Léon: The Cat Killer

With Kate speaking casually, Nana opened the WA2000's weapon case and gave the gun, which had been gathering dust in the case for three years, a brief inspection.

Although its condition is relatively good due to its sealed storage, this does not mean that Nana's weapon problem has been solved... The main issue is that Kroos does not sell Originium Etching Bullets of caliber 300.

The two boxes of bullets that were casually stuffed into the box have become the only things Nana has left. And most of the spells that allow the assassin to reach her full potential require the use of firearms... which is quite torturous.

We can't just use the same old urban assassination methods to deal with the Imperial Blades and army groups in Ursus, whose logistics are better than ours.

Although... it's not impossible.

After checking the spring status of the rifle magazine, Nana then unpacked the ammunition... Although the ICA employees had their own opinions, the quality of the ammunition was unquestionable because it came from the Security Bureau.

Even after three years, Nana didn't see any obvious Originium powdering or damage to the anti-radiation coating... This was one of the few things that made Nana feel relatively at ease amidst a bunch of bad news.

"So, does Aya know about 'Doctor'?"

"...Never heard of him, maybe he's not a member of Rhodes Island...Wasn't he supposed to be in Kazdel right now?"

As Aya spoke, she adjusted the draw weight of her longbow. On the table in front of her were two things that looked like launchers... Aya used them to launch medicine to support her teammates, and she could also use them to launch armor-piercing cones to attack. Of course, if she was forced to, she could also launch poison at the enemy.

Because it also comes with a sterile mixing chamber, it is also a portable drug preparation station that can prepare liquid, solid, and even nebulized drugs... Yaye simply omits the troublesome process of drug storage.

Nana had clearly noticed that Aya seemed to be better at eliminating the enemy and reducing casualties among her own people than rescuing others.

During the tacit silence between the two sides, Nana pondered whether Kazdel had any organizations connected to Rhodes Island.

If we include information that Medic shouldn't know, then it probably only leaves the White Emperor faction, which is closely related to Kal'tsit... This is obviously classified.

Nana remembered that the organization was called—Babel Tower.

He slightly adjusted the distribution of the liquid material from his pantyhose on his body, then tucked his pistol and spare magazine into the holster on his lower back.

Rhodes Island's uniform jackets don't require ties, and once the waterproof zipper is zipped up, the pistol hidden on the lower back is basically invisible... As an essential prop, Nana's D32 steel wire paracord is still usable, but the poison has all deteriorated after three years.

Nana easily replenished all the commonly used medications under the guise of the emergency department...

With the support of Rhodes Island Pharmacy, Nana's non-lethal poisons for driving away crowds were easily replenished... but lethal poisons... Nana's usual Novichok poison could not be replenished, while cyanide, which is faster-acting, could be prepared at the manufacturing station... but that stuff is too conspicuous and would be obvious as murder, so Nana didn't want to use it.

Rhodes Island, being a medical institution, certainly has similar items... it's just unclear where they are located.

Based on her past mission experience, Nana subconsciously wanted to investigate and sneak out without a trace... But after thinking about it carefully, Kal'tsit knew exactly what she was doing. If she wanted to replenish her poison, she could just go to Kal'tsit, right?

"...Aya, I need to meet with Kal'tsit later. If I'm not there by the time training starts, you can train with Liskarm and the others..."

"I understand. It mainly involves the coordination of the contact powder and rosemary, right?"

"It's to let Rosemary get to know us... In the past, she was always led by elite operators on independent missions, making a big show of things and never considering having someone by her side... Although this was mentioned during the exam, but..."

At this point, both the cat and the bear gave a wry smile, and Nana slung her rifle over her shoulder, ready to set off...

From today onwards, she will be an operator who carries a rifle but primarily uses a pistol.

"I'll leave for a bit, okay? When you pick up Kitten after school, please explain this to her for me as well."

"Okay, senior, if you need any help, just contact me through PRTS."

