章節 1: Into the Chamber
"Greetings, Supreme Commander," a gentle voice called as a female attendant approached a seated man. She presented a respectful bow before meeting the man's eyes.
As their eyes connected, the attendant felt a subtle yet undeniable pressure emanating from his gaze, immediately unsettling her. It was as if several weights had been dropped on her shoulders for facing such an imposing figure. His presence filled the entire room with overwhelming dread, causing her to shiver slightly.
Realizing he had likely scared her, the man adjusted his demeanor, and in an instant, the suffocating pressure dissipated. The attendant immediately felt relieved, though she remained fearful of the man for the terrifying aura he had briefly imposed. She had heard that powerful people could perform supernatural feats, such as projecting a terrifying aura, though she had never witnessed one until now. This confirmed that the man who called himself the 'Supreme Commander of the Elite Vanguards' was indeed a significant military figure from beyond this star system, though she didn't fully grasp the significance of the title.
The Elite Vanguards might be renowned across the entire Human Confederation, yet hardly anyone from this remote corner of the universe would be familiar with this unit, much less the man's name, Faithlou Olympus-mons. This was understandable, as awareness of such matters was often minimal in these rural areas, much like many other affairs of the Human Confederation.
If someone from these parts had heard of the Elite Vanguards, they would likely dismiss them as just another pompous military unit, irrelevant to their daily struggles and realities. However, for those who truly understood the significance of being part of the Elite Vanguards and the rank of Supreme Commander on top of it, it would be a different story.
The Elite Vanguards are famous within the Human Confederation and infamous among their enemies. They are renowned for their successes in spearheading major assaults, eliminating key targets, and wreaking havoc on their foes. Countless battles have been fought and won, tides of conflict turned, and bustling planets razed. This is due to the Elite Vanguards being comprised only of highly specialized and skilled pilots—the best of the best—making them the most prestigious unit within the Human Confederation Mech Branch.
As one of the Supreme Commanders, Faith stands as a testament to unparalleled achievements, leadership, and tactical brilliance during battles with the Elite Vanguards. He's not just an extremely seasoned mech pilot but one who has dueled thousands of ace pilots without ever tasting defeat, reducing them to nothing more than flesh paste and scrap metal.
As Supreme Commander, Faith has personally issued orders resulting in the loss of billions of lives, with little regard for civilian casualties. Once bustling metropolises and small towns alike have been set ablaze, reduced to towering rubble under his command.
This man carries a legacy of uncountable bloodshed, known only to him, his comrades, and those who fought beside him. To most, he is simply a highly decorated soldier, one among many in the Human Confederation. However, the full extent of what it takes to achieve such status remains hidden. The mundane can only sense the weight of Faith's deeds through his aura, which now unsettles the attendant standing before him.
After participating in the recent seven-year campaign, the military had finally granted him furlough. Over those grueling years, the man had been involved in typical intergalactic invasions and xenocides carried out by the Human Confederation, whose core seemed founded on xenophobic conquest. The relentless brutality of his experiences was wearing him down, and he was eager for a change of pace and scenery.
After everything went back to normal, the spa attendant composed herself and observed the man for a split second before looking away, processing the sight of Faith's visage, not daring to look at his eyes again. What caught her attention was his physical appearance. She had never encountered such handsomeness and perfection in the flesh, surpassing even the standard male models she was familiar with.
She admired Faith's facial features, noting his finely defined jawline and well-proportioned nose. Even as he sat, she could tell he stood about seven feet tall. His toned muscles and flawless skin accentuated his chiseled contours. Yet, Faith's most striking attribute was his long, iridescent silver hair, akin to nacre, cascading down his back.
The attendant was oblivious to the fact that this perfection was due to the work of advanced bioenhancement, where only the privileged can undergo such treatment. But to the extent of what Faith received, only the few upper elites of the Human Confederation could even have the chance of obtaining. This is due to his distinguished status as Faith's complete skeletal framework, muscles, skin, organs, and function have been meticulously augmented using the pinnacle of engineering marvels.
"Ehem... Excuse me for interrupting, Supreme Commander Faithlou Olympus-mons, I am here to inform you that everything has been prepared. My name is Diandra, and it will be the greatest pleasure of mine to guide you through our facility." Her professionalism kicked in.
