Aqua's POV - 0620 , Tianjin
I dove beneath the waves, skimming silently through the murky waters. The river didn't quite reach Beijing—at least, not naturally. Artificial rivers stretched through the city, complete with floodgates and checkpoints.
It was hard to reconcile this with any memories I might have had of old Earth, though I'd never been to China before. Are they really this strict about submarines sneaking through? If the Centurion research lab is in Beijing, wouldn't they have tighter security? I thought to myself so it kinda make sense.
Still, the water security in this bay—or dock, or whatever you'd call it—was pathetic. Sure, there's a fleet stationed just outside the port, but they're not even patrolling. The submarines just sit there, floating silently like they're part of the scenery. Maybe they think their anti-sensor systems make them invincible, but come on—do something! Even as an enemy, this feels too easy.
"We'll go on foot," I said, dismounting my submarine bike rigging. I glanced back at Amy and Helena, who were perched behind me.
They nodded silently as I brought the rigging near the riverbank. With a quiet splash, they activated their invisible hoodies and climbed up the railing to the sidewalk.
I followed, willing my nanoswarms to lift me gently to the upper walkway. My hoodie shimmered and turned me invisible as well. It was early morning, with only a handful of joggers and guards moving about. They didn't notice us. Good. Let's keep it that way.
("Let's walk to Beijing. Should take less than 10 minutes if we use the frictionless trick,") I said through the comms. I willed the nanoswarms to coat the soles of my feet, sliding forward noiselessly like I was on rollerblades—but without the sound of wheels. The mostly empty streets stretched northwest, and I skated effortlessly along them.
("Master~ Hestia-chan found a nutritionist!") Helena's voice chirped through the comms.
Not sure why Hestia didn't connect directly to me, but whatever. ("Thanks for letting me know, Helena, I will contract her later.") I weaved past the sparse traffic, not worried. Even if the streets got crowded, my nanoswarms could handle inclines, so sidewalks were always an option.
("So, let me guess,") I said, smirking beneath my hood. ("That Japanese general... What's his name again?")
("Richard something,") Amy replied after a pause. ("Sorry, Aqua-chan, I can't remember either.")
("Well, whatever. Bet General Richard is out cold from information overload.")
("Aye.")
The three of us agreed in unison. I sighed. ("It's not much of a bet if we all pick the same answer.")
The streets grew livelier as more civilians appeared. The invisible hoodie cloaks kept us unnoticed, slipping through crowds without issue. No tanks or APCs in sight—those were probably on patrol elsewhere. I certainly didn't spot any Nuwa tanks, those cannon-on-tracks monstrosities.
("So, is this a bust?") Helena teased. ("Or do you wanna switch, Master?")
("Not a chance. And I'm canceling that bet anyway.")
As we reached Beijing's outskirts, I slowed my pace. ("Let's find the base and start from there.")
The city buzzed with early morning energy, the streets filling with cars and pedestrians. Invisible, I approached a light pole. No rain meant no suspicious puddles collecting at our feet—another blessing.
I touched the pole, sending nanoswarms coursing outward into the city's power grid. The connection unfurled like a map in my mind, tracing lines and nodes across Beijing. This grid was impressive—structured, efficient, and alive with energy as the city woke up.
Now, to pinpoint the largest power drain. That would likely lead us to the lab. Wait—scratch that. With how much this place spams nuclear reactors, calling it a "power drain" feels wrong. Instead, I looked for the hub, the source creating the most energy. That had to be where we needed to go.
Found it.
("Got the marker. Let's move,") I said over the comms to Amy and Helena.
Both of them nodded silently, and we continued staking out the area until we encountered a checkpoint. Heavy infantry patrols and tanks rumbled through the streets, their presence breaking the relative quiet.
Okay, this one's real. They've deployed tanks that use nuclear fission rounds on their patrols.
Helena launched a UAV into the air, feeding its visual data directly to me. I peered through its sensors.
It was a heavily fortified base—a proper one. But no sign of the massive radar towers capable of firing EMP bursts into the sky. Regular radar towers, sure, but not the big ones. Still, they had an Atom's Heart here. Nice.
("Amy, take overwatch... no, wait. Start planting remote corrosive bombs. I'll likely need to cause some chaos on the way out. No way I'm sneaking an important researcher out of here without tripping some alarms, especially with the level of surveillance she's under.")
("Affirmative. I'll be back,") Amy replied.
I turned my focus to Helena. ("Helena, I need you to prepare to search for Yunru's family.")
("They're probably being kept with other scientists' families,") I continued. ("Or maybe they're getting special treatment with even tighter security.")
("Got it,") Helena replied. ("I'll set up a stealth sensor tower on one of the skyscrapers first.")
Good idea. Hopefully, no one would look up while she was building it. The stealth field would work, but there was always a risk during construction.
