What happened to the Delta Force? It turned into Arknights!

— In terms of having a big heart and being easygoing, Remuel and Han Fei are a perfect match.

The two groups quickly met up, and Han Fei looked at Texas with concern, asking, "Are you all alright?"

"Don't worry, don't worry, nothing happened~"

The one who answered Han Fei was not Texas, but Remuel. The latter had a bright smile on her face, gave Han Fei a thumbs up, and had a somewhat knowing expression—with me here, what could possibly happen?

Texas nodded slightly and said succinctly, "We didn't have a conflict. What about you?"

"It went smoothly..."

Han Fei had barely opened his mouth when he was abruptly interrupted by a gunner beside him: "That's enough of the reminiscing. His Holiness the Pope is waiting."

He shrugged, wisely kept quiet, and, surrounded by cavalry, left the solemn First Hall with the girls.

Before long, the majestic outline of the Lateran Cathedral came into view.

At this moment, there were already quite a few pedestrians in the square outside the church.

Han Fei's conspicuous entourage, "escorted" by cavalry, instantly attracted a lot of attention. Han Fei, however, paid no attention, calmly striding into the magnificent church through the various gazes.

A short while later, Pope Ivanista XI, who looked remarkably like the KFC grandpa, came into Han Fei's view.

The Pope was quite good-natured. Even though Han Fei and his group had just caused a huge commotion in the Papal Palace, he still had a kind smile on his face and said, "Good afternoon, children."

"Good day, Your Holiness the Pope," Remien greeted softly first.

Everyone then greeted the Pope, and Han Fei mingled among them and gave a greeting as well.

The Pope responded kindly to the girls' greetings, then his gaze gently fell on Han Fei and Texas: "Two guests who have traveled from afar, please wait a moment..."

What followed unfolded exactly as Han Fei remembered: Mostima was officially appointed as the Messenger of All Nations, and Fiameta embarked on her destined path.

During this process, Han Fei did not interrupt, nor did he have any reason to.

Mostima becoming a messenger of all nations is actually a very good choice. After all, as a fallen angel, she will eventually have to leave Laterano, and becoming a messenger of all nations is already far better than the fate of other fallen angels.

As for Fiameta's choice, Han Fei had no intention of interfering. Although Remien offered a few words of advice, Fiameta's mind was made up.

“Alright, since you’ve made up your mind, I won’t say anything more.” Remi’an looked at her two old friends with a complicated expression. “Then, please be careful out there and take good care of yourself.”

“It’s still early for parting, relax.” Mostima’s face still held that faint, mysterious smile. “How about we save the farewell for when we truly part ways?”

Remienne nodded slightly: "Alright."

"Will we ever see each other again?" Remule's smile faded, her brow furrowed with reluctance.

"Relax, kids."

The Pope's gentle voice rang out at the opportune moment, dispelling the pervasive sorrow: "Messengers from all nations are required to return to Lateran regularly to report on their duties. The day of our reunion is not as far away as you imagine."

Upon hearing this, Remy breathed a long sigh of relief: "That's good! I thought I'd never see you again."

"how could be."

The Pope smiled and shook his head, then his deep and wise gaze refocused on Han Fei and Texas. "Well then, my friends from afar, you may now tell me the purpose of your visit. I imagine you've come all this way not just to put on a 'show' for these children in the Papal Palace, have you?"

Han Fei hesitated for a moment before explaining, "Your Holiness, we are actually ready to leave. However, in order to leave Lateran, I need to do two things, namely, pull the gate. I have already pulled the gate of the Papal Palace. Now there is only one more gate to pull. As long as I pull the one more gate, I can leave Lateran."

The reason Han Fei was so candid was simple: Pope Ivangelista XI was a good person, kind, generous, and trustworthy.

"Can't you just leave Lateran?" the Pope asked, somewhat surprised. "The gates of Lateran never refuse a guest entry or exit."

"No."

Han Fei shook his head. "I know this sounds strange, but I have to pull the plug to leave, otherwise I'll die."

King Ivangelist XI did not respond immediately. His gaze slowly swept across the faces of Remian and the other girls, as if to ascertain their attitude towards Han Fei's seemingly absurd words.

The trust and concern in the girls' eyes undoubtedly provided the answer.

"I see……"

The Pope nodded knowingly, his gaze returning to Han Fei with a hint of inquiry, "So, where is this last gate you mentioned located?"

Han Fei took a deep breath and said clearly, "Underground. Underground of the cathedral."

The moment the words fell, the air seemed to freeze.

The Pope's gaze toward Han Fei suddenly became incredibly complex, his deep eyes swirling with surprise, scrutiny, and perhaps even a hint of understanding.

