Chapter 223
These past few days on the front lines, the food has naturally been rather "simple." Now that we're back in the central area, Efnir will naturally take this opportunity to improve Yukina's meals. Although Efnir can't cook for Yukina herself right now, finding a skilled chef to prepare a special meal for Yukina shouldn't be a problem.
("Oh, Naoko, Kanade Kotone told me that the school is going to hold a school festival... She plans to go help out in a few days, and I'm also thinking of going back to school to visit...")
"School Festival?"
Efnir paused for a moment before suddenly remembering that there was indeed such a thing. Yukina had mentioned it to Efnir before, but so much time had passed that Efnir had unconsciously forgotten about it.
The school festival... I remember Efnir seemed quite excited about Yukina when she talked about it.
If Anilas and I are going to stay here for at least seven more days, it would be a good idea to let Yukina go and relax on her own—especially after the bloody battle at the Maesakagawa Garrison District, she really needs something to relieve the stress.
Since Efnir has to stay at headquarters to observe the situation and cannot accompany Yukina to relax, it would be a good choice to let Yukina and Kanade Kotone go to the school festival to relax.
("When did it start?")
("It seems to be exactly one week later...")
A week later...
Efnir thought for a moment, and then Yukina sent another message: ("So neither Kanade Kotone nor I can attend the final festival.")
In other words, Yukina wasn't there to participate in the festival; she was simply involved in the process of "preparing for the festival."
Efnir recalled her high school days, when the school would hold similar events and welcome people from outside the school to visit; it was indeed a very lively occasion in her memory.
Shaking her head, Efnir replied, ("When will this happen?")
("I'm planning to go there tomorrow...")
"Then please be careful and contact me anytime if anything happens."
After chatting with Yukina for a few more minutes, Efnir urged Yukina to rest.
However, what Efnir didn't know was that although the school festival that Yukina mentioned did happen, it wasn't actually Kanade Kotone who approached her; rather, it was Evnir who approached Kanade Kotone to ask her for "a favor."
Yukina was so excited that she tossed and turned in bed and couldn't fall asleep. She contacted Kanade Kotone, who was in the lab with Nishizaki Yuki doing data screening, and started planning tomorrow's schedule. Kanade Kotone would chat with Yukina for a while while waiting for the data and sample screening.
Soon, night fell.
Efnir logged into her account and checked it. She found that no Erosion Disaster had occurred during the two days they were away, but there were some news reports about illegal activities.
Since the fall of Maesakagawa two months. The series of incidents have become unsettling signals in the eyes of ordinary people, and the darkness in the corners of the city has gradually become restless.
No wonder Saori seemed to be being assigned missions more and more frequently lately.
"Phew... Things are unsettled. The Bushiyuan are probably going to have a tough time for a while."
She closed the laptop, Efnir the USB drive, and placed the laptop back on the low table beside her bed.
With the lights off, the room was plunged into complete darkness.
Efnir picked up her phone, lay down, and scrolled through it, discovering that Yukina had indeed not sent her any messages since.
"Looks like Yukina is already asleep..."
Although she had told Yukina to go to bed early, she felt a little resentful and lonely because Yukina had gone to bed early. This contradictory feeling made Efnir feel a little unfamiliar with herself.
Human emotions are indeed very strange.
Efnir curled up on her side, scrolling through her phone for a while, feeling drowsy but not sleepy.
Having grown accustomed to sleeping with Yukina, I suddenly felt a profound emptiness when I returned to being alone.
Since having sex with Yukina yesterday, I haven't had much intimate contact with Yukina since then—after all, I've been spending a lot of time with other people, Efnir I haven't been able to overcome the shame caused by their stares.
They huddled together under the covers, and Efnir intentionally or unintentionally got the covers stuck between her legs.
The scene of being pinned down by Yukina yesterday suddenly flashed through his mind. As if possessed, his fingertips slid down from his waist, along the thin fabric, and fell between his legs.
"Hmm..."
Yukina said she learned some skills from some books.
So...
Efnir nervously opened the webpage, pondering as she typed in a few incredibly embarrassing words. The next second, a barrage of dazzling red content appeared on the page: posts, blogs, product advertisements, music videos, text, and images—real people or cartoons—all depicting indescribable things between girls, making Efnir blush and her heart race.
Efnir instinctively swiped away the webpage, Efnir phone being tossed aside like a raging flood.
