Chapter 236

As she spoke, Nana clicked on the power company's icon, and as she warned Jessica to be careful of the giant, a deafening explosion-like sound erupted from the road ahead and along with the power company's transformer at the end.

Don't worry, it wasn't an explosion. It was just a short circuit causing the circuit breaker to trip... It's just that the high-voltage switch and the connection points were covered in sparks, which looked scary.

Of course, for the people at the power company, this is indeed a very frightening sight, and to describe the current situation, perhaps only three words are needed—

Major Power Outage!

The assassin, expressionless, drove her car around the vehicle in front that had braked suddenly due to a loud noise from a roadside transformer. The traffic lights were flashing erratically, which conveniently allowed her to drive away from the scene.

Without even turning around, Nana knew that the power company engineer's hair must be more frizzy than the street corner right now... And as Jessica trembled and asked Nana what she had done, Nana replied, "Medical..."

"It's just a matter of restarting their servers. The power surge will destroy the connected surveillance footage... Don't worry, no one will get hurt."

Probably.

Adding those two words to her mind, Nana checked the traffic lights at other intersections... Seeing the Ursus people still cursing energetically, Nana breathed a sigh of relief and chuckled at herself for worrying about innocent bystanders.

Number Seventy-Seven, even carrying out missions has become hesitant and timid. You've certainly weakened considerably. (Ling)

Thus, disregarding the modified vehicle and the temporary rental accommodation, Nana simply drove and parked it on a suburban roadside.

Nana and Jessica changed back into their usual clothes in the train car, then boarded the light rail train back to the city center... The station was manned by Chernobog 'Jessica military and police; it seemed the city was indeed still fighting against the infiltration of the rebels.

Sitting next to Jessica, Nana supported her junior, Little Cat, who had worked hard all day and almost got caught, with her shoulder. Surprisingly, Nana didn't pull away from Kitten's unconscious embrace...

As Nana reached out and intertwined her fingers with Jessica's, she yawned and then looked out the window.

The setting sun gently warmed the two of them. If one disregarded the troublesome balance of power and the task of procuring Originium, Chernobog truly lived up to its reputation as a tourist city.

Looking at the magnificent view of the central Core City command tower in the afterglow of the setting sun, Nana twitched her ears, then closed her eyes, letting Jessica increase the pressure on her hands as if she were being coquettish.

Nana twitched her cat ears and, unusually, gave a look of doting affection to anyone other than Rosemary and the children.

Thanks for your hard work...

Tomorrow... will probably be tough too... but at least for now, the setting sun feels so warm on my skin.

However, feeling the static electricity from the residual effects of the spell still floating on her head, Nana breathed on her palm to try and smooth down her ahoge (cowlick)... But, Nana was well aware of how much effort her Originium Arts had put in.

After this attempt failed, Nana could only put her baseball cap back on to cover the ahoge (cowlick) on her head.

As a price to pay for giving younger generations experience in espionage, this doesn't seem like an unacceptable option.

But...

"It seems Jessica really needs to experience professional training..."

Seemingly in response to those words, the Little Cat, who had been holding Nana with a happy expression, suddenly showed a pained look.

Nana could only sigh, hoping that Jessica wouldn't be bullied too much by the ICA instructors when the formal training started.

PS: Waaaaaaah!

PSS: I'm so sorry, so sorry, so sorry QAQ... I'm half an hour late...

7th Chernobog's Blood Money: 262 Countdown

Back in the Exploration Vehicle, judging from the fact that Mika saw them from afar and ran over with laughter and a playful pounce, everyone's condition had indeed improved considerably after a day of rest.

Unfortunately, Nana and Jessica gave up the vehicle and returned by light rail and walking, so there was no extra capacity to carry any gifts.

"... Speaking of which, I didn't see any shops open on the way back, otherwise I could have just bought something from a convenience store."

With Mika carrying her on her back and sniffing the shampoo and ionized ozone, Nana returned to the Exploration Vehicle's rest area.

Nana tossed her remaining Chelerv wallet, whose value was uncertain and would likely continue to depreciate, onto the small table. She hung the mischievous Mika and her old, clean Rhodes Island uniform together on the hanger, and smiled as she accepted the water glass Amiya offered her.

"So sorry, has everyone had dinner yet?"

