Girls' Frontline: My Apocalypse with Dolls

Page 425

The bar's wooden door opened again; this was the fifth customer of the day.

And, the shrike's "fifth member"

679 Melper

Yingque noticed the bell at the door and immediately got up to greet him: "Hello, would you like something to drink?"

The shrikes turned around as well, but their expressions instantly turned cold upon seeing who it was.

But the other person seemed unconcerned. After taking off his sunglasses and hat, he held them in his right hand and carefully examined the white-haired girl in front of him.

The overly direct gaze made Yingque feel uncomfortable. Even as a woman, that scrutinizing and appraising look would make anyone feel uneasy...

“Ah, sorry, it’s my professional habit kicking in,” the gray-haired woman nodded slightly, tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, and smiled. “Give me a Gin Tonic.”

Gin and tonic is a very convenient homemade drink, but it is quite particular about the ingredients. For Lovan's bar, high-quality ingredients are not a problem, and the technique is not a big issue either. It seems that this customer is quite easy to handle.

"Hold on."

Yingque turned around, ready to get busy mixing drinks. The gray-haired woman also sat down at the bar next to Aphrodite. She glanced to the side and saw that the four members of the Shrike were staring at her with unfriendly eyes.

"Uh-huh?"

She slightly raised her hand in a gesture of friendliness, but the shrikes' expressions remained unchanged, as if facing a formidable enemy.

The friendly greeting seemed to have no effect, so she stopped pressing the matter and turned her attention back to Ying Que.

Her technique wasn't very skillful, but she was still diligently completing each step. Her understated attire and slightly serious expression were somewhat mismatched; a little light makeup and appropriate clothing would have been better. However, judging from the known styles, she probably wouldn't like Versace or Givenchy...

"Your Gin Tonic."

A glass of clear wine was placed before her. The gray-haired woman nodded slightly, then raised the glass and slowly brought it to her lips.

"Hmm... there were fewer bubbles than expected, but the lime was very fresh, with the characteristics of the Tucumán region. As for the gin... Aviation, common, but a high-quality, top-grade product."

A bar of technical terms left Ying Que bewildered. She hadn't thought about all that; she had simply followed Luo Fan's bartending notes. If the agent hadn't categorized the brands beforehand, she probably wouldn't have been able to find the categories mentioned in the notes on the liquor cabinet—there were just too many and too complicated terms.

“However, I like it very much,” the gray-haired woman said, bowing slightly to Yingque after finishing her drink. “I forgot to introduce myself. I am Melper, a makeup artist and fashion designer, and the ‘fifth person’ of the Shrike. We will be spending a lot of time together in the future, and I hope my knowledge will be helpful to you in your upcoming social situations, Miss Yingque.”

Yingque quickly composed herself and replied, "Melper... is she also Miss Pascal's friend? Of course, you're welcome. However, I rarely seem to have the need to participate in social occasions..."

"Trust me, you'll need it later."

Melper's smile was so enigmatic that it was impossible for observers to guess what she was thinking. People who are well-versed in social etiquette are never exactly likable, and it's hard to discern their stance, just like the one in front of them.

Yingque remained noncommittal about the so-called "needs." Perhaps he would need to participate in certain social occasions while Luo Fan was away, but with the Shrikes around, it probably wouldn't be too difficult.

However, they are still new guests, and I need to take care of them: "Well then, let me take you to your rooms first, so you can rest more easily."

"Oh, are we starting to assign rooms?" Vulcan chuckled. "Then I'll go take a look around and see where I can renovate. Just call me if you need anything."

"Yeah, no problem, go ahead."

Ying nodded, then went to the stairs behind the bar and opened the passageway to the bar area for everyone.

"Thank you for taking care of her, Miss Yingque."

Aphrodite's polite yet aloof demeanor creates a sense of distance, but this is somewhat understandable given her personality; she is not a person of many words.

And then there was that woman named Freyne, who remained silent the entire time; perhaps she, like me, wasn't good at socializing...

Melper remained composed, her eyes slightly closed: "Thank you for your trouble."

Without further formalities, Yingque led everyone to a cleaned-up empty room on the second floor. It seemed that SAT8 had lived with Ms. MDR since their debut, and now that Ms. MDR was away for work and SAT8 had also temporarily left, the room was left vacant, which was perfect for the members of the Shrike to stay in.

Yingque began to introduce the room: "There are spare clothes in the wardrobe, the size is very close to your body size, you can change freely. If they don't fit, you can tell me, and I will prepare a few more pillows and blankets later. As for daily necessities... you can also tell me if you need anything, and I will buy it. Don't worry about anything."

"You've made such thorough preparations, Miss Yingque. You've really gone to a lot of trouble."

Juno nodded again, her slightly closed eyes and gentle smile were very comforting.

"It's alright. If there's nothing else, I'll head back to the bar. I still have to work today. You can look around the house as you like, but it's best not to go into the other rooms or the attic, as someone might be resting there."

"Of course."