"Please follow me." She turned around and led him out of the waiting room, guiding Faith into the sprawling expanse of the spa facility.
As they traversed the large corridor, they found themselves enveloped in a serene environment brought by a plethora of exotic bioluminescent plants that adorned the corridor, illuminating a gentle ambient glow, while fragrant blossoms released their delicate scent into the air, mingling with the earthy aroma and fresh vegetation.
Soft ripples of light danced across Faith's face, originating from cascading mini waterfalls that nestled against the black slate walls. The trickling stream cut through the well-placed foliage, as its rustle intertwined with the symphony of gentle torrential cascade. Faith took a moment to absorb the surroundings as he opened his senses to the environment. In this carefully planned corridor design, every detail seemed to breathe life, transforming it into a breathing sanctuary.
"Do you find the environment to your liking?" Diandra asked, anticipating some form of praise for the place she worked.
"Indeed. I did not expect your spa establishment to be this remarkable," Faith remarked while extending his hand towards the dark slate walls, generating subtle disruption in the otherwise seamless mini waterfall.
"We are but a humble establishment, sir. Sa'ale is just a second-rate city. How could our establishment possibly compare to those of the capital city? Or perhaps from where Sir is from. We could only aspire to provide the best aesthetics and services for our guests." Humble as she may be, a satisfied smile curved on her lips.
"Perhaps If I may ask, where is Sir from?" Diandra asked, extremely interested.
Interstellar travel was exceedingly rare in this remote region, as most couldn't afford it. Even local officials and businessmen couldn't manage frequent trips in and out. As for the wealthier folks from far outside this region, they rarely visited due to its isolated location and limited connectivity. As there are trillions of star systems as rural as this across the Human Confederation, no major figure in the right mind would specifically visit this place on whim. Yet for this man, to visit this place...
Faith was caught off guard by her direct question. He was accustomed to everyone being extremely careful with their words when addressing or merely talking to him. Almost no one who knew Faith would dare to ask him mundane questions, yet he found it a bit refreshing.
"I don't live anywhere particular. During the war, my usual post is Pukelapeck or Qlaqaqlaqa'ack II, that is in the Vo'oderpo'ocht Galaxy, far on the outskirts of the Human Confederation's territory. It's a mouthful, I know, its the language of the Krashaakan. But after the war, I enjoyed myself around the Andromeda Galaxy." Faith explained.
"The Andromeda Galaxy!!!" Diandra loudly gasped, her hands clearly covering her mouth.
"Oh you know about the Andromeda Galaxy?" Faith mused, not expecting a country bumpkin like her to know that place. Clearly he had low expectations and look down on these rural people's knowledge.
"Of course! The Andromeda Galaxy is still relevant on our historical textbooks. It is the closest galaxy to the Holy Cradle Galaxy, and that is the first galaxy humans have conquered outside their home! To think Sir lived there..." Diandra mumbled. Practically, the Human Confederation is vast, spanning thousands of galaxies, and for rural people like her, those who lived near major galaxies are considered incredibly fortunate and almost mythical in status.
The longer Diandra thinks about it, the sooner she realized that this military man is much more significant than she could ever comprehend. This prompted her to feel worried.
"Perhaps, if I may ask, why would someone of Sir's status want to visit our planet, Thehel'an? The Khalahan Star System is a bit isolated from the rest of the Streveritan Cluster, and even then, there are no prominent hubs or military establishments in the vicinity as far as I know." She paused for a brief moment, carefully sorting her word choices.
"So I was thinking, due to Sir's presence, with all due respect, is there some sort of trouble here in Thehel'an that we should be worried about?"
"Hmm... Are you qualified to question me such matters, Diandra?" Faith raised his eyebrows.
At that moment, realization dawned upon Diandra, cold beads of sweat formed on her beautiful face. "I... I am terribly sorry for asking something I shouldn't, Sir," she stammered.
With Diandra's sincere apology, Faith's lips softened into a reassuring smile. "No, there is nothing to worry about. You can rest assured that Thehel'an is safe. I am here merely on a whim for personal matters," he said with candor.
