Arknights: Mobile City

"Alright."

In the end, after a moment of hesitation, Laurentina nodded in agreement to Obsidian's proposal.

She had to admit—what he offered was genuinely tempting. Whether it was the mysterious Ringfinger, or help finding Skadi, neither was something she could easily walk away from.

"I'm glad you're willing. For now, just stay in the City for a while. There's a residential zone a few miles deeper in—I'll take you there. It's quiet in the City these days."

Obsidian smiled and began leading Laurentina toward the City's interior, his mood clearly uplifted.

Finally… someone who can actually handle lab equipment.

That alone gave him a greater chance of defeating Food Chain.

Obsidian knew full well—things between him and Food Chain were far from over. Sooner or later, they'd clash again, a battle that would decide not just victory, but survival.

But the ones who'll win… will be "us." Us, the City.

He held that thought close, then shifted his focus.

The Identity Extraction Voucher he'd just drawn was usable now. He'd give it to Laurentina later—who knows, maybe it'd even turn out to be a Ringfinger Identity.

But that was for later. For now, Obsidian was already mentally assigning her future tasks as they walked on.

Laurentina followed behind him, stepping out of the wooden cabin and taking in her surroundings.

Before long, the ruins of an old alley appeared ahead—crumbling, aged, and resembling a once-vibrant neighborhood. She looked up at the houses, and that familiar glint of arrogance returned to her gaze.

Her artistic talent might be unmatched, but even so, the primitive tech level of surface civilization was hard to ignore…

Still, what if she could trade her assistance for more pieces like that wood carving?

The thought flickered through Laurentina's mind. She even considered reporting this place to the upper echelons of Aegir—supporting a fledgling land civilization wasn't unheard of for them.

"We're here. Pick any room you like."

Obsidian said casually. Laurentina nodded and stepped into a stone building by the roadside, apparently intending to make it her temporary base.

But the moment she crossed the threshold, the instincts of a deep-sea hunter kicked in—an overwhelming sense of danger sent a chill down her spine. She froze, stepping back half a pace, eyes wide, arrogance vanishing in an instant, replaced by a flicker of fear.

A powerful sense of threat had surged up the moment she entered.

It was primal—territorial. As if some other creature had already claimed this space, and her entry was seen as intrusion.

She cautiously took two more steps back. Obsidian, noticing her strange behavior, walked up beside her with a puzzled look.

"Something wrong?"

He asked.

"...Are you sure no one lives here?"

Laurentina pressed her lips together, then looked up and asked.

Obsidian blinked, then shook his head firmly.

"I just got the sense that this place… was claimed by something. When I stepped inside, I felt a strong, visceral warning."

Even now, just recalling that feeling sent a chill through her.

Not quite on the level of Ishimala, perhaps—but not far off either. Certainly enough to frighten even a seasoned Abyssal Hunter.

Hearing her, Obsidian frowned.

That couldn't be right. He'd already scanned this area—there were no living entities present…

Then, a thought struck him like lightning.

No, maybe there is something—but I missed it.

Why had Food Chain left this place untouched? Every other area had been devoured down to the bone, but here—this patch still had intact ruins…

Obsidian had wondered about that before. But now, combined with Laurentina's reaction, it all began to make sense.

Because this ruin was the territory of another powerful creature. Food Chain had deliberately avoided it—biological instincts favoring survival. They hadn't dared trespass.

The realization settled coldly in Obsidian's mind as he fell into thought. Laurentina, meanwhile, had regained her composure. She gave the house a look—then, perhaps unwilling to be cowed, stepped inside again. This time, forewarned, the pressure was much more bearable.

Watching her stride in and sit down on the bed, Obsidian spoke:

"So… should I get you another place? If this one's dangerous, I can build a new one."

Laurentina hesitated. She wanted to be stubborn, but remembering that crushing presence, she relented.

Still recovering from her earlier injuries, it wasn't worth the risk. Caution was the better part of wisdom. With that thought, she nodded.

Obsidian then reassigned her to the third small cabin he'd already built earlier.

After escorting her there, he told her he'd return later—with something to ask of her.

His plan was simple: once things settled, he'd put the lab in her hands. As for convincing her to work… aside from their previous deal, the Identity Extraction Voucher was his ace.

With that, Obsidian returned to the alley ruins, his brow furrowed tight.

What exactly was lurking here? What could make Laurentina sense danger—and keep Sweepers at bay?

As he wandered the ruins, his consciousness expanded across the area—but there were no signs of life. He shook his head, stumped.

But then, he exhaled slowly, eyes growing resolute.

If scanning the whole place doesn't work… then I'll go room by room. One at a time.

His awareness swept through every chamber, not missing a single hidden door. A meticulous, grid-by-grid sweep—searching for any sign of monsters nearby.

The alley ruins stretched over a full mile. And finally, in the one hundred and twenty-seventh house… Obsidian found it.

In the basement of that building, his perception landed on something mounted against the wall—motionless, without the faintest breath of life.

His own breath caught.

Just one glance was enough to recognize the creature for what it was.

White hair. Razor-sharp fangs. Clothes that once looked expensive. Eyes tightly shut, chest unmoving—not breathing, not dead.

Obsidian knew what this was.

Its life signs had been suppressed to the barest minimum.

A bloodfiend.