The intelligence C.C. transmitted caught the eye of a very large organization targeting Lei. Lin Luo had long known this, and the organization—what was it called, the Naimde group?—seemed to have some connection to the Ediru Garden... Since quite some time had passed, he had forgotten most of the plot details. Otherwise, he wouldn't need to gather any intelligence; he could just charge in.

Those brainwashed zealots were merely the lower rungs of the organization, knowing very little. They were completely unaware of the core secrets. After all, zealots are disposable tools, and there’s no need for them to know too much. However, Lin Luo did glean one useful piece of information: three more individuals from that organization were on this ship. One was a minor leader, and the other two were elites—the pair of man and woman before him now.

Gresia and Kokowet. Lin Luo was somewhat familiar with this couple. As one of the more tragic villain pairings, truth be told, they weren't particularly detestable, nor were they purely wicked. If they hadn't introduced subsequent layers of tragic backstory, they would have fit better as comedic relief characters.

However, under the current circumstances, Gresia and Kokowet certainly weren't in the mood for jokes. They were mere minutes away from escape, only to be caught red-handed by the enemy. It was a situation so desperate it almost made one weep.

Fear flashed across both their faces. They spun around instantly, but upon seeing the newcomer’s appearance, they froze. This wasn't the double-tailed ponytail demon that terrified them; instead, it was an unfamiliar youth, looking perhaps sixteen or seventeen, and he didn't radiate overwhelming power.

"Where is that woman? Who are you?" Gresia asked in a low voice, feeling a slight easing of tension. As long as it wasn't that double-tailed ponytail demon, few people on this ship were his match.

"Who I am isn't important. What's important is that you both must remain here today," Lin Luo said with a faint smile, adopting the air of a detached master.

"Hmph, don't joke around. Who would listen to you?" Before Gresia could reply, Kokowet blurted out, clearly not taking this enemy seriously, just like her partner. "Gresia, hurry and fuse. Let's take him down!"

The girl lunged toward the man beside her.

"Kokowet..." Gresia frowned slightly. If they fused in Kokowet's current state, it would take even longer to recover their strength and escape later. Still, anyone who dared to approach them alone clearly wasn't someone to be trifled with... even if he looked more like a half-baked amateur. If they failed to defeat him and he brought back that double-tailed ponytail demon, they would truly be finished. Thus, after a brief half-second hesitation, the sound of their pact resonated.

Lin Luo made no move to stop them, merely watching with a smile.

A faint light flickered and vanished, and then Gresia was seen gripping a massive black blade. While calling it a 'sword' felt slightly incongruous given its shape, since it possessed an edge, 'blade' would suffice for now.

Kokowet's spectral form appeared behind Gresia, pointing at Lin Luo dismissively. "Hmph, it's a good thing it's not that double-tailed woman. You fool, coming alone to face us! Though I should praise your gall, someone like you can be dealt with in two seconds once Gresia gets serious."

The non-conformists, in most situations, were intensely arrogant—confident, if you wanted to be polite; chuunibyou, if you wanted to be blunt. Gresia, being a typical non-conformist of this world, certainly had to amplify that confidence. He swung the enormous black blade with flourish, chuckling lightly, "Two seconds might be a little long for me. Let's finish this guy off, and then we can hide. As long as we don't run into that double-tailed demon woman or that white monster, we'll be fine."

"Then your life..." Mid-sentence, Gresia charged forward rapidly. The black blade carved a semi-circle in the air in his hand, seemingly capable of cleaving the heavens and earth, slamming down upon the enemy with unparalleled force. "I've got it!"

Clang, clang, clang... One second later.

"Indeed, two seconds is a bit too long for me," Lin Luo said, brushing some dust off his clothes. He looked down at the man and woman lying nearby, pondered for half a second, and then stated seriously.

"...Are you even human? You caught our attack with your bare hands." Gresia lay helplessly on the ground, four limbs splayed to the sky. If someone had told him in the past that another person could stand still, tear apart his Ode Slash with their bare hands, and even knock him down with a single finger, he would never have believed it... but reality proved otherwise.

