Chương 145: Chapter 145: Didn’t Take You Along, But No Need to Blow Me Up

"Anis!"

Marian's eyes lit up as soon as she saw Anis. Letting go of Mo Chen, she dove forward and hugged her tightly.

With a loud "thud," their foreheads bumped into each other.

Luckily, both were as tough as nails, or they would have been sporting some nasty lumps.

Caught off guard, Anis nearly fell over but quickly regained her balance while holding Marian.

"Hey, what are you doing, Marian!"

Marian clung to Anis as though they hadn't seen each other in years, cheerfully rubbing her cheek against hers.

"I missed you so much! I missed everyone!"

Anis struggled under Marian's enthusiastic embrace, unable to push her away.

"Alright, alright! I missed you too."

Hearing that, Marian became even happier.

"Really? That's great! Let's play together!"

"Yeah, I really missed you."

Anis glanced at Mo Chen, her eyes pleading for help. He shrugged and gave her an apologetic look, making it clear she was on her own.

It was obvious that Marian was genuinely fond of Anis.

Seeing Marian's innocent and lively demeanor, any awkwardness Anis felt vanished. She pinched Marian's cheek affectionately and even shared her favorite jelly milkshake, which she had been saving. Then, turning to Mo Chen, she spoke.

"Commander, while I'd really love to say, 'Wow, I'm so glad to see you! I missed you so much,' we've got a problem."

"A problem?"

Mo Chen paused, his expression turning serious.

"Yes."

Anis's usual carefree attitude was replaced with a rare seriousness.

"The Ark might be in danger."

The Ark? In danger?

The smile on Mo Chen's face disappeared as he adopted a grave expression.

One hour later.

Inside the operations command room, Mo Chen sat with a somber face, flipping through the intelligence reports that had been transmitted to him. With each page, his expression grew darker.

Just as Anis had said, something major had occurred.

Initially, the reconnaissance unit had detected the presence of the Tyrant-class Rapture, classified as Material H, in the northern region near the Ark. Further investigation revealed that it was moving rapidly toward the Ark.

Unlike other Tyrant-class Raptures, which the Ark typically avoided engaging unless necessary, Material H was a unique threat.

It operated underground and possessed an extensive network of tendrils, resembling fungal mycelium. These tendrils could penetrate several kilometers below the surface.

At such depths, the Ark's safety was severely compromised.

Because the Ark itself was located underground.

Even if Material H couldn't locate the Ark's precise position, it could easily track down an elevator and use it to infiltrate.

Worse still, the tunnels created by Material H during its excavation could allow entire Rapture forces to march directly into the Ark. Should that happen, the Ark's defensive systems would be rendered utterly ineffective.

After several urgent meetings, the Ark's command decided to dispatch units to eliminate Material H.

Initially, the mission seemed relatively straightforward.

In previous incidents, the Ark had successfully defeated Material H by deploying a few elite squads.

This time, however, things didn't go as planned.

The Ark sent several elite units from three different directions to assault Material H's lair and execute the extermination mission.

Unexpectedly, the mission turned into an unprecedented failure.

The squads suffered heavy casualties, and one elite unit even went missing entirely after entering Material H's lair. To this day, their whereabouts remain unknown.

This missing unit was the pride of Missilis Industry—the Matis Squad.

The situation had escalated.

The Ark immediately dispatched reinforcements.

However, it seemed Material H had undergone some form of evolution. Its appearance had changed, becoming far more aggressive.

Its attack methods and ferocity had increased significantly.

Even the reinforcements failed.

Less than half of the dispatched Nikke units managed to retreat; the rest perished inside.

The Nikkes who did escape appeared mentally shattered, their expressions filled with terror. Some were on the brink of insanity, and others had already lost their minds completely.

From the survivors, the Ark received an alarming piece of information.

"This is it," Rapi said, inserting a USB drive into the computer. The projector displayed a video.

It was combat footage.

The visuals were chaotic and blurry but still somewhat discernible.

As Mo Chen watched, his expression grew increasingly grim, his brows furrowing.

There were Nikkes.

In the footage, the units that had overwhelmed the reinforcements were Nikkes.

And those Nikkes belonged to the Matis Squad.

Corrupted?

"It seems they've been corrupted," Rapi explained, turning off the video. "For some reason, the special firewall installed in their systems didn't work. It might have been eroded or damaged."

