Hurt and Heal (Arknights)

Chapter 16 Lungmen part 2

Kal'tsit: Remember what I taught you.

Sebastian: Everyone, do not talk to them under any circumstances.

Amiya: Breathe, Amiya, breathe...

The cautus said to herself, taking deep breaths to calm herself. Everyone was stressed, Rhodes Island was facing one of the most Machiavellian, bloodthirsty and violent armies on Terra, the media...

Sebastian: I had asked the LGD to secure our arrival from whoever it was...

Kal'tsit: We should have taken the helicopters...

The members of Rhodes Island, their instincts on edge, began to walk down the ramp, scared of what was about to happen, as reporters began to advance towards them, taking pictures and in an unprecedented deluge of voices. Soon, all the cameras turned to the leader of Rhodes Island, despite her size and her young age, she was worthy in their eyes to be questioned.

Reporter 1: Miss Amiya, how can you explain the sudden arrival of Rhodes Island in Lungmen without any announcement to the media or the public?

Amiya: This is not a Rhodes Island incident. We have been called to Lungmen by its government to deal with the massive immigration of infected people here. The communication is not of our order.

Sebastian was slightly impressed by the cautus' calm and professional demeanor and by her facial expression that reflected the appearance of a leader. After all, Amiya wasn't just any kid. She had already been the leader of Rhodes Island for quite some time, and she had already had to answer a few press conferences or interviews.

Reporter 2: And could the terrorists who attacked Chernobog have snuck in among the refugees?

Amiya: Rhode Island can't know yet. The LGD has requested exclusivity on the investigation of this matter. But of course the Lungmen Guard will do everything possible to stop the forces of reunion.

Reporter 3: Miss, what happened to that duo of journalists from 3B who were rescued in Chernobog after an execution attempt?

Amiya: According to their wishes they were brought back to Columbia in perfect health.

Journalist 4: What does Rhodes Island intend to do with the infected who would cause panic throughout Lungmen?

A first blow was struck with a cautus.

Amiya: R-rhodes Island is helping the infected, but the ones we will always side with are the innocent, if the infected try to harm the population then we will help the LGD to protect the citizens of Lungmen.

And there it was, Sebastian could hear the donkey's heartbeat racing and see that she was starting to get nervous.

Reporter 5: Miss Amiya, what about the war criminals Rhodes Island would hire for its operations? Like this Dr. Sebastian who was heavily involved in the Kazdelite civil war? Are these the kind of people who will be on Lungmen soil for the infected?

W, who until then had been rather discreet, hid behind the doctor's back, allowing the young woman to see that the doctor was making mercenary signals with the hand he had on his back. He was asking for a smoke grenade. W understood immediately and without anyone noticing, slowly took out a smoke grenade from her pockets and removed the pin, a sound that the doctor heard. Kal'tsit was startled by the reporter's question. Amiya had a weakness. And this reporter had just found it, and after the first attack about what Rhodes was planning to do to the infected, Amiya's component collapsed.

Amiya: Dokutah is not a criminal-!

Sebastian stepped on the heel of the cautus, bringing her to her senses and stopping it before it could boil over any further.