Arknights: Mobile City

Theresa gave no direct reply to Da'at's final words. She merely nodded quietly, took a deep breath, and slowly approached the small cabin.

It was only about two hundred meters, yet Theresa felt her steps had never been so heavy.

The whole way there, she was lost in thought, endlessly speculating about the kind of person the Head would turn out to be.

From his appearance, his thoughts, to his true goals… Theresa desperately wished she could uncover everything there was to know about him.

Her mind spun in continuous circles until she found herself standing before the cabin door.

Gently, Theresa knocked. Moments later, as if pushed by an invisible gust of wind, the door swung open, as though its lock had released on its own. A calm, steady voice drifted from within:

"Come in, Miss Theresa."

Theresa stepped into the cabin. The interior was simple, almost austere, with barely any furniture.

At the very center of this bare space sat a youthful man with ash-colored hair and bright blue eyes. His penetrating gaze fixed upon Theresa, and after she came to a stop, he spoke plainly:

"I am the Administrator—the Head of A Corp. in The City. You may call me Administrator."

"I already know your name and the purpose of your visit, so there's no need to elaborate further. Miss Theresa, you truly have gone to great lengths seeking me out."

"It seems my final arrangement worked out quite well."

Hearing Lin Yi's words, Theresa simply offered a faint smile in return. Pulling a chair over, she seated herself directly across from him, recomposed herself, and asked calmly:

"If I may ask, Administrator, why exactly did you wish to meet with me?"

"It's only appropriate that I meet with at least one of Kazdel's current leaders, both out of courtesy and necessity," Lin Yi replied, slowly shaking his head. "Not to mention, you've personally come all this way. It would be impolite of me not to see you."

He raised a hand slightly, indicating for her to proceed:

"If you have any questions, please ask them now."

"As the Administrator, I have other matters to attend to. Therefore, I'm afraid I can answer only four of your questions."

Only four questions, huh…

Theresa's mind immediately began racing. She had to choose carefully. There were countless mysteries about The City, yet right now she needed to prioritize the most pressing issues.

After a moment of consideration, Theresa steadied herself, looked up at Lin Yi, and finally spoke:

"Then… let me first ask this: Regarding the incident involving [Nothing There], why didn't you personally take action?"

"I believed Hai could handle it," Lin Yi responded leisurely. "Moreover, as the Administrator, I have far more pressing concerns. We don't have the luxury to personally deal with Abnormalities like [Nothing There]."

"More pressing concerns?"

Lin Yi didn't answer immediately. Instead, his eyes drifted upward, seemingly gazing at some distant, starry sky. After a pause, he lowered his gaze, smiling softly:

"The crisis confronting the Head is far greater than that. Next question. You have three left."

Theresa exhaled slowly, mentally recalculating her remaining questions.

Three should be enough. Two questions reserved for Kazdel… the next one could clear up that puzzle that's been bothering me for a while.

"Then… I'd like to ask, what exactly are the criteria for Lobotomy Corporation's recruitment process?"

"Oh? You're curious about that?" Lin Yi seemed mildly amused, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "It's actually very simple. What we observe is an applicant's 'will to survive.'"

"The more desperately someone wishes to live, the greater their chance of being chosen. Their emotional intensity tends to be stronger… that's all there is to it. Now, you have two questions remaining—use them carefully."

So that's how it is… no wonder Pero was selected.

Now, with only two questions left, she needed to move onto critical matters.

Theresa took a deep breath before finally asking the main question she'd prepared long before this moment:

"Very well… My next question is, what are your thoughts about Kazdel's civil war?"

"Understandable, yet terribly inefficient," Lin Yi replied after a brief pause, his voice flat.

"The City holds no special expectations for Kazdel. All we truly desire is an end to the war. Last question."

"Then for my final question," Theresa stated decisively, without hesitation, "do you think Rhodes Island is worth investing in during Kazdel's civil war?"

Faced with this blunt inquiry, silence briefly settled over the cabin. Lin Yi casually toyed with an Identity Extraction Ticket in his fingers, a faint smile lingering on his face.

After a long pause, he finally answered evenly:

"To answer your question… Miss Theresa, as far as The City is concerned, it makes no difference either way."

"You, or Theresis—it doesn't matter."

So, they intend to remain neutral after all… A comforting answer, but could she perhaps coax something more…?

Thinking this, Theresa composed herself, speaking as calmly as possible:

"But… you would provide assistance, right?"

"Only equally, Miss Theresa. We are merchants. From the beginning, you've interacted primarily with Wings of the World—with merchants. Please don't misunderstand."

Lin Yi's smile widened slightly, but his tone remained gentle yet firm as he continued:

"The City's ultimate goal is survival. Many things are unnecessary and expendable toward that goal."

"Miss Theresa, your ideals are admirable, your charisma undeniable. But for The City, these qualities are irrelevant—perhaps even detrimental. Ultimately, they will ruin you and potentially doom Kazdel as well."

Theresa fell silent at Lin Yi's stark assessment.

Eventually, she gave a resigned little laugh. Perhaps, from the very beginning, she'd been mistaken to expect greater support from him.

The Administrator simply didn't care.

"This war continuing benefits no one. Yet here you are, drowning Kazdel along with yourself in your blind dreams, Your Highness Theresa."

Lin Yi concluded softly, bowing his head slightly. His words stirred Theresa's memory, briefly recalling The [Dreaming Current], remembering those fluorescent lights upon its body…

"All four questions answered, Your Highness. It's now time to see you off…"

"Wait!"

Theresa suddenly blurted out in surprise. Lin Yi raised an eyebrow, puzzled.

"…There's still one more thing. Just one last question—I beg your indulgence."

Her gaze lowered slightly, voice dropping almost to a whisper:

"May I ask you this one thing? If continuing this war truly harms everyone involved… would it also harm The City itself?"