"Of course, one hundred percent human... maybe." Lin Luo actually considered this question seriously. In his current state, claiming to be one hundred percent human felt slightly disingenuous.

"Why do we keep encountering these freaks, Gresia?" Kokowet also lay beside him, utterly drained. She was close to tears; every enemy they'd met today was a monster.

Lin Luo glanced at her and admonished, "Calling others freaks is quite impolite, you flat-chested slut."

"Who are you calling flat-chested, you bastard!" Although the girl currently lacked the strength to even stand, she cursed him furiously upon hearing the insult.

"Um... I actually think he's right about that point, Kokowet," Gresia interjected seriously from the side. "You truly are flat-chested."

"Gresia, how could you..." Kokowet was so enraged she could barely speak.

"Oh dear, infighting has broken out," Lin Luo chuckled inwardly. These two were truly suited to be comedic characters. After drawing their attention, he sobered up. "Now for the final step. Are you ready?"

Seemingly anticipating something, their expressions darkened instantly. After a moment, Gresia finally spoke, "Since we have been defeated and cannot escape, there is nothing more to say. Kill us or torture us; we accept your command."

"Oh, quite straightforward," Lin Luo gave him an appreciative look.

"Having taken up the profession of killing, of course, we were long prepared to be killed. But before you execute us, could we ask one favor?" Gresia asked with a wry smile.

"Last words?"

"No, I have nothing I need to say to others. It's just..." Gresia shook his head and pleaded, "When you kill us, please do it simultaneously. I don't want to see Kokowet die before me, nor do I want her to witness my death."

"Gresia..." Kokowet burst into tears beside him.

"To live and die together? That's truly... Hahahaha!" Lin Luo burst into loud laughter.

"What are you laughing at?" Gresia glared angrily.

Even Kokowet looked furious, shouting loudly, "Don't you dare insult Gresia!"

"No, no, no! It's just that seeing the two of you take this so seriously is incredibly amusing," Lin Luo said, clutching his stomach while waving his hand. "You're supposed to be the comedic characters, yet you’re playing the pathos card."

"Who's the comedic character?" they both demanded in unison.

A moment later, Lin Luo stifled his laughter and pointed at Kokowet, saying to Gresia, "But speaking of which, I thought you might beg me to spare her life. I didn't expect you to ask for a shared fate."

"That is obvious," Gresia stated gravely. "Because if you kill Kokowet but spare me, no matter how much weaker I am than you, no matter the cost, even if I have to search the ends of the earth, I will certainly track you down for revenge. Therefore, if I asked you to spare her, I think she would likely do the same for me. Then we might face something far more tragic than death. Why not just die together?"

Lin Luo paused slightly, but Kokowet was already weeping uncontrollably. "Gresia... sob..."

"Well, your words are certainly sentimental, but sadly, I can't just let you die," Lin Luo shrugged.

"Eh?" Kokowet was stunned, and Gresia's expression shifted. He asked reflexively, "You don't plan to kill us?"

Lin Luo replied as a matter of course, "If I truly intended to kill you, do you think I would waste this much breath talking to you?"

Gresia's mind raced. He immediately asked, "Then what is your purpose?" He didn't believe this person would let them go for no reason; such soft-hearted people were rare.

Lin Luo snapped his fingers and laughed, "As expected, you're not an idiot. While I won't kill you, in exchange for sparing your lives..." As he spoke, his gaze swept over Gresia first, then settled on Kokowet, a strange, unfathomable smile spreading across his face.

Kokowet's face flushed instantly. She instinctively covered her more exposed areas with both hands and stammered, "I... I only like Gresia! Don't get any ideas about me! I'd rather die than submit!"

