NOVEL NEXT Chapter 87: Chapter 87: Wait, You Got Tempted Too?
"Who knows?" Papillon's eyes glanced at Burningum with a playful smirk. "Anyway, it has nothing to do with me. As long as I handle my position, that's all that matters. At the end of the day, this is nothing more than a childish game—a naive fantasy."
"When he finally hits a dead end, he'll realize this isn't some fairy tale."
Burningum, sweating profusely due to his weight, kept wiping his face.
"Papillon, has there been any more news from the informants?"
"None."
Papillon blew on her freshly painted nails, admiring them briefly before continuing, "But it's strange. After reporting this information, the informants all went silent. Could they have been discovered?"
Discovered?
Burningum's chubby face darkened, his eyes darting nervously.
"How long has it been?"
"About a week."
Based on past routines, the informants sent updates every day or two at most. But now, an entire week had passed with no communication, which was obviously abnormal.
"What about the others?" Burningum asked again.
It was unlikely there was only one informant stationed at the outpost.
"They all stopped reporting around the same time—a week ago."
Papillon rested her chin on her hand, her expression playful as if watching a show unfold. "No eyes, no ears. Now you're blind. So, what's your plan?"
"They all went silent at the same time..."
Burningum muttered under his breath, his eyes flickering with uncertainty. After a brief pause, he said, "Then we'll just send a few more informants."
But Papillon raised an eyebrow.
"And what makes you think sending more informants will work? Have you ever considered another possibility?"
"What possibility?"
"That those Nikkes willingly abandoned their roles as informants?"
"N-no way!"
"Why not?"
"T-then tell me—why would you think that?"
"Because I'm a Nikke too."
Papillon's lips curled into a sly smile.
Burningum froze.
He had imagined various answers, but not this one.
"Temptations, just like humans, aren't something every Nikke can resist."
Burningum stammered, "W-what are you saying? Are you tempted too?"
"Of course not. I'm not one of those naïve, gullible girls who get manipulated by sweet words." Papillon twirled a strand of hair around her finger and smiled. "I plan to become someone important in the Ark."
Burningum let out a relieved breath.
He knew this Nikke was highly ambitious. Winning her over wasn't going to be easy.
"I-I've decided," Burningum said with a stammer. "This time, you'll go to the outpost and investigate this commander. Find out what he's really about."
"Oh?" Papillon paused, tilting her head slightly. Her sharp eyes bore into him with a mocking glint. "And you're not worried I'll betray you and join his side?"
"Unless you're willing to give up the Ark and y-your current life." Burningum didn't seem too concerned. His voice faltered slightly, but he continued, "Papillon, you're a smart woman. You know what's best for you."
Shortly after the Universal Human Rights Act was issued, Mo Chen followed up with the Name Act.
The Universal Human Rights Act initially caused a stir but gradually settled down since there were no humans at the outpost other than Mo Chen.
Without humans, there were no immediate conflicts, so the law didn't create much of an impact on the Nikkes stationed at the front lines.
However, the Name Act was a different story altogether.
Most Nikkes' names weren't their original human names but were reassigned after their transformation.
Names were closely tied to identity.
To prevent mental breakdowns caused by recalling past memories, Nikkes were given new names, erasing any remnants of their previous lives.
For mass-produced Nikkes, the situation was even worse.
Due to the high failure rate in creating Nikkes, many failed bodies were either destroyed or repurposed into parts for mass-produced models.
These Nikkes often lacked complete human bodies, instead consisting of only a few remaining biological components.
Because they were seen as disposable tools, little care was given to their identity. Most were labeled with alphanumeric codes, such as letters and numbers.
The Name Act allowed Nikkes to choose a name for themselves for the first time.
It wasn't just about having a name—it was about identity and recognition.
For many, it was a symbol of reclaiming their dignity.
When they received their names, some Nikkes even cried.
Seeing the tearful faces of the mass-produced Nikkes, Rapi silently sighed. She hadn't fully realized the depth of their suffering until this moment.
Mo Chen must have already anticipated this.
"Excuse me..."
A timid voice called out behind her.
Rapi turned to see a mass-produced Nikke.
"Is something wrong?"
The Nikke had a delicate appearance, hidden under bulky combat gear. Even through the visor, the girl's shyness was evident.
"Can you... give this to the commander for me? Thank you."
Only then did Rapi notice that the Nikke was holding something tightly in her hands.
It was a beautiful flower.
A rare blue one, its petals tightly clustered, just beginning to bloom.
"This... I planted it myself. It didn't grow very well. B-but I hope... it can show my feelings."
The Nikke was clearly shy, her cheeks flushed red as she stumbled over her words.
Rapi could sense her sincerity and accepted it.
"Okay, I'll make sure to deliver it to the commander for you."
Hearing this, the Nikke was overjoyed, quickly bowing in gratitude and hurrying away as if fleeing.
Rapi looked down at the flower in her hand.
It was wrapped with a ribbon, and the thorns had been carefully removed. Droplets of water still clung to the petals, showing how carefully it had been cared for.
Only now did she realize—the commander had always understood how the Nikkes felt.
Seeing someone succeed, the other Nikkes began to gather their courage and step forward.
"Excuse me, could you help me give this to the commander?"
"M-me too... Please give this to the commander. Thank you!"
"I-I also have something for the commander…"
"W-wait... I have something too..."
More and more Nikkes crowded around, holding different gifts, all eager to have Rapi deliver them.
There were handwoven scarves, heart-shaped stones, preserved four-leaf clovers, and even high-end canned food they had saved instead of eating. Some brought clothes they had sewn themselves—and one even presented a high-explosive rocket launcher for self-defense!