Hello, Arknights

Chapter 287 I can't think of a suitable title

"Don't you want to sleep a little longer?" Texas, who had just returned from buying breakfast and opened the door, asked when he saw Ling had already gotten up and was washing his face with a hot towel.

"Thanks. Actually, it's okay to not sleep in a bed for a short period of time. Don't use the budget. I..."

"I know." Interrupting him from saying that he wanted to pay the bill, Texas put down his breakfast and patted his shoulder. "Budget is budget. I can tell the difference."

"I feel bad about spending your money..."

"No, I used your wallet." Rupert wagged his tail, very calmly.

Ling Dengxian was choked. He wanted to complain but didn't know where to start. Seeing that she seemed to be a little provocative, an expression she would not normally show, his heartbeat quickened.

"Well, about what we talked about yesterday, the knight experience reported by Hongjiu, tell us in detail." Ling Dengxian changed the subject.

"The Red Wine News has a great influence in Casimir, far more than what a newspaper should have. In other words, the Red Wine News is just a facade for the people behind them."

"Trade Association?" Ling Dengxian looked at the towel in his hand, the ink on it was fading away, and frowned slightly.

"Maybe, but profit-seeking is a very obvious characteristic of them...They will try every possible way to gain profit."

Texas gently unfolded the newspaper on the table. The advertisement in the "Knights Audition Experience" column caught people's attention:

Don’t the dazzling knights on the field always make our blood boil?

Isn’t it a cause for celebration when something is out of reach?

Knights audition experience! Just pay a small amount of money, and you can also compete in the arena!

Maybe you will be the next Brilliant Knight or Blood Knight!

Ling Dengxian was silent for a moment after reading it, then he looked up at Rupert and pointed at the newspaper, "This guy is obviously ripping off tourists from other places."

Nonsense, locals who are eligible and interested would have already registered as knights to officially participate in the competition. How could there be such a ridiculous activity... especially since it appeared in the Red Wine Newspaper.

"However, you don't have the conditions to go through the formal channels. The registration of knights in foreign countries is extremely strict, except for special characters that the Knights Association intentionally introduced in advance."

Candle Knight.

Ling Dengxian pondered for a moment, then said solemnly, "Being involved in the Knights' Competition... is it a good thing? Our mission is to collect intelligence on the infected group..."

"So, Operator White Dove, what did you get?"

"What do we know beyond the most basic information available to the public?"

Ling looked at Texas, who spread his hands and sighed, "It's better than you messing around on your own."

It was because she knew Ling Dengxian's thoughts clearly that, as his companion on the ice field, she started to worry about things that she would not have considered otherwise.

"Thanks, Texas."

Wine Newspaper.

"Olmer Ingra, I hope you can remember why your family released you from the court early... Be more restrained! The master said that if you are sent back, you will suffer!"

The tall Kuranta man sneered: "That old man is just talking, but when has he ever really been willing to let me go to jail?"

"you!"

"Shut up, you're just an errand boy. The old man takes you seriously, but you're not a character in my eyes. What I do is my own business."

After completing the registration procedures, Ling, who was still impressed by the "outstanding" business capabilities of the Red Wine News, heard a not-so-pleasant conversation as soon as he came out.

"Who is this guy who looks rather arrogant? (Victorian language)" Ling Dengxian approached the front desk and asked in a low voice.

The front desk clerk was sweating. "Dude, that's the Rusted Bronze Knight... His arrogance is his specialty... He's known for conquering his opponents with violence in the arena. This guy was just scooped out of the Inquisition... to take up a spot."

"Taking up a quota?"

"Yes, brother, I see that you look kind and you are from another place, so I have to say a few more words to you. It is best for you to just experience the audition for the sake of it. If you really go to compete with these knights who have people behind them for the special tournament points, you will die miserably."

"...Do you really have a spot?" This was Ling Dengxian's first reaction.

"Brother... look at this, we are the Red Wine Club! Casimir's No. 1 newspaper! We are the operator of the Supervisory Commission and the military expenses of Casimir's Crusade Knights—" the guy at the front desk said proudly.

"You paid for all this?"

"How is that possible? We are just one of them." The guy at the front desk shrugged. "The cost of a country is beyond the imagination of ordinary people like us."

"It seems you are so proud of it..." Ling Dengxian spread his hands.

"Why shouldn't we be proud? Isn't the current source of income for Casimir supported by companies like us? Without us, how would the knights update their equipment? How would they defend themselves against foreign enemies?"

Ling Dengxian narrowed his eyes slightly, and sure enough, personal understanding was right.

"But you still haven't explained why there are quotas? It can't be that all companies that have paid money have them?"

The guy at the front desk shook his finger and said, "No, no, no, I said it at the beginning... Our Red Wine News is the number one newspaper in Casimir... Apart from the irregular ones, important national news is also promoted nationwide through us."

