Nikke, something’s seriously wrong with this evacuation point! Chapter 177 177: Red Shoes and “Red Shoes”

Ten minutes before the alarm sounded.

"Siren, why is Cinderella so strong?" the small Red Shoes asked with great curiosity.

Not long after her creation was completed, everything around her–including the research institute–felt new and fascinating. She liked talking to everyone she t, including the usually silent researchers.

This was also one of the early behavioral traits of Nikkes who could not inherit mories.

"Ah…" Siren's face showed an apologetic expression. She could only take out her phone and type for her to see.

[Because Cinderella has a wish she wants to fulfill.]

As she typed this line, the image of that person appeared in Siren's mind.

Cinderella had told them many stories–strange, surreal stories filled with scenes completely contrary to reality and this world's logic. Yet without exception, that person always appeared in those stories.

He was like a great hero from a fairy tale, always arriving at the critical mont to save the protagonist from danger. Even though he did not possess particularly overwhelming strength, as long as he was there, it felt as though nothing could not be solved.

Cinderella had said many tis that she had once been weak and helpless, unable to survive even a single second in that world full of danger. But Charon stood before her, using his not-so-wide back to shield her from storms. After a series of hardships and trials, they finally returned safely.

Even now, although Cinderella could easily crush the terrifying beings she once faced, she still believed that if she ever encountered danger again, that person would definitely co to protect her.

Truly… it was enviable.

If she herself were in danger, would that person co to save her too?

No, no… that person is Cinderella's prince. How could I even think–

"Siren?" Red Shoes saw that Siren seed lost in her own world, puffed her cheeks, poked her waist, and then imdiately ran away.

"Eek!" Siren could only helplessly watch Red Shoes flee.

Chase her? With what? Did you see those red shoes? Those things allow Red Shoes to sprint so fast that even Cinderella's eyes cannot track her. Whether "Glass Slippers"-enhanced Cinderella could catch her is another matter entirely.

Red Shoes quickly forgot the little interruption and continued jogging through the corridor, greeting every researcher she passed. So responded, others ignored her, but she didn't care–everything in this world fascinated her.

Finally, she arrived at the recreation room. When no one played with her, she would co here: there were books to read, gas to play, and TV to watch. Sotis she could even spend ti with Abe, and those were always her happiest monts.

But today, there was a woman she had never seen before in the room.

To Red Shoes, strangers were simply friends she had not yet gotten to know. So she happily approached her to greet her.

"Hello~" However, before Red Shoes could speak, the woman spoke first.

"Little… Red Shoes~"

A Nikke?

"Wow, big sister, how do you know my na?" She jumped onto the sofa and sat beside her. "Yes, I'm Red Shoes. What's your na, big sister?"

The woman looked at Red Shoes with a gentle smile and reached out to stroke her hair. Seeing Red Shoes instantly relax, her smile grew even more.

"Strictly speaking, my na is also 'Red Shoes,' but that was my original designation. I abandoned that opportunity. Now you can call –Karen."

"Karen… sister?" Red Shoes tilted her head, as if understanding. "So you an the original 'Red Shoes' was actually you, big sister?"

"Good child. So smart."

"Then why did big sister give up becoming a Second-Generation Fairytale Type?" she didn't quite understand. "Your current body is just an ordinary Nikke, isn't it?"

"Because I've co to understand sothing," she said softly, stroking Red Shoes' head. "To accomplish certain things, you must not give anyone the chance to stop you. Before everything is truly completed, no one should know your movents… or even what will happen. Only then can the success rate be maximized."

Red Shoes looked even more confused.

"Yes… just like now."

The syringe in Karen's hand was injected into Red Shoes without any warning.

After that, she left without hesitation. She seed completely familiar with the facility and quickly disappeared into the blind spots of surveillance.

"Ugh… ah…" Red Shoes froze in place. Her eyes rapidly switched between gold and red, until the gold finally faded completely and was fully replaced by crimson.

"It's ti to begin… my most anticipated battle–one of them."

BOOM—

Almost at the sa mont, a black shadow quietly appeared in the center of the research institute's main hall.

Nearly everyone nearby saw it.

They did not know how it had appeared. Neither sight nor surveillance systems triggered any alarm. And just from its appearance alone, it was clear–it was neither human nor Nikke.

A completely black entity with a humanoid outline and no visible features slowly began to move.

In a single second, it identified its direction. At the mont it started moving, it broke the sound barrier. The research hall was instantly half-destroyed by the shockwave. The walls in its path were smashed apart, followed by a series of earthquake-like chain impacts.

Surviving researchers crawled out of the rubble, covered in dust.

"Where is the automatic alert system?! Why didn't it activate?!"

"Damn it, my leg is injured!"

"What the hell is that monster?!"

So of the researchers familiar with the layout imdiately understood the creature's target.

"Bad news–it's heading for the Fairytale units!"

Its direction of travel was the Fairytale-type dormitory area.

...

"Alright."

With Abe's operation, the elevator lock was released.

"Quick, we need to go back imdiately!"

"No, sothing's wrong," Abe said, falling into thought. "The timing is too perfect. Why would it lock exactly when both of us are at the deepest level? And this lock… it's too simple. It only causes delay–it has no real security."

Cinderella's eyes fixed on the slowly changing elevator numbers, her lips tightly pressed together.

Everyone… please don't let anything happen…