Karen the Brave!

Although the Wien Empire had always insisted on promoting the Maklai language group across its colonies, Maklai was still merely one of the world's primary lingua francas, not the only one. For instance, in the region where Dark Moon Island was situated, the official language was not Maklai, but Syderson. Even within the same language family, differences in regional culture carried distinct local linguistic flavor, not to mention the vast gulfs created by differing language families and the distinct cultural backgrounds behind them. Certain greeting customs with local flair were not just a matter of dialect; they functioned more like the jargon or secret cant exchanged between different gangs or guilds—like passwords traded in the underworld. Rendered literally, such phrases often strayed wildly from their true meaning, failing entirely to convey the original intent. It was just like when Karen had once used the phrase "down to earth." Only Alfred had truly understood what he meant. To Purr, Kevin, and anyone they repeated it to, the words sounded more like "channeling the breath and will of the earth," edging infinitely close to the dogmas of the Church of Mother Earth. Naturally, Purr had not set Karen up on purpose. There was no reason for her to dig a pit for her own great-great-great-great-niece. The real reason was that, for the sake of boiled fish with pickled greens, Purr had racked her brain and scraped together every scrap of information about Dark Moon Island buried in her memory to share with Karen. That included a moment beneath a sunset long ago, when a handsome young clan head had gazed at her profile and told her, "It is the dappled dusk beneath the dark moon's lingering glow that allows me to see the true you." In return, his deep affection had met only total indifference from the girl before him. She had even asked him in an utterly perfunctory tone, "Oh? What's that supposed to mean?" His expression dimming with crestfallen disappointment, the young clan head had forced an explanation: "It's just an ordinary greeting we use on Dark Moon Island when meeting friends." Purr had passed that line and its explanation on to Karen. Back then, she had cared nothing for that persistent young clan head who kept clinging to her no matter how many times she turned him down. Naturally, she had never grasped the deep affection within his words, let alone what they truly meant. To Karen, offering a bit of local slang from the other party's homeland on a diplomatic occasion was a sign of respect—much like foreign dignitaries in his past life reciting an ancient poem in awkward tones to polite cheers and applause. He also understood that Neo had placed him in this role hoping he would liven up the atmosphere. Neo's squad did not lack fighters; what it lacked was someone presentable and decent. And then, he had crashed and burned. Yet this "King Kong Barbie" had not felt offended. Drawing on her appearance at that moment, she had played the part of a playful, mischievous girl and handled it with great poise. Seeing their young mistress respond in such a manner, the rest of the delegation kept their tempers in check. Not a single person spoke up to reprimand Karen for his "disrespectful" and "insulting" behavior. Karen was also riding the coattails of the Church of Order. If the backing forces behind the two sides had been reversed, that single remark might well have escalated into a severe diplomatic incident. Fanny and Peige, however, were looking at Karen with distinctly different eyes. They truly had not expected this little colt, whom they had spent the morning teasing, to be so fierce. The "King Kong Barbie" stepped into the car, followed by Karen and Fanny. The executive sedan began to roll forward. Yet the ripples of the incident had not settled; they were simply confined within the vehicle. "You seem quite familiar with our Dark Moon Island?" Ophelia had not removed her armor. Sitting face-to-face with Karen inside the car, she appeared exceptionally tall and imposing. Karen answered candidly, "My apologies, Miss. If I were truly familiar with the customs and culture of Dark Moon Island, I would not have been so abrupt and offensive." At a time like this, he could not simply blurt out that he had misunderstood the meaning of the phrase. That would only add insult to injury, and any explanation should not be given in front of outsiders anyway. "It doesn't matter. In my impression, you Wien people have always possessed this sort of character—free-spirited, romantic, and unconstrained. I think it's wonderful." "Yes, thank you for your understanding." "On the ship over, I read a Wien poet's diary. At the time, I wondered, 'Wow, is that really how it is?' Now I'm certain there's no mistake about it. Have you read that book?" "Would the book you read happen to be *The Secret Diary of Rogin*?" "Yes, that's the one! It seems you've read it too." "Yes, I have." "Then tell me, is everything written in that diary true?" "No." "Oh? It isn't?" "Some parts were excised. For example, Rogin himself once had an extramarital affair with Her Majesty the Queen, but that portion was cut when it was published. Even he never imagined that fifty years after his death, Her Majesty would still be alive." "Hahahahaha!" Ophelia burst into laughter, slapping her thigh as she laughed, sending a metallic clang echoing from her armor. "Her Majesty passed away not long ago. A new