In a flash, I could be a world away. Distance would no longer be a chain that bound me.
As the power surged through his body, a feeling of enlightenment washed over him.
Luo Li didn't think this was just his imagination. The power he had acquired from Sirin a moment ago was real, and it had been enough to subdue Kiana.
And now, as the connection with Kiana was established, his control over the Authority of Space had indeed grown stronger.
Luo Li had a feeling that as long as he knew the coordinates, he could appear there instantly. The distance between them was no longer an obstacle.
No, there was still an obstacle. The farther the distance, the less accurate the arrival, and the greater the cost.
Otherwise, he could have tried to teleport directly out of ARK City.
But unfortunately, he couldn't. The distance was too great, and he couldn't precisely control his landing spot.
He could teleport in stages, but blinking around ARK City was too unpredictable.
Without knowing if the shadowy force had the means to interfere with space, the risk was still too high.
But Luo Li wasn't too bothered. Compared to a few hours ago, his chances of survival had drastically increased.
In addition to its use as an escape route, this ability could also be used as an incredibly sharp blade, just as Sirin had.
By teleporting a part of an enemy away and then canceling the transfer, it was equivalent to tearing a chunk out of their body.
"Sorry, did I hurt you?"
Luo Li was pulled back to reality by Kiana's voice. He saw that the girl had withdrawn her hand, a hint of apology on her face.
He noticed that in his vision, now tinged by the Authority of Space, Kiana shone as brightly as a torch.
It even gave him a feeling.
No matter how far away she was, he could use this connection to open a path to her side.
His thoughts swirled for only an instant before Luo Li chuckled softly.
"It's nothing. I just discovered a way to help us solve our current problem."
Luo Li swiped his finger in front of him.
The next moment, Kiana saw a golden thread appear where his finger had passed.
Then, space was sliced open like a sheet of paper, leaving a deep wound in the air.
Kiana blinked.
She suddenly thought that this scene looked somewhat familiar.
As if guessing her thoughts, Luo Li didn't hide it, but said it plainly.
"This is an ability I acquired from the Herrscher of the Void."
Seeing Luo Li's sincere expression, Kiana was in disbelief.
"You're... just telling me like that?"
No matter how you looked at it, a human wielding the power of a Herrscher was utterly astounding.
According to the usual tropes, shouldn't a secret like this be kept as a trump card, to be revealed at the last moment to turn the tide of a crisis?
"I thought about bluffing my way through," Luo Li said frankly. "But you're too familiar with the Herrscher of the Void's abilities. I'll definitely need to use this in our next move, so hiding it wouldn't be wise."
The two of them had just established a mutual trust. If he chose to hide things now, it would cause great damage to that trust.
Besides, abilities were meant to be used. Their trip to the Shicksal Entertainment theme park would likely require this skill, and it would be hard to hide it from Kiana.
Rather than causing unnecessary misunderstandings, it was better to lay everything bare and prevent any trouble that might arise from them.
"So I chose to tell you everything."
As he spoke, he raised his right hand, showing the Stigmata on his wrist to Kiana.
"I'm not exactly sure about the specific ability myself."
"But you can think of it as an ability that can copy the abilities of others."
Kiana didn't show any surprise.
Having a good understanding of Honkai energy, she knew that the abilities granted by Stigmata in this world were weird and varied. It wasn't strange for one to exist that could copy the powers of others.
Although the ability to copy a Herrscher's Authority was a bit too shocking.
But Luo Li's honesty brought a warmth to her heart.
How long had it been since she felt trusted by someone?
"So, next up... knock knock knock!"
Before Kiana could finish, a knocking sound came from the door.
She looked at Luo Li, only to find his face as calm as ever.
"Time to go. But we should leave a little something for our guest before we leave."
---||---
ARK City was vast, and it wasn't easy for an outsider to settle down here.
Many people flocked to this new high-tech metropolis from all over Shenzhou, seeking opportunities and hoping to replicate the success stories of those who had risen to the top, to become the next living legend.
But most of the time, they would be swallowed by the rushing tide of the times, leaving only a few lucky ones who managed to crawl out of the waves.
When they thought they had finally become masters of this city, they would look back and realize they had been captured by it, becoming a part of it.
Miss Ciora knew this feeling all too well.
She was the president of Shicksal Pharmaceuticals, a legendary mercenary in the underworld, and beyond that, her most hidden identity was a high-ranking officer of World Serpent, codenamed—Raven.
To put it modestly, she was a living legend in ARK City.
But even she was being eaten alive by this city, turned into nutrients for its growth.
The tall, hooded woman walked through the streets and alleys, looking around with interest.
As a rapidly developing super-metropolis, its benefits couldn't reach everyone. Some things were bound to become a price to be paid.
Compared to the clean and orderly skyscrapers outside, the environment here was a bit dilapidated.
But the shops along the streets were a chaotic jumble, and the sounds of hawking, the smell of cooking, and the hurried pedestrians all painted a vivid picture of life.
