Hello, Arknights

Chapter 318 Untitled 3

Ling Dengxian planned to visit Lin Guang's house for the second time, but this time he was not invited. Instead, he took the initiative to visit because he had something to discuss with Lin Guang.

Maria still managed to qualify, but looking at her face on TV, she didn't seem as happy as she should have been. Instead, she looked lost as if she had lost something.

Ling walked through the alley casually. On the street in front of him, a frenzied crowd was conducting a passionate parade. They were holding posters of the competitive knights who had entered the special tournament. The knight armor on their bodies made a clinking sound, and the glass windows on the streets of the City of Knights were shaking slightly. He was somewhat deterred by the wave of emotions.

After all, this was not some small event at a school sports meet, but as a member of the competitive knights, he did not feel much reality. He could not feel any passion on the field, and the indignation he felt when facing the Rusty Bronze Knight was probably completely different from what he expected.

I heard that the Rusty Bronze Knight who was injured by him was recently discharged from the hospital. After inheriting the points of the Boiling Blood Knights, he entered the special championship more easily than the Flawed Light Knight. It seems that he did not fight hard enough and his hospitalization time was a bit too short.

"It's a good thing I didn't bring Nightingale with me today, otherwise it would be really troublesome."

As he was hesitating, someone patted him on the shoulder. He turned around and someone patted his other shoulder again.

"Hi, Captain White Dove, what a coincidence, we meet here." Turning his eyes back, he finally found the petite red-haired Zalak girl who had circled in front of him. The latter smiled playfully, and her fluffy tail swayed gently, making people's palms itchy.

"Captain Yanwei? Huh? You're not wearing armor today?" Ling Dengxian noticed that Yanwei was dressed quite simply today, and did not wear the armor required for knight competitions, which made his figure look even more slender and agile.

"Armor also needs maintenance. You can't wear a set of armor for a lifetime. It's hard to stay at home and rest peacefully in such a busy time. I came out to take a look and buy some things I need."

Ling Dengxian noticed that her arm was wrapped in thick bandages, which seemed to be a trick to disguise her identity as an infected person, but he was still a little worried and asked: "You are so defenseless in public, aren't you afraid of being recognized by...some people?"

As a well-known knight among the infected knights, Flametail is also well-known. She is also one of the twenty-four knights who entered the special championship. Due to her special identity as an infected person, she must be extremely careful in her every move. During the special championship, the threat posed by the No-Hero Alliance to them will only increase.

"Don't worry. You may not believe it, but after many competitive knights take off their armor, even their most loyal fans may not be able to recognize them for a while, except for the special knights like the Knights of the Moon." Seeing the concern and worry on Ling Dengxian's face, Yanwei also knew what he was really worried about. "As for the other group of people... In crowded places, especially in public places, they dare not do it so blatantly."

The Helmetless Alliance has always been a hidden entity. Even though its presence among the knights is as prominent as an urban legend, if it is disclosed by a big enough figure, it will also cause a topic of public opinion. The people behind it only use it as a tool to deal with shameful things.

"Moreover, the Helmetless Alliance not only deals with the infected, but no one will be held accountable for dealing with the infected... Even the Blood Knight who stood up for the infected can't provide much help in this regard, not to mention... he can't leave the sight of the Business Federation at all."

It's not just the Blood Knights, the same is true for the returning Brilliant Knight Lin Guang. An invisible wall separates them from the infected at the bottom.

"Um... do you have time? I want to thank you on behalf of the people who were rescued that night. You left in a hurry that day and didn't even have a meal..." Flametail made the invitation nervously. As far as she knew, there was an operator in Rhodes Island who was mentally traumatized that night.

Ling Dengxian looked at the still enthusiastic crowd and smiled helplessly: "It does not look like it will be over in a short time, but we can have a drink together, and we should pay for it ourselves. I am not only doing this for you, but also for saving my teammates."

"But……"

"Captain Flametail, we are a field team, and we are not doing this out of charity. It is because you are willing to provide information that we can cooperate with you. In other words, don't be so cautious all the time. It makes us, Rhodes Island, look like bullies."

"No, no, no, Captain White Dove, this cooperation is a bit unequal... We didn't actually do anything, but we did receive a lot of favors from you." Flame Tail spoke the truth. For Rhodes Island Ling and others, something like rescuing Plot Zero was considered a piece of cake, but it was no small matter for them.