revised edition of *The Secret Diary of Rogin* will likely be published soon. When it does, I can mail a copy to you, Miss." "All right, all right, definitely do that. Don't forget!" Jokes about the Queen's age had always been used by other nations to tease the people of Wien. The Wienese poked fun at it in private as well, but rarely brought it into the open out of basic respect for the royal family. Within church circles, however, no such taboos existed. Even Purr had said her family had declined to the point of having to accompany the Queen for afternoon tea. To genuine orthodox major churches, so-called royal taboos were nothing more than fodder for jokes. "How much longer until we reach the hotel?" Ophelia asked. Fanny replied, "About twenty minutes, Miss." "Oh, I'd like to take off this armor soon. I worry I might leave a rather heavy psychological shadow on my suitor, which wouldn't be very pleasant." Fanny smiled. "We'll be there shortly. There will be a modest welcome banquet tonight, attended by three bishops from the York City Region to welcome your arrival. Tomorrow has no scheduled itinerary, so you will be able to get ample rest. The exchange conference officially begins the morning of the day after tomorrow, but that is only an exchange session; you won't need to attend in person, Miss. You can simply have your assistants attend to discuss preliminary intentions." "Then the formal talks are two days from now?" "Yes." "A very considerate arrangement. You've been most thoughtful." "It is our duty." "Two whole days... but I've grown thoroughly sick of staying on that ship. I'd like to go out for a walk and get some fresh air rather than stay cooped up in the hotel. Would that be all right?" "We will need to submit a request and report this to our superiors. If you truly have such a need, we will give you an answer after the welcome banquet once you reach the hotel. However, to ensure your safety, we need to know your itinerary in advance—specifically, where you wish to go." Ophelia smiled and asked, "Do you know Allen Manor?" Fanny froze. She did not know it. Turning to Karen, she asked, "Karen, do you know it?" Allen Manor had once been famous; after all, it belonged to the family of a former pirate fleet commander. But after generations of decline, it had gradually faded from mainstream circles. It was entirely normal for Fanny not to know of it—which at least proved that Allen Manor had not broken the law... After all, any halfway normal family preferred not to remain vividly etched in the memories of the Whip of Order. Karen feigned a moment of contemplation. In truth, he was hesitating. In the end, he decided to speak up. Whether he admitted knowing it or not, Fanny and the others would find out as soon as they reached the grand hotel. Furthermore, if Ophelia truly wanted to visit, she would likely be allowed to go anyway. It was better to seize the initiative himself. "The Allen family was once a renowned pirate family in Wien. Legends of the Allen ancestors can still be found in many adventure tales. Today, the family oversees the production of several workshops, most of which supply our Church of Order exclusively. The manor is located west of York City." "Yes, yes, that's the one!" Ophelia said. "You certainly know a lot." Karen replied, "I simply enjoy reading novels." Fanny smiled. "Miss, we will submit the request and report the results to you after the banquet. Though I believe it shouldn't be a problem." "Thank you, and thank the Church of Order." Karen asked, "Are you interested in visiting Allen Manor because of the pirate stories as well, Miss?" "Pirates? Well, yes, our family did have some contact with the Allen family's pirates historically. However, I am under orders from an elder of my family to visit Allen Manor and pay respects at the grave of an old acquaintance." *Under orders from an elder of her family? That lovesick young clan head is still alive?* *How could he have lived until now?* Purr had survived partly due to the finger of the God of Light and partly because she had turned into a cat. Only through a string of coincidences had she gained such an extended lifespan. A prolonged life always came at a price. Spending a hundred years as a cat had been Purr's. *What about him?* *And... pay respects at a grave?* That cat was probably sitting in his apartment right now sipping coffee, yet someone was already preparing to visit her grave. More to the point, there was no grave for Purr Allen in the ancestral cemetery of Allen Manor. "Miss, would it be convenient to share what kind of old acquaintance this was?" Karen immediately explained after asking, "We need to evaluate the Dark Moon family's emotional sentiment toward Allen Manor to determine the appropriate security clearance." Karen looked at Fanny as he said the second half. Fanny nodded. "Yes, that is very important." "Oh, it's quite a beautiful love story." A look of longing appeared on Ophelia's face as she continued, "One of my ancestors once met and fell in love with a young lady of the Allen family on the open sea. They went on adventures together, traveled together, faced all sorts of the unknown together, and loved each other deeply." Karen blinked. He had a strong premonition that this story had strayed far from reality. "Yet perhaps it was the design of fate that this pair of lovers was destined never to remain together. Under the guidance of the dark moon, that ancestor