NOVEL NEXT Chapter 125: Chapter 125: Why Did She Want to Punch Him in the Face?
Mo Chen carefully considered his words, debating how to explain things to Ludmilla.
But before he could say anything, Ludmilla raised a finger and pressed it against his lips.
"I'd rather you say nothing than lie to me."
She gazed at him intently, her eyes full of sincerity.
Their eyes met and Mo Chen fell silent.
In truth, he was tempted to come up with an excuse to brush her off.
Revealing his identity as a transmigrator wasn't something he could take lightly: without absolute power to protect himself, such a revelation could attract the scrutiny of powerful factions.
And tales of transmigrators turned into experimental subjects in novels and comics were hardly uncommon.
Ludmilla withdrew her hand.
"My apologies for being presumptuous."
But even as the words left her lips, regret set in.
Unbeknownst to her, probing a man like this often leads to her losing the upper hand.
It was like questioning if a fruit was ripe; once doubt crept in, the fruit was as good as unripe in your mind. Whether or not you cut it open ceased to matter.
The mere act of doubting someone was akin to passing judgment.
Ludmilla realized that her question had cornered not just Mo Chen but herself as well.
What would she do if her suspicions turned out to be true?
Her heart raced with unease.
He let out a long sigh.
"Do you think you can beat me?"
Ludmilla blinked, caught off guard.
Beat him? Did he mean in a fight?
Being quick-witted, she quickly understood his point.
"If I had any ill intentions toward you, could you really stop me? Why go through the trouble? Knocking you out and stuffing you in a sack would be much easier, wouldn't it?"
Mo Chen's tone was exasperated yet calm.
Though reluctant to admit it, she had a clear understanding of her own capabilities.
He could single-handedly defeat a Tyrant-class Rapture, a feat she couldn't hope to achieve.
What he said made sense: if he intended harm, he wouldn't need to go through such a roundabout process.
While Ludmilla harbored doubts about his motives, she had never believed he meant her any direct harm. At most, she suspected he might use her for some purpose.
Mo Chen patiently continued.
"Besides, what could I possibly want from you?"
"Power? Money? Looks? Or maybe babysitting duty?"
Ludmilla froze.
He wasn't wrong.
But… Why did she suddenly feel an urge to punch him in the face?!
Mo Chen, oblivious to her growing irritation, kept talking.
"If you're really that concerned, why not stay at the outpost for a while? You'll see soon enough if I have any ulterior motives. There are so many beautiful women there. Even if I were desperate…"
"Ah!"
A sharp cry escaped him.
The heel of Ludmilla's high-heeled shoe had landed squarely on his foot.
"Oops," she said, her expression utterly neutral as she walked past him. "My foot slipped."
She was clearly upset. And yet, the suspicion in her heart dissipated entirely.
When he had spoken so casually, she had felt relieved.
She didn't know why.
Whenever Ludmilla saw a group of women surrounding him, it irritated her.
How petty.
Mo Chen followed behind her, feeling a bit helpless.
Of course, he had done it intentionally earlier. Even with a jackhammer, his foot wouldn't have been hurt.
"I'm sorry for doubting you," Ludmilla said suddenly from ahead.
Mo Chen was startled for a moment, then smiled.
"What's so funny?" she turned her head, somewhat annoyed. "I'm not unreasonable, you know."
After all, she was a noble with her own pride. Acting unreasonably would be an insult to her character.
Meanwhile, elsewhere.
Papillon was using the communicator she had taken from Signal to report to the Ark. She was transmitting video footage she had recorded over the past few days.
Her contact was none other than Burningum, the deputy chief of the Ark's Operations Command.
Burningum watched the footage in his office, remaining silent for a long time.
"Did you… witness this yourself?"
"Of course I did. Do you think I'm making it up?" Papillon lowered her voice, cautiously glancing around to make sure Mo Chen and Ludmilla were far away before continuing. "Hey, just so you know, after this mission, I'm going back. And don't forget what you promised me."
This time, she had risked her life, enduring countless dangers and obstacles to obtain this intelligence.
"Y-yes, I understand," Burningum stammered, nodding reflexively. His mind was in chaos, and he didn't even notice when his cup spilled.
Was this level of power even humanly possible?
The footage of Mo Chen displaying abilities far beyond any Nikke—his strength, speed, jumping ability, and reflexes—was utterly mind-boggling.
Especially the scene where he defeated a Tyrant-class Rapture with his bare hands.
It was simply unbelievable.
If not for the video evidence, he would have dismissed it as nonsense.
Burningum's thoughts turned to the combat suit Mo Chen was wearing.
The footage also showed the Nikkes wearing similar suits, which had enhanced their capabilities to unprecedented levels.
Judging by their movement speed, agility, and destructive power, they were approaching the level of elite Nikkes.
Most astonishingly, the suits could also be used by humans.
If humans could attain Nikke-level physical attributes through these suits, the implications were revolutionary.
Burningum grew visibly excited, sitting upright in his chair. His hefty frame trembled as he urgently asked, "P-Papillon, did you manage to get your hands on one of those suits?"
This could be a turning point for humanity.
Although humans relied on Nikkes for protection, there was a significant faction among humans that distrusted Nikkes, even viewing them as a potential threat.
"What do you think I am, some kind of god? You think it's that easy to get one of those?" Papillon retorted irritably.
Just thinking about it made her furious.
Every Nikke had been given one of those suits, even the rookies in the communications and reconnaissance teams. But she had been the only exception.
She had even approached Mo Chen about it.
Do you know what he said?
He said, You're too weak; it'd be a waste.
In other words, she didn't deserve one.
She could still vividly recall the strange looks the other Nikkes had given her.
Some of them even looked… pitying.
"That's… truly unfortunate," Burningum said, ignoring her tone. He hesitated before pressing on. "Papillon, you must find a way to obtain one of those suits. It's of utmost importance."
After a pause, he added, "D-don't worry, all the conditions you've asked for will be met."
"Really?"
Papillon's spirits lifted immediately.
"Yes, any position below deputy chief of the Ark is yours to choose," Burningum promised without hesitation, knowing how crucial the suit was.
Only with generous rewards could they motivate a Nikke to take risks.