Ai continued to follow the winding trail of vana through the upper atmosphere.
Her speed kept increasing and increasing, her boots skimming the air with explosive momentum until, before she knew it, she had cracked the sound barrier. A loud sonic boom rippled behind her as she pushed into the mach realm.
The more she traveled, the more desolate and barren the geographic surroundings became, the steampunk spires of the city completely giving way to an empty wasteland.
Ai paused on a jagged cliffside, looking around the empty, jagged horizon.
"I've traveled a few thousand kilometers already," she muttered to herself, her eyes tracking the terrain.
She paused to observe the vast area, noting the utter absence of vegetation or structure.
"There is no sign of life, and the trail is leading straight toward those huge mountains."
She clicked her tongue, peering at the colossal, jagged peaks that punctured the smog-line like ancient teeth.
I need to hurry, she thought, her instincts flaring.
She quickly picked up the pace, her body a blur of motion as she started running up the steep inclines until she finally reached the highest peak of the mountain range.
She stopped, her chest rising and falling smoothly as she looked around.
The glowing trail of vana seemed to vanish completely into the solid rock beneath her feet.
Ai paused right at the spot where the energy dissipated, looking down at the frozen earth.
"Underground?" she murmured.
She placed a hand on her chest, a look of genuine disbelief crossing her face.
"How surprising. I've been running at these insane speeds for hours, yet I'm not tired even in the slightest."
Her biology had fully adapted to the extreme physical exertion.
She tapped her chin, looking at the seamless stone.
"How am I supposed to go underground now?"
She thoroughly searched the immediate perimeter, but couldn't find a hidden hatch or entryway anywhere.
Ai let out a heavy sigh, cracking her knuckles.
"Well... as Miss Jade always says, 'fuck it all.'"
She raised her right hand as a dense, radiant layer of white vana coated her fist.
She slammed it violently down into the mountain peak.
A massive crater formed instantly, shards of rock and heavy dust exploding outward in a violent shockwave.
Ai didn't halt her momentum; she punched the stone again and again, rapidly increasing the depth and size of the structural hole with pure kinetic force.
On her final, heaviest strike, the bedrock shattered entirely, and she suddenly fell right through the mountain floor.
Through a very small hole.
Ai spoke saying 'a hole barely enough to fit me,just my luck'
Ai expertly regained her balance mid-air, spinning her body to look downward as she witnessed a mind-boggling, colossal structure hidden entirely underground.
The subterranean space was massive.
Just by looking at the curved architecture stretching into the distance, she could tell it easily spanned at least a thousand kilometers in diameter.
The underground city shared a striking resemblance to some fantastical land undergrou —the ceiling far above was wrapped in absolute, suffocating darkness, while the vast expanse below thrived with thousands of shimmering neon lights, glowing crystalline structures, and towering spires.
From Ai's perspective, the urban layout was incredibly advanced, showcasing the sleek, flawless aesthetics of at least a Type 1 civilization or slightly above.
Floating mag-lev platforms drifted between architectural towers, and clean, emission-free energy lines pulsated through the lower grids.
"Insane..." Ai muttered without even realizing it, the sheer scale of the civilization reflecting in her wide eyes as she free-fell from the ceiling.
It was nowhere near nullflux bastion,but still extremely impressive.
She looked directly down and saw several hundred people walking along the illuminated plazas below.
Thanks to her training, she had already flawlessly masked her presence, but she knew that if she were to land blindly right in the middle of a crowded street, it would cause an immediate uproar.
Ai quickly raised her hand to her side, unleashing a sudden, concentrated wave of vana.
This time, she intentionally manipulated the output to manifest as pitch-black energy, ensuring it remained completely invisible to anyone looking up from the ground.
The sudden discharge of kinetic thrust propelled her body sideways mid-air, acting like a stabilizer.
She did this a few more times in rapid succession, steering her descent until she spotted a small, secluded alleyway that didn't seem to have any foot traffic.
She landed precisely on her feet, the impact making no sound, and immediately hid herself behind a thick composite wall.
She clicked her tongue in annoyance, brushing the mountain dust off her clothes.
'Shit, I should've at least brought a cloak to blend in better', she thought, assessing her distinct attire.
She walked around the edge of the perimeter, keeping her back to the shadows and actively trying to avoid any direct interaction as much as possible.
She slipped past several storefronts until she noticed a bright, flickering advertisement displaying on a nearby street hologram.