of mine had to return to Dark Moon Island to inherit the position of clan head. In his heart, loyalty to the dark moon stood above all else, just like your faith in Order. And so, despite the young lady of the Allen family weeping and crying out desperately in the storm to hold him back, my ancestor resolutely cast aside that love and returned to Dark Moon Island to assume the leadership, protecting his family and guarding the dark moon. "Yet in his heart, he never stopped thinking of the woman he loved so deeply and wronged so terribly. On Dark Moon Island, there is still a palace with a pool of living magma channeled into its center. That was the residence my ancestor built for her. He would often spend time there, longing for his former beloved and commemorating that love." Karen decided that his cat at home must never, under any circumstances, hear this "love story." Otherwise, she would certainly lose her mind. Fanny asked, "Then over all these years, did your ancestor never send anyone to contact her again?" "The Dark Moon family cannot leave Dark Moon Island at will," said the female warrior who had previously disguised herself as Ophelia. Fanny smiled. "Surely regular correspondence would have been possible, wouldn't it?" Not being able to leave Dark Moon Island at will was a restriction placed upon the Dark Moon family by the major churches, much like the treatment given to the Avanas family's bloodthirsty aberrant demons. But rules were dead while people were alive. On the surface, you weren't allowed to roam freely, but were you truly so obedient that you never slipped out in secret? If you hadn't snuck out, how could you have met that young lady and fallen in love in the first place? These were unspoken rules everyone understood. Ophelia replied, "My ancestor did indeed send people to inquire about her. Though he could not leave Dark Moon Island himself, he wished to offer compensation to the woman he had hurt. But the news they brought back was that she had not only left her family, but soon vanished without a trace, and even her own kin could not find her. Perhaps the pain of losing her beloved was too heavy a blow for her to bear, and she could not accept that reality." Karen sighed with emotion. "Yes, it must have been so." "Still, I believe fallen leaves always return to their roots. In the end, she must have quietly returned to her family. That is why I wish to visit her grave on behalf of my ancestor, and offer some financial support to Allen Manor as compensation for what happened back then." Karen had already noted earlier that Allen Manor's workshops were currently dedicated primarily to supplying the Church of Order, and he had deliberately asked about their emotional sentiment toward the estate. To a degree, this settled the matter: the Dark Moon family harbored no ill intentions toward Allen Manor. Such were the benefits of an ancient family heritage. Even if the current generation was unremarkable, a former lovesick fool from a century ago could still look after the family. *Should I notify old Anderson in advance so he can hurry up and build a grave for Purr?* *Would it need to be artificially aged, with some sorrowful inscriptions carved beneath the headstone to set the mood?* Karen also noticed that Ophelia had initially said she was under orders from a family elder, but then switched to referring to "that ancestor of mine." Were they not the same person? Or were they the same person, and she had simply changed her phrasing midway through? Fanny smiled. "Very well, we will arrange it." "Thank you, thank Order, and thank you even more, Mr. Karen. I thought I would be stepping into a dull itinerary once I came ashore, but I never expected to meet someone as interesting as you. It makes me very happy." "Protecting your safety is our duty, Miss. Making you feel at home on that foundation is also part of our work requirements." Just then, Peige, who was driving, glanced back and said, "The Captain signaled an alert. We need to stop." The car came to a halt. This stretch of road was still on the outskirts of York City. The VIP car had not driven directly through the city center, taking the ring road instead because the assigned hotel was located by the coast rather than downtown. Consequently, there was very little traffic. Fanny remained completely calm. "Please rest assured, Miss. We will guarantee your safety." Ophelia smiled. "Of course. I trust my safety is in good hands." *An assassination attempt?* Karen did not know who the target was. Was it aimed at the Dark Moon family or the Church of Order? Enemies of the Dark Moon family might launch a targeted assassination to disrupt these talks, just as had happened during the Avanas family negotiations. Naturally, other churches might also attempt to sabotage the Church of Order's recent negotiation progress. The source of the leak was equally complicated. It could be the enemy's intelligence network, the Dark Moon family leaking it themselves to kill with a borrowed knife, or even the Church of Order deliberately exposing the route to scare the monkeys by slaying a chicken. "Would Miss care for something to drink?" Fanny asked. "Ice water, please." Fanny poured drinks for everyone in the car. When she reached Karen, he took the initiative and said, "Red wine." "Certainly." With drinks in hand, Ophelia raised her glass of ice water and said, "To your hospitality. Cheers." "To your safety. Cheers." Soon, an