"It's still unwatchable..."
There's a sense of guilt about cheating.
Efnir calmed her racing heart, her eyes fixed on the pitch-black ceiling, her fingertips touching her lips, tasting a very faint salty flavor.
Efnir found it increasingly difficult to sleep.
136. Dislike
The next day--
The morning's schedule wasn't packed. Efnir and Yukina had breakfast together, after which Yukina left.
Efnir went to have her data collected along with Anilas and the others, followed by a series of complex physical examinations. After completing all this, Efnir did not return to her room, but went straight to the training ground—for Efnir, training was almost an indispensable part of her daily routine.
She chats with Yukina on social media from time to time, but because she doesn't want to bother Yukina, Efnir doesn't call Yukina.
Apart from that, Efnir spent all her time on physical examinations, data collection, training, and meals.
Time slowly passed...
Futaba Erii was stunned for a while before answering the phone, and then her aunt's voice came through.
Speaking of her aunt, Futaba Yui, Futaba Erii is very grateful to her.
Actually, Futaba Yui isn't much older than Erii; she's not even thirty yet. When Erii was very young, she often came to Erii's house, always bringing gifts—sometimes snacks, sometimes toys and dolls, and sometimes clothes and dresses.
She lives alone and works as a homeroom teacher and Chinese language teacher for a first-year high school class at the Youcheng Girls' Academy, earning a considerable income.
Later, Erii's father passed away from a serious illness, Futaba Yui took the initiative to take over the guardianship of the two girls and provided them with living expenses for a considerable period of time.
Even after Erii came of age, entered university, and earned enough to support herself and her younger sister Huali Xiang through part-time jobs and selling paintings, Futaba Yui never stopped supporting the two sisters.
However, Erii was unwilling to accept her help indefinitely, so she declined many times.
In conclusion, Aunt Futaba Yui provided Erii with a great deal of help.
Today, Futaba Yui suddenly called, not as a daily greeting, but to invite the two sisters to attend this year's "School Festival" at the Youcheng Girls' Academy.
"School Festival?"
"Yes, once a year." Futaba Yui sounded quite cheerful, while Erii's mood was much worse.
When her younger sister, with whom she had spent countless days and nights, confessed her feelings, Erii felt more panicked than whether she liked or disliked the feelings.
However, Erii did not reveal her true feelings in her tone of voice.
"Our school's grand ceremony last year received rave reviews. How about coming over for a visit?" On the other end of the phone, Futaba Yui seemed quite proud, like a mother praising her outstanding daughter, but in reality, she wasn't married. "You haven't left the house for quite some time since your injury, have you? Staying home every day will make you feel bloated. And Huali Xiang, I noticed she seemed a bit down when I saw her the other day, so I was thinking why we should all come over and get some exercise to cheer ourselves up?"
Indeed, Erii has been staying at home for far too long lately, and she's practically growing mold on herself. She spends her days doing homework, drawing for a while, and otherwise just spacing out and worrying.
Her own younger sister Huali Xiang, was the same.
Although Huali Xiang is not in good health, it is better for her to go out and move around occasionally than to stay at home all the time, and the doctor also advised her to do some moderate exercise.
Normally, Erii would probably agree to attend the school festival without hesitation.
But... it just so happens to be this time...
Erii glanced hesitantly at her younger sister, who was sitting at the other end of the sofa.
After confessing her feelings to Erii yesterday, Huali Xiang locked herself in her room until this morning when she finally opened the door. Huali Xiang is like a completely different person now. Normally, Huali Xiang is a bit sharp-tongued, but at least she is a lively and cheerful girl. Now, however, she is silent and gloomy, and even unwilling to have any contact with Erii.
The two sisters suddenly went from talking about everything to endless silence. Even though they were sitting face to face, they didn't exchange more than a few words all morning.
"Feeling down...?"
Erii chewed on Futaba Yui's words, a sense of guilt and bitterness rising in her eyes.
Even though she and Huali Xiang had lived together all along, and she was clearly Huali Xiang's closest person, she hadn't noticed Huali Xiang's feelings and emotions at all—even though Huali Xiang had made it very obvious, and Futaba Yui had noticed Huali Xiang's disappointment, Erii remained completely oblivious.
Erii felt that she was really not a good older sister.
"So, are you coming?" Futaba Yui urged on the other end of the phone.
