novelraw Chapter 45: Sea of Darkness - (45)
Chapter 45: Sea of Darkness - (45)
“Good morning.” Silver Mask crouched in the living room, slurping instant noodles.
“Morning.” Kui Xin entered the house, changing her shoes.
“What injury did you sustain?” Silver Mask put down his noodle fork and examined Kui Xin.
“I got splashed by Scythe Demon blood,” Kui Xin said.
“That thing isn’t one to mess with; my last injury was due to it. It is small in size, moves silently, and is exceptionally fast. Mature ones have four scythe-like bone blades,” Silver Mask explained. “If you encountered it, did anyone from your patrol squad perish?”
“No, the one I faced had only two bone blades.” Kui Xin walked into the living room and leaned against the sofa for a rest.
Silver Mask often slept on the sofa, creating over time a slight indentation where he lay. The sofa cushion sank permanently, no longer being able to regain its shape fully.
Kui Xin scanned the room’s interior decor; the white walls were already marred with patchy cracks, and there was slight water seepage from the ceiling. The room was exceptionally plain, devoid of any superfluous decorations, and contained only some basic furniture, which mostly appeared quite worn out.
For instance, the sofa she sat on had hardened sponge cushions, making it uncomfortable after prolonged sitting.
“From now on, don’t lie on the sofa anymore; you’ve damaged its foam,” Kui Xin said. “There’s a folding bed in the storage room. Clean it up and set it up in the living area as your sleeping spot.”“I can actually have my own bed?” Silver Mask exclaimed, astonished.
His initial focus wasn’t on Kui Xin’s disapproval, but rather on the prospect of having his bed.
Kui Xin nodded generously. “After sleeping each day, make sure to fold the bed and store it away in the storage room. Don’t leave it out, causing clutter.”
“Alright.” Silver Mask quickly finished slurping down his instant noodles and went to retrieve the folding bed from the storage room.
He washed off the dust from the folding bed with water, then placed it in an empty space within the living area and tried lying on it.
“It’s a bit short.” Silver Mask’s feet extended beyond the foot of the bed. He rolled over, saying, “Perfect for side-lying with curled legs though.”
He bounced on the bed twice, happily folded it back up, and stored it away.
“How old are you, acting like a child?” Kui Xin teased.
“I’m seventeen this year, not yet an adult,” Silver Mask softly replied.
Kui Xin was taken aback… What?!
She genuinely hadn’t realized that Silver Mask was underage. Firstly, he was too tall, matching the height of an adult male with well-defined muscles. Secondly, his killing techniques were highly proficient, suggesting extensive training. He executed tasks diligently and efficiently, without complaint. Silver Mask wasn’t particularly cerebral, making him an excellent tool for their needs.
How did Mechanical Dawn cultivate individuals like Silver Mask? Could it be that they started training them at a very young age?
And then there’s Red, Thorny Rose, Amber, and Obsidian… Were they recruited, specifically selected, and brainwashed after identification, or directly picked from orphans to ensure absolute loyalty?
Kui Xin had limited interaction with the Amber and Obsidian twins; judging by their appearances, they couldn’t be much older, resembling adolescents, likely around Silver Mask’s age. Among Thorny Rose and Red, Kui Xin remained most cautious about Red due to his high authority, deep knowledge of her original identity, and potential as a dangerous ticking time bomb.
“What’s up with that look? Is there something wrong with me being seventeen?” Silver Mask asked. “The leader said I’m one of the most promising young individuals within the organization… well, among others.”
“Among others?” Kui Xin echoed.
“You don’t believe me?” Silver Mask’s pale pink eyes stared intensely at Kui Xin.
Kui Xin smiled and said, “I do believe you.”