She stopped in her tracks, pretending to scan the interface.
The ad was showcasing a high-end accessory shop, and Ai quickly read the fine print address listed at the bottom:
[District 11, near the main entrance.]
Ai turned around, her analytical mind immediately mapping the clue.
'It seems like this entire underground civilization is divided into structured districts. I need to figure out exactly what district this is right now.'
"What are you doing?"
A gentle, scratching voice caught Ai completely from behind.
Ai turned around smoothly, her eyes instantly observing the person standing right in front of her.
It was an old woman.
Her back was slightly curved with age, her long hair was entirely milk-white, and her skin hung loose and wrinkled.
Ai's internal sensor sparked as she analyzed the old woman's energy flow.
'She's a Remnant', Ai thought to herself, her muscles subtly tensing.
'Should I just kill her right here?'
She paused, her eyes darting to the bustling street just a few meters away, realizing there were far too many civilian witnesses around to risk a scene.
The old woman looked up at her, a warm, genuine smile breaking across her wrinkled face.
"Everything alright, dear?"
Ai quickly forced an awkward, innocent smile, relaxing her shoulders.
"Ahh, yes! I just... lost my way a little bit."
The old woman chuckled softly, her eyes full of kindness.
"What district are you from?"
Ai kept her polite smile steady, taking a calculated gamble.
"Oh, I'm from District 6."
Please work, Ai prayed silently in her mind.
'If District 11 exists, then a District 6 should obviously exist in a linear layout.'
The old woman gave a slightly surprised look, tilting her head.
"District 6? My goodness, how did you end up all the way down here in District 16?"
Ai immediately took mental note of the critical piece of information.
'Alright, so this is District 16.'
She nodded with a polite, sheepish smile, rubbing the back of her neck as if embarrassed.
"Well... I came with my friends earlier to visit that brand new accessory shop over in District 8, and then... well, one thing led to another, and I got separated."
The old woman let out a hearty, frail laugh, waving her hand dismissively.
"Well, that's rather common among young folks these days. Always getting distracted by the new lights. Come along with me, I'll guide you back to the transit lines."
Ai politely thanked her, stepping out of the alleyway and falling into step right next to the elder.
As they walked down the clean pavement, the old woman looked over at her, her voice carrying a warm, motherly tone full of genuine concern.
"It's good to be lively and adventurous at your age, dear. However, a young lady should always make safety her absolute priority. I understand it's your age to run around and have fun with your friends, but just don't get careless out there."
Ai nodded submissively, keeping her tone soft and respectful.
"Yes, I completely understand. I really shouldn't have been this careless."
The old woman smiled, patting Ai's arm gently as they navigated the crowd.
"I know you're probably thinking that I'm just an old stranger nagging you, but I simply can't help but worry when I see young people wandering alone."
Ai shook her head quickly, looking the woman in the eyes.
"No, no, not at all! I can completely understand where you're coming from, and I fully realize my own mistake as well."
They kept walking through the clean walkways until they reached a massive, bustling main street illuminated by vibrant neon signs.
The old woman stopped near a sleek metal platform and pointed down the avenue.
"Keep walking straight down this path. There is a cust stop just over there. Take the cust straight to your destination, it's much easier and safer."
Ai offered a deep, grateful bow.
"Thank you very much for your kindness, then I'll be on my way."
She was just about to turn around and slide into the crowd when a young boy, who appeared to be in his early teenage years, came rushing over to them from a nearby plaza.
He stopped next to the elder, huffing slightly as he looked at her.
"Where did you vanish off to? I turn my back for one second and you're gone."
The old woman smiled warmly, resting a hand on his shoulder.
"Oh, don't worry, dear. I was just helping this lovely young lady with some directions."
The boy turned his gaze over to Ai, blinking in curiosity.
"Oh. Hello."
Ai greeted him with a polite nod.
"Hello."
She turned her eyes back to the old woman, tilting her head slightly.
"Is he your son?"
The old woman's smile widened, a soft, proud look in her eyes.
"Well... you can say that. I raised him myself, after all."
Ai looked back down at the boy, her expression gentle.
"Your mother was a huge help to me just now."
The boy let out a dramatic, long sigh, though there was clear affection in his voice.
"She'll get herself into serious trouble someday because of her excessive kindness."
The old woman placed her hand on top of the boy's head, ruffling his hair playfully.