Erii pondered for a moment, then looked up at Huali Xiang, and their Huali Xiang met.
But Huali Xiang immediately looked away, deliberately avoiding her gaze.
Erii thought for a moment, then covered her phone and said, "Huali Xiang, your aunt invited us to visit her school's festival. Do you want to go?"
"I'm not going," Huali Xiang refused decisively.
Although Huali Xiang spends most of her time at home due to health reasons, it is undeniable that she is a complete homebody—as long as she has a computer and a mobile phone, and is well-fed and clothed, she could probably stay home her whole life.
"I see..." Erii couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.
In the past, Huali Xiang would always insist on going to invitations like this, as long as it meant spending time with someone.
Now, Huali Xiang has completely drawn a line under her feet.
Ultimately, it was all because he had neglected his younger sister's feelings too much, taking Huali Xiang's concern for him and her tantrum-like complaints for granted between older and younger sisters.
Erii had been in love with Yanase Naoto for so long, so she naturally understood the bitterness that such feelings brought to a person.
"I..." Erii pursed her lips, then softened her voice, "Just come with me, okay...?"
Huali Xiang kept looking away. "Does my sister want me to go?"
Erii didn't know how to answer for a moment, "Since the weather's been nice lately, I'd like to go for a walk with you."
This wasn't supposed to be a misunderstanding, especially between sisters—but for some reason, Erii felt that the words had taken on an ambiguous connotation when they came out of her mouth.
"Hmm..." Erii fell into a moment of random thoughts.
She didn't have romantic feelings for Huali Xiang, but rather cherished sisterly affection. However, after that unspoken understanding was revealed last night, Erii was now completely at a loss as to how to interact with Huali Xiang.
"In that case, I'll go."
Although she gave a positive answer, Huali Xiang's tone was still somewhat cold and hard.
Erii opened her mouth, then lowered her voice and suddenly asked out of the blue, "Huali Xiang, do you hate your older sister like this?"
"Are you an idiot, sister?" Huali Xiang away, her tone still cold. "If you were so annoying, I wouldn't be talking to you."
[This is chapter six today, so it's not unreasonable to consider this a make-up chapter! 36-1=35 (Although I'm terrified, I'm still confident)]
137. New Channel
Maesakagawa Garrison District, Temporary Garrison Command --
The adjutant is reporting the mission progress of each detachment to Kusei Maki.
"... That's the current situation, sir. Our Engineering Corps are working diligently to rebuild and repair equipment within the controlled area, and we expect to achieve the second phase of progress within three days. In addition, new Trace Mutated Entity activity have appeared near the Seventh Experimental Base in the Eastern District. Our squad and the Funeral Bird Squad are en route to investigate..."
Has the Human Federation replied with any new information?
"They need to verify the information in the 'Shard'."
"Hmm... send it to them," Kusei Maki nodded noncommittally. "How's the investigation into the Subterranean Giant Tower going?"
"No new progress for now... We've increased manpower, but the Mutated Entity plants at the entrance are very troublesome," the adjutant said gravely, flipping through his notebook. "Those Mutated Entity plants seem to have some degree of Dregs properties, and they're very resistant to chemical agents. All our attempts have failed. The engineers have provided new suggestions, and we're trying them one by one."
The adjutant reported on the progress of the investigation and work in the Underground Research Institute area.
The Subterranean Giant Tower is the key to this investigation mission.
Underground Research Institute, the Underground Research Institute can be roughly divided into several areas. The outer area is where a series of classified studies are conducted. However, these studies are not the most core secrets. The real core secrets are all buried inside the Subterranean Giant Tower, which has been occupied by plant-type Mutated Entity.
This is why a large amount of research material is missing—all of that material is stored inside the tower and, for some unknown reason, has not been retrieved.
So now the investigation team is in a predicament: they can't get inside the giant tower full of Mutated Entity plants, so they can't carry out the next step of the investigation.
Unable to use incendiary bombs in large quantities, and lacking powerful individual agents to help them clear the narrow internal passages, the soldiers initially used entrenching tools and flamethrowers to painstakingly excavate. However, the plants would retaliate, forcing them to allocate more manpower to protect the construction team. Later, on the advice of the army engineers, they brought in acid corrosives, plant wilt agents, ripening agents, sonic interference, laser cutting, carbon dioxide filling, and liquid nitrogen freezing from laboratories and factories. They tried all sorts of methods, but with little success.