Nightmare Descends

Kunlun's successful activation had absolutely drawn plenty of attention. The other Jaeger work crews and pilots on the first level of the Shatterdome gathered around, all assembled to celebrate the birth of a new comrade.

"Hmm... another deadweight has appeared," Sethi said with faint contempt.

He stood with his arms crossed, leaning against the wall as he gazed at Kunlun from afar, utterly bored.

The Tang Brothers, on the other hand, seemed somewhat excited. Their status as pilots was not particularly high, and having another seventh-generation Jaeger big brother was equivalent to another layer of protection for them.

"With one more comrade, humanity has one more hope of victory, doesn't it?"

The short man who had been standing with the three of them also spoke. He was Zhang Wenhu, the new pilot of Huangshan.

He was not tall, looked to be in his twenties, and was rather thin. Yet Huangshan was the strongest close-combat Jaeger among the seventh-generation heavy Jaegers. No one dared casually question the skill and strength hidden beneath Zhang Wenhu's slight frame.

Behind the four of them stood their respective Jaeger work crews. More than a thousand people looked toward Kunlun, discussing it animatedly. The scene was exceedingly lively.

Angie and Lin Yin were also watching this scene, and they were even closer, standing in the transparent corridor of the residential area directly in front of Kunlun. The red glow from Kunlun's single eye had even flushed their faces.

"Wow, is that the Kunlun that's been sealed away for a year?" Angie exclaimed. She pressed herself against the glass, her eyes filled with stars.

Then she turned to Lin Yin and asked, "Is this the one Rosen used to pilot?"

"Yes." Lin Yin nodded expressionlessly. "It's a pity Rosen failed to seize his opportunity."

"Oh..."

Angie sighed regretfully upon hearing that, but then she suddenly remembered something—

Didn't Rosen borrow a Pilot Suit from me so he could pilot a Jaeger?

Then... could it be possible... even if there's only a one-percent chance...

Angie looked toward Kunlun again.

At this very moment, was Rosen sitting inside it?

"Angie, Rosen is inside, isn't he?" Lin Yin suddenly said, startling Angie.

"Sis, how could that be..."

"Did you lend him the teacher's Pilot Suit a few days ago?"

Faced with Lin Yin's gaze, which allowed no lies, Angie's breathing caught. Then she stuck out her tongue and nodded, her face flushed red.

"You..." Lin Yin did not actually mean to blame her. She merely sighed helplessly before turning her gaze back to Kunlun.

The two continued observing Kunlun.

Yet before long, both of them frowned. They had noticed something was wrong.

They turned to look at each other and asked in unison, "Why isn't Kunlun moving?"

When Rosen opened his eyes again, Mike finally let out a sigh of relief.

The red indicator light representing the engine on the control console had finally lit up. This meant Rosen had successfully activated the behemoth—and it also proved Mike's theory correct. Under normal circumstances, there was absolutely no way to activate a Jaeger with a Sync Rate below 70%.

"Bro, you did it!" Mike immediately congratulated Rosen.

Strangely, Rosen showed no reaction. He merely stared straight ahead, his whole body rigid.

"Rosen?"

Mike gave Rosen a push, but he still did not respond, as though he were a corpse.

"Don't scare me." Mike released the crossbeam with both hands, intending to go forward and see what had happened to Rosen.

At that moment, Rosen's right hand suddenly twitched. Then Kunlun shook—the enormous Jaeger raised its right arm.

The violent shaking threw Mike off balance. His feet slipped, and he immediately slid off the motion platform, falling downward!

Below the motion platform was the gyroscopic stabilizer assembly. If he fell, the high-speed gears would inevitably chew him to pieces!

Fortunately, Mike reacted quickly. He desperately grabbed a corner of the motion platform, leaving his entire body dangling in midair. Mike could even feel the constantly rotating stabilizer shaft brushing the soles of his feet, like the Grim Reaper beckoning to him.

Mike struggled to breathe as he desperately inched his way upward.

After quite a while, he finally escaped the Grim Reaper's grasp. Before he could even catch his breath, the communicator rang again.

"Who the hell is piloting Kunlun?!" Jiang Tianzheng's furious voice came through the communicator. "Why is your Sync Rate only 50%? Answer me!"

It's over, Mike thought. This is really over. But Rosen had successfully activated Kunlun, hadn't he?

As long as Rosen and he said nothing, no one would know. He might as well take a desperate gamble.

Mike walked over to the communicator, took a deep breath, and said, "This is Mike Kane. I am indeed the one piloting it. Maybe the detector is malfunctioning. My condition is..."

Mike had wanted to say that he was in good condition, but when he turned around and saw Rosen's eyes—

The rest of his words were forcibly strangled in his throat.

Rosen's eyes were vacant and completely crimson, like... Mike suddenly could not find words to describe them.

Right, they looked just like Kunlun's eyes.

"This..." Mike shook his head in disbelief, muttering to himself.

"No... now it's really over."

Rosen heard the electronic female voice announcing successful activation.

I finally did it... Rosen thought happily.

Through the neural connection just now, Rosen had once again experienced the towering majesty of the Jaeger warriors. Although he had left midway for a year, it felt as though he had never left at all. It was more like Kunlun still remembered him and was joyfully welcoming Rosen's return.

He waited for me for a year. Now, I'll repay him. From today onward, I'm a true Jaeger pilot. Kunlun, you'll soon be making achievements with me.

Rosen happily opened his eyes, and the scene displayed by the holographic HUD in front of him immediately came into view. He seemed to be able to see Lin Yin and Angie watching him from the distant transparent corridor.

Angie...

Angie's eyes resembled Raleigh's. They were always so clear and bright, and they always reminded Rosen of his mentor.

Raleigh Beckett. He had always been so powerful, optimistic, and invincible.

Yet in the end, he had still come to rest beneath the deep sea.

Come to rest...

Will I die too? Like my teacher?

Rosen suddenly thought of death, causing Kunlun to twitch—it raised its right hand.

Rosen frowned, sensing that something was wrong. Don't let your mind wander. Hurry and clear away these distracting thoughts...

...Strangely, the scene on the display before Rosen suddenly vanished.

It was replaced by a massive dark-red eye. It radiated some strange light as it stared fixedly at Rosen.

The sight was far too familiar. Rosen nearly cried out.

A year ago, exactly one year ago, in the instant before he fell unconscious, this eye had appeared as well.

Then Rosen discovered that the black combat suit he wore had turned white—

It was the one that had belonged to him a year ago.

The cockpit's surroundings were rapidly receding, becoming increasingly similar to how they had looked a year ago.

"Oh, no, no—"

Rosen screamed inwardly.