Chapter 189

But the assassin couldn't bring herself to ask such a question. After all, compared to her previous memories of being buried alive, being used as a pillow for a night only meant she had trouble breathing.

After stretching her body slightly, Nana took Huang's coffee and drank it in one gulp. Then, as usual, she opened her PRTS app.

"Isn't Huang going to ACE to report today? Let me check my schedule..."

"Why are you always working...? Today's a holiday, it's Christmas!"

As he spoke, Huang, taking advantage of his 1.7-meter height, hugged Nana from behind, wrapped his tail around Nana's thigh, and then rested his head on Nana's shoulder, rubbing his face against hers like a cat.

"You're always working, working, working! You can never finish all that work~ Kal'tsit won't feel bad about you doing so much. Today's a day off, how about we go get some drinks? If you're not used to hard liquor, beer is fine too~ It's just wheat juice after all..."

Just as Huang was rambling on, the Little Cat that Nana had just taken off her and put in the cushion also came out carrying the pillow that Nana had been leaning against all night:

"Huang?"

"Oops... did I disturb the Little Cat? My apologies... but it's already broad daylight~Time to get up!"

Watching Huang Da Mao release her without a word and then lift the Little Cat high in the air, Nana snorted in a voice only she could hear, thinking to herself, 'This is probably what they mean by forgetting friends for the sake of beauty,' and put down her coffee cup.

Good morning, Rosemary.

"Um... Nana's touch... and then, this... wait a minute..."

Watching the Little Cat struggle to break free from Huang's arms, it trotted over and tiptoed to rub against Nana's face. Then, still wearing its white dress, it grabbed a corner of a cushion and trotted to another corner of the lounge to retrieve a gift box.

"Nana, Merry Christmas..."

"... Um, Merry Christmas... What's this?"

"For Nana."

Seeing the Little Cat holding the gift box above its head with both paws, Nana ignored the bewildered screams and fainting-like movements of Cole and Kate behind her. Miss Medic's only emotional change was a slight blush on her face... But Huang could see very clearly that the black and white Little Cat's tails were pointing straight up, and the two of them were very happy.

"Thanks."

"Hurry up and open it... Everyone says Christmas presents are meant to be opened on the spot..."

Because she hadn't prepared a gift for the Little Cat, Nana couldn't bring herself to ask the polite question, "What gift did you get?" She'd just pretend she was still half-asleep and had just woken up...

She tugged at her Medic uniform, trying to look a little more serious, and then, with a smile that was hard to describe as either happiness or doting Nana unwrapped the gift.

"Gloves..."

"Hmm! Originally, I was going to make them with Amiya using yarn... but they would break too easily, so I used my wages to buy a proper shooting glove! Then, Sister Closure taught me how to DIY... I reinforced the edges with the workshop equipment, and there's even my white cat head signature on the wrist seam!"

Seeing the Little Cat puffing out its chest and hands on its hips, looking like it wanted praise, Nana smiled and put it on her arm, then patted the Little Cat's head.

"That's perfect, thank you... I didn't know you already knew how to use the processing station."

Seeing the Little Cat then rub its face against her palm in a cute gesture, Nana and Huang exchanged a glance. Nana could tell that the big cat was clearly trying not to laugh.

After all, the Little Cat gave her were three-finger gloves for archer operators to protect their thumb, index finger, and middle finger, not the shooting gloves that Firearms Operator like Nana need to expose their thumb, web of the hand, and index finger... Well, the Little Cat will figure it out herself later.

Fortunately, it seems that the Little Cat spends most of its daily salary on food, drinks, and entertainment, and the glove that Nana received is a version with only the left hand...

Although the scene made Nana easily think that Closure was taking the opportunity to sell off her surplus stock, the gloves themselves were of good quality and very thin, and the skin-friendly, sweat-wicking material seemed to be quite special... Since it was her left hand, it didn't affect Nana's ability to use the gun with her dominant hand, and she could also put on a medical rubber glove on the outside when Medic was needed.

Okay, so Nana make a note of the fact that someone allegedly tricked the Little Cat into only buying one glove. I'll ask Closure about it later when I remember.

Now, wearing new left-hand gloves, Nana and the Little Cat enjoyed breakfast provided by the Rhodes Island kitchen with Blaze.

Although it's Christmas, Rhodes Island doesn't have a strong religious atmosphere, so there's no mandatory fasting today... Of course, there won't be any white bread or wine either. The insulated box from the cafeteria contains very proper Panini sandwiches, probably because some Siracusa operator is on duty today.

