Honkai, why do you only throw me into high-level battles?

"This is… Mr. He Kun?" Durandal recognized the man in the photo immediately. "He's still alive?"

"He Kun?" Otto was taken aback. Another unexpected development.

"Did you locate him, Overseer? Is he trapped somewhere dangerous?" Durandal made a reasonable assumption. "I'll depart immediately!" She turned to leave, ever the decisive Valkyrie.

Yuno opened her mouth to speak, but Otto stopped Durandal first. "Wait, Durandal."

"Is there something else, Overseer?" She turned back, puzzled. "Time is of the essence. Just send the mission coordinates to my terminal. If there's anything else, you can send that as well."

Tell her where the enemy was, not who they were. That was Durandal's style – efficient and decisive.

Seeing things return to normal, Yuno calmed her restless heart and waited patiently.

"Yes, Bianka. I have some questions for you." Otto's smile was calm, his voice gentle. "You said… He Kun?" The surprises kept coming, fueling his anger. He felt challenged, mocked.

"Yes. Why do you ask, Overseer? Have you forgotten him?" Durandal was even more confused. What was wrong with the Overseer today?

"On the contrary. I remember him quite well." Otto's gaze fell on the files scattered across his desk, the name "Lin Wei" mocking him. "In fact, we 'collaborated' with him in Manila not too long ago…" He emphasized the word "collaborated," his tone dripping with sarcasm.

The word "Manila" triggered Yuno's anxiety. She knew Manila was in the Philippines, the current epicenter of the Honkai eruption. And her friend, Anna, was there.

Is she alright? Worry gnawed at her.

"Um… I don't understand, Overseer." Durandal, noticing Yuno's quickening breath, glanced at her, then returned her attention to Otto. "Did something happen that I'm not aware of?"

"Indeed… what did happen?" Otto mused, shaking his head with a wry smile. "I'm just as curious as you are…" He pushed the file towards Durandal. She stepped forward and read it carefully.

Otto watched her, waiting patiently.

"So, Mr. He Kun's name in Anti-Entropy is Lin Wei. How… very Chinese," Durandal commented, her tone a mix of amusement and seriousness. "But I don't see anything unusual about this file. It's just an ordinary resume." Despite her nickname, "Stupid Goose," she was far from stupid. She knew Otto wouldn't waste her time on trivialities.

"Indeed." Otto nodded, then pushed the other file towards her. "Take a look at this one."

Durandal quickly read through it.

"Well?" Otto asked, finally seeking her opinion.

"As expected of Mr. He Kun…" Durandal said, her voice filled with admiration. "Even while serving in Anti-Entropy, he remains loyal to Schicksal, diligently carrying out his duties. His unwavering dedication is truly commendable." She felt she'd learned a valuable lesson.

Otto stared at her, speechless. Wait, what?

He suppressed his confusion. "Tell me, why do you think that?" He needed to understand her perspective, to identify the source of their miscommunication.

"Isn't it obvious?" Durandal was surprised by his question. "Mr. He Kun was assigned to Anti-Entropy by you, Overseer, on a secret mission."

Otto wanted to punch himself. He'd implanted that very identity into "He Kun's" memory. And he'd vouched for him when Durandal had questioned his identity. This… backfiring of his own plans was infuriating.

"…Tell me exactly how you met him," he said, forcing himself to remain calm. There were more and more things he needed to re-evaluate. And the worst part was the implication behind these oversights: someone had exploited his blind spots, acting right under his nose.

He'd only uncovered a few incidents. What else was hidden in the shadows, unknown to him?

It was like finding a cockroach in your house, suddenly making you hyper-aware of every nook and cranny, every potential hiding place.

Welt, you're learning to turn my own tactics against me. I underestimated you, he thought grimly.

His attempt to lure out the "snake" in Anti-Entropy had inadvertently caught two fish. And one of them had just slapped him in the face with its tail.

Have you truly improved, or have you found another successor, a third "Welt"?

Either way, it made no difference. They were both dangerous enemies.

"Yes, Overseer." Durandal, sensing his unusual mood, recounted her first encounter with "He Kun," even mentioning the awkward incident with the autograph. "That's all," she concluded.

Otto listened intently, his eyes lowered, visualizing the scene, comparing it to his own memories.

Something was missing.

How did he find Durandal so quickly? Through the online video?

He hadn't questioned it before, but now, with his suspicions aroused, it seemed too convenient.

He didn't like coincidences. He didn't believe in coincidences.

"Did anything else happen before that?" he asked, searching for the missing piece.

"Before that? I was simply following your instructions, Overseer, keeping a low profile." Durandal frowned, trying to remember. "The only unusual thing was… meeting Stan." She'd read the name on its collar before destroying it, and the name had stuck.

"Stan? Ah, your… interesting little cat?" Otto was surprised. "Tell me about it."

He was curious about Durandal adopting her enemy's familiar as a pet. Especially since the cat seemed perfectly content with the arrangement.

Weren't you enemies? How did you become so close? I saw you fighting! It was rather bizarre.

"I met Stan on the street. It was just an ordinary cat then, badly injured, covered in blood." Durandal recalled the incident. "A woman was chasing it. She confronted me briefly, then left. Do you have any questions about her, Overseer?"

"A woman?" Otto seized on the detail. "What kind of woman?"

Durandal described her appearance. Otto searched his memory, but couldn't find anyone matching the description. The existence of an unknown, powerful individual was more concerning than her identity.

