NOVEL NEXT Chapter 140: Chapter 140: No Reason—He Just Likes Nikkes!
Mo Chen after finding Snow White casually walked into another room without knocking.
The bedroom had been tidied up, but a layer of dust lingered. Though the space was relatively clean, the dim lighting and the long absence of its original inhabitants gave the room an air of lifelessness.
At the center of the room stood a canopy bed, soft and inviting. On it lay a girl with a delicate profile, her features visible from the side like a sleeping princess.
It was Papillon.
Previously, Papillon had been partially corrupted by Material H. In the ensuing explosion, her fate had been uncertain.
As it turned out, during the battle, Mo Chen had deliberately adjusted his attacks to avoid her directly. She survived but fell into a coma from the effects of the corruption.
During the cleanup operation, the Nikke squad had found her barely alive and brought her back. However, she still bore traces of the corruption, which had kept her unconscious until now.
Mo Chen placed a meal on the bedside table and looked at the sleeping girl.
"Alright, stop pretending. I know you're awake."
Papillon remained motionless, her breathing steady, maintaining the facade of deep slumber.
He raised an eyebrow.
"If you don't get up, I'll strip you and toss you outside to the Raptures. If you'd prefer being dragged into their nest and devoured, just keep pretending."
Saying that he went to lift the quilt.
At that, she jolted upright as if electrocuted, clutching the blanket tightly and glaring at Mo Chen with vigilant eyes.
"Don't come any closer!"
"Relax, I'm not interested in eating you," Mo Chen retorted, rolling his eyes.
Papillon, however, remained on guard, her grip on a hidden firearm beneath the blanket betraying her distrust.
Mo Chen frowned. "You're worried I'll send you back to the Ark, aren't you?"
Her small schemes were all too easy for him to read.
Papillon stiffened, her anxiety palpable as if her deepest fears had been laid bare.
"Then why haven't you…?"
"Honestly, I thought you were smarter than this. If I planned to send you back, don't you think I'd have done it already? Why wait this long?" Mo Chen said, irritation creeping into his tone.
Sye exhaled softly, some of the tension leaving her body. As long as she wasn't being sent back to the Ark, she could breathe easier.
Still, she hesitated. Her voice lowered to a cautious murmur. "Really?"
For someone infected by the virus, the options at the Ark were either memory erasure or outright disposal. Both were effectively death sentences.
Even as the assistant to a chief, she knew she wouldn't escape such a fate if she returned.
Mo Chen, however, didn't waste further words on the matter. "Eat your food, then leave," he said curtly, turning to go.
Leave? Go where?
Papillon froze. Watching him prepare to leave, panic overtook her composure. She scrambled to stop him, throwing caution and pride to the wind.
"Wait!"
In her haste to rise, the blanket slipped from her shoulders, exposing her fair skin. Flustered, Papillon quickly sat back down and clutched the blanket tightly around her, her ears turning a bright red.
Mo Chen paused mid-step, turning back with a raised brow. "What now?"
Papillon took a moment to compose herself, smoothing her hair before speaking earnestly. "Let's make a deal."
"A deal?" Mo Chen asked, his tone skeptical.
"Yes. In exchange, I'll tell you everything I know."
"Not interested."
"Wait! My intel will definitely interest you."
"Definitely?"
Mo Chen looked at Papillon with a teasing glint in his eyes and let out a soft chuckle.
"So, you're saying you have intel about the Operations Command and the Deputy Chief's office, Miss Papillon?"
Papillon's violet eyes widened in shock, her expression one of utter disbelief.
"You... you know who I am?"
She'd been exposed!
Mo Chen sneered, his gaze sharp and mocking as he fixed it on her.
"Did you really think everyone else is a fool?"
Her mind raced back to the events leading up to this moment. The scattered clues began to connect, forming a clear picture. The truth slowly surfaced, and her delicate face turned pale.
She finally understood.
From the very beginning, he had noticed her.
"In that case, you should definitely work with me," Papillon said, her mind racing. She realized that a standard transaction might not suffice anymore. "If there's any Nikke you fancy, I'll help you get her!"
Mo Chen, who was about to leave, froze for a moment, unsure if he'd heard her correctly.
What nonsense is she spouting now?
Seeing him stop, she immediately misunderstood, her spirits lifting.
So that's it!
She had been pondering for a long time why he treated Nikkes so well for no apparent reason. After all, they weren't family, nor did they owe him anything. This question had been bothering her—until last night.
Hearing those passionate, soul-stirring sounds coming from the adjacent room, she finally understood.
There was no reason—he just liked Nikkes!
Just as some people like anime characters, collectibles, cars, or photography, Mo Chen's passion was Nikkes!
She recalled hearing stories about such things happening in the filthy Outer Rim. Ruthless criminals would lure Nikkes there, kidnap them, and sell them. Those who looked beautiful were sent to Ark elites or wealthy nobles for entertainment, while less attractive ones were sold to deranged humans. The most unfortunate were dismantled in filthy workshops and sold as parts.
Seeing Mo Chen appear "interested," Papillon hurried to press her case. "I can provide you with information about any unit or corporation you want."
"What about Helm from the Aegis Squad under the chief's branch? She's a real beauty."
Desperate to avoid dying a lonely, miserable death on the surface, she put everything she had into trying to please him, disregarding her own and her comrades' dignity.
Mo Chen snapped back to reality, his brows furrowing. Finally understanding Papillon's insinuation, his face turned dark.
"What nonsense are you spouting? Do I look like someone who needs your help with this?"
It was the first time Papillon had seen Mo Chen genuinely angry. His imposing aura was so terrifying it made her stammer.
"I-I swear I won't tell anyone. I promise, no one will find out."
Her words made him laugh in disbelief.
"Why don't you sell yourself to me then?"
Papillon froze, swallowing hard. She hesitated only for a moment before speaking.
"If the Commander is willing to take me in, I'm prepared to do anything."
"Anything?"
Mo Chen's tone carried a hint of mockery.
Meeting his half-smiling gaze, Papillon gritted her teeth and nodded firmly.
"Anything!"
At this point, she had abandoned all pretense of pride or dignity.
For the sake of survival.