‘Oh… ah… I am so sleepy…’
Having finally escaped the cramped, uncomfortable cabin of the ‘Stormbird’ gunship and felt the solid concrete of the tarmac beneath her feet, Ji Bingyao stretched languidly, letting out a drawn-out yawn. The exhaustion from twenty-four hours of relentless travel was, indeed, no laughing matter.
‘Ugh… I feel so sick… I am going to throw up…’ Alice, emerging next and clinging to the cabin door, was visibly green. She barely managed two steps before snatching a vomit bag, succumbing to another violent bout of retching. Yet, having already purged everything she had eaten, there was nothing left to expel but a trickle of bitter stomach acid.
‘If either of you are truly unwell, I can arrange for some rest,’ Cassandra offered, gently patting Alice’s back. ‘The meeting with Sister Anastasia can certainly be delayed for a day or two…’
‘Rest? Only the spineless and incompetent constantly require rest,’ Shijō Yurizumi declared, striking an extravagant pose the moment she leaped from the cabin. ‘How could we, the chosen ones destined to redeem this shadowed world, possibly be so frail?! Especially… ugh… ee… ow ow ow ow ow, y-y-y-y-y-y-y…’
In adherence to the immutable law that ‘a comedic character’s coolness lasts no more than three seconds,’ Yurizumi crumpled to her knees, clutching her calf before she could even finish her pronouncement. Having been confined within the gunship for an extended period, her calf had, most unfortunately, seized up in a painful cramp just as she struck her pose. The resultant agony forced her to grimace and collapse to the tarmac.
‘Yurizumi! Are you alright?! I warned you not to engage in strenuous activity after prolonged sitting!’ Eileen hurried over, murmuring as she massaged the calf of a grimacing Yurizumi, who, at that moment, resembled a demon from the netherworld more than a chosen savior. ‘Just look at you; you never heed my words. Even if your ancestors truly were a noble lineage tracing back fourteen hundred years, your legs are still prone to cramping.’
‘In fact, if my memory serves, leg cramps were quite the distinguishing feature of Yurizumi’s ancestors,’ Xia Hua remarked, seizing the opportune moment to land a playful jab as she emerged last from the cabin, flanked by two Holy Maiden guards. ‘Those who resided in Heian-kyō rarely exercised and partook of the world’s blandest, lowest-sodium aristocratic cuisine. Consequently, they were susceptible to muscle spasms from hyponatremia. Should a cramp strike precisely while sitting in formal seiza, the ensuing agony would be… well, quite something.’
‘Ugh! Could you possibly refrain from discussing such things?!’ Yurizumi, having at last regained her composure, dabbed at her eyes while casting a plaintive glance at Xia Hua. ‘Had I foreseen this, I would have left you and the others back at the hotel.’
‘But Miss Cassandra did have a premonition, you see. She explicitly stated that the five of us would be operating together for a while,’ Xia Hua countered. ‘Moreover, as a dedicated mystic researcher whose lifelong aspiration is to unravel the universe’s enigmas, how could I possibly forgo an opportunity to meet the most formidable psychic in this world?’
‘Actually… Sister Anastasia merely specializes in combat and military command; it doesn’t imply she’s ‘stronger’ than the rest of us. If you were to say that to her face, she would be quite displeased,’ Cassandra clarified. ‘Furthermore, our abilities aren’t classified as psychic powers. Rather, they are a synergistic product of genetic science and high-dimensional physics, manifesting as unique physical phenomena achieved by harnessing energy from ‘Lihantian’—the ‘gap’ between various parallel worlds.’
‘Hmm,’ Ji Bingyao nodded thoughtfully. ‘It’s quite similar to ‘The Magician of Constantinople’ from the opening of a certain best-selling sci-fi novel’s third installment, who wields the power of high-dimensional fragments, isn’t it? Though, personally, I found that particular section rather uninteresting.’
‘Er… I am unfamiliar with the novels from your world, but you can certainly interpret it that way,’ Cassandra conceded. ‘In any case, this truly has little to do with mysticism. However, given that Miss Xia Hua is also a friend of Mother’s, and thus connected to this matter, allowing her to accompany us is perfectly acceptable.’
