing her mouth.
"I never imagined we'd get to eat such amazing food on a mission!" Kiana cheered, then turned to notice Fu Hua, who was merely holding a glass of red wine.
"Huh? Class Monitor, aren't you going to eat?"
"Oh right, I still don't even know what our mission objectives are."
"And another thing—why did you choose me as your partner, Class Monitor? You said we needed to check into this hotel first, so we got a room..."
Before Fu Hua could answer, Kiana, transformed into a curious question machine, seemed to have conjured up her own explanation, a look of dawning realization spreading across her face.
"Wait a minute... Could it be that you're trying to lure me with food so you can take advantage of my body?!"
"No way! My body and heart belong to Mei Senpai!"
Lost in some pink fantasy, Kiana shook her head vigorously, giving Fu Hua a dame expression.
"..." Fu Hua was visibly taken aback by the "White-haired Clump's" perfectly circular logic. Pushing up her glasses, she sighed helplessly and said, "Kiana, you're overthinking things. This mission is just about gathering intelligence. I can handle it alone."
"The reason I asked you to partner with me is because this mission includes a trip to Singapore."
"Normally, such vacation trips are only granted to A-rank Valkyries or teams."
"As a Trainee and later a B-rank Valkyrie, you may have plenty of free time, but you don't get proper official vacations."
"I wanted to repay you. During Anti-Entropy's invasion of the academy, if you hadn't intervened, my life would have been in danger."
Fu Hua picked up a plate of small cakes and offered it to Kiana.
"Eh? Really? I didn't realize you were so kind, Class Monitor! Well, I won't hold back then!" The girl snatched the cake from Fu Hua's hand and devoured it in one bite.
As Fu Hua watched Kiana wolf down the treats, she glanced at the surrounding security before turning and walking away.
-
"Have you located Dr. Magi yet, Kyuusyou?" Snow asked, watching her companion constantly type on the laptop from the Empress Hotel's rooftop.
"Hiss... I can still access the hallway and lobby surveillance, but there are no cameras inside the rooms at all."
"And that little old man hasn't left his room at all... I can't determine which room he's in."
"Huh? Is that Kiana? Snow, I've found the secondary target!" Kyuusyou noticed a certain white-haired glutton on the lobby surveillance feed.
"Fu Hua isn't with her?"
"No, she's probably already gone upstairs. Should we intervene now?"
"No need. It's Sunday, and most of the city's population is off work. Let Welt and the others draw away the main crowds first."
"The crowds are already shifting toward the suburbs and taking advantage of the situation. If we move prematurely, Cocolia might act desperately and detonate the Gem of Serenity."
"Let Fu Hua and the others make their move. Give Cocolia the illusion that she still has the situation under control—"
"Ninti, follow Kiana..."
"Magi has appeared in the lobby and is approaching Kiana. They seem to be talking."
"...Follow the white-haired old man with Kiana, Ninti. Collect any potion-like items he takes out as much as possible."
Seeing Magi's appearance, Snow immediately changed her orders.
"If you encounter Welt Joyce's clone, eliminate it unconditionally once you're out of Kiana and Magi's sight."
"That pathetic creation serves no purpose other than to be a nuisance here and tarnish the original's reputation."
"Make him repent—Ninti."