She waved goodbye and left the personnel department. Nana lightly weighed her belongings... Even though she only brought weapons and ammunition, and didn't even bring any off-road gear, she could still feel the weight of her clothes for everyday activities...

I have indeed become weaker, and I don't know when I will be able to fully recover.

Fortunately, there was still the Tikaz magic to strengthen her physique... As a warm current spread throughout her body from her heart, Nana sighed and then took out her phone to contact Kal'tsit as she walked.

……

"poison?"

"Hmm... Highly lethal, ideally it should kill through skin or mucous membranes, or through a very small wound... If the body can be preserved, it should ideally be disguised as a natural death from illness. Of course... a highly corrosive poison that doesn't leave a complete corpse shouldn't leave too many obvious traces..."

Hearing Nana's demand that she wanted both, the office fell into a brief silence.

As Kal'tsit pondered, she organized the documents in front of her... Behind her, on the light screen wall, were numerous Originium infection images of people and animals. Judging from their spotless condition, these images must have been frequently changed, likely related to Kal'tsit's ongoing research.

"If it's just about 'lethality'... Rhodes Island does have that kind of poison."

"What is it?"

"A... natural secretion... when mixed with different reagents, it can indeed achieve the effects you want, whether it's dying silently as if your lifespan has run out, or dissolving even your bones... it can do it all... but..."

"What is it? Is it a price issue? If it's too expensive... I'll just stick with tetrodotoxin or rat poison..."

"The Zalak people have always opposed the use of drugs to harm their animal relatives. Although it is now common knowledge that rodents carry deadly pathogens, you'd better not make such remarks publicly outside... especially in a place like Yan Country where a large number of Zalak people live..."

As she spoke, she opened a safe with a lock that required three combination locks. Kal'tsit took a tube from a test tube rack, inside which a viscous, pale blue liquid sloshed about.

"You are now a public figure in Rhodes Island, so you should have some self-awareness."

"...Given the nature of my job, rather than worrying about what might happen if I say something wrong, I should worry about what will happen if I fail to complete the mission... Hopefully, this time we won't end up like the one where everyone dies if the mission isn't completed?"

As she spoke, Nana took the test tube marked with the "highly toxic" symbol and gently shook it:

"Also, what is this?"

"Purified venom from the Anura tribe... These are samples placed here with me... The result of a country I don't know how to evaluate attempting to weaponize the Anura..."

"Annura?"

"A race from the vast rainforests of Sargon. It's normal that you don't know them because they've been isolated from the outside world for so long... The venom secreted from the venom glands in their necks, once collected, looks like what you have in your hand. When used alone, it's a steroidal toxin that specifically targets the nervous system..."

"When diluted with water, it can produce an effect similar to death from epilepsy; a small wound is all it takes to kill someone silently. However, if you want something that melts even the bones, you'll probably have to wait a while... The person who provided these samples hasn't come to Rhodes Island yet."

She picked up her water glass and took a sip of her now-cold coffee. Three years had passed... Kal'tsit still had faint dark circles under her eyes even after the Rhodes Island team expanded.

"As for your mission, I don't know the specific reasons... After all, Rhodes Island's intelligence network in Ursus has only started to expand in recent years... And if you insist on saying that there is any infected organization that deserves the Emperor's Blade's attention... I think you need to investigate whether those people have political motives."

"...The medical organization's questioning, which is like taking a census, is bound to cause a falling out."

Seeing that Nana still had that expression of wanting to handle everything herself, Kal'tsit's eyes, which had been sipping her coffee, suddenly turned into dead fish eyes:

"Where's the ICA behind you? Inform them of the details, and have your agent organize the information... Eternal Constant is best at reconstructing the truth from fragmented information... Just remember to also record the intelligence with PRTS... Any other questions?"

