Asura in Arknights

“I will take you to a place they will never find, to nearby Victoria and Syracuse, to a little further away Casimir and Rembitox, or to Colombia and Yan on the edge of the world.”

"If you're willing, I'll help you investigate the cause of your uncle and aunt's deaths. Whoever orchestrated all of this, I'll make them pay the price."

Liking someone is always so simple; it's nothing more than a feeling that brings immense joy.

Li Ang spoke those words in an extremely calm tone.

Once the air around them gradually returned to normal, Adele realized that they had stopped without her noticing.

Adele felt herself being gently set down, and the scenery before her eyes had returned to normal. What appeared before her eyes was a scene that was all too familiar to her—the clock ticking in the corner, the dishes on the dining table that had not yet been washed, and the clothes that had not yet dried on the balcony.

She has returned home.

"Anyway, welcome back, Adele."

"...Yes, I...I'm back."

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Chapter Forty-Five Preparations

Li Ang quickly scanned the entire villa with his senses, but he did not find any third party besides the two of them, nor did he find any signs of Originium Arts.

It seems that Li Ang acted quickly enough that no one noticed he took Adele away.

Also a byproduct of his research, Li Ang discovered that if he maintained the state he was in before the release of the wave burst, his body would enter a very strange state as the concentration of Originium particles around him increased.

In that state, the air resistance against him was almost zero, allowing Li Ang to run at an incredibly fast speed. However, this was not a method for traveling, and prolonged use would put a heavy burden on the body. Even for someone with the physique of an Agorian, it would be difficult to withstand.

After taking a few deep breaths and letting his wildly beating heart gradually calm down, Li Ang said to Adele, "Adele, hurry up and pack what you need to take with you. We don't have much time left."

"……Um."

Coming back to her senses from her daze, Adele responded with a heavy heart.

Returning from the library was just the beginning; the real test was yet to come.

The two are now racing against time to gather everything they need before the tower sorcerer can react, and then figure out a way to leave Brandenburg.

If you enter the wilderness without any preparation, you will only face death. The environment outside the mobile city is much harsher than most people think. At the very least, they need to prepare transportation, enough food for a few days, and some basic medicine before they can leave.

The connections between different mobile cities in this world are very weak. Even the rulers cannot control every inch of the country's land, and their influence is weakened to the extreme in the wilderness.

Could an emperor or empress in some distant, unknown place be more important than gold coins placed right in front of them? Mobile black markets and similar locations are not uncommon in the wilderness.

“Also, Adele, could you check how much emergency food we have? I’m going to check the off-road vehicle’s energy reserves now,” Li Ang said to Adele.

Although Adele has so much to say to Leon, she is also very clear that now is not the time.

If they can escape this city, they will have plenty of time to speak their minds later; if they fail to escape... it will be meaningless to say anything more now.

Let's save those words for after we leave here.

"I see."

After saying that, Adele went upstairs.

Meanwhile, Li Ang was not idle either; he also had a lot of work to do. However, unlike Adele, Li Ang had nothing else to take with him except for the cane in his hand.

Wait... although it's not his personal property, there seems to be something else worth taking with him?

At that moment, Li Ang suddenly remembered the travelogue he hadn't had time to return when he was kicked out of the library.

Even if Li Ang wanted to return it now, he wouldn't have the chance. He might as well take it with him. The travelogue contained many of the author's observations in Yan Kingdom. Considering Yan Kingdom's closed nature, this was already a rare piece of information.

If Li Ang ever wants to go to Yan Kingdom to find Lei Fa, he might be able to use this travelogue.

Thinking of this, Li Ang quickly ran back to his room, found the travelogue on his desk, and since it was convenient anyway, he simply took out the notes he had made during this period, along with the things that Professor Valck had given him earlier, and stuffed them all into the trunk of the SUV.

When he touched the igneous rock sample, Li Ang hesitated for a moment, but finally put it into a small bag and hung it tightly around his waist.

It's better to carry this with you at all times.

After packing his personal belongings, Li Ang immediately began preparing what he needed to leave the city. The situation was somewhat similar to that of Duwa Town more than two months ago, but slightly better.

Because the Nauman family often goes out for field research, they keep a lot of useful items at home, including some things that are hard to find on the market.