These old neighborhoods grew in every corner of this super-city, giving most of the outsiders who came to ARK City looking for opportunities a place to stay.
They also provided shelter for those who had fallen from the city's grace.
But Raven knew it was all temporary.
Soon, this place would be bulldozed, relocated, and new skyscrapers would rise from the ground, becoming a part of the beast that was ARK City.
Some people would ride the wave of the times and make a fortune, living the rest of their lives without worry.
As for the rest, they were the price.
But fortunately, they didn't have to worry about it anymore. As the organization's plan progressed, no one would be the price in the new world... or rather, everyone would be the price.
Raven didn't care about the organization's plan. She was a simple person.
Compared to those lofty, intangible ideals, she preferred the crisp, ink-scented banknotes.
But unfortunately, there was an even more unlucky fool in ARK City who had to bear a huge cost.
That person was her, Raven, because she was the one who had bought this piece of land.
Using intel from within the organization, she could easily get on the fast track of development and rake in a large amount of money.
So she took out all the money she had saved over the years, and even took an advance on her salary for the rest of her life from Gray Serpent, and then threw it all into the booming real estate industry.
According to the expected returns, even in the worst-case scenario, it would have been enough for her to buy an entire archipelago in some countries.
You could say, the future was bright!
But unfortunately, with the organization setting its sights here, all her expected profits went down the drain. If she didn't cut her losses quickly, she would be working for the organization until she died.
And even if she could pull out in time before the organization's plan started, the money she had already invested was enough to wipe out all the money she had earned over the years.
At this thought, Raven felt her heart bleed.
"Why is World Serpent so evil!"
If not for her tiny shred of loyalty to the organization, she would have wanted to report herself and Jackal to Schicksal.
Especially that fool, Jackal!
Thinking of that arrogant idiot, Raven was speechless.
According to the organization's arrangement, she was only responsible for dealing with high-risk individuals who might affect the plan.
But that stupid woman was treating her like a beast of burden. Her time was already tight, and now she was being ordered to do all sorts of odd jobs.
If it was just that, she would at most curse her for being inhuman.
The reason she called her an idiot was because she had no self-awareness of her abilities outside of scientific research.
In common terms, she was a bad player who loved to call the shots.
If not for her holding down the fort, Jackal's Death Weavers would have been found and had their necks slit by Schicksal's Valkyries long ago.
But it was a good thing. If Jackal wasn't so incompetent, there wouldn't be any surviving Valkyries in ARK City.
Yes, she had no intention of actually following Jackal's orders, at least... not completely.
Without these Schicksal Valkyries to attract attention, her next task would be much more troublesome.
She had come here this time to use the situation as a cover to accomplish some other things.
Of course, even if she wanted to have a good talk with them, she still had to show her strength first, to prevent them from getting any funny ideas and causing a big scene.
A mere B-Rank Valkyrie, though still well-trained, was nothing in her eyes.
She was confident that even with her hands and feet tied and blindfolded, she wouldn't let them escape. Otherwise, she wouldn't be getting paid so much.
As she was thinking, Raven walked to the ruins of a demolished house.
And in the ruins, a single house stood alone.
A holdout.
Raven's face soured.
She thought she had offered more than enough for the demolition, but she didn't expect there to still be a holdout.
All this extra money was coming out of her own pocket!
She felt that her hand should be a little heavier later.
It was just as well that they chose such a spacious location. She didn't have to worry about accidentally injuring anyone else.
Raven swung her cloak, and countless raven feathers were thrown out.
They sank into the ground, walls, and air, then gradually disappeared.
After confirming there were no blind spots, Raven nodded slightly.
The space around the entire house was now completely sealed by her. Not to mention a person, not even a mosquito could fly in.
When everything was ready, Raven casually knocked on the door.
Knock knock knock!
But unexpectedly, there was no response from inside for a long time.
Raven smiled.
"Not coming out?"
"Alright! I was thinking of not making such a big scene."
She lightly swung her arm, and the seemingly thin but extremely hard door was easily cut open.
Raven walked in.
The house was neatly arranged, the walls and floor looking as if they had just been renovated.
Raven's hand, covered in a hard gauntlet, stroked the wall, easily cutting it open.
Inside the wall were several metal objects with flashing red lights.
As a legend among mercenaries, Raven was no stranger to this.
Explosives, and high-yield explosives at that.
"Tsk! No wonder you chose such a remote location for your base. What else can I expect from you Schicksal Valkyries?"
"Tricks. You don't understand the power of the Serpent."
Raven pulled out a palm-sized sphere from somewhere and casually tossed it on the ground.
The sphere spun a few times, and an invisible pulse spread out from it.
In an instant, the flashing bombs on the wall all went out.
"I know you're in there. Stop your futile resistance." Raven stroked the gauntlet on her right hand and walked toward the inner door step by step. "We can have a good chat."
But the response she got was a somewhat anxious female voice.
"It seems the bombs you planted didn't work. She's about to come in."
