Story Reader / Main Story / 28 Polaris Bond / Story
Ghost! I saw a ghost!!!
Don't panic! Hold your ground!
H-h-h-he passed through!
Arm! Arm!!!
Emerging from a deep unconscious state, you hear screams echoing throughout.
Commandant!
Liv tightly clutches your hand, yet when you turn your gaze toward her—
An orange-yellow shadow looms behind Liv, more distinct than the blurred shadows seen previously.
Let's not talk about that... It should be no problem.
Commandant, are you experiencing any discomfort? The data indicates no corruption in your Mind Beacon, and all readings are normal...
Liv reaches out her arm to touch your forehead, her hand gentle and warm.
Liv offers a bitter smile, sweeping her arm through the yellow shadow beside her. Her hand glides through it effortlessly, yet the shadow remains unmoved.
▄▆▁▃...▆▆...▆▃
▃...▆▄▆...
While you were unconscious, these... indefinable and undetectable "shadows" started appearing in Tabula Akasha.
I can't verify if your loss of consciousness is related to the appearance of these "shadows," but it seems...
Liv points to the medical tents behind her.
Glancing around, amidst the bustling medics and injured people, you find the area teeming with these "shadows."
It's not just here; many "shadows" like this have also shown up on the battlefield outside.
But there are none around you, Commandant.
As you prop yourself up and survey the surroundings, you discern that apart from the "shadow" behind Liv, the vicinity around you appears to be a "clean zone" in contrast to other areas.
They are all the dead within Tabula Akasha.
A humanoid figure, more distinct than the shadows, materializes in the distance.
Dark green hair, elegant and solemn attire, and that arrogant tone...
We should have met before, [player name].
Villier.
You're the one... who disappeared with Huaxu on the Nighter!
When we were in Kowloong back then, Qu mentioned it was you who secretly took Huaxu away...
Is that so?
I disappeared with Huaxu later, huh...
Has anyone told you that in Tabula Akasha, death is not the end?
Here, countless mind data and fragments of consciousness are stored, and I am one of them.
All the humanoid figures you're seeing are projections of the mind data stored in Tabula Akasha's database, manifesting in the physical world.
My Huaxu has been attacked by an unknown source, causing these memory data leaks from Tabula Akasha.
Of course, she is my one and only perfect creation. I created her, and I possess her.
Otherwise, she wouldn't remember me.
This man's obsession with Huaxu has reached an unparalleled level.
I need to reboot Huaxu to save her.
...You will.
Because it's not just me who needs Huaxu to be rebooted.
Qu needs it, too.
Babylonia, November 10, 04:37, President's Office.
Under the Parliament's stringent demands, the military has to dispatch additional teams to set up domain nodes near Kowloong Metropolis. However, this time, neither Trillard nor Hassen possesses the firepower to shoot another bullet.
The conclusion presented to Parliament is more realistic than the matter concerning the Forsaken: Huaxu's existence is now confirmed, and there is a significant likelihood that the Punishing Virus will assimilate all data from Huaxu and Tabula Akasha.
Should the Punishing Virus assimilate Huaxu, it will likely be just a matter of time before it leverages Huaxu to overthrow Gestalt, particularly considering the presence of the Computing Power Lock and its complete capacity sealed behind it.
To the residents of Babylonia, the looming threat of Babylonia's fall orchestrated by Luna utilizing Huaxu appears more tangible than the specter of those 7295 ballistic missiles.
Moreover, given that Tabula Akasha houses vast data on Earth's life forms, no one knows what uncontrollable evolutions the Red Tide and Hetero-Creatures might undergo based on it.
If these events transpire, their consequences will be way more severe than the issue with the Forsaken—
The Forsaken can't become a major threat overnight, but the Red Tide can.
Allowing Watanabe to wield the Sword of Damocles is a far better choice than placing a butcher knife in the hands of humanity's enemy.
...Commander Nikola, has the war mobilization been issued?
Yes.
Nikola responds with a succinct acknowledgment.
Ever since the Forsaken incident, the relationship between Nikola and Hassen has become subtly awkward.
Their shared ideals remain unwavering, yet they are akin to two infinitely parallel lines. Perhaps they can only truly understand each other at the point at infinity when the dream of reclaiming Earth and rebuilding a home comes true.
Until then, one line must bear the weighty darkness.
For the Parliament, this is indeed the only option.
Even letting the Ascendants control Huaxu is better than having Huaxu help Hetero-Creatures evolve...
Just do what you can.
I'll buy you as much time as possible. Leave the security arrangements for the domain nodes to me.
Thank you, Commander Nikola.
Nikola pauses for a moment before releasing a deep sigh.
However, if the Parliament neglects Gestalt's advice and forcibly orders Gestalt to activate the Longinus Arsenal...
There would be nothing the military or I could do.
That much I'm aware of.
Hassen stares at the blue planet outside the window. From Babylonia's vantage point, she appears much like she did decades ago, devoid of the Punishing Virus and devoid of war.
She is so beautiful that humanity can never leave her cradle.
So... they must retreat.
You've read the report. The Transcendant known as Qu was assassinated by someone from the World Government, a council member, and she's even from Kowloong herself.
I really don't understand what this Qu did or what she intended to do.
Didn't you ever meet her when you were with the World Government on the surface?
No.
It was already too late when I joined the World Government.
All I know is... Trillard once said that Kowloong acted as the counterweight that could measure other powers, and he had to handle it cautiously to offset other rising forces.
Put Kowloong on one end of the scale, and it will gauge the weight on the opposite side.
After the battle in Kowloong, and again this time, I now understand what made Trillard say that.
