Ai steered the hover-car fluidly along the multi-layered underground highway, keeping the vehicle's immense speed high but fully under control. Up ahead, a large, glowing blue holographic sign hovered over the central transit lane, flashing crisp digital characters across her windshield.
"District 4 a little ahead on the right, huh?" Ai muttered, her eyes scanning the coordinates. "It's good they have these direction boards."
As she pushed the vehicle down the designated exit ramp, the structural scenery of the subterranean metropolis began to shift dramatically. The standard, uniform architecture of District 6 was entirely gone. The moment she crossed the boundary line into District 4, the surroundings opened up into sprawling, luxurious multi-tiered estates, sleek glass-paneled cafes, and manicured subterranean gardens illuminated by soft, artificial sunlight grids.
Ai scanned the opulent storefronts from behind the wheel.
"So that's how it's here, huh."
She drove further down the main avenue until her path was completely blocked by a massive, heavily fortified checkpoint station spanning the entire width of the highway. Ai slowed the hover-car down, pulling over into a quiet, shadowy drop-off lane to observe the perimeter. Her eyes locked onto the glowing scanner arrays framing the gates.
"It looks like an automatic checking system," she murmured to herself, tapping her fingers rhythmically against the glass of the car window. "Does it only allow authorized personnel?"
She leaned closer, tracking the movement of the security forces monitoring the lanes. There were heavily armed personnel systematically stationed at every single entry vector. 'They must be some types of guards', she thought.
Letting out a quiet sigh, Ai turned off the ignition and stepped out of the vehicle, smoothing down her uniform.
'I'll have to use some other way to move ahead, 'she reasoned, knowing her stolen vehicle won't be able to pass through the security clearance.
She slipped away from the main avenue, blending into a dark corner, and pulled the her bracelet out from beneath her sleeve.
She kept walking briskly toward a secluded back alleyway, completely out of the guards' line of sight. The moment she stepped into the shadows, a faint blue holographic screen manifested and hovered directly in front of her face.
Kiyomasa's face appeared on the interface, his voice laced with immediate concern and worry.
"Ai, everything alright?? What's going on?"
Ai kept her gaze moving, checking both ends of the alleyway as she spoke in a hushed, low tone.
"Calm down, everything seems fine for now. I've found the main base of the Remnants."
On the other side of the transmission, Kiyomasa's eyes widened.
"Main base as in the very main HQ?"
Ai nodded firmly.
"Yes. This entire place is divided into 20 districts. The lower the district number, the higher the authorities who reside there."
"Understood," Kiyomasa replied, his posture straightening. "And what is your current status?"
"I'm currently in the fourth district, looking for a practical way to move ahead," Ai explained rapidly. "Miss Jade seems to be located all the way in the first district. It's best to assume the security there will be the highest. The lower districts were not a problem and I somehow blended up, but to enter deep into the fourth, a strict security checkup is required. An ID would also be required, so I can't take that way."
Kiyomasa leaned into the terminal.
"Should I come there?"
Ai shook her head without hesitation.
"It's highly unlikely you could clear the perimeter. Besides, there is a chance the location of our secret base was revealed to them as well. In that case, someone capable needs to stay behind and secure our hub."
Kiyomasa nodded slowly, accepting the logic, though a look of confusion crossed his face.
"Well, okay... but I don't understand. Miss Jade wouldn't be captured that easily, right?"
"She won't," Ai stated calmly. "I investigated the site. There were absolutely no signs of a struggle or a fight at the warehouse."
"Then?" Kiyomasa asked.
"She let herself be captured," Ai replied flatly.
Suddenly, the faint echo of heavy, rhythmic footsteps resonated from the main street. Ai's eyes sharpened. She leaned closer to the transceiver, her voice dropping to a whisper.
"I might not be able to contact you going ahead. If something dangerous happens, I'll break my bracelet. That will instantly send a tracking signal to the others, and Zazm will come. Also convey this information to everyone."
Kiyomasa gave a firm, solemn nod.
"If you're in a dangerous situation, don't hesitate to break the bracelet."
Ai nodded back and instantly cut off the encrypted call. The holographic screen shattered into digital dust.
She turned around, a sharp, confident smirk pulling at the corner of her lips.
"Well... I plan to not get him involved."
She slipped out of the alleyway and began walking along the pristine sidewalks of District 4. Noting a high-end, glass-fronted cafe situated directly adjacent to the main security checkpoint, she pushed the door open and took a secluded corner seat. From her vantage point inside, she could continuously monitor the automated station through the large windows.
A waiter approached, and Ai ordered a cup of black coffee. While waiting, she leaned her chin on her hand, continuously brainstorming ideas to bypass the gate. Thankfully, the financial payment system here was entirely digital; she pulled out the electronic card she had taken from the retired man's car, which held a decent amount of money, and seamlessly swiped it to settle the bill.
After an hour of watching the impenetrable security grid, Ai stood up and walked out of the cafe, her expression darkening.
"This won't work. I don't see any viable way through the front."
She walked back down the street toward the stolen hover-car. Looking at the vehicle, she realized it was now an active liability.
'It's better to get rid of this', she decided.
She climbed into the driver's seat one last time, drove it into a completely vacant, quiet alleyway, and methodically deflated all four anti-grav tires until the frame sank heavily onto the pavement.
Satisfied, she