Arknights: Mobile City

Laurentina stared at the wood carving, entranced. Obsidian, seeing her like that, simply turned his attention elsewhere, letting her be.

He knew exactly why she'd fallen into that state. Laurentina was, by nature, a deeply artistic soul. Her greatest passion was carving.

And as for the piece from Ringfinger… Though it was only rated D-tier, that might seem mediocre to people of the City, but it landed squarely within the realm of what Terrans could appreciate. Especially someone like Laurentina—an eccentric artist through and through.

So, her being captivated by the wood carving was entirely within Obsidian's expectations.

He didn't disturb her. Instead, he went back to his own task—tuning a standard-issue pistol from Lobotomy Corporation, examining it for any notable traits.

Laurentina didn't move a muscle. She stared at the wood carving for over half an hour.

It was as if she had been completely absorbed by the atmosphere the carving evoked. Her innate instability allowed her to intuitively grasp its imagery. Just by looking, she could feel the suffocating weight of death—the repressed cries of despair and resentment for the fate that had befallen its creator…

Laurentina was almost intoxicated by the ambiance. Only after thirty full minutes did she snap out of it with a gasp, panting, a bead of cold sweat slipping down her temple. And yet, her expression still carried a lingering sense of awe and longing. Her gaze reluctantly drifted away from the carving and landed on Obsidian.

"This carving… did you make it?"

She looked at him, eyes bright with excitement.

If she had the fortune to meet someone here who shared her passion—and had this level of mastery—then that was no less than a blessing.

Obsidian glanced at her, set the pistol aside, and smiled.

"Of course not. I'm just a dabbler with a bit of appreciation for the arts. This was a gift from a friend—he's probably still wandering somewhere far from here."

Naturally, he wouldn't admit to carving it himself. He needed to plant a sense of anticipation in Laurentina, a kind of itch she couldn't scratch. Genuine curiosity about the origin of this piece—that was the bait to make her stay in the City, waiting for the supposed sculptor to return.

That sculptor, of course, didn't exist.

But it didn't matter. All Obsidian needed was for Laurentina to remain for a while. With time, he could find other means to ensure she stayed longer.

With that thought, Obsidian couldn't help but smile a little more as he looked at her. Laurentina, hearing his answer, clicked her tongue in mild disappointment.

"Shame… But you say you know art?"

She narrowed her eyes and asked,

"Then in your opinion—how's this carving?"

Clearly, having seen such brilliance, Laurentina couldn't wait to talk about it with someone.

Hooked already. Makes things easier… don't even have to lead the conversation—it follows on its own.

Obsidian mused to himself, then answered slowly,

"Me? I'd say… it's fairly average."

The moment he said this, Laurentina furrowed her brow and looked at him.

"What did you say?"

To the average person, that would sound like a provocation, a direct challenge to her aesthetic judgment.

That she hadn't already lunged at him was a testament to the restraint she exercised—for the sake of the man who'd saved her life.

But Obsidian simply waved it off.

"I've seen better. This one's from a friend of mine—he's from Ringfinger. He's made quite a few pieces. This one in particular? He wasn't satisfied with it, so he handed it off to me. Within Ringfinger, this carving was rated D-tier."

He spoke casually. Laurentina blinked in surprise at his words.

He wasn't satisfied with this? Really?

She glanced back at the carving. Something this masterful—she would've assumed it was either a creator's magnum opus or at least a piece of pride… And yet he had tossed it aside, gifting it away like some idle trinket to display on a shelf?

In that moment, the name that had come up in Obsidian's explanation flickered through her mind.

Ringfinger.

For the first time, Laurentina felt a genuine curiosity toward this mysterious group. In fact, it might've been the first time she'd ever been curious about something from the surface world at all.

So these land-dwellers… have their own treasures after all?

"Ringfinger… What exactly is it?"

"A group—or a gang, depending on how you see it. They used to be one of the City's old gangs. Pretty much vanished now. The City itself has come close to total collapse once already."

Obsidian shook his head, then launched into an explanation of the City's structure—its Enforcers, factions, and past—essentially recounting what Texas already knew, now for Laurentina's benefit.

She listened with half her attention, distracted. But whenever he mentioned Ringfinger, her focus sharpened again, enough to make Obsidian chuckle inwardly.

"So… when will this friend of yours be back?"

Her voice held a hint of urgency.

Obsidian did a quick mental estimate. It should be enough now. Time to reel her in.

"Hard to say, but he'll return. Shouldn't take too long."

"…I see."

Laurentina fell into a moment of hesitation. She had originally planned to reunite with her comrades right away—but she couldn't deny that Obsidian's tale of Ringfinger had stirred her interest.

If a D-tier piece was already this incredible… then what about the higher-tier works? What kind of divine artistry would those be?

"You're thinking about your companions, aren't you?"

Obsidian asked suddenly. Laurentina hesitated, then nodded.

"In that case, why don't I help you look for them?"

He smiled as he offered. Laurentina looked genuinely surprised.

"You?"

"Mhm. After all, the City is a mobile one. If your companions ever enter the City, I'll know right away. And even outside—on Terra's vast surface—there's a decent chance we'll run into them…"

Laurentina narrowed her eyes slightly at that.

"And the price?"

"Hmm… You stay in the City. Save yourself the trouble of wandering around."

Obsidian stroked his chin, smiling.

"I'll help you search for your friends. And when my Ringfinger friend returns, I'll let you know right away. In return, you stay here a while—and maybe help me out with a few things. I assume you've done some lab work before?"

"Back home, I was one of the best."

"Excellent. Then… between my new promises—and the debt you already owe—might I ask you to give it some thought?"

His tone was gentle. Laurentina stood in silence for a moment, then gave a slow nod.

"…Alright."