Chapter 219

"Seeing something in person and seeing it in a photograph offer completely different perspectives, so naturally there will be some differences."

"The difference is huge!"

Unconvinced, Yukina picked up her phone again and continued taking pictures.

Efnir then noticed that the phone in Yukina's hand was the one she had lent her after her own phone broke. It seemed that she had been taking good care of it, keeping it in her personal bag even though it was for a mission.

Perhaps we should buy her a better phone.

By the way, it's been so long since I started dating Yukina, and I haven't given Yukina any gifts yet. Is it because we spend so much time together that I forgot?

In contrast, Yukina gave herself a gift—that light blue hairband, Efnir always wore.

Efnir suddenly realized that she was far inferior to Yukina in these aspects of daily life, in their relationship, and in their love.

Watching Yukina relentlessly taking photos, Efnir fell into thought—perhaps she should find an excuse to give Yukina a gift. What she and Yukina lacked most was time, time for the future, and that's why they needed to make their love even more unforgettable.

Therefore, a unique and thoughtful gift is essential.

But... what does Yukina like? -- Efnir suddenly found herself stumped by the question.

Efnir recalled the moments she spent with Yukina and knew that Yukina had always liked "Magical Girl Efnir". Therefore, she used to often tamper with her limited edition merchandise so that it would end up in Yukina's hands.

But now that he and Yukina have gone this far, will Yukina still be excited about those photos of him as a "magical girl"? -- You've already slept with her, what's the appeal in the photos??

Aside from this, Efnir was momentarily at a loss for ideas. Upon closer reflection, she suddenly realized that she didn't really understand Yukina. Efnir had always treated Yukina from the perspective of "Yukina's brother," "Yukina's sister," or "Yukina's lover." Strictly speaking, she was more like a "princess's knight," protecting Yukina.

But she didn't properly consider Yukina's feelings and stubbornly persisted in her own way.

Efnir was unaware of her lover's and her sister's other hobbies.

This put Efnir in a difficult position.

"Does Yukina know about stars?" Efnir asked, a hint of doubt in her voice.

If Yukina is interested in "stargazing" and "celestial bodies," Efnir happens to know experts in this field and has ways to obtain some very rare and expensive equipment or valuable collections, which might not be bad as a gift— Efnir has no shortage of money and connections, at least not in Xijing City.

However, Efnir was soon disappointed.

"Of course I don't recognize a single one," Yukina said matter-of-factly.

"Ah... I thought you liked it."

"I do like it..." Yukina tilted her head, "But how should I put it? Is it just 'liking it because I think it's pretty'? This kind of spur-of-the-moment feeling doesn't allow me to understand these things."

This is the case for most people.

In this era, many things that were popular in the old century have been abandoned. There are very few students in related disciplines in universities, and not many people would treat it as a hobby. For most people, just surviving is enough.

"Hmm...I see..." Efnir shook her head, falling back into thought. "Actually, it's the same for me. It wasn't specifically taught in class, and I haven't joined any clubs to specifically learn about it. It's just that I know some people who specialize in this."

"Yeah, it's the same at our school." Yukina put her slippers aside, dangled her bare feet out the window, flipped through her phone's photo album, then raised her phone and snapped a picture of Efnir Neal. "Naoko is still the Naoko in photos."

Efnir was wearing a thin nightgown, though she had a coat over it that completely concealed Efnir shapely figure. But this feeling of "layers of wrapping up to protect the emptiness inside" was even more irresistible—it was precisely because she was so covered up that it fueled the imagination of "the inside must be too thin and revealing, so she deliberately covered up"—a feeling of insecurity.

In short, as Yukina looked at the photo of Efnir, she had already mentally used Efnir in various poses 328 times.

"Hmm."

Yukina swallowed hard, pulling her impure thoughts back from her dreamlike state. "But didn't Uncle say that humans would one day go back to that place again?"

Old Era of humans were already able to send astronauts into space, to Earth's space station, to the moon, and were even planning to go to other planets and explore deeper into space.

However, the sudden arrival of the White Hole Erosion completely destroyed all this glory. All satellites lost contact, the entire satellite network lost its original function, and the exploration of space naturally had to be put on hold.

In this era, no one has ever failed to yearn for the prosperity depicted in the old century. Efnir's father, Yukina's uncle, Takuma Yanase, was one of these people.

"He said something like that too?" Efnir had completely forgotten.

"He also said that all of this will end someday," Yukina said.

Efnir remained silent and did not speak.

If it could truly end so easily, then how did those ancient Ruins, whose technology far surpassed the current limits of humanity, those mysterious and powerful prehistoric civilizations, perish? Is it merely a coincidence that so many technologies targeting White Hole Erosion appeared in these Ruins Technology?

Information about the Ruins is not deliberately publicized to the public, because there is a sad truth: the more you know, the more despair you will feel.

Efnir had obtained photographs of the Ruins from Masaki Hina; those towering metal spires stood silently, like tombstones of civilization.

127. Return Trip

In the end, we still don't know if Yukina has any favorite things.

It was late at night, and the stars were shining brightly outside the window. Efnir lay quietly in bed alone.