If Silver Mask’s words were true, it indicated that he was an exceptionally talented rising star within the Mechanical Dawn, deemed worthy of focused cultivation. After all, the top boss typically doesn’t make careless remarks. In such a ruthless organization as the Mechanical Dawn, a simple encouragement from the leader saying “Well done, noted as a merit” would suffice. To specifically single out someone as his most favored… This praise carries more weight, suggesting something unusual.
“I’ve awakened my superhuman ability,” Kui Xin suddenly declared.
Silver Mask jerked his head up. “What? Awakened? What type of superhuman ability is this? Can you tell me?”
“It has the effect of accelerated healing,” Kui Xin said. “Last night, I got injured by the Scythe Demon, but thanks to this superhuman ability, I managed to survive.”
“That’s incredibly close!” Silver Mask exclaimed. “This superhuman ability is highly practical and well-suited for you.” He pondered for a moment before continuing, “Just imagine—I mean, just hypothetically. If your identity were to be exposed and others interrogated you with torture, wouldn’t it mean that no matter how much they tormented you, you couldn’t die?”
“What kind of ‘just hypothetical’ scenario is this?” Kui Xin raised an eyebrow. “That hypothetical won’t happen. Even if it did, I would find an opportunity to end my own life.”
After self-termination, she could then use the Death Cycle to return to the point before her capture, aiming to achieve a different outcome.
However, to Silver Mask, these words carried a different interpretation: “Yes, I would do the same in your place. They shouldn’t expect any information from me.”
Mechanical Dawn’s indoctrination was truly thorough, leaving loyalty deeply imprinted in his mind, impossible to erase regardless of circumstances.
“I need to get back to my room; there’s work to be done,” Kui Xin said as she stood up from the sofa. “Red instructed us to complete the installation of the port bombs within three days. You should carry out your tasks accordingly.”
“Red has given me instructions,” Silver Mask replied. “I’ll head to the port’s arsenal shortly to retrieve the detonators, and tonight, together with Thorny Rose, we’ll dive at Dock No. 5 to attach the bombs to the underwater load-bearing columns.”
“In a bit, I’ll compile the patrol routes and timings of the coastal security force and send them to you,” Kui Xin stated.
Most of the tasks did not require Kui Xin’s direct involvement. Her primary responsibilities as an undercover agent included providing intelligence to assist her teammates in carrying out missions and serving as the operational commander during critical moments.
Earlier, when Red entrusted her with killing Ball Python, it wasn’t genuinely because he wanted her to execute the traitor. Kui Xin, on the other hand, expressed that Red should bring captives alive to her whenever possible; she needed to know who the traitor was.
Red investigated, informed her, and understandably assumed that Kui Xin wished to personally deal with the traitor; thus, the task fell onto her shoulders.
Reflecting back on certain events allowed one to discern different underlying meanings.
In many aspects, Red prioritized Kui Xin, but his attitude was not overtly apparent—it could even be described as extremely subtle… Despite Kui Xin’s keenness, it took a series of incidents for her to formally recognize Red’s unusual demeanor.
Previously, she had suspicions, but Red’s behavior was ambiguous, making it difficult to ascertain.
Not just Red, but Thorny Rose seemed similarly inclined. Thorny Rose appeared to have had some prior interactions with Kui Xin’s original self, displaying obedience and trust toward her. Whenever Kui Xin was assigned tasks, Thorny Rose never raised objections. During a team meeting, when Red proposed Kui Xin as the Deputy Commander for the Mooring Harbor explosion mission, Thorny Rose was the first to respond affirmatively, acknowledging Kui Xin’s role as Deputy Commander.
And then there was Silver Mask.
Silver Mask intentionally protected Kui Xin. When she was under gunfire, he shielded her, stepping in front of her. In reality, after determining the enemy’s position, he could have disregarded Kui Xin and directly pursued them, but he didn’t. Instead, he maintained a water barrier on the spot, waiting for Kui Xin to recover from the slight concussion caused by the bullet before tracking the enemy together with her.