First and foremost, the most important thing is Originium Ingots.

Purified Originium, processed to standard size, is a vital resource second only to food and medicine. Originium ingots can not only power off-road vehicle engines but are also a very useful form of hard currency in the wilderness.

After clearing out all the Originium ingots from the villa, the trunk of the SUV was already half full, with enough space left to hold food and Adele's belongings.

After Li Ang finished inspecting the condition of the SUV, Adele came downstairs dragging two bags.

One bag contained all the remaining emergency food in the pantry, while the other bag was naturally what Adele was going to take with her.

When Leon received the items from Adele, he was immediately surprised. The bag containing Adele's personal belongings was surprisingly light, and it seemed to contain mostly books and similar items.

"Is this all you brought?"

"...These are all research materials left by my parents. Besides these, there's nothing else I want to take with me," Adele replied softly.

Li Ang felt a mix of emotions as he placed the bag of research data in the safest spot in the trunk.

Just as he was about to say something, Li Ang suddenly felt something vibrate in his pocket. When he took it out, he realized it was the small box that Professor Valck had given him.

The device works on a similar principle to a fax machine, and now there is an extra piece of paper covered with text inside the box.

[The situation has changed. The order came from the Queen, and the headmaster is unwilling to intervene. I'm waiting for you in a warehouse in the West End. Bring Adele here immediately!!]

Attached to the note was an address in the West End, and Professor Valcke thoughtfully included detailed directions, taking into account the complex terrain there.

Upon seeing the mention of 'Queen' on the note, Leon's expression changed slightly, while Adele beside him asked, "Leon, what is this?"

“This is the communication device that Professor Valck gave me,” Leon explained as he replied to Professor Valck. “The professor just told me that the people who want to arrest you are the Twin Queens, and the school is powerless to stop them. He told me to take you away as soon as possible.”

After replying to Professor Valcke, Li Ang got up and climbed into the driver's seat of the SUV.

"Let's get going without delay."

Adele turned around and looked around the familiar living room once more, as if she wanted to etch every detail of it into her memory.

Because she knew that regardless of whether her escape was successful or not, this would be the last time she saw this scene.

With a hint of reluctance, she withdrew her gaze, resolutely climbed into the back seat of the SUV, and said,

"Let's go, I'm ready."

Chapter Forty-Six: Escape

The sun was gradually setting in the west, and it was now approaching dusk. The number of pedestrians on the street was also gradually increasing.

Amidst the roar of the SUV engine, Li Ang sat in the driver's seat with a stern face.

Although there is currently no evidence that their actions were discovered by the Tower, Li Ang has a feeling that a few Tower sorcerers will jump out from among the pedestrians on the roadside and blow him and the SUV into the sky.

Before he knew it, Li Ang's hands, gripping the steering wheel, were covered in sweat.

Adele is now hiding in the back of the SUV, mixed in with the luggage, covered with a thin blanket. If you looked into the car from the outside, you probably wouldn't be able to spot her.

Although both SUVs were registered under Nauman's name, having Leon drive them was at least better than exposing Adele.

When Li Ang drove to the gate of William University, a minor incident occurred. The security guard at the gate recognized Li Ang as a celebrity and couldn't help but chat with him for a few words.

"Hey, isn't this Mr. Kennedy? Going out so late? And... is it really okay for you to drive like that?" As he spoke, the guard casually glanced into the car a few times.

"You brought quite a lot of things."

Li Ang's nerves were gradually tightening, and he was prepared to knock the guard unconscious at any moment.

However, he still pretended to be nonchalant and replied, "Well, I need to go out for a while. Didn't I tell you before? Apart from not being able to distinguish colors, my vision is not much different from that of an ordinary person."

"I know, I know, but I still can't imagine what kind of world that is... Originium Arts are truly amazing."

After making this remark, the guard opened the school gate for Li Ang. "Then I won't say anything more. Have a safe journey."

As the SUV slowly drove out of the school gate, Li Ang's tense nerves relaxed.

It seems that such disguise was somewhat effective; the guard did not notice Adele's presence. After glancing at the rearview mirror, Li Ang looked away.

Next, they planned to go to the West District to find Professor Valcke.

At first, Li Ang also hesitated about this matter, but in the end he came to the conclusion that Professor Valcke was completely trustworthy.