Seeing that Kal'tsit put down her coffee cup and seemed about to continue working, Nana looked around to make sure no one else was in the room. Then, under the questioning gaze of the emerald cat, she drew a circle above her head:

"The last question is probably this... Kal'tsit, do you know what happened to my aura...? Has it completely disappeared? Am I no longer... a chimera?"

"...First, say yes or no, then ask why... The file that person gave me didn't mention anything about your racial change... She has no reason to lie to me or hide anything, she has no need to... So I personally tend to think that you have just temporarily lost your Sarkaz abilities."

"But that's too hasty a statement. Without any evidence, you probably wouldn't feel at ease. Anyway, we're about to see the Doctor, so let's be patient for a bit..."

As she spoke, Kal'tsit suddenly fell silent for a moment, then quickly wrote down the precautions for the Anura poison as she spoke:

"Speaking of which, have you met with any other Sarkaz operators since you woke up? I mean, in a way that's close to 'social distancing'."

“I did see the welcome party a few days ago at the bar with Outcast, but Warfarin kept pulling me along... so we didn’t go to the bar.”

"Well... let's try socializing with the Sakota operator first..."

She waved her hand and shooed Nana away like a child, also giving Nana a medical-style instruction manual... After all, Nana had considerable experience in toxicology, and Kal'tsit knew she would use the 'medicine' properly.

As for the halo that has always been a source of some trouble for the cat killer...

"Through the doctor's surgery, your aura will only become stronger in my opinion. There is no way it will disappear or become unusable on its own... As for why, you will know when you meet the doctor."

3rd This Land: 072 Team Building

Kal'tsit's guesswork-based answer was basically useless to Nana... However, Kal'tsit's guarantee was still very valuable, so Nana stopped worrying about her aura and devoted the rest of her time to training and cohesion with her team.

"Unlike natural disasters where only individual initiative and training results are required, engaging in brutal military confrontations with another combat team as a combat unit tests more than just individual bravery..."

"Understanding teammates' abilities, considering each other's positions, deploying combat plans and making tactical changes based on the battlefield situation... This will be an incredibly comprehensive and complex system confrontation... I may be getting a bit off-topic. In our current situation, I think that even without talking about teamwork, just being able to perfectly exert each other's own strengths when acting together is already considered good teamwork."

As she spoke, Nana looked at the members of her team:

One heavy-armored operator: Liskarm.

Two Guard Operators: Franka and Blaze.

Sniper Operator: Jessica.

Caster Operator: Rosemary.

Two medical operators: Sussuro and Aya.

Finally, there's the fact that I can do a little bit of everything, and if I had to assign myself, I'd probably be classified as a special agent... but actually I'm registered as a 'vanguard'.

Judging by professional skills, this is a standard eight-person field team... which is about the limit that Nana can command. Although the team could expand to fourteen people with the number of people in Nana's direct team in the personnel department, more people are not always better for an operation...

Unless there is another person of Nana's caliber leading the team, Nana feels that those who are not taken care of are likely to become cannon fodder at any time.

However, it's not that everyone needs to go to the front lines with me... Perhaps we could find some more people to take care of logistics?

But if we think about it this way, the logistics personnel must have a reliable base of operations.

"Speaking of which, didn't we break off an exploration vehicle from TDD three years ago? Is that vehicle still around?"

"A car? Ah, that Base Walker? I seem to remember Jessica drove that car onto the Blacksteel landship in the end?"

"...Yes, I ended up using that vehicle to transport refugees..."

Jessica twitched her ears slightly, and seeing Nana's expression as if she were contemplating the truth, she shakily took out her phone: Qi

"Is that car really that important? Should I just buy a new one?"

"...Huh? No, no, no... I was just thinking, I still have seven man slots left, could I make a whole logistics team... an eight-man frontline team plus six people with large vehicles for support? That should make our subsequent missions much easier..."

At this point, Nana frowned slightly, and her gaze towards Jessica sharpened: Ling

"Can that kind of car be purchased privately? How much does it cost?"