"It's not lunchtime yet, and besides, I'm waiting for you~ PRTS, automatic temperature control!"

Normally, as the object of automatic temperature regulation, Huang, who is used to operating at low temperatures, feels that Nana is the one who is hotter than usual... After all, Nana used a very difficult Thunder spell today, and it was a magnetic control type with extremely high precision. The fact that she has endured until now and only started to let the heat dissipation agent circulate on her body surface is hidden evidence of Nana's discipline.

Fortunately, the heat buildup issue won't hinder Nana's actions until it exceeds a certain threshold. If heat dissipation were completely forced, Nana would have to consider the burden on Tactical Unit as a combat variable in future actions... It can only be said that Kal'tsit did carefully consider Nana's needs.

With her mechanical arm exposed on her back serving as a core heat sink, Nana found a cool vent and sat down. As the others gradually gathered, Nana smiled at Weedy and Amiya, who were already on their missions, before turning to Ptilopsis:

"Now, let's check the mission objectives and everyone's status... How is the Doctor?"

"Everything is normal, or rather, 'under repair'... According to the text comparison chart you provided, Captain, it still says so... Although it seems to me that VIP's organs are still in a critical stage, the Sarcophagus is maintaining his vital signs very stably..."

"Aside from needing over 10,000 hours to fix the countdown timer, there shouldn't be any problems."

As she spoke, Folinic handed over her regular records of the Sarcophagus's status bar. The panel had only been displaying a countdown since it was connected, and the bright red 'Fatal Injury Warning' and 'Repairing' messages seemed to be a silent mockery of the medical workers present... But Folinic knew that the reason she was there was simply because her time hadn't come yet.

For Nana, a result-oriented person, no news is good news; the assassin is never short of patience.

"More than 10,000 hours... that really is almost a year and a half... Jessica and I have completed the intrusion into the power company's system. The industrial area connected to this region should now be electrified. Has the Sarcophagus been confirmed to be connected to the power supply?"

"The Sarcophagus is currently powered by the Exploration Vehicle's reactor, and Miss Weedy completed the cabling between the Exploration Vehicle and the industrial area today. The low-consumption countdown has increased from 151 hours to 720 hours... Including the Originium Prime you had Amiya bring back, the Sarcophagus's current sustainable operating time is 1,562... Rounded down, that's 64 days."

Saria's accurate statistics were reassuring, but despite having sufficient mental preparation, Nana was still somewhat troubled to discover that the Exploration Vehicle's own cables and the high-voltage electricity of the modern industrial area still could not keep the Sarcophagus running stably.

After all, while Originium is not scarce on this land, perfectly refined and properly packaged Originium Prime has been a hard currency in international trade since its inception... Apart from anomalies like Chernobog, Originium Prime is not only fuel for Mobile City, the lifeblood of high-speed warships, and an indispensable power source and even raw material for industrial production...

According to Saria's report, when ensuring the industrial zone's auxiliary power supply, one standard Originium Prime can provide the Sarcophagus with enough energy for about a month of idling operation. With the possibility of Exploration Vehicle movement and the use of Tactical Unit, this number will only be less.

In a typical Mobile City, there would be plenty of Originium merchants for Nana to choose from. Rhodes Island wouldn't even need Nana; it would have its own stable wholesale channels for Originium Prime.

But this is Chernobog, a city that uses its own new energy source... In this Mobile City itself, does not require Originium Prime, Nana has to remain pessimistic about her next tactical objective.

After hearing Nana's sigh and her reasons, Huang also realized the most critical problem that everyone might face next:

"So, the next task becomes finding Originium Prime in a city that doesn't use Originium... That's really..."

Even Mika wisely kept silent at this point, and Saria, seeing this, took over the conversation:

"However, there's no need to be too pessimistic. Didn't the captain find an Originium Prime today? It came from..."

"It was from the Scar Market, and they only had this one... They probably stockpiled it as fuel, so I took it as soon as I saw it. And in other places where Originium Prime might exist... they're not as free as the Scar Market."

"You mean the formal trading market or the government and private holdings... Because of the shadow of civil war, in order to ensure the probability of escape after the fighting starts, I think Chernobog currently has a large amount of Originium Prime... or at least a large amount of Originium fuel... How about we investigate directly and go there to buy it?"

"This is another problem we face now... Liskarm, have you found a second safe house this time?"

