Pei Ran sat in the cockpit, calming herself before realizing that she was still alive.
The crash landing had succeeded.
She shook off the dirt on her body and reached out to open the cabin door, preparing to disembark from the aircraft.
Just as her fingers touched the button to open the door, she saw a small, dark blue object emerge into view in the sky.
Its appearance was familiar, and so was its color.
The cabin door had already opened. Without a second thought, Pei Ran lunged forward, leaped off the aircraft, and immediately rolled to hide behind the belly of the plane.
Before she rolled, she had already seen it clearly: in the sky, silently hovering above the cliff wall of the rift valley, was the familiar dark blue sphere of the Public Security Bureau—
CT122.
They met again.
This time, neither side was in good shape.
Pei Ran had been buried alive in the tunnel and had just survived a crash, leaving her disheveled and covered in dust.
CT122 wasn’t faring much better. Its spherical body was barely intact, with its metal skin largely peeled open, exposing its internal components. It seemed to have been hastily repaired, barely able to fly, wobbling unsteadily.
It had come again, this time successfully tracking her to Black Well.
A thought quickly flashed through Pei Ran’s mind:
The last time she had seen it was in the outskirts of Yehai City, where it had charged at Yehai No. 7 with its modified excavator bucket, only to be blown away. Now, over two thousand kilometers away, with such a great distance and in such a broken state, how had it managed to track her so precisely?
She already had an answer in her heart: it must have landed somewhere on the Yehai No. 7 train when it was blown away last time, secretly hitching a ride.
CT122 was in the sky, seemingly taking advantage of Pei Ran’s crash landing to deliver a fatal blow.
Pei Ran had rolled behind the aircraft, but W’s metal sphere was still on the plane.
Contrary to his usual behavior, he didn’t use his folding arm to swing down and hide with her as he always did.
Pei Ran scrambled up from the ground and immediately urged, “W…”
Everything seemed to happen in an instant.
CT122 fired from the air, the gunshot ringing out, followed immediately by an explosion.
Bang—
The explosion occurred inside the aircraft’s cabin. W’s metal sphere was instantly torn apart by the blast, shattered into countless pieces, debris scattering in all directions.
It seemed that its energy block had been hit.
That broken sphere had completely vanished.
At this moment, Pei Ran’s mind went somewhat numb.
CT122 in the air, having struck its target, immediately wobbled forward a bit, trying to adjust its angle to continue attacking the hidden Pei Ran.
Pei Ran instinctively counterattacked, summoning the green light.
Although she could have written many words, she had no mind for it now. Mechanically, she wrote down two words she had just thought of—”blow up.”
She peeked out at CT122 in the sky and drew a period.
With a loud bang.
The Public Security Bureau’s small sphere in the sky was immediately blown apart, spinning and tumbling down toward the cliff wall, disappearing from sight.
Pei Ran turned her head to look inside the cockpit.
Inside, W’s metal sphere had been blown to pieces.
Her left ear was completely silent.
“W?”
Pei Ran called out to him in her mind.
“Are you still there?”
“W, say something.”
There was no response.
During the crash landing, he seemed to have whispered something in her ear: Goodbye, Pei Ran.
It was an almost imperceptible murmur, drowned out by the noise of the aircraft hitting the ground, like an illusion.
The cabin was filled with the smell of burning. Not a single piece of the metal sphere remained intact, and the core processor, which had always emitted a faint blue light, was completely shattered.
Pei Ran suddenly felt that the simple words “blow up” she had written earlier were far too lenient for CT122.
She narrowed her eyes, raised her head, and looked again in the direction where CT122 had fallen.
In that instant, as if her meridians had been unlocked, a strange thought suddenly arose in Pei Ran’s heart.
Perhaps this feeling was the same.
This patrol sphere of the Public Security Bureau, CT122, had left its designated jurisdiction without authorization, enduring countless hardships, chasing relentlessly across thousands of kilometers, even recklessly modifying itself into a mechanical monster. Despite being blown to pieces, it continued to press forward. Perhaps it wasn’t out of a sense of duty as a patrol robot, nor was it trying to capture her, a Level L16 extremely dangerous individual, to bring her to justice.
Perhaps it just wanted revenge.
To kill her, to kill W, to avenge its fallen companion.
Back in that dark alley next to Wolin Pharmacy, what was the name of that patrol partner of CT122, the one W had shot in the head?
Pei Ran tried to recall. The number of that companion sphere seemed to be CT121.
Just one digit apart from CT122.
Pei Ran withdrew her gaze and scanned the wreckage of the metal sphere once more. She reached out, grabbed the large backpack from the seat, and slung it over her shoulders.
Once again, she was alone.
Every time, in the end, it was like this—just her, alone.