Ling Dengxian looked at Yanwei's overly cautious expression and smiled helplessly again. Then an idea came to his mind: "Captain Yanwei, if you have the chance, why not come to Rhodes Island to have a look? For some things, it will be very different if you broaden your perspective on 'possibility'."

"Rhodes Island... is that where you, Captain White Dove, are from?" Flametail asked curiously.

Several scenes flashed through Ling Dengxian's mind quickly. He smiled and said, "No, it's where I'm staying now. I'm on a long road."

Yanwei didn't understand what "road" he was referring to, but he became more curious about the Rhodes Island he mentioned. He now settled in Rhodes Island, so at least he identified with this place.

Ling Dengxian took a few steps forward, then turned back after a moment and said awkwardly, "Well, I'm from another place, and I don't know where there's a suitable drink shop. Can you lead the way?"

"Ah..." Yanwei quickly realized that Baige was also an ordinary person with personality apart from the highlights of the action, and couldn't help laughing, "Haha, let's go this way, I know a good store!"

"Ah? I still have to squeeze through the crowd..."

"If you're worried about getting lost, just hold my hand."

Ling Dengxian thought that it would be too embarrassing to do so.

After some twists and turns.

Feeling a little dizzy, Ling finally gave in and grabbed the hand of the person next to him and asked her to take him with him. It was better to embarrass himself than to get lost and cause trouble.

Flametail's hands are pretty big.

"Finally they came out..." Ling Dengxian breathed a sigh of relief, "Why are these people all wearing armor? Aren't they hot?" He usually felt a little hot when wearing a wooden armor as a fake, so how could these people be so enthusiastic?

"It's not that bad. After all, they have invested money and profits in us knights. Their enthusiastic cheering is probably half for their own wallets, right?" Flame Tail smiled helplessly.

Ling Dengxian nodded. He also felt that it was probably correct. "I'm sorry, it must be hard to pull me out of the crowd, right?"

"Huh? You didn't extend your hand to me." Flametail was confused.

Ling Dengxian was silent. Only then did he realize that he was holding his right hand and Yanwei was on his left.

He turned back quickly, and the man he was holding gestured to him with an expressionless look that he could let go.

"Uncle Maenna?!"

"I have to say, I thought I had seen enough things, but being suddenly grabbed by the hand in a crowd and asked to be taken out by someone of the same sex... it was the first time." The tall blond Kuranta man was not wearing a suit because today was not a workday, so his face looked less tired, but his gaze was still intimidating.

Ling Dengxian was a little upset. He wondered how he had overlooked the height of this person who was 1.9 meters tall!

"Platinum Knight, your insight is really not commensurate with your ambition." Maenna retracted his hand and glanced at Flametail who was standing beside him. The latter shrank his neck under the pressure of his momentum, but did not ignore the name he mentioned:

"Platinum Knight? You mean... White Dove?"

"It seems that there is something between you two. I won't bother you any more and will leave first."

Ling Dengxian and Yanwei did not dare to keep him, but after the tall figure of Kuranta disappeared in the crowd for a while, Ling Dengxian thought of his clothes and had a small guess in his mind: "Yanwei, let's go buy some drinks first, and then go over there to take a look."

"What do you want to do?" Yanwei was a little confused.

"Let's go first. You should be okay today, right?"

"I still need to buy something..."

"OK, it's just on the way." Ling Dengxian gave her a reassuring smile.

Flametail's curiosity was also aroused.

Thirty minutes later.

"No wonder you said we were on our way...to the mall." Yanwei nodded and counted the things he bought, but he still didn't understand why Ling Dengxian wanted to come here.

"It's nothing, actually. I just want to see another side of my uncle..." Ling Dengxian paused for a moment and lowered his voice. "Just like I am actually a Platinum Knight, I am also curious about what he looks like when he puts down his airs."

Flametail's ears pricked up when he heard him mention this. He couldn't help but look at him. It was hard to reconcile the approachable White Dove with the taciturn and willful Platinum Knight.

I had said before that other people might not recognize the knight on the stage if he took off his armor, but I didn't expect the person in front of me to prove it so quickly.