"..." Lin Luo was speechless. His looking at Kokowet was purely a matter of visual preference. After all, watching a non-conformist chuunibyou hardly compared to the pleasure of looking at a beautiful young woman. He hadn't expected such a misunderstanding; it was truly melodramatic.

Facing the girl's guarded yet firm expression, Lin Luo felt, for the first time, that perhaps he wasn't a killer of '2D' girls. Of course, he had never actually intended to target Kokowet. Although slightly stung, he wasn't truly dejected. He couldn't help but give her a look of disdain. "You're quite narcissistic. The flat-chested girls at my place are way cuter than you."

"What did you say?" Kokowet glared, angry that he targeted her, but also angry that he claimed she couldn't compare to other girls.

"What exactly do you want us to do?" At this point, Gresia suddenly spoke up, looking at Lin Luo with a degree of caution.

Lin Luo decided not to beat around the bush. "I know you are part of that organization, what was it called... the Old Granny De organization..." The name was hard to remember, and he was having trouble articulating it.

"..." Gresia inwardly sweated and corrected him gently, "Orkynard."

"Right, Orkynard. What kind of ridiculous name, so harsh," Lin Luo muttered while nodding. He continued, "I know you are elite cadres within that organization, so I need every piece of intelligence you have regarding it."

Lin Luo had expected them to accept, but to his surprise, Gresia shook his head decisively after hearing the request. "That's impossible."

"Why? Think carefully; this is the only condition for your survival," Lin Luo dangled the bait. If they didn't take it, he would have to assume they were fully brainwashed and rely on Queen C.C.'s formidable power.

Gresia's expression grew bleak, and he said in a low voice, "If we betray the organization, they will absolutely never let us go. Even if we live now, our future will be worse than death."

"I see." This was understandable. For a large criminal armed organization like that, traitors were treated severely. However, Lin Luo countered, "But your mission failed this time. Your superiors won't let you off either. I assume you know that, too."

"This..." Gresia was struck speechless. He was well aware of the organization's cold-blooded nature; they only judged based on success or failure, regardless of mission difficulty. Success brought rewards; failure brought punishment. Although he wasn't the leader of this mission, given that woman's personality, she might very well pin all the blame on him. In that case, he and Kokowet would face a dead end.

Seeing that his words had made an impact, Lin Luo offered more temptation. "Moreover, think about it: if you assist me in destroying that organization, won't you finally be free? You and Kokowet won't have to live under constant threat. Isn't that a good thing? Even that wish of yours to become a singer could potentially come true."

"You..." Gresia’s face changed dramatically. This person actually knew about that.

"If you refuse, then I have no choice but to treat you as my enemy and have someone extract every memory from your minds before killing you. Being a couple alive is much better than being fugitives sharing a tragic fate, wouldn't you agree?" Lin Luo used a calculated threat; carrot and stick—that was the timeless, supreme truth spanning countless eras.

"But the Orkynard organization is very powerful; they aren't easy to deal with," Gresia admitted. His sense of belonging to the organization wasn't strong, or rather, he stayed because he couldn't leave. But if someone could truly eliminate the organization...

"That's my concern. You just need to nod or shake your head. So, what is your answer?"

"Gresia..." Kokowet looked at him anxiously.

"Fine, I agree." After a moment of hesitation, Gresia finally nodded.

"Good, a wise choice. You'll realize later how clever you were today."

Returning with the two captives to the ship's cabin, the area around the pool was mostly cleared up. After all, many hands made light work, and with Rin's magical support, most of the mess had been cleaned away.

It was now past nine in the evening. Coupled with the earlier commotion, most passengers on the cruise liner had retired to their rooms to sleep. Only a few staff members remained by the pool, along with the main characters of the incident.

Lin Luo had thrown a few of the dozens of assassins in black suits aside; the rest had been locked up by Shiska and the others, scheduled to be handed over to the local branch for discipline when the ship docked.

"Who are these two?" Young Mistress Rin, quick of eye, immediately asked upon seeing Lin Luo enter with a man and a woman trailing behind him. She was now jumpy and jumpy, fearing that this girl might also be romantically involved with Lin Luo.

