As the vehicle drove along the road of the 6th floor, it eventually reached the edge of the floor, where surrounding rocks and a large gate came into view. The underground city was built with a spiral road surrounding it, that descended from the 1st floor to the 10th floor, connecting the various levels. As they passed through the gate, Rain noticed the road leading down to the 7th floor, heavily guarded by military personnel. Travel to the 7th floor and below had been restricted, adding to the heightened security in the area.
The vehicle continued its upward trajectory, heading toward the surface world, far beyond the limits of the underground city. As they travelled, Damian broke the silence, "Sky, who won the bid for the Sheep Farm Weird Domain?"
Rain's ears perked up at the mention. Whoever had won the bid would be joining them on the mission, hunting wolves and gathering sheep. They would effectively be their teammates for the operation.
Sky responded, "The Cressey Family."
At the mention of the Cressey Family, Rain's mind raced back to his first case, which had involved them. His thoughts lingered on that connection when Lily interjected, "Who will be leading the Cressey Family on this mission?"
"Helen Cressey," Sky replied without hesitation. "You've all met her."
The group nodded in acknowledgment, and Rain's mind flashed to the striking image of Helen. He didn't understand why his body reacted so strongly to her during their first meeting, especially since he was certain of his feelings for Siobhan. He shook off the thought as Lily posed another question that shifted the atmosphere.
"Sky, any news on who's behind the sudden appearance of all these Weird items?"
Rain quickly snapped out of his thoughts about Helen, focusing intently on Sky's response. Like the others, he was frustrated—he had spent the past five days frantically containing the surge of Weird items on the Factory Floor, with no solid leads to follow. He was eager to get answers.
Sky responded, "The higher-ups aren't certain who's all involved, but they're sure it's more than one party. One of them is Francis and his Weird Research Association."
Everyone nodded in agreement. Rain's thoughts drifted to the troubles that began soon after Francis's clone had arrived in the city. It was no coincidence.
As Rain contemplated, the vehicle slowed and eventually stopped. He looked ahead to see a line of vehicles waiting in front of them. The dashboard of their vehicle started to beep with an incoming call.
Sky instructed, "Accept the call."
A holographic image of Helen Cressey appeared on the dashboard. "Hello! Is your team ready?" she asked with her usual calm confidence.
Sky replied, "Yes, and yours?"
Helen nodded. "Then your vehicle can follow us to the destination."
"Okay," Sky confirmed, and the call ended as swiftly as it had begun.
Their vehicle smoothly began moving again, following Helen's team. Rain peered out the window as they passed through a massive gate. For the first time in this life, he saw the world beyond the city walls. The landscape was bleak—a vast expanse of ash-colored snow stretched before them, and the sky above was a dull gray, thick with clouds that blocked the sun. Only thin, flickering rays of light managed to penetrate the dense cloud cover.
Rain turned to look behind him, taking in the sight of the city. It was surrounded by an imposing wall, and inside the wall stood the pyramid-shaped structure of the city itself. At the very peak of the pyramid, he could see an energy shield glowing faintly, enveloping the city like a protective cocoon.
This was the world outside—a stark contrast to the shielded city they had left behind. As Rain gazed out the window, he noticed the trees and plants, though mutated, had reclaimed the land. Between them, small animals scurried about. The world had recovered after the nuclear fallout of a thousand years ago, though the sky remained filled with radiation clouds, and the snow on the ground was still ash-colored. The atmosphere was tainted with radiation, and the plants and animals had evolved, altered by the fallout.
Rain marveled at nature's resilience. It was a miracle, he thought, how life had adapted and grown stronger, shaping a brand-new world from the ruins of the old one.
As he watched the scenery pass by, Siobhan broke the silence. "Wow, it's beautiful," she remarked.
Rain nodded. "Yes."
Damian sighed. "A thousand years ago, humans could roam the world freely. Now, we have to live confined in cities."
Lily agreed, "Yeah, it's sad when you think about it."
Sky, always the pragmatist, reminded them, "We can discuss this on the return trip. Our destination is still three hours away. For now, make sure you're well-rested."
Rain nodded, recognizing Sky's wisdom. The mission ahead demanded their full strength. He remembered the lingering task he had left unfinished and closed his eyes, slipping into a meditative state. Within moments, he entered his soul space and focused on the blocks in his genetic energy.Slowly, Rain continued removing the blocks in his genetic energy, the vehicle humming softly as it glided toward their destination.
---
Elsewhere, deep within the underground floors of the city, a dimly lit room flickered with the eerie glow of blue flames from wall-mounted torches. Despite the flames, the room remained shadowed, its atmosphere thick with secrecy. In the center stood a table with three chairs. Two of them were occupied—one by a frail-looking man with purple-silver hair, and the other by a woman whose face was concealed behind a golden mask. Her long, flaming red hair fell to her waist.
The woman, known only as Miss Red, tapped her fingers impatiently on the table. "Why is Francis late?" she asked, irritation evident in her voice.
The man, who went by the name Master Link, sighed softly. "Miss Red, could you stop tapping the table? It's becoming quite annoying."
Miss Red stopped, though she was far from relaxed. "Master Link, are you sure this room is safe? No one can eavesdrop on our conversation?"
Link's expression remained calm. "The four torches you see are weird items. They shield the room. No one will hear a thing or even know we're here."
Just then, a voice echoed from the shadows. Francis, having entered the room unnoticed, stepped forward, his presence commanding the space. "Miss Red, if you're so worried about being overheard, why didn't you agree to meet at my place?"
His arrival brought a sudden tension to the room. Miss Red's eyes flickered behind her golden mask. "Mirror Master, you're joking. I'm just an ordinary person—how could I enter the weird domain you created?"
Francis smirked. "Really? I could've sworn you were Sylvia Edward."
Link's eyes widened slightly, intrigued. "The Edward family of the Black Tower? So that's the real reason you're helping me and my follower. I always wondered why you offered me refuge when I first arrived in the city."
Miss Red remained silent for a moment before her expression turned cold. "You must be mistaken. I'm merely a manager at the Garden Pavilion. How could I possibly offer refuge? The real power behind me is the one who provided you and your team safety, young master Link."
Before Link could respond, Francis cut in. "It doesn't matter whether she's from the Edward family or not. All I need is the material you both promised me."
Link nodded. "Indeed. You've yet to deliver the energy core, as you promised. My team has already completed their task of creating the weird items."
Miss Red waved a hand dismissively. "You'll both receive your rewards once the mission is complete. The first step of our plan is finished, but the hardest part is yet to come."
The room fell silent, heavy with unspoken intentions. Their plot was set in motion, and all that remained was to see who would benefit most—or who would fall first.