("Bombs planted, Aqua-chan. Targets include the nuclear reactors, barracks, war factory, and their MCV,") Amy reported back.
("Thanks, Amy,") I said with a smile, knowing she couldn't see it.
I stepped past the checkpoint, still cloaked by my nanoswarm, and approached the Atom's Heart. It resembled the one I'd hacked in Nanjing. Infantry patrols and guard dogs moved around, but they didn't notice me. One benefit of being a Kansen—I didn't have a scent. Well, some Kansen did, but none of the Abyssals so far had that issue yet.
Reaching the structure, I placed my hand on its surface. ("Amy, come to the Atom's Heart, near the cooling tower side.")
I spread my nanoswarm across the building, letting it snake into every crevice. There was a lot going on underground—far more than I expected.
The data confirmed it. Multiple research labs, a sprawling facility deep beneath the surface. Somewhere down there, Yunru is here somewhere. The labs were a few hundred meters underground. My nanoswarms could dig through and reseal the ground in seconds.
("I'm here,") Amy's voice came through the comm.
I couldn't see her, of course, but I felt the faint signature of her nanoswarm near me. ("Good. We're heading down now,") I said.
I willed my nanoswarm to carve through the concrete floor, resealing it quickly before a patrol passed by. No one should notice a thing.
Digging further, I encountered another layer of reinforced concrete—the ceiling of the underground labs. I spread my nanoswarm outward again, scanning deeper from this new vantage point.
("Amy, be ready to blow the targets topside. Helena, what's the status on the sensor tower?")
("Almost done, Master~ And... done!") Helena announced cheerfully. A data feed of Beijing flooded my display.
("Well done. Now start locating high-priority families,") I instructed.
Focusing back on my nanoswarms, I accessed the nearby electronics. A computer—old and clunky by modern standards, but functional. For 1977, this was cutting-edge.
Searching... Yunru. Researching EMP technology. Lab 8.
Where is Lab 8? No floor plan in the system. Great. I shook my head in frustration.
Switching gears, I searched for information on Yunru's family. Found it—isolated housing north of Beijing, inside another outpost. Over the top much, why its our military outpost?
I sent the data to Helena. ("Hope you can find it,") I muttered as I focused back on the task at hand.
Finding Lab 8 was proving to be a challenge. I didn't have a clear map of the facility, but EMP research gave me a clue. Electromagnetic fields have range, so I spread my nanoswarms wider, searching for interference. Finally, I found it—left wing, top middle. That was where I needed to go.
It was a bit of a distance, but nothing my nanoswarms couldn't handle. I began digging sideways above the concrete ceiling toward the suspected lab.
As I tunneled through, I made sure to cancel my weight using the nanoswarm, preventing the roof from collapsing under the pressure of what essentially amounted to a submarine. Beneath the concrete was a small gap for wiring and lighting. Perfect.
("Found her—probably,") I said to Amy, who was following close behind.
Standing on top of the ceiling next to the room where my nanoswarms detected interference, I glanced at Amy. ("Time for action,") I said.
"Blow them up!" I shouted as I released the nanoswarm holding my weight.
The ceiling cracked beneath me, and I crashed down into the lab just as a chain of explosions erupted above. As I switch to UAVs feed just in time to see all the chaos.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The base erupted into chaos. Alarms blared, reactors went nuclear, and the city switched to emergency power. The MCV was obliterated, likely taking the commander with it if they were stationed here. Being the capital city, it was highly probable.
I landed amidst the chaos and scanned the lab. Through the armored glass pane, I spotted Yunru, clutching a strange gadget. It resembled a miniature computer but was unmistakably a repulsor—a device that looked like something out of Iron Man, except instead of firing ion beams, it discharged electromagnetic pulses.
Is that DDOS attack weapon that she well known for in the game? I thought to myself
as I switch off my invisibility and Amy do the same as she got her Graviton uzis in both her hand as I will my nanoswarm to eat the wall..
"Miss Yunru, please come with us," I said, extending my hand toward her.
She stood frozen, her wide eyes filled with terror and disbelief. For a moment, I wondered if I had broken her mind. Her reaction felt... off. I glanced back at Amy, who gave a casual shrug as if to say, What now?
With no time to waste, I sighed. "Alright, we're doing this the hard way."
"Amy, bring Yunru inside. I'm going to blaze us out of here," I ordered.
Amy nodded and stepped forward quickly. Yunru, regaining just enough of her senses, tried to raise her EMP repulsor, but Amy was faster. She seized Yunru effortlessly, disarming her in one fluid motion before slinging her over her shoulder like a sack of rice. Amy placed her free hand on me, and with a soft hum, she entered my hull with our new "guest."
That's when I realized something surprising: I didn't need to summon my rigging for this operation. My hull was already functional on its own. Took me long enough to figure that out.