After a long silence, he slowly spoke, his voice deep and resonant: "Child, you've really given me a difficult question. Do you know what lies beneath the cathedral?"

"I know."

Han Fei scratched his head. He knew that the underground of the cathedral was not a place one could just go to casually, but he had to give it a try, otherwise he would really lose face.

"Your Holiness the Pope."

Just as the atmosphere reached a stalemate, Remi's soft yet firm voice rang out. She stepped forward and looked earnestly at the Pope: "I am willing to vouch for him. I swear on my honor and faith that I believe in Han Fei and that he would never do anything to harm Lateran." Her voice was filled with unquestionable trust.

Pope Evangelist XI's gaze lingered on Remian's face for a moment, then he remained silent. He understood Remian's perspective. In her eyes, the crypt beneath the cathedral was merely a sacred cemetery where the saints of the past rested, a place of reverence and remembrance, which was why she could make such a promise so readily. However, as Pope, the truth he knew was far heavier than Remian's. In that deep crypt, besides the sleeping spirits of the fallen heroes, lay the supreme core of Lateran—the very essence of "the Law." This was the true, absolute taboo, forbidden to any outsider to peek into or touch, the very foundation of the city-state's existence and order.

Remien's statement seemed to open a floodgate. Remien immediately followed her sister and stood up, her tone unusually serious and a little anxious: "Well, I also think what you said is right! Pope, Han Fei is a really good person, he has helped us a lot! We, we don't want to see anything happen to him."

Her bright eyes were also filled with pleading.

The Pope's gaze slowly swept over the people before him—Remian's steadfastness, Remian's earnestness, Texas's silent support, and the trust revealed in Mostima and Fiameta's eyes.

An invisible pressure, or rather, a weight stemming from the pure trust of these children, fell on his shoulders.

"You all trust him so much." The Pope's voice carried a hint of emotion, as if confirming a fait accompli.

“Yes, Your Holiness.” Remian nodded slightly, her tone steady and certain. “His actions and his choices have already proven that he is worthy of this trust.”

The Pope fell into a brief moment of contemplation once more. His aged fingers unconsciously twirled the edge of his robe sleeve, as if weighing the immutable laws of time against the fervent trust of these young lives before him.

Finally, as if he had made up his mind, he slowly raised his eyelids, his gaze refocusing on Han Fei, his tone becoming more serious than ever before:

"In that case... children, I'm willing to give you a chance."

He turned to Han Fei, his gaze sharp as a hawk's, and said, word by word, "I will personally take you underground. But remember, your every move will be under my watchful eye. Do not try to touch anything you shouldn't, do not overstep any boundaries, and do not disappoint these children who trust you. Understand?"

The huge weight lifted from Han Fei's heart, and he dared not hesitate or object in the slightest. He immediately straightened up, nodded heavily as if receiving a military order, and said in a resolute tone: "Understood! Your Holiness, I swear, I will only pull the plug, and I will not look at it again, nor will I take another step!"

“Then…” the Pope looked at him deeply, as if to imprint his promise in his heart, “come with me.”

Without another word, he turned and walked with steady, slightly heavy steps toward the hidden entrance leading underground deep within the church. Han Fei dared not delay for a moment, fearing that this unfathomable old man might change his mind, so he quickly followed, keeping a few steps behind the Pope.

Before long, they descended the deep stone steps into the underground. In stark contrast to the bright sunshine and hymns of the church above ground, the underground passage was dimly lit and cold, illuminated only by Originium lamps that emitted a soft glow, spaced apart on the walls.

On both sides of the passageway stand statues of Lateran saints from all ages, silently gazing down at those who come from the darkness. Their solemn and dignified aura is almost tangible, making it hard to breathe.

Although the underground is free of dampness and decay thanks to a good ventilation system, it is still a place of slumber. The psychological pressure brought about by the eternal silence and solemnity is far more oppressive than the physical environment.

Even the usually kind and talkative Pope was as silent as a statue at this moment, simply leading the way in silence. His heavy footsteps echoed in the empty passage, adding to the mystery and oppression.

After walking in the deathly silence for an unknown amount of time, the Pope suddenly spoke. He didn't turn around; his aged yet calm voice rang out clearly in the silent corridor:

"So, child, where is the 'switch' you need to pull?"

Han Fei's gaze instantly locked onto the only striking green gate marker in his field of vision. He immediately raised his hand, pointing in a certain direction deep within the passage, his voice carrying a barely perceptible urgency:

"It's over there, Your Holiness, about fifty meters away."

The Pope paused abruptly, glanced at Han Fei, and asked, "Do you know where that is?"

"Uh, I don't know."

Han Fei scratched his head and said, "I only know that the gate is there, but I really don't know what's there."

As he spoke, Han Fei's eyes were full of sincerity.

