Standing sideways by the fallen giant tree was that hunchbacked Walking Husk.
Its dark golden vertical pupils were turbid.
Whether it was an illusion shared by Kujou Katora and Su Yuzu or not, the girls felt that it was smiling. It was revealing a smile that bordered on mockery.
But how could Kujou Katora tolerate such trash showing that kind of mocking smile towards herself, and towards Miss Yuzu?
She took a step forward.
Su Yuzu called out to Kujou Katora, "Be careful of traps, Kujou-senpai..."
How could a Walking Husk smile?
Everything about this laboratory made Su Yuzu feel an ominous foreboding. Connecting it with the side quest named "The Girl with the Broken Song", Su Yuzu's nerves were forced to remain taut.
Kujou Katora looked at the malicious ghost grinning to reveal its hideous gums. She gripped the blood blade, bending her body to accumulate power like a javelin thrower.
Under the girl's tight combat suit, the muscles of her buttocks and thighs pulled taut.
The black-red blood blade in her hand gradually elongated, transforming into the shape of a throwing spear. Kujou Katora hurled the spear in her hand at the hunchbacked Walking Husk.
The spear flew like lightning, tracing a black-red straight line through the air.
In the next second, the hunchbacked Walking Husk's entire body was heavily lifted up.
The black-red blood spear nailed the Walking Husk onto the fallen giant tree.
"If it wants to block the way, let it block it," Kujou Katora said, looking coldly at the Walking Husk that had been pierced through the chest. Then, turning to look at the girl beside her, she tried her best to reveal that obedient demeanor again.
"Let's enter the laboratory first." She gently took Su Yuzu's hand.
Even if the laboratory's main gate was damaged, it was still a building after all, which was better than the open ground outside.
Inside the laboratory, Hayabusa had already retrieved the Storage Modules and Black Boxes from the data center.
She glanced nervously at Kujou Katora's expression.
After confirming that Lady Kujou was not extremely angry at her for failing to stop Miss Yuzu, Hayabusa slowly spoke.
"Those attackers did not take away the 'Storage Module' and Black Box of this laboratory."
"All the data of this laboratory should be in this 'Storage Module'."
Raising her hand, Hayabusa displayed the module in her hand to Kujou Katora with some solemnity.
She knew the weight of this "Storage Module" she held. It was like Pandora's Box.
Stored inside was the key capable of destroying this world. Once opened, the entire world could be doomed beyond redemption.
Man-made Aberrants.
Equivalent to a "Medical Unit"... a "Prototype Aberrant Activation Device" capable of 'repairing' humans into Aberrants.
Regardless of which one it was, it could change the ending of the world.
Now—they were all held in her hands.
The most terrifying part was... Hayabusa knew that even the Empire might covet this data. The best way to deal with them was to destroy them on the spot.
"And this... is the Black Box of this laboratory. Judging by the format, the surveillance footage from the last 90 days should be inside this Black Box," Hayabusa said, displaying another "Storage Module".
"Opening this Black Box will reveal the truth."
"But the problem right now is... regardless of which Storage Module it is, they all have the unique data encryption format of 'Epiphany Manufacture'."
"The difficulty of cracking it is very high."
"And we have no way to trust any organization capable of cracking the 'Epiphany Manufacture' encryption format."
"Including Keigunen."
"Perhaps we can hand the Black Box over to Sylvia and her laboratory."
Su Yuzu looked at the Black Box in Hayabusa's left hand. "To open the 'Epiphany Manufacture' encryption format, the best choice is another 'Epiphany Manufacture' laboratory."
"Sylvia won't mind."
"We also have sufficient excuses to stall."
"As for... that one." Su Yuzu looked at the "Storage Module" in Hayabusa's hand. "It's better for Miss Hayabusa to keep it safe."
Hayabusa nodded.
What Miss Yuzu said was indeed feasible.
"Then... regarding the situation with Lady Kujou and Miss Yuzu..."
Kujou Katora's brows furrowed even deeper.
Su Yuzu gently caught the tip of Kujou Katora's index finger. Hayabusa and those burly men all saw the small interaction between Miss Yuzu and their superior.
Even though in their hearts, wild beasts were howling at the sky, lamenting that their boss—such a ferocious fellow—finally had someone who could handle her.
But they still tried hard to maintain the appearance of iron-blooded tough guys, while also wanting to appear a bit kinder in front of Miss Yuzu.
The final result... was that this group of burly men, each built like a small mountain, wore smiles on their faces that were both comical and terrifying.
"The movements of those Walking Husks were very strange," Su Yuzu said softly, holding Kujou Katora's fingertip.
"Their goal was very clear. They only damaged the vehicle's wheel hubs and then sealed off the road we came from."
"It's like they want to keep us here."
"Damaged the wheel hubs?" Hayabusa's brow wrinkled slightly. "Our jeeps are very special, repairing them isn't impossible."
"But repairs will take at least three or four hours."
"We can't travel at night; the wilderness at night is simply too dangerous."
"We can only stay here overnight and go back tomorrow morning."
"Walking is the same."
"If we force march, we could walk back in a day's time."
"But similarly, we cannot travel at night. We can only stay here overnight."
"I suspect..."
Su Yuzu's expression also gradually became solemn.
This seemed to be an open scheme.
"That group of Walking Husks just wants to keep us, making us spend the night at this laboratory."
"Lady Kujou..." Hayabusa looked toward Kujou Katora and Su Yuzu.
"Miss Yuzu..."
"So what do we do?"
Kujou Katora looked back at Hayabusa. "This kind of thing is better left for you to decide."
"I am just a reckless woman."
"If there are Walking Husks invading, I'll just kill them all."
Hayabusa nodded. "Then let's stay overnight."
"There is still a whole afternoon before dark."
"We have ample time to set up camp and build defensive fortifications."
"Let the metal-type Espers repair the wheel hubs."
"We don't necessarily have to rest inside this laboratory; the residential buildings nearby are also quite nice."
Kujou Katora nodded. "Then let's do that."
Night gradually fell.
The group occupied a small western-style house near the lakeside.
The burly men had already set up defensive fortifications, which even included landmines.
Hayabusa lit a bonfire in the yard and casually roasted some meat.
She handed the best-looking piece of roast meat to Su Yuzu; it was a deer they had caught.
The dancing firelight reflected on the girl's small face, outlining her crystal-clear features.
"We didn't catch any fish in the lake," Hayabusa explained with a smile.
"Otherwise, we originally wanted to roast a fish for Miss Yuzu."
"It's fine..." Su Yuzu held the twig. "This is already very good."
This was her first time walking into the wilderness and spending the night in no man's land.
Tilting her head, Su Yuzu looked in the direction of the lake.
Just as Zero had described to her, under the brilliant stars of the night, that 'sea surface' was beautiful.
It was completely different from the nights of the real ocean, which were forever covered by that surging white fog.
The lake surface stretched endlessly, the sparkling waves reflecting the stars, connecting with the horizon.
A casual snapshot could be used as a wallpaper.
The evening breeze blew.
Closing her eyes, Su Yuzu could even feel as if she were standing on a small boat in the center of the sea, the sea breeze brushing past her face.
Then... the girl's crimson eyes suddenly contracted.
Su Yuzu turned her ear, listening with rapt attention. Thump-thump—
Thump-thump—
In the sound of the night wind, she heard a rhythm that was distinct and powerful.
It was like... a heartbeat.
But exactly what kind of monster could hide its heartbeat within the whistling wind?
The hair all over Su Yuzu's body stood on end.
That group of Walking Husks had indeed kept them overnight on purpose.
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