NIKKE: The Apocalypse Arrives, But the System is 100 Years Late

Mo Chen looked at Marian, trying to maintain a gentle smile as he asked, "Marian, do you remember what they looked like?"

Marian bit her finger, pondering for a moment. "They wore black clothes... and, um, had big chests."

Black clothes? Big chests?

Mo Chen felt a headache coming on.

"Anything else?" 

There were just too many possibilities fitting that description.

"They covered their faces," Marian added after thinking for a bit. "Oh, and they carried guns."

It didn't seem like he'd get any more useful information, Mo Chen sighed inwardly.

The black clothes and covered faces indicated that they came prepared.

"How did you deal with them?" he asked.

Marian beamed as she cheerfully replied, "I broke their arms, smashed their legs, ripped off their chests, and even tore off one of their heads."

Mo Chen's jaw dropped.

That's way too brutal!

"Too bad they got away," Marian added with a disappointed pout, letting out a small huff. "If I'd known they were talking bad about the Commander, I would've killed them all!"

To ensure she wouldn't be misled by anyone again, he gave her a stern lecture, emphasizing not to trust strangers or believe anything they said.

Marian's cheerful demeanor made it hard to tell if she was actually listening.

As Mo Chen took Marian's hand to head downstairs, he glanced toward the rooftop's edge; one section of the flooring stood out, its color different from the rest.

On closer inspection, he realized it was the spot she had been standing on earlier.

"Do you always stay here?" Mo Chen asked.

"Yes," Marian replied, clinging tightly to his arm. "You never know when the Commander might come back!"

She had been holding onto his arm since earlier and showed no signs of letting go.

Meanwhile, Papillon dragged her sore legs into the power plant. Seeing Marian with red, tear-streaked eyes, yet grinning from ear to ear with joy, Papillon was stunned.

What kind of charm does he have to make someone cry and smile at the same time?

Her suspicions about Mo Chen deepened, and she became even warier.

I need to be cautious, she thought. I can't let myself get manipulated like them.

Mo Chen noticed Papillon staring intently at them from a distance, making him feel a bit awkward. He quickly put on a stern expression.

"What are you looking at? There's nothing to see!"

Papillon flinched and quickly lowered her head, adopting a submissive posture while inwardly cursing him.

What a terrible temper! What do these Nikkes even see in him?

The power plant had changed significantly since he last saw it, especially the internal plantation and livestock area, which had been upgraded into an ecological farm.

The number and variety of crops and livestock had increased dramatically, all thanks to the power plant's energy and the steady supply of biomass from outside. The farm's efficiency was exceptional.

Following Mo Chen, Papillon marveled at the lush greenery and diverse crops. Her eyes darted around, trying to take in everything. It felt like she had entered a paradise—a stark contrast to the Ark.

Only high-ranking officials, nobles, or wealthy elites in the Ark had private estates, and even then, they were just small plots of land.

As Papillon continued to gawk, she suddenly felt something sharp press against her neck. The cold sensation sent a shiver down her spine, and her entire body froze.

It was a knife!

Papillon's hair stood on end.

Rose's figure emerged from the shadows, holding a blade poised behind Papillon. With just a slight movement, her head could have easily separated from her body.

Papillon's face turned as pale as a sheet, frozen in place, not daring to move an inch.

"Stand down. She's one of us," Mo Chen commanded.

Rose withdrew her blade and disappeared back into the shadows, vanishing without a trace.

Papillon's legs buckled, nearly giving out beneath her. She finally dared to exhale, realizing her back was drenched with cold sweat. 

A chill ran down her spine. She hadn't even noticed her attacker!

If Rose had decided to strike, she would have died countless times over without even realizing it.

Mo Chen paid no attention to Papillon, who was trembling and nearly in tears. Instead, he continued walking toward the second underground floor.

At the end of the staircase was the elevator room. Entering it, he rode the elevator down.

After descending for ten minutes, they finally arrived.

Exiting the elevator, they found themselves in an enormous underground tunnel.

Papillon had learned her lesson this time and stayed close behind Mo Chen.

Noticing Marian clinging tightly to Mo Chen's arm, her eyes flickered with an idea. Pretending to act casually, she latched onto Mo Chen's other arm.

Mo Chen immediately noticed her subtle action and frowned.

"What are you doing? Are you crazy?"

Startled by his sharp tone, Papillon quickly released her grip, lowering her head, though internally fuming.

She was confident in her appearance, even proud of it, but the disdainful look on his face was infuriating.

Why?!

Left with no choice, she could only follow closely behind him.

A deafening rumble suddenly echoed through the tunnel, accompanied by the trembling of the ground.

With flying debris and the sound of grinding metal, a massive drill rose from the ground. Flanking it were colossal tunneling machines, their monstrous shapes illuminated by the cold gleam of mounted cannons. It was a Tyrant-class Rapture.

After the series of shocks she'd endured, Papillon was almost numb.

At this point, if Mo Chen claimed the Rapture was his pet, she would probably believe it.

To her amazement, Mo Chen leapt directly onto the Rapture.

The creature showed no signs of aggression.

Seeing Marian follow him up, Papillon hesitated briefly. Realizing she was the last one left, she forced herself to climb aboard, fear forgotten. She knew Mo Chen's temperament well enough—if she didn't follow, he'd definitely leave her behind.

Mo Chen patted the Rapture's thick shell, and it reacted almost intelligently, charging forward through the tunnel.

This Rapture was Grave Digger, one he had tamed months ago. Tasked with excavating a tunnel from the power plant to the outpost base, it had completed its work over the past few months.

The fresh vegetables and meat delivered to the base had all been transported through this tunnel using Grave Digger.

A day later.

They reached the outpost base.

At the center of the base was a massive station under construction, designated to handle personnel and material transportation.

At first, the Nikkes had been curious and gathered to watch the new underground transport system. Over time, however, they grew accustomed to it.

The chime of the elevator sounded as Mo Chen and Marian emerged, with Papillon trailing behind.

Oddly enough, there was no one around to greet them.

He distinctly remembered contacting Rapi and the others while en route.

Just then, Anis came running excitedly from a distance, her voice filled with joy as she called out, "Commander! Commander!"

When she reached him, Anis stopped in her tracks, glancing between Mo Chen and Marian. Her gaze finally settled on Marian's hands, which were tightly clutching Mo Chen's arm.