After Yingque left, the three shrikes dropped their friendly demeanor and turned to look at Melper beside them. Freyne even put her hand on her waist, preparing to take something out...

“You’re not on the Shrike’s roster, Melper. Morido probably doesn’t like jokes like that, does she?”

Aphrodite's attitude toward Melper can be described as hostile, and the name Morito also suggests her danger.

But the person involved didn't think so: "Of course she wasn't joking, and I don't like joking either. Besides, it's going too far for Morido to make a joke about me. As one of the senior Nito, my involvement might make your work go more smoothly, wouldn't it?"

“That’s hard to say…” Freyne rarely spoke up: “As one of Morido’s henchmen, it’s hard to trust her.”

"No, no, no, the word 'lackey' is too despicable. Besides, do you think Morido is qualified to be Morido's proxy by Miss Yingque's side?"

"..."

Yes, from the very beginning of the establishment of Gray Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Paradis has had more than just these original senior Nieto members...

Melper was one of them...

Mini-poll (updated today)

Everyone basically knows what Girls' Frontline 2 has been up to lately, and the drama has even spilled over into the comments section of our book. I won't get involved, I'll just take a wait-and-see approach, since what I've written has long since deviated significantly from the original Girls' Frontline.

Some people in the group suggested that we write 95. To be honest, it's not difficult to write. The character is a traditional, simple, and somewhat bookish Eastern woman (not considering Girls' Frontline 2, the initial impression and subsequent impression of this character are somewhat similar to our heroine).

Well, I could write a 95, or you could say I'm just riding the wave of popularity (but the choice is yours). After all, some people might feel uncomfortable seeing a 95 right now, which is understandable. If you don't want to read it, then I won't write it. But we've temporarily reached the part of Yingque's story, so if I were to write it, it would probably have to be a bit later. Of course, I also have to consider the subsequent story arrangements, since Luo Fan's side will soon have a major climax, and the arrival of a new character might make things a bit awkward (referring to the plot being too tense).

1. Write

2. Do not write

Let everyone choose.

However, I will give Wa-chan more screen time later, since Wa-chan said that when I run out of money, I should go to the Green Zone to find her, and she will earn money to support me.

Although our Boss Luo forgot to bring Wa Jiang to the quarantine area, we can still let her exchange dating experiences with Ying Que, right? When Boss Luo comes back, many stories can still happen.

680 Odds

The highest-ranking person in the intelligence group, a hidden flower in the communication department, and one of the high-ranking Nito on par with Morido, Gray, Pascal, and Rhinenshe. The personality and area of ​​expertise of most Nito at the time of their birth must be confirmed with her approval. Although the Shrike itself is a special existence within Paradis, Melper's identity is enough to make them wary.

After all, the most unpredictable thing about Melper in Paradis is her stance. She seems to be Morido's henchman, yet she also seems to often make Morido unhappy. The two often hinder each other in external affairs. After all, without Melper and her henchmen, how could the company have gone smoothly in a series of negotiations and games?

Given her power and status, Aphrodite needed to be extremely vigilant. No one understood why she had agreed to cooperate with Morido and get close to Yingque...

"Look, you all know the answer in your hearts, why ask me? Isn't the internal structure of Paradis obvious enough?" Putting down her sunglasses and hat, Melper spread her hands, like a representative of an opportunistic acquirer: "My presence here may not necessarily be Morido's idea. Maybe I just want to take a vacation and, while I'm at it, give a young lady from the East a good thrifty treatment?"

"I hope everything is as you say..."

Seeing that Aphrodite's attitude had not improved significantly, Melper said nothing more, simply passing by the members of the Shrike and casually slipping a brand-new box of slogans into Juno's breast pocket.

"A special edition from Armani. I hope we can have a pleasant time working together in the future."

Melper then left, leaving the three members of the Shrike looking at each other in bewilderment. Her initiative to show goodwill was not necessarily friendly; the blame lay with her unpredictable and erratic behavior in the past.

After a moment's consideration, Aphrodite ordered, "Frienne, keep a close eye on her. Juno, try moving into Yingque's room for now to take care of her and protect her. I will keep watch nearby."

The two members nodded in agreement and then began to tidy up the room to prepare for the upcoming period of stagnation.

......

Meanwhile, inside the bar lobby...

"This artificial hill could be moved to a different location. Boss Luo probably intended to incorporate some Eastern style into these decorations, so perhaps he should redesign the layout..."

Vulcan wandered around, examining the layout and decor of the bar. In a short time, she roughly guessed Luo Fan's thoughts and purpose. However, she was not quite aware of one thing: some of the changes were made by Ying Que on his own later. Luo Fan had not pursued too much individuality in terms of style at the beginning.

But Vulcan's knowledge gives him reason to refine these styles even further.

Ding bell~

The bar's wooden door opened again with a click. Morse had just finished his security work at the Thomson family's casino, "Promised Land." The departure of M16 and a group of Ironblood androids had left Thomson's men somewhat short-handed, and Morse, who had nothing to do, was perfect for the job. Now that the night was over, he should have a good drink.

