Story Reader / Main Story / 21 Spiral of Chronos / Story
21-19 The Time Continues to Tick
The scorching bullet casing is ejected out of the barrel and falls to the ground, hitting another casing, and squeakily rolls in a puddle that could have been water or blood.
This action has been repeated numerous times. Once the gun ejects an empty magazine, the Construct will immediately take out a new one, inspect it, and load it.
Which fallen teammate did they collect these from...? She could not even remember...
They are covered in dirt. Some are damaged, while some even have blood on them, with some disgusting bits stuck in the clots.
However, there is no time for this Construct to wallow in sorrow, all she can do is pray for the bullets in the magazine.
Hoping that they were not blocked by foreign objects and would not jam the only working rifle she could find.
This Construct named Liv is currently guarding her commandant beside her with her life. She knows that she cannot afford to fail right now.
Fire, and fire again. Commandant said they would be all right, so she does not need to think, she only needs to aim and fire.
No, do not look to the right. Strike Hawk has already headed over, Commandant must be crying tears of joy to be rescued, it would not be a pretty sight, she will have to try to leave Commandant some dignity.
Another empty magazine hits her foot. She mechanically reaches toward her back, but this time, a Hetero-Creature enters her sight.
Her fingers grasp at something around her waist, but all she gets are an empty sheath and holster.
Her knife probably was still stabbed on a crazed teammate's thigh, while her gun was given to the injured Commandant before coming over.
I really am not that sharp...
Then, it would not hurt to look over once more, right...
...
A beam of light engulfs the Hetero-Creature and turns it into ashes.
But because of the angle, the Construct is also affected. She falls face-down to the ground, temporarily losing her mobility.
I made it...
The cooling device of the battered Levi-Gun whirls up a storm, white smoke is still coming out of the bright red barrel. She does not know how many shots it can endure.
Commandant.
...
The fingers latching onto your hand strengthen their grip, but you already do not have the strength to console her.
You struggle to get up from Liv's arms, leaning against the wall, you revert to a sitting position.
You immediately taste metal in your mouth as you sit up.
Commandant!
You swiftly stab the sharp end into your leg.
Feeling more conscious thanks to the medicine, you gently smile at Liv and tap the back of her hand.
...
Liv grits her teeth as she advances forward. You readjust your slipping body as you see her off.
From the start of the battle till now, the already weak command system is now a complete mess. If your connection even falters a bit, the line of defense will immediately crumble.
This battle has already gone against all that was taught in F.O.S. College, like a negative case study on the pages of the textbook, everyone here is going all in on a big gamble.
There is not enough data to justify their actions and not enough planning. There is not enough reason for them to even continue fighting.
There is only but a small spark still burning, and through the brutal battlefield, you feel that you can see him there giving his all.
That is enough, as long as he is still fighting, you will unconditionally trust him, like how he has trust in everyone in Gray Raven.
(What are we still waiting for? We should go and help him in the tower!)
(Ah! I can't stand it anymore!)
(We can't stop before Lee comes back!)
(I can still fight...!)
(It's too early to be retreating now!)
...
Through the connection with the M.I.N.D., you are able to receive the thoughts of others.
At the same time, the owners of these emotions all flicker like a candle, extinguishing one by one.
Thanks to that, the load on your consciousness lessens.
Pain... Anger... Helplessness...
The chaotic storm of emotions is like a snowball rolling down a hill, it keeps getting bigger.
But what you can do now is block it off and stop it from rolling further, so that you can maintain a stable connection.
No one replies, even Liv who is closest to you has to focus on maintaining the line of defense.
Which is why it is no surprise when a Hetero-Creature with only half of its body intact crawls toward you, none can make it in time to save you.
You already gave up your weapons as per your request…
And that crawling Hetero-Creature is slowly edging closer to you.
Is it because of its injuries? Or is it planning an ambush?
Or... maybe it just wants to toy with its prey that is about to die.
It is as if the Hetero-Creature is part of the colossal tower behind it, bearing its teeth and mocking a frail human with a piercing laugh.