Although she and Yukina said goodnight to each other, Efnir was still not sleepy at all. She was thinking about all the unusual things that had happened to her throughout the day. When she turned over, she saw the scene from two years ago when she had just become an agent.

The situation surrounding the Apostle Organization is becoming increasingly perplexing, and now they've even entered the ICS Research Institute. Efnir increasingly feels that this organization, which appeared out of nowhere, is far more mysterious than she imagined, and this sense of elusiveness brings Efnir a strong sense of crisis. Is there any chance that Angel Qinglan and Flying Swallow can be retrieved? Will more such incidents occur? What's the deal with Codename H and that strange battle recording? Is there some hidden story behind the destruction of Maesakagawa? Why wasn't the "Shard" taken away? Would the Apostle really be so naive as to leave such a thing here? Does humanity's future truly exist?

The deeper these questions were dug, the more doubts arose, ultimately bringing us back to the starting point: Efnir's only wish was for Yukina to live a happy and carefree life.

In the worst-case scenario, if everything is about to be destroyed, then Efnir must at least protect Yukina.

The only thing Efnir rarely shared her true thoughts about was the uncertain future. In the eyes of others, Efnir was always the absolute backbone, radiating light and warmth, encouraging and cheering others on, and remaining absolutely calm and reliable no matter what happened.

But in fact, it was precisely because of her knowledge of those long-extinct and dormant prehistoric civilizations that Efnir had long since given up hope for the future, so it was difficult for anything to completely overwhelm her—this positive yet negative state was a true reflection of Efnir's inner self.

No one knows what tomorrow will bring. Efnir's sole purpose is to protect Yukina. Therefore, while carrying out her mission, Efnir's heart wavers—she wants to rescue Flying Swallow and Qinglan, but is it truly possible? Would it be better to give up? Should the battle against the Apostle end here?

This is not how a leader should behave, and what he truly thinks is far removed from his usual self.

"I wonder what will happen tomorrow... I hope Yuki and Lapith will make some progress..."

Efnir stared at the wall for a while.

Beyond this wall lies Yukina's room. What is she doing now? Is she already asleep? Or is she tossing and turning like me?

Turning over to lie on her side, Efnir picked up her phone.

Currently, the network in Maesakagawa has not been restored; only a temporary local area network provides basic calling and online communication functions.

With nothing to pass the time, Efnir pondered various things until she finally drifted off to sleep very late.

The next day, Efnir woke up early as usual—although she went to bed late at night, waking up early had become a habit for her.

Moreover, Efnir often worked as an agent, which also led to her developing a habit of remaining alert even in her sleep. She was a light sleeper, and it was even more difficult for her to sleep for long in the Garrison District the gunfire was still ongoing.

After washing up, Efnir noticed that the soldiers outside the door had changed shifts. She greeted the soldiers and then went to Yukina's room.

Yukina has also woken up.

Good morning, Naoko.

"Good morning."

The morning air was still a bit chilly. Before long, Kanade Kotone came to Yukina's ward to bring breakfast to Yukina and Efnir, and changed Yukina's dressing at the same time. Although she had only been with Nishizaki Yuki for a little over a month, she was already quite well-behaved.

Efnir went to fetch water for Yukina, and at that moment, she received a communication from Nishizaki Yuki.

Nishizaki Yuki came here last night and briefly inquired about Efnir's situation.

She rushed over again early this morning.

However, Nishizaki Yuki looked a little unwell—her eyes had faint dark circles, which she tried to conceal with makeup, but her bloodshot eyes were still impossible to hide.

"Here are the documents you requested," Nishizaki Yuki placed a stack of files in front of Efnir. "My adjutant asked me to bring them to you when I came here."

Thank you for your help.

Efnir took the things handed to her by Nishizaki Yuki and found a file folder tucked inside.

"There's a USB drive inside, and the execution key is the one you used before," Nishizaki Yuki added, while keeping her eyes fixed on Efnir.

She had been observing Efnir's condition since she entered the room, and seeing that Efnir seemed to be doing well, she felt somewhat relieved.

"You didn't sleep a wink last night, did you?" Efnir brought her a glass of water, Nishizaki Yuki drank in one gulp. "Would you like to rest here for a while?"

"No, I have to go back." Nishizaki Yuki shook her head, got up and went to the window. "There's still a lot to do there. I just came to check on you. I'm glad you're alright."

I opened the window, and the cool morning breeze rushed in.

Nishizaki Yuki reached into her pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. She skillfully bit into one, took out a lighter, lit it, and took a deep drag. Her tightly furrowed brows relaxed a little.

"Any progress in the investigation?" Efnir asked naturally as she approached Nishizaki Yuki.

"You could say that..." Nishizaki Yuki nodded, not answering directly. "By the way, you and Anilas might have to be temporarily transferred back to headquarters today—I've checked the equipment here, and too much of it is damaged. It's probably difficult to handle the work we're currently doing, and it's also impossible to confirm and check on your current situation. The situation could change every day. I've already submitted the proposal to Major General Jiusheng, and she's approved it. She should be issuing official instructions soon..."