Gresia and Kokowet, having barely recovered from the shock of being instantly defeated by Lin Luo, trembled violently upon seeing Young Mistress Rin. Before encountering Lin Luo, she had been the double-tailed ponytail demon they feared most.

Lin Luo replied, "Captives."

"There's no need to be so blunt," Gresia managed an awkward smile.

"I'm just stating a fact," Lin Luo said casually, shrugging.

Young Mistress Rin approached them, her gaze sweeping over the two captives, and she asked doubtfully, "Why take prisoners? Wouldn't it be better to just eliminate them?"

"..." The two shuddered in terror.

"That's not like you to say, Rin," Lin Luo gave her a strange look. When had Young Mistress Rin become so ruthless? Was her corruption starting early?

"Mind your own business!" Young Mistress Rin shot him a look, crossing her arms and humming, "I was just asking."

Lin Luo explained, "Because they can provide intelligence about that organization."

"But doesn't that woman have the ability to search memories in people's minds? Wouldn't it be simpler to let her touch them?" Young Mistress Rin pointed toward Queen C.C., who was lounging on a chair not far away, leisurely reading a magazine. Whether out of jealousy or dissatisfaction, she spoke this way.

Lin Luo paused, detecting a faint tinge of sourness in Young Mistress Rin’s tone. Was it his imagination?

Lin Luo continued his reply, "Looking through someone's memories isn't a pleasant task. It's best avoided if possible, and she might not even be willing to help."

"That's true. For instance, there are certain people's memories I wouldn't want to see," Young Mistress Rin mused, then nodded in agreement, her gaze drifting toward Lin Luo.

"..." Speak your mind, but why are you staring at me? Lin Luo felt immense pressure.

"Oh, it looks like things are wrapping up over here too. Since everyone has worked hard, how about we have a late-night snack?" To divert Young Mistress Rin's attention, Lin Luo suggested to the group present.

"That sounds good; I am a little hungry," the proposal was immediately met with agreement from everyone.

Thus, fifteen minutes later, led by Lin Luo, a group of over ten people headed toward the restaurant.

"Say, why are you here too? Didn't you do anything earlier?" Young Mistress Rin seemed to be experiencing that time of the month, putting her in a bad mood. She pointed irritably at a green-haired girl behind her. She had plenty of reason to be angry because everyone else had been busy—even the timid Lei and Liliya had pitched in—but this one had stood by like a queen, just watching without acting.

"I'm a little hungry too. I'm going to eat," Queen C.C. stated calmly.

"You don't need to follow us just to eat," Young Mistress Rin frowned.

"I'm not following you. I'm just going to the restaurant," Queen C.C. asserted.

"..." Fine, since it was on the way, there was no reason to stop her from going to the restaurant, so Young Mistress Rin gave up arguing. However, half a minute later, Young Mistress Rin's lips twitched as she watched the person sitting next to her. She lowered her voice and said sternly, "It was fine that it was on the way before, but now there are so many empty tables in the restaurant, and you're still sitting at our table. How do you explain that?"

"It was just a coincidence that I took a liking to the same table," Queen C.C. replied with a gentle smile.

"You wish there was such a coincidence!" Several blue veins popped out on Young Mistress Rin's forehead. She knew this girl was doing it on purpose, yet she claimed coincidence. Who was she kidding?

No, this person was on the same level as me; I absolutely cannot get angry. If I lose my composure, I will lose to her.

Young Mistress Rin cautiously monitored the girl beside her, admitting to herself that she already considered C.C. a rival. She dared not be careless with this potential adversary who was equally cunning, perhaps even slightly superior in outward composure.

In contrast, C.C. remained unruffled, appearing not to take the matter to heart at all.

The outcome of this silent battle was clear. In truth, this was expected. Tohsaka Rin had perceived C.C. as slightly more beautiful from the start, subconsciously placing herself in the position of the loser. C.C., however, hadn't even considered Tohsaka Rin an enemy; without a fight, how could there be a defeat?

