Out-of-Body Roaming (Part 2)

In just a few seconds, the dark red alarm lights spread a tense, grave atmosphere to every corner of the Transport Ship.

Such situations were admittedly rare for the military, but there were always protocols to follow. As long as every system and department obeyed orders without question, that was enough.

The problem was that the Transport Ship currently carried more than just military personnel.

When the alarm sounded, the Quantum Corporation engineers setting up the venue and calibrating equipment in Sector C of the Transport Ship were all dumbfounded.

They stopped what they were doing and looked at one another, completely at a loss.

Lieutenant Colonel Lu, who was present as a "supervisor," held the highest rank and had ample experience. He immediately said, "All non-combat personnel, stop work and remain where you are until further instructions."

After temporarily calming Human Hearts, Lieutenant Colonel Lu hurriedly contacted his superiors to confirm the situation. Once he finally received clearer instructions, he looked up for Quantum Corporation's person in charge, only for his eye to twitch.

As the head of security, Yan Yongbo sat at the edge of the worksite, never looking up as he fiddled with his wristband, treating the changes outside as if they did not exist.

So this was how damn calm you were supposed to be?

Lieutenant Colonel Lu had always disliked this sort of arrogant, self-important fellow. His face immediately darkened as he strode over, about to speak, when a burly man in a Tianqing Security uniform beat him to it and asked Yan Yongbo for instructions.

"Captain, we've entered emergency status. Should we warm up?"

"Warm up? Lao Hei..."

Yan Yongbo still did not look up. He replied blandly, "Have you considered how the military would feel if you ran around inside a warship wearing Exoskeleton Armor?"

"..."

"You haven't, right? Then go ask Lieutenant Colonel Lu."

Caught off guard by those words just as he approached, Lieutenant Colonel Lu's momentum weakened. At that moment, Yan Yongbo looked up at him. "Lieutenant Colonel Lu, what do you think?"

Lieutenant Colonel Lu's eye twitched twice more. In the end, he forcibly swallowed his anger and barely managed to speak.

"Orders from the Command Department: This Darkside Creature invasion is highly likely related to the incident in the Research Zone. Quantum Corporation's Burners are to participate in the pursuit and will temporarily be assigned to Special Operations Team 7th Squad. This is the communications identification code..."

Yan Yongbo received the relevant data and nodded. "All right, we accept the order. However, Lieutenant Colonel Lu, I suspect this incident is related to the detainees aboard the warship. I hope the military can strengthen its surveillance to prevent any accidents."

Fuck your grandfather!

Having the problem with his own responsibilities bluntly pointed out, Lieutenant Colonel Lu finally exploded. Too angry to keep up appearances any longer, he turned and left with a black face.

Yan Yongbo said nothing more. He stood and led Lao Hei in another direction. Along the way, he sent Lao Hei a file.

"That idiot will probably spend some time sulking. There won't be any changes to the security arrangements. Find an opportunity to move into the A2 Zone. Make a big show of it. If you run into this person, arrange a little accident..."

The data formed an image on Lao Hei's retina, revealing the delicate, quiet face of a young boy.

Lao Hei remained expressionless and merely nodded slightly, engraving that young face deep into his mind.

The alarms and warning lights continued without pause. Under the flickering dark red light, the "Prison Building" constructed between reality and illusion began to collapse piece by piece after its brief splendor. It quickly turned into ruins and returned to nothingness.

After all, Ronan had yet to construct a truly sound structure, and it involved many overly casual "visions of the future." The fact that it had held its form for a while was already excellent proof.

Of course, most importantly, the Burning Demon Shadow could no longer stir up any trouble.

"Clatter, clatter!"

The Dark Heavy Chains continued to draw back. No matter how the Burning Demon Shadow struggled, the chains binding it continued their dissection, slicing, and dialysis, gradually directing the level at which the force acted toward its core essence.

A faint layer of blood-red light could clearly be seen flowing across the chains' dark surface. The crimson glow shifted back and forth, drawing an endless stream of strange "heat" back into itself.

This was energy from the Burning Demon Shadow.

The accumulated results of the earlier information analysis began to take effect. The Burning Demon Shadow's energy circulation mechanism had been partially deciphered, and the chains promptly siphoned and replenished energy. While supporting Ronan, they also weakened the Burning Demon Shadow.

For Ronan, who had been forced out of his body in haste, this was as timely as it could possibly be. The energy pouring into Ronan's "soul" was like a mouthful of hot soup in a state of extreme hunger, or thick clothes wrapped around him in the depths of winter. The effect was immediate. The blade-like cold wind was shut out at once, and within two or three breaths, feedback even came from his physical body. Its near-limit hunger eased somewhat.

The situation was always a matter of one side rising as the other fell. Having "lost a great deal of blood," the Burning Demon Shadow changed from a wild boar charging blindly in every direction into a somewhat disobedient sled dog, then irreversibly began turning into a "dead dog."

A few seconds later, Ronan saw that "dead dog."

The Burning Demon Shadow had indeed become obedient, floating weakly in the air. Its appearance had not changed much... and even if it had, it would have been impossible to tell. Only the flames surrounding it had visibly dimmed.

What stood out, however, was that behind it—well, let's call it behind—it dragged a long "big tail." The Dark Heavy Chains were still continuously restraining, slicing, and analyzing the Burning Demon Shadow, and they seemed likely to continue for quite some time.

Though he was in a "soul state," Ronan still instinctively let out a long breath. He had finally dealt with this inexplicable trouble and could finally turn his attention back to reality.

Naturally, Ronan had noticed the alarm echoing throughout the ship.

If nothing else, a terrible negative term like "Aberrant Species" already explained quite a lot.

But what exactly was a Darkside Creature?

Ronan searched his memories, but found no answer.

By then, the surroundings had changed noticeably.

There was not a single person in the long interior corridor, but at some point, narrow slits had opened in several places along the walls and floor. Visible pale smoke drifted out, quickly filling the entire passageway.

At the end of the corridor, heavy footsteps sounded. Three imposing sets of Exoskeleton Armor advanced in combat formation through the hazy smoke, steadily pushing forward.

Aside from the smoke, the corridor was completely empty, without anything to provide cover. Yet The Other Side acted as though they were Facing a Formidable Enemy, as if an invisible monster might pounce and kill them at any moment.

Watching this scene, Ronan suddenly had a very strange feeling.

Invisible, invisible... why did these people seem to be here to deal with me?

The smoke in the corridor grew thicker. With a thought, Ronan did not charge ahead in the previous "galloping" fashion. Instead, he led the half-dead Burning Demon Shadow around the corridor and, like a true ghost, passed through the metal wall into the adjacent cabin. Then he rushed onward, heading toward his physical body.