Underground Laboratory.
A young girl, clad in a white research coat, was hunched over a desk, sketching intricate blueprints. Mechanical interfaces adorned both sides of her head, suggesting she was not entirely human.
She wore heavy dark circles under her eyes, on the verge of drifting into slumber, a clear sign she hadn't rested in days.
"Ding ding ding." The phone rang.
She answered, "Hello? What? Tomorrow? You capitalist vultures, rushing me like this? I've already been working my 996 hours for you, and I've even drunk several cans of cooling water. What more do you want from me? Do you need me to be on a 007 schedule for you to be satisfied? Can't you spare a thought for the workers? Let me shut off today... What? You'll dock my pay if I don't submit the drawings tomorrow? Fine, then I wish your mother a swift end tonight. Goodbye!"
She hung up the phone and resumed her work, her face a mask of self-imposed isolation.
"Ding ding ding." The phone rang again shortly after.
She answered with growing irritation, "Hello? Huh? The leader's dead? What's this about the final payment... what do you mean? What the hell? The final payment's off? I didn't kill the guy! I already gave you the first draft of the battleship design, and now you're just reneging on the payment? Is this how you treat the contractors? Hello?!"
The call was abruptly ended. Furious, she kicked the wall in frustration—only to twist her ankle in the process.
"Ow, ow, ow!" She clutched her ankle, rolling on the floor. "Damn those clients! May they never get a seasoning packet in their instant noodles!"
Suddenly, a soft chuckle echoed from the shadows, "Hey, Chouxi."
"Ugh, go away, I'm busy." Chouxi lay there for a moment, then suddenly sprang up with a shout. "What the hell! Who are you?! How did you get in?!"
Kino stepped out from the darkness, smiling. "Long time no see."
"Wow! No-no-no-no-ba—" Chouxi dashed toward him without hesitation, leaping into a hug. "It's been so long!!!"
Kino deftly sidestepped, and Chouxi missed her target, crashing to the floor with a thud.
Kino smiled helplessly. "You just rolled on the floor a second ago, and now you're coming to tackle me?"
"Ugh, you little rascal, still with that obsessive-compulsive disorder. How about you hop on the operating table, and I'll give you a shock?" Chouxi slowly got up, but suddenly froze, her smile vanishing as she shrank into the corner. "Wait! This isn't right! Didn't the leader kill you with a shot?! Who the hell are you?!"
Kino teased, "Do I look like a ghost?"
Chouxi: "Yes."
Kino pulled out a dagger.
Chouxi: "No, no you don't."
Kino put the dagger away and shrugged. "Anyway, I did die once, but I'm alive now."
Chouxi stood stunned. "Wait, what? That happened? So... just now, I got a call saying the leader is dead. It couldn't have been you, right?"
Kino nodded. "Yeah, and I also took care of the twelve committee members. They won't be bothering you again."
Chouxi was stunned, her jaw dropping. "Wow! So you're the one who made my final payment disappear?! You're all set now, but what about me? I've lost my job! Are you going to support me?"
Kino laughed. "Of course, I'll support you."
Chouxi crossed her arms, her tone haughty. "Hmph, I'm not that kind of Chouxi."
Kino grinned. "I have a lot of money."
"Tonight, I'm yours!" Chouxi dramatically switched her expression, running at Kino again—only to trip and fall once more.
Kino took out three large suitcases from his space bag and opened them. "Here's ten million in cash. Consider it a gift for you."
Chouxi circled the suitcases, gazing at the neatly stacked bills in awe. "No, but I thought all your money was frozen by the leader? How do you have so much cash?"
Kino replied nonchalantly, "That's not a topic for discussion. More importantly, you should be more interested in this." He handed her a D-class space ring from his finger.
Chouxi recoiled, her eyes wide. "What are you doing? Bioroids can't marry humans!"
Kino laughed in disbelief. "Your creator really should have removed your emotional module."
"That won't do! Without it, I'd be like those lifeless bioroids in the movies—no personality!" Chouxi shook her head, taking the space ring with suspicion. "So, what is this?"
Kino took the ring back and extended his hand. "Watch my hand."
He activated the ring, and the palm of his hand twisted, revealing a silver moon.
Chouxi's eyes widened, and a burning curiosity sparked in her gaze. "This... is space folding technology? A space storage ring?! Where have you been all this time?!"
Kino passed her the ring. "For certain reasons, I can't say. You can study this ring. I have another one. Also, I need your help to make something."
Chouxi eagerly took it, greed flashing across her face. "Old deal—if the price is right."
Kino: "First, military supplies. A large amount of cold weapons, mostly individual gear like armor, bows, crossbows, swords, and spears. You can start researching some heavy machinery or fortress defense equipment."
"Cold weapons?" Chouxi looked at him with a puzzled expression, then squinted. "Given that you can't reveal the details, I'm assuming you're bound by some sort of rule where violating it puts your life in danger. How about this? Let's make a deal: you don't speak, and I'll ask the questions. Nod if it's true, shake your head if it's false, and stay silent if you can't answer."
Kino: "Go ahead."
Chouxi: "You were captured by the leader and definitely died."
Kino nodded.
Chouxi: "After you died, you went to another place, where your body was remade, and you returned to this world. Sort of like... 'time travel.'"
Kino nodded.
Chouxi: "You want me to make cold weapons in large quantities, so it's a feudal era, connected to a time in our history?"
Kino shook his head.
Chouxi: "Are the basic laws of that world the same as ours? Chemical elements, physical constants, mathematical laws, etc.?"
Kino's eyes flickered with a warning, and he fell silent.
Chouxi frowned. "I didn't detect any movement. How do you know you can't answer this? What method did they use to warn you?"
Kino remained silent.
Chouxi tilted her head. "Not smell or taste... Could it be sound, touch, or sight?"
Kino remained silent.
Chouxi glanced up at the sealed ceiling and muttered to herself, "This base is 487 meters underground. No regular signals can reach it; only wired communication is possible. If someone can transmit information to you without obstruction, their existence is beyond imagination... Alright, enough for now. Back to the cold weapons. I can make them. Are you providing the materials, or should I?"
Kino spoke: "I'll provide them, but only with the materials I give you. You can't mix in anything from other sources."
Chouxi pondered for a moment. "So, materials from two worlds can't be exchanged directly... Got it. I'll mass-produce the cold weapons with modern techniques. Their quality will far exceed those from the feudal era."
Kino smiled mysteriously. "Not necessarily."
Chouxi fell silent, her gaze darkening. "Does that world have extraordinary powers that can forge special weapons?"
Kino fell silent.
Chouxi glanced at the lab. "Anyway, I won't deal with special weapons. Regular cold weapons, though—modern techniques will definitely surpass feudal methods. Leave it to me. Any other requests?"