"...Why didn't you mention it? I was really shocked just now. I didn't expect that we might meet in the special tournament..."

"That's why," Ling Dengxian scratched his head awkwardly, "I've eliminated your companion in the melee match before, and it's very likely that I'll face you in the next match. It's a bit embarrassing to be exposed in advance."

Flametail Knight soon realized that the companion he was talking about was Wildmane Knight. Seeing his slightly apologetic look, he couldn't help but chuckle: "Don't worry, I'm not aiming for the championship. It's normal to be eliminated. You don't have to hold back... uh, you better be a little gentle."

"Wouldn't that be against the spirit of chivalry?"

"It's not chivalrous of you to send me to the hospital!"

The two paused for a moment and smiled at each other. Then Yanwei put away his smile and whispered, "There is no unified voice in our infected settlement. There are many people with their own thoughts. There is xenophobia. I can't convince myself to please don't mind it. I apologize to you here. Sorry."

A big part of the reason why Ling Dengxian and others did not stay in the West District for long was that the local infected people did not trust them very much, and some even held hostility, but it was not abrupt. However, the fact that every household was closed had already explained a lot of problems. The people they had contact with were basically people from the Red Pine Knights and some infected knights with a strong sense of justice. The local infected people were mostly silent.

Ling Dengxian himself didn't care. He knew that the identity of an infected person didn't represent the same thoughts of this group. It didn't mean that all infected people were good people who were oppressed, nor that all infected people could think of the overall situation. Jealousy and regional hatred were sometimes unavoidable. But he also understood that as a negotiator temporarily representing Rhodes Island, he had to care even for the safety of his team members.

In the most realistic sense, when he first came to the West District and got lost, it was Platinum from the No-Head Alliance who led him out instead of any infected person. He sat at the end of that alley for nearly two hours, waiting until dark.

The reason why Yanwei and the others were somewhat apprehensive when dealing with things was actually because of this. They were very afraid that the goodwill from outside would be extinguished because of this.

Ling Dengxian shook his head slightly. Some things are better understood after one expresses one's attitude frankly, without the need for excessive words.

Soon, the two of them waited for the scene that Ling Dengxian wanted to see, but their peeping was quickly noticed by the other party, and the atmosphere was quite silent for a while.

"...This isn't a coincidence, is it?" Mainna looked as if she wanted to say something but stopped.

"Of course it's a coincidence, Uncle Maenna, we're here to buy things." Ling Dengxian pushed the somewhat nervous Yanwei in front of him, and then, under the other's suspicious gaze, he took out the camera device and captured the rare home image of Tianma from the Linguang family going out to buy groceries.

Before Mainna and Yanwei could react, Ling Dengxian picked up Yanwei and ran away.

It seems that it may not be convenient to go to Lin Guang’s house today.

But Ling Dengxian would never have thought that sometimes, some people are unavoidable, especially when one commits suicide on a whim.

He didn't know that spokesman McGee was already preparing to cause him some trouble.

But before that, he had to deal with another trouble. Instead of going to Lin Guang's house, he had to pick up someone he really didn't want to see.

"Hello, Operator White Dove, did you miss me~" The white-haired lady smiled and waved to him and everyone else at the convoy pick-up point while dragging her suitcase. No matter how Ling Dengxian looked at it, he felt that that smiling face deserved a slap.

The doctor is also a beauty, so why does he always want to beat her up when he looks at her?

This is certainly not hostility, it is just a subconscious itchy feeling.

"Brother Bai Ge, calm down. I feel like you want to rush up and kick the doctor..." Hei Jiao himself has a strong ability to read people's expressions, not to mention that Ling didn't intend to hide his dissatisfaction at all, "Ye Dao, protect the doctor later..."

"Welcome, Doctor." Ling Dengxian took a deep breath and smiled, "I hope you won't cause any trouble that is difficult to deal with."

"You're asking for a lot... No, no, no, I'll try my best." The doctor laughed, scratched his head, and changed the subject, "Lao Bai, look who I brought here?"

"What did you call me?" Ling Dengxian was furious. His orange-red figure flashed and immediately dissipated his emotions. He couldn't help but asked in surprise: "Flute?"

"Xiao Xian, I'm here to help!" The smile of the Vaifan girl was as bright as dewdrops on wheat ears.