It supports itself with one hand on the ground and straightens its back. It raises its other hand, even its blood-dripping claws are looking down at you.
Your right hand finally finds a hard object, a stone that was blasted over to your side.
It is so simple, rough, and crude.
Compared with the mysterious tower in front of you, it is a joke of an object, doing its best to go against the power of the gods.
It is meek and weak, a laughing stock to the gods.
But several million years ago, this is what the ancestors of humans used to start the first fire.
From then on, they had a weapon against the night, they had the freedom to gaze up at the stars while proudly standing amidst the darkness.
Wrapping your fingers around the stone, you look up at the vicious Hetero-Creature and the huge tower behind it.
Taking a deep breath, you redirect all your remaining energy to your right arm...
The stone becomes the most primitive weapon in the human's hand, fearlessly attacking the gods...
Blinding light engulfs the land, opening up the gateway to the future.
Babylonia
Ahhh! I'm gonna die! I'm gonna die!
A petite figure curls beneath a table, rapidly swinging the tray in her hands onto the Construct's hard head, creating continuous banging noises.
Suddenly, as if making up her mind, her gaze sharpens and glares at her swinging arms.
She brings out the hammer hidden behind her and swings it at the haywire Construct who was trying to get her.
But before the hammer makes contact with its target, the Construct fell to the ground with a thud.
Ahhh! I'm sorry! I didn't do it on purpose!
Rosa quickly throws away the hammer and hides back beneath the table.
Only after a few seconds did she stretch out her shaking hands and use the deformed tray to lightly tap the Construct's head.
General Staff Department Door
We're out of ammo, who still has magazines?!
This is the last one, Sir!
Tsk...
Wells abandons his empty pistol. He unstraps his holsters, wraps them around his fists, and gives them a little bump.
Need I shout "start" for you?
No need.
Right after he speaks, he swings his fist at the haywire mechanoid guard's head from a tricky angle.
It was only supposed to buy them some time, who would have thought he would actually be able to defeat it?
...
...
...
It wasn't me...
At that moment, a nearby staff member looks like he had seen a ghost. He rubs his eyes before running over shrieking, holding his personal terminal up high.
Sir! An emergency report from the surface!
...
It is a glow like nothing before.
Fear, bizarreness, sorrow, frenzy... All are filtered out of the body under the azure rays.
The screaming stops as weapons are dropped to the ground.
The haywire Constructs look around in a daze before falling to the ground one by one.
The Hetero-Creatures are like fish out of water, their struggles do not last long, and by the time the survivors notice, they have already ceased all struggling forever.
Basking in the glow of the tower, Kamui lets out a sigh of relief and sits down on the ground.
Lee... He succeeded.
No more blinding crimson, no more chaotic disorder.
With the tower as the center, the Punishing Virus is rapidly sucked into a whirlpool and completely destroyed by the tower's light.
Wanshi, status report.
There are no Hetero-Creatures left, all infected Constructs have also ceased their actions.
It seems that the crisis is averted for now.
We need to investigate more before concluding.
Remaining Task Force members should prioritize rescuing the injured and then retrieve the fallen commandants and Constructs. Do not let your guard down.
I need to discuss the next step with the Gray Raven Commandant...
Capt.
What's wrong?
I can't reach the Gray Raven Commandant...
!!!
The four of them rush over at the same time.
Across the heaps of Hetero-Creature corpses, that familiar figure has already fallen beside the wall of the ruins.
...
...
...Comm...
...mand...
Commandant!
You do not know what the situation is, but you force your eyes open, finally seeing clearly the two Constructs before you.
Commandant!
Commandant, please hang on. I'm calling the rescue team over right now...
You lift your hand, interrupting Liv.
How long has it been? Since when have you been on the ground? What's the situation with the Hetero Tower? What about the electromagnetic radiation?
Commandant, the Hetero Tower...
The Hetero Tower is absorbing the Punishing Virus?!
...
