NIKKE: The Apocalypse Arrives, But the System is 100 Years Late

Mo Chen was speechless. All this fuss over a necklace?

He glanced at Neon, who was staring enviously at the gifts with wide eyes. Suddenly, a thought crossed his mind.

"Neon, I didn't prepare anything for you, and I don't have much to give."

"No, no need!" Neon frantically waved her hands, looking flustered.

But her protests went unnoticed by Mo Chen.

"Let me give you something small as a token of our meeting."

He opened his system inventory, searching for a suitable item.

"Wow!" Anis exclaimed theatrically from the side. "Commander, are you really going to make your move?"

Mo Chen frowned.

"Make my move? That's a terrible way to put it."

Anis feigned shock, her eyes wide with mock disbelief.

"What? You already have Rapi and me—two aren't enough, and now you're going for a third?"

Mo Chen sighed.

"It's just a welcome gift. Besides, I haven't even got one of you yet."

Why was this girl so imaginative at her age?

Feeling the awkward atmosphere, Neon shook her head like a rattle, desperately trying to refuse.

"No, no, it's really not necessary!"

"Anis," Rapi interjected, her voice calm but firm. "I don't think the Commander is the kind of person to lure three women simultaneously while harboring ulterior motives."

"You're overreacting, Anis."

Anis immediately dropped her act, grinning mischievously.

"Alright, alright, I was just kidding! No need to take it so seriously."

Mo Chen rummaged through his inventory, pondering the best option. He thought back to Neon's original story.

Yes, this would do.

A moment later, Neon was staring at the large, beautifully decorated box in her hands, looking completely bewildered.

The gift was much bigger than what Anis and Rapi had received.

Anis couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy.

"What a show of favoritism, Commander!"

Neon hesitated, her expression conflicted.

"Commander, I don't think I can accept this…"

"Oh, come on," Anis muttered under her breath. "Don't play hard to get."

Neon looked even more embarrassed.

"Anis."

Rapi's calm but stern voice silenced Anis, who backed off reluctantly.

"Just take it," Mo Chen said, smiling. "I think it suits you."

Curiosity finally got the better of Anis.

"What is it, anyway?" she asked, peering at the large box.

"W54 Nuclear Warhead," Mo Chen replied casually.

"W54… what?!"

"Nuclear warhead."

Anis staggered backward, sucking in a sharp breath.

"Nuclear… warhead?!"

"Yeah, exactly what you think."

Rapi immediately stepped in front of Mo Chen, her gun trained on Neon's head.

Wait… why was she being targeted?!

Neon's face went pale, her eyes brimming with unshed tears.

Anis turned back to Mo Chen, her expression a mix of fear and frustration.

"Commander… do you have a grudge against us?"

Mo Chen thought about it.

"Not really."

"Then why are you carrying this thing around?!"

Who casually walks around with a nuclear warhead?!

"Relax, it won't explode," Mo Chen assured them, wondering why they were so worked up.

Even if it did explode, he was standing right next to them. He wasn't looking to go out in a blaze of glory.

"Are you sure it won't go off?"

"Want to test it?"

"Bah!"

Once Anis was convinced it wasn't going to explode, her fear dissipated, replaced by her usual playful demeanor.

"Wow, Neon, I'm so jealous. You're getting such an amazing gift on your first meeting."

She shot a sly glance at Neon, whose hands were trembling as she held the box.

"Back when we first met the Commander, we didn't get this kind of treatment, you know."

Neon was too terrified to respond, her grip on the box stiff and shaky.

"Hmm, that's odd…" Anis sauntered over to Neon, pretending to inspect the box curiously.

"Why is there a timer on it?"

A timer?

Those words were the final straw.

Neon froze like a statue, her face turning ghostly pale as panic set in.

Moments later, a shrill scream echoed through the Ark.

"Ahhhhhhh—!"

Neon's scream was deafening, enough to nearly rupture Mo Chen's eardrums.

Turns out, Neon hadn't yet embraced the philosophy of "firepower supremacy."

For an ordinary Nikke, a nuclear warhead as a gift might have been... a little overwhelming.

The shrill sound didn't just startle the group but also drew the attention of the A.C.P.U.—Ark's elite police force.

After a lengthy explanation, the misunderstanding was cleared up, and Mo Chen narrowly avoided being thrown into prison for possession of dangerous, explosive contraband.

Anis pulled Rapi aside, her voice hushed but intense.

"Rapi, doesn't this concern you?"

"What should I be concerned about?" Rapi asked, puzzled.

"Commander!" Anis scolded, exasperated at Rapi's obliviousness. "Didn't you notice how much extra attention he's giving Neon? He even gave her something that dangerous!"

Rapi frowned, still not seeing the issue. "It doesn't seem like a big deal."

"Come on, Rapi, you've seen it yourself! The Commander is kind to everyone, sure, but he's too kind. That kind of kindness can get him deceived. What if someone takes advantage of him?"

Anis pointed at Neon, who was still recovering from the "gift."

"Take her, for example. She's acting all pitiful, but who knows if it's genuine?"

Mo Chen overheard snippets of their conversation, his sharp hearing catching Anis's words.

"Besides," Anis continued, lowering her voice, "we've finally met a Commander who's decent. We can't just let someone else swoop in and take him away, can we?"

Mo Chen couldn't help but roll his eyes. Why did she make it sound like he was some secondhand item on a bargain app?

Rapi remained silent for a while, her fingers absentmindedly brushing against the bracelet Mo Chen had given her. Her wine-red eyes softened, her lips parting slightly as she spoke with calm conviction.

"I trust the Commander."

Anis nearly had a heart attack at Rapi's response, clutching her chest dramatically.

"You're hopeless, Rapi! How can you be this clueless? There's a limit to how oblivious someone can be!"

Mo Chen paused, taken aback.

When did I become popular? he wondered, perplexed. He didn't dwell on it for long, deciding that eavesdropping wasn't exactly the most respectful thing to do.

Instead of feeling flattered, he felt a pang of bitterness.

How dire must Nikkes' lives be if a little kindness makes such a huge impact?

After gathering supplies and daily necessities, the group reached the elevator entrance to head back to the surface.

Entry and exit from the Ark required thorough inspections and permits, a usually tedious process.

But once the staff realized who Mo Chen was, their demeanor shifted. They greeted him warmly, conducted only a cursory inspection, and quickly cleared the group for departure.

As Mo Chen was about to leave, one of the staff members, clearly encouraged by her colleagues, mustered the courage to ask for his autograph.

Mo Chen was surprised. Since when did he have "celebrity" status?

While he wasn't in the habit of signing autographs, the staff member's nervous anticipation convinced him to oblige.

Behind her, her coworkers erupted into excited chatter, passing the signed paper around and squealing in delight.

Anis watched the scene, her amber eyes sparkling with admiration.

"Wow, fame really does have its perks," she mused aloud before turning to Mo Chen with renewed determination. "Someday, I'll become famous too!"

Mo Chen couldn't help but chuckle at her confidence.

"Oh? Aiming for fame, are we? Well, you're like an old monk admiring a dowry."

Anis blinked in confusion.

"Huh?"

"It'll have to wait for your next life."

"!!!"

Anis's face flushed red with indignation.

"Dearest Commander," she began sweetly.

"Hmm?"

"Is Ark's mission for you just to drive your Nikkes to the brink of fury?"