After participating in the recent seven-year campaign, the military had finally granted him furlough. Over those grueling years, the man had been involved in typical intergalactic invasions and xenocides carried out by the Human Confederation, whose core seemed founded on xenophobic conquest. The relentless brutality of his experiences was wearing him down, and he was eager for a change of pace and scenery, prompting him to enjoy a vacation.
After enjoying his time around Andromeda, he decided to visit Thehel'an, a relatively backwater planet in the Khalahan star system, held sentimental value for Faith. His mother was born and raised in the outskirts of Sa'ale City before moving to a more prominent planet, or galaxy for that matter. Visiting Sa'ale had long been Faith's cherished goal, a personal pilgrimage to pay homage to his mother's hometown. He planned to stay here far longer than any other city he traveled to.
With his newfound determination to unwind and enjoy his time on Thehel'an, Faith also decided it was the perfect opportunity to indulge in a visit to a spa establishment.
"I see... Then I'm glad I didn't make things complicated for you, Sir. I hope you'll have a wonderful time here." Diandra said, relieved.
As they went deeper through the corridor, they passed through a vast indoor expanse where at its center stood a massive dome-like chamber. Around this dome, a few separate jacuzzi pools were arranged. With the entire spa facility booked exclusively for his use, the jacuzzi area remained devoid of chatter or crowds. Some might have found the solitude unsettling in such a spacious setting, but for Faith, it felt perfect.
Before Diandra could explain anything to him, Faith was immediately drawn to the dome-like chamber and couldn't help but ask, "What is that thing?"
"We call this place The Oasis. Here, guests can indulge in our jacuzzi pools. That huge chamber you see is our Float Therapy Chamber. As far as I know, we are the only establishment to have it. Well... because we made it ourselves." She explained.
"A Float Therapy Chamber?" Faith said as he approached the huge dome exterior.
"Indeed, Sir." She followed. Sensing his curiosity, she followed suit and opened the chamber door, revealing a body of water inside, like a pool fully enclosed within the chamber walls.
"Here, as Sir can see, is a pool that has been infused with a type solution. It allows one to float freely until they doze off. Of course, this is a... unique feature in our establishment that guests seldom indulge in, as they find it a bit... monotonous." She said awkwardly.
"Then why is it encased in this huge dome?"
"Yes, a feature to note is that the chamber is capable of simulating the environment upon Sirs request, the walls here provide a realistic 360 display." She continued.
"Visual setting?" Faith mused.
"Indeed. Sir can Prompt anything to the AI, and the chamber walls will generate the visual setting according to Sir's desire. For example, like this, Chamber! Give me a view of outer space, show me a view of planet Thehel'an from orbit, exaggerate the stars on the background."
After a brief pause, the interior walls of the chamber suddenly morphed and danced with colors. The once-white walls now depicted the expanse of outer space, adorned with countless exaggerated twinkling white specks. In a different segment of the interior wall, a lifelike blue planet emerged, its surface adorned with patterns of green and white. The portrayal gave the impression that the viewer is orbiting the planet.
"As Sir can see, the chamber's AI boasts impressive capabilities among other features," she elaborated.
"Well, that is all I have to offer for this room. Shall we continue our tour?" she asked, a hint of concern in her voice. Typically, first-timers are eager to try the Float Therapy Chamber and often waste most of their time here, not having the chance to experience other more prominent facilities.
"Hmm... Interesting, I want to see what this chamber can do," he replied eagerly.
"Huh? Does Sir mean trying the chamber out now?"
"Yes, is there something wrong? I would just like to try it for a few minutes, we have all day, don't we?" While concern was plastered across Diandra's face, excitement was present on Faith's face. This was due to the discontinued kind of training involving 360 screens in the military, making this experience novel for him.
"Ah... Yes, fine choice, Sir. It will be a shame if Sir did not fully experience what our establishment facilities have to offer," Diandra forced a smile as her worries came true. Her sentence itself contained two distinct intentions.
"So, then is there anything I can assist Sir with to start?" she inquired.
"Um... No, that is all. I can manage to try this chamber alone."
"Are you sure, Sir?"
"If there are no problems, then I shall leave Sir on his own. If Sir wants to continue the tour of our facility or requires any type of assistance, please step out of the chamber as I will be waiting here. Please enjoy," Diandra said with a bow before facing the other way in silence.
