Nikke, something’s seriously wrong with this evacuation point! Chapter 83 83: The Pressure Keeps Growing

"Lieutenant, I still have one more question."

Just when Charon thought the matter was finally over, Scarlet suddenly spoke up.

"Go ahead." Charon waved a hand casually.

"If this was all we needed to talk about… did we really have to co all the way out here?" Scarlet looked toward the villa.

The issue in her heart wasn't completely resolved, but with Charon's promise, the knot weighing on her mind had finally loosened.

For a warrior as straightforward as her, a superior's promise carried trendous weight.

At the very least, Scarlet believed him.

"Well… about that." Charon scratched his cheek. "We didn't finish looting the supplies last ti, so I figured we might as well make another trip."

That was the truth.

The villa still had an absurd amount of resources left. He hadn't even searched half of it before stopping last ti. Originally, he had planned to sneak back alone and finish scavenging the rest, but since they were already here, he simply brought Scarlet along as soone who already knew the secret.

"And besides," Charon added while walking toward the villa without looking back, "if nothing unexpected happens, we'll probably be moving out again soon."

"The Rapture nests around this area have mostly been cleared already. In a few days at most, we'll probably head toward the next outpost."

Scarlet unconsciously frowned.

"We're going even deeper…?" she murmured.

Still, that was all. She would never question orders from above.

Charon simply listened in silence and continued leading the way.

The scavenging process went smoothly.

Charon walked ahead opening cabinets and hidden compartnts while Scarlet followed behind carrying bags and packing supplies.

At one point she genuinely started feeling useless.

Charon could casually pull food out of drawers while walking, yet whenever she tried opening anything herself, she found nothing but empty shelves or rotten trash.

As expected… combat was the only thing she was good at.

Anything related to logistics was hopeless for her.

"Alright, this should do it."

Another massive haul.

The two of them now carried backpacks even larger than before as they began heading back.

Oddly enough, Scarlet found herself in a surprisingly good mood.

The feeling of returning fully loaded sohow satisfied her even more than cutting down Raptures.

While passing through a forest path, Charon suddenly took an apple out of his pocket, tossed it lightly in the air, then threw it into the bushes.

"Lieutenant?" Scarlet turned around, faint confusion appearing in her eyes.

"It's nothing." Charon didn't explain and simply quickened his pace.

After the two disappeared into the distance, Rose slowly erged from the forest while holding the apple.

"So I was noticed after all… That lieutenant really is a strange man…"

She chuckled softly before finally taking a bite.

Her eyes instantly lit up.

"Mmm…"

A satisfied sigh escaped her lips.

...

Just as Charon predicted, less than two days later Barnes issued the order to advance once more.

They abandoned the base they had occupied for half a month and pushed deeper behind enemy lines, liberating more military facilities captured by the Raptures.

After three days of fighting, they cleared out another Rapture-controlled base and established a new camp.

This ti the living conditions were far better.

Because the location had once housed human personnel quarters, every Nikke now had her own room, along with a far more proper training ground.

At the sa ti, Charon's treatnt among the Nikkes also began to change slightly.

Mainly because of Scarlet.

Ever since that day, even though nothing had been officially stated, Scarlet had started instructing Charon whenever he practiced swordsmanship.

From force application, strength control, posture, muscle coordination–

she explained everything in painstaking detail.

So detailed, in fact, that the other Nikkes were left speechless.

After all, none of them were stronger than Scarlet, nor were they anywhere near her level of expertise.

The best they could do was sulk in the corner and taphorically bite their handkerchiefs in jealousy.

"Captain, Captain… is this really okay?"

One Nikke carefully approached Rose, who was also practicing basic sword drills nearby.

"Hasn't it been a long ti since you and Scarlet last sparred?"

"What are those little brains of yours thinking about?" Rose lightly poked the Nikke's forehead. "Go practice properly. You're the one who gets injured the most."

"Hehe… sorry, Captain. I was just curious."

The Nikke retreated awkwardly.

Did Rose have thoughts about all this?

Of course she did.

After all, the things Charon had said were far too bizarre.

But unlike Scarlet, she wasn't the type to develop psychological issues just because of a few shocking words. Besides, she still hadn't personally seen the "things" Charon described.

Even so, her concern for her younger sister was genuine.

She had noticed that ever since that conversation with Charon, Scarlet's rate of improvent had skyrocketed.

Even Rose had to admit it–

the pressure Scarlet was putting on her had beco enormous.

So for now, Rose decided to keep one eye open and one eye closed.

Though whether that was truly the only reason… only Rose herself knew.

...

After arriving at the new outpost, the difficulty of their missions began increasing dramatically.

Unlike the previous region, where Servant-class Raptures were the main threat, the enemy forces here were primarily Master-class Raptures, and their numbers had nearly doubled.

Rose and Scarlet managed well enough.

After all, nearly eighty percent of the lee squad's combat strength rested on the two sisters alone.

But the other lee Nikkes were having a much harder ti.

After only the first mission in this area, one Nikke was severely injured.

One of her legs had been blown completely apart.

If Charon hadn't reacted instantly and dragged her away, the next explosion might have taken her head off instead.

Now she was bedridden in the dormitory, temporarily unable to fight.

"..."

Barnes sat behind his desk smoking, barely listening to Rose's report.

"Lieutenant? Lieutenant?"

Rose had to call out to him before handing over a supply request form for Nikke repair materials.

"In order to return her to the battlefield as quickly as possible, we need additional supplies."

"Ah… right, I got it. I'll report it upstairs."

Barnes casually took the paper and waved dismissively at her.

"Please excuse ."

Rose could only leave helplessly.

At this point she genuinely had no idea what to say about the man anymore.

If Lieutenant Ron were in charge instead… would things be better?

The thought lingered briefly before disappearing.

Better not think too much about it.

What she didn't know was that the mont she left, Barnes cursed under his breath and tore the request form into pieces.

"This can't continue…"

he muttered darkly.

...

Until new supplies arrived, their missions could not stop.

Barnes's orders were ruthless:

Continue carrying out missions exactly as instructed.

Although the number of operations remained the sa, the difficulty had risen drastically, far beyond what their squad as a whole could realistically handle.

Even with the Rose-Scarlet duo carrying the team, the injury rate among the mbers continued climbing.

And a full week later, the repair materials for the first injured Nikke–the one who lost her leg–finally arrived at the base.

During that week alone, there had already been three separate situations where, if Charon had not happened to be nearby, casualties would have been unavoidable.