บท 51: Chapter 51: Commander, You Can’t Leave Us

At that moment, Mo Chen and his group attracted a lot of attention.

Many Nikkes emerged from the fortifications and buildings, curiously observing the new commander.

There were gazes of curiosity, surprise, avoidance, and a hint of something deeper—greed.

It had been a long time since anyone from the outside had come to the outpost, let alone a commander.

Even if commanders were sent to the outpost, they would usually choose to end up in a prison cell rather than being sent here.

The Nikkes that Mo Chen saw around him had worn and battered bodies. Bullet holes and scratches were scattered all over, and some of them had lost their outer appearance, exposing their mechanical skeletons. They walked with a limp.

There were also some with mismatched limbs, different sizes, clearly not from their own bodies. It was hard to say where the "second-hand" parts came from.

Perhaps in the eyes of the higher-ups in the Ark, as long as the outpost barely held up, it was enough.

As for the Nikkes stationed here, their lives or deaths were of no concern to them: in their view, Nikkes were disposable assets.

This wasn't just about whether the horse gets fed or not. It was more like an ongoing process of draining the resources dry.

But despite all this, these Nikkes continued to hold their ground.

Mo Chen's mood grew heavier.

To change the situation here, the Ark couldn't be relied on. They would have to rely on themselves.

And most importantly, a comprehensive overhaul was needed.

Both material and mental.

Suddenly, Mo Chen spotted a figure lurking in the corner of a street, peeking toward them. As soon as the figure realized Mo Chen had seen them, they quickly fled in a panic.

At that moment, Sin's voice interrupted Mo Chen's thoughts.

"Uh, Commander, do you think there will be any supplies from the Ark?"

Mo Chen turned around to see her eyes filled with expectation.

"How long have you been waiting for supplies?"

Upon hearing Sin's question and seeing the dilapidated state of the outpost, Mo Chen immediately understood that they hadn't received supplies in a long time.

"Um…" Sin counted on her fingers. "I think… about eleven months, maybe eleven months and twenty days."

That was almost a year.

"I heard from some Nikke units that passed through here that there would be supplies within a year. I think it's about that time now. Ah, I'm not trying to pressure the commander, it's just..."

Sin forced a smile, gesturing to the surroundings.

"I'm sure you noticed when you came in, there was a battle here not long ago. Now, we're facing a food shortage, and there aren't enough supplies…"

Fearing she might upset Mo Chen, she quickly added,

"Ah, of course, we can overcome these problems. It's just that, in terms of ammunition, we haven't received any supplies in almost a year. We've tried picking up ammo from the battlefield, but now, even on the battlefield, ammo is running low."

"If this continues…"

The members of the Counters squad fell silent as they listened.

The outpost's predicament had reached an almost unbelievable level.

Even the most indifferent people would feel sorry for them.

"A long time ago, when we still had a commander, we tried to contact the Ark. No matter what, we had to make sure the commander's needs were met. But…" Sin's expression darkened. "The Ark replied, saying that the life or death of the commander was none of their business."

"The Ark, those damn old men, they're too much…!"

Anis, enraged, punched the wall.

"Anis!"

Rapi called out to Anis, shaking her head. "Don't say that. Nikkes should never speculate about the higher-ups."

Anis was furious.

But she knew there were things that couldn't be said. If discovered, the punishment could be severe—at best, a reprimand; at worst, being sent to a Rehabilitation Center.

That place was worse than a prison.

Neon shared the same hatred, her fists clenched so tightly her knuckles were turning white.

"Um, I have a request... I'm not sure if it's too much to ask… But if it's troublesome for the commander, it's okay to ignore it."

Sin was hopeful yet reluctant, as if she had some unspeakable reason.

"Go ahead."

Mo Chen responded.

"Well, the outpost's supplies will only last a few more days."

"You want to borrow money?"

"Ah, no, no."

"Then what is it?"

"There's a wreckage of a transport plane about three kilometers from the outpost. It was attacked earlier, and there might still be supplies there." Sin pleaded. "So, Commander, could you go there and bring the supplies back?"

"I'm really sorry. I know this request might be too much. If it's troublesome, then don't worry about it."

"This… this is simple…"

Seeing that the Nikkes at the outpost were still enduring hardships, Anis empathized. When she heard there was something she could help with, she immediately made up her mind to agree.

"Anis."

Just as she was about to agree, Rapi stopped her.

"Decisions are up to the commander."

Anis wasn't happy, but she couldn't defy the order.

All eyes turned to Mo Chen, awaiting his response.

Mo Chen paused for a moment and then said to the three of them, "You all leave for a while. I need to discuss something with her privately."

"Why does it need to be private?"

Anis asked suspiciously. "Is there something you can't say in front of us?"

"Well, there's a small matter."

Mo Chen patted her on the head. "Kids should mind their own business."

Normally, Anis would've playfully fought back if someone patted her head.

But this time, she didn't make a fuss. Instead, she looked at Mo Chen with suspicion, then glanced at Sin.

"I'm so suspicious. I feel like there's something going on between you two."

"Something going on my foot."

"Commander, we're completely loyal to you. You can't be disloyal to us!"

"Loyalty my foot!"

Mo Chen gave Anis a light flick on the forehead.

Where the hell did her thoughts go?

"Am I really that kind of person?"

"Stop joking like that, we are not that close yet!"

Mo Chen turned to look at Sin, who seemed flustered, fidgeting anxiously. Her ears were bright red.

"Ah! I told you not to flick me!" Anis protested, covering her forehead. "Even Nikkes have pain receptors, you know."

"It seems like I'm the one in more pain, though."

"Then why did you flick me?"

"I'm used to it."

At that moment, Rapi came over and pulled Anis away.

"Commander has business. We should leave."

"What business could there be?" Anis muttered. "Rapi, you're just too easy to talk to. Aren't you the one who likes giving orders... Mmmph."

Before she could finish, Rapi, with her usual expressionless face, covered her mouth.

"If this keeps up, the commander will be taken..."

Anis tried to struggle, but Rapi delivered a swift chop to her neck, knocking her out.

Crack

"Commander, I trust you won't do anything to let us down."

With that, Rapi dragged the dazed Anis away, leaving Mo Chen with a strange sense of unease. He watched as Anis foamed at the mouth, and Rapi's friendly, radiant smile, and suddenly felt a chill down his spine.