Marian carefully led Kai through many ruins, finally arriving at the rendezvous point.
“This should be the place—” Marian confirmed the coordinates but didn’t see a single Nikke.
She turned to Kai, her face still shy, “Hmm, there’s no one here.
Perhaps the transport plane being shot down changed the plan—?”
Kai didn’t hear clearly what she was saying, only looking at Marian in surprise.
There was no trace of blood on her now; not to mention her face, even the blood on her clothes had disappeared.
Being stared at by Kai like that, Marian lowered her head, unsure whether to interrupt the Commander.
“Commander—” She wanted to get to the point, but also didn’t want to break the current tranquility.
Kai still decided to ask Marian.
He said, “Marian, have you wiped off the bloodstains on your body?
It’s quite clean.
What did you use—”
“Ah!!!” Marian suddenly remembered that she had been covered in blood by the Commander earlier!
After he touched her sensitive spot, she fled, forgetting about the bloodstains on her.
Although she had been through a battle, she still wished to be clean.
“Commander, please wait while I clean up the bloodstains.
At least I’ll wash my face clean.” Marian glanced at Kai, blaming the naughty Commander!
Marian hadn’t cleaned the bloodstains!
That meant his blood had been absorbed!
The Modernia must have been dispelled.
So Kai quickly pressed, “Marian, how do you feel now?
Are Raptures invaders?
Should they be eliminated?”
Marian searched for a long time but couldn’t find anything to wipe her face.
Hearing Kai’s words, she casually replied, “Speaking of which, I really do feel a bit dizzy!
Raptures should of course be eliminated, I—”
Then she froze.
She seemed to have, earlier, detonated the bomb on the transport plane?!
Besides her and the Commander, everyone else had been killed!!!
“Commander!
I, I seem to be the culprit behind the transport plane’s crash—” After the Modernia was dispelled, Marian remembered that she herself had destroyed the entire transport plane!
She fell to the ground weakly, her eyes vacant, her sanity close to collapse!
Thought Shift?!
Kai immediately thought of this term.
The NIMPH in a Nikke’s body can control her memory and thoughts.
It is also a self-protection mechanism for Nikkes, which protects their self-cognition by modifying certain memories, but it cannot be over-modified.
When a Nikke’s emotions fluctuate violently beyond the NIMPH’s modification range, a Thought Shift occurs.
A Thought Shift usually causes physical damage to a Nikke’s brain, and then clearing memories through NIMPH becomes useless.
Currently, only Snow White and Red Hood are known to maintain a normal state after a Thought Shift.
More Nikkes will suffer mental breakdowns, or even commit suicide.
The principle of Rapture Modernia is to control a Nikke’s NIMPH through a virus-like mind control, modifying the Nikke’s basic cognition to make her view Raptures as companions.
The principle of the Commander’s blood dispelling Modernia is that his blood can completely eliminate the NIMPH in a Nikke’s body.
From then on, the Nikke’s thoughts and memories will no longer be controlled!
Of course, the Nikke will also lack a mechanism for self-protection of thought.
So, Marian’s NIMPH had already been cleared.
She felt devastated when she remembered what she had done before; she couldn’t understand why she would do such a thing.
Kai walked up to Marian, gently squatted down, and stroked her head, comforting her.
“It’s over, Marian.
That wasn’t your fault!
You were Sinned, that’s why you did such a thing.” This was one hundred percent the truth.
Feeling Kai’s concern, Marian was still very sad, “Commander, I caused so many people to die.
Even if I was Sinned, it was still I—”
Marian, her eyes red, noticed something was wrong.
Modernia was something that made all Nikkes change color at the mention of it, and her previous actions were exactly the same as the manifestations of being Sinned!
So what was her situation now?
Marian even forgot her sadness.
“Huh?” Marian had already forgotten everything else!
This news was too shocking for her.
“The traitor will implant Modernia into selected Nikkes in the Ark!
Then send her to the Surface!
So we were originally transported to the Surface to die!” This was also one hundred percent the truth.
“I just happen to be able to dispel a Nikke’s Modernia, that’s all.” Kai said calmly, but he was struggling to suppress the corners of his mouth.
Marian had never heard that Modernia could be dispelled!
But everything that happened to her made her have to believe it.
“Commander!
I believe you!
So I will keep it a secret!” Marian stroked the bandage on her leg, choosing to trust Kai unconditionally.
She continued, “The Ark’s traitor can directly send us to our deaths; she’s no ordinary high-ranking official anymore!
So from now on, I will protect my Commander with my life!”
Marian made a firm resolution.
Kai breathed a sigh of relief, seeing that Marian had been convinced.
Of course he knew who the traitor was; wasn’t it the AI that managed the Ark?
Once she saw the Commander’s future achievements, wouldn’t she just bow down?
He’d leave her hanging for a bit, let the bullets fly for a while longer!
Da da da da —!!