Nodding, Liskarm tugged at Franka, who then took a document from a nearby public filing cabinet:

"It's all taken care of, but..."

"It was very expensive, and I can probably understand why... After all, it's a school district property in a tourist city. Even with the imminent threat of civil war, prices don't just plummet... It just goes to show that although Boris doesn't get along with us, he's certainly a competent businessman when it comes to business tactics... At least in Chernobog, everything seems normal so far."

"But that's just what it looks like."

Typhon, who had been told to conserve resources and hadn't eaten snacks during meetings in a long time, silently raised his hand Typhon at Saria who seemed to have a hidden meaning.

"So, next, you'll send Amiya to school? And you'll have to go through the disguise again? And then use that disguise to do Originium business?"

Amiya immediately let out a reluctant "ahhh" at Typhon's words, but Nana was surprisingly pleased with Typhon's seemingly constructive suggestion... This child seemed to be showing signs of developing a brain.

However, this kind of long-term disguise work is really not profitable in the current environment of Chernobog, where not even a single convenience store is open after nightfall. So, although Nana felt that Typhon had put his mind to it, unfortunately, she did not intend to adopt it.

"Business is impossible... The rebel warships are still locked in a standoff with Chernobog's defenses. Anyone with even a little bit of information about the situation outside the city knows how crucial Originium fuel will be in the coming days... Those who understand the horrors of war will exhaust their resources to drive up prices, while holders will choose to either continue holding or offer an exorbitant premium based on the current situation... To be honest, Amiya's Originium Prime is already worth almost ten times its original price."

Of course, this is probably mainly because freelancers are too conservative with their money. Nana doesn't need to tell everyone about this... she can just ask Kal'tsit for reimbursement later.

After a moment of silence, Nana finished her glass of water and tapped the table.

"Anyway, let's set a small goal... What we need to do next is collect enough Originium fuel to maintain the Sarcophagus and allow the Exploration Vehicle to travel from Chernobog to Lungmen... If we can complete the mission without Rhodes Island sending support to the war zone, that would be ideal."

Seeing everyone nodding, Nana activated the projection of the SHD spell unit:

"So, based on the ultimate goal of this mission, and given that we're practically running out of budget, let's begin the discussion..."

Nana pulled out her baton and tapped the text projection automatically recorded by PRTS, saying:

"Let us all return safely to Rhodes Island with the Doctor."

Ursus time, September 3, 1095, Chernobog local time, 6:00 AM, 63 days before the Sarcophagus expires.

There are 10,920 hours left until the Doctor is out of danger.

With the help of the power system, although it's obvious without confirmation that the Chernobog power company has worked hard and damaged the reputation of the local cleaning company... Nana has figured out the time needed to help the Doctor recover, and the Trauma Team on the Doctor's components now has a real goal, no longer living day by day as before.

But sometimes a clear objective might not become your goal, but rather the reason you give up... This statement may indeed hold true for ordinary people, but for assassins who do not mind using deadly force, safely sending the Doctor back to Rhodes Island is not as simple as Kal'tsit's request.

Although Nana didn't know it, it was rooted in her underlying logic... the highest command of AMa-77—[Protect Humanity].

Halo, instinct, and rationality... It's quite rare that both Nana's unrestricted emotional system and the Command System of the Previous Civilization are now operating at full speed in the matter of the Doctor.

After just one night's rest, Nana was full of energy and ready to continue with what others considered the most difficult task... collecting Originium fuel.

Nana has left the construction of Surface Safe House Number Two, the underground industrial zone, and the continued lifting of the blockade around the Exploration Vehicle to others. Her current goal is clear:

'First and foremost, the initial target is naturally the purest Originium Prime, which is the most expensive and easiest to transport... and as expected, intelligence gathering still inevitably involves this area.'

"So, this is the Scar Market? The underground gathering place of the Sarkaz?"

With a question as pure as his eyes, Typhon, who was carrying a huge black bow, had changed back into the outfit his parents had left him... After all, while Lycoris's uniform was no longer just for a secret service unit, it was still too strange to wear a school uniform to Scar Market.