"It takes absolutely nothing to be kind to someone in need, dear."
"Right, right..." the boy muttered, rolling his eyes with a smile before glancing up at the digital sky-clock built into the ceiling.
"Right, we need to head back anyway. Everyone is already waiting for dinner."
Ai's mind instantly narrowed as she caught the phrase.
Dinner? At this exact hour? Wait... what time is it actually on the surface right now?
She couldn't tell, because looking up, there was absolutely no natural sky or way to gauge the surface time from deep underground.
The old woman looked back at Ai, her expression entirely inviting.
"How about you join us for dinner, dear? We have plenty to share."
Ai politely shook her head, raising her hands in a soft gesture.
"I'll have to decline, though thank you so much for the offer. I really have to get moving. My family must be incredibly worried about me by now."
The old woman nodded understandingly.
"Then you should definitely hurry home. I run a small orphanage just down that street over there, so if you ever find yourself back in District 16, please come by and visit us."
Ai smiled warmly.
"I will. Thank you very much for all your help."
Ai turned around and walked a few paces into the bustling crowd.
The moment she was out of their line of sight, the polite smile vanished from her face completely.
She let out a heavy breath, her eyes turning cold again.
'Wow... that acting was genuinely draining, she thought, stretching her neck.'
She kept walking through the massive underground city, observing the infrastructure. It looked remarkably like any ordinary surface city, just buried beneath a mountain.
There were citizens everywhere—couples holding hands, old people sitting on hovering benches, and children laughing as they chased each other.
This place looks like a completely ordinary, peaceful city, Ai thought, her eyes scanning the crowds.
No... wait.
She paused near a glass railing and looked around once more, her analytical perception tearing through the illusion.
All of these ordinary citizens... their latent energy signatures are at least on the exact same level as those three highly skilled attackers from the stairs, if not significantly better. Every single person in this crowd is a trained fighter. This entire place is incredibly dangerous.
She stopped and looked straight up at the dark cavern ceiling, sensing the atmospheric pressure.
There is a ridiculous amount of concentrated vana permeating the air here. Is it simply because there are too many Remnants gathered in one civilization? Well... Miss Jade's distinct vana trail seemed to be leading deeper in that exact direction.
She continued walking, her eyes sharp as she began to notice the subtle, distinct cultural differences.
Every single person here possessed advanced supernatural abilities, and they were casually using them in broad daylight as part of their routine.
A man stood on a street corner dressed as a colorful clown, putting on a show.
Instead of balls, he was literally juggling four young children through the air, using precise air control.
The kids were giggling and thoroughly enjoying the ride, while their parents stood nearby, clapping cheerfully.
He is flawlessly controlling the density of the air currents around them to keep them weightless, Ai noted mentally.
The casual use of supernatural power is integrated everywhere here. The biggest fundamental difference in this civilization is that one hundred percent of them have abilities, and they have seamlessly blended it into their daily lives.
She kept moving, her boots carrying her past rows of sleek, uniform buildings.
I finally have a proper grasp on this place. It's essentially behaving like a massive, temporary military base masquerading as a society, huh.
Ai looked ahead at the transit markers.
Assuming all these numbered districts are laid out in a straight, sequential line... then Miss Jade must be located somewhere in District 1.
She was just about to step onto the main crossing when a group of four young boys walked straight toward her, intentionally cut off her path, and surrounded her in a tight circle.
"Where do you think you're going in such a rush, beautiful?" the leader asked, a cocky smirk on his face.
The boy next to him stepped closer, leaning in.
"Yeah, let's have a little talk first. You look new around here."
Ai let out a silent, exhausted sigh.
Great. Now I'm actively getting hit on by street punks. Should I just blow up this entire sector right now and be done with it?
Another boy smirked, noticing her distant expression.
"Are you seriously thinking about another man right in our presence? Now that's not very nice, is it?"
Let's just try to solve this peacefully without making a scene, Ai thought, suppressing her lethal urges.
She raised her hands in a non-threatening, awkward gesture, forcing a polite smile.
"Maybe some other time, guys. It's getting really late, and I absolutely have to reach home. My parents are probably worried sick."
The leader of the group laughed, taking another step forward.
"Don't even worry about it, sweetheart. We'll happily drop you off ourselves."
Fuck my life, Ai spoke internally, literally imagining herself hitting her head against a concrete wall in frustration.