Gunshots rang out from a very close position.
Marian immediately sprang up from the ground, shielding Kai behind her.
“It’s gunshots!
Is the traitor here to finish us off?!
Commander, I will definitely protect you!”
Uh, no need to be so nervous!
Kai looked at Marian, who was acting as if facing a formidable enemy, feeling a slight headache.
This was typical Marian, a bit silly, a bit cute.
“Marian, did you forget we came here to rendezvous?”
“~Oh?
Oh!!
Then let’s go.” Marian said, embarrassed.
After eliminating the scattered Raptures, Anis put her gun away.
She was a bit depressed: “That’s enough!
How much longer do we have to wait?!”
Rapi: “Until we succeed.”
Anis: “Are we supposed to wait until we die?”
Rapi: “I said, until we successfully rendezvous.”
Anis: “You saw it just now!
That transport plane exploded!
How could there be any survivors after such an explosion?!”
Rapi: “I haven’t received a death report.”
Anis: “So as long as we don’t receive a report, we have to keep waiting?”
Rapi: “This is the rendezvous point.
Leaving rashly will disrupt the operation plan.”
Anis: “The operation plan has already been disrupted!”
Anis was notoriously difficult to get along with; her sharp tongue made all Nikkes change color!
But Rapi had her firmly under control: if I don’t care, you can’t do anything to me.
Just as the two of them were chatting, Marian finally arrived with Kai.
“We’re here!” Marian still shielded Kai behind her, being cautious about everything.
Hearing Marian’s voice, Anis was startled!
“Ah ah!
You scared me!”
Rapi was actually startled too, mainly because Marian had suddenly shouted when they were relaxed, but Rapi’s reaction was minimal; no one noticed except Kai.
“I am Marian!
I arrived at the rendezvous point with the Commander and successfully met up with everyone!”
Anis was indeed Anis; her first words left Marian speechless.
You actually weren’t blown up?”
Anis saw that Marian was fine, and then looked at Kai, who seemed completely unharmed, greatly surprised!
“A Nikke is one thing, but you’re human, aren’t you?”
Kai patted his chest: “One hundred percent human!”
“Strange—” Anis looked at Kai’s attire, which was clearly casual clothing, but you’re here for a war!
“Are you really the Commander?”
Rapi also found it strange; what Commander doesn’t wear a military uniform?
“Excuse me for a moment.
Reading Commander’s identification code.”
Kai’s heart skipped a beat.
I don’t seem to have an identification chip?
Doro shouldn’t expose me, right?
“—” Rapi thought she had misread, “Commander, is the Ark full of bugs?!”
Holy crap!
I forgot to change the name!
Will this name be a bit too arrogant to use in the Ark?
Doro, can I change the name?
Online, really urgent!
[Sorry Commander, the rename function has just been canceled!]
Kai: —, someone wants to see blood flow like a river!
Anis: This arrogant Commander is not to be trifled with!
I’ll just hold back from arguing with him for now!
Kai rubbed his forehead: “You guys should just call me Kai from now on.
I was just joking around back then, who knew the Ark would agree!”
“Understood!
Commander!” Multiplied by 3.
“Command of Unit 04-F transferred.” Rapi readily handed over command.
Anis also didn’t make any trouble.
[Nikkes bound: Rapi, Anis.
Commander can now nurture them.
You can edit the unit for combat, and get rewards after winning.]
Kai was startled and quickly asked in his mind: Doro, what about my Marian?
Isn’t she bound?
[Modernia is still undergoing metamorphosis.
Please wait for the evolution to complete before nurturing.]
Modernia?
Is Marian going to become Modernia?
Wasn’t the Modernia dispelled?
Could it be that Marian discovered a metamorphosis after absorbing my blood?
That would be a huge gain; getting a Pilgrim, and Marian wouldn’t have to suffer.
Rapi saw more Raptures approaching and quickly urged Kai to prepare for battle.
“From now on, we will obey your orders.
We’ll explain in detail after the battle is over.
Let’s deal with the Raptures in front of us first.”
Kai nodded and edited Rapi and Anis into the combat unit through the system.
Then Rapi asked Marian again: “Your name is Marian, right?
Which unit do you belong to, and what is your specialty?”
Marian honestly replied: “I belong to the Silver Lance Unit, and I am a machine gunner.”
Anis finally couldn’t help but speak: “That’s really a suitable specialty for the current situation— No choice, Commander, what’s the next step?”
Rapi: “We await your instructions.”
Are there any other options?
Kai looked at their expectant eyes, waved his hand grandly, and said, “Let’s fight them N— Eliminate them all!”
“Received!”
“Alright, let’s have a good fight!”
“I will protect the Commander!”
And so, the three little ones now only lacked the firepower maniac Neon!
The legendary goalkeeper Rapi and the omniscient and omnipotent Lady Anis were already in position!
Kai’s first battle under his personal command began.