NIKKE, When the Milky Way Blossoms

Click!

The instant I heard the door close.

The girl, who had been wailing, suddenly quieted down, pouting her lips with a pitiful expression, but a hint of cunning flashed in her teary eyes.

"Honey, you don't think people use the codename 'Viper' in the Outer Edge, do you?"

Phoenix: "..."

Hearing the snake's hint, the man removed his mask and rubbed his nose with a headache.

Did the relationship give itself away by unintentionally calling out a name?

I wore this mask twice in total.

The last time I encountered Sakura, she recognized me and then broke my thigh bone;

This time, he encountered a venomous snake and was exposed again. Although his thigh bone wasn't broken, he was in the wrong, yet the snake gave him the moral high ground.

To be honest, no matter what the viper is plotting, the fact that she took care of Changye and the other four is undeniable.

"Tell me, what compensation do you want?"

The lieutenant sighed in resignation.

Then, the girl put on a pitiful look and said, "I want my darling to go on a date with me~"

Phoenix: "..."

Phoenix: "Huh???"

Chapter 197 A Bloodstained Rendezvous

"So you're not going to tell me where Krau is?"

"No! I really, really, really don't know! Why do you never believe me, darling?!"

Still on the top floor of the hotel, Phoenix silently handed Viper various emergency medical supplies. Although his brows weren't furrowed, a faint gloom still stubbornly clung to every pore.

Nanotherapy is impossible; at most, it can help by using gel to seal the wounds on a venomous snake and prevent further bleeding.

This woman's visit to his door was definitely not as simple as she claimed, where she just wanted to see him.

Given this, why would Phoenix possibly reveal the secret of his right arm to the other party?

He stated logically and clearly:

"The first time we met was at a factory in the suburbs of Ark. It involved the buying and selling of Niki. When we met, you gave me a bombshell."

Viper: "..."

"The second time we met, it was at the crossroads where Fang organized a march. I spotted you there, and you were about to shoot people in the march to ignite the conflict."

Viper: "…………"

"By the way, during this time you told me, directly or indirectly, about Niki's buying and selling and illegal combat records. I have reason to suspect that you intend to use me to muddy the waters here."

Viper: "………………"

"Now you're actually asking me why I never trust you? This is a difficult question for me to answer."

Aside from the fact that the five members of the Longleaf Clan did indeed receive your care, and that you helped me bring Anise back to the Ark, you spent most of your time figuring out how to use me, or how to engage in potentially unreliable cooperation with me.

Viper: "...Um, um...I just wanted to be a little mysterious! Don't they say men like mysterious women?"

The girl offered an awkward and forced explanation; even someone as quick-witted as her would find it difficult to come up with a believable lie at this moment.

There's no way to say that she didn't actually like someone in the first place, is there?

blah-

With a clatter of plastic, Phoenix opened a new packet of styptic gel, handed it to Viper, and asked:

What did you mean by the date you just mentioned?

……

……

A date is, of course, a date.

Wearing a suit and tie, his aggressive aura combined with his impeccable formal attire, plus the help of Viper to keep things in order, exudes confidence and power.

The lieutenant, whose hair had been simply trimmed, now looked quite like an elite member of high society.

"Oh my gosh~ Oh my gosh~ Suits are only attractive on men with broad shoulders, narrow waists, and strong chest muscles."

Satisfied, Viper straightened Phoenix's collar. Whether from excitement or shyness, her cheeks flushed, and she smiled sweetly, exclaiming:

"Honey, even your outfits are exactly my type~~"

Faced with praise from a woman, the lieutenant, who had emptied the rice bin the night before, remained unmoved as he stared into the eyes of the viper.

"And then what? Why are you making me dress like this? Where are we planning to go?"

"Hmm~ It's a secret~"

The girl, dressed in casual clothes, had a lemon lollipop in her mouth. She winked playfully and immediately took the lieutenant's arm, completely unconcerned that her chest enveloped his arm. Her tone was so coquettish that it would soften the heart of any straight man.

"Come on, come on~ Just keep me company, okay?"

"not good."

Viper: "..."

Hearing the commander's indifferent reply and looking at his detached gaze, as if he were in deep meditation, the girl felt her blood pressure, which had remained unchanged for many years, begin to rise.

Is it really that hard to raise this guy's favorability?

……

……

finally,

Phoenix did not go out on a date with Viper alone.

To prove his innocence, the lieutenant forcibly brought along a reluctant Helen. Then, led by an equally reluctant Viper, the three got into the car and headed north together.

As for the final destination, it was actually not unexpected for Phoenix.

——Nikki Hobby Club.

The moment he learned that Viper wanted him to wear a suit, this sordid location, which had appeared in Viper's personal storyline, was successfully added to the lieutenant's file.

This is also why he was willing to take time out of his busy schedule to play with the venomous snake.

Niki's Hobby Club

In short, it's a shady place that specializes in providing illegal nicotine services.

Compared to the women in human red-light districts who are forced by poverty or personal safety, the biggest difference between Niki's red-light district and them is that...

—The modified, mass-produced Nikis are very likely to have no idea what they are doing.

"Since you brought me here, I'll let bygones be bygones for what you did to me before."

The lieutenant stepped out of the car, and under the surprised or puzzled gazes of Viper and Helen, put his metal mask back on, asking in a gentle, spring-like tone:

"Stay close to me, lest I accidentally sweep those livestock you want into the trash heap when I'm cleaning up later."

Chapter 198 A Bloodstained Date: Even More of a Loser Than a Clown

The phrase "bright lights and bustling activity" is, in Helen's stereotype, hardly a word to describe the impoverished outer areas.

However, after the snake led her and the lieutenant through a winding alley and up and down several staircases, the suddenly open and bustling scene successfully refreshed Helen's worldview.

Various blatant, minimalist advertisements outlined by neon lights are pasted on the exterior walls of various steel buildings, while several drones constantly hover and dart about a dozen meters in the air, rigidly wandering through the steel jungle.

An extra-long scrolling screen, high-end holographic projection, armed security personnel, and men and women dressed in flamboyant and revealing clothes.

This...this is the outer edge area?

Helen opened her azure eyes wide, looking around in astonishment at the almost dreamlike scene.

Apart from the lack of skyscrapers and skybridges, the most extravagant nightlife in downtown Ark is nothing special.

No, to be precise, in terms of sheer absurdity and debauchery, even the best nightclubs in Ark City can't compare to this place.

"Welcome to the Royal Promenade in the Outer District, darling~" Viper boldly took the lieutenant's arm, glancing sideways at Captain Helen, who was still in a daze, her peach-blossom eyes full of teasing.

"And our Miss Helen~ Welcome to the lawless replica of the Royal Road."

Unfortunately, no matter how she acted, the man beside her maintained a detached, businesslike expression.

"Isn't identity verification required?"

Phoenix looked at the heavily armed security personnel in the distance with a hint of doubt and asked in a low voice:

"So, as long as you know the specific route, you can come in and make a purchase?"

"Hmm~"

With a lively shrug, the girl, her face beaming with spring-like joy, clung even tighter to the man's arm as she patiently explained.