Mo Chen fell into deep thought.

The Matis Squad was Missilis's ace team. While they were a bit of a handful, their combat prowess was undeniable.

Based on the footage, Material H was far more powerful than in the game.

Mo Chen suspected that it might be entering a critical phase of evolving into a Heretic, which would explain its frenzied efforts to capture Nikkes.

Currently, Material H was situated between the Ark and the outpost base.

After a moment of contemplation, Mo Chen asked, "What's the Ark's response?"

Rapi replied, "Vice Commander Andersen and Elysion CEO Ingrid have both sent messages. They're planning the largest-scale counteroffensive yet and hope we'll deploy our forces alongside theirs."

The largest scale?

Mo Chen thought for a moment.

It seemed the Ark was pulling out all the stops.

Not surprising.

Material H's tunneling capabilities posed a direct threat to the underground Ark. If it breached the Ark, the high-ranking elites and powerful aristocrats inside would all be doomed.

Mo Chen waved his hand dismissively.

"Send them a message saying I'll think about it."

He understood that in situations like this, immediate agreement wasn't the way to go. He needed to stall.

The longer he stalled, the more leverage he'd have.

Soon, it would be the Ark's high-ranking officials kneeling before him, begging for help.

By evening, the sky dimmed as the last rays of sunlight disappeared below the horizon. As the night fell, soft lights illuminated the streets, creating a tranquil scene like a delicate ink painting.

"In just a couple of months, everything's changed so much."

Walking alongside Rapi, Mo Chen observed the tall buildings beginning to take shape, the streets forming, and the muddy dirt paths now replaced with asphalt roads. He couldn't help but feel a sense of awe.

Rapi turned to him with a slight smile. "It's thanks to Centi from the Ark's engineering unit. Her technical skills are top-notch. The roads and buildings here were all designed and constructed under her direction."

"Centi, huh? So, it was her."

Mo Chen recalled the name.

Centi was part of the engineering corps, someone he had specifically requested from the Ark. He hadn't expected her to deliver results so quickly.

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Chương 146: Chapter 146: Master, Please Accept This Sweet Potato

Note: The author made some changes to earlier chapters on the site, but unfortunately I haven't been able to find the updated versions.

For now I'll continue translating as usual and, if I manage to locate the new content in the future, I'll make sure to update the older chapters.

Sorry for the inconvenience!

Previously, when Snow White was ill, strange energy emerged from her body, resembling a virus.

Alice also exhibited the same energy. Moreover, it seemed faintly connected to Mo Chen's own energy.

This energy, in turn, appeared to be subtly linked to the Rapture Virus.

Could this be the reason?

Mo Chen pondered silently.

"I'm sorry," Neon apologized pitifully, her slender fingers twisting the hem of her clothes.

Seeing Neon's sorrowful expression, most of Mo Chen's anger subsided, though he kept a stern face and said, "From now on, you're not allowed to mess around with flammable or explosive materials. Especially not to show them to others—and definitely not to me."

He needed to put an end to this kind of reckless behavior.

The last thing he wanted was to accidentally set something off and get blown sky-high.

Just then, Anis walked over.

"Commander, while I'd love to say you should scold Neon thoroughly since she nearly blew us all up, there's something else I need to tell you."

Mo Chen wiped his face, clearing away the soot to reveal his usual appearance.

"What is it?"

Anis replied, "Something's happened to the Ark."

"Something happened?"

Mo Chen froze for a moment.

"Yeah."

Anis's usual carefree demeanor was gone, replaced by a serious expression.

"The Ark might be in danger."

The Ark in danger?

The smile vanished from Mo Chen's face as his expression turned solemn.

An hour later.

Inside the operations command room.

Mo Chen's expression was grave as he reviewed the transmitted intelligence. With each page he turned, his frown deepened.

Just as Anis had said, something major had occurred.

Initially, reconnaissance teams exploring the northern region of the Ark discovered traces of a Tyrant-class Rapture—Material H. Further investigation revealed it was moving rapidly toward the Ark.

Unlike other Tyrant-class Raptures, which the Ark usually avoided actively engaging, Material H was different. It burrowed underground and possessed an extensive network of tendrils, spreading like fungal mycelium, with roots extending several kilometers deep.

Such depth posed a severe threat to the Ark's safety.

Because the Ark itself was located underground.