"By the way, buddy, my name is Leto. Just a friendly reminder to you, think of a name in advance, because most of them are just for fun, and they will just randomly register a knight name when they arrive. No one here will remind you. I'm reminding you, maybe you will become famous by then."

Ling Dengxian was silent for a moment. Knight competition, points, special tournaments, open and covert quotas...

The "quota" for the red wine newspaper is not given directly.

A lot of people signed up today, but it is said that a considerable number of them will arrive at the venue and finish the "audition" after one game, taking some consolation gifts with them.

The application requirements were very tricky, and those who showed proficiency in combat in their resumes were eliminated. It was clearly a trap.

Oh, Ling Dengxian filled in the pharmaceutical company and logistics industry.

The Rusted Bronze Knight, who was originally ineligible to compete, would take up a potential spot, which meant that if he really had something in mind, it stood to reason that he would run into this guy many times.

"Points... that's something I need to study carefully."

As he was thinking, he walked out of the hall and saw a figure waiting for him. Just as he was about to meet him, he caught a glimpse of an unexpected white color.

"Miss Platinum?"

"..." Looking up, the white-haired Kuranta was silent for a moment, looked at him, and finally said, "Why are you here? Did you really believe in our activity of ripping off tourists from other places?"

"It's okay. It's enough for a week's food. I don't spend my salary carelessly. Since I'm here to travel, of course I have to experience it a little." Ling Dengxian said half-truthfully.

"A week's worth of food isn't a huge amount of money, but if you waste that much money you'll get scolded... Oh no, you'll probably get a beating instead." Bai Jin said unhappily.

"Don't worry about that. What are you doing here?"

"Come here? I was just passing by and you stopped me, brother! My boss called me over to handle some work..."

"Why didn't you say so earlier? Don't you have to carry a bow when doing some work?" Ling Dengxian immediately made way.

"Because I don't really want to work...The client likes this sport, and I'm just catering to his preference - is there anything else to say? Hurry up." Bai Jin pretended not to see his move to make way.

"Shirogane, your resentment is about to overflow from your dead fish eyes... Then how about having dinner together next time?"

"Thank you. I can't laugh when I'm working. You're quite persistent...see you next time." After agreeing, Bai Jin knew he had to leave.

I hope we won't meet next time.

Or, I hope that the next meeting won’t be what I thought…

After secretly glancing at the boy whom he had only met twice, Bai Jin continued on his way in silence.

Although they only met twice, each time she was able to relax a little.

"...What are you thinking about? Aren't those spots reserved for those playboys who return to the tournament?" Bai Jin smiled self-deprecatingly, thinking that it would be better to worry about himself.

The auditions have already reached the second half. If you want to get enough points, you have to hope to become the big winner in the "big melee", and you also need to be lucky enough...

She turned and went into a hidden alley, but after turning a few corners, she stopped abruptly.

The taste of blood is too irritating.

"Master Platinum, you are late again." He wiped his face, patted her shoulder gently, and said with a smile: "You are really in a bad state recently, or has your escaped master contacted you again?"

The dangerous ending hurt Kuranta's desire to survive, and he shook his head in fear: "No, no! Absolutely not!"

"Really..." Lapis Lazuli stared at her eyes for a long time, as if he wanted to dig them out and examine them carefully. Finally, he smiled and let go of the pressure. "Okay, it's just a joke. I thought you were talking to that man so much because you were passing on a message to that guy Ikaros."

"I'm not ready to do anything to a lovely colleague again in two years."

"You've been doing really badly lately. I'm doing the job for you again this time. Don't just sit there with dead eyes and cry about having too much work to do."

"The next task is an easy one. I'll give it to you. Don't make any mistakes... Otherwise, no one can save you." Roy handed her a file bag with bloodstained gloves. "In the arena, the return of the Knight of Glory has made many people look forward to the two 'Lin Guang' taking the stage at the same time, but not everyone thinks so... Do you understand?"

"…Wouldn't it be more interesting and profitable to do so?"

"Because there won't be any sister rivalry, and if Xiao Linguang qualifies, it means there will be one less chaebol attending the special tournament."

"What a waste, do you understand?" Patting Platinum's shoulder again, Roy whistled and left.

Bai Jin was speechless for a long time, glancing into the depths of the dark alley with the corner of her eye. The splattered blood had already begun to be cleaned up by the cleaning team. The tattered helmet lay silently beside the corpse. Suddenly, the solidified blood seemed to come alive, trying to rush towards her like crazy, dragging her to the ground, tearing off her flesh and blood... and the softest part of her heart.

The Platinum Lord slowly sat down on the ground, leaning against the wall. His white over-the-knee boots were covered with dust. The cleaning team did not dare to criticize him, but just quickened their pace.

For a moment, she felt that the corpse's face changed into the appearance of the young man with the sunny smile.

White dove...

Don't jump into this quagmire.