Hello, Arknights

Chapter 395 Incident

"What do you mean by hiding here with me?" Draco picked up a bundle of harvested wheat and walked towards the ridge of the field with one foot deep and one foot shallow.

"Nothing, I haven't seen you these past two days, so I came to see you." Ling Dengxian laughed dryly and changed the subject guiltily:

"...Aren't you afraid that the fire at the tip of your tail will ignite the wheat?"

Ling Dengxian's vision was blurry. The white-haired Draco was rising and falling in the wheat field. He was lying on the back of a chair beside him with the mask off his eyes.

The girl didn't intend to ask any further questions. She put the harvest away and patted his shoulder.

"My flames can be retracted, especially in situations like this." Ravshini wanted to complain about whether he was asking questions even though he already knew the answer, but remembering that his eyesight was not good, she explained helplessly.

"Sorry, my mind was blank and the question I asked was a bit stupid." Ling Dengxian hesitated again. In fact, he didn't want to appear so stupid, but the more he cared about this, the more clumsy he became in doing things and speaking.

This is not good. The Duke of Windermere probably didn't ask Delphine to follow him so that she could learn how to be stupid.

Thinking of this, he secretly glanced at Dai Feien who had sneaked out with him. Although he couldn't see her expression clearly, he still subconsciously looked at her reaction.

The latter didn't look at him, but just stood quietly by and stared at the soldiers participating in the harvest in the distance. The warm breeze blew her hair in front of her forehead. Although she didn't say anything, she seemed very happy - but Ling couldn't see clearly.

Ravshini saw the old couple in the distance - the owners of this farmland - waving to her. She gave them a few instructions and then went to respond to them. As she said, she was taken care of by the two old people and helped them during the harvest season.

Ling Dengxian didn't know what Dai Feien's expression was at the moment, but since he didn't say anything, it should be okay - he thought so optimistically.

"Are you looking at me?" Daphne noticed his gaze.

"Oh, yes, I have a question..."

"Please speak." Daphne said politely.

"Don't you think it's not worth it for you to follow me these past two days?" Ling Dengxian tilted his head, "Especially since everyone here is doing something meaningful."

"Everyone is just doing their job. It's not worth it to provide security for the injured 'hero'." Daphne shook his head.

"Working as security... Hey, working as security?" Ling Dengxian was stunned.

Daphne tilted his head as well. "You're injured and need care, Mom—the Duke asked me to follow you and pay close attention to your movements."

"Uh, did I misunderstand you? Windermere asked me if I was interested in becoming a teacher..."

Dai Feien was silent for a moment, thinking of what he had seen and heard in the past two days, and said decisively:

"That's really not worth it."

Ling Dengxian felt like something of his was hit by an arrow.

"Excuse me, but there's something about your life that's... worth pondering." Daphne gently stroked her forehead. Although it wasn't a concrete thing, she still found it hard to bear to watch. "Before receiving the order, I saw you being intimate with the members of the Storm Commando. On the first day, you accompanied me and came to pick you up with two other people of the opposite sex. Today, on the third day, under pressure, you took me to rest with a third new person of the opposite sex..."

"You can't summarize it that way," Ling Dengxian defended his reputation. "Look, isn't it more normal if you change it to this? A comrade who shared life and death with you, still worried after parting, asks his security and courier friends at the logistics company to pick him up. And to recover, he comes to chat and take a walk with the friend who saved his life... Isn't that normal? Don't be fooled by superficial appearances."

"There's also a saying that the answer is written on the riddle." Dai Finn was very clear-headed.

"Then think about it and see if there is really something wrong... You are also the girl who appeared next to me, isn't there a reason for that?" Ling Dengxian spread his hands.

Dai Feien was silent for a moment, his eyes moved slightly, his ears drooped, and he revealed an uncomfortable expression: "...My reputation has been damaged."

"..."

Isn’t this kitten cuter when it doesn’t talk?

"White dove." Lavshini's voice reminded him of her return, and then, as if in a playful mood, she reached out and picked an ear of wheat and waved it in front of him.

"...Well, I just can't see clearly. If someone is naughty and waves something in front of my eyes, I can still see it." Ling Dengxian smiled helplessly, "Lafu...well, it would be more appropriate to call you 'Reed' now, right?"

"As for you, the name doesn't really matter. You don't need to change the name you're used to." Weicao felt a little embarrassed when she heard that, but she didn't stop. She turned the wheat ear in her hand and poked his face with the straw. After having a good time, she got down to business. "By the way, the Hariens just said there's another bonfire party tonight. You can move around freely now. Do you want to come?"

"Bonfire party? Celebrating the harvest?"

