Before returning to the Seliana Smithy.
To prevent being tracked by that official organization, Hollow Special Operations Section 6, via surveillance cameras, Andrew rode his motorcycle in a huge loop around New Eridu.
Relying on the Vault-Tracker's ability to change its form.
Along the way, Andrew weaved through streets and alleys, passing through several uninhabited lanes and changing forms multiple times.
Only after ensuring no one could track him did he return to Sixth Street.
But the moment he arrived back at the Seliana Smithy, before he could even heave a sigh of relief, he was blocked right in his tracks by Soldier 11, who had been waiting there specifically for him.
Subsequently, he heard the request she put forward.
To be honest.
So at that moment, Andrew agreeing to Soldier 11's sudden request was completely a subconscious act, without any careful thought.
After all, to Andrew.
This matter was just a small thing, like a parent approving their child's request to go out and play with friends.
As long as it didn't interfere with serious business, naturally, they should do whatever made them happy.
And for the current Silver Squad, doing what they wanted to do and learning how to be the people they wanted to become was their biggest "serious business" right now.
Besides, no matter how you looked at it, it was just going out to meet an online friend.
The meeting place proposed by the other party was Lumina Square, which had a very high flow of people. Leaving aside Soldier 11's own not-so-weak strength.
A place with high foot traffic also provided a degree of safety for both sides.
All things considered, it sounded just like when he went out to meet online friends in his first life. In Andrew's cognition, it could be said to be the most normal situation possible.
What could possibly happen?
If something were to happen here, I'd eat the Charge Blade in my hands right on the spot, okay?!
But when he went to the Random Play Video Store to find Belle and Wise, who were doing commissions, preparing to ask these two—who knew the situation in New Eridu much better—about what exactly was the deal with Hoshimi Miyabi...
After mentioning it casually, Andrew discovered something.
Hearing these words, the siblings looked at each other and then involuntarily revealed very worried expressions at the same time.
Then Belle stared at Andrew with cheeks puffed out, wearing an expression like "You're actually so careless with your own child."
Regarding their gazes.
As the person being stared at, Andrew was a bit bewildered for a moment.
Although he didn't know what he had done, under the puffed-up gaze of his girlfriend—especially when the reason for her anger was obviously him...
In this kind of situation, any man would subconsciously feel a little guilty, right?
"Wh... what's wrong?"
Seeing that Andrew still hadn't realized where the problem lay.
Without keeping him in suspense, Wise sighed and began to explain directly:
"Andrew, don't you know? In New Eridu, meeting someone offline directly when you haven't known them for long and haven't confirmed what kind of person they really are is very dangerous."
In New Eridu, casually trusting netizens on the internet carried significant risk in itself.
Whether on the Proxy Net or in Public Security announcements, fraud cases in this area emerged one after another. Recently, several cases of this type had appeared in succession.
Yet Andrew agreed directly without even asking what kind of person Soldier 11 was going to see...
Thinking of this, Belle also couldn't help but sigh.
But thinking that Andrew, who had only been here for over three months, still had many areas where he wasn't familiar with the situation in New Eridu, it was pardonable.
No longer staring at Andrew, Belle spoke up seriously to add:
"Recently in New Eridu, there is a gang that targets people who haven't seen much of the world... enticing and deceiving them, then cheating them of money under the guise of offline lessons."
Although she didn't explicitly point out who she was hinting at, Andrew understood very clearly.
After all, Soldier 11 happened to be the person who perfectly fit the condition of "haven't seen much of the world."
Even, as a clone who was less than a year old, one couldn't just say she hadn't seen much of the world; she could completely be described as a blank sheet of paper.
She could simply be said to be the easiest type of person to scam in New Eridu.
"Although the things taught have major problems... because they actually attended class, Public Security finds it hard to forcibly recover the scammed Dennies, so they can only continuously strengthen anti-fraud publicity."
Hearing Belle's description, Andrew suddenly felt an inexplicable sense of déjà vu regarding this so-called teaching, and it grew stronger and stronger.