‘I can’t help but wonder about Shirley,’ Alice murmured, nervously twiddling her fingers after her final retch. ‘And Miss Salome. I truly hope they are both safe…’
‘Let’s hope so.’ Cassandra’s countenance mirrored Alice’s apprehension. Just a day prior, as the survivors of St. Lian Girls’ Academy fled through the spatial rift Salome had conjured, they had fully expected Shirley and Salome to follow swiftly. Yet, moments after several Holy Maidens, who served as Salome’s personal guards, burst through the rift into the safety zone, the rift itself abruptly disintegrated!
No one knew what horrors had transpired on the other side of the rift. While some, Cassandra included, were tempted to venture back and assess the situation, they ultimately abandoned the notion. The Free Army Special Operations Detachment, sent to rendezvous with them, reported that electronic reconnaissance indicated a marked surge in communication traffic emanating from the Human Revival Council across the European continent, a clear sign that substantial Council combat units were rapidly converging.
To avert complete annihilation, Cassandra found herself compelled to shepherd the reluctant members of the ‘Pink FM Frequency’ band and the remaining survivors onto the gunship. Their course was set southeast, soaring over Gibraltar towards Africa, a continent largely under the Free Army’s dominion.
Following multiple refueling stops, a staggering fifty-seven students from St. Lian Academy—who, a mere three days prior, had been relishing their leisurely holidays—along with fourteen surviving security personnel and faculty, arrived in a state of utter bewilderment at St. Tir City. This city, once the capital of ‘Amaterasu’s Paradise’ and former headquarters of the Human Revival Council, had since been rechristened ‘Fort Resistance.’ Cassandra first directed the aircraft to land outside the city, where she arranged accommodation for the majority in a hotel. Afterward, she and five others, including Ji Bingyao, who shared a close bond with Shirley, transferred to a separate private plane, finally touching down at the military airport in the city center.
‘What in the world is that? A castle?’ Eileen inquired, her gaze fixed on the towering structure in the near distance. ‘It bears a resemblance to the anti-aircraft turrets I once saw in Berlin…’
‘Functionally, you’re quite right,’ Cassandra elucidated. ‘That edifice was originally the headquarters of the Global Innovation Alliance, a colossal tech trust forged by last century’s technological oligarchs. Following the ‘Boundary Break’ event and the subsequent portal cataclysm, the Global Innovation Alliance capitalized on the collapse of global governments to swiftly consolidate its power. This very location then became the nerve center of the Human Revival Council, which subsequently governed the world… until we finally breached its defenses three years ago. That, I assure you, was an exceptionally fierce battle!’
‘I can well imagine,’ Ji Bingyao murmured, her gaze sweeping over the formidable fortress. As the daughter of an entrepreneur, she had frequented the headquarters of numerous major corporations since childhood. In her experience, sprawling structures adorned with glass curtain walls were the ubiquitous standard for such enterprises. Yet, this building’s exterior was composed of stark, grey military-grade concrete, punctuated by ubiquitous firing ports and projecting weapons platforms. Its apex revealed expansive helipads alongside colossal communication antennae and vigilant radar arrays.
Most notably, the fortress’s outer walls bore widespread evidence of fissures, bullet craters, and scorch marks. While some of the more grievous breaches had been patched and repaired, countless other scars remained, serving as stark reminders of the fierce conflict that had once raged within its confines.
‘This now serves as the seat of the Free Army’s General Staff and Administrative Council, and Sister Anastasia’s office is located within,’ Cassandra explained, guiding the group towards the imposing fortress. ‘While the fortress also features a helipad on its summit, it’s rarely utilized. Incidentally, that’s precisely where we launched our assault from during the battle.’
Stationed at the fortress entrance were two wheeled armored vehicles and approximately a squad of infantry. These security personnel, however, were not the familiar Holy Maidens clad in form-fitting armor, but rather ordinary male soldiers in brownish-green desert camouflage and light armor, predominantly dark-skinned East African locals. Upon sighting Cassandra, the soldiers, without even pausing to request her identification, promptly stepped aside and rendered a respectful salute.
‘Well, it’s fortunate the guards here recognize me,’ Cassandra remarked with a self-deprecating chuckle. ‘In many other places, I’d likely be mistaken for a child and summarily ushered away.’