"However, even though it's a holiday today, I have a lot of reports to finish and follow-up matters to complete, plus there's the Licorice Cafe thing... Anyway, I still need to go see Kal'tsit and the others. Blaze, what are your plans for today?"

"Well... the bar is open during the day too, so I'm going back to the team later to meet up with ACE and the others at the Elite Operator Club Bar. Where's Little Cat?"

Ignoring Huang's action of hugging her again as he spoke, the Little Cat, already used to it, touched her lips and thought for a moment:

"I'll go find Aili and Xiya to copy... I mean, do my homework, and then I'll meet up with Amiya to help prepare for the Christmas Rhodes Island party."

"... You have to do your own homework... But, the banquet?"

Seeing Nana looking at him, Huang shrugged:

"Actually, the cafeteria has turned into a buffet-style place... Everyone gets together to drink and chat, and those who prefer quiet can make their own arrangements... Little Bunny is definitely going to the venue; in their eyes, this is a 'banquet'."

"... I see."

Having roughly understood the situation, Nana put on her Rhodes Island uniform jacket, letting Little Cat and Blaze tidy up her short hair. Then, Nana picked up her medical bag, which she hadn't carried in a long time, and stuffed her SHD spell Terminal and watch inside.

Of course... medicines (poisons and essential Emergency Medical Department medications) and fiber optic lock picks also need to be properly prepared and their condition checked every day.

"I'm off."

"Hurry up and get to the cafeteria! It's the biggest one, Cafeteria One on the third floor!"

She waved to indicate she understood, then Nana went upstairs to the core area of Rhodes Island.

Adjacent to the Ship Affairs Department's command center, it has its own independent greenhouse deck space. Apart from the medical area, no other department on Rhodes Island enjoys such preferential treatment... Although described in this way, Nana did not have any dissatisfaction with the Human Resources Department's treatment.

Unlike Blaze and Amiya, who would definitely be at the banquet, Kal'tsit seemed naturally immune to such scenes... She should have been that kind of person.

However, recalling what Huang had said to FrostNova and the others while she was pretending to be asleep yesterday, Nana involuntarily slowed her pace and began to ponder... She seemed to be becoming increasingly powerful, already deviating from her original self.

This is probably due to a high level of emotional resonance... And for me, a professional, to be contemplating topics that seem like being troubled by love, it just goes to show that there was a reason I was emotionally trapped in the past. Dad

"Medic? Please come in."

Although the door was open, seeing Hong staring intently at her and refusing to let her in, even making a "whoa!" sound... Nana shrugged speechlessly and could only hang her handbag on the coat rack by the door, then take down her 1911 rifle, which was attached to her thigh holster, and hang it up as well. Only then did Hong quiet down a bit.

However, after disarming everyone, Nana thought for a moment... then took out the fiber rope and other small items from her pocket and threw them into her handbag before sitting down in front of Kal'tsit, who was even more speechless than herself and whose eyes seemed to be twitching.

"Actually, you didn't need to do that... I also know you didn't need those things to kill me; your actions just now were completely ineffective and futile..." Yi

"But a good attitude is necessary. Besides, how can you say it's useless? Haven't the Red Agents become much more normal?"

Seeing that Red was now barely able to look Kal'tsit in the eye, a stark contrast to her previous irritated state, Kal'tsit waved her hand. Although Red still tried to maintain her composure, she was ultimately driven out by Kal'tsit.

"Alright, it's a day off today, Hong, take a rest... You should act normal too..."

"Well then... let's begin the report on the past week in Raisington City..."

"No, that's not what I mean by 'normal'."

Seeing Nana pull out the SHD and act like she was reporting on her assassin duties, Kal'tsit felt a headache coming on.

"I've received the letter from Eternal Constant and the President from Laisenton. I know most of what I need to know. Anyway, just follow my steps... First, Nana, your package."

"Pack?"

"Hmm, sent by the TDD military Exploration Vehicle. It's a shield Tactical Unit based on the 'Rosemary's Embrace' tactical system, equipped with a large-caliber Firearms Arts... This set sent has four shields, seemingly designed based on Rosemary's usage habits, but this configuration is clearly prepared for you... After all, Rosemary isn't good with Firearms Arts."

