Nikke, something’s seriously wrong with this evacuation point! Chapter 35 35: You’d better run a bit slower… I might not ke

A short while earlier.

In front of Charon, the massive door collapsed with a thunderous crash. The section he had damaged earlier seed to have triggered a chain reaction. When the dust settled, fully ard soldiers had already surrounded the exit.

"I knew this probably wouldn't hold you, but isn't this a bit overkill?" Andrew's face was covered in cold sweat. "Hanging out with Liliweiss for too long finally infected you with that ridiculous strength too?"

"What are you talking about? If I had that kind of power, there'd be no need for her to cooperate with you. We'd just charge straight through, who could stop us?" Charon kept his head lowered, a dagger spinning fluidly in his hand. "Alright. Ti to settle things."

The atmosphere instantly tensed. The soldiers didn't dare move. Andrew might now be the de facto highest commander on the front line, but his authority was equal to Charon's, and so were his privileges.

Originally, Charon had willingly cooperated in Liliweiss's plan, which was why he had been locked up here. But now that Liliweiss had already departed, no one could force him to comply anymore.

Just as the soldiers thought the two close friends were about to fight, Andrew suddenly raised both hands.

"I surrender."

Charon paused mid-motion. "Good choice. Getting beaten into the ground wouldn't look very dignified."

Andrew sighed. There was no winning this, he had never once beaten Charon in combat training.

"Just… at least save so face in front of my subordinates."

"You didn't exactly show any respect when you locked up."

"…That's not the sa thing!"

Charon only smirked coldly.

"Honestly," Andrew said more seriously, "I still don't think you should go."

"I'm going," Charon replied without hesitation. "Oh, right. Contact Karen for . I need her."

"Uh… Abe and Karen left an hour ago. Said they had enough data and didn't need to stay anymore."

They left.

At this timing.

Charon narrowed his eyes slightly. That timing felt… wrong.

Especially Karen.

She had helped him so much, and yet left right before everything reached its climax?

"I can't waste any more ti here," he said, looking toward the direction of the Orbital Elevator. "Give a vehicle. Fastest one you've got."

"I said you can't–"

"Please." Charon cut him off.

That single word silenced everything.

Andrew looked at him, and saw sothing he had never seen before.

A gaze that went straight forward, without hesitation.

"…Fine."

Five minutes later, a brand-new off-road vehicle was parked in front of Charon.

"I expected a race car," Charon whistled.

"This doesn't look fast enough."

"This is the fastest thing we've got," Andrew replied. "It was prepared by Alex for ergency evacuation. You're lucky I'm letting you use it."

Charon grabbed the keys.

Andrew didn't let go.

"Charon." His grip tightened. "Co back alive."

"…Yeah."

Charon gave him a brief pat on the shoulder, then got in the car and floored the accelerator.

The vehicle shot forward, kicking up a trail of dust until it vanished into the forest.

Andrew stood there silently, watching it disappear.

Sothing felt wrong.

Back on the road.

This ti, the path toward the Orbital Elevator was almost empty.

No Raptures.

Liliweiss had already cleared them.

Charon exhaled slightly.

If he had been there earlier… he could've been collecting loot while she did all the fighting.

That thought made him smirk.

The truth was simple:

He had done all this because of Liliweiss.

After the last mission, she had developed a tendency, she could not accept him being in danger. If he insisted on accompanying her, she might have even knocked him out and dragged him back.

And if that happened… who knew when he'd wake up?

By then, everything could already be over.

He couldn't allow that.

Suddenly, the comms crackled.

"Who is it?"

Andrew's voice ca through, urgent and serious:

[Charon. I'll keep this short. Right now, at this very mont, large numbers of Raptures are moving toward the Orbital Elevator. Massive numbers. Even Tyrant-class units are among them.]

Charon let out a whistle. "Now that's rare."

[We haven't seen a mobilization of this scale in years. We can't fight this head-on. The base must be abandoned. We're evacuating.]

"You're trying to talk back, aren't you?"

[I'm serious, damn it!]

"Yeah, I know. Just ssing with you."

Charon paused for a mont.

Then smiled.

"But doesn't this actually make my plan easier?"

[…You've got a point. Just don't die. I can't help you anymore.]

"I know."

The call ended.

The car stopped at a familiar cliff, the highest point overlooking the city, untouched by Raptures.

Charon stepped out.

He began setting things up.

It took so ti.

And when he was done, he looked toward the road ahead.

Toward the long run he was about to make.

"…Liliweiss."

He exhaled.

"You'd better run a bit slower… I might not keep up."