Xu Qi looked up, suddenly at a loss for words...
In midair! A civilian helicopter was slowly descending, and standing aboard it—could it be anyone other than Mobius and Eden!?
Once the helicopter had descended halfway, a rope ladder dropped down.
"Come on up! V2V is on the helicopter!"
Chief Engineer Xia, who had walked out with them, seemed to realize something. He looked at Xu Qi, hesitated for a long while, then shouted, "That brat Xia Ya! I'm leaving him to you!"
Xu Qi nodded heavily.
"I'll stop him... I swear!"
Mei suddenly rushed in front of Xu Qi. Without caring that they were surrounded by countless eyes, she threw herself into his arms.
Her delicate body hugged Xu Qi tightly, the love in the girl's heart held nothing back.
Xu Qi's raised hand paused in midair. Then he embraced Mei as well, holding her so tightly that it was as though he wanted to merge her into his own body.
They gazed into each other's eyes and kissed.
Yae decisively covered Fu Hua's and Pardofelis's eyes.
Chief Engineer Xia was stunned as well. His expression, once as bleak as dead ashes, could not help but break into a hearty smile at that moment.
Those who witnessed the scene were all moved to some degree. What else could it be but one final embrace before parting in life and death?
When their lips parted, Mei's face was already covered in tears. She looked at Xu Qi and said,
"Stay alive."
Xu Qi said half-jokingly, "If I make it out alive, remember to give me a reward."
"If you make it back alive, I'll give you all of me."
Mei's words, filled with love, made Xu Qi entertain the thought of giving up for a fleeting moment.
"Go, my... great hero."
Mei released Xu Qi.
Xu Qi no longer hesitated either. He grabbed the rope ladder and departed with the helicopter.
Stay alive... I have to... stay alive!
······
On the helicopter, Mobius opened the rear cabin. There, a black-and-white V2V Armor, a person and a half in height, stood quietly on the maintenance platform.
"Xia Ya's heavy Exoskeleton Armor is definitely a military model, but ours isn't bad either. Just like Vil-V's online name—V2V isn't merely for show!"
Xu Qi stared at the armor before him. Just as he drew a deep breath and prepared to step forward, Eden suddenly spoke beside him.
"Xu Qi."
"Eden, what is it?"
"Just as Xia Ya created all of this merely to ask a question, everyone from our Golden Courtyard has acted this way because we hope... that you can give that question an answer."
Eden had not even had time to change out of her formal dress, and at that moment she looked breathtakingly beautiful.
She stepped forward and placed both hands on Xu Qi's shoulders, saying solemnly,
"Stay alive! Don't let the hopes of so many people turn into disappointment."
"I will."
Eden smiled brightly.
"Go. Just as I said that day, I hope that when I return to the Golden Courtyard, I'll find fourteen people gathered together for dinner."
"Ha! I haven't received Mei's reward yet. I won't die so easily!"
With that, he strode forward, and V2V seemed to sense Xu Qi's arrival. The Exoskeleton Armor unfolded, revealing the cockpit within.
Xu Qi spun around and entered V2V.
The black chest armor, tinged with dark blue, pressed against Xu Qi's chest and locked into place. At the same time, the pure-white limbs closed around him, the faceplate slid down, and its green eyes suddenly burst into light like countless stars.
By then, the helicopter had reached the airspace above the underground passage leading to the substation's switching area.
The Solar Furnace on V2V's back began operating at high speed! In the blink of an eye, HK Particles enveloped the entire V2V Armor. This machine's performance... was at least seven times ahead of the GD-78-2!
The price, naturally, was the terrifying gravitational acceleration the pilot had to endure—15G.
But Xu Qi's body could handle that level of gravity now.
Xia Ya, you said that the human soul was shackled by gravity, and thus needed purification and cleansing. Then let me use V2V, freed from gravity's restraints, to correct you!
"V2V Armor! Launch!"
The launch rail was ready. The helicopter's rear hatch opened, and the V2V Armor was ejected outside!
At the same time, the high horsepower generated by the HK Particles made V2V seem to fly through the air as it descended toward the ground!
From this moment on...
"I am V2V!"
······
"That light in its eyes—Mobius, did you let Griseo draw on V2V?"
After watching Xu Qi leave, Eden asked softly.
"That's right. Griseo's paintings are like starlight shining upon the world, bringing spiritual comfort and hope to everyone. I thought... if it was Xu Qi, he would definitely realize something from them."
Eden nodded.
"Indeed. If it's Xu Qi, he definitely can."
······
In the empty, pitch-black underground tunnel, the enormous Sazabi stood quietly beside the electrical switch. At its feet lay the unconscious power company employee.
That's right. Xia Ya had not killed him.
He stood there quietly, seemingly waiting for something to arrive.
On the surveillance panel before him, a small portion of the screens showed that Train 956 had reached Lujiabang Road. In other words... half the journey had passed.
