"There are items to retrieve before departure," 1 recalled the ammunition resupply.
"Await a moment," 36 matched 1's pace, heading towards the descended metallic container.
"Might I borrow a moment of your time? Nie Yun entrusted us with items for you," 24 inquired of 13, her gaze carrying an unprecedented plea.
"Mm," 13 also detected the peculiarity. Following 24 towards the metallic container, its spacious silvery interior featured numerous ammunition boxes secured to the side walls.
With her back to 13, 24 made no move to retrieve anything, merely standing quiescently. 13 refrained from further inquiry. Nearby, 1 and 36 swiftly extracted ammunition before departing. Everyone understood this moment required tranquility. Zhen Xian, not far off, also sensed something amiss. Feminine intuition informed her this girl harbored profound affection for 13 as well.
"What is it?" The excessive silence oppressed 13.
"For you!" Extracting a black metallic box, she turned and tossed it to 13. Only swift reflexes prevented it from striking the ground.
"What is this?" It felt light, resembling an ammunition supply box.
"Open it and ascertain for yourself," 24's tone lacked its customary gentleness.
Opening it slowly revealed four peculiar bullets, akin to cryo-rounds, entirely transparent in design. However, flowing within were liquid substances of four distinct hues: blue, red, black, and purple.
Beneath each recumbent bullet, different numerals were inscribed: Blue 1, Red 2, Black 3, Purple 4.
"I still fail to comprehend," 13 had never encountered such ammunition.
"These are armaments Nie Yun specifically designed for you. Sub-ion projectiles," 24's placid words astounded 13. "Your SEED is designated Ion Projectile Number 0. Among all, it is the most potent offensive weapon. Naturally, it also inflicts the greatest self-harm. Nie Yun seemingly diminished SEED's potency to derive alternative ion emission modes. Their exact power? Even Nie Yun is uncertain, merely stating they can, at minimum, preserve your life. You will not be consumed by discharging SEED. It was precisely for its completion that we arrived belatedly."
"Nie Yun," 13's voice hesitated. "Is he well?"
"Unwell," 24 stated sternly. "Because you departed without us. Have you considered our sentiments?"
"I merely wished..." 13 attempted to justify.
"Wished what? To rescue us? Do not be naive! We are a collective. No individual is exceptional. I could perish, 1 could perish, 36 could perish. Naturally, you could perish too! The loss of any one of us would inflict grief. Do you believe shouldering everything alleviates our burden? We merely grow more concerned for you. Mature somewhat! We are no longer children!" 24's voice rose to a roar, solely because the person before her genuinely caused her apprehension.
"My apologies," 13 acknowledged his error. 24's shoulders trembled—a familiar gesture to 13: weeping. Weeping out of concern for him.
"In truth, it matters little, provided you remain alive now," 24 suppressed her surging emotions, glancing sideways at Zhen Xian behind her.
"Do you love her?" 24 inquired directly; there was no longer reason for reticence.
"I do not know," 13 spoke truthfully. "She bears a striking resemblance to someone I once cherished deeply. At times, even I cannot distinguish whether she is herself or the specter of my former angel. Yet, I find myself inexplicably concerned for her, unwilling for her to suffer harm, unwilling to witness her sorrowful expression." 13's expression grew distant, a smile unconsciously gracing his lips.
That smile nearly devastated 24's heart. From that instant, 13 no longer belonged to her. She had believed that as long as the emotionally oblivious 13 remained by her side, it sufficed; at least she could accompany 13's progress under the guise of a teammate. She was the woman closest to 13 in the entire world, the most fortunate.
Yet, circumstances had shifted. The child had matured, beginning to comprehend things previously obscure. Her steps trailing 13 grew increasingly distant, as if even sprinting at full capacity could not bridge the gap to his vanishing silhouette.
"If I were to kill her? Would you kill me?" 24's tone seemed jesting.
However, 13 perceived no such levity; the intense killing intent surprised even himself.
"Impermissible! You cannot harm her!" 13 stated frantically.
"I merely wish to know your course of action," 24 persisted.