Looking at the construction blueprints handed to her by Kal'tsit, Nana tilted her head in confusion:

"This is something I discussed with Durin a few months ago..."

"That woman must have been preparing these things after the ICA got the news... I must say, the craftsmanship of the Columbia military workshops is quite good, and they also have considerable redundancy in their modifications... The reason I'm specifically telling you this is because I discovered that they have very obvious Non-Entropic Applications interfaces. If I didn't know that the Laisenton Archaeology Division's betrayal almost embarrassed that woman, I would have thought that this was all part of her plan."

"... I don't care about things outside of the mission... but what about Non-Entropic Applications?"

"A general term for a type of groundbreaking technology from Previous Civilization... Let me tell you about one that's most relevant to you, your Halo... Remember, not the Halo of a regular Sankta, but the Halo that only you possess, or at most, those you distribute to others."

"Using some kind of 'information' to strengthen oneself, or even to interfere with and resist harm in the real world... that is a typical characteristic of Non-Entropic Applications."

Listening to Kal'tsit's explanation, Nana silently activated her Halo and looked up.

Of course, since the Halo itself changes position as Nana moves her head, she naturally can't see anything except a little light. Kal'tsit seems unfazed by the cat-like Angel before her, and Emerald Feline continues explaining to herself:

"Originally, those interfaces could only be viewed, but since the Columbia Non-Entropic Applications experiment is right on the ship, as long as you agree, I can immediately extract and materialize the Non-Entropic Applications information."

"The Tactical Unit of the complete body will help you identify space, enhance your perception of danger in 'Foresight,' improve the strength of 'psychic power' you inherited from Rosemary, and even improve your physique a second time... Most importantly, they can act as a kind of Inner Guards limiter, greatly assisting you in controlling 'Collapse'."

"In this way, the most basic... phenomena like the black clouds and Black Snow that Laisenton caused before, which were like Catastrophes, will not occur again... and you will no longer need to gradually Collapse those alternate dimensions back into your body after each release of the Dominion..."

"Nana, remember, don't do that... Repeatedly causing the Collapse of another world based on yourself, that's too much like self-harm, I'm worried..."

She didn't elaborate on what she was worried about, but Nana's 'Foresight' did indeed foresee the scene of Kal'tsit attacking the dark green crystalline monster that resembled Sacred Remains, while she herself had Collapse Entity.

Leaving aside the old problem of her own 'Foresight' regarding the ring on the emerald cat's hand, Nana was somewhat surprised to become Collapse Entity.

She had originally thought she was immune to Collapse... but it seems she wasn't... and judging from Kal'tsit's description, it's no wonder she felt this was part of the manager's plan. After all, it was too much of a coincidence that she was given something like this right after she had just shown her lack of control over Collapse.

Or rather, this is something that everyone around me has been worried about ever since I came into contact with the Collapse.

"... Thank you everyone..."

Seeing the warm smile on Nana's face after she finished speaking, Kal'tsit blinked, her expression softening by two pixels.

"There's nothing to thank me for. You have the responsibilities of a frontline worker, and supporting you is our responsibility... Although the new Tactical Unit can only be most effective when carried around, as long as you link it through a Non-Entropic Applications, your Collapse probability will be reduced by at least fifteen percentage points."

"As for operators like Typhon, who radiate outwards from you and live in close proximity to you, their Collapse probability will be reduced by more than 25 percentage points. As for Non-Entropic Applications individuals like Rosemary and Jessica, who have been given Halo by you, they will be immune to Demons Collapse until you completely become Collapse Entity... This is determined by your role as a squad leader in the Previous Civilization; you are destined to be the type who bears burdens for others."

"It doesn't matter, I'd be happy to."

As Nana placed the instruction manual and delivery slip into her chest, Kal'tsit nodded with her arms crossed.

"Understood... I will use the treatment of Mika and the others to extract the analyzed Non-Entropic Applications... Don't worry, this poses no danger to the parties involved. It's essentially just a process similar to Terminal reading a hard drive, and materializing them will be done through another unique method of mine, which will not cause them any harm."

"Furthermore, based on existing reports, I have been able to determine certain areas of their Non-Entropic Applications. Mika's are all based on enhancements of reality attributes, while that of the acute Oripathy Seia is undoubtedly based on 'Foresight'... or rather, 'intuition'."

"Although the last one didn't show any signs of involvement throughout the entire incident, I suspect it might have been psychological interference... But this is just a guess based on the past operations of the Lycoris Academy; we'll actually need to 'read' and analyze the individual."