But when he returned to the bar, he saw a strange woman wearing a newsboy cap, acting suspiciously inside, as if she were looking for something.

"..."

She walked slowly forward...

"Pfft, I think I know what's going to happen."

Shina, who was drinking nearby, almost choked on her drink. Sifney, the principal organist at the opposite table, was about to call out to Morse, but seeing the expressions on the faces of the other orchestra members who were waiting to see what would happen, she chose to remain silent.

The conductor is watching... no, listening too. It would be impolite to interrupt abruptly.

Giving these newcomers a taste of the power of established residents—that's probably the conductor's intention...

......

"We should put more potted plants here. Maybe I can set up an terrarium or something. And Juno, she loves flower arranging, so we could have her study it... Hey?"

A burly figure had appeared beside him without his noticing. Vulcan glanced sideways and saw a woman with white hair and red eyes, exuding a murderous aura. She hadn't yet taken off her rough black coat, and her tattered fingerless gloves seemed to hint at her excellent work experience. In any case, she was a person who radiated danger from head to toe...

"She's dangerous..."

"What do you want to do?"

Both harbored their own secrets and remained wary of each other, completely unaware that they were colleagues working at the bar. This was because Vulcan's focused and engrossed state while studying the bar was too strange, and recently, a number of troublemakers had inexplicably appeared at the bar, causing Morse considerable trouble. Therefore, Morse subconsciously developed hostility towards Vulcan.

"Uh, hello?"

Vulcan took the initiative to probe, hoping to find out the other party's intentions, but Morse did not change his expression at all. The scars on his face were like several fierce eyes, staring intently at Vulcan.

Ugh, that's scary...

Vulcan was about to step back when Morse stepped forward: "Who are you? What are you up to in this bar?"

"Uh, well, I... I'm just a customer, doing some research on the bar... um!"

Before he could finish speaking, Morse grabbed Vulcan by the neck with almost instantaneous speed and lifted him up with one hand.

One hand...

Damn, that's some serious strength. What's wrong with this guy...?

Vulcan instinctively tried to break free, but found that her strength was utterly futile against the other party. She was Nieto, after all. Although combat was not her area of ​​expertise (meaning that all modules were fully upgraded for combat), as a bodyguard, she could easily fight against human soldiers. But in front of this guy, she was completely unable to resist.

"Explain your purpose, otherwise I won't be the one to deal with you afterwards."

Morse spoke again, his tone carrying a strong warning. Vulcan sensed the impending crisis and immediately signaled for the other members of the Shrike to come to his aid, but Morse had already brought them to Nekitia, who was sitting on the sidelines watching the fight.

"Conductor, this is your responsibility."

After pinning Vulcan to the ground, Morse spoke in a cold voice.

How to handle it?

Oh no, am I going to get fired on my first day of work?

A chill ran through him, and Vulcan silently prayed for the support of his companions, but to his surprise, the elegant woman with white hair before him suddenly responded...

"No need, Bishop, this new friend is a machine..."

What?! How did she know?!

681 Oops.2

What's happening now is even more unbelievable than being fired on the first day of work. This woman, who looks like she's blind, recognized her identity in less than two minutes of meeting her. A mechanical body. Damn it, Gray's bionic skin technology is unparalleled in this era. The sense of touch alone is so realistic that it's indistinguishable from reality. Yet, she knew this fact just by sitting in front of her.

This is far more serious than the destruction of the mech; it means the entire squad's identities will be at risk of being exposed...

“Oh? I haven’t received any news about any new friends coming to the bar today,” Morse raised an eyebrow and nudged the girl he had pinned to the ground, unable to move. “However, she is indeed much stronger than the average person.”

Larger than normal... that sounds nice, but in your hands, it's all the same thing...

In any case, Vulcan felt no different from a normal person in her hands. Once controlled, there was no possibility of breaking free unless she wanted to.

Meanwhile, the shrikes, who were just about to tidy up their rooms, received a request for help from Vulcan...

Aphrodite was astonished by Vulcan's ability to cause trouble. He needed support on the very first day. What kind of situation was this? And the scene looked like... she was being completely pinned to the ground.

"Why is someone planning to cause trouble here on their first day of work?"

Aphrodite frowned and subconsciously placed his hand on his abdomen, preparing to pull out the Ontario MK3 hidden in the lining.

Morse, however, immediately released Vulcan from his grasp: "It seems the band members all anticipated this. Oh well, let's just consider it a little morning interlude. Let's go ask the 'princess' for a drink."

"Ugh, damn it, this is so embarrassing..."

Vulcan, now free, quickly straightened his collar and hat, and glanced up at Nekitia, gently waving his finger in front of her eyes.

What a beautiful girl, but she really can't see...

Nekitia didn't react to her provocations, but her companions immediately tensed up and moved back a few centimeters from the inside of the sofa.