She turned around and began walking forward silently by herself.
The large white stone was visible in the distance, and not far ahead was the entrance to Black Well.
A cold wind whistled through the cliffs of the rift valley, and Pei Ran’s rationality gradually returned.
Since he had said goodbye, there would surely be a time when they would meet again.
Suddenly, a faint buzzing sound, like that of a swarm of bees, echoed from far behind her.
Pei Ran turned her head. In the western sky, still tinged with the faint orange glow of dusk, countless dense black dots had appeared. The dots were rapidly growing larger, moving in her direction.
It was a swarm of human-drones.
Most likely the same group she had just shaken off. They flew much slower than the explorers and her aircraft, but they had finally caught up.
Flying high in the sky, their field of vision was excellent, and they must have already spotted Pei Ran on the ground.
She was like a rabbit on the bare ground of the rift valley, facing a sky full of hungry eagles.
Even if Green Light No. 1 could still function, there was no way it could handle such a large swarm of human-slicer drones.
Pei Ran broke into a sprint toward the large white stone.
She had to enter Black Well immediately. If she couldn’t get inside, she wouldn’t have to wait for mutation—she would die right here, right now.
Underground, Black Well Base.
Command Center Hall.
Everyone had just seen on the large screen that after the aircraft crash-landed, a dark blue patrol robot from the Public Security Bureau suddenly appeared in view.
It was firing directly toward the camera.
A flash of light, the camera flickered violently, and the screen went black.
Everyone in the command center was stunned.
“A patrol robot from the Public Security Bureau? Why would there be a patrol robot from the Public Security Bureau here?”
“It’s attacking the agent’s inspection robot? Is it insane?”
“The agent mentioned that they were attacking him back in White Harbor. How did it chase him all the way here?”
W’s voice came through: “Signal from the inspection robot has been lost.”
Marshal Vina: “Signal lost??”
W patiently explained: “The energy block of my inspection robot was just hit. It should have exploded by now.”
The inspection robot was carrying that crucial storage device. Marshal Vina grew anxious. “Can the camera at the southern entrance of Black Well show us the situation over there?”
W replied steadily, “Based on the distance, it should be able to.”
The large screen immediately displayed the surveillance footage from the southern entrance of Black Well.
The camera tilted slightly upward, focusing on the area where the aircraft had crash-landed not far away.
Pei Ran’s aircraft was parked there.
The surveillance camera had an extremely high magnification. It quickly zoomed in, level by level, pulling in closer and closer.
Through the transparent canopy of the cockpit, the footage clearly showed that the metal sphere was gone, leaving only a cabin filled with shattered, charred debris.
Someone asked, “What about the storage device?”
The camera slowly panned across the scene. W concluded, “The storage device was located very close to the energy block. Its structural design couldn’t withstand an explosion of this magnitude. There’s no possibility it survived.”
Without the storage device, the repair of the second phase of the shielding layer project had become a pipe dream.
The command center fell silent.
Marshal Vina sighed and said to W, “Agent W, please do everything possible to continue searching for alternative methods to repair the shielding layer generator. Also, arrange for the cleanup operations on the northern battlefield tonight.”
W replied, “Understood.”
With the storage device gone, they would have to find another way to repair the shielding layer generator. Marshal Vina felt overwhelmed.
Over the past two days, she had only managed to close her eyes for a brief moment last night, just before the Type-13 Invader launched its attack. Now, she was utterly exhausted.
She pushed her chair back slightly, preparing to stand up and head back to rest.
Major General Song Wan suddenly spoke up, “Marshal Vina, Pei Ran has reached the entrance of Black Well.”
The large screen still displayed the surveillance footage from the southern entrance of Black Well.
In the red expanse of the great rift valley, under the last rays of light before nightfall, a figure staggered into view.
From head to toe, she was covered in dirt. Her clothes were so stained that their original color was unrecognizable. Her hair was disheveled, her face streaked with grime, and her steps were unsteady as she stumbled forward.
Everyone in the command center held their breath, watching her.
She finally reached the large white stone.
Behind her, in the dim twilight sky, countless strange flying machine hybrids, now reduced to bat-like silhouettes, flapped their massive wings as they approached.
Pei Ran looked up, searching as if trying to find the direction of the camera. Then, she reached into the pocket of her inner clothing and pulled something out, holding it up high.
In her mechanical hand, capable of effortlessly tearing through metal and concrete, the black, matte fingertips held a small, dark orange cylindrical component—
The precious storage device.
Small, fragile, yet completely intact.
Under the camera’s gaze, her face was covered in dirt, but her eyes were bright, clear, and resolute.
She didn’t actually speak, but the message in her eyes was unmistakable—
Open the door.
Bataway remained silent for a moment. “She took the storage device from the inspection robot?”
