NOVEL NEXT Chapter 34: Chapter 34: Do You Have a Death Wish, Commander?
"Does this mean the power plant is inaccessible?"
"Yes," Shifty confirmed.
"Shifty, are you sure you're not working against us?"
Anis smiled sweetly, her tone as warm as morning sunshine.
Shifty seemed utterly baffled.
"Huh? Why would you say that?"
"Thanks to you, we're doomed now," Anis said dramatically.
"I... I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to!" Shifty stammered, her watery eyes on the verge of tears.
Anis sighed, knowing it was unfair to berate someone who was clearly clueless.
"Shifty," Mo Chen interrupted, "scan the area, especially underground, and check if there's another way into the power station."
"Uh, oh! Yes! There's a sewer line for waste management—it connects to the power plant's interior. How did you know…?"
Mo Chen didn't answer; time was critical. He immediately formulated a plan.
"The best course of action is to split up."
"Split up?"
"One group takes the maglev track to the power station while the other uses the sewer to reach the interior and unlock the gate."
The maglev track offered a direct path and would serve as a distraction for the Raptures, drawing their attention away from the sewer team.
"I'll handle the surface."
The ground was dangerous with all the Raptures, but at the same time, there were definitely a large amount of points.
Moreover, after mastering the Punishing Virus, ordinary Raptures weren't much of a threat to him, and even if he couldn't get rid of all of them, he would still be able to retreat in one piece.
But this decision sparked an immediate uproar.
"No way! The surface is far too dangerous," Shifty objected.
"We don't know how many Raptures are out there, and as a human, you can't take that risk!"
"Commander, are you suicidal or something?" Anis gasped in disbelief.
Mo Chen responded calmly. "Opposition noted but overruled. This is an order."
Facing the surface meant confronting a swarm of Raptures. Without elite units like Marian or Rose, survival was near impossible for the team. However, Mo Chen planned to rely on infected Raptures and advance forces of infected Nikkes to carve a path—something no one else could know about.
"Commander, you can't be serious," Anis protested, astonished by what she saw as a reckless decision.
"I'll ensure the Commander's safety," Rapi said, locking her weapon and readying for battle.
"Why does it have to be you? I can protect him too!" Anis argued.
But Rapi's analysis was calm and precise.
"You're a heavy artillery specialist. Fighting Raptures here would limit your effectiveness. The sewer's obstacles require someone with firepower to break through."
Anis frowned, knowing Rapi had a point but still feeling discontented.
"So, I'm stuck with the rookie?" she muttered, glancing at Neon.
Neon froze, stunned to be dragged into the conversation, and bristled with indignation.
"What's that supposed to mean?!"
"That you're inexperienced," Anis replied bluntly.
"I have my pride! You can't talk to me like that!"
"Oh, sorry. My bad for being so direct," Anis said with a surprisingly sincere apology.
Neon felt slightly mollified—until Anis continued.
"If you're so confident, why don't you lead the charge?"
Neon blinked in confusion.
"Sure, just a few dozen—maybe a hundred Raptures. Should be no problem for someone like you right?."
Neon wilted like a flower under the weight of the implied challenge.
"Uh... forget what I just said."
Prideful but not foolish.
"Alright," Mo Chen declared, finalizing the plan.
"Rapi and I will take the surface. Anis and Neon, you'll use the sewer. Report when you reach your destinations."
"If you lose contact, wait no longer than three days. After that, retreat regardless of the situation."
Three days was the absolute limit.
"Understood!"
As they parted ways, Anis turned back and grinned.
"Commander, don't go dying on me. You're the only one I don't hate."
"Can you not jinx it? Shoo, shoo," Mo Chen retorted, waving her off.
Laughing, Anis skipped away, her cheerful demeanor lightening the heavy mood.
The power plant lay on the outskirts of the city, amidst an industrial zone filled with decaying factories and shattered infrastructure. Collapsed steel structures, rusted pressure tanks, and broken wind turbines dotted the desolate landscape.
Rat-tat-tat!
A scuttling Rapture was riddled with bullets, its parts flying apart as it collapsed in a fiery heap.
Another Rapture darted in from the side, only to be shredded by a hail of bullets. Behind it, a crab-like Rapture barreled forward, leaping into the air to strike.
The Nikkes below reacted instantly, their rifles blazing.
Rat-tat-tat!
Clang, clang, clang!
The crab-like Rapture erupted in mid-air, its body scattering into fragments as explosions rippled across its surface.
A figure darted to the side, leaping behind cover with a swift dive to avoid the raining debris of the destroyed Rapture.
Rapi, in the blink of an eye, dispatched three more Raptures. However, even she was starting to show signs of strain.
This marked the fifth wave of Raptures they had encountered along the maglev track.
Each wave hit harder than the last.
Even battle-hardened Rapi, after enduring such relentless attacks, was beginning to show faint traces of exhaustion. She had burned through a significant amount of ammunition, though her injuries were minimal—just a few minor scrapes.
"Commander, stay behind cover," Rapi instructed, her voice steady as she reloaded her weapon.
"Got it."
Mo Chen crouched behind cover, assessing the situation.
They were about 10 kilometers away from the power station, not that far now.
Meanwhile, his points were skyrocketing.
Even he found himself slightly stunned by how quickly his score was climbing.
Rapi's combat capabilities had exceeded all of his expectations.
This was no ordinary Nikke.
But then again, with the Red Hood "core" inside Rapi, it all made sense.