Arknightcraft Modpack
Chapter 549: Too Small
Standing once again at the entrance of the Guard Department, Steven found himself in a familiar position. Beside him stood Mostima, her expression still far from pleasant. Compared to last time, however, there were now a few more companions behind him.
The three members of Penguin Logistics who had originally tried to rescue her were now standing there with their heads lowered. The failed rescue—and the hefty bill for repairing the ventilation ducts—had clearly left them more than a little embarrassed.
As for Mostima, once her initial awkwardness with Steven faded, she quickly recovered. In fact, she began studying the boy beside her with open curiosity.
"How did you manage to get Wei Yenwu to come and release us? And aren't you worried those people who attacked us earlier might cause trouble again?"
She nudged Steven's shoulder, asking as if she were an innocent girl who knew nothing.
"Let's just say I made a deal he couldn't refuse. Right now, I'm basically a big boss in all of Lungmen. As long as I don't go around committing arson or murder, I could probably walk through the city sideways without any problems."
Steven boasted proudly, showing no intention of being modest.
"As for the people who attacked us earlier… hm, shouldn't you be the one giving me an explanation? Miss Catastrophe Messenger Mostima? They were clearly targeting you."
He tossed the question back at her, narrowing his eyes as he met her gaze, waiting for her answer.
"And by the way, those Columbians won't be bothering you again for the rest of their lives. So right now, your biggest problem is me. If you don't give me a reasonable explanation, I might end up doing something similar to them."
"For example… strapping some explosives on you and tossing you into the middle of the road."
Steven spoke in a joking tone, but the implication was clear. He didn't want her lying or playing tricks with him.
To speed things up, he didn't mind doing something a little outrageous.
"…That's a lot to unpack. Give me a second to process. Are you saying that in less than a day, you dealt with all those thugs who chased me from Ursus to here?"
Mostima hadn't taken his questioning too seriously at first. But once he mentioned about the Umbrella members and made those claims, she couldn't remain calm.
That was an entire elite Columbian mercenary squad—complete with powerful Originium Arts users. Even Rhodes Island's elite operators couldn't guarantee they'd walk away unscathed from such a group. Yet from his tone, it sounded like he had wiped them out completely.
She hadn't even spent a full day inside the Guard Department. The sun hadn't even set yet. And he had already investigated everything and dealt with all the relevant personnel. That kind of speed was simply inhuman.
"To be precise, I also took some time to grab a meal, discuss a business deal… oh, and attend an auction. So I was actually a bit late. But don't worry, I haven't had dinner yet. We can grab something together later."
Steven smiled innocently, like a pure-hearted boy being praised. It was impossible to connect that harmless expression with the things he had just described.
Yet Mostima noticed something unsettling. The smile might have looked a bit fake, but his words carried no trace of lying. In other words… he was probably telling the truth.
Just how ridiculous was this guy?
Thinking back to the brief instruction Kal'tsit had given her before she left Rhodes Island—"If anything happens, just leave it to him"—Mostima finally understood why the usually verbose doctor had kept it so short this time.
Wasn't the strength of the person assigned to protect her a bit too excessive? Then why had he left her behind at the Guard Department at such a critical moment?
"And another thing—don't try to change the subject. There's something I want you to tell me personally. Like the fact that you've been hiding something from me."
Steven had no idea that Mostima's mind was already overloaded. None of that mattered to him. All he wanted was a straight answer.
"…Alright. I admit it. Those people were after me. And the reason… is that I'm carrying some very important intel."
Mostima glanced around, confirming that only Steven and the three Penguin Logistics members—people she trusted—were nearby. Then she lowered her voice and nodded.
"And honestly, I don't mind sharing it. It's just that Dr. Kal'tsit said matters like this are best handled by my boss, so I kept it from you."
Her tone was indifferent. She was only acting as a messenger, after all. The "intel" was simply a rough activity range, not some treasure requiring a special key. Even if she revealed it, it wouldn't really affect her.
And if it sparked a war… well, that would have nothing to do with her either.
"That lines up with what I found. I don't need you to tell me where it is. Just tell me—which of these two does it resemble more? That should be within your comfort zone, right?"
Steven nodded. If the person involved confirmed it, then the information was probably reliable. Finding its location might be difficult for ordinary people—but for someone like him, it wasn't a big deal at all.
What he really wanted to confirm was the true identity of that "active volcano." That was the key to his next move.
When Steven laid out the sketches he had drawn—one of Anton and one of Zorah Magdaros—Mostima's brows instantly furrowed.
"How do you know what this thing looks like in full? I have to admit, your drawing's pretty accurate… but there's one problem."
She pointed her slender finger at the sketch of Zorah Magdaros.
"You made it too small. The one I saw… its full size completely exceeded that of a mobile city."
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Note: Character Illustration is in this Google Drive:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1iuyfwNVFHzIi9H4rWNT_lAm7jTSiah_M
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Tn: I updated the story daily, but if you want to see more chapter of this story ahead of time, please go to my Patreon.
Latest Chapter: Chapter 617: A Bold Guess[1]
Link: https://www.patreon.com/Thatsnakegirl/posts/arknightcraft-160680628[2]
[1] https://www.patreon.com/Thatsnakegirl/posts/arknightcraft-160680628
[2] https://www.patreon.com/Thatsnakegirl/posts/arknightcraft-160680628