"I did not expect for you to persuade her so smoothly," Kal'tsit said to him as she glanced at the window of the medical room. Through it, she saw Warfarin taking some blood samples from their new guest.

FrostNova of Reunion.

Kal'tsit knew of her. The woman in that room had some history with Rhodes Island. They clashed with each other on some expeditions. From what they gathered, the group that she was leading was named Yeti.

The group had a rather infamous reputation. Seeing the woman willingly being tested by the people she had a tense relationship with was something Kal'tsit did not expect to happen.

She glanced away from the two of them and to the person who was responsible for bringing her here on such short notice. His iconic jacket was not on his body, still being used to comfort Eyjafjalla's condition. Like her just now, Lin Ye was looking at the guest. When he felt her eyes on him Lin Ye pulled his gaze back to her.

"It took me a day to get here," Lin Ye hummed, "Nian is now resting in her dorm. I needed to go to the cafeteria to serve her the spiciest thing that they could make for her."

"I understand," She nodded.

After saying this, she went back to her main topic.

"Originally, I thought we needed some other way to get her here," Kal'tsit sighed, "I am ashamed to admit that I was considering doing what Warfarin suggested. Using some of our elite operators to capture her such as Shining or Saria. Maybe send some of our upcoming elites as a test to see if they are up to being elites."

"Of course, Warfarin suggested that," Lin Ye sighed, "And Shining? She is not really fond of using violence. Why were you considering her to do that?"

"Because it might help Liz's condition," She answered.

"Ah. You make a valid point," He nodded, "Glad that you did not do that then"

"... I really wanted to agree to Warfarin's proposal. You know the cure is important to us to perfect it," Kal'tsit said softly, "But in the end, I decided to trust you to bring her here without any trouble. And it seemed I made the right choice."

Lin Ye's eyes widened. Then he softened his expression at her, "I do not deserve so much trust from you."

"No, you deserve it." Kal'tsit shook her head and said, "After all, you have never made a mistake when relating to women in the years you joined Rhode Island. Seeing how succeeded in bringing FrostNova to us, it seems she was not an exception."

"..."

Lin Ye stared at her blankly. Kal'tsit stared back with the same expression. However, Lin Ye saw the slight twitch of her lips.

He pinched the bridge of his nose as he exhaled a heavy sigh.

"What did Ptilopsis say to you?" Lin Ye groaned.

A light chuckle escaped from her lips.

"Enough."

"... I see," He sighed and put down his hand, "Kal'tsit."

"Hmm?" She arched a brow at him.

"If you see a bald Liberi girl passing in the hall after this," Lin Ye stared at her seriously, "Ignore her."

She was confused at this but nonetheless nodded at him and stared back through the window.

"Good."

After dealing with that, a thought popped into his mind.

"Kal'tsit," He called again.

Kal'tsit stared at him.

Just as he was about to say something to her, he realised this might be something not to be heard by other people. He looked around the hall.

After he was sure there was no one who could hear him, he leaned closer to her and whispered something in her ear.

When he pulled back, Lin Ye could see Kal'tsit knitting her brows, thinking about what he was asking for.

"Are you really sure?" She asked him.

Lin Ye nodded, "She deserves it."

"…" Kal'tsit's eyes narrowed, "Can you trust her?"

Lin Ye looked through the window. His eyes landed on Yelena's figure. After that, he glanced back to Kal'tsit.

"She is willing to work with us, people that she regards as enemies," Lin Ye hummed, "If she can do that, I will do it too."

"..."

Kal'tsit did not say anything to this as he thought hard about what Lin Ye was asking for.

Then she nodded slowly, "If we really succeed in doing this, then I will do the best that I can."

"That is all I am asking for," Lin Ye nodded and smiled at her, "Thank you."

{Rhodes Island's Psychologist}

Warfarin looked at the syringe that was filled with red liquid in interest. Then her eyes went back to where the blood came from.

"Your body is quite unique." Warfarin asked Frostnova, "Are you a Caster?"

Yelena did not verbally answer her, but the nod was enough for Warfarin.