Wei Cao smiled. Ling Dengxian was right. Her smile was indeed as bright as the sun. Unfortunately, Ling Dengxian couldn't see clearly: "Yes, the harvest has been getting better and better these days. When we were singing around the campfire, everyone was particularly generous and tolerant..."

How could she not be happy that the scene she had imagined was confirmed?

Ling Dengxian was thinking about it. Weicao noticed some grass fragments in his hair and reached out to sort them out. He suddenly said, "Is your sister here too?"

Ravshini froze, the sun in her heart pressed into her chest. She placed her hand on the blazing chest, her eyes flickering slightly, her words trailing off. "She...maybe she's here. She and I are not together."

Ling Dengxian pondered for a moment, and Lavshini did not speak again. It seemed that she had heard the conversation between the two, and the information was passed on like this:

It wasn't me who saved you.

So what is she worried about?

Ling Dengxian didn't know and just nodded.

……

The warm night embraced the fields, the bright moon opened its eyes, and a few sparks flew out with the sound of firewood clearing its throat. A few words floated into the haystack, the rhythm ignited the flames, and the blazing bonfire illuminated the scars, on which goose yellow flowers bloomed.

Ling Xianxian covered his eyes to avoid the smoke, but the people around him brought him a liveliness that he could not see. Dai Feien also came along for the rare occasion. Fengpi dragged him to every barbecue campfire. The smell of burnt, sweet, fishy...all kinds of smells intertwined, all of which were the delicious taste after the storm. He never interfered once, even though there were many chefs who added a lot of regrets to this joyful occasion.

But, sadly, regret is also part of the joy.

The bagpipe held his hand tightly until the first ballad sounded. He heard Madeline and let go of Fiona's hand. Amid the waves of sound, he somewhat avoided the word "hero".

"Flute, you go ahead. I'll find a place to rest for a while... We're surrounded and I'm afraid I can't get away." Fengpi would definitely be able to find him if he wanted to.

Vaifan knew what he was thinking and did not force him. He just hugged him and gave him a few words of advice.

Ling Dengxian had seen those soldiers before, especially those who had directly participated in the last battle. Their attitudes were almost completely different from those sitting at the table, as if he was born a Victorian.

But he is just a small person, and a small person happens to become a "hero" and doesn't want to be suffocated easily.

The singing in the countryside gradually became clearer, from a few people to a group, and the crowd gradually gathered towards the largest bonfire, singing in chorus, and everyone was willing to contribute harmony.

Feeling a gaze, he sat down under a tree beside a sparsely populated bonfire, half of his face submerged in the night.

A footstep stopped beside him, and the quietly burning flame was almost touching his shoulder. He didn't need to look up or take off the blindfold to detect the smile on the other person's mouth.

"It feels very fulfilling, right?" Abrana's eyes reflected the firelight, but there was a hint of mockery in them.

"……Thanks."

"It's not polite to answer a question that's not asked." Abbrana was not surprised at his unreasonable words.

"It's no good asking questions when you already know the answer." Ling Dengxian was not particularly polite and thanked in a principled manner.

"We're even. I have to thank you for taking care of Ravshini when I was in a state of panic."

"That's between Weicao and me. She probably doesn't want you to get involved."

"How can you be so arrogant as to speculate on the relationship between us?"

"I'm sorry, I was just speaking the truth. If I've offended you, I apologize." Ling Dengxian's figure was as firm as a stone statue.

"I think Windermere wanted Delphine to see you as you are now. Unfortunately, the image of White Dove in that little cat's eyes is a bit hard to describe."

“…I’m really awesome.”

Abbrana tilted her head. This sentence was really nonsensical and she couldn't understand it for a moment.

"I can actually talk to you so much and still be calm."

"Ha." Abrana hadn't heard such words in a long time.

"If you have anything else to say, you might as well use this time to communicate more with Lafushini. There's no point in coming to me for fun." Ling Dengxian felt the bustle of the party in the distance, and thought of the souls embracing Bai Yan. A long river in his heart illuminated thousands of souls.

A smile played on the corner of his mouth.

"So I said that your understanding of our relationship is very limited, and your attitude is so arrogant - but your opinion is not important, it does not change what is right and wrong, not to mention...

"My sister's few friends confirmed her expectations... knocking on the door of death. I also want to know if your answer to death will be different."

"Then you might be disappointed. I'm no different from ordinary people. I'm also afraid of death."

"..."

"It's a cliché. There are things more important than life that need to be protected." Ling Dengxian smiled. "Disappointed?"

"Not really." Abrana chuckled. "The reason why truth is only truth is because it exists on paper. Once there are people who practice it, or verify it, they themselves will become its true extension, both life and death."

"Also, not everything can be said to Ravshini regardless of the situation, for example...

