Nikke, something’s seriously wrong with this evacuation point! Chapter 10 10: This Is So Damn Cool

"Alright, can you maybe tell a bit, what exactly did Senior Rose say to you that day?"

Still the sa familiar apartnt, but this ti Rose wasn't there. Andrew was leaning back on the sofa, watching Charon pack his things.

That day, Andrew had assud that, based on Rose's obviously half-hearted "goodwill", this clueless rookie Charon would probably end up staying over.

Don't ask how he knew. He'd seen this kind of thing too many tis. But less than half an hour after returning to campus, Charon was already back. And when asked what happened, he only said it was private talk. His clothes also didn't look disturbed.

Yeah. Still a virgin.

"I already said it. It was personal, unrelated to combat."

Charon said it without turning around, while organizing his backpack.

"If you've got ti to gossip, you should be heading to the military departnt. I'm only leaving one day earlier than you anyway."

"That's not happening. If you're heading to the battlefield early, as your friend, I can't even see you off?"

Andrew stood up, walked behind the sofa, and with a grunt lifted a box of canned beer.

"Take so of this?"

"You motherfucker…"

Charon narrowed his eyes at Andrew's stupid grin.

This bastard clearly knew alcohol wasn't allowed for missions, and was deliberately provoking him.

But Charon wasn't the type to just take it.

He walked over and casually took four cans straight from Andrew's hands, stuffing them into his bag in front of him—though in reality, they disappeared into his system inventory.

That was what he'd been sorting all this ti.

Items scavenged from resource points across different regions, food, water, survival supplies, all carefully organized. He even assembled a full camping set. Over the year, he had sold off a large number of useless drops. Unlike the "hideout system," not everything here could be casually exchanged at vending machines.

Military personnel could easily detect what soone was carrying, even stuff hidden inside the body could be extracted.

But the system inventory was different. As long as he didn't open it, no one could detect it.

The only pity was that it couldn't store living beings. Otherwise, he could've just stuffed a person inside.

After nearly filling his inventory, he still made it look like he packed so basic supplies into his external bag. After all, he couldn't show up with nothing.

"Wait, you're serious?"

Andrew slapped his thigh.

"Fine! If you've got that kind of guts, I'm in too!"

No hesitation. Andrew grabbed his own bag, started stuffing it with beer, and flashed a bright grin at Charon.

Frends go to war together, obviously.

Charon nodded, controlling his expression.

No, don't laugh yet. Victory declaration cos tomorrow.

This operation was considered a covert mission. There wouldn't be anything as loud as Andrew's usual antics. Aside from no interference, no one would be paying attention to Charon and Liliweiss's movent.

As they left the apartnt, Andrew stood by the window giving him a thumbs-up.

Charon quickened his pace.

If he didn't leave soon, he was going to laugh out loud.

At the edge of the city, Charon didn't even need to show any docunts. A small gate opened automatically. No guards were present. The other side led into underground waterways, a standard route for covert operations.

At the exit, an off-road vehicle was already waiting.

Clearly prepared for him.

He got in, adjusted the seat, checked the fuel and supplies.

Enough for two people for half a month.

He stepped on the gas.

Wind rushed past, sunlight spilling into the cabin. For a rare mont, Charon felt a sense of ease.

But it didn't last long.

The onboard radio turned on by itself.

A familiar voice ca through.

"Hello, hello—can you hear ?"

"…Rose?"

"Yes, it's Rose. I'll be your liaison and guide for this operation… and please wear your satellite headset. So information isn't ant for open broadcast."

Charon put on the secure tactical headset.

"So how exactly did you end up with that position?"

This Rose really is sothing. She really shows up everywhere.

[Of course. It's because of my abilities… and also because among all the people qualified as liaison officers, only I and Sister Liliweiss are relatively close.]

At this point, he truly witnessed the capabilities of this top-tier hacker, pilot, liaison officer, and Liliweiss' ultimate fangirl.

"Well then… I'll be in your care, Rose."

[Ah… uhh… yes, of course. I-I will take very good care of you, Commander… no, Commander-in-Chief.]

Although this was only a test operation, as a commander candidate, Charon was already acting as a temporary commander during official missions.

As he walked, he asked,

"So, question, where is Liliweiss?"

He was genuinely curious what the newly turned NIKKE Liliweiss would look like after so long.

[Ah, Liliweiss senpai… Liliweiss will et up with you shortly. Please look forward to it.]

[Um, before that… I have a question for you.] For so reason, Rose's voice carried a hint of hesitation.

[Commander, what do you think about power?]

"Power, huh." Charon looked up at the sky and clouds.

"Honestly, I don't have much feeling about it."

[Hypothetically… if Andrew could punch through a mountain, would you be afraid of him?]

What kind of question is that?

But Charon imdiately understood her intent. It was almost painfully obvious, like soone saying "a friend of mine."

"Well, let put it like this."

"If you were stranded on an alien planet, no water, no food, the atmosphere running out, with countless alien monsters circling in the sky… and then a fully ard battleship-class warship ca to you and asked if you wanted a ride back to Earth… would you be afraid?"

Rose: […No.]

"Exactly. There's no reason to be afraid. And if soone does feel fear, then they're probably just those 'alien monsters'. But what does that have to do with ?"

His tone was completely matter-of-fact, as if he wasn't talking about monsters at all, but about lunch.

"I'm the one waiting for the ride. To , the bigger the battleship, the thicker the armor, the more absurd the firepower–"

Charon smirked.

"The more I think: this shit is absolutely badass."

His voice carried unmistakable excitent.

At that mont, Rose heard a second, slightly hurried breath on the other end of the line, but it disappeared almost instantly.

"I'll have you pass this ssage to 'Andrew': I'm very satisfied with that battleship. I'm willing to be its first passenger."

[Pfft–]

Rose's breathing also beca noticeably unstable, though her voice still carried a smile as it trembled.

[Understood. I will pass it on.]

Rose temporarily cut the communication and looked toward the corner of the room.

A figure sat there, burying her face in her knees, her body trembling slightly.

"It's a good thing, isn't it?" she said softly.

"…Yeah." The figure finally squeezed out a shaky reply.