Ai took a few deliberate steps back, measuring the distance.
Time to run. If I make a break for it, someone around here will surely intervene to maintain public order.
The boys took a coordinated step forward, their grins widening.
"No need to run away like that—"
Suddenly, Ai felt a severe chill drop down her legs.
She looked down and realized her lower body was completely frozen in place, locked to the ground by a dense kinetic weight.
"What the hell..." Ai muttered, her eyes narrowing.
The leader smiled proudly, snapping his fingers.
"We are elites from District 2, gorgeous. This much is absolutely nothing to us. Come along with us, we'll show you a much better time."
One of the boys pointed toward a dark, isolated back alleyway nearby.
"Let's go over there."
Oh, a secluded back alleyway? Ai thought, a dark, hidden expression flashing across her face.
Well, that actually works perfectly in my favor. I can slaughter them all without witnesses.
She was just about to unleash her vana to break free when she suddenly noticed a heavy, calloused hand place itself firmly on her shoulder from behind.
A older man walked forward, stepping directly between Ai and the punks.
"Mind your manners, boys," he spoke, his voice deep and stern. "Don't make a trashy scene like this right in the middle of a public street."
The boy in the center scoffed, crossing his arms aggressively.
"And what the hell are you going to do about it, old man?"
The man looked to be in his mid fourties, his expression entirely unbothered.
Without a word, he raised his right hand, and his fingers instantaneously transformed into long, gleaming metallic blades.
He pointed the razor-sharp tips directly at the leader's face.
"Using your supernatural power to illegally harm or restrain a citizen in public... the legal punishment can easily lead to a lifetime in the prison," the man stated calmly, his blade-fingers catching the neon light. "Your entire future can be systematically destroyed over this. Is that really something you wish to do tonight?"
One of the secondary boys clicked his tongue in annoyance, stepping back.
"Tsk... if a patrol sees us fight, it's not just us who are completely screwed."
The older man smirked, his blades remaining perfectly steady.
"Exactly. And I'm already old and retired. Who do you think would suffer more from a ruined life?"
The leader of the group let out a sharp, defeated sigh, lowering his gaze.
"Our apologies. We'll be on our way."
He gestured to his crew, and the boy holding the restriction released the flow.
Ai's lower body instantly got unstuck from the pavement.
She stretched her legs, looking up at the man.
"Ahh... thanks for the help."
The man nodded smoothly, his fingers shifting back into normal human hands as he pocketed them.
"Don't worry about it. Punk kids like that are getting rather common around the lower districts these days. The absolute easiest way to deal with them is a simple, direct legal threat."
He turned his head toward the glowing platform.
"Were you waiting for the cust?"
Ai quickly nodded, going along with the terminology.
"Yes, I was."
The man asked her saying, "what district are you from?"
Ai spoke saying "District 6."
The man tilted his head toward a low hum vibrating through the air.
A huge, aerodynamically designed vehicle had just pulled up and parked squarely at the station.
It hovered slightly above the ground on a cushion of blue anti-grav light.
So I was right, Ai thought to herself, analyzing the vehicle's structure.
The 'cust' is essentially just like a public transit bus.
The man looked at the hovering vehicle, then back at her.
"Taking a cust all the way from here isn't a good option, if you ask me."
Ai looked over at him, tilting her head in confusion.
"Why is that?"
"District 6 is already incredibly far away from here," the man explained, gesturing down the transit line. "And the public cust is going to make several consecutive stops at every single sub-station along the way. You'll reach your destination at least twice as late."
Ai frowned slightly, looking at the crowded boarding line.
"Then... is there anything else I can do?"
The man nodded, gesturing toward a private parking structure nearby.
"Come with me, I'll drop you off myself."
Ai immediately raised her hands in a polite, hesitant wave.
"Oh, no, I possibly can't trouble you like that. We just met."
The man shook his head, a casual, friendly expression on his face.
"I live over in District 7 anyway. It won't be difficult at all to drop you off just a little bit ahead of my commute."
Ai offered a polite nod, bowing slightly.
"Then... if it's really no trouble, thank you."
She followed him through the plaza until they reached his personal vehicle, which looked remarkably like a high-tech car resting on the ground.
The man approached the driver's side and placed his fingers against a biometric glass panel on the door.
The car hummed to life, slowly rising and beginning to hover in the air as a vibrant blue light illuminated the pavement from underneath.