"Not many Casters have such amazing adaptability with Arts. Even less with no sign of Oripathy," Warfarin shrugged and said, "Your powerful Arts might get stronger because of how you do not have any obstacles in using it to your body."

She then squeezed out the blood into a vile. The vampire raised the flask to her face and twirl it around.

"You have all the benefits of Originium while not getting its downsides," Warfarin glanced away from the liquid and back to her, "It's like god favours you the most in the world."

"... No," Yelena shook her head, "I was just lucky to meet Lin Ye."

"... That man," Warfarin hummed and placed the flask down onto her table, "The world seems to revolve around him. No matter how hard he tries not to."

"..."

What the medic said was true. Yelena could remember how much Lin Ye wanted to have a simple life and just die from old age. That is how he wanted to live his life. However, what he was doing now was the farthest thing from that.

Why was it like this?

From what she knew about him, Lin Ye was not someone that would go out of his way to pursue this career.

Now, Rhodes Island had a sample from her body. Did that mean the cure was getting closer to their reach?

Did that mean, the suffering of Infected was getting closer to its end?"

She expected herself to be happy with that idea. But the only thing that she felt was complex. Yelena could not put a finger on what was in her heart at the idea of their battle coming to an end.

As she was busy thinking about this, Warfarin tossed her jacket to her. It slammed on her face.

"Enough of that, I need to get to work on my research. Put on your jacket," The vampire said. Then her tone became a bit annoyed now, "You know you're packing. Don't need to flaunt it to the world to see."

"..."

Ignoring Warfarin's ridicule, Yelena silently put on her clothes

When she was done, Yelena could see Warfarin using her microscope to study the sample.

"What's next?"

Without looking up from the equipment, Warfarin asked, "What do you mean?"

"What happened next?" Yelena repeated.

"Nothing." Warfarin waved her hand as her eyes were still on the sample, "You can go. Scram."

Yelena was stunned by this, "... I can go?"

"Otherwise, what do you think?" Said Warfarin annoyingly, "Your test is over, at least temporarily. Until the test results come out, I suggest you not leave the island. It won't take that long to get results though. It's good for you, and it's good for us too."

"..."

Yelena didn't expect the test to end so easily. She originally thought she would be locked up like a guinea pig here, but she never thought that the test Rhode Island said was really just an ordinary medical test.

Except for the doctor who tested her, it was no different from other places. Of course, other places are naturally inferior to Rhode Island in terms of professionalism.

Yelena stood up silently and then glanced at the doctor. She was already engrossed in her work.

When she saw that no one came to stop her, turned around and left. When she was about to open the door to leave, she heard Warfarin's voice behind her back.

"Someone has warned me many times before you came. No matter what, I cannot harm you." She said, "Really, I don't know if he cares about you too much or if he treats me like I am a monster and not a doctor. That damn man."

Warfarin's words made Yelena's body pause, but she didn't look back.

From the corner of her eyes, Warfarin looked at the back of Yelena with a smile and continued her study.

After a while, Yelena finally moved her body and opened the door.

When she left the laboratory, the first thing the leader of the Yetis saw was Lin Ye. He leaned on the wall facing the door, waiting for someone.

When he heard her walking out the room, Lin Ye raised his head. When he saw who it was, a smile crept onto his face.

"You're out." Lin Ye greeted her with a smile, "Hey there Yelena."

"..."

She stared at him.

"You've been waiting for me outside?"

"Yeah," Lin Ye said with a smile, "It didn't take long though."

"You've been watching from outside, weren't you?"

"Yes?"

Lin Ye finally understood what she meant by that.

"Ah," Lin Ye scratched his cheek, "Sorry about that. The window was see-through so I caught a glimpse of you in there. Sorry."

Yelena just asked this question casually to start a conversation, but it seemed it only made the situation more awkward than it already was.

She didn't know what to say to him now.

There was no way to leave Rhode Island for the time being, and she didn't know where to go. Yelena thought silently about what to do now. Then an idea appeared in her mind.

