Savior (Part 1)

Old Hand did not go to the factory today. He said he was not feeling well and stayed in his little home, giving himself some time to catch his breath.

In fact, he was indeed feeling a little under the weather. Diving deep into the Deep Water Zone at one hundred and eighty meters, then staying there for so long—even with equipment supporting him—was too harsh for an old man.

He leaned back on the sofa, but his hands were not idle. His fingers kept moving through the Virtual Work Area, sketching out "foundation structures," formed and unformed alike.

Sanctuary...

It was a good thing, but the winds outside were blowing hard. The Soul Order, which had originally been developing discreetly, had suddenly become a target everyone wanted to destroy, and for such an absurd reason.

Even from far away, Old Hand could smell the stench of conspiracy.

Putting aside whether the Soul Order was innocent, how was this sort of work supposed to be passed on? How was it supposed to be learned? Those were all matters that required serious thought.

Some people just died and left all the hard problems behind for others...

His wristband vibrated. A call was coming in. Seeing the caller ID, Old Hand tipped his head back, but quickly accepted it anyway.

"Hello, Secretary Yin. Yes, I'm not at the factory. Are we continuing our discussion?

"Looking for a workshop? Looking for me? President Okudaira Yuzo can surely recommend someone better than I can... Heh heh, what kind of Professional am I? But if Mister Mo insists, I can indeed offer some input from a technician's perspective.

"You'll come pick me up? No need, is there? All right, then I won't stand on ceremony."

The brief call ended. Old Hand scratched at his graying