Leon's previous actions were inseparable from Professor Valk's help, and... they do need help now.

Moreover, Li Ang already had the idea of ​​escaping from the West District. Even if he was discovered by the people in the Tower, he could take advantage of the complex terrain of the West District.

Finally, as night was about to fall, Li Ang arrived at the location Professor Valcke had mentioned. Fortunately, the journey was uneventful, and they still had some time.

Seeing the warehouse door tightly closed, Li Ang took out the communication device that Professor Valck had given him and sent a message to the other party.

A moment later, Li Ang saw Professor Valcke peek half his head out of the window above, furtively looking down a few times. After recognizing Li Ang, he waved to him.

With a soft creaking sound, the warehouse door slowly rose, and Li Ang drove the SUV into the warehouse.

Before Leon could even stop the car, Professor Valcke sprang out from a dark corner, pounding on the window. "Leon! Where's Adele? Did you bring her out?"

Professor Valcke glanced into the car and saw only Li Ang. The anxious professor almost lost control of his excitement.

"Professor... I'm here."

At this moment, Adele, having heard the professor's voice, lifted the thin blanket covering her and crawled out from the pile of goods.

“I’m fine, Professor,” Adele said crisply.

Professor Valcke finally breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing Adele safe and sound, but his expression kept changing, as if he didn't know how to face Adele.

“Adele…sigh…I shouldn’t have let them come. I didn’t know their target would be you.”

Professor Valcke was apologizing for bringing the Tower Sorcerer to Adele's graduation defense; if it weren't for him, the Tower Sorcerer wouldn't have come.

"And about Taylor and the others... I'm very sorry too..."

“This isn’t your fault, Professor,” Adele shook her head and said. “Those people have been watching us for a long time.”

Even without the opportunity provided by Professor Valk, the Tower Sorcerer would not have given up his operation against the Nauman family because of this.

"But……"

Professor Valcke's lips moved slightly, and finally he tugged at his hair hard. "I... never mind, I won't say anything more. The most important thing now is to get out of this city before they realize what's happening."

"The exit in the West District isn't far from here, so you should hurry up and leave."

"And here, take this."

As he spoke, Professor Valcke stuffed a letter and a small bag of jingling things into Leon's hands.

Upon opening the bag, Li Ang discovered that it contained several bright yellow, pure source stones.

This substance is the purest Originium that humans can currently refine. Only a very small number of organizations have the ability to purify Originium to its purest form. Its value far exceeds that of common Originium ingots, and it is in a position of being priceless. These few pure Originium stones alone are estimated to be worth several years' salary for Professor Valk.

"Professor, this..."

"Take it." Professor Valk said with a stern face and an unquestionable tone, "It's just a few pure source stones. There's no time to buy supplies right now. This is all I can do to help you."

Upon hearing this, Li Ang silently put away the few pure source stones.

He wasn't one to feign sentimentality, and this was indeed something they desperately needed right now.

The Originium ingots on the vehicle might not be enough to serve both as fuel and currency, but these few Pure Originium are enough for them to drive the vehicle to the neighboring country.

This is on the premise that the off-road vehicle has not broken down.

In addition, Professor Valcke also gave him a letter. What was this letter?

After carefully storing the Pure Originium, Li Ang listened to Professor Valk continue speaking.

"I don't know your plans for the future, but I can offer you a suggestion."

"After you leave Letania, if you have nowhere to go, you can go to the Kavaleria Grand Knight Commandery in nearby Kazimierz."

“My…daughter, she lives in that place. Give this letter to her when the time comes; she should be able to help you.”

Chapter Forty-Seven: Exposure

When Professor Valcke mentioned his daughter, Li Ang keenly sensed that his emotions had become somewhat unusual, as if something had happened between him and his daughter.

However, Li Ang didn't say much.

"I understand. If I have the chance, I will go to see your daughter," Li Ang nodded in agreement.

To be honest, Professor Valk has done them a huge favor again. If nothing unexpected happens, Leon will set his next destination as Kazimir to find Professor Valk's daughter.

In a place where they know no one, if someone could lend them a hand...

Kazimir... I've heard it's a country famous for its knights. I wonder what it's like there, and how it differs from Letania.