*gunshots* *ching* “Li San Hue – that’s you right? Why forsake your name for another of a fraud? Son of San Hue, a very capable woman whose life got limited by someone’s curse, you have every reason to despise the Corp. Tell me, who was your mother?” says Luishiro.

My mother died before I gained consciousness, there’s nothing more to it. But for some reason, the Corp never mentions my mother in contexts outside of praising my father. And when I ask Cecile about my mother, she always says, “The messiah’s identity isn’t important, the outcome of their influence is.”

“Who are you to talk about my mother, brat. I know who gave birth to me and who my father sought to give everything to. Aside from those two, I couldn’t care less about my mother. If you only see the past, you’ll never accept the future and move on”. *exhale* “Pioneer’s Check”

“Strings, eh? Why immobilize me when you can just kill me?” asks Luishiro.

“Ask if my back hurt, it’ll be the same answer – I’m the Commanding Officer of District 3, leader of the special unit and the only one that’s capable of saving Cecile.”

“Oh, you know that vixen? Do you know her surname?”

“What are you talking about? It’s Carnation, isn’t it?”

“Cecile Elizabeth Beta Haru, that’s her full name. She is my sister, mate. Her ID never existed so you or anyone else wouldn’t know.”

Right at that moment a soft voice says, “Vow to me – to do any and everything I say.”

“Gladly”

“Li, don’t!”

*smile* “Gotcha, cub.”

“Sam, are you good? What did you say about counter surveillance?”

“Ah, shut up, Li! If it weren’t for you trying to kill Luishiro, I wouldn’t have interrupted. Welp, it’s these scenarios that there is a protocol like Silence. Rendezvous at the location and regroup. If I don’t show up, presume me as dead and you’ll be in charge, Li. Motherboard, signing off.”

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

“What is your blood type?”

“What are you going to do with that? AB.”

“You needy fuck. Fortunately, your kneecaps are safe for now. Alright, stand up and get on my shoulders. If I remember correctly, you’re not that heavy for your stature. If you try to escape our custody, you’ll either be shot or kneecapped. Understand that we don’t have an abundance of type 4 blood.”

“You made yourself clear”

Outside the building the fight took place, Mary and I meet as we go to get the company vehicle. As we walk to the taxi park with Luishiro on my shoulder, he talks to us for a bit.

“Say, Mary is your name, yes? How well do you know about Li?”

“Shut, trap. Like you’re the one to talk. Even if I didn’t know much about him, I’d still trust him and his abilities.”

“Pretty bold statement, mate. Despite the fact, Li isn’t a friend of yours. Let me tell you something. Do you know his name – his real name?”

“What do you mean? Liam San Epsilon Faith, is it not?”

“You’re not half wrong. He is the son of San, but he isn’t a son of William Faith, the one who gave his all and built world anew. He is the son of San Hue: Li San Hue.”

“Hah, bullshit. If he wasn’t the son of Brother William, how had he got recruited into the Corp. And even if he wasn’t the son of His, Li still is the only one who can save Cecile.”

“Speaking of, do you know her full name, Mary Elde Mu Frei?”

“Where did you get that name from? And why are you so fixated on everyone’s name? Cecile Elizabeth Beta Carnation, daughter of Sister Elizabeth – the mentor and a good friend of Brother William.”

“Cecile Elizabeth Beta Haru is her full name.”

“Strange but who am I to trust you? Now shut up and cooperate with us. Or else, I’ll shoot those knees of yours to silence you for a bit.”

“Eh, eh, don’t be so harsh to our lovely prisoner, Mary. Let’s savor his despair until he’s put into a room with Al.”

“Don’t spoil it for him. He’ll be amazed how many injuries a human body can take before being bestowed the gift of death. It’ll be fun, won’t it?”

“Ah the great Symphonic Orchestrator, the only symphony you’ll be orchestrating soon enough will be your screams in agony as you’re put through the Fine Sociopath’s trial.”

“Cheers to that, I guess.”

Us three reach the taxi park previously owned by Peterson as the sky darkens and starts to rain. Even after most of the personnel transferred to Zone 1, some technicians stayed in Zone 4, not leaving the previous District 1.

“Oye, Cecile’s kid! What brings you here?”

“Give me a vehicle. We’re going to Zone 1 so prepare some supplies for us, would you?”

“We can supply only 2 of you with warm blankets and rations. For that weight of yours, we can only give some dried food.”

“Oh, he isn’t going with us. Instead, he’ll be dropped off before we get to Zone 1. You know Al, right. She’ll be taking care of this corpse.”

“How unfortunate. So, this 69 is all we got for such long distances. You can operate it, no?”

“Yeah, sure, how hard would it be, right?”