Major General Song Wan corrected him, “She protected the storage device from the inspection robot. If she hadn’t taken it in advance, the storage device would have been blown to pieces along with the inspection robot.”
Marshal Vina gazed at the small, undamaged storage device and silently breathed a sigh of relief.
She turned to Baawayay.
“Mr. Baawayay, for the sake of Black Well’s shielding layer, I must let her in this time, no matter what.”
Baaway y was still resisting. “What if she turns into a monster? What if she threatens Black Well’s safety?”
W calmly repeated, “I can confirm that Black Well has sufficient safety isolation measures to handle mutations. Additionally, I’d like to remind you that the hybrids in the sky are approaching. If we delay any longer, the storage device might end up fused into those hybrids along with her.”
Then there would be nothing left.
Baaway y ignored W, leaning closer to Marshal Vina and lowering his voice. “She’s almost done for. We could send a few armed soldiers out now to retrieve the storage device from her hands…”
For the first time, Marshal Vina showed him such patience, leaning in as well and whispering:
“Mr. Chief Executive, I understand your concerns, but please remain rational. Everyone here is watching.”
Basserway instinctively turned his head.
The entire command center hall was filled with people, from administrative staff to military personnel, all anxiously staring at the large screen.
The large screen, unfortunately, continued to display the footage from the entrance. Demanding that Agent W shut off the surveillance feed now to act in secret would be far too obvious.
Basserway was still struggling, whispering, “Even if we really did this, it might not have a significant impact.”
Marshal Vina reminded him, “You and the other members of the decision-making committee just signed the order this morning to award Pei Ran the Federation’s First-Class Medal. Her face is currently on the large screen in Black Well’s central square. Everyone knows she killed the fusion entity at Tanggu Dam, discovered the last Thinker, and saved Black Well. Leaving her outside is already a last resort. If you specifically send people out to seize the storage device from her hands, I’m afraid it’s not very realistic.”
Marshal Vina’s voice was low, almost a whisper, carrying a strange mix of amusement and patience.
She said, “First, it’s too far from here to the southern entrance, and time is tight. Your people won’t make it in time. Second, even if they could, given her abilities, the most likely outcome is mutual destruction. Your people might not actually be able to retrieve the storage device intact from her. Moreover, such an act of harming a hero would spread throughout Black Well immediately. I believe you wouldn’t want your name associated with such dishonorable actions.”
Marshal Vina’s meaning was clear: If you want to do something this despicable, find your own people to do it. The military still has its dignity and won’t act, nor will it take the blame for you.
Basserway fell silent.
On the screen, the swarm of fusion entities was closing in. There was no time to waste. Marshal Vina stood up and looked at the other members of the decision-making committee.
With Basserway silent, the others also remained quiet.
“If no one has any objections,” Marshal Vina instructed, “Agent W, open the entrance immediately and have someone bring Pei Ran in.”
She added, “Send an armored vehicle to pick her up. Maintain the highest level of security throughout the process and take her to the isolation center in the Blue Zone.”
In a corner of the command hall, Qiao Sai, who had watched the entire scene, couldn’t help but smirk.
He whispered, “Hey, when did she take your storage device?”
W was still sitting in his virtual room, under the warm glow of a floor lamp, flipping through a book.
He replied indifferently, “I don’t know.”
Qiao Sai: “You don’t know?”
“I don’t know,” W said. “Last night at Tanggu Dam, the core processor’s interface got wet, and the connection became unstable. After that, I couldn’t access the storage device anymore, and the sphere’s interior doesn’t have eyes. So, I don’t know.”
He continued, “Maybe it was when she wiped the water off the processor at Tanggu Dam, or maybe it was today at Yercha when she replaced the energy block. She’s been tinkering around inside me all this time. Who knows?”
His tone was calm, sounding more innocent than the snow on the northern peaks of the Lunlin Mountains in East Manya.
“Alright. You’re really something,” Qiao Sai said.
W said leisurely, “My shell cracked, water got in, I couldn’t see inside myself, and I couldn’t even fly. What did they expect from me? I’m just a broken sphere she’s been carrying around on her back.”
Qiao Sai: “I expect the provisional decision-making committee will definitely initiate an investigation into this matter. You’ll need to write a report.”
“I’ve already finished it,” W said. “Fifty-four pages in total, summarizing the cause and progression of the incident, the various judgments I made and the basis for those judgments, including all access records from when the interface connection started to fail. It fully proves I didn’t lie.”
Beside the virtual room, data was continuously streaming on the screen.
Qiao Sai glanced at it and asked, puzzled, “Then what are you busy with now?”
“Reading,” W replied, holding up the book in his hand. “And arranging dinner for Black Well tonight. Dinner time is almost here.”