Shaking off the thought, I willed four missiles into existence. They launched upward in sequence, each one detonating with precision. The first missile broke through the ceiling, while the others cleared a path through the dirt and debris above, opening a direct route to the surface.
Summoning my submarine rigging, I engaged its thrusters.
Zoom!
The engines roared to life, lifting me out of the underground base. With enough thrust to carry me upward, I soon reached the surface. Once clear, I unsummoned the rigging and activated my ability.
"I really want to use it like forever, which is not that long but still" I mutter as I enjoy the show.
From my hull, drones began pouring out—dozens at first, then hundreds. Their sleek forms took to the air like a swarm of angry bees, their laser arrays glowing ominously.
"Target everything military," I commanded, adding an unnecessary but satisfying dramatic flair.
("Helena, progress?") I asked through the comms.
("Just finished tying them up, Master!") Helena replied cheerfully, I mean they not death so that good at least.
("Good. Set the sensor tower's PD turrets to target all military assets. Engage self-destruct in an hour.")
("Got it! Where do you need me next?")
("Meet me at the dock.")
As the chaos spread, my drones unleashed a relentless rain of laser fire on the base. I added more missiles to the fray, their fiery trails painting the sky before striking their targets with earth-shaking explosions.
Nuwa tanks rolled in, but a single missile reduced them to smoldering wrecks. Infantry units scrambled for cover, only to be picked off by my UAVs.
Then came Tesla Troopers. Rare, but dangerous? Eh a little bit. I directed two of my drones to focus fire on them using their onboard graviton assault rifles. The troopers barely had time to react before being reduced to lifeless heaps of scrap and ash.
As I smiled widely, I heard Amy's voice in my head.
("Aqua-chan, I wanna join!") she begged, her tone filled with enthusiasm.
("You need to watch the girl,") I replied firmly, shifting my focus inward. Yunru still appeared to be in shock, her eyes darting around the space I called my living room. It was a cozy setup within my hull, filled with plush couches, sofas, and a central table.
An idea struck me. Wait... let me check something.
I connected to Hestia. ("Hestia-chan~ do we have chocolate or drink blueprints yet?") I asked.
("Eh? Aqua-chan, that's so sudden! But, yeah, we've got tea, and we just secured a chocolate blueprint from the MCVs I sent to stationed in Japan,") she replied cheerfully.
("Great! Send it over, please,") I said as the data transfer completed. ("Thanks, Hestia-chan!")
Returning my attention to Yunru—my capt-... guest—I synthesized two steaming cups of hot chocolate inside my hull. One for Amy, of course, because I couldn't forget my girls.
"Enjoy~" I said with a playful smile, as the cup appear on the table.
Turning my attention outward again, I resumed my slow march through the streets. My UAVs maintained a protective circle in the skies, their lasers cutting through anything that dared approach. From above, the scene resembled a chaotic Touhou game, with beams of light crisscrossing in dazzling patterns.
Within minutes, I reached the dock. Without hesitation, I dove into the water. The enemy fleet had gone on high alert, their ships bristling with weapons, but that didn't matter.
Summoning my submarine rigging, I grinned as I submerged and began my assault.
"Hahaha!" I laughed, firing corrosive missiles at the enemy ships.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Helena's POV
Carrying two captives with the help of my nanoswarms, I navigated the city streets toward the dock. The path was littered with debris and destruction—signs of Master enjoying herself just a bit too much.
An APC appeared ahead, attempting to block my path. Without breaking stride, I fired a volley of lasers.
Boom!
The APC erupted into flames, clearing the way. I reached the dock moments later, where chaos unfolded on the water. Enemy Seawolves attempted evasive maneuvers to dodge the missiles raining down on them.
Keyword: try. Most exploded in bursts of corrosive energy as Master's missiles struck true.
("Master, I'm here with the cargo!") I called out.
There was movement in the water as Master surfaced, riding her submarine rigging like a sleek, futuristic bike. I jumped down onto her rigging, willing my nanoswarms to carry the two captives alongside me. Then, with a deft motion, I touched Master's rigging and phased into her hull.
I arrived inside the entry lock, the sealed chamber adjusting to my presence. Once the inner door opened, I stepped into the familiar space.
The living room greeted me—a cozy area filled with couches, sofas, and a central table. Amy stood nearby, keeping a watchful eye on Yunru. She held a warm cup of something in her hands, while Yunru sat nervously on a sofa, sipping from a matching cup.
Amy nodded at me as I approached. Without ceremony, I deposited the two captives near Yunru, their presence causing her to flinch slightly as she look at them with wide eyes.
"Well operation done." I muttered as I glanced back at Amy, who offered me a small smirk.
With the captives secure, I prepared to assist Master in whatever chaos she planned next.
Just as another 3 cup of hot chocolate appear on the table! "Thanks you" I said.
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Changing update schedule to 3 Chapters per week. (Monday, Wednesday, Friday)
Yes, tomorrow you will still get your chapter.