The interior cabin was remarkably spacious, sleek, and brightly lit by ambient lights.
'Their technology is a bit older compared to the advanced tech hub of our secret base, and structurally different', Ai analyzed silently as she climbed into the passenger seat.
She took her seat, buckling in as the man smoothly gripped the controls and started driving the hovering vehicle into the upper transit lanes.
'As a child, I was always explicitly told to never enter vehicles with completely random strangers... but screw that, I need to get to District 1.'
The man remained entirely quiet as he expertly navigated the vehicle through the aerial traffic currents.
As they moved down the massive subterranean highways, Ai kept her eyes glued to the window, watching the enormous holographic signs flash by with their respective district numbers.
Suddenly, her attention was caught by a massive public news broadcast playing on a towering hologram terminal outside.
A sleek news anchor woman was speaking with a grave expression.
"A massive industrial warehouse consisting of vital weapons and personnel was brutally burned to the ground earlier along with everyone inside by the surface humans," the anchor reported, digital images of the scorched site flashing behind her. "The high-level investigation is still actively underway—"
'Wow, they're already broadcasting about that warehouse fire, huh,' Ai thought, her expression remaining entirely neutral.
The man driving the car suddenly clicked his tongue in deep anger, his grip tightening on the steering wheel as he stared at the broadcast.
"Those absolutely inhumane, monstrous creatures living up on the surface... they showed zero mercy."
Ai glanced sideways at him, keeping her tone carefully detached.
"Was... everyone inside really killed?"
The man nodded firmly, his expression turning completely sour and bitter.
"Everyone. Every single soul, along with everything inside the vault. Can you even believe that? And then those monsters have the audacity to call themselves humans."
Ai looked at his furious profile, a cold truth running through her mind.
'The people in that exact same warehouse were actively committing horrific acts of murders and several other stuff.'
She forced herself to sigh, looking out the window.
"That's... just incredibly cruel."
"All of those surface humans deserve to be hunted down and killed," the man growled, his eyes flashing with a dangerous light. "Honestly, if I hadn't officially retired from active service, I would have volunteered to go up to the surface myself to tear them apart."
Ai tilted her head slightly.
"You're retired?"
The man nodded slowly, his anger dipping into a somber reflection.
"I was once a high-ranking citizen of the Second District. I possessed immense power and military rank... but one day, cruel fate took it all away from me."
Ai leaned slightly closer, her curiosity piqued.
"Would you mind if I asked what exactly happened to you?"
The man kept his eyes locked straight ahead on the transit lane, his jaw tightening.
"I'd rather not talk about it."
Ai immediately backtracked, bowing her head slightly in the passenger seat.
"I'm so sorry, I must have accidentally touched upon a sensitive topic."
The man didn't reply, and the cabin fell into a heavy, absolute silence.
Before she knew it, the vehicle crossed a massive energy boundary, and a bright hologram flashed overhead:
[Welcome to District 6.]
The man slowed the vehicle down, navigating toward the exit ramp.
"Where to now?"
Ai's palms suddenly began to sweat as she stared at the unfamiliar streets.
'Shit... I didn't think this far ahead at all. I don't know any addresses here.'
She quickly looked out the window and pointed toward a nearby public plaza.
"Thank you very much for the ride! You can just drop me off right here."
The man shook his head firmly, refusing to steer toward the curb.
"No way. I'll drop you off straight at your front door to ensure you're safe."
Ai raised her voice slightly, trying to sound desperate.
"I really can't trouble you that much, sir! Please, just drop me off right here by the crossing, I can walk the rest of the way!"
The man ignored her pleas completely, his eyes narrowing as he accelerated past the plaza.
"Just tell me the street name and I'll drop you off."
'Why the hell is this asshole being so incredibly stubborn?!' Ai screamed in her mind, her irritation reaching a boiling point.
Forcing herself to stay in character, she pointed out the window toward a quiet residential avenue.
"Take a left from that intersection over there."
The man followed her direction, pivoting the hovering car smoothly into the side street.
Ai scanned the houses before pointing at a secluded building at the very edge of the sector.
"That house right there, at the very end of the street."
The man kept driving, but instead of slowing down and stopping in front of the designated house, he suddenly slammed his foot onto the thrusters.
The vehicle's speed increased exponentially, rocketing past the building and heading straight toward the outer boundaries of the district.
