Hello, Arknights

Chapter 277 Real Name, Black Steel

"Don't you find it strange?" Rupert suddenly spoke while sitting on the bed and looking at the boy who had just finished taking a shower and was now cleaning the floor.

Ling Dengxian straightened his back and took a breath: "What's wrong?"

"Mastema originally came to Rhodes Island with you and me, but she left soon after."

"It's normal. Mostima is a messenger and likes traveling. It's actually quite unexpected that she stayed in Rhodes Island for a while after coming here." Ling Dengxian was used to it. His room was very lively when Mostima was here. Texas, Bagpipe and she basically stayed here every day. It became deserted when she left. Bagpipe was there for training, and Texas was getting familiar with the environment - by the way, why didn't he go there before?

Texas was observing Mastema and felt that her sudden action this time was somewhat different from before, but he couldn't tell what was going on. In the end, he didn't come to a conclusion, but he remained confused.

"It seems like the professional certification test is today, right? Texas, how are your test results?" Ling Dengxian looked at the time, poured a cup of hot water and placed it on the table.

"Vanguard, but I am different from you. My work focus is still on Longmen. When the Angels of Exia come back, I will probably leave too."

"Remember to take care of yourself." Texas advised awkwardly, because she knew Ling Dengxian knew the answer, but she felt something was missing if she didn't say it out loud.

"Okay." Ling Dengxian smiled. When their eyes met, he felt a little uneasy.

"You seem to be struggling?" The girl stepped back into the bed, making some space for him, but he did not move forward. He just picked up the water cup on the table, feeling the warmth in his palms. He dodged for a moment, put down the cup, hesitated for a moment, and whispered, "...I just...want to call your name, but...it's a bit...awkward..."

Texas was stunned, and couldn't help but smile. It was like spring coming after the ice and snow. She shook her head: "Why? You care a lot?"

"I don't care... well, I care a little. I thought we were already quite familiar with each other... but I can't say it out loud."

"Because that name has long been forgotten." There seemed to be a person hidden in Lupo's amber eyes. He sighed slightly at this moment, "Even the Angels of Exorcism don't know my name. I don't know their real names either, but they are equally important to me."

"Is this so..."

A charming and cheerful voice rushed in, and an orange-red figure covered in sweat appeared in their field of vision: "Xiao Xian, I'm here. Today's training is quite heavy. The triangle iron is back to the dormitory. Can I borrow your bathroom?"

The sweaty Bagpipe also saw Texas the first time: "Oh, Texas is here too?"

Ling Dengxian handed the prepared hot water to Feng Di. After the latter drank it happily, he sighed and asked, "Fiona, did you bring any clean clothes?" Helplessly, he knew the answer to this question.

Fengpi was stunned and scratched his head awkwardly: "Oops, I forgot..."

"Go wash it first. Texas and I will go get it." Ling Dengxian shook his head helplessly, but Texas got up and got out of bed:

"I can go alone. You can chat with Fengpi when you have time."

"...Huh? What did you do just now?" Ling Dengxian noticed a small change.

However, Texas just shook his ears, avoided his gaze, and hurried out the door.

Take your time... I shouldn't be... not shy, right?

Rupert passed by the mirror in the corridor, paused, rubbed his unnatural cheek, and returned to normal after a moment.

In the room, the Vaifan girl was confused: "Xiao Xian? Did you have a fight?"

"No... I was a little surprised..." No, no, this is not just a little, right?

Ling Dengxian's heartbeat quickened as he saw an unusual Texas.

"It's best if there's no quarrel. Oh, by the way, Xiao Xian, I saw Grani on the way here just now. It seemed she was looking for you too." Bagpipe remembered something else.

"Huh? Then why didn't you come together?" Ling Dengxian asked in confusion, "Also, I don't think I know Grani either."

"Oh, by the way, we had a running race, and I won." Just as he finished speaking, Kuranta's running figure came late: "Not fair! Bagpipe, I don't know Operator White Dove's dormitory number! I took a detour!"

"Hey, you've beaten me so many times, so this time I got a slight advantage." Bagpipe put his hands on his hips, looking a little proud.

"Brother Grani, you seem to have something to talk to me about?" Ling Dengxian found an opportunity to interject.

"Ah, yes! Operator White Dove, Amiya asked me to inform you that the exchange student from Black Steel has arrived. You should prepare and go there."

"Maybe an exchange student will be entrusted to you."

Grani, who thought business was more important, didn't notice the small mistake in Ling Dengxian's address. Unfortunately, her friend Bagpipe didn't notice it either.

It is called an exchange study, but as the leading security company, Black Steel International is more of a reference to Rhodes Island's action model, and the contact action is mainly to express the attitude of deepening cooperation.

But for the new members, the increased combat richness is also an opportunity to benefit greatly in non-real life and death crisis situations. However, for a boy named Wolper code-named "Flame", this is not an exchange and learning opportunity. His "sister" believes that he is not suitable for Black Steel and hopes that he can officially join Rhodes Island.

Of course, it is still a bit inappropriate for a teenage boy to use the word "join the company".

"Xiao Xinhuo, this way..." The petite Feilin called out to the boy who was taller than her, and the boy put his thoughts aside, responded, and hurried over with his weapon on his back.

“Sister Jessica, what’s wrong?”