"Ah~~ Seriously, what am I even doing?" Once she realized this, Young Mistress Rin sighed, becoming instantly listless.

"I want pizza."

"I want cake."

"The captives have no right to speak; give her a bowl of spicy noodles."

"Ugh, I can't eat spicy food."

"..." The sounds of others ordering food drifted over. The depressed Young Mistress Rin ordered a cup of black tea.

It wasn't just Lin Luo's group having a late-night meal; other tables in the restaurant were occupied by various groups as well. Midway through their meal, Lin Luo suddenly heard an angry voice from not far away: "Waiter, why is this dish sour?"

Lin Luo turned his head reflexively and saw a patron holding a plate of greens, questioning a staff member. He felt the man looked familiar, and after a brief moment of thought, he remembered: that was one of the bystanders who had spoken disrespectfully to C.C. earlier.

"Because vinegar was added to it." The waiter replied expressionlessly. "Putting vinegar in the greens? Do you even know how to cook?" The man was furious, and in truth, Lin Luo shared the same doubt. "This is a new recipe." "But why does this sour taste feel a bit spoiled?" "That must be your imagination." "Ptooey! Why is there a cockroach in here?" "Perhaps the cockroach likes it too." "..."

Alright, reading this far, Lin Luo understood. This was retaliation—blatant, naked retaliation because of the disrespect shown to Queen C.C., resulting in a fierce boycott from her fan club. "This guy probably won't have an easy time," Lin Luo couldn't help but offer a silent prayer for him in his mind. And just as Lin Luo predicted, this major offender who violated the "Queen C Respect Ordinance" lived a hellish existence worse than death for the next two days. For instance: occasionally finding cute creatures like cockroaches or flies in his meals; his cool beer mysteriously transforming into some form of excrement; frequently being "greeted" by banana peels when walking; the water suddenly cutting off halfway through his shower; kicking something slimy under the covers while sleeping; or discovering a complete lack of toilet paper when needing to use the restroom, among other things. Actually, this was still considered mild. The most disastrous occurrences were the intense door-knocking or heart-wrenching screams happening precisely when he was close to climaxing during his late-night intimacy, causing him severe fright. For a long time afterward, this led to impotence, and later, the man developed psychological disorders, seeking numerous famous doctors to no avail... Of course, these were all minor interludes, unworthy of much concern.