"Uh... Ma Baoguo's fame-making ultimate skill, the Lightning Five Whips?"
Although they didn't know which high expert the "Ma Baoguo" Andrew mentioned was, relying on the context, the two still guessed what this person had done.
Knowing that Andrew understood, Wise continued to state the biggest reason for their worry.
"Since Soldier 11 came to live at the video store, she started continuously undergoing training to enhance her strength every day based on suggestions. But..."
Recalling the various abstract things Soldier 11 had been doing in the video store recently, Wise listed them with some helplessness:
"Training to distinguish which chili peppers were used and their ratios while eating hellishly spicy ramen, training to swing a blade while reciting haiku, training to communicate with beasts, and training to meditate on telephone poles without being discovered."
After listing these trainings, Wise couldn't help but feel even more helpless.
After all, this was only a very small part of it.
"These so-called trainings have led to her eating hellishly spicy ramen three times a day... when she's not exercising under the streetlamps outside Sixth Street, she's in the parking lot in the back. Afterwards, she harasses Little Black on Sixth Street."
Calculating the things Soldier 11 did every day, the more Wise spoke, the more suspicious he became.
"Many other strange trainings... simply too many to list. It's just, can these trainings really help improve strength?"
Speaking of this, Belle aside also nodded in agreement and said:
"So after Big Brother and I discussed it, we both feel Soldier 11 might have encountered a scammer... We originally planned to discuss with you how to solve it after you came back. As a result..."
Hearing this explanation from the two, he immediately understood why the siblings felt Soldier 11 had met a scammer.
Given the current situation, if he had discovered it himself, he would naturally feel the same way!
And now hearing the two say this.
Andrew's heart immediately began to feel the same as the siblings: Soldier 11 had most likely met a scammer.
Leaving aside whether there would be problems with letting her witness the sinister side of society so quickly, many of the things currently being done for "becoming stronger" involved physical health.
If the other party was speaking nonsense and Soldier 11 took it as truth, then blindly practiced and injured herself, the loss would outweigh the gain.
But here lay the problem.
He had already agreed to this matter without knowing anything. If he turned around and reneged now...
Although judging by Soldier 11's personality of obeying orders, she would definitely agree directly, but whenever he remembered the happy look she had when she heard his approval...
He just felt he couldn't say it.
Moreover, these things were all his own speculations. Making a conclusion directly without actually meeting the person was not a correct choice.
After all, even if there was only a one in ten thousand chance it was true, there was still that one possibility.
What if this time it really was that one in ten thousand, a person with real talent and learning?
Not letting Soldier 11 go might instead make her unable to forget about it.
However, going was one thing.
But to ensure Soldier 11 wouldn't be deceived by that ninety-nine percent likely scammer, someone had to accompany her.
Thinking of this, Andrew had made a decision, so he said to the worried siblings:
"Don't worry. Since I agreed to it, leave this matter to me."
Compared to the analysis that wasn't urgent, Soldier 11's matter was indeed more important right now.
After all, he had been so cautious when coming back. Unless that Hoshimi Miyabi had a Scoutfly, she wouldn't necessarily be able to find this place even after a few months.
In the end, perhaps he wouldn't see her again for the rest of his life.
Moreover, to prevent such a situation from happening again, through the previous battle, Andrew had already let the Scoutfly memorize her.
Afterwards, as long as she approached within a certain range of him, the Scoutfly would immediately warn him.
With the Scoutfly in hand, he didn't worry at all about bumping into Hoshimi Miyabi again.
So, Andrew chose to go find Soldier 11 first.
Under Wise's guidance, Andrew once again came to the parking lot behind the Random Play Video Store and found Soldier 11, who was thinking about something.
The military standard long blade was placed on her crossed knees. The girl with the side ponytail had her brows tightly furrowed.
She looked like she had no clue.
However, when Andrew approached and she noticed his existence, Soldier 11's originally furrowed brows quickly relaxed.
She immediately stood up straight, saluted first, and said methodically:
"Sir, do you need me for something?"
