The laughter and joy of the amusement park still echoed, but the time for relaxation vanished in an instant.
Soon after returning to Schicksal Headquarters, a notice jointly issued by the Medical Department and the Logistics Department was disseminated to all relevant personnel—[Notice Regarding the Commencement of Annual Routine Physical Examinations and Special Blood Sample Collection for Headquarters Personnel].
The notice required all A-Rank Valkyries and above, Commanders, and all personnel with known Honkai Energy adaptability ratings of B+ and above, who had no urgent missions recently, to report to the Headquarters Medical Center for a comprehensive physical examination within the specified time.
Additionally, a certain amount of blood samples would be collected to establish a more complete genetic and Honkai Energy adaptability database, providing support for subsequent medical care and combat power assessment.
Captain Kael, as an S-Rank Commander, and Theresa, as an S-Rank Valkyrie, were naturally on the list.
As for Sirin, despite her special status, given her unusually astonishing Honkai Energy adaptability, she was also specially marked by the Medical Department to undergo sampling.
When Kael received the notice, he was with Sirin, reading in the dormitory.
He looked at the information on the terminal, his brows slightly furrowed.
A routine physical examination was fine... but the fact that Sirin also had to go made him feel a faint unease.
He knew of Sirin's fear of needles and medical environments.
"Brother... do I really have to go?"
When Sirin saw the words "blood collection" in the notice, her small face turned a little pale, and she instinctively leaned closer to Kael.
Kael put down the terminal, stroked her head, and comforted her, "Don't be afraid, it's just a regular check-up, and Brother will be with you the whole time. Drawing blood is quick, just like a little bug gently biting you."
Theresa also received the notice and came to Kael to complain, "Seriously, why such a big fuss all of a sudden? And blood collection... It's so annoying!" Although she wasn't afraid of injections, she always had little patience for such tedious procedures.
Despite their concerns, orders had to be followed.
The next day, the Headquarters Medical Center was crowded.
Valkyries and staff in various uniforms formed long queues, and the atmosphere was not tense.
Kael held Sirin's hand, feeling the coldness of her palm and her slight trembling.
He tried his best to shield her with his body, blocking some unnecessary gazes, and spoke to her softly, distracting her.
Theresa, meanwhile, was bored, waiting in line beside them, occasionally standing on tiptoes to see how many people were still ahead.
When it was their turn, Sirin saw the nurse take out the blood collection needle, and her body instantly stiffened, her breathing became rapid, her large golden eyes filled with fear, and she tightly clutched Kael's hand, refusing to sit on the blood collection chair.
"Sirin, be good, look at Brother, don't be afraid." Kael crouched down, half-embracing her, blocking her view, and softly hummed a tuneless but exceptionally gentle melody—one he occasionally used to lull her to sleep.
The nurse was also very experienced, her movements swift and gentle. The moment the needle pierced her skin, Sirin's body trembled violently, but Kael's warm embrace and the familiar melody made her forcibly resist struggling or crying out, only burying her face deep in his arms until the nurse said, "Done."
The blood collection process ended quickly, and Kael's and Theresa's were even simpler.
Watching the nurse place the labeled blood samples into a special low-temperature storage box, the inexplicable unease in Kael's heart finally subsided slightly.
He helped Sirin hold the cotton swab on her arm and praised her softly, "Sirin is so brave."
Sirin looked up, her eyes still red, but hearing Kael's praise, she still nodded gently.
Theresa watched from the side, pouting, but said nothing.
The physical examination and blood collection ordeal seemed to have passed. Life returned to a brief calm, and Kael continued his daily routine of taking care of Sirin, handling official duties, and occasionally being "harassed" by Theresa.
However, on the morning of the second day after the blood collection, a communiqué personally signed by Bishop Otto, marked [Top Secret · Urgent], exploded like a thunderclap on the terminals of all high-ranking personnel!
Kael had just woken up and was about to make breakfast for Sirin when he saw this forced pop-up communiqué, his pupils suddenly constricting!
The content of the communiqué was concise yet alarming:
[Yesterday at midnight, the Headquarters' underground blood sample vault number three was attacked by unidentified armed individuals. After an initial inventory, it was confirmed that a total of seventeen high-Honkai Energy adaptability blood samples were lost, including those of Theresa Apocalypse, Kiana Kaslana, and the special individual Sirin. Evidence left at the scene strongly points to remnants of the Third Empire. Preliminary assessment indicates that the enemy intends to acquire high-adaptability genetic samples for illegal cloning or genetic modification experiments. All relevant departments are to enter Level One combat readiness, fully investigating the whereabouts of the samples and the enemies involved.]
Blood samples... were stolen? His, Theresa's, and Sirin's!
Kael's hand holding the terminal tightened slightly, and a chill ran up his spine.
He immediately thought of Sirin's unusually high Honkai Energy adaptability; if those madmen from the Third Empire got their hands on it... the consequences would be unimaginable! And Theresa, the Kaslana Family blood... Almost simultaneously, his dormitory door was violently pushed open, and Theresa rushed in, her face pale, her hand tightly clutching her terminal, her voice filled with incredulous anger and lingering fear: "Kael! Did you see it?!"
Sirin was also startled awake by the commotion, and she walked out of the bedroom in her pajamas, rubbing her eyes. Seeing Kael's and Theresa's grave expressions, she asked uneasily in a soft voice, "...Brother... what's wrong?"
Kael took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. He walked to Sirin, crouched down, and tried to speak in a calm tone, "It's nothing, Sirin, just a small problem, Brother will handle it."
But Theresa was not so calm; she was so angry that she spun in circles, "They definitely didn't get hurt enough at the border last time! How dare they infiltrate Headquarters to steal things! And steal blood! What do they want to do? Clone me? Just thinking about it makes me sick!"
Kael frowned deeply; he was thinking more.
This attack had a clear target and was obviously premeditated.
The Third Empire risked infiltrating the core area of Schicksal Headquarters just for these blood samples; their intentions must be significant.
Cloning? Genetic modification? Whichever it was, it implied a potential, huge threat.
Just then, Kael's terminal rang again; it was a direct communication from Bishop Otto.
He immediately answered, and Otto's figure appeared on the light screen. Her expression showed little emotion, but her eyes were deeper than usual.
"Did you see the message?" Otto's voice was as steady as ever, but with a hint of coldness.
"Yes, Your Eminence," Kael replied in a deep voice.
"Captain Kael, Theresa," Otto's gaze swept over them, "You, especially Sirin, have now become 'precious material' in the eyes of certain people. Until the matter is investigated, remain vigilant. Kael, Sirin's safety is entirely your responsibility. Theresa, you too, do not act alone in the near future."
"Yes!" Kael and Theresa replied simultaneously.
"Furthermore," Otto paused, a cold curve forming on her lips, "since someone has reached where they shouldn't, then it is only right to chop off that hand. I will personally deploy the relevant investigation and counterattack plans."
The communication ended.
Kael put down the terminal, his heart heavy.
"Theresa, you can stay in the empty dormitory next to mine these next few days, it'll be easier to look after things," Kael decided.
Theresa was startled for a moment, then nodded, "Okay!"
Theresa: Such a good thing?
Although Sirin didn't quite understand what had happened, she could feel the tension in the atmosphere and Kael's protective stance. She reached out her small hand, tightly gripping the corner of Kael's clothes, and said softly but firmly, "...Sirin... will be good... won't cause Brother any trouble..."
"Mm, I believe in Sirin."
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