"This way, let's get to know the instructor...familiarize ourselves with the different teaching styles in advance and get used to them."

"...Sister, didn't you teach me?" Xinhuo was a little resistant.

"You are more talented in close combat. I, I can't teach you too much..."

"I don't like it here. It doesn't have the serious pressure of Heigang." He glanced at the environment again and said in resistance.

"I brought you to Rhodes Island because of what you thought." Jessica took a deep breath and lowered her face to pretend to be stern. "What you think is good now is not normal good at all."

"...Sister, don't be angry, I'm just...not used to it." Xinhuo lowered his head and stopped being stubborn.

At this time, the representative of Heigang, a serious Liberi man, finished negotiating with Doberman. The accompanying civilian staff followed Zilan Air Explosion to arrange accommodation, while he gave a signal to gather the personnel. Jessica and Xinhuo were a little hesitant. The team leader looked at Jessica and looked away, while Xinhuo hesitated for a moment, but still responded to the signal and went to gather.

Jessica lowered her head, feeling indescribably lost. A hand appeared and rubbed her ears. She raised her head, and Franca rubbed her cheeks again: "Jessica, why are you looking so sad again? It's not easy to be a sister."

“Senior Franca…” Jessica rubbed her eyes and shook her head vigorously, “It’s nothing… I just can’t…”

"You should make this little guy Xinhuo suffer a little." Razer opened Franca's hand, and the latter cried "It hurts" and smiled as she took her hand back. However, she had some objections to Razer's opinion: "Miss Top Student, you are a little inconsiderate, aren't you?"

"So what do you think?" Razer asked unhappily.

"Jessica found him in the wilderness outside Yanguo. Coming from the wilderness, he had suffered a lot.

"In his opinion, there are more cold-faced strong men with black steel, which caters to his inner desire for strength. This is the mentality of all children whose memories are filled with struggle, and he is more paranoid."

"No matter how much suffering such a stubborn person endures, he will continue down this path to the end - if you don't persuade him properly."

"Then what do you think we should do?"

"It's very simple. Just let little Xinhuo know that there are always people better than you." Franca narrowed her eyes and thought of Rose, and then of Mou Ling.

"Well, maybe we'll have a chance to try to correct it later... Let's go."

Xinhuo followed Heigang's men all the way to the training ground. The voices of the crowd were loud and small, but he didn't pay attention to them. He was very upset now.

"This kind of place only gathers weak people...Sister Jessica shouldn't stay here...This is not her future."

The white-haired Wolper, who had just laid down his weapon at the training ground, twitched his ears and his eyes looked slightly cold.

Obviously, the paranoid boy didn't know that there is more to life than power, and what Jessica lacks most is not power.

And his attitude is also a microcosm of Heigang's other attitude.

"Mr. Renard, this is our leader, Dr. Precious."

The white-haired woman who had been waiting for a long time smiled and extended her hand to the Liberi man. Leonard also nodded to her: "Nice to meet you, I have heard of your name for a long time."

"Really? I don't know." Precious didn't accept the flattery. It was unclear whether she really thought she was just eating and drinking for free or was just pretending to be stupid.

"Ms. Precious's authority in the field of Originium is not as joking as you are." Reynard shrugged, not taking it lightly.

"Mr. Reynard said in the communication that he hopes to meet for the first time at our training ground. Do you have any interesting ideas?" The doctor did not react much. He looked at the almost all cold-faced Black Steel operators behind him and couldn't help but smile playfully, asking knowingly.

The veteran escort Black Steel operators are used to the rules, while the newcomers have a tense expression.

"To work together again, we naturally need to get to know each other better." The mercenary from Black Steel smiled. "The last time Operator Libert came to negotiate, he didn't bring back the information that some of the top leaders wanted. Naturally, I have to do it for them this time."

“Black Steel International wants to understand the quality of our partners’ grassroots personnel through friendly discussions, so as to better evaluate your company’s tactical reference.”

The doctor nodded, not surprised: "A grassroots operator, right?"

"Fire." Wolper's name was called while he was daydreaming. Leonard had been paying attention to this orphan in the wilderness brought by Jessica for a long time. He felt that although the idea was extreme, it might not be impossible to train this child in this direction.

"I'm here. Mr. Renard."

"Get ready. After the seniors have tried it, you can try it."

"...Yes." Xinhuo subconsciously looked back at Jessica, but couldn't find her.

A member of the Black Steel Action Team stepped onto the platform, without any provocative moves, and simply said nothing.

"Melissa, do you want to show off to Franca?" The doctor looked at the quiet film girl. Although the opponent was not Franca, Franca was also watching.

"...Okay." Although she noticed that the atmosphere seemed a little strange, Rosary knew that it was not the time to refuse.

As she took up her stance, a fierce aura gradually rose from her.

Franka didn't know how Bai Ge taught her, but after all, she was a student she had taught, so she knew it well.

"Franka, what do you think?"

"Little Meilansha is still inexperienced. If it were a battlefield, she would not have much chance of winning. But in a competition like this..."

"Have you ever played the game? She's a very well-rounded character. If you can't suppress her, she doesn't have any flaws."

Xinhuo said nothing, he knew he still had some gap, but he didn't care about this situation, the wilderness told him that survival was the only outcome.

The experience of the wilderness is his scar and also his creed.

The white-haired, red-eyed Wolper girl didn't like his comments.