Seeing Nana's seemingly serious expression, Jessica, who was very familiar with online shopping, seemed to have found a kindred spirit and activated her personal AI customer service: Leek.

"Let me see... If we buy a customized version from Raytheon Heavy Industries, it would only cost 33 million to get a high-end version with an automatic flushing toilet and an AI-powered electronic butler..." Qi

While the kitten's little mouth was slightly open and it began counting zeros on its fingers, Nana decided to temporarily set aside the question of what Jessica meant by "only."

"...How much?" Si

"Thirty-three million..."

"Dong Guoyuan? Or is he from Ursus...?"

"Uh, LMD."

"...Excuse me, let's talk about where that car went instead."

Seeing Nana's ears droop instantly, Jessica quickly pressed the calculator on her phone and calculated a discounted price:

"Thirty-three million isn't so bad. I have a premium membership, so I should be able to get rid of that three million..."

"The problem is, I don't need the small change, I need the full thirty million..."

"I have thirty million..."

Seeing Jessica's expectant eyes, Nana's mouth dropped open, her expression mirroring that of a kitten. While everyone else remained silent, Nana stammered for a long time before finally giving Jessica's shoulder a firm, tender pat:

“Jessica, it’s not easy for people to save money. Don’t just take out your dowry or anything like that… People like us might die out there any day now, and then no one will pay you back.”

"Jessica, you're rich!"

Seeing the kitten's eyes light up as it realized what it had done after counting the zeros, Nana grabbed the little thing that showed signs of overspending:

"Wait until you get your salary next month and pay back the money you owe Amiya..."

As Cole and Kate joined in scolding the kitten, Nana didn't hear Jessica's quiet grumbling behind her.

"...Actually, thirty million is just a small amount of money...it's not a dowry..."

Not to mention Nana, everyone else turned their heads away as if they hadn't heard.

Even if Jessica dared to buy it, they wouldn't dare use her private car as a public vehicle. A private car worth 30 million, if driven recklessly in the Ursus snowfield, even a scratch would be a huge loss for everyone.

Compared to that, it's definitely less of a burden to use the free stuff that was deducted from TDD... After all, it's sponsored by the Colombian government, and the country's funds can be spent however they want.

Seeing that everyone tacitly avoided discussing Jessica's sensitive attempt to acquire Rhodes Island's personnel department, Franka shifted uncomfortably in the leg ring on her thigh—a device that detected Originium infection status.

"So, the question is, where is that car now...? How about we ask Jennifer?"

Seeing Nana's confused look, Razer added:

“Dr. Jenny Franro…the director of Blacksteel International BPRS, who is also our superior, is currently responsible for handling our affairs…However, to contact Blacksteel right now, we have to use the intercity network as a transit point…Rhode Island has a lot of patients, and everyone wants to use the intercity network, so there is a queue for cross-city communication…By the time our number is called, we will probably have already set off.”

"...Is that so? But it's nothing. I have independent access to the intercity network. I'll take you there to use it."

Seeing everyone gathered at the training ground preparing to move to another location, Ya Ye, who had put on all her equipment and warmed up, tilted her head. Beside her, Su Su Luo had already completed the first stage of equipment training, and Huang's magic training had even completed two stages.

"Medic, aren't we here for training?"

"Hmm, but mission preparation is equally important... Here's what we'll do, send someone from Blacksteel... Franka, you and I will go see Dr. Franco and see if we can get the car back... Blaze, as an elite operator, you've been on missions with Kitten before, right...? Liskarm is the future core of the team, she needs to be most familiar with the feeling of Kitten's attacks grazing past you, you two exchange experiences, we'll talk about more specifics when I get back..."

Seeing Nana pick up her rifle again and prepare to leave, Franka, who had taken off her jacket while warming up, also put away her weapon, put on her Blacksteel International jacket, and made a face at Razer: