"Yes! Yes! It is inhuman! It is not human! It... it is a Herrscher!"
Eden's singing seed to remind the Poison Cocoon leader of his purpose. The veins in his neck bulged, the words on the tip of his tongue.
Bang!
At that mont, the shelter door burst open, the heavy tal door slamming against the concrete wall, shaking the entire structure.
Hiko strode into the shelter, dragging Surtr behind her, the crimson greatsword leaving a deep gouge in the floor.
"Hah! I've been waiting and waiting, and finally the reinforcents from headquarters have arrived! Hmm? What are you all standing around for? Sit down, sit down! Look what goodies we've brought back!"
She tilted her head slightly, and Imr, holding a small box, hopped out from behind her.
Mikael glanced at the box, expecting sothing impressive...
It was a small speaker.
"Yo! Eden's singing! Perfect timing! Let's have a welco ceremony! To welco our 'reinforcents'!"
The flickering incandescent lights added a sinister edge to her otherwise normal smile. She emphasized the word "reinforcents," her attitude clear.
The Squad 5 soldiers filed into the shelter, the influx of people making the cramped space even more crowded.
Though exhausted, the soldiers' morale was high. They'd been slightly confused by the earlier tension, but after Hiko's blatant display of hostility towards the ten newcors, any lingering doubts vanished.
Following their ingrained obedience, and seeing Mikael and Elysia's wary stances... they raised their rifles, their tired eyes locking onto their ten designated "targets."
But the Poison Cocoon leader had cald down.
With Hiko's arrival, the pressure on him had vanished. He looked at Mikael, who was now looking at the floor, the killing intent gone.
Why?
He didn't know. Perhaps the Herrscher didn't want to appear hostile in front of Hiko, or perhaps he knew Hiko would protect them from being torn to shreds.
Or maybe he was offering both sides a way out?
Regardless, with the pressure gone, the Poison Cocoon leader quickly assessed the situation.
The mission had failed, but not completely.
This was the best opportunity they were likely to get, but... first, their target had unexpectedly been absent, and then Hiko had returned earlier than anticipated...
He didn't know if he was unlucky or if the "inside man" the leader had ntioned had made a mistake. Either way, the mission was a failure.
But he still wanted to try. What if there was another chance? Yes! Spending ti together, there would be an opportunity! He was willing to risk his life—at least it would ensure the safety of those he cared about. The leader had promised!
He relaxed, feigning ignorance of Hiko's barbed words. "A welco ceremony? Isn't it a bit cramped here? It seems the support team hasn't co in yet. If everyone were here, we'd be packed in like sardines."
"No worries, no worries," Hiko said, waving her hand dismissively.
"This is just the entrance hall. Co on in... The survivors have been cooped up for days. With Eden here, they can finally relax a bit."
Her tone was gentle and welcoming, with a hint of finality, as if the earlier hostility had never existed.
"Like leader, like subordinate!" the Poison Cocoon leader thought, cursing inwardly. Hiko and Mikael's ability to switch their deanors so quickly was infuriating.
"Of course, we still need sentries. Aldemir, you and your team have rested for a day. Please take the first half of the watch. Mikael, Elysia, you two can take the second half."
"It's not right to leave sentry duty entirely to Squad 5... Our team is well-rested. Why don't we..." the Poison Cocoon leader probed cautiously.
"Absolutely not!" Hiko interrupted. "Having the guests of honor stand guard? If word got back to headquarters, Ato, Phamas, and the others would never let live it down!"
The Poison Cocoon leader understood. Hiko's ssage was clear:
First, don't even try anything. I don't trust you.
Second, Fire Moth's leadership, at least nominally Phamas, and three of the other squad captains, were on her side. Think carefully before making a move.
But this wasn't entirely bad. After all, Hiko hadn't disard them or restricted their movents, which ant she still recognized them as allies, and was willing to play by the rules. She wouldn't just order Squad 5 to execute them.
"This way, please—"
Hiko opened the heavy tal door leading to the main shelter area.
A musty odor, mixed with various unpleasant slls, wafted out. Mikael wrinkled his nose and, taking Elysia's hand, led the way inside.
The main area was much larger than the entrance hall... no, that was an understatent. To be precise, the main area was equivalent to 853 entrance halls.
The entrance hall was officially called the "forward post," a small outpost at the shelter entrance.
The main shelter area was designed as a military fortress, with living quarters, storage areas, and enough supplies to sustain three thousand people for three months—the only downside being the lack of proper bathrooms and a malfunctioning water supply, forcing everyone to huddle together in less-than-ideal sanitary conditions.
And, perhaps as a cruel joke by the designer, there was a large central plaza—where the tal door opened into—where over three hundred survivors sat in a circle, listening to Eden sing.
Due to limited power, only one chandelier was lit in the plaza, directly above Eden.
Like the incandescent bulbs in the entrance hall, the chandelier flickered, casting a dim, yellowish light that sohow made Eden look even more radiant.
Hearing the commotion, the survivors turned their heads sluggishly, looking towards the entrance. Seeing it wasn't Honkai beasts, they slowly turned back, leaning against each other, listening to Eden's song.
Even in this desolate environnt, Eden maintained her world-class artistry. Her voice remained steady, unaffected by the disturbance. Even Mikael, with his enhanced senses, couldn't detect any waver in her performance.
Her clothes were torn and wrinkled, her hair unkempt from the lack of proper washing—but none of it diminished her elegance.
The soldiers filed in. Hiko gave a few quiet instructions, and they began to distribute rations to the survivors, moving carefully (as if afraid to disturb Eden)—125 grams of compressed biscuits, 5 grams of chocolate, two pieces of chewing gum, a vitamin tablet, and 500 milliliters of mineral water.
The ten mbers of Poison Cocoon stood in a corner, their faces expressionless—or perhaps their masks hid their expressions—looking out of place.
Mikael, after listening absentmindedly for two minutes, stood up, giving Elysia and Hiko a reassuring gesture. He then tapped Imr on the shoulder, drawing him away from Eden's captivating performance.
"Imr, my dear boy! I have a favor to ask."
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