Visitors from Terra

Chapter 21

Amiya and her friends remained silent to DiAngelo's words. The senator smirked seeing their expression.

-Yes, my friends. – He said. – I know exactly who you are, believe it or not...

-How did you find out?! – Ch'en suddenly exclaimed. – You can't possibly have any info on us...!!

Ignoring the lung's shouting, DiAngelo calmly took out his phone and then showed the screen to them. After loading for a bit, the game initialized with a noisy Arknights~!!

-It wasn't hard to find info about you... not when, ironically enough, your faces are all over the Internet. – He explained. – Oh, by the way, this game has caught my attention, not gonna lie! Its mechanics are very interesting.

Everyone stared at the screen with a poker face.

-I see... - Spoke Amiya. – So, you know about...?

-Yes, dear Amiya. – Replied DiAngelo. – I know about the Catastrophes and the illness known as Oripathy that plagues your world. It's truly a shame.

-That doesn't change anything, DiAngelo. – Said Kal'tsit to his face. – Terra's inhabitants won't allow the US to invade and destroy their homes, not without a fight.

He simply nodded.

-Dr Kal'tsit, you're wrong. Don't you see it? We are the solution to all of Terra's problems!! – He looked at Amiya. – Amiya, the young CEO of Rhodes Island. You have a good heart, and your whish to fight for what's right is a noble one indeed... but with my help, that dream can become true. Imagine it, we could spread freedom all across Terra, depose the tyrants ruling your world's nations, and end the discrimination against the Infected. Wouldn't that be good?

After making a short pause, DiAngelo then turned to Ch'en.

-Ch'en Hui-Chien, chief of the LGD. I know that, despite having to arrest Infected on a regular basis, you actually want to do what's right and help them. Maybe that's why you despise your uncle Wei so much... Now, let me tell you that has an easy solution. I send the Army, we depose him and then establish a democracy in Lungmen, simple.

-Like if it was so easy... - muttered the lung while grinning her teeth.

-You'll see... - DiAngelo gazed over the group, until his eyes fixed on a certain white-haired draco. – And now to Talulah Artorious, Leader of Reunion. I initially didn't see you with good eyes, but then I read the story behind and... well, it's a tragedy that even puts Shakespeare to shame. You suffered a lot under Kashchey, that for sure; no wonder with such inhumane guy... like, come on, he says more pro-Russian/Ursus bullshit than fucking President Gergeiev! – He took a breath. – Anyways, it's a fact that your life has been full of misfortune and death, and even though you fought so hard for justice, the world remains the same... I could change that. Together we could end the oppression, Talulah. we could burn this rotten world of yours and build a new, one where the Infect shall be treated fairly, one without Kashcheys of any kind... This is what Alina, Yelena and the rest deserved. Tell me, will you help me or not?

Talulah, who up until now had remained silent, raised her gaze and threw at him a defiant look.

-Mr. DiAngelo, I'm sorry but the answer is "no". You tell that you have good intentions, that you'll help the people of Terra... Kashchey used to say the same, that his actions were improving the world; it's the exact same discourse. You're no different from Kashchey, you pretend to be the good guy, but in your very core you're nothing more than a power-hungry tyrant who uses other's aspirations to his own gain.

The senator was left silent, her words had wounded his pride a lot. A dark expression appeared on his face.

-A power-hungry tyrant you say... - The coldness in his tone hit them like a knife. – But what about you? In Chernobog and Lungmen you massacred a lot of people, Talulah, no one will ever forget what you did. Take a look. Those who you call now "comrades", once you return, will trial and throw you into a cell to rot for the rest of your life... even your dear sister won't forget your sins. There's no use in denying it, Talulah. You are utterly alone.