"Can you take me to see that girl?" Yelena asked him

"That girl?" Lin Ye was confused by her request., "Who?"

"That seriously ill girl," Yelena explained.

"Ah," he finally understood her now. He nodded and smiled at her, "Of course, follow me."

"Is it really fine?" Yelena asked, "Is it not inconvenient for me to see her?"

She was behind the enemy's lines. Everything that she did was important. If she did one wrong move, her head might be flying off her shoulder.

However, her worries were all gone, when she saw Lin Ye smiling at her.

"Of course not," Lin Ye shook his head, "You are her saviour. Why should you not see her?"

Something stirred in her heart when Yelena heard this from him.

A strange emotion flashed through, but she didn't know what it was.

Saviour?

Yelena was silent for a while, then said softly, "Thank you."

"It's nothing," Lin Ye hummed at her, "I should be the one thanking you. I want to see how Eyja is too."

{Rhodes Island's Psychologist}

Eyja's room was not that far from where they were just now. Lin Ye and Yelena were both now standing in front of the operating room doors.

Yelena noticed the sign on the door was lit, meaning that no one should be able to go in. She looked back at Lin Ye.

"I think we should do this on another day."

Lin Ye looked back at her. He shook his head, "No need."

Yelena looked at him confused. Before she could voice out her doubts, Lin Ye went and knocked on the doors.

"It's me," Lin Ye said.

It did not take long before the two doors opened. A figure that was wearing heavily protected clothing came out from them.

"Ye?"

The muffled voice of the person

Lin Ye smiled, "Hey there Olivia." He took a step back and saw Yelena to the woman, "This is that person. She wanted to meet with Eyja."

Although she was wearing goggles on her face, Yelena knew her eyes were widened when they were laid on her.

"So it must be her," She looked away from her and back To Lin Ye, "Of course. Does she need to wear protection?"'

Lin Ye shook his head, "No. Based on what I asked Warfarin about her condition. She is more like me now. It's like she was giving a vaccine that combats Oripathy."

"Amazing," She said in awe. Then she nodded at him, "Wait a moment. I will tell the others to give you some space."

"Thank you, Olivia."

With a final nod, the medic went back into the room.

He glanced away from the doors and back at Yelena. He saw her staring at him. This made him confused.

"What is it?" Lin Ye asked her.

"... Are you really just an employee to them?" Yelena finally asked the thing that plagued her mind the moment she arrived here.

When Yelena first arrived at the company, she noticed how people in the moving city treated him. The people who looked so tired seemed to get a surge of energy when their eyes landed on his figure. They treated him with so much respect, that it was almost like he was the leader of the company.

Before Lin Ye could answer her question, the doors opened again, revealing the woman.

"Ye, everything is ready now," The woman said, "You can come in."

Lin Ye nodded at her and went to the door. Before he went into the room, he turned his gaze back to Yelena.

"Yelena?" He called her as he opened the door wider for her, "Are you not going in?"

Yelena snapped out from her shock and nodded at him, "Coming."

After saying this, she followed him into the room. The first thing that she saw was there were a lot of people wearing heavy protective clothing.

At first, Yelena was debating on going any further into the room. They must have a good reason to wear something like this.

But the people in the room did not stop Lin Ye from walking deeper and stopping at a bed not far from them.

Seeing that it was fine, she continued and stopped just right next to Lin Ye.

Then she saw her.

She expected a lot of things when Yelena was about to see the person that Lin Ye was so desperately trying to save.

This was not one of them.

A child resting peacefully on the bed. She could see black crystals all bear her neck and above.

One thing stuck out about her.

There was a black jacket lying on top of her.

Yelena looked to Lin Ye. Feeling her gaze on him, Lin Ye answered without looking away from the girl in front of them.

"My jacket," Lin Ye hummed, "It helped her calm down."

"... I see," She slowly looked back at her.

"Her condition is just like yours when we met in that small town, "Lin Ye said. His hand then reached out to the girl. With the back of his hand, Lin Ye gently rubbed her cheek, "She's so strong."