Ai gripped her seat, her voice taking on a well-acted, hesitant, and terrified tremor.
"Uhh... mister? The house was back there. You missed it."
The man kept his eyes fixed ahead, a cold, dark grin creeping onto his face.
"I know. We are just taking a short detour."
Ai shrunk back into her seat, her voice shaking perfectly as she looked at him.
"Where... where exactly are we going?"
The man didn't utter a single syllable.
After a few minutes of high-speed driving, the vehicle navigated deep into a completely abandoned, dark industrial wasteland at the absolute edge of District 6.
The man abruptly parked the car, the anti-grav engines whining down as he glared at her.
"Get off."
Ai remained firmly glued to her seat, her arms wrapping around herself as she trembled in terror.
"Where... where have you brought me?"
The man got out of the car, slammed his door, and aggressively marched over to the passenger side.
He yanked the door open, reached inside, and violently dragged Ai out by her hand.
Ai screamed at the top of her lungs, flailing her arms and struggling with all her might to make him let go.
"Let me go! Please, stop!"
The man dragged her to the exact middle of the empty, desolate lot and forcefully jerked her arm downward, throwing her onto the ground.
Ai collapsed onto her knees in the dirt, looking up at him with wide, terrified eyes.
The man loomed over her, his expression twisting into pure, unadulterated venom.
"You... you are a surface human, are you not?"
Ai stared up at him, her voice trembling.
"Of... Of course not! What are you talking about?!"
The man pointed a harsh, accusing finger down at her right wrist.
"That bracelet on your wrist says otherwise, girl. I don't know how a surface insect like you managed to sneak in here and fit in so seamlessly."
Ai's eyes went wide for a fraction of a second, her gaze dropping to her wrist.
'Fuck', she clicked her tongue internally, her acting dropping instantly.
'I completely forgot to take this thing off or hide it under my sleeve earlier.'
She let out a long, slow sigh.
"But well... I'm a remnant myself to begin with."
In an instant, all the paralyzing fear, the shaking hesitancy, and the tears vanished from her face.
Her expression turned entirely blank and cold as she calmly stood up from the dirt, brushing the dust off her clothes.
She looked the man dead in the eyes.
"Well... you actually did me a massive favor by bringing me out to the middle of nowhere like this."
The man's face contorted in rage.
He raised his hands, and all ten of his fingers instantaneously lengthened and sharpened into gleaming, lethal steel blades.
"You did me a favor by coming here, girl. I am going to tear you into absolute shreds!"
He lunged forward with blinding speed, thrusting his blade-hands straight toward her throat.
Ai didn't even flinch.
She casually raised her right hand as a dense swirl of pitch-black vana erupted across her palm, completely masking its light.
She grabbed his metallic blades head-on with her bare fingers.
The razor-sharp steel couldn't pierce her skin due to the absolute density of the black vana protective layer; instead, under her immense grip strength, his blades shattered into pieces like cheap glass.
Before the man could even register the shock, Ai's left hand struck straight forward like a lightning bolt, her palm driving directly into his neck with explosive kinetic force.
Crack.
The impact instantly snapped his spine and crushed his trachea, killing him on the spot.
His body slumped forward, crashing heavily into the dirt.
Ai let out a heavy, disappointed sigh, looking down at the corpse.
"I really didn't want to resort to doing this... I honestly feel like absolute shit now."
She adjusted her sleeves, making absolutely sure to hide her bracelet properly beneath the fabric this time.
She crouched down and methodically checked through the man's pockets to find anything she could use for her journey, but there wasn't a single useful item on him—except for what looked like an electronic keycard.
Ai stood up, looking over at the idling hover-car.
She walked back to the corpse, used her hand covered in vana to cleanly cut off the dead man's hand which has gone back to being normal.
She walked over to the driver's side door, holding the severed hand up and pressing the dead fingers against the biometric panel.
The car hummed quietly, the locks instantly clicking open.
"Thanks for this, though," Ai murmured, tossing the severed hand away into the darkness.
She slid into the driver's seat, looking down at the advanced control dashboard.
The glowing interfaces and thruster levers initially made absolutely no logical sense, however, she had already flawlessly learned and memorized exactly how to operate the vehicle just from closely observing the man's driving inputs earlier.
Ai gripped the primary thruster lever, and proceeded to drive the hover-car out of the abandoned lot, rocketing back onto the main highway toward District 1 at maximum speed.
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