The three men are initially surprised, but their expressions darken not long after.
A conjugation of this concentration and amount of Punishing Virus?! Is this a sick joke?!
However, that staff member has guessed what was worrying the leaders and promptly provided an explanation.
Not absorbing, it's absorbing!
Wait, no, that doesn't sound right! Let me rephrase...
Precisely speaking, it is purifying. The Hetero Tower has become a huge combined Omega Weapon and Inver-Device and is absorbing the Punishing Virus within a certain radius.
The concentration of Punishing Virus in the air... is rapidly decreasing.
Even so, Liv injects you with Serum just in case.
Commandant, vitals have stabilized, but please do let us know if you're feeling unwell.
Liv and Lucia only feel assured after you nod. They slowly lift you up.
Far away, a commotion starts among the rescue team searching for survivors.
That is...
The weak spark that has always been connected with your Mind Beacon suddenly flares like the brightest star in the night sky, calling out to you from across the galaxies.
Is that...?!
Kamui is the first to speak up and starts to rush over without thinking.
But he immediately stops when he sees you limping your way over.
Commandant, you shouldn't strain yourself! Why don't I carry you over?
All right, then...
At least let me support you, Commandant.
Liv and Lucia slow down and match their pace with yours. Not long after, you spot a familiar figure among the crowd.
...
Lee first eyes you from head to toe, and then, with a concerned gaze, looks at Liv. It is not until she nods at him with a smile does he let out a sigh of relief.
Why do you always end up in such a state?
This is his first battle using this new frame and it is already heavily damaged.
From what you can see, there is not one spot that is intact.
It must have been a difficult and dangerous situation...
Those terrifying scars are proof that he never gave up...
I'm fine, it's just some scratches. I'll be right as rain after maintenance.
You guys are the ones who need maintenance more though...
As if they had expected this answer from Lee, the others circled him like sharks while he was speaking.
...What?
His back is fine other than some scratches from Hetero-Creatures.
No serious injury on his left arm.
Only an arrow scratch on his left thigh, nothing dangerous.
Right arm, hm... Only some scratches on the surface.
Limb movements are normal, frame temperature is also normal.
I told you guys... I'm fine...
Lee cannot stand all the attention and eyes you for help.
...
...About that, I will provide you with an extremely detailed report when we get back.
I won't hide anything, whether from Gray Raven, or...
...
Lee sighs at the tone of your voice.
However, when you prepare yourself for Lee's usual reply of "not necessary," he actually spreads his arms this time and lets Liv and you freely inspect him for injuries.
It seems so. Asimov will perform a more thorough inspection when we get back to Babylonia.
Never mind that for now, I need to report to Commandant and Babylonia first.
He furrows his brows as if trying to remember something.
About... what happened in the tower.
There's more?
Welcome back, Lee.
Welcome back, Lee!
Puzzled, surprised, flustered, accepting, and resigned...
Under the warm gaze of everyone, Lee smiles clumsily and genuinely.
The pain of war and the worry of separation all melt into nothing in an instant, replacing it is the joy of surviving.
Dawn finally breaks once more after this long night of darkness.
Even though the price they have to pay is huge, and the path to tomorrow is still covered in thorns—
Walking on this path feels so grounding and full of hope.
He did not lose his team nor is he alone, he still possesses so many treasures he wants to protect.
The footprints of the past will always be behind him, and he will look back from time to time, but he is not lost anymore.
The past cannot be changed, so we have to seize that determination and venture into the future.
We will light up the darkness. We will bring new life. We will... step into tomorrow together.
Just as he had promised, he returned to everyone.
I'm back.
One Month Later, Babylonia
If you wonder when was the busiest time for the General Staff since the creation of Eden, then it will no doubt be the month after the Hetero Tower incident.
Considering that the restoration work of Babylonia is comprehensive, the Parliament has decided to form a temporary department composed of a representative from each department.
And representing the military is the General Staff.
The redeployment of Task Force members, replacement of damaged transport drones, the production of Construct parts... even the recovery of weapons on the surface are the General Staff's responsibility.
