Story Reader / Main Story / 24 Chaos Unsnarled / Story
Commandant, the wounded and priority evacuees have finished boarding.
Should we get them going immediately?
The transport craft that Vera's team brought is now filled with people. The majority are elders and children, with only a few individuals being carried on stretchers.
That thing stopped.
Salans points at the globular forest that almost extended to your vicinity.
Only a few are slightly scratched. They'll be fine.
Still, we've seen much worse when the tower in the Clean Zone appeared. Having scratches was like winning the lottery at that time.
But the waves of tremors are really unsettling.
You wonder if it looks akin to a tumor abruptly sprouting from the surface, as seen from Babylonia's point of view.
But the true horror that it resembles can only be fully experienced when one sets foot upon this land.
In contrast to the Inver-Hetero Tower, seemingly an intricate craft of another realm, the globular forest strands as a manifestation of betrayal originating from the soil.
Not a majestic staircase crafted by divine hands but a menace standing right before your eyes, whose roots have quietly torn the land apart in fleeting moments. Even the once tranquil woods surrounding it now exude an ominous aura.
Fortunately, its rapid growth has been slowing down after it first materialized.
With its initial expanding speed, everything in your view would've been devoured already by now.
However, that uncanny vitality persists, which everyone can feel through the occasional vibrations beneath their feet.
All the wounded are aboard, and those stretchers are taking up quite some space. I think three trips would suffice... No, actually, we might just pull it off in two trips.
I'll stick around until the very last person leaves. Don't worry, there are trustworthy people within that group. I'm honestly not so important as you might think.
Okay, then I'll leave that to you guys.
Having said that, Salans firmly strides toward a group of men who appear to be preoccupied with their tasks.
They are trying to push down the empty houses that teeter on the brink of collapse to avoid any potential danger if another wave of tremors hits.
Observing Salans as he rolls up his sleeves and joins the group, you feel a newfound respect for him as a leader growing within you, even though he claims himself to be "not so important."
In the corner of your eye, you catch a glimpse of Lee lifting the tent curtain and waving at you. After one last gaze at the transport craft that is taking off, you hastily make your way back.
He found this.
The thing placed on the table is an assistance device for remote connections, an exclusive piece of equipment that belongs to Cerberus.
I knew there should be something that could come in handy!
This channel for remote connection with Constructs is exclusive to Cerberus, and its specs are more advanced compared to the standard ones. It's worth a shot!
But I heard that their commandant is pretty much the only one who can establish a remote connection with Cerberus members. Even if we manage to make it work, there's no guarantee that...
The Construct mumbles something like "The Gray Raven Commandant is surely a legend." His face contorts with frustration as if he is depicting the pain of building a M.I.N.D. connection with some crazy Constructs, all based on the groundless rumors he has heard.
But the imaginary pain apparently has little effect on his work efficiency—he quickly finishes setting up the device.
Lee lets out a quiet sigh.
I'll call Liv over to get you some emergency medical supplies, just in case.
As far as I know, no one has ever built a remote connection with that new frame... You sure about this?
What I mean is, that the new frame has not been fully calibrated for remote connections. It might take you a few attempts before you reach her, and trust me, the process won't be a walk in the park. You gotta be prepared.
From moments of strangeness to sudden startles, and even times when she is seemingly lost in her own thoughts, you have experienced the full spectrum of her emotions.
It's just a change of her frame, but No. 21 is still No. 21.
The most pressing matter at hand is to help them overcome the current adversity.
You close your eyes.
