Their True Purpose

"General, the main control system is back to normal!"

Just as Dr. Chris was trying to figure out how to forcibly wake Bai Ying, the piercing alarm abruptly fell silent.

The dozens of cables attached to Xingtian's torso dimmed again, then quickly tore free from their sockets like snapped ropes, trailing black smoke.

"The power system is gradually coming back online, too. We did it!" The technician watched the power readings on the panel climb, his face alight with joy.

"What's Xingtian's status?"

General Chen's question made everyone tense up again after their brief moment of relief. The battered mech still hung before them.

"The reactor's output has returned to normal, and the auxiliary visual module is active. Beyond that..." The technician looked troubled. "We can't access any of the deeper data, including the system logs. All the documents have been encrypted with an unknown algorithm."

"She must have done it!" Dr. Chris immediately pointed the finger at Bai Ying. "The problem started with that exchanger!"

"The problem's been solved!" The technician stepped forward, cutting Dr. Chris off. "The main control system is normal, and the power is running normally. That's what matters most!"

"Can't you understand plain English? Xingtian is still hanging there, and something could go wrong again at any moment!" Dr. Chris cared about nothing else.

"No, you've got it wrong!" Lao Yu stepped forward as well. "Xingtian isn't the problem. The reactor is! You've already tried separating it from him, haven't you?"

His words left Dr. Chris speechless, as if mocking the incompetence of him and his assistant.

"I want to find out what that girl went through during neural synchronization, and why Xingtian activated on his own!"

"Because Xingtian may be self-aware." This time, it was the chief technology officer of Xuanse Cangqiong who stepped forward. "We've already seen the first signs of this in the combat simulation records from the past three months."

"General, Nina and I have changed our minds." Dr. Chris clenched his fists. "Please have the reactor and Xingtian's torso packed up tonight. We'll take them back to headquarters first thing tomorrow morning for further study!"

"You... can't... take Xingtian away! He's... our... hero!"

Bai Ying had just woken from her faint and was forcing herself upright. The two guards who had escorted her here were helping her sit up!

"By your own account, a mech can actually become a living being, just like a human. Its research value must be enough to change the course of human technological development." Dr. Chris smiled smugly. "Let's call an end to today's farce. Miss Bai Ying should get some proper rest, too. As Xingtian's pilot, you'll come back to headquarters with us tomorrow and undergo some routine tests."

"General, everyone, Nina and I will take our leave."

Dr. Chris put an arm around Nina's shoulders, and the two of them headed for the door under everyone's watchful gaze.

But General Chen's next words stopped them in their tracks.

"Sorry, Dr. Chris, but I can't let you take Xingtian and Bai Ying away."

"General, do you know what you're saying?" Dr. Chris stared at General Chen in disbelief. "According to the Watchman Alliance's Rules on the Division of Responsibilities, the Omega Research Complex has first claim to any undiscovered objects, technologies, and samples!"

"Before I came to the command room, I received a distress call from the United Front base." General Chen's expression turned grave. "They were attacked by a horde of monsters from the Storm Sea. Among them were at least seven Level 4 monsters and more than sixteen Level 3 monsters."

At the words "horde of monsters," a shadow fell over everyone's faces.

"The Golden Gate and Red Fortress bases were attacked as well, but the assault on the United Front was the largest. At 6:49 this afternoon, the entire base was declared lost. The coastal defenses had completely collapsed, and everyone had begun retreating inland."

As he spoke, the force of General Chen's presence seemed to freeze the air around them.

"That's why I came to the control room in person. The Auspicious Cloud Dragon Boat will reach Xuanse Cangqiong in half an hour and deploy the Crimson Hurricane to Lichuan City to help them hold back the horde. But that will greatly reduce Xuanse Cangqiong's defense level." General Chen raised his chin slightly and continued in an unwavering tone. "I won't waste any fighting strength. If there's nothing wrong with the reactor in Xingtian's chest, then he can keep fighting!"

"Are you insane?" Dr. Chris's voice trembled. "You want to send it into battle with that alien reactor inside? It could drain the power of the entire base one second, then point its cannons at you the next!"

"I don't know whether something will go wrong with Xingtian later, but I believe what Bai Ying said. If Xingtian is still on our side, then he's still one of us at Xuanse Cangqiong—not an 'undiscovered object,' as you call him."

"You're all insane!" Dr. Chris swept his furious gaze over everyone in the room. "We're going back to headquarters to report this immediately. I hope you don't regret what you've said today!"

"Don't let the door hit you on the way out."

Chris and Nina stormed out, while General Chen didn't even turn his head.

"General... were you serious?" After the footsteps faded down the corridor, the adjutant asked hesitantly.

"Do I look like I'm joking?" General Chen clasped his hands behind his back and silenced the adjutant with a single glance. "Notify all the mechanical repair teams to start reassembling Xingtian as quickly as possible. Let me know as soon as he's ready. Everyone else, return to your posts. The base is now at Level Two alert. We have to be ready for an attack at any moment!"

At General Chen's command, everyone immediately sprang into action!

"Bai Ying, go get some rest first, then come to my office. I need to talk to you."

Before Bai Ying could respond, General Chen strode out of the control room.

Half an hour later, Bai Ying took the elevator to the top floor of Xuanse Cangqiong, which stood 120 meters tall.

"You still want to pilot Xingtian, don't you?"

General Chen didn't sit in the chair that symbolized his supreme command. Instead, he sat on the sofa beside Bai Ying.

"Xingtian is alive. He doesn't need a pilot." Bai Ying admitted the truth, even though it could cost her her mech.

"Then you'll continue to serve as Xingtian's pilot." General Chen gave an unexpected answer.

"Why?" Bai Ying couldn't understand.

"It's only temporary. I believe what you told me, but since you can't prove that Xingtian and his reactor are safe, I have to take precautions." General Chen patiently explained. "You're the only one who understands what Xingtian is thinking, so until you can provide proof, you'll be responsible for him."

"...All right. I agree." Bai Ying hesitated for a moment before answering.

"I knew you'd agree. Now get ready. I have a mission for you."

"What mission?"

"Xuanse Cangqiong doesn't keep useless people. Xingtian is a first-generation mech and can no longer fight today's monsters, so I want you to take him for an upgrade."

"The War Factory?" The only place Bai Ying could think of that could upgrade a mech was there. "But they're in league with Omega. We just offended Chris. How could we possibly go there for an upgrade?"

"No. We're going to the Silent Graveyard."