He did have a general understanding of the cathedral's underground, but only that it was a cemetery where the core "laws" of Lateran were kept.

That's all. As for the more specific route and the exact location of the "law" itself, he really didn't know.

Let alone him, even players who are particularly knowledgeable about the history of Ark would be completely lost.

The Pope fell silent. He did not look away; his eyes, which seemed to have seen through the vicissitudes of life and could see into people's hearts, were fixed on Han Fei's eyes, trying to catch even the slightest bit of pretense, hesitation, or hidden intentions in the depths of those clear pupils.

The cold air in the tomb passage seemed to freeze, with only the faint light of the Originium lamps casting flickering shadows on their faces.

However, Han Fei had a clear conscience.

His purpose was so pure it was almost "simple"—to pull the plug and leave.

He harbored no covetousness or desire to investigate the location, form, or secrets of the "law" itself. This purity made his eyes at that moment as clear as unpolluted spring water, almost transparent.

Finally, the Pope exhaled almost imperceptibly.

His sharp, hawk-like gaze slowly narrowed, and the complex emotions surging deep within his eyes—warning, doubt, and weighing—seemed to subside somewhat.

He wasn't completely at ease, but at least in the eyes of the foreign youth before him, he couldn't find any evidence of deception.

"Come with me."

The Pope took another heavy step forward, toward the direction Han Fei pointed, toward the unknown depths that buried Lateran's deepest secrets.

Before long, a heavy metal door came into Han Fei's view.

And right next to that gate was the power switch point that Han Fei had been dreaming of.

Just as Han Fei was about to go over and pull the switch, he heard the Pope suddenly say, "Wait."

Han Fei immediately stopped and looked at the Pope obediently, asking, "Is there anything else I should be aware of?"

P.S.: The bonus chapter for the daytime bounty settlement ended at 0:00 on July 1st. I had a little over 200 more monthly votes, enough for one chapter, and over 50 blades and only 700 rewards. Although I didn't meet the conditions for a bonus chapter, I will write an extra 1,000 words in that bonus chapter so that everyone's efforts won't be in vain.

Volume 1: Chapter 119 His True Face (Revised)

The Pope stared at Han Fei and said, word by word, "Do you know what that sluice gate was originally for?"

"Uh, I don't know."

Han Fei scratched his head. He had no idea about that. Just like before he pulled the switch in the Papal Palace, he didn't know what that thing was for.

After pulling it, he realized that the thing could unlock those display cases.

The Pope said slowly, "This is an emergency device; once pulled, the door will open."

"Is what's inside very important?" Han Fei asked tentatively.

In fact, as he spoke, Han Fei had already made a rough guess that what was behind this door might be the most important and most secretive thing in Laterano—the very essence of "Law".

"It is indeed very important."

The Pope remained expressionless, his hand beneath his long sleeves already touching the edge of the guard musket. "It's so important that I can't let you see it, child."

His gaze remained fixed on Han Fei, and the Pope was ready to draw his guard gun at any moment should Han Fei make the slightest move.

"Uh, in such an important place, the emergency equipment is installed so casually, is that really okay?" Han Fei asked subconsciously.

“This is the heart of Lateran. Do you think you could have gotten here so easily without my guidance?”

Han Fei's docile attitude eased the Pope's expression slightly, and he then said, "Thieves cannot reach this place. If the enemy's army were to invade, I think it would make no difference whether this device is there or not."

"makes sense."

Han Fei echoed, then asked the crucial question in a low voice, "So, you're not planning to let me cut off the power?"

"Yes."

The Pope looked calmly at Han Fei. "If you wanted to touch another gate, I wouldn't refuse, but this one is not an option."

"hiss."

Now, Han Fei was also in a difficult position.

Only by pulling this switch can he leave Laterano. Without this mechanism, he really wouldn't be interested in coming here for a big adventure.

For a fleeting moment, Han Fei even considered throwing two smoke grenades and forcefully shutting off the power.

But upon further reflection, he dismissed the idea.

—Remi and the others staked their reputation on me. If I were to forcefully pull the plug here, wouldn't I become a dishonest and treacherous person?

Han Fei doesn't think he's particularly noble, but when it comes to keeping promises, he still has to be careful.

At least in the Delta, he either doesn't accept the signal, or if he does, he won't harm the rats again.

Conversely, the same principle applies; when he's playing the mouse, he will never attack a fully equipped team that has received a signal.

Seeing the Pope's unquestionable expression, a compromise idea came to Han Fei's mind.

With a glimmer of hope, Han Fei asked, "Then, Your Holiness, why don't you try to pull the plug for me?"

A flicker of hesitation crossed the Pope's eyes: "Would this be useful to you?"