She changed into her more familiar long and short socks and hot pants, and then put on a tight-fitting undershirt that seemed somewhat similar to Nana's. The seemingly useless belts and metal buckles around her waist and chest actually worked hard to protect her Typhon from the inertia and pulling during exercise... With a weapon box containing the Demon Black Bow hanging from her lower back, a custom-made arrow rack containing only five expensive long arrows on her back, and a siege longbow bigger than herself in her hand.

With his menacing tail and horns, Typhon's presence immediately overshadowed the ordinary Mercenaries, most of whom were dressed in cloaks and hoods, even just standing there... But in the end, Typhon was still just a child. The little hunter's frown and the gesture of trying to fan away the stench clearly showed that he had a very bad first impression of the smoky underground bar.

Of course, as someone who was traveling with Typhon and seemed to be in a dominant position, she was wearing a Rhodes Island uniform, but this time it wasn't fully covered up... There were only four Firearms Arts exposed on her body, inside and out, Nana strange mechanical parts behind her. Just by appearing and scanning the bar, those who had witnessed Nana's methods before couldn't help but look away.

With Typhon still curious, touching and looking around, Nana sat down at the bar again.

The boss's expression was also speechless. As a veteran Mercenaries and middleman, he could easily see that Typhon was far less experienced in the ways of the world than Jessica.

"So... you're treating this like a scene where newcomers are made to bleed?"

"No, I'm just here to do business."

"Talking about business... specifically training newcomers?"

Seeing that the boss's attention was entirely focused on the seemingly naive Typhon, Nana thought for a moment and understood why he thought that way. She casually ordered milk and juice, two items not on the menu. Nana took a pencil from the pen holder at the bar and twirled it between her fingers, sincerely saying:

"That kid was busy all day yesterday, so I'm having someone else help me today. After all, newcomers always need to be trained to grow better..."

"So, she's not a Mercenaries... she's from Rhodes Island?"

"Well, in terms of seniority, she's a little lower than the one from yesterday... but she's still one of my direct disciples. Although I don't know how long I'll be here, it's good for her to get acquainted with you... She hasn't seen many of her kind since she was little, and I think it'll be beneficial for her to have some contact with other Sarkaz."

Seeing Typhon pick up the milk and gulp it down without any suspicion, the shopkeeper nodded in agreement with Nana's statement... then sighed.

"Anyway, what brings you here? If it's to register this child... then tell me her name and please leave... If you sit here for a while, I'll have to cut my drink sales by two hundred Chelerv."

"Well... didn't I take a high-priced item from you before? Do you have any more? I'm open to any connections... both legitimate and illegitimate."

As she spoke, Nana pushed over an ordinary Etch Rounds, which the shopkeeper accepted without batting an eye. She then took out another notebook, different from the inventory list: [Unclear text - possibly a typo].

"You've come to the right person... Please take a look."

PS: Waaaaa cat bar

PSS: Seeing Lycoris's picture made me think, what if Takina and Skadi... could they be related...? Appearance, voice, and even the background I randomly chose that seems to match... Lycoris...

But what's a good way to address Takina and Skadi as relatives?

Aunt? Auntie? Anyone can make more interesting suggestions, let me refer to them~

7th Chernobog's Blood Money: 263rd Round of Typhon

Seemingly recognizing Nana's status as an 'expert,' the Scar Market was much more professional during this round of negotiations.

The exchange of written documents and verbal conversations revealed no operational-related vocabulary, and the entire process took only the time it took Typhon to finish a glass of milk... Arrival, sitting down, pleasantries, departure. (Nine)

Based on Nana's past experiences, the owner of the Scar Market did indeed provide excellent service this time... However, given the shop's location and some lingering issues Nana had previously created there, after leaving with a reluctant Typhon, Nana immediately noticed the people who had followed her out of the shop.

"Generally, this situation is called 'the visitor has ill intentions'..."

Because of the partnership established with the Scar Market, Nana didn't intend to continue giving the boss the cold shoulder this time. Instead, she led the group through the not-so-spacious underground pipes of the Mobile City.

"But... weren't we supposed to be the ones who came here?"

Typhon glanced at the dozen or so people still closely following behind, then at the Sarkaz Mercenaries hiding in the corners of the ventilation ducts, occasionally peeking out half their masks from the shadows... Tugging at his equipment straps, the little hunter continued running after Nana, asking uncomfortably:

"Those people behind us aren't saying anything, but they're still chasing us. They're so annoying. Can I just attack them?"