Chapter 17: Chapter 17: Moonlit Conversation with Rapi
After giving Shifty a brief report, the mission to locate the vanguard unit was concluded.
"What?! You… you guys beat Black Smith?!" Shifty's startled voice practically shrieked through the comm.
Mo Chen's eardrums felt like they were going to burst.
"Are you serious?"
Shifty hadn't expected them to take down a Tyrant-class Rapture.
Usually, it would require at least five elite teams working together to even have a chance.
She promised to report the victory to her superiors immediately.
All that was left now was to wait for the recovery transport Ark would send.
While Mo Chen was browsing through the system store, Rapi approached him.
He was surprised; Rapi was a no-nonsense type who usually kept interactions with him to a minimum.
And she wasted no time, getting straight to the point as soon as they met.
"You're suggesting I keep my distance from Marian?"
Mo Chen was surprised. There wasn't any particular relationship between him and Marian, so why was Rapi suddenly advising this?
"Yes. I know this might sound rude," Rapi nodded, her face serious. "But if possible, it's best to keep your distance. This isn't just for Marian's sake but also for your own, Commander."
Her tone was sincere, leaving no room for doubt.
"Huh?"
Mo Chen was puzzled. Why was she suddenly bringing this up?
Could she have noticed how Marian was always clinging to him?
No, no. Actually, it was Marian who clung to him, not the other way around.
Then, an idea struck him.
"Are you talking about… Marian?"
"Yes. I wanted to discuss Marian with you," Rapi said, moving to stand by a broken wall. She looked out at the distant ruins, where swirling dust gradually buried the remains of dilapidated skyscrapers.
"I hope, Commander, that you'll leave this matter alone."
"…?"
Rapi sighed softly, her voice a faint echo of sadness, like mist in the dawn.
"Nikke and humans are different. Emotions can become a burden, something that only weighs us down."
Following her gaze, Mo Chen looked at the sleeping Marian, beginning to grasp what Rapi meant.
"To me, you're all the same."
Rapi shook her head, her gaze drifting back.
"Weapons don't need emotions. Once emotions form, they begin to rust."
"I do appreciate your acknowledgment of Nikkes. However, if you keep this mindset, it may only place you in danger."
Mo Chen crossed his arms and gave her a small smile.
"Could it be that you are worrying about me?"
Rapi sighed again, her deep red eyes meeting his with a serious expression.
"It seems you don't yet realize how serious this is."
"Hm?"
"I don't know what caused Marian's transformation, but the fact that she resisted the virus is undeniable," Rapi said intently. "Do you think the Ark's leaders would ignore such a valuable test subject?"
Mo Chen finally understood.
So that was why she was here.
He had thought about this before. Blocking the Rapture virus was a big deal.
Given the Ark's ruthless methods, once they learned about Marian's unusual condition, they'd likely send special forces to retrieve her by any means necessary.
They'd claim it was for scientific research, to understand the virus, to fight the Raptures, and secure humanity's future.
But in reality, it would likely mean dissection, analysis, and perhaps even a full autopsy.
In that scenario, she might as well be dead.
Looking down at Marian, curled up by his legs, Mo Chen saw she was wearing his shirt since her own clothes had been damaged in battle.
He gently pinched her cheek. She probably had no idea how much danger she was in right now.
Marian rolled over, seemingly uncomfortable, then shifted again, curling up against him, finding a cozier position to keep sleeping.
Feeling a soft warmth against him, Mo Chen glanced down.
Somehow, Marian's shirt had come unbuttoned, revealing a glimpse of smooth skin in the cool moonlight.
He thought about the faint chill in the air.
With just the thin shirt…
A certain poem flashed through his mind.
The lotus bud...
Beep beep—
Content blocked for appropriateness.
"This isn't just a possibility," Rapi continued, her expression complicated. "It's practically guaranteed. When that time comes, we'll be facing the entire Ark. And, Commander… you might get caught in the crossfire."
Rapi's gaze was heavy with concern. As a Nikke, she understood the Ark's ways all too well.
After a long pause, she asked in confusion, "Commander, are you even listening to me?"
Mo Chen snapped back to attention, quickly pulling his hand away from Marian, who was still holding onto him, and cleared his throat.
"Uh? What? Oh, that—right. You're absolutely right."
Jokes aside, he admitted that Rapi had a point.
This was a real and unavoidable issue to consider.
Trusting the Ark's leaders? That was like chasing shadows—completely futile.
But he hadn't expected Rapi to bring this up herself.
He could more or less understand her thoughts.
She then stepped closer to Mo Chen, stopping less than a meter away. They locked eyes.
Her ruby-like gaze held an intense glint, as if she could peer straight into his mind.
"So, Commander, when the time comes, will you hand over Marian?"
Mo Chen reached out, brushing a hand through Marian's soft hair, looking as nonchalant as if they weren't discussing anything serious. He turned to Rapi with an enigmatic smile.
"Who knows?"
The Ark's transport finally arrived, albeit delayed.
As Anis would put it, it might as well have been even later—then they could skip the rescue altogether, join the feast in the afterlife, and even give the Raptures a nice meal.
The group boarded, ready to return to the Ark.
After all, the entire recon team had perished; there was nothing more to find.
Over these past few days, through shared danger and survival, everyone had grown closer.
They now had some initial findings on Marian's infection by the Rapture Virus.
It was an invasive brain code designed to draw Marian to Black Smith.
As for why Marian initially showed no unusual behavior…
Rapi guessed that it might have been due to the Commander's presence.
A Nikke's primary directive is to protect their Commander. When this conflicted with the invasive code, Marian's brain had likely been thrown into confusion, her priority directives blending into one another.
And as they neared Black Smith, the corruption deepened, ultimately compelling Marian to bring her Commander to the Rapture.
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