‘Miss Cassandra, how old are you, truly?’ Eileen inquired with palpable curiosity. ‘While your demeanor certainly suggests an adult, your appearance…’
‘Not yet ten years old? This is actually a side effect of the genetic editing Mother performed on me,’ Cassandra clarified. ‘My body is simply incapable of maturing beyond this point.’
‘So, what is your actual age, then?’ Xia Hua’s interest was piqued. ‘Eighteen? Twenty? Twenty-five?’
‘On my official documents, I am listed as twenty-two,’ Cassandra replied, shrugging lightly. ‘But in reality… I am ten.’
‘What?!’ Every face present contorted into an expression of utter bewilderment.
‘Precisely. To expedite experimental results, Mother designed us, her genetic templates, for accelerated growth. Within two to three years of birth, we reach a ‘mature’ state, exhibiting our full range of talents, after which our physical appearance largely ceases to change. For instance, Sister Anastasia was already one meter ninety tall by the age of three. And, incidentally, Sister Salome is twelve this year.’
‘Ugh…’ A collective gasp rippled through the others once more. The realization that they had, earlier, inadvertently kissed a twelve-year-old loli left them with a lingering sense of unease. Fortunately, it was unlikely that this world’s authorities would arrest them on charges of molesting a minor.
Stepping through the expansive main gate, the group first traversed the grand hall situated on the fortress’s ground floor. Along both sides of this hall stood thirteen marble sculptures; twelve of these depicted distinct women, among them Salome and Cassandra. Noticeably, the material of these sculptures did not match that of their pedestals, making it evident that these bases had once borne other statues, which had subsequently been replaced with the likenesses of Shirley’s daughters.
The thirteenth sculpture, however, was fashioned from the same material as its pedestal. It appeared to have originally depicted a female researcher in a white lab coat, but its head had been severed, and its body was marred by bullet holes, as well as numerous gashes, dents, and scorch marks, giving it the appearance of an artifact freshly unearthed from a Roman city sacked by barbarians.
‘These are… well, you can probably discern their identities. To be honest, I am not particularly fond of these sculptures myself. It’s simply that after the Great Uprising three years ago, the Free Army, in a gesture of gratitude, demolished the Council member statues that once stood here and replaced them with likenesses of us sisters.’ Upon seeing her own sculpted form, Cassandra appeared somewhat abashed.
‘And this one?’ Alice inquired, gesturing towards the mutilated statue.
‘That one… belongs to Mother. All the marks of destruction upon it were left by Sister Anastasia.’ Cassandra appeared visibly distressed. ‘However, I believe Sister Anastasia still harbors affection for Mother, so… uh… perhaps we should hasten our departure.’
‘You seem somewhat afraid of your sister, don’t you?’ Eileen remarked once they had stepped into an elevator situated off the main hall.
‘No… I… I suppose I should say I revere her? After all, Sister Anastasia is truly exceptional in combat. Everyone says that Sister Anastasia doesn’t need armor for protection; rather, the armor wears her to gain protection. She also doesn’t require weapons in battle; instead, weapons rely on her to achieve greater destructive power,’ Cassandra explained. ‘In the past, she protected us countless times. Without her, several of our sisters would not have survived…’
When the elevator doors opened once more, Cassandra swiftly led the others to an office, then cautiously pressed the doorbell. ‘Sister Anastasia? It’s Cassandra.’
‘How many times have I told you? Use my military rank during working hours,’ a sharp voice emanated from within the office. ‘Address me as Lieutenant General Anastasia!’
‘Ah… yes, yes! Lieutenant General!’ The soft-natured Cassandra trembled, her demeanor so pitiable that even those beside her began to feel sorry for her. ‘I, I have brought the survivors from the teleportation site. Most have been safely settled in the city, and those connected to Mother are with me…’
‘Those connected to Mother? Then, where is Mother?’ As Cassandra pushed open the door, the voice impatiently demanded. ‘And where is Colonel Salome? Have her speak!’
‘F-forgive me, Lieutenant General!’ Cassandra was practically on the verge of tears. ‘But… but… Sister Salome and Mother… they couldn’t evacuate to the safe zone in time! The situation was chaotic; a considerable X-strike team suddenly air-dropped near the teleportation point, and I… I suspect they may have fallen into the hands of the Council’s forces!’