"Hmm..." Efnir had expected this and was not surprised.

Because most of the experimental equipment in the Maesakagawa Garrison District was damaged in the war, even those that were still usable had their stability greatly reduced due to hidden damage to various circuits or parts, and some showed abnormal values. Therefore, shortly after the first wave of researchers arrived and conducted on-site investigations, it was decided that a group of people would be dispatched today to take samples and data back to headquarters to continue the follow-up work.

Similarly, if we want to find out whether there are any hidden dangers left in the agents such as Efnir and Anilas who have been exposed to the "Shard" radiation, or to thoroughly investigate this abnormal phenomenon, bringing them back to headquarters is the safest approach and should not be delayed.

128. Twilight

"In that case, when shall we set off?"

After listening to Nishizaki Yuki's explanation, Efnir didn't mince words, "If you're going to leave, you need to make arrangements as soon as possible."

The temporary loss of Efnir and Anilas's combat power will immediately leave the Maesakagawa Garrison District vulnerable, but precisely because of this, now is the best time to solve this problem while we can still rely on the strength of Lapith and others. The Maesakagawa Garrison District is still some distance from the riverbank, and Xijing City is unable to provide effective supplies to Suzuda City's destroyer fleet. Therefore, Suzuda City's fleet will need to return to Suzuda City after some time.

The timeframe is at most one month, and if we exclude the time allotted for unforeseen circumstances, it will only be shorter.

This supply is not in terms of "fuel" and "food," but rather a shielding system against Corruption Energy.

Once their energy is depleted, even the surface fleet will be in danger, so this should not be underestimated. Moreover, the Funeral Bird need to return to Suzuda City as soon as possible to report back—they are the main force of Suzuda City and cannot be loaned out indefinitely.

Before Lapith and the others return, Nishizaki Yuki needs to take charge of and complete the research on the radiation anomaly, forcing Efnir and Anilas to return to the front lines. This process has already been repeated many times by the Subterranean Space Research Institute, which has provided a large amount of data. Nishizaki Yuki's task is to verify and implement it.

"It will be soon." Nishizaki Yuki brushed away the rising white smoke. "The preliminary investigation is complete, and I'm preparing to go down and investigate."

"Go down? You're going to the Underground Research Institute?"

"Um."

"Is this really a good idea?" Efnir frowned slightly, recalling the unusual phenomena she and Anilas had discovered in the underground space. "That space was filled with 'Shard' radiation, and there were also Mutated Entity appearing there. And Anilas and I should have mentioned it in our report, right? There seemed to be Trace left by someone before we arrived there. Have you identified the cause and taken countermeasures?"

"No," Nishizaki Yuki shook her head, turning to look at Efnir, "Although the 'research report' doesn't explicitly state it, I've seen the data, and I'm quite certain that 'radiation' will have the same 'corrosive' effect on both Apostle and their agents. Simply put, there shouldn't be Apostle in the underground space, so there's nothing to worry about."

"If the researchers who work and live in underground space can go there, then so can I." Nishizaki Yuki did not show much unease. Her logic was simple—the fact that the researchers who had been able to conduct research and work here confirmed their conclusion in the report: the "Shard" radiation would not affect ordinary people.

Then she can act boldly.

A long-lost glimmer of light appeared in Nishizaki Yuki's eyes. "Besides, I won't be satisfied if I can't see that place for myself."

"Is that so..." Efnir nodded. "Then please be careful."

Nishizaki Yuki her reasons for doing so. For her, who had devoted her entire youth to research, the underground space containing the Ruins Technology was naturally the most attractive sanctuary.

"Don't worry, Siyejian is more than enough to handle the Mutated Entity. Besides, the others from the Main Sequence Star and Muses are also there, as well as the Funeral Bird. They won't go in, but with them guarding the outside, there's nothing to worry about."

Nishizaki Yuki turned her head to the side. "You don't need to worry too much."

"That's true... but since it's a Ruins site, it's best to handle it with caution."

"Don't worry, we know what we're doing. We've got protective suits and other equipment. I have some experience in this area."

Nishizaki Yuki had come into contact with other Ruins from ancient ruins, so she was the most qualified to speak on the matter. Seeing this, Efnir said nothing more.

"I wonder which instruments in the Underground Research Institute are still usable. If we're lucky, we might be able to carry out the follow-up work without having to go back to headquarters," Nishizaki Yuki sighed, looking at the cigarette that was almost burned out between her fingers. "Anyway, you should rest well in the meantime. We'll talk about the rest later—phew... I've finished my cigarette. There's something waiting for me over there. I should probably head over there."

"Do you need me to take you there?" Efnir asked with a smile.

"No, I can go by myself." Nishizaki Yuki walked to the door and pushed it open.

"Oh, I forgot to mention," Nishizaki Yuki turned around and pointed to the documents on the table, "Please don't divulge these things—though it might be a bit redundant for me to say this, you'll understand, right, Efnir?"

"I might show it to Yukina."

"That's not my responsibility," Nishizaki Yuki smiled. "Then, I'll have to excuse myself for now."