He tore through the Holy Grail War, and you still call him a dragon?

Inside the grand hall, two members of the "Trio" had already arrived—Sakade Mai and Rei—both seated by Nuwa-sama's arrangement.

"I bet you're wondering why Miss Potato Chips didn't show up… Well, her excuse was that she's a desk worker. She's only responsible for planning, not field action."

—To be fair, Su Enxi had always acted more as a backroom strategist during operations. Now that she had to work with the noble houses, she figured Nuwa-sama wouldn't hand over command to outsiders. So she opted to kick back and indulge herself with drinks.

With a shrug toward Nuwa-sama and the others, Sakade Mai added, "So yeah, that's her reason."

"…" Nuwa-sama furrowed her brows. "What happened to professionalism in your 'cooperative ventures'? If she's capable of command, she's capable of contributing. The joint encirclement of the Chen estate still lacks a commander. Will she take the job or not?"

"Well then, let me offer my condolences in advance to our dear Potato Girl pulling extra hours on her day off," Sakade Mai chuckled, accepting the assignment on Su Enxi's behalf—cheerfully throwing her friend under the bus.

With one leg elegantly crossed over the other, her tightly clad combat suit accentuated her long, shapely legs, creating a line so dazzling it could stall an art class—no artist could focus with that in their field of view.

Beside her, Rei sat much more properly. Her icy expression gave her the air of an imperial princess, but her petite frame diminished her presence. Seated on a high stool, her tiny feet dangled in midair, not even touching the floor.

When Shirou and Old Tang entered the hall, Sakade Mai greeted Shirou with a wave and a bright smile. "Yo, Emiya-shōnen!"

Rei also turned and gave Shirou a polite nod.

"Huh? …Hello," Shirou replied, puzzled. He immediately sensed a drop in pressure from Nuwa-sama's direction. Had they only met once before? Sakade Mai seemed a bit too familiar.

Meanwhile, Old Tang, who had looked pretty glum earlier, lit up instantly at the sight of two beautiful women. Striking a pose, raising his brows, he tried to charm his way into their contact lists.

Sakade Mai ignored him, shooting him a disapproving look—his workout pants still flapped with fresh sword-slash holes like some performance art piece. She whispered to Rei, "Is he here just to be comic relief?"

"Unlikely. More like a natural role," Rei answered flatly, her voice as cold as a court verdict.

Struck down, Old Tang slumped in his seat, licking his wounds internally. There's plenty of fish in the sea. A true man doesn't quit just because of one or two rejections...

While Tang sulked, the rest began the tactical discussion in full swing.

"Latest intel says they're moving high-value gear and data from the facility within the Chen estate to some unknown location—maybe even overseas. They're doing the prep now, and the transfer is set for the day after tomorrow. That means we must act by tomorrow," Sakade Mai reported.

"Has the Chen family caught on to something?"

"Hard to say. But they're clearly panicking. Seems their new allies, the Gattuso family, aren't as committed as they hoped. Probably not willing to get tangled in internal Shenzhou conflicts."

"Tomorrow night should work well for a coordinated noble alliance op," Nuwa-sama nodded. "You have the estate's floor plans and personnel layout?"

Sakade Mai threw down a folder. "Most of it's detailed, except the high-security zones. The entire park complex is backed by Chen family investments. A large portion of staff are normal people, totally unaware."

"Thankfully, the Chen family's been clearing the area for their little transport plan. To avoid suspicion, they've forced all employees to leave on time and given them a three-day paid vacation starting tomorrow—triple salary. Anyone who stays gets fined and kicked out."

"Helpful. That gives us cleaner access."

"Now, the sensitive areas—they've blocked signals and upped patrols around a few specific zones, all connected to warehouse complexes. I had Potato cross-check inventory manifests and staff shifts. Most of them are decoys. Only one has irregular shipping and sourcing issues."

"We've also traced their suppliers in South America and Japan—likely backed by mixed-blood forces. Highly suspicious."

"As for the site itself, it's a research-medical facility with testing labs and a logistics warehouse. There may be underground structures, but infiltration will be difficult…"

"The layout is a semi-enclosed 'garden within a garden.' Two entrances—one at the hospital, the other at the warehouse. If you want full coverage, you'll need to split into at least two teams."

Sakade Mai spread her hands. "If the Chen family's really harboring death warriors, judging by container numbers and logistics, it'll get loud in there."

Nuwa-sama remained calm. "Other families will handle blockades and containment."

"Oh, lucky you with your massive org structure. Us? Only me and Icecube here have any real combat value. And Potato can only throw money at problems."

She sighed dramatically. "Small teams, big dreams."

"Here's the assignment list," Nuwa-sama said.

Shirou took the document. He and Old Tang were listed as "primary attackers," paired with Sakade Mai, Rei, and Zhou clan members as secondary units. Other support roles included defense and recon.

"Wait… Old Tang gets a lead role?"

To Shirou, Tang was firepower-heavy but also a directionally-challenged former amnesiac who randomly goofed off. Could they really rely on that?

Old Tang perked up at Shirou's skepticism. "Bro! How can you say that? I'm finally proving my worth! With my fire magic mastery, I'll have us flying through this!"

"Alright then. If I put my faith in you… do you dare swear that you won't get lost mid-mission?"

"What kind of challenge is that?! This place? Ha! There's no way I'd get lost in this tiny estate. No way. Absolutely not!"

Old Tang puffed his chest with confidence.

(End of Chapter)

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