Even without directly locating the Ark, Material H could infiltrate by finding the elevator shafts.

What's worse, the tunnels dug by Material H would allow Rapture forces to invade the Ark unimpeded. At that point, the Ark's defenses would collapse entirely.

After several emergency meetings, the leadership issued orders to deploy forces to exterminate it.

Initially, clearing Material H was not expected to be particularly challenging.

In the original story, for example, the Ark deployed a few elite squads and managed to take it down.

However, this time, the situation had changed.

The Ark dispatched several elite squads to approach Material H's lair from three different directions for a coordinated assault.

Unexpectedly, the operation faced unprecedented failure. The squads suffered heavy casualties, and one elite team even went missing entirely after entering the lair. Their current whereabouts remain unknown.

This missing team was none other than Matis Squad, Missilis Industry's ace unit.

The situation was dire: the Ark immediately sent reinforcements.

However, Material H appeared to have undergone some form of evolution, altering its appearance and becoming more aggressive.

Its attack methods and ferocity had increased significantly and the reinforcements also suffered defeat.

Fewer than half of the dispatched Nikkes managed to retreat; the rest perished in action.

The Nikkes who returned seemed mentally scarred, their expressions filled with terror. Some even went completely insane.

From the survivors, the Ark received horrifying news.

"This is it."

Rapi inserted a USB drive into the computer, and the projector displayed a video.

It was combat footage.

The image was chaotic and blurry but still discernible.

As Mo Chen watched, his expression grew increasingly grim, and his brows furrowed slightly.

There were Nikkes.

In the footage, the forces defeating the reinforcement squads were Nikkes.

And those Nikkes were none other than the Matis Squad.

Corrupted?

"They seem to have been corrupted," Rapi said, turning off the footage and facing Mo Chen. "For some reason, the specialized firewall installed in their systems didn't activate. It's possible it was eroded and rendered ineffective."

Mo Chen fell into thought.

Matis Squad, Missilis's ace unit, though a bit foolish at times, had indisputable combat prowess.

Moreover, according to the video, Material H appeared far more powerful than depicted in the original game.

He suspected that Material H might be entering a critical phase of evolution into a Heretic, which would explain its relentless capture of Nikkes.

Material H's current position was precisely between the Ark and the Outpost.

After some contemplation, Mo Chen asked, "What is the Ark's stance on this?"

Rapi replied, "Deputy Chief Andersen and Elysion CEO Ingrid have both sent messages. They're planning the largest-scale counteroffensive yet and hope we'll deploy our forces alongside theirs."

The largest operation?

Mo Chen pondered.

It seemed the Ark was pulling out all the stops. Not surprising: if Material H burrowed into the underground Ark, those high-ranking officials and elites in the Ark would be doomed.

Mo Chen waved dismissively.

"Send them a message saying I'm considering it."

He knew that in such situations, agreeing outright was unwise. Delaying was the better strategy.

The longer he stalled, the more leverage he would gain.

By the time they came begging, it would be the Ark's top brass kneeling before him.

After Rapi left, Mo Chen leaned back in his chair, massaging his temples.

A lot had happened recently, and he needed to organize his thoughts.

His gaze fell on the desk and spotted a small box. Opening it, he found a roasted sweet potato.

Beneath it was a small note.

Opening the note, he was greeted by neat, delicate handwriting.

"Master, please accept this roasted sweet potato. Also, I'm sorry (*?????). I didn't mean to."

It was undoubtedly from Neon.

Mo Chen suddenly remembered that roasted sweet potatoes were Neon's favorite. Even when Anis asked her for some, she refused to share.

Picking up the sweet potato, Mo Chen chuckled.

That girl.

As evening fell, the sky darkened, and the last rays of sunset disappeared beyond the horizon. The city lights flickered on, dotting the streets like stars, painting a serene ink-wash scene.

"In just a month or two, it's changed so much."

Looking at the towering skyscrapers, gradually forming streets, and paved asphalt replacing muddy dirt roads, Mo Chen walked alongside Rapi, feeling a sense of wonder.

Rapi turned her head slightly and smiled. "It's thanks to Centi from the Ark. She's highly skilled in engineering. All the roads and buildings here were designed and constructed under her direction."

"Centi, huh. So it was her," Mo Chen recalled.

Sandy, from the engineering corps, was someone he'd requested from the Ark. Her speed and efficiency had exceeded his expectations.