With this, a newfound solitude settled within the room, accompanied only by the gentle murmur of the bubbling jacuzzi water. Faith took a deep breath, then slowly unwrapped his towel, revealing his white military-issued boxers.
He then slowly submerged himself into the chamber's water, immediately feeling the coolness of the waist-deep pool. His soles felt the flat smoothness of the base of the pool. Feeling ready, he closed the chamber's doors, enclosing himself to the outside world.
'So I just call out the chamber and mention the setting I want, right?' He thought to himself.
"Chamber! Give me a view of a forest and a lake." He said to the lifeless walls of chamber.
It took a few seconds to register before the interior walls erupted in a symphony of colors, revealing a vivid azure sky adorned with abstract swirls of white clouds. In a mesmerizing transformation, the water's hue shifted to a crystalline blue, transporting him to the heart of an expansive lake, surrounded by a dense pine forest. Far in the distant horizon, he could see towering mountains draped in snow. The panorama was so vivid, yet he knew it was fake because he could still feel the waist-deep water and smooth floor.
He then took a few steps forward and felt his fingers brushed against the chamber wall amidst the realistic projection, confirming that he is indeed still within the chamber.
'It's scary how realistic this is.' He repeatedly caressed the smooth chamber wall, reassuring himself.
Thinking about his options, he decided to try something different. "Chamber! Give me a view at the heart of molten planet filled with flowing lava and asteroid showers."
As he said that, the chamber's wall underwent a swift transformation, unfolding into a vast expanse of desolate red landscape of a lava ocean. Like the birth of a terrestrial planet, nothing but flowing molten lava surrounded him. The water his waist was submerged in emitted glowing orange hue. As the transformation completed, Faith found himself immersed in a seemingly boundless lava bath.
"Woah! Scary." He said, slowly scanning his surroundings, admiring the sight before feeling it was enough.
"Chamber, return to nature's embrace once more, an exotic rainforest this time."
The chamber's walls distorted once more, whisking him into the heart of a small ravine etched into the earth's surface. The body of water cradling him found itself enclosed by tall soil banks. He was in some sort of a natural spring.
The verdant foliage of exotic plants and roots spilled over the edges, flourishing on the gentle undulations of the ravine banks. He could see feathery ferns as their delicate fronds swaying with the soft breeze, sprawling vines adorned with clusters of vibrant flowers in hues of pink and purple dangling like nature's curtains, and large-leafed plants lightly kissing the spring water's embrace. Water droplets dripped down from the flora, glistening in the gentle sunlight, indicating that the forest had recently been showered by rain.
The water turned crystal clear, revealing a chunks of rocks at the base. Despite its realistic appearance, the floor beneath him remained smooth and flat. Looking up, he beheld unfamiliar arboreal giants forming a lush canopy, their branches dripping with glistening raindrops from the sunlight that filtered through the dense foliage. Shadows of birds and tree-dwelling fauna added to the scene. Faith was honestly impressed.
"Other features she said, let see... Chamber, can you give me ambient sounds that match the current setting." He uttered. Almost immediately, a symphony of sounds enveloped him, followed by the gentle cadence of water running, echoes of trickling light raindrops, the melodic trill of birdsong, and the delicate rustling of leaves brushing against one another. The realism was astonishing, it felt that he was alone in the spring.
Feeling satisfied with the environment, Faith finally let go of everything and reclined in the water, floating freely on its surface. He spread his limbs, feeling the gentle embrace of the water against his skin, enveloping the entire backside of his body. As he inhaled, the sensation of his chest rising was accompanied by a subtle upward drift, and as he exhaled, the gentle compression of the water caused him to sink slightly. All while the ambient sounds around him softened, muffled by the water's density.
Somehow, Faith was unknowingly became sleepy, and before he knew it, he closed his eyes, allowing himself to seep into a quick nap. A nap that forever changes his fate.
創作者的想法 
Mantan
Mantan Hi! It's me with my new creation. It's criminal indeed to make a new novel while abandoning the old. Let's just say it will stay dead until I say so. But it is what it is. While this new novel may not be as intriquing of a concept compared to the previous, I hope you would like to give a try.
The first time I wrote, I was in my highschool freshman. Now, I'm a senior university student LOL.
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