[b][i]Intermission Three - All Saints' Day in Mischief Reef[/i][/b]

[b]Mischief Reef/Đá Vành Khăn/Panganiban Reef (Facilities) - 11/01/2022 08:10 UTC+8[/b]

"Oh, okay," Noel said to Nico, understanding the other person's reasons to refuse. Then his disappointment deepened as he looked at Henri and said, "I see; I might have to ask Qingshe for help, then - Not that we're not already depending on her to carry the group's efforts. No offense meant to everyone else here, by the way..."

He didn't know what to say after that, not for a few seconds, anyway. Noel Alonso tried to find words, but all he could manage was a sigh. Then he turned to Nico once more and mustered a smile before saying, "Glad you're doing better; the group would not be the same without you. So, umm, you just want to rest and continue to - I mean, keep recovering?"

The young man started walking to the beaches, saying, "I'll be looking for Qingshe; here's hoping she is not in a mood to get irritated at being seen as a 'wish dispenser' - I know full well she prefers that humans learn to rely on themselves; that's not a bad thing, after all..."

[i]You're disappointed, Noel,[/i] he told himself. [i]Get over it; you're an officer.[/i]

[b]Mischief Reef/Đá Vành Khăn/Panganiban Reef (Outer Beach) - 11/01/2022 08:10 UTC+8[/b]

Jin Li nodded and said in Mandarin, "Do not discount Laos and Cambodia as potential sources of leaks yet, but yes, the Philippines' local politics is structured such that keeping secrets is hard even among friends and allies. As for the problem of Cao Bao and Huo Ren... 'Thirsty Dragon' can be lured away by waving Noel and Nico - Alonso and Makri - in front of him and addleing his judgment to force him to rush forward without thinking. This will open up a moment of separation that we can use to get [i]that pest[/i] killed or otherwise neutralized."

Self-assured, but not overly cocky; this was Jin Li, the founder of the Qing Restoration Society. This was no projected image, no fake guise that he believed. No, this was someone whose nature was to say what he wanted in such a controlled way that it did not come off as an attack, yet was still utterly sincere. 

Turning towards Marta, Jin shifted to English, "You really should get healed, yes. Even if suffering builds character, you still need to take care of yourself."

[b]Mischief Reef/Đá Vành Khăn/Panganiban Reef (Inner Beach) - 11/01/2022 08:10 UTC+8[/b]

Callie would find Myron sunning himself on the side of Mischief Reef that faced the waters encircled by the atoll; that was the safer area for surfing, as it had the lowest amount of unexploded ordnance. Wearing sunglasses and a speedo as he lay on a sun chair under an umbrella, one can also see that he was eating the [url=https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/3yrgcvlpmm4.webp]Bibingka[/url] and [url=https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/84apcnmern4.webp]Halo-Halo[/url] that Noel had asked to reserve for him and Nico - As if he knew the latter would reject the former. Noticing her presence, the young man opened his mouth to say, "Oh, hey, Callie; need anything?"

There were a few QRS soldiers of both genders already surfing, and plenty of spare surfboards. Surprisingly, Wei Rui, one of the soldiers who was with the PLA just a week or so ago, was with them and now wearing Qing Dynasty-themed trunks; Jin Li had a sense of humor, it seemed. Myron would elaborate on his presence, saying, "Oh, yeah, we have defectors - Two of them; the other two who awakened during that mission were too war criminal-y to be allowed outside of [i]our[/i] prison camps."

[b]Manila, Philippines - 11/01/2022 08:10 UTC+8[/b]

The National Intelligence Coordinating Agency's director, Cornelio Malong, was trying to plug up the constant leaks of confidential information from the Government of National Salvation's databases, even as he worried about the survival of his friend, [i]Angelito Jaime[/i], the Hero of 1988. Overwork and Magic-resistant Lung Cancer were doing him in when the Chinese themselves could not, and now he was on his last legs. And once he died... His Noble Arm would end up with some other person, someone with a similar personality and drive, but not necessarily with the same [i]allegiances[/i].

[b]"We can save him, you know?"[/b] he heard [i]Charity's[/i] voice echo in his mind. All he had to do was call out to her Avatars, and 'Lito would be transformed into an energy being - One of the candidates for Humilitas.

"I refuse," Cornelio steeled himself for the rebuke that would follow. He would not bow to false Gods.

[b]"Will you let him suffer, then? Let him become one of us; he will lead the world to the cosmic bliss we've all strove for. To knowledge and fulfillment. Then again, [I]Diligence's Candidate[/i] is younger and less tired out. Maybe we should redouble our efforts to go after him?"[/b]

"Go back to your fake Heaven," was the response. "Better to die as a man than live as a... Whatever you are."

[b]"Not all think the same way,"[/b] the voice chided. [b]"You need us and our Avatars if you are to win. One call and utter loss and tragedy can be averted; choose wisely"[/b]

"We'll find a way," was the rebuttal. "Even if he dies today, or tomorrow, we will find a way."

[b]"So be it, then. But when he dies, we will choose who [i]inherits[/i] his Noble Arm."[/b]

He almost broke from that declaration.

[@Lewascan2][@Gerlando][@Nimbus][@QJT][@Amidatelion][@Digmata][@Chiro][@Creative Chaos]