After the late-night meal, everyone dispersed to attend to their own matters. Lin Luo casually dismissed the two captives, Glezya and Cocowitt, assigning them the rooms previously occupied by the two deceased chairmen of the XX Council and the mistress of the OO Affair—it was fine anyway, as Cocowitt, being a Dark-attribute Holy War Angel, would surely be suited for rooms where people had died. The reason Lin Luo was so lenient with these two wasn't trust, but because Cocowitt had fainted after eating the spicy noodles... This left Lin Luo quite speechless; if you can't handle spice, why not just not eat it? Yet, she insisted on finishing the entire bowl. Cocowitt's explanation, however, was: she suddenly discovered the spicy noodles were incredibly delicious, possessing a pleasure mixed with pain. After sending the two captives off, the Angel Guard team of Siska and the other two followed. Siska still held considerable resentment toward Lin Luo, but due to the suppression of superior force, she had no choice. She merely told Lin Luo that she would not give up the Seven Luminaries Sacred Tree before returning to her room. Lin Luo paid this no mind, letting it go in one ear and out the other. Queen C.C. also departed around the same time. She didn't say a word, which left Lin Luo feeling a little conflicted. Still, these things required patience; Queen C.C. had already shown interest in him, even attempting to invade his mind previously, which could be considered a decent start. Lin Luo was not surprised by the actions of the preceding individuals, but what took him aback was that Lei actually requested to sleep with Lilia that night, claiming it was to strengthen their friendship. Lin Luo did not object; with Xiaobai accompanying her, there was no chance of danger, even if other enemies were lurking aboard the ship. However, Lassati seemed visibly worried, acting very cautiously, perhaps fearing that Xiaobai might suddenly transform into Dabai and swallow the sister pair whole. The troubles of young maidens were quite amusing, and given this, Lin Luo had even less reason to refuse. However, after everyone else had left, Lin Luo suddenly realized a serious problem: if Lei went to Lilia's place, wouldn't it just be him and Rin alone in his room tonight? A man and a woman sharing a room—passion was inevitable. Thinking of this, Lin Luo's heart immediately stirred with excitement, and he noticed that Miss Rin had already departed. "Did she go back to her room already? Is she hinting at something? Yes, it must be like that..." Struggling for a mere 0.001 seconds, Lin Luo quickly headed toward his own room. Arriving at the door, Lin Luo didn't rush in immediately. Instead, he first activated his perception field. Sure enough, there was a person's presence inside—it was Miss Rin. He then pulled the door handle; the lock was not set. Faced with this situation, Lin Luo became uncharacteristically nervous, like a child inexperienced in worldly affairs. He swallowed hard, gently pulled the handle open, but what he saw inside made him gasp in shock: Rin was lying limply on the floor, looking half-dead. "Rin!" Lin Luo's expression changed instantly. Thinking she had been attacked, he rushed forward, scooped her up in a cradle hold, and upon careful inspection, found she wasn't injured—she was simply asleep. "Strange, then why is she sleeping on the floor?" The false alarm made Lin Luo breathe a sigh of relief, though he couldn't help but feel perplexed. While pondering, he carried her to the bed. Miss Rin remained fast asleep, showing no signs of waking up. This left Lin Luo somewhat dejected. He had initially anticipated a beautiful wedding night, but for Miss Rin to simply fall asleep—this was far too disrespectful. "This is truly troublesome," Lin Luo frowned as he looked at the girl's sleeping posture. At that moment, he also spotted the true culprit that had put Rin to sleep on the nearby table... a bottle of wine with the cap off. "She got drunk," Lin Luo muttered speechlessly. Miss Rin, why choose this moment to drink, knowing what a rare and precious opportunity this was? Aren't you deliberately torturing me? Although he could still proceed now, losing her virginity while she was unconscious would be a terrible experience. "Forget it, I should take a cold shower at this moment," Lin Luo sighed, then stood up and walked toward the bathroom in the room, otherwise, with his current heated state continuing, he couldn't guarantee he could control his impulses. "Meow." Just as Lin Luo reached the bathroom, he suddenly heard a cat's cry from the room. "A cat? Where did a cat come from?" Lin Luo froze momentarily. Had some noble lady's pet wandered into his room? "Meow..." Lin Luo initially intended to ignore it, but the sound came again, and this time he heard it more clearly—the cry was slightly different from an ordinary cat's, seeming to carry a trace of human quality? "Could it be a cat demon?" Lin Luo immediately became interested. Indeed, if it were a normal cat, his perception field sweeping through earlier should have detected it. A cat that even his perception field couldn't find must be... Lin Luo immediately walked out of the room and began searching. The room wasn't very large to begin with; the only places a cat could hide besides the cabinets on either side were under the bed, so finding it should have been easy, but Lin Luo searched everywhere and found nothing. "Meow..." "It's here again. Where exactly is this thing hiding?" Lin Luo frowned, then listened carefully to the source of the sound. "Meow..." This time he heard it clearly: the meowing was coming from the bed. Lin Luo jumped onto the bed and threw off all the blankets, but there was no other living creature on the bed besides Miss Rin. "Could it be..." Looking at Miss Rin, Lin Luo suddenly thought of something. He then sat on the bed, staring intently at Miss Rin's mouth. About half a minute later, Miss Rin opened her mouth and said, "Meow..." Damn it, it really is you— Lin Luo nearly spat blood.