Xu Qi...
"Hm!?"
Xia Ya's gaze sharpened. He seemed to have sensed something, and the enormous Sazabi looked toward the passage connecting to the outside.
There was something there... There was definitely something there! It was approaching at high speed!
And—what incredibly powerful Mental Power! Who was it? Was it you!? Xu Qi!
"Xia Ya!"
Xia Ya focused his eyes and saw a fierce black-and-white armor charging rapidly toward him! Although the pilot controlling the Exoskeleton Armor moved skillfully, some inexperience could still be seen.
After all, his age was a disadvantage...
"Xu Qi!"
Xia Ya drew the hilt at his waist, and a high-temperature beam formed instantly from HK Particles!
The moment Xu Qi saw the Sazabi, he too drew the beam sword at his waist!
The beam swords clashed in the pitch-black passage! The sparks and beams that erupted illuminated their respective Exoskeleton Armors.
The scarlet Sazabi, and the black-and-white V2V!
Author's Note
This is my first time publishing a book on Dimensions Princess, and now that it's been put on the shelves, I'm quite happy.
I didn't really know what to write in this author's note, so I'll just talk a little about my thoughts on this book.
At its core, this book will still develop in the direction of everyday life. It will simply contain one small story after another, like the events involving Xia Ya in this volume.
Everyday life will make up the majority, because I need to use it to portray the characters, then place those well-developed characters into the story. So don't worry that things will stay intense forever.
I'm also searching for a way to combine the slow pace of everyday life with the tense pace of the main plot.
Now, let's talk about the first volume.
The first volume was mainly about introducing the important characters, giving everyone a general view of the world, and shaping the character of the protagonist, Xu Qi.
The focus was still on Xu Qi, since he was the protagonist.
As for the next volume, the focus will naturally shift to the heroine. Hmm... want to guess who the heroine is? (Laughs.)
In the next volume, the focus will undoubtedly first be placed on the relationship between Mei and Xu Qi. Then... I'll bring out another major character in this book—Theresa.
You can look forward to it. I can also share a few lines I've roughly drafted.
"I'm sorry I didn't meet you sooner. But now, I'm right here beside you."
"You've already done enough. From here on, leave Theresa to me."
My inspiration for portraying Theresa came from a friend of mine. He really likes Theresa, and coincidentally, I like her too. (Although Mei is my favorite.)
At this point, everyone should have noticed. Since this is fanfiction, everyone will have a different understanding of the characters.
I'll develop the characters according to my own ideas, doing my best to keep them from going out of character. But if you want to say that something doesn't match the original setting, all I can say is—judge it according to my book.
Finally, let's talk about... the more adult aspects, since this is Dimensions Princess. (Why does that sound like discrimination against the website? Just kidding.)
I've always hated it when a male and female lead get together naturally, yet keep playing ambiguous games afterward.
To put it plainly, we're all men here. In real life, I couldn't date a girl for a year only to hold hands and kiss once while continuing to play around with ambiguity.
When I write, if the feelings reach that point, they act on them. I never drag things out. Since it's something that happens naturally, then the "canal" has to actually be completed.
I don't like most romance light novels because they drag things out too much.
A little ambiguity is fine, but if the plot has reached the middle and the protagonist is still entangled ambiguously with so many female characters, I can't help wondering whether something is wrong with the male lead in that department.
That's about all.
Thank you for reading this far, whether you read the book or this author's note.
I write purely out of interest, so I'll finish this book properly regardless of whether its results are good or bad. I hope everyone will continue to support it.
37. This was the blessing given to me by everyone from the Golden Courtyard.
"The video is here!"
Inside the Meilong command center, the surveillance screens that had been pitch-black finally lit up with images!
Of course, it wasn't because the Information Security Division had made any breakthrough. In reality, the footage had not even been obtained by the Mode Capital Metro. The source of the footage was...
"Everyone, please pray for Xu Qi. Pray that he, and all our fellow humans suffering aboard Train 956, can survive..."
This was a livestream hosted by a VTB named Elysia.
A cute chibi figure with pink hair sat in the lower-left corner of the stream, while the footage showed the battle between V2V and the Sazabi!
As for who had discovered the livestream?
Naturally, it had been everyone from the Golden Courtyard... Even the computer connected to the command center had been brought by Yae.
Watching the dangerous battle on the screen, Mei could not help clasping her hands together. She remembered something Elysia had said to her—everything Xu Qi was doing could not be allowed to pass unnoticed...
Everyone had to see what Xu Qi was doing!
Since they could not stop him or help him, then at the very least, they could pray for him.
······
"Is that all you've got? Xia Ya!"
The beam sword restricted the Sazabi's movements, and Xu Qi kicked the Sazabi, which stood half a body taller than V2V, flying!
However, after delivering that kick, Xu Qi clearly felt the heaviness and difficulty of lifting his leg.
Damn this gravity!
Before you continue