Looking at her previous contemplative appearance, Andrew asked with a bit of curiosity:
"What were you thinking about just now?"
Hearing this, Soldier 11 did not hide anything and explained:
"Recently, while attempting the Master's training suggestion to swing the blade to the rhythm of reciting haiku, I found that the rhythm of reciting haiku does not match my blade-swinging technique during combat."
"So I am currently thinking about how to improve my moves to make them more suitable for the rhythm when reciting haiku."
"Uh... is that so?"
Seeing Soldier 11 so serious, Andrew was instantly a bit speechless.
Leaving aside changing one's moves to fit haiku, swinging a blade to a rhythm was already a bit abstract in itself, right?
Who swings a blade according to a rhythm during combat?
However, seeing Soldier 11's earnest look, before confirming the other party was truly a scammer, Andrew still didn't stop her. He even offered a suggestion.
"Since combat techniques are hard to change due to habit, then why not change the rhythm?"
Looking at Soldier 11's still slightly puzzled expression, Andrew suggested:
"Then how about trying to change the haiku to music?"
Anyway, there were only a few days left. It wouldn't be too late to stop her after confirming that "Master" was a scammer.
Hearing this.
Soldier 11's eyes instantly lit up. Her confused train of thought was instantly opened, and her previously furrowed brows immediately relaxed.
Having found a clue, she couldn't help but sigh with emotion:
"As expected of the Sir, finding a more suitable method instantly!"
After speaking, Soldier 11 picked up her long blade and couldn't wait to find suitable music, but was pulled back by Andrew just as she stood up.
After all, he hadn't forgotten his main purpose for finding Soldier 11.
Seeing Soldier 11 looking at him with confusion, Andrew explained his intention.
"Soldier 11, when you go to Lumina Square to meet your Master in three days, can I go with you?"
Hearing this, Soldier 11 turned her head in great confusion and asked:
"Sir, your strength is already so strong. Do you still need to ask others for advice on techniques?"
As someone brought out of the research institute by him, who had also witnessed Andrew hunting those large monsters, Soldier 11 had a clear cognition of Andrew's strength.
Regarding Soldier 11's doubt, Andrew said very naturally:
"Oh well, as the saying goes, 'Among three people walking, one must be my teacher.' Learning is endless. Besides, my techniques were basically practiced for hunting large monsters; I have almost no techniques for fighting humans."
"And I happen to want to learn some techniques for fighting humans right now."
Actually, this wasn't really fooling Soldier 11.
Andrew truly did want to learn some anti-personnel techniques so that when encountering a human opponent of Hoshimi Miyabi's level, he wouldn't be suppressed so miserably at the start like this time.
And hearing this, Soldier 11, who trusted Andrew immensely, didn't suspect anything.
She nodded immediately and said:
"Understood. I will explain the situation to Master. There shouldn't be a problem."
Seeing Soldier 11 pick up her phone to ask, Andrew immediately said:
"Remember not to explain my identity and specific situation."
Regarding this situation where the fat sheep to be scammed turned from one into two, presumably the other party shouldn't refuse.
And the things that happened subsequently were indeed not beyond Andrew's expectations.
Soon, the other party sent back a message of agreement.
"Sir, Master agreed."
He felt the possibility of the other party being a scammer increased just a little bit more.
But Andrew didn't draw a conclusion. He just reminded:
"Don't forget to hide the identities between us and my strength."
"Rest assured, Sir."
Seeing the goal achieved, Andrew no longer held back Soldier 11, who was already eager to go to the video store opposite to find music.
After letting go of her hand, Andrew said:
"Alright, alright, I'm done here. Go do your thing."
As for what kind of person that Master was, it would be clear in three days.
Presumably, after meeting then, he would definitely be able to give the opponent—who thought they were newbies—endless surprises!
Meanwhile.
Since Soldier 11's matter was settled, next it was time to continue investigating the matter of being suddenly attacked earlier.
In New Eridu. Whether it was that Section 6 or Hoshimi Miyabi, there were still too many things he didn't understand.
____
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