Whose side is she on? She'd injured the cat, so she wasn't with World Serpent. Was she another of Welt's unknown subordinates?

Had he deliberately allowed himself to be captured, a distraction while his subordinates carried out their plans?

But how could he have known I would be there? That part still puzzled him.

"Overseer, is there something wrong with Mr. He Kun's identity?" Durandal asked, sensing the tension.

"Indeed… this He Kun… no, Lin Wei… or perhaps some other name entirely. Let's call him Lin Wei for now." Otto gathered his thoughts, a cold smile playing on his lips. "This Lin Wei is a cunning deceiver. He exploited my trust, manipulating you, gaining your confidence for his own benefit. And he fooled me as well…"

"I don't understand, Overseer," Durandal frowned. She'd had a positive impression of him. Was he really a deceiver?

"It doesn't matter, Bianka. You just need to understand one thing: the He Kun you knew never existed. He's not our friend, but a dangerous enemy…" Otto stood up, his voice filled with feigned sorrow. "I offered him a chance to redeem himself, to join the right side. But he chose to use my kindness as a weapon against us!"

Durandal remained silent. She knew he was exaggerating.

But she did care about the truth. She didn't like being deceived.

"What do you need me to do, Overseer?"

"It's simple, Bianka…" Otto didn't want to waste any more time. He descended from his throne. "That man is still in Manila. Oh, there's a rather severe Honkai eruption there, but that's not important. What is important is that, according to Rita's report, this eruption is likely connected to Anti-Entropy, and possibly to this… Mr. He Kun, or Lin Wei, or whatever his name is…" He stopped, then turned to her, his voice cold and hard.

"I need you to go there and bring him back to me."

"Dead or alive."

He suspected Welt had sabotaged his plans in Manila. Was Welt's target the same as his, the hidden "snake"?

He didn't know, but the mere act of sabotage was enough to enrage him. Welt had not only interfered, but he'd also turned the tables, making a fool of him!

He was furious. How could he have been so blind? Welt had been playing him all along.

Trying to rewrite a Herrscher's mind and memories with a simulated Divine Key? Preposterous!

If it were that easy, he wouldn't have needed Fu Hua's help to deceive the 2nd Herrscher all those years ago. Even with her full power, it had only been a temporary illusion, easily shattered by the Herrscher.

The Herrscher of Reason, though weaker than Fu Hua, was still a Herrscher!

He'd always underestimated Welt, dismissing him as a naive, foolish idealist, unworthy of being considered a true enemy. He'd even spared him, seeing him as a useful pawn, a willing volunteer to clean up his messes.

But now, he realized his mistake.

That foolish, stubborn do-gooder had learned to play dirty.

This couldn't be tolerated. He had to act decisively.

"Yes, Overseer," Durandal replied, accepting the order. She turned to leave.

"Wait!" Yuno, who had been silently fuming, finally spoke up, running down from the platform and following Durandal. "I'm going with you!"

Durandal stopped, looking at Otto, silently asking for confirmation.

"Miss Yuno…" Otto started, intending to dissuade her, but she interrupted, her voice sharp.

"You promised!" She glared at him, her eyes blazing. "You lied to me!"

Do you think I'm a fool? A prisoner you can manipulate? She'd been patient long enough. If he disappointed her again, she might actually lose control.

"…No, of course not." Otto quickly backpedaled, avoiding further conflict. "I was just reminding you that, as a Valkyrie of Immortal Blades, you should request permission from your captain before taking any action. That's proper protocol." He smoothly shifted the responsibility to Durandal. "For example, you should ask her permission to accompany her on this mission."

Yuno, naive as ever, thought his explanation made sense. Her anger subsided. She looked at Durandal, silently pleading. Captain, will you let me go?

Durandal frowned at Otto. "Overseer, did you really make a promise to her?"

Yuno also looked at Otto, awaiting his answer.

Otto chuckled awkwardly, admitting, "Yes. Miss Yuno is concerned about her friend's safety and requested permission to go to Manila. I told her she could accompany you."

Yuno nodded, satisfied with his answer.

Durandal checked her communicator. Alvitr, ever efficient, had sent her a detailed report on the Manila eruption.

After reading it, she looked at Yuno. "The situation there is dangerous. Are you certain you can control yourself? Are you sure you want to go?"

"Anna is in danger. I have to go," Yuno replied, meeting Durandal's gaze without flinching. "If I lose control, Captain, you can deal with me. I won't complain."

Durandal studied her eyes, assessing her resolve. Then she nodded. "Overseer, I approve her request."

"Then… you should depart immediately," Otto said, defeated.

"Yes, Overseer."

Durandal and Yuno left, leaving Otto alone in the vast office, a sense of emptiness settling over him.

He walked back to his throne, picking up the two files, reading them again, carefully.

He scoffed, tossing them aside like trash. "It's been a long time, Welt. I believe it's time we… reacquainted ourselves."

...

Meanwhile, thousands of miles away in Manila, Lin Wei had just returned to the building with Anna, Chen Tianwu, and Chen Tianwen, reuniting with Jell.

"Communication has been restored. Thank you for your help earlier. You helped us through the worst of it," Jell said, expressing her gratitude, then relayed the news. "Rita contacted us. She said we don't need to rejoin the main force yet. We just need to hold our position and wait for them to reach us."

"Is that so? That's good news," Lin Wei replied, a sense of foreboding washing over him.

It was good news for the city, for the Philippines, for the world.

But for him, it was a terrible omen.

Something big was coming.