it is Arknights!

"Ah… I feel like I forgot something, Operator Croissant."

"I was thinking the same thing, Operator Prophet."

"But I can't remember what exactly I forgot, Operator Croissant."

"I was thinking the same thing, Operator Prophet."

"Can you move over that way a bit? Feels a bit crowded here, Operator Croissant."

"I was thinking the same thing, Operator Prophet."

"…Can you change your lines? Operator Croissant?"

"But I really was thinking that. Why are we hung up on the ceiling and tied together, swinging back and forth like air-dried preserved meat ? Croissant, I've been pondering this question ever since I woke up. Even for someone as good-tempered as me, not giving an explanation won't do."

"That's right, why am I hung up? Ultimately, wasn't yesterday supposed to be my welcome party? Why would the protagonist of the party be hung up? I think there must be some huge misunderstanding here. And as an ordinary person, being hung from the ceiling for so long now, my body feels quite sore already. If that mysterious person who hung us up is kind enough, they will definitely let us down."

"Yeah yeah, they'll definitely let us down."

"…"

"…"

Is no one coming?

Apart from the creaking sound of the ropes swinging and the sound of Croissant's breathing as she swung back and forth beside him, Li Lin didn't hear any other sounds.

Straining to look at the scene below him, Li Lin felt it didn't match his impression of the Penguin Logistics room at all. The windows had become several wooden planks nailed up, with bricks and large holes constantly letting in cold wind remaining below. The originally somewhat crowded room had been cleared out into a circular empty space.

And on the wall, a huge 'No Drinking Alcohol' warning sign was pinned up with thumbtacks. A strange smell, somewhat like hot pot ingredients, lingered on the floor. The walls and partition doors were also riddled with nails and full of cracks. All these conditions made one wonder if a bull had gone on a drunken rampage down there. Li Lin really wanted to look suspiciously at Croissant beside him, but because he was tied to the ceiling, he couldn't even turn around.

This was clearly done by Croissant, why tie me up too?

Looking at the obvious horn marks below, Li Lin swung his body, lost in thought.

But the headache from the second hangover prevented him from remembering what exactly happened last night. However, thinking about it, it was probably Croissant acting crazy drunk, and he was just an innocent bystander caught in the crossfire (殃及池魚 - yāng jí chí yú). Regarding his own behavior when drunk (酒品 - jiǔ pǐn), although Li Lin had no reason, he still had some inexplicable confidence.

As if someone really couldn't stand this thought any longer, the main door behind Li Lin was suddenly pushed open. Accompanied by a steady, short burst of footsteps, a black-haired figure walked beneath Li Lin.

"Miss Texas? Can you let me down?"

"…"

Texas on the ground moved her ears, glanced up at Li Lin, then turned her head away, hugged a box, and walked into the room on her own.

Wh-what's going on? Why is she ignoring me???

Looking at Texas's departing back, Li Lin was bewildered. Croissant behind him, however, sounded like she was gloating over his misfortune.

"Tsk tsk tsk, I think you must have gotten drunk last night and seriously offended Texas. Don't be fooled by her seemingly cold appearance, she's actually very petty—"

"Croissant, what are you saying?"

"Eek!"

Hearing Croissant gasp behind him, Li Lin felt relieved and put on an obsequious smile for Texas, who was now wearing a white uniform and black shorts in front of him.

"Um, Miss Texas, I've always had very good behavior when drunk, can you let me down? I'm an ordinary person hung up here for so long. I feel quite sore all over now. And no matter how you look at it, this situation was probably caused by Croissant, there's nothing a powerless person like me could do, right?"

"Operator Prophet! What nonsense are you talking about! Croissant always goes straight to sleep after drinking, you can't slander me like this!"

"…It was both of you together."

Texas looked at the bickering pair, sighed, and said slowly:

"It's good for you two to be hung up to sober up. Consider it teaching you a lesson, it's best not to drink anymore in the future."

"What? Impossible, my behavior when drunk is very good!" 2

"…"

Texas, chewing on chocolate, rolled her eyes at the two and directly placed a phone in front of them.

Playing on the phone was a video recorded last night.

After Texas and Exusiai went downstairs, Exusiai suggested recording the gathering with her phone. The first three minutes were relatively normal, then Croissant was seen drinking and suddenly knelt down with a thud. Li Lin immediately understood tacitly , stood up, tore off his clothes, shook them, bowed to the extremely shocked Texas and Exusiai, and shouted loudly:

'Next, I will perform bullfighting for everyone!'

"…"

"…Pfft."

Croissant really couldn't hold it in and burst out laughing.

The two, tied to the ceiling, witnessed firsthand how the Penguin dormitory disappeared. Under Li Lin's masterful art of command, Croissant charged around recklessly, full of destructive power. After the ten-minute video ended, Texas, with a calm face, took out her light sword, tapped the ropes on the two, and said in a low voice:

"One month's salary each, no problem?"

"N-No problem."

"Good then."

Almost too fast to see, with just a soft 'pop' sound, the ropes on the two instantly snapped and broke, and they both fell to the ground.

Croissant was fine, easily landing after two and a half rotations in the air. Li Lin, however, landed head over heels on the floor, stained with the smell of hot pot ingredients. Texas looked at Li Lin with disgust, pointed at the bathroom, then pointed at the room inside.

"Go take a ten-minute shower, your uniform is already placed innermost in the dormitory, three sets in total. Use them for changes. After showering and changing, go straight downstairs, we'll wait for you below."

After speaking, Texas turned and left with a calm expression. Leaving Li Lin somewhat baffled.

"…I thought I was going to die?"

"She's just like that, always cold towards everyone. But she's actually a good person. Don't worry, don't worry, I've got your back."

Croissant patted Li Lin's shoulder, gave him a thumbs-up, and grinned. Her brilliant smile, almost sparkling with five-pointed stars, couldn't help but inspire trust. Just somehow, watching the interaction between the two, Texas turned her head again and glared fiercely at Li Lin, filling his head with question marks.

When exactly did I offend her? Was it because of the dormitory incident? Then maybe I shouldn't drink anymore in the future…

Carrying the basket into the bathroom, Li Lin thought seriously.