eerie sandstorm surged along both sides of the road, rapidly obscuring their surroundings. It resembled the techniques of the Church of the Earth, though it could easily be a smokescreen staged by the killers to shift the blame. Immediately after, wisps of black mist plunged into the sandstorm, followed by streaks of crimson blooming amidst the dust. The slaughter was breathtakingly fast. The female warrior stared outside in shock. "Your security squad... is incredible." For a military escort accompanying the delegation to utter such praise showed just how terrifying the true strength of Neo's squad was. This was hardly an organized ambush; it was cattle walking willingly into a slaughterhouse. From the driver's seat, Peige began to chant: "Order—Defensive Boundary!" A massive black hexagram appeared beneath the VIP vehicle, followed by dense, interlocking lines resembling a fishing net that enveloped the entire car. The next instant, an assassin wrapped in a yellow cloak came scrambling toward them. Yes, scrambling in flight—because Karen saw Neo standing in the distance, seemingly having spared his life on purpose. The lone assassin, fleeing in panic, actually ran straight toward his assassination target. Even he appeared utterly bewildered and sensed that something was wrong. His side's ambush had been crushed by a horrific strike the moment it began, leaving him with no thrill of impending success when faced with his target—only profound confusion. He seemed unable to see the grid boundary outside the VIP car. He charged straight into it, and his body was instantly sliced apart, chunks of flesh splashing against the car door. "Miss, this is one of your assassins," Fanny introduced smoothly, sounding like a tour guide at a zoo explaining an animal species behind the glass. "Oh, then I must offer him a toast as well." Ophelia was not frightened in the least. Karen noticed that as she watched the blood trickling down the window alongside the sliding chunks of flesh, she even licked the corner of her lips. Then, raising her water glass, she took a long drink, a hint of relish surfacing on her face. The assassination was snuffed out in no time. A squad member wearing a black mask walked over carrying a bucket and a cleaning squeegee. He scraped down the chunks of flesh, drew a heart on the window with his bloody finger, and then wiped it all clean. "Hehehe." Seeing this, Ophelia chuckled happily. Peige restarted the car. A quarter of an hour later, they pulled into the Ankara Hotel, an establishment named after the daughter of the God of Order. This was evidently a hotel operated directly by the Church of Order, boasting formidable security. No ordinary person could stay here; even royalty had to wait in line for application approval to lodge here for a single night. Once the car was parked, Fanny led the way while handling check-in, while Karen and Peige followed behind, escorting Miss Ophelia and her two companions all the way up to their suite on the eighteenth floor. Miss Ophelia needed to wash up and prepare for the evening's welcome banquet. As close-protection escorts, Karen and his companions were assigned the room directly across from hers. After stepping inside, Karen first went into the washroom to wash his face. He heard some movement outside, though the hotel was exceptionally soundproofed—not only between rooms, but even between the different quarters of a single suite. Once he had hung up his towel and stepped out of the washroom, he saw that in addition to Peige and Fanny, a group of people wearing black masks sat on the sofas in the suite's small living room. Every one of them held a glass of alcohol, and some still carried traces of blood on their clothes—though likely not their own. Neo stood before the floor-to-ceiling window, holding a glass of red wine. He turned to look at Karen with a smile on his face. Just then, one of the masked members stood up. Karen recognized the voice—it was Marlo, who had been in police uniform the other day. Shaking his body, Marlo shouted: "Brothers, on your feet!" Everyone rose. "Come, let us offer our deeply reverent worship to our new member—Karen! For in all the security history of the Church of Order, he is the first brave soul to confess his love to his protectee the very moment they met!!!" Everyone—including Peige and Fanny, and even Neo—held their glasses in one hand while extending the other toward Karen, bending their knees and bobbing up and down in continuous worship. "All hail our brave Karen!" "All hail our brave Karen!" "..." Karen. At that moment, another person behind a black mask changed his posture, drawing everyone's eyes. Karen recognized the voice as Zema's. Zema crossed his hands in front of his chest, contorted his body, stood on tiptoe, and traced little circles on the carpet, pitching his voice into a coy squeak: "Oh my, about your confession... could I think it over a bit more?" "Hahahahaha!" The entire room erupted into roaring laughter. Then Neo spoke: "All right." The moment their captain spoke, everyone fell silent and snapped to attention. Neo pointed to a glass of alcohol sitting on the coffee table. Karen walked over and picked it up. "No need to think it over. Today, we officially welcome our new member, Karen, to the squad! "Remember: "We are a pack of hunting dogs! "Between hunting dogs..." Everyone raised their glasses and shouted in unison: "No retreat, no surrender, no betrayal!"