After some thought, Ren's gaze fell on the Schicksal logo on the high wall. A direct entry was impossible. The only viable option seemed to be acquiring an identity and blending in.
"Since this place is under Schicksal jurisdiction, instead of sneaking around, why don't we just pose as Schicksal personnel and walk in through the front gate?"
Before Ren could speak, Kiana proposed the idea first. After all, her time investigating Ren's Herrscher of Dominance identity hadn't been wasted; she'd gained considerable infiltration experience.
"But will they accept our identities based just on our word?"
That was indeed a major problem. However, for Ren, it was quite easy to solve. He pulled Kiana away from the camp temporarily. A short while later, a transport airship bearing the Schicksal emblem flew over.
"This is?"
"Remember when I transformed into the Herrscher of Flamescion to send you away? The Obsidian Concord intercepted quite a few Schicksal transport ships in ARC City. Now they come in handy." After a brief explanation, Ren piloted the airship into the base's signal range.
Since it was an original Schicksal airship, the base personnel detected no issues. After some communication, the two successfully infiltrated the base disguised as a Schicksal inspector and an accompanying Valkyrie.
"Don't worry, I was a proper Valkyrie before; they won't recognize me."
Escorted by staff, the two exchanged glances while walking into the villa's interior.
It had to be said, the builders of this base were extremely cautious. From the outside, the villa looked like a rather unique mansion. But stepping inside revealed mechanical blast doors and patrolling guards everywhere. While not comparable to Heliopolis Life Sciences Pharmaceutical, it was clearly no ordinary place.
After navigating numerous winding corridors and even taking several elevators, they finally reached the core area.
The large doors opened, revealing a surprisingly Himeko-like living area. The hall was lavishly decorated, complete with tables, chairs, and sofas. At the far end, two staircases wound upwards from the left and right, like giant serpents supporting a second-floor platform in the middle.
The immediate impression of the hall was grandeur, though Ren preferred to call it oppressive.
"Displaying military might through complex facilities, then asserting dominance with an intimidating reception..." He looked up at the middle-aged man standing on the second floor, a cold smirk touching his lips.
"Welcome, esteemed guests from Schicksal. I am Vyasa, the director of the South Asia Relief Association." The man was a local South Asian, speaking the common tongue with a distinct accent. His surname was common among the highest echelons of the local caste system.
He stood high above, looking down on them, the light falling from behind him, creating a sense of control characteristic of the 'master of the house'. Every aspect declared that this base was his private property, and the Schicksal personnel were the outsiders.
Ren naturally paid no mind to such petty tricks. Giving Kiana a subtle look, he took the lead. "Mr. Vyasa, a pleasure."
He deliberately paused for a moment before slowly continuing, "Headquarters has heard that South Asia has recently experienced frequent Honkai outbreaks, with casualties exceeding hundreds of millions. Schicksal specifically allocated tens of millions of inhibitors to the Relief Association for this reason. However, according to intelligence reports, the disaster situation in the South Asia region remains grim."
Vyasa, on the second floor, frowned. Why, despite standing higher, do I feel like I'm looking up at this young man?
He didn't know, of course, that Ren's pauses and tone were full of psychological cues. The pause drew attention, while the pace of his speech created pressure. In just one sentence, their positions had reversed; the oppressive atmosphere Vyasa had painstakingly crafted became a joke.
"How could that be? The Relief Association has always been dedicated to saving the life of every resident. As their compatriot, I grieve for their suffering every moment. It's just that while the inhibitors provided by headquarters are numerous, my compatriots are simply too many. I am forced to regulate distribution."
Vyasa wiped his forehead with his sleeve, appearing genuinely worn out by his work. "If you don't believe me, I can take you to see the warehouse where the inhibitors are stored. We've marked all the resources provided by headquarters; absolutely no precious dose will be wasted."
They exchanged glances. Kiana gave a slight nod.
'Even if this Relief Association is problematic, finding the inhibitors first will secure our next steps.'
After their silent communication, they followed Vyasa to the underground warehouse.
"As the inhibitors require low-temperature storage, this area has been converted into a cold storage facility," Vyasa explained as they walked.
"I'm curious, maintaining such a large base consumes considerable resources. Where does Mr. Vyasa acquire so much funding?" Having witnessed the Relief Association's scam firsthand, Kiana had long suspected the organization's money was ill-gotten. Taking advantage of a pause in Ren's conversation, she couldn't help but ask.
"This... you may not know, but besides being a philanthropist, I am also an entrepreneur. I accumulated some assets through business in my early years. Ever since learning about the Honkai, I realized my compatriots have been suffering so greatly."
"I empathize deeply with their pain. So, I sold my family assets and contacted Schicksal to better aid my people. Of course, during the relief process, many compatriots wished to support this charitable cause and voluntarily provided some financial assistance."
His words were noble and righteous. If Kiana hadn't known the truth, she might have been fooled.
"Honored guests, we've arrived." Pushing open the cold storage door, frigid air immediately rushed out. As the white mist cleared, rows upon rows of pale purple inhibitor syringes were neatly stacked inside.
"Please, inspect as you wish." Gesturing with his hand, Vyasa smiled and stepped aside.
However, the moment they stepped inside, the cold storage lights suddenly dimmed. Accompanied by the sound of leaking gas pipes, a faint odor quickly filled the air.
"Don't worry, honored guests, just a minor equipment malfunction," Vyasa's voice came from behind, but it sounded strangely muffled. Ren looked back, only to find the man had vanished.
Using his night vision, he located Vyasa outside the thick glass wall of the cold storage.
"If it's an equipment malfunction, then perhaps let us leave the warehouse first?"
"That won't do. You two are esteemed guests of Schicksal, here to inspect the inhibitors. Naturally, you should complete the full inspection before leaving."
Perhaps enjoying the thrill of a cat-and-mouse game, Vyasa switched the lights back on. An insidious smile spread across his face. Dozens of gun barrels were now aimed directly at Ren and Kiana.
"This doesn't seem like the way to treat esteemed guests." Ren naturally wasn't intimidated by a few guns. He was merely curious why the man dared to move against Schicksal.
"Haha! Just because I called you esteemed guests, you really thought you were?" Vyasa scoffed. "Do you think I obtained these inhibitors purely through Schicksal's charity? It was because I bribed my way through the ranks!"
"Inspectors? Heh, I haven't heard of any such personnel operating recently."
He spat on the ground, his tone growing colder. "Besides, even if you really are Schicksal Valkyries, you'll die here today."
"HSN Honkai Energy Inhibitor Gas. Wonder if you've heard of it? Specially designed for Valkyries, cost me quite a fortune."
"Since you're here, don't think about leaving. Once you're on my turf, you're my property. You can freeze solid along with these inhibitors!"