Then a male voice.
"No rush. Let's grab the other two takeout orders as well."
"This account of mine probably won't be usable anymore. I need to prepare some rations before we go."
"Uh, actually, I still have some money..."
"No need. No one puts all their eggs in one basket. I'll just switch to another account."
Hearing the voices from inside, Raven felt deeply ignored.
"Hey! Show me some respect!"
She lifted her leg and kicked the door open.
But the scene inside the room was once again beyond her expectations, because the room was... empty.
Only a phone on the bed was playing a recording.
"She seems to be in the room. Do we still need to continue acting?"
"That's enough. It's time to show our guest her gift."
A bad feeling suddenly washed over her.
Raven quickly retreated toward the door, but then stopped abruptly.
Because she found that, at some point, a bomb had also been placed at the exit.
BOOOOOOM!!!
The last remaining house in this ruin was also cleared.
A moment later, as raven feathers fluttered down, Raven's figure emerged.
With her strength, she naturally couldn't be harmed by some ordinary bombs.
Looking at the collapsed house in front of her, Raven's face was not angry, but rather helpless.
"Wouldn't it have been better to just tear it down? You guys are making things very difficult for me!"
After hesitating for a moment, she finally turned and left.
She hadn't been lying to Jackal. She did have more important things to deal with.
Some things... that the organization absolutely could not know about. Failing to connect with these Valkyries would make her next task very troublesome.
"Tsk! Good luck to you then!"
"Unlucky fellows."
---||---
In the same alley where Luo Li had once led Sirin in circles, Kiana looked around anxiously.
Suddenly, a rift appeared in mid-air.
Then, a figure fell out of it.
Kiana rushed forward and caught him.
It was Luo Li.
But at this moment, his face was as pale as paper.
"Are... are you okay?"
"I'm fine. Just a little far."
Luo Li took a few deep breaths, and a hint of color gradually returned to his face.
Although the Authority came from Sirin and Kiana, the Honkai energy needed to drive it was drawn from his own body.
The multiple spatial jumps had taken a heavy toll on him. Even though his Honkai energy capacity had greatly increased after his Stigmata awakened, he was still struggling.
"Why did you take the risk?" Kiana was a little confused. With Luo Li's ability to manipulate space, they could have just left. There was no need to take such a risk.
"Because we needed information."
Luo Li tried to push himself up, but he had underestimated his weakness. His body trembled and he was about to fall.
Fortunately, Kiana caught him in time.
For them, ARK City was like a dark hunting ground, and the hunters were already in position.
And they, the prey, were completely oblivious.
But now, at least some information had surfaced.
Luo Li told Kiana what had just happened.
"Is that woman dressed like a dodo bird strong?"
"Very strong." Luo Li's face was grave. "Not someone we can handle."
A silence fell between them.
Until Luo Li felt his strength had recovered enough, he motioned to Kiana.
"Follow me. I'm quite familiar with this area."
Kiana didn't question him, just quietly followed behind.
But Luo Li suddenly turned back and asked a question.
"Kiana, do you know about Shicksal Entertainment?"
"I've heard of it. Why do you ask?"
Seeing the curiosity on Kiana's face, Luo Li found that her mental state seemed much better.
Strange. I didn't get her a psychiatrist, did I?
He couldn't figure it out, and could only attribute it to Kiana's strong will.
"We need to get into the Shicksal Entertainment theme park. Our reinforcements are most likely there."
"Okay."
The white-haired girl nodded quietly, seeming to have no intention of expressing her own opinion.
"Aren't you going to say anything?" Luo Li asked.
Kiana shook her head, then smiled gently at Luo Li. "You can decide."
I take it back. This kid's mental state still seems a bit off.
But things had come to this. Having a teammate at all was already a good thing.
Sighing inwardly, Luo Li continued, "There are two problems right now."
"First, I'm a wanted man, so it's not convenient for me to do things."
"But your identity is fine, so the focus of this operation is on you."
"So I'd like to coordinate with you. You'll be in the open, heading to the theme park, while I'll be in the shadows, waiting for an opportunity to act as backup."
"I have no problem with that." Kiana nodded. "Is there anything else you need me to do?"
"Yes." Luo Li continued. "The second problem is that we don't know how to contact them, or even what the password is."
"Although we are both Schicksal agents, we belong to two different teams and have no contact with each other."
"I can guess that the higher-ups probably did this so as not to put all their eggs in one basket."
A look of helplessness crossed Luo Li's face.
"But the higher-ups probably didn't expect this to happen."
"So I wanted to ask you, is there any important information that can draw them out?"
Luo Li was just asking tentatively, without much expectation.
But to his surprise, Kiana actually fell into deep thought.
A moment later, she uttered a string of numbers that sounded like code.
"K-423"
"If they were really sent by the Overseer, they would definitely know this number."
Luo Li noticed that after saying this string of numbers...
Kiana's eyes were filled with nothing but a dead silence.