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

Mo Chen, realizing what was happening, suddenly felt more confident.

"Uh, Rapi…"

"The Ark's special forces will arrive within two days," Rapi interrupted him after a long silence. "Commander, you must leave here immediately."

Mo Chen: "...?"

What was she suddenly talking about?

Rapi's expression returned to her usual calm and composed demeanor.

"I will explain everything to them."

"You're telling me to leave?"

Now Mo Chen was thoroughly confused.

Right now, wasn't the main point something else?

"When the commander leaves, I'll report to the Ark that the commander fought bravely against the Raptures and died a heroic death," Rapi said calmly, her tone devoid of any emotion.

"Due to the Nikkes' inadequate protection, the commander's death caused the failure of the mission at the power plant. The equipment is destroyed and can no longer be utilized."

Mo Chen was baffled. A fabricated report?

"But the Ark may send someone to investigate, evaluate the power plant, and possibly even review my memory," Rapi continued, her face emotionless, as if she wasn't talking about herself.

While speaking, she pressed bullets into the magazine.

"Before returning to the Ark, I'll blow up the power plant, destroy the equipment, and erase the data stored within me." She turned her back, standing in the shadows, hiding her expression. "That way, even if the Ark suspects something, they'll lack conclusive evidence. No one will know about the commander's connection to the Raptures."

She's trying to protect me—or rather, to cover for me?

Mo Chen froze.

Even knowing he had problems, she hadn't chosen to expose him. Instead, she unconditionally stood by his side.

And as far as Mo Chen understood, erasing data required one thing: burning the brain.

Which meant... she planned to destroy herself.

Wait, did she misunderstand something?

"As for Anis and the others," Rapi added, "I'll leave a recording explaining everything to them. With their intelligence, they won't suspect—"

Before she could finish, she was suddenly enveloped in a pair of arms and froze.

It was Mo Chen.

He held her close and softly whispered into her ear, "Thank you."

Rapi's stunned expression softened, and a ripple spread across her usually calm, lake-like eyes.

"Commander…"

Those words carried an unspoken weight, but in the end, she said nothing more.

Mo Chen's heart was filled with complex emotions. To say he wasn't moved would be a lie.

Rapi wasn't one to speak much; she silently and dutifully handled her tasks, often coming across as cold and unapproachable.

Even Anis had once complained about how hard she worked to get along with her.

Yet here was this quiet, seemingly distant girl, willing to go so far for him.

But more than gratitude, he felt exasperation.

"Rapi…"

"Yes?"

"I know you mean well."

"Mm."

"But…"

"Mm."

"I haven't even finished yet."

Mo Chen sighed deeply.

Rapi trusted him enough to risk everything to cover for him and lie to the Ark.

But if she truly trusted him, why would she suspect him of colluding with the Raptures?

Rapi froze.

To clear his name, Mo Chen decided to come clean.

He explained how he'd unknowingly awakened a power that allowed him to control Raptures and resurrect dead Nikkes. He admitted that he was the one who seized the power plant, and that the Raptures now under his control had turned over a new leaf.

He further explained that he kept this hidden to avoid being dissected and studied by the Ark if they found out. It wasn't about mistrust; it was to protect them from the danger such knowledge would bring.

Of course, he omitted any mention of the system.

Rapi's expression shifted from confusion to shock and then to realization. By the end, she fully understood.

This was exactly the kind of thing the Ark would do.

"So, Commander…"

Rapi lifted her head abruptly, her crimson eyes glimmering like never before. They were radiant, almost dazzling, like the finest gems, so bright that Mo Chen found it hard to look directly at her.

Mo Chen sighed helplessly and said, "Yes, just like I said—I'm not a traitor to humanity."

What benefit would betraying humanity bring him?

Even if it offered benefits, betraying his ideals would make him no better than the Ark's corrupt bureaucrats.

"Commander!"

Rapi turned and hugged him tightly, clinging to him as if she had been on the verge of losing everything.

"I thought…"

For the first time, her voice trembled.

Even when she discovered Mo Chen's secret earlier, her composure hadn't wavered like this.

Mo Chen stood still, momentarily stunned, before softening his gaze. He gently stroked her hair, sighing inwardly.

What a good girl. Her faith in him ran so deep that she believed him without question.

Mo Chen mused that if he fabricated a reason to sell her off to a shady market, Rapi might even help him count the money.

How could he not marry someone like her?

Although, in such a scenario, he wasn't sure who'd end up in pieces.

As Mo Chen was caught in his feelings, Rapi's soft voice broke through his thoughts.

"Originally… I planned to die alongside you…"

"What?!"

Mo Chen froze, suddenly remembering the nuclear bomb he had once gifted to Neon, only for her to refuse it and leave it in Rapi's care.

If she had detonated it...

The blast radius was five kilometers.

Not even his auto-dodge chip could save him!

Cold sweat trickled down Mo Chen's back. Thankfully, Rapi hadn't been impulsive... but did this count as some kind of twisted declaration of love?

Rapi released him and returned to her usual frosty demeanor.

If not for the slight blush on her cheeks, Mo Chen would have doubted anything had happened at all.

"Commander, I suspected something earlier. I thought… perhaps it was my imagination. I'm sorry."

Rapi apologized sincerely.

"No need, no need… huh?"

Mo Chen had planned to graciously forgive her, but her latter words caught him off guard.

She had suspected something all along?

Reflecting on the past, Mo Chen suddenly realized.

So that's why.

The subtle sensation of being watched—it had been Rapi.

No wonder she had jumped to conclusions so quickly upon arriving here.

"Ah, well… recognizing your mistakes and correcting them is what matters," Mo Chen muttered, coughing awkwardly to cover his embarrassment.

This couldn't entirely be blamed on Rapi: anyone else would have been suspicious too, wouldn't they?

"Commander…"

At that moment, Marian woke up and wrapped her pale arms around Mo Chen from behind.

Earlier, when Marian's clothes were torn, Mo Chen had given her his shirt to wear.

Since then, she'd developed a habit of wearing his shirts.

The thin fabric clung tightly to Mo Chen's back, and he could feel her soft, supple curves pressing against him, shifting slightly as she embraced him.

Mo Chen: "..."

Don't ruin the atmosphere now, little troublemaker!

His heart skipped a beat as he glanced nervously at Rapi.

Her gaze was locked on Marian, specifically on the shirt she wore—the shirt that clearly belonged to Mo Chen.

Her expression turned as deep and unfathomable as an abyss.

"Commander, it seems your ability to attract Nikkes isn't limited to the deceased ones."

Mo Chen: "..."