It does not help that General Wells is the deputy director of this department.
Rather than communicating with the "stingy" director, all the departments like to reach out to Wells, hoping to receive more resources.
General Wells, when will the rest of the β repair parts arrive? A lot of Constructs are waiting for a new pair of legs.
Sica, please take care of Collins' request.
Of course! This way, please, Sir.
Sica LeBron... I remember you used to command "Apodidae"...
Looks like the war is in our favor if an excellent commandant from the Task Force such as yourself is helping out here.
...
Without waiting for Sica to refute, Collins already loses interest in her and takes out a file.
E0M2-0022, restocking, a total of ninety β repair parts.
...Ninety β repair parts.
Seventy.
Seventy...
Sigh, I'm getting old, my memory isn't what it used to be.
Collins, since you're here, why not rest a bit in the meeting room next door?
Is Nicky there as well?
I will speak to you two... in private.
Collins dumps the file onto Sica's desk, seemingly losing interest in both of them, and leaves the room.
Wells repositions his glasses as he glances at Sica who is frantically flipping through the file. He takes out a file from the cabinet and leaves.
Someone's here?
Collins. Kurono is probably still busy infighting.
Nikola waits for Wells to continue, but the latter does not seem to wish to do so.
I'm sure I don't need to remind you again what the duty of the General Staff is.
The General Staff is here to help Babylonia respond to all possible threats in advance. Don't worry, I'm not biased on this matter.
Wells spreads out the file he was holding on the table.
The Hetero Tower incident has helped decide which plan to go with, we are currently in stage E-14.
E-14, codename "Genesis"...
It really exceeded our expectations. The situation humanity needs to face did not worsen, rather it has brought us forward to the stage where we can consider rebuilding on the surface.
A Hetero Tower that can decrease the concentration of Punishing Virus to zero... The Parliament won't allow the military to take this risk before the Science Council fully understands its mechanisms.
Don't forget, we still haven't confirmed the agent's death, and Ascendant sightings have increased, the threat of the Punishing Virus is just spreading in a different way...
Which is why we need a base... A city that can represent hope. It will become our outpost for fighting off the infiltration of Ascendants.
Can I interpret that as the General Staff will support us once related plans are put into motion?
I've said so before, I will not be biased. This may be the first city where humanity returns to the surface. The General Staff awaits your orders.
Understood.
Nikola reorganizes all the files Wells had presented and prepares to leave.
Right, about last time.
Hm?
The Engineering Force is not happy with you secretly sharing conference notes and front-line status with the lunar base.
Hmph, your generous speech made me think that you were on my side, Commander Nikola.
That's the Parliament we're talking about, it's a place where you need to know the correct things to say. But looking at the outcome, I do agree with your decision.
I'll take care of it for you.
Thank you, Commander.
Nikola does not spare an extra second here and leaves. Only Wells is left in this spacious room.
Looking at the outcome, he agrees with me, huh...
He takes out a purple badge from his pocket—a falcon spreading its wings, the sharp edges shining like its owner's past.
General.
What is it?
Last week, the Task Force started to formulate a new team, potential members are still under evaluation, but we were wondering if you have any recommendations for the post of the commandant, Sir.
They want me to appoint the commandant?
He says he trusts you, Sir.
Right...
Wells taps on his personal terminal, and a top-secret document appears on the screen.
Ah... So that's how it is. Did the Parliament approve of his suggestion?
At this time... I wouldn't put it past them.
Did they read through me?
A special team, codename "Iris Warbler"... Does he think this will become a wedge for "Genesis"?
Knock, knock, knock...
Come in.
Sica salutes at Wells after the door opens.
General Wells.
Yes?
There's something weird with one of the requests...
All right, put it on my desk.
Yes, Sir!
Wells curls his index finger and lightly taps on the table as Sica leaves the room.
He then finally closes the top-secret document on his terminal. Standing up, he turns off the lights in the room and leaves.
