Chapter 23: Seeking an Official Post

"I was reading the paper, it seems your hospital had some trouble?" the young nurse, Janice, remarked as if making casual conversation while preparing medicine for a kitten.

"Don't remind me..." Jennifer slumped over the counter, looking discouraged. "I finally managed to serve a handsome man, and then he got taken away... Fortunately, a lot of those villains were shot dead."

"Oh, boo-hoo... If I had known, I would have made my move sooner."

Although she was in a foul mood, she was still exquisitely dressed as she prepared to head out. She wore a long black dress and a black, white-trimmed lace bonnet, giving her the air of a noble young lady.

Hearing her words, Janice felt an urge to slap her, an impulse she barely suppressed.

"Hmm, I read in the paper it was that sniper, Robin Rommel, wasn't it?" Janice asked.

Because the leak had come from internal hospital staff, Jennifer had never actually disclosed it to Janice, which was why this place hadn't been searched. Moreover, information about Robin at the time had been incredibly transparent; there were so many reporters and photographers who had seen him that it would have been impossible to trace.

"He certainly looked handsome in the photos, and he even had abs," Janice teased.

"Don't mention it. Give me two more days, just two days, and I'll definitely be able to scream all night long just like you..."

"Are you sure you want to scream in the hospital?"

"Well... maybe holding it in is more exciting?" Jennifer's eyes brightened significantly.

Soon, the two began chatting about "women's business." When women get started on these topics, it becomes far more heated than when men discuss them.

...

Robin had no idea two women were discussing how to wreak havoc on his life. He was busy following Matthew into a room.

The room was filled with all sorts of pipes and gears, with some of the pipes venting steam. The largest machine had buttons that looked nearly worn smooth, clearly having been in use for a long time.

At this moment, Robin truly felt the steam and gear culture of this world. It wasn't the kind of maximization of steam power seen in his previous life; this world possessed a special type of water, with a value comparable to oil, which produced steam power far beyond what normal water could generate. This world also contained many bizarre materials, which had shaped its peculiar technological evolution.

"The higher-ups have replied. They are sending us another team. I haven't met them, but they include two 'Transcendent' individuals and eight regular people. These people can be placed under our command. Within two days, we must do everything in our power to leave the city of Volsini."

Matthew sat in a chair, habitually pulled out a cigarette, took one, and lit it.

"The priority is to get you, Robin Rommel, out of here."

"I am in charge of the plan, but..."

Robin knew that Matthew had no one else left to use. Even if he could contact others, these were extraordinary times, and simply making contact was a dangerous endeavor.

"Does the Grand Duke only have two teams in Volsini?" Robin asked curiously.

"It depends on what you mean. If you mean the Grand Duke's supporters, there are plenty. If we went to the schools to rally them, countless students would respond."

"There are also many who can fight, but they are combat specialists. To let them get involved... unless we intend to force our way out." Matthew exhaled a thin plume of smoke.

Countless classic spy films flashed through Robin's mind. Espionage was an unavoidable theme in war and a vital component of it. If the protagonists were students, one would find them constantly causing trouble, acting outside the organization's control because they were idealists—full of passion and love, yet ignorant of the world's malice. The same went for soldiers. In the classic spy drama *Lurking*, Cui Ping could always make the audience's blood pressure rise, but when it came to shooting, assassinating, or narrow encounters, one still had to rely on her; that was the difference in professional expertise.

Letting unprofessional people handle these tasks carried too much risk.

"Do the higher-ups have anything to say about my identity or the like?" Robin asked.

"They just said they were informed." Matthew shook his head. "I told them about your performance last night, our losses, and what we encountered. They just ordered us to get you out of Volsini."

Matthew was exhausted, and with time so limited, it was hard to come up with a decent plan.

"Do you have any good ideas? I could use them as a reference." Matthew pressed his cigarette into the ashtray. Looking at the contents, he had smoked at least ten, seemingly all today.

"Tell me the professions of the other ten people."

"Right, I have their list and professions here." Matthew handed Robin a piece of paper.

Robin read through it bit by bit. The other team consisted of a reporter, a photographer, a guard, a doctor, a teacher, a bookstore owner, a bar manager, and a small casino owner. The final two were Transcendents: one was a private investigator, and the other was a well-known hitman in the underworld.

Robin was unfamiliar with the situation in Volsini, so he didn't have any clever ideas either. However, thinking of his system—which he hadn't yet had the chance to utilize fully—Robin suddenly had a bold idea.

"Can you temporarily appoint me as the deputy leader of our team?" Robin asked.

"Why do you want that?" Matthew was stunned, never expecting such a request from Robin.

"I am a Drossian. People from my country are known for their rigor," Robin said solemnly. "And I am a faithful believer in the God of Order."

"Fine... then you are now the deputy leader."

Matthew smiled. Gods? The voices of the gods had vanished for too long; even the churches were practically defunct. Now, the voice of a god served as nothing more than a banner.

"I want a formal appointment," Robin said seriously.

His system hadn't changed; clearly, this kind of play-acting wouldn't suffice.

"No wonder you became a top-tier sniper... you really are rigorous." Seeing Robin's attitude, Matthew didn't dwell on it. He casually drafted an appointment letter and stamped it with his official seal. In his view, the industry of the Dross Empire was famously rigorous and diligent; it wasn't strange for a Drossian to have such characteristics.

"I am authorized to appoint a deputy leader myself. This is the appointment letter; just press your fingerprint on it, and it will be effective."

Hearing this, Robin pressed his thumbprint onto the paper.

[War Lord System]
[Personal Panel]
[Inventory]
[Intelligence]
[Talent]
[Supplies]
[Map]
[Campaign Simulation (Locked)]

The moment he was successfully appointed, the War Lord System unlocked a whole host of panels!

Robin's pupils constricted. It really worked!

Trying to escape by force was absolutely inadvisable; the defenses were too tight, and trying to sneak out was equally difficult. However, with the system's assistance, the difficulty could be reduced by at least half!

After all, this wasn't just an intelligence-gathering system; it was a system themed around war!