Chapter 26: The Pursuit

Schwarzwald’s security forces were clearing the scene at the laboratory, and Shakiya followed Zion and the other operatives to a nearby hall.

As safety had not yet been fully confirmed, personnel were not permitted to leave the experimental department hall until the security division completed its inspection. Everyone had no choice but to chat while they waited.

"I never imagined that the weapons on the Traum could be reverse-engineered..."

Shakiya kept her eyes fixed on the weapon in Operative K's hand. It had reverted to the appearance of a standard handgun.

"Don't underestimate modern humans."

Zion patted Shakiya on the shoulder.

"This thing is called an ACRWS..."

Operative K toyed with the strange pistol, then looked at Shakiya.

"What a ridiculous name..."

"It stands for Ancient Civilization Restoration Weapon System," K replied, causing Shakiya to frown.

"Too long. Really hard to remember."

It seemed Shakiya’s assessment was shared by the other operatives, who nodded in agreement.

"I usually just call it a 'Composite Gun,' since it can pack so many functions," Operative J said with a smile.

"I like that," Shakiya agreed. "Zion, can you get me one too?"

Shakiya seemed quite taken with the weapon.

"Sure, I'll go apply for one with the Director."

Zion understood that incidents like today’s would only become more frequent. Shakiya would sooner or later face dangers greater than this, and it was time to enhance her combat capabilities.

Security personnel in hazmat suits began checking everyone, and the group stood in line, passing through the sensors one by one.

"Speaking of which, it's surprising that the enemy was able to infiltrate..." Operative J, who was standing in front of Shakiya, turned to speak to those behind him.

"It seems it wasn't a mistake to equip the operatives with this advanced technology after all. God knows what else we might run into." Operative K nodded at Shakiya and Zion.

Everyone passed the inspection and was cleared to leave. It appeared that the gelatinous substance was neither a virus nor a chemical agent. At the very least, that was a relief.

"Good work, everyone. You are dismissed for now." Zion saluted the operatives.

"Understood, Officer Zion." K returned the salute on behalf of the group.

With the operatives dismissed, Shakiya decided it was time to head home and get some rest.

***

As usual, Zion drove her back.

"Oh, before you go, give me your ID card. I’ll go apply for that 'Composite Gun' for you."

Zion registered Shakiya into the weapons system, and now all that remained was to wait for approval.

After driving Shakiya to her apartment complex, Zion warned her to stay vigilant, as the enemy’s whereabouts were unknown. She urged Shakiya to contact her immediately if she noticed anything unusual.

"I have a feeling this is going to be a real headache..."

As they walked to the entrance of the complex, Zion’s warnings began to make Shakiya nervous.

"You're right. We have no idea where that 'Kin' is lurking. This operation is different from our past ones..." Zion sighed. If the enemy continued to play hide-and-seek, the city might be destroyed before they could even sound the alarm for an evacuation.

"I think... what if we try to corner it?" Shakiya could see the rare seriousness on Zion’s face and felt she had to come up with a solution.

"It's worth a try, provided the creature reveals itself." Zion nodded. "All headquarters operatives are on standby, ensuring every district is under surveillance. Now, we just wait."

"Right. When it appears, I'll beat it until there's nothing left but dust."

Seeing Shakiya’s fighting spirit, Zion felt reassured. After confirming Shakiya was safely inside, Zion drove away. The only thing left to do was to hunt for any trace of the enemy. Zion knew that innocent casualties were likely unavoidable in the days to come. All she and her operatives could do was minimize the loss of life.

A few days had passed since Shakiya returned home. During this time, sporadic casualties had occurred throughout the city—as expected. Zion had involved Shakiya in the containment operation, sometimes working alongside Operative K’s squad, and sometimes working independently.

Shakiya’s "Composite Gun" had been issued, along with an operative uniform and sunglasses. These would ensure she wasn't caught off guard if she had to operate alone. The uniforms were made of special materials, essentially acting as tactical body armor, and the sunglasses were high-tech tactical eyewear, bulletproof and corrosion-resistant.

The Director had approved these measures, hoping that allowing Shakiya to familiarize herself with front-line duties might help her recover her memories. Shakiya’s previous combat training was more than sufficient for the job, and combat tests had revealed that she still possessed the instincts of a seasoned warrior. By all accounts, she was already a skilled operative.

School was out, but this vacation belonged to the girl named Qin Yun; Shakiya could not afford to rest. After adjusting her mindset, she chose to participate in the operations, hoping to recover both her combat strength and her memories. Despite the fatigue and burnout she had felt recently, lying at home wouldn't solve anything.

Over the past week, Schwarzwald’s operatives had compiled data on the attacks. They discovered that an attack occurred exactly once every day. There had been more than five victims, and their bodies were quickly recovered by police and operatives who knew the truth.

***

"Once a day? It’s like it’s following a meal schedule," Shakiya remarked when she received the analysis from headquarters.

Shakiya was currently patrolling a busy district in New Chunqiu City, dressed in her operative uniform. She stood in the underground parking garage of an office building, marking the scene where the enemy had appeared the day before. Although other operatives had already cleaned the site to prevent unnecessary panic, it was necessary for her investigation.

Actually, there had been eyewitness reports even before Shakiya met K and investigated the murder at the shop. However, there had been no casualties at that time. It was only through the diligent investigation of the operatives that they managed to collect reports on the suspected target. Witnesses described seeing something like a "slime" near sewage pipes and drains. Most had dismissed it, thinking they had simply seen things.

As Shakiya marked the downtown sites, the creature's trajectory began to emerge.

"Good work, Shakiya. We can basically confirm that this thing is moving through the city with a specific goal." Zion’s reply came quickly.

Shakiya moved from the parking garage to a pedestrian street, communicating with headquarters from an alleyway between buildings.

"What kind of trajectory?" Shakiya asked, curious. "Is it heading for the Origin Cube at Schwarzwald headquarters?"

According to what her "father," Director Qin, had told her, the monsters known as "Kin" had only one goal.

"It first appeared at the suburban underground water source, then traveled upstream through the sewers to reach the city center." As Zion explained, data and icons appeared on Shakiya’s phone. "The first sighting was here, and then it..."

The icons on her phone caught Shakiya’s attention. The maps showed the sewer inlets where the monster had been spotted; they led to a river, which in turn flowed into a large water network. This network converged at a large lake—the same one near the site of the desperate sniper battle against the invisible "Kin" that had flown through the sky. The location where that creature had been destroyed and crashed was right near that lake.

Before Shakiya could dwell on it, Zion continued her explanation.

"They seem to be able to sense the energy of the Origin Cube. They are instinctively taking the shortest path toward the underground base."

"A straight line, then." That was easy to understand. Shakiya gestured for Zion to continue.

"But we noticed it clearly took some detours. It seems to be doing some sort of..." Zion paused.