When she looked at the child in front of her, the image of a younger version of herself replaced her.

There was something that did not make sense when Yelena looked at her.

"Ye," She called his name, "How did this happen to her?"

A long sigh escaped from his mouth and glanced at the White Cautus.

"Well…"

So he went on and told Yelena about a talented child who has a loving pair of parents. One day they die, and the child takes it as her responsibility to continue their studies. Normally that wouldn't be much of a problem. Sadly, the field of research her parents were in was a dangerous one.

However, that did not make her determination falter. It might have ignited the flames even further. Sadly, her determination was the reason why she was like this now.

After hearing all of that from Lin Ye, Yelena was silent for a long time before slowly opening her mouth.

"She's such an amazing person."

"Yeah, she really is," Lin Ye ran his hand through her hair, "That's why I don't want to see her leave. Not yet."

Yelena glanced at him.

"... Can the cure really save her?" She asked.

"Do you want to hear the truth or a lie?" Lin Ye said with a wry smile: "The truth is, even if we used the sample from you, the chance of her surviving is still too low for my liking."

"Time is not on our side." He sighed, "The best we can do is have faith."

"... Faith?" She repeated the word to him.

"Yes, faith. Faith in the researcher making the cure. Faith in the sample you gave them."

He brushed away some strain of hair away from Eyja's face, "Faith in her to keep on fighting."

Yelena stared at the man. Her eyes held so much emotion in them, it was like they were the window to his heart. And she could see through them easily.

He was afraid.

He was sad.

But most of all, he was determined.

She was about to call him again, but Yelena needed to stop herself when she saw Lin Ye pulling his hand away from the girl.

"I think that's enough," He looked at her, "The medics here need to help her and we being here might be stopping them from doing so."

"..."

Yelena could only nod slowly at him.

{Rhodes Island's Psychologist}

The two of them were now in the hall alone. They just closed the operating room door behind them.

Lin Ye pulled out his phone and noticed how late it was. He placed back his phone into his pocket and pulled out a card.

He held it towards Yelena.

"Here."

Yelena stared at the card for a while. Then she slowly took it away from him. She looked closer at it.

"What is this?" She asked.

"Your room key." Lin Ye answered, "Your room should be on the fourth room on the third floor, just above us. The room number is on the card."

She looked back to the card and sure of it, there was a number on it.

"I think you should take a rest for now," Lin Ye offered her, "I would love to show you your room, but I need to do something."

So he trusted her so much that he was not afraid to let her go on her own.

Yelena raised her head and saw Lin Ye turning his back to face her.

"I will take my leave then," Lin Ye glanced toward her, "Bye then."

Lin Ye looked away from her and was about to walk to his office.

"Have faith."

However, he stopped when he heard Yelena saying something to him.

He turned to look at her in confusion, "What?"

Yelena stared directly into his eyes. She clenched the card that he had just given her near her chest.

"Have faith," She repeated, "Have faith in yourself too."

Lin Ye raised a brow at this.

"You… You know how to bring light to people that need it the most," Yelena explained, "You managed to do that to me and save me. I know you can do that for her as well."

"So have faith in yourself."

Her eyes pierced through his.

Yelena expected Lin Ye to react to what she said. A smile? A chuckle? Maybe even a full-blown laugh at how ridiculous she sounded.

However, the way he was looking at her was not something she liked to see.

Lin Ye's smile dropped in a fraction of a second before smiling back into his usual self. Although it was quick, so quick that most people did not see this, his eyes tell a different story.

"... Thanks," He turned away from her, "I think I should go now. The papers won't do it themselves now will they?"

She did not say anything. Seeing that she had nothing to say, Lin Ye walked away.

His back slowly faded away into the hall.

Although he sounded fine, Yelena knew this was an act.

How did she know?

His eyes were like Dad's when he saw a dead family member.

At this very moment, now alone, Yelena knew something.

Lin Ye was hiding so much more than she originally thought he was.

{Rhodes Island's Psychologist}

Draft: Jaq

Proofread: Discord

Edit: Jaq