"It's good that no one was hurt. Then I'll leave it to you, Dr. Kal'tsit..."

Seeing Nana's slightly hesitant expression as she spoke, Kal'tsit twitched her cat ears:

"... But it's always us who's making the demands, and they're your friends, Nana... It's normal for them to feel uneasy because they think we're getting a huge advantage... Have you already thought about what to do with them?"

"... Yes, I brought this..."

"The Licorice Cafe project... Are you planning to open an ICA branch in Rhodes Island?"

Seeing Kal'tsit joking around, Nana shook her head:

"No, this place will probably become my personal Logistics Department during my missions... After all, it might be difficult for me to get direct support from the ICA in the future... And correspondingly, I want to provide Mika and the others working here with a better environment."

After looking down at Nana's proposal for a long time, Kal'tsit murmured for a moment and said:

"... Because when they're needed, it means that Nana, as a frontline member, has already started to give it her all... And when you also need to go all out, Rhodes Island itself can't stand idly by, right...? Okay, I agree... As for the arrangements for the cabin passageways and shops, I'll finalize them with Closure as soon as possible."

"Um."

Just as Nana was pondering whether she could leave now that Kal'tsit had obtained the full picture from her manager, Kal'tsit looked up again:

"Oh, right, there's one more thing."

"?"

"Merry Christmas, Medic..."

"You too, Merry Christmas, Kal'tsit."

PS: Waaaaaaah!

Although I've posted it before, I have to post a fitting picture for Su Sulo, who leaked her image. ↑

PSS: It seems like everyone has no problems with Nana's homecoming, so shall I move on to the next part of the story?

6th Patriot's Gun: 206 Cats Patrol the Streets

Leaving Kal'tsit's office and walking inside the Landship, which was mostly furnished, the differences in decoration and details made Nana feel as if she had been away for a long time.

Even though she was walking around in her own home, she had to check her location with PRTS every now and then... This experience made Cat Cat wonder if she was one of those people in Columbia jokes who 'have their souls bound to the earth'.

This saying usually refers to the older generation of pioneers who dedicated their lives to exploring the world.

Those who, having lived in the wilderness for a long time, are unable to integrate into the high-tech world of Landship, where every inch of space is built with money. For various reasons, they ultimately choose to abandon the safety of Landship and Mobile Landmass, opting instead to live in the wilderness or in cities they have created themselves.

Of course, this phrase was originally a self-deprecating remark by the pioneers, but over time, it somehow came to be used exclusively by the new generation of Mobile City residents, and even became a subtle form of regional discrimination that carries a sense of superiority, leading to a hierarchical division of residents in Mobile City and non- Mobile City.

Nana is, of course, referring to the original meaning here, although she is not exactly an incapable species of adapting to Landship... However, as she constantly checks the environment through Medic's permissions, Nana's pace is indeed slower than when she was in Laisenton.

Ultimately, unlike conventional ground-based buildings, the interior design of Landship is a complex art.

Walking on Rhodes Island, Nana felt as if she were walking in the legendary 'ocean', or on the treetops of the Sami Forest... In this space where she could move freely in all directions, Nana slowly made her way forward, as if she were checking her hunting grounds, knowing where the passageways were, where the access gates were, where the Medical Department's authority was required, and where the plazas were open to unregistered patients or vendors.

The Kitty Killer greeted everyone he met with a smile. During this time, Nana confirmed the spatial layout of the command center, administrative buildings, medical departments, and the semi-public area below the medical department.

Although as a medic, knowing where to go for doctors, where to go for patients, and where to go for cadavers is enough to handle all the needs in work and life.

But Assassin Number Seventy-Seven was no match. Nana then confirmed which pipeline maintenance passages Closure had barely left for her to pass through, and which were emergency exits that were normally closed but would open in an emergency.

What are the traditional layouts and insulation/soundproofing methods of the key compartments? Where are the floors made of sturdy armored steel, and where are the different materials used in the interior decoration of these compartments?

After all, some rooms use aerogel interlayers that can be blasted open by directional explosives for soundproofing and insulation, while the walls close to the outer main armor of Rhodes Island may use armor steel sandwiched with double-layered plexiglass, and then vacuumed in the middle or something... Nana only measured the space of Rhodes Island on foot and didn't spend much time with Kal'tsit, but Nana spent the whole morning wandering around the ship.