"Please refrain from this, alright?" 13's tone held entreaty, a genuine concession. "Each of you is profoundly important to me."
"Alas..." 24 lowered her head, sighing. Slowly removing her helmet, her shoulder-length hair cascaded softly, veiling her expression.
"You remain unchanged," 24 raised her head, smiling. Though smiling, the tears at the corners of her eyes could not conceal her sorrow. "You always handle emotional matters poorly, indecisively. Truly, I fail to understand why I fell for a man like you? Yet, loving you feels like destiny; I cannot alter it. Even today, with you loving another, I still love you. Please remember, loving someone necessitates no reciprocation, merely wishing for their happiness suffices. I hope you find happiness." Without heeding 13's bewildered expression, she gathered ammunition and walked towards Zhen Xian.
1 and 36, having retrieved their ammunition, had already descended into the sewer. Madman and Uncle had also gone down. Only Zhen Xian, worried about 13, and Bao Zhu, worried about Zhen Xian, remained above.
Passing her, 24 paused.
"Should you harm him, I will kill you. Should you betray him, I will kill you. Should you cause him unhappiness, I will also kill you," 24's frigid words held no trace of jest. Confronting such targeted hostility for the first time, Zhen Xian felt fear, rendered speechless by it.
Bao Zhu abruptly grasped Zhen Xian's arm, steadying her resolve.
"Before that occurs, you would already be deceased. I will permit no one to harm the Young Mistress!" Bao Zhu's words conveyed inviolable authority.
"I love him! Just as you love him!" Zhen Xian retorted defensively.
Expressionless, 24 glanced towards the black manhole opening. "I hope you remember your words today." With that, she swiftly leaped down.
High above, the mechanical fly surveyed all. Witnessing Zhen Xian alive and safe eased Hideaki Xiu Ming's heart considerably. If only the mechanical fly could transmit audio signals, Hideaki Xiu Ming yearned to hear a few words from her. Yet, this was an extravagant hope. Until Zhen Xian revealed 'Snake,' Hideaki Xiu Ming knew another meeting was impossible. He merely hoped this separation would not be protracted.
The Korean narrative tentatively concluded. In China, a tempest gathered silently.
August 4th, 2013, simultaneous with 13's assault on the Japanese forces.
China's various academies exhibited unusual divergence. Not a single classroom conducted routine lessons. Formerly crowded basketball courts stood deserted, as if everyone had vanished into thin air. However, the streets of every city experienced complete gridlock. Throngs of students surged through the already congested avenues. Disregarding all traffic signals, they converged upon local municipal government buildings. Headbands adorned each individual, inscribed with the forceful characters: "Those who offend our celestial might shall be punished, however distant!"
Traffic police lacked the capacity to intervene, swiftly reporting the situation upwards. The circumstances mirrored across provinces, cities, and townships. The largest demonstration in Chinese history erupted on this day.
Posterity termed this the "Genesis Turmoil!"
Within this upheaval, Hei Long played a decisive role, yet not as terrifying as later perceived.
He was but one individual, an ordinary person. Possessing no power to manipulate heaven and earth, he merely discerned an unspoken truth within China, leveraging the potent nationalistic fervor within the Chinese populace.
The catalyst was Zhao Xiang's pledge: "Should Japan invade even an inch of another nation's territory, war shall be declared upon Japan!"
Yet, even today, with Korea effectively Japanese territory, China had undertaken no action. The unexpectedly smooth succession of Japanese attacks, coupled with the central government's diversionary tactic of grand Army Day celebrations, had fortuitously preserved that delicate, unbreached boundary.
However, for Hei Long, this boundary represented a stage prepared specifically for him.
With the mere touch of his finger, what form would China, its national pride maximally inflated by 13, assume? None could predict.
Within a top-tier presidential suite in Hong Kong, Hei Long remained positioned before the floor-to-ceiling window, gazing down at the continuously gathering crowds. A natural smile spread across his lips—this was the situation he had orchestrated. Through minor incitement, he had accomplished a colossal upheaval unforeseen even by M Country.
"Arise, my world."
The tempest descended.