"Can I ask you to dance with me?"

Ling Dengxian felt that she seemed to be hinting at something, and felt uneasy. With his burning gaze, with the arrival of Texas, the invitation was put on hold.

The accompanying white wolf had a scorching gaze. There was something called "interest" that had been accumulating since they first set foot in Victoria. It was now so strong that it could no longer be ignored.

……

The orator drank too much again, but out of habit, he was only slightly tipsy. Looking at the bonfire with drunken eyes, he suddenly felt that his life was more fulfilling than ever before.

If everyone is like this, every day, every year, then Victoria and Tara can become one - his sobriety always reminds him that Victoria and Tara are not like this.

The people of this country may be able to enjoy joy and harmony overnight, but the invisible "curse" of maggots attached to their bones will eventually ignite conflict - this curse was planted from the moment the lion seized the crown, and it has not been healed to this day.

He knew right from wrong before he spread rumors, and he understood right from wrong before he distorted the truth. History planted the seeds of his ambition.

But this ambition was burned away by the white flames in this war. He was once able to get what he wanted with his eloquence, but that was because he had no feelings for the country under his feet.

And now, the "white dove" protected him and allowed him to survive the war. He was connected to this land by blood, and perhaps because he was infected with oripathy, he would rather do something more meaningful in the last moments of his life.

Before he met Bai Ge, he might have chosen to commit suicide if he had been infected with the mineral disease.

Smiling, the orator took another swig of the golden wine in the wooden cup and thought about Tara's future.

A shadow fell on his face, and he looked up to find that it was Mandela and the "colonel" of the Red Iron Guards.

"Orator, the Duke wishes to see you."

Mandela's eyes were complicated, and the officer was calm.

……

The harvest season is still going on, but Ling Dengxian and others, whose chest injuries are gradually recovering, have no reason to stay any longer. Rhodes Island has officially entered the territory of Victoria, and it is time for them to leave.

Perhaps it was the result of a combination of various factors, but they were finally invited by Windermere to go with her warship.

Ling Dengxian stretched lazily. His ears were completely healed, but his eyesight still had some problems. However, it was improving overall, and the follow-up examination showed no major problems. It seemed that he would have some time to slack off after returning to the ship.

Not only they left one after another, but also the dukes' armies, carrying Victoria's first batch of food this autumn, and rushing non-stop to various parts of Victoria - I heard that Omar's connections with the dukes were effective, and he was in a good mood. Taxes might be more relaxed this season, and the people of Qianfeng City should have a much better life this winter.

But for some reason, Ling Dengxian still felt a little... uneasy.

He couldn't find the reason. No matter how hard he thought, Victoria seemed to be over this matter... Could it be that the infected soldiers left in Qianfeng City were the problem? But the dukes were behind the army, so what was there to worry about?

"Hey, I heard that you are still leading a team in Rhodes Island - are you interested in me?" White Wolf said with a smile. Texas and Mostima didn't stay with him every day, and Lappland also began to resume the habit of teasing and playing with him. Recently, Ling Dengxian urged her to return the sword.

Speaking of swords, Ling Dengxian met with Haojiao several times after the war. Haojiao politely declined his offer of compensation, saying, "It is the honor of this sword to be broken on the battlefield."

"The ones I brought were just little guys. They don't have the elements you're interested in. Also, when will you return my sword to me?"

"Good stuff, lend it to me for a few more days."

There was a loud thunderclap, and everyone on the warship shouted for emergency action. Ling Dengxian and Lappland also hurriedly set off. Among the soldiers who were dispatched urgently but in a rigorous and orderly manner, the two followed the flow of people to the deck. In the dry wind, the flames several kilometers away were dazzlingly bright, and the thick black smoke rose into the sky without any cover. Everyone was familiar with that scene.

Originium dirty bomb.

It was like a huge rock of uneasiness finally fell into the lake, but the splashing water was icy cold to the bone.

The Originium dirty bomb landed in Qianfeng City.

...Yes, except for Windermere, all the dukes prepared Originium dirty bombs, and only one duke did not use the Originium dirty bomb in the Bloody War.

Wellington's two announcements came quickly, revealing the illogicality and absurdity of the power structure.

"The remnants of Shenchi rebelled, launched a surprise attack on an armed stronghold, and seized control of the weapons. All forces are requested to eliminate the remnants of Shenchi."

"This year is a bumper harvest year. Nasirsha has surplus grain and can provide support to Qianfeng City as soon as possible."

However, the action that exposed all the absurdity was the raising of the red dragon flag by Nasr.

Wellington had no explanation for this.

The wanted order for the "Remnants of Shenchi" has arrived, and the leader is someone Ling Dengxian knows.

orator.