This indicated that ensuring Kui Xin’s safety took precedence over dealing with enemies. Her well-being seemed more important to him—somewhat contradictory to Silver Mask’s characteristically task-focused and organization-loyal nature.
“Am I thinking too much?” Kui Xin pondered carefully at her bedroom desk.
No, her sixth sense warned her that this wasn’t merely overthinking; there were genuine anomalies.
All these irregularities converged, pointing towards the core issue—the identity of her original self.
The status of the body she inhabited held the key.
Kui Xin must ascertain her exact position and role within the Mechanical Dawn Organization, as it will be crucial for her survival going forward.
In fact, Kui Xin had a subtle premonition—if the leader of Mechanical Dawn became aware of her awakening, he would undoubtedly want to meet her.
This premonition was incredibly strong, causing her heart to flutter slightly whenever the thought crossed her mind, followed by a few pulses in her temples.
The triggering of Kui Xin’s inherent talent, “Absolute Prediction” was quite mystical. When it activated, she often struggled to discern whether her palpitations were due to overthinking or if the talent had indeed been triggered. However, during life-or-death situations, Absolute Prediction proved reliable.
Unfortunately, concealing her superhuman ability for Flesh Regeneration was challenging for Kui Xin. It functioned as a passive skill, automatically activating whenever she sustained injuries. She had no control over the timing and speed of healing. Being around her teammates from the Investigation Department made it simple to inadvertently reveal this ability, and once exposed there, it would undoubtedly be impossible to hide it from Mechanical Dawn as well.
It seemed perfect to use last night’s alien creature attack as a pretext for her natural awakening. Rather than cautiously hiding it, revealing one card proactively might be more advantageous.
Kui Xin felt a slight vibration on her bracelet and looked down, noticing that Red had sent her a message.
Red: “Have you reported your awakening yet?”
Kui Xin: “I just returned; I haven’t had the chance to report.”
Red: “Figured as much. I’ve already reported it on your behalf.”
After a few seconds, Red sent another message: “The boss wants to see you.”
Kui Xin’s eyebrow twitched, and her fingers jerked as if electrocuted. Just as she was about to casually reply with an “Okay,” pretending nonchalance, Red initiated a call.
With a foreboding sense, she pressed the accept button and remained silent, wanting to hear what Red had to say.
“Sigh.” Surprisingly, Red began by exhaling audibly. “Go ahead, Rich Lady, stop avoiding the boss. The boss is quite pleased to hear about your awakening—it’s a great opportunity. Why not mend your relationship with him? Constantly being at odds isn’t productive.”
“… Did he instruct you to convey this message?” Kui Xin chose her words carefully.
If the original body was deeply trusted within Mechanical Dawn, when the leader wanted to meet her, he should have contacted her directly. Having Red relay the message seemed unnecessary.
Red mentioned, “Mend your relationship; constantly being at odds isn’t productive” … Does that mean the original body’s closeness with the Mechanical Dawn leader allowed for prolonged periods of estrangement, yet still enabled them to repair their relationship after such conflicts?
Kui Xin felt inexplicably startled.
“Well, otherwise why would he do it? Maybe the boss couldn’t bring himself to face you directly, even if he needed me to convey his desire to meet. Surely you two haven’t gone without any contact during this time, right?” Red said. “Based on my years of experience working under the boss, I’m certain he wants to reconcile with you. Otherwise, he wouldn’t indirectly ask me to inform you.”
Kui Xin was utterly bewildered, feeling chills run down her spine.
Feeling goosebumps rise on her skin, Kui Xin tried to pry more information by asking, “Do you think he couldn’t bring himself to face me directly?”
“Well, what else?” Red countered again. “I’ve delivered the message as requested. Considering something as significant as your awakening, it’s crucial that you return to Headquarters. You should understand the priorities here.”
Seeing Kui Xin remain silent, Red continued, “This morning, Night Cicada returned from his mission in White Whale City. If there are no surprises, he’ll come pick you up shortly and escort you back to Headquarters. Night Cicada’s timing is perfect; with him involved, completing the Mooring Harbor sabotage mission will be much easier.”
Kui Xin internally groaned, Who exactly is this Night Cicada again?
Red ended the communication.
Exhausted, Kui Xin lowered her bracelet.
Great, yet another group of difficult individuals she’d have to deal with now.
In the very next moment after setting down her bracelet, she sensed an unusual disturbance behind her. Her hair stood on end, and reflexively, she grabbed a gun from beneath her desk, pointing it behind her while shouting, “Silver Mask!”
She had purposefully hidden this gun there. Apart from under the desk in her bedroom, she also concealed firearms and knives beneath her pillow, inside the bedside table, under the bed, in the kitchen, within the refrigerator, shoe cabinets, and even the bathroom. Kui Xin took caution to the extreme, ensuring that to prevent potential attacks at her home, weapons were strategically placed in all hidden spots.
In the empty space of Kui Xin’s bedroom, a deep blue whirlpool rapidly expanded from fist-sized to as large as a full-length mirror.
A foot clad in tactical boots stepped out of the swirling vortex. At that moment, Silver Mask kicked open the door, burst through the water curtain, and alertly exclaimed, “Enemy attack? Hide behind me!”
“Don’t shoot; it’s one of us.” A man dressed in pitch-black combat attire with a dark mask emerged from the whirlpool.
His eyes, visible beneath the mask, were focused on Kui Xin. “Apologies, I forgot you don’t like people standing behind you. Red should have mentioned my return.”
“Night Cicada!” Silver Mask relaxed his shoulders and removed the water curtain. “I wasn’t sure who it was; you gave me quite a scare.”
Kui Xin slowly lowered her gun, uttering the black-clad man’s codename, “Night Cicada.”
Night Cicada possessed spatial superhuman abilities, astonishingly opening a space tunnel right within Kui Xin’s room!
“Let’s go; the boss wants to see you.” Night Cicada paused momentarily before adding, “What’s your new codename again? Red mentioned it. Was it something like ‘Rich Lady’?” He chuckled. “Must be tough having such a mismatched codename.”
“What does it matter to you?” Kui Xin replied expressionlessly.
“Alright, I’ll keep quiet… After not seeing each other for so long, you’re still as irritable as ever.” Night Cicada took a step aside and gestured courteously, like a gentleman ushering her forward. “Please, ‘Miss Rich Lady’.”
He expected Kui Xin to step into the deep blue whirlpool.
“Are we returning to Headquarters?” Silver Mask glanced at Kui Xin, waved goodbye, and said, “See you later.”
…There was no room for hesitation; hesitating would reveal fear.
She didn’t have much time to ponder, leaving her with only one option—to move forward, always forward.
Kui Xin straightened her posture and, under the watchful eyes of Silver Mask and Night Cicada, walked step by step into the deep blue vortex.
Like a fish entering the water, she passed through a thin barrier. Her vision briefly plunged into darkness, but as she continued stepping forward, the surroundings brightened once more.
She left her small bedroom and arrived in a spacious, well-lit room.
The dominant color scheme was silver, featuring a ten-meter-long metallic table placed centrally. At the far end of the table sat a middle-aged man dressed in a suit.
Kui Xin immediately noticed him, as Night Cicada had opened the space channel directly facing the middle-aged man.
The moment Kui Xin saw this man, she halted, her chest heaving as she blurted out a name involuntarily—
“Wei Haidong?!”
Upon hearing that name, the middle-aged man’s face twitched. He stood up from his chair, visibly agitated, and exclaimed, “I’m your father! Is that how you address your dad? Not even bothering to call me ‘Dad’ and using my full name?! Brilliant, just brilliant!”
Kui Xin’s eyes widened with shock.
The leader of Mechanical Dawn looked identical to her trash dad from the First World, and surprisingly, they shared the same name!