Mo Chen furrowed his brows, somewhat confused.
Why would they choose this moment to attack a battleship like the Admire? It seemed like a strong vessel, but it didn't really serve any practical purpose for the Ark.
After all, a real battleship wouldn't just stay in a bathtub: it would be out in the open sea.
"The purpose of Heavenly Ascension is to create chaos, seize wealth, kidnap political figures, and extort. But that's just on the surface, their real goal should be something else."
"The real goal?"
"Yes."
"What is it?"
"We haven't figured it out yet. The low-level thugs around Heavenly Ascension don't have any valuable information. Once I get in touch with higher-level members, I'll know more."
"Alright."
Mo Chen tapped his finger lightly, sending the message.
At the same time, his mind was racing.
Heavenly Ascension was a group of sociopathic terrorists with a penchant for extreme violence, but they weren't just a disorganized mob—they had their own doctrine and objectives.
One of their clearest goals was to stoke conflict between humans and Nikkes, sparking war within the Ark.
Why they wanted this remained unclear, but Mo Chen suspected it had something to do with the Ark's true nature.
"(＃^.^＃) Commander, I've been so good~ Don't I deserve a reward? Like... a video call with me...?"
Sin sent a cute emoji.
Mo Chen ignored it outright. She was an expert at manipulation: persuading, deceiving, and luring people in with words. Trusting her completely would be like willingly stepping into a trap.
Originally, given the severity of her crimes, Sin was supposed to be melted down in the furnace for permanent disposal. But just before her execution, Mo Chen caught wind of it.
He thought it was a waste to destroy a Nikke with such unique abilities, so he intervened and saved her at the last moment.
Maybe it was because he saved her, but Sin immediately latched onto him.
Following the principle of "might as well make use of her," Mo Chen had Sin leverage her strengths to infiltrate the Outer Rim and feed him intel.
The Outer Rim did need an informant, after all.
That said, Mo Chen didn't fully trust her. Her intel could be referenced, but her sweet talk? Naturally, he paid it no mind.
"You're quite popular among Nikkes."
Cecil's voice came from beside him. "Humans who are this beloved—and unconditionally devoted to—by Nikkes can be counted on one hand."
Mo Chen turned to see Cecil already conducting experiments.
She placed a test tube into a device, pressed a few buttons to adjust the settings, then turned back. "Commander, if you want to help these Nikkes, you'll need to act fast."
Mo Chen raised an eyebrow. "Why do you say that?"
He sensed there was more to her words.
Cecil placed the test tube on a rack, removing her rubber gloves and mask. "Right now, you've become a faction independent of the Big Three, the Central Government, and the aristocracy. Even if you have no ambitions for power, your sheer influence is making a lot of people restless."
"More and more Nikkes are drawn to you, gradually aligning with you. Think about it—if their Nikkes become yours, do you really think the higher-ups who control the NIMPH will just sit back and watch?"
Mo Chen frowned.
She was right. He'd considered this before.
Nikkes were the foundation of the Ark—tools and weapons for the ruling class. Losing them meant losing the basis of their control. Would the elites really stand by as Nikkes defected to him?
His aggressive enforcement of the Universal Human Rights in the Ark was partly to intimidate those in power, ensuring they wouldn't dare act recklessly.
But if he ever left the Ark—or if something happened to him—those in charge would likely use NIMPH to wipe the Nikkes' memories immediately, along with imposing even stricter cognitive locks.
"Thanks."
Mo Chen gave Cecil a nod of gratitude.
Regardless, she'd warned him out of goodwill.
Cecil, however, seemed indifferent. She idly pulled out her phone, scrolling as she spoke.
"No need for thanks. This was just part of our deal."
"Deal?"
Mo Chen blinked.
He didn't recall making any deal with her.
Cecil glanced up, her beautiful eyes flicking toward him. She picked up the test tube she'd handed him earlier and walked over, holding it out.
Mo Chen stared blankly, confused by her gesture.
Cecil clarified: "The seminal fluid."
Mo Chen: "..."
His lips twitched.
"Sorry. That's not happening."
Cecil seemed to misunderstand. She nodded slightly.
"Performance issues under stress are normal. There are plenty of private rooms here—you can handle it yourself. I can also provide... relevant reference materials."
"No. Not happening. I don't have that kind of habit!"
Mo Chen outright refused.
What does she mean, "handle it yourself"? Wait, hold on. Did she just say they had porn here?!
"I understand."
Cecil nodded and set the test tube down on the nearby rack.
Seeing that she seemed to have given up, he let out a small sigh of relief.
But then, she dropped her next bombshell.
"I can assist the Commander."
Mo Chen froze, looking up at Cecil, who stood before him pure as a lily, wondering if he'd misheard.
"What?"
Patiently, Cecil repeated herself.
"If the Commander is unaccustomed to doing it alone, I can help."
Mo Chen understood—but he was still stunned for a long moment.
Cecil's skin was fair as jade, like the first snow of early winter, flawless and translucent. Her eyes were clear and bright, like a mountain spring—deep and pure, as if capable of washing away all impurities.
She was elegant and refined, like a lily in the valley, exuding a faint, noble fragrance.
Yet from her lips came such words.
Mo Chen's dazed expression clearly led Cecil to misunderstand.
By the time he snapped out of it, Cecil had already stepped close, gracefully lowering herself. Her slender, delicate fingers—seemingly a little clumsy—began unfastening his belt.
A slight chill brushed his skin.
Only then did he react, hurriedly stopping her.
"Wait—"
But it was already too late.
The sword had left its sheath.
With eyes as clear as mountain lilies, Cecil—under Mo Chen's stunned gaze—gently wrapped her slender fingers around him, parted her rosy lips, and slowly leaned in...
Her hair cascaded down like a waterfall, swaying with her movements like a flowing painting, breathtakingly beautiful.