Tio Resses.
By identity, she was merely a young lecturer who had only recently taken up her post at this somewhat remote place called Penglai Island…
But with her fair skin, long hair like silver moonlight, and an utterly foreign face, she was quite an eye-catching figure anywhere in Shenzhou Nation.
And now, she walked with a hurried look along the already empty and deserted school building corridor.
Theoretically, it was already long past time to get off work.
So why was she here?
And where was she going…?
The answer was soon revealed by her actions.
Walking up to a door that few people passed by on ordinary days, Tio bent down as if to confirm something, and aimed her gaze at the keyhole.
“…Iris recognition complete. Tio Resses, please enter.”
Accompanied by the mechanical prompt tone, the door opened, revealing the elevator behind it that led straight down to the deep underground.
And Tio stepped inside without hesitation, letting the elevator carry her into the underground where the floor numbers could no longer be displayed…
After the door opened, what first greeted the eye was an infinitely vast space.
This place… seemed to be an unusual underground base.
And Tio silently advanced, turning left and right along a certain route, before knocking on the door of a certain office in the corner.
“Please come in.”
Accompanied by a steady male voice, the one who opened the door to welcome her was a white-haired, bearded man.
“…Mr. Kalinin. Sorry, I’m late…”
And Tio lowered her head, speaking her greeting to the man before her with a somewhat cautious tone.
It seemed that Kalinin was this man’s name.
However, if Yu Xiao were present, he would have recognized at a glance what sort of figure he was.
This was not because he was some kind of intelligence expert, but because…
Andrei Sergeivich Kalinin.
This man…
But how could he have appeared here?
Rather…
Why had he appeared in this world?
The answer to this question might be difficult to determine for a time.
So it might be better to focus attention on the conversation now taking place.
“How could that be, Miss Tio. It’s not late at all.”
Kalinin waved his hand as if to reassure her.
“And. If I remember correctly, the matter you wished to report is… ‘a special situation’ has arisen in your class. Correct?”
At this, Tio nodded, her gaze wandering about restlessly.
“…Yes. It’s a child, called Yu Xiao…”
That was her assent.
And the name Yu Xiao had even come up in her words…
It seemed this was not the sort of ordinary minor report.
“What happened to him? …It seems a bit inconvenient here as well. Why not come into my office to talk.”
The other made a gesture of invitation, and Tio had no reason to refuse.
“O…okay.”
Following the other’s pace, after walking to the desk and taking a seat, she finally opened her mouth with a tinge of hesitation.
“He. He seems… to know of the existence of ‘Beta’.”
And what she said was still a fact that would quite shock anyone.
By the sound of it, these monsters called Beta… truly existed in today’s world?
“Hmm. Could it be that the memories from sleep-learning have shown signs of awakening ahead of schedule…?”
Kalinin propped his chin on his hand, pondering with a somewhat puzzled look.
But Tio spoke up in a small voice to argue against this.
“…No, it’s not like that.”
Noticing the other’s gaze directed at her, Tio instinctively used the documents in her hand to shield the lower half of her face.
Only after Kalinin nodded to indicate she could by all means continue speaking did she somewhat nervously continue.
“Yes… If the materials in my hand from the Alibech Agency are correct, then such a thing… should absolutely not be happening at this point in time. So, I believe…”
“…That this youth, through certain channels, came to learn of matters of the ‘outside world’…?”
“Correct… I think… it is very likely exactly that.”
Tio’s manner finally gained a bit more confidence.
Her words gradually became more fluent as well.
“And if that is the case, then it is necessary to…”
“Have that youth end his life of living within illusion… and live on as a true person in the know. Correct.”
“Yes.”
She nodded.
Then, she gave a soft sigh with a somewhat desolate feeling.
“…Mr. Kalinin. Aren’t we being a bit cruel?”
“—To live in this world, that degree of resolve is necessary.”
At this, Kalinin stood up.
Though there were no windows in the office of the underground base, he still habitually turned to face the wall.
Crossing his hands behind his back, Kalinin then murmured.
“This ‘Peach Blossom Spring Plan’ that we carry out… exists precisely for this reason. No matter what means are used, we must protect this world in which no conflict exists, and continue the sparks of culture…”
“Even if that means maintaining it with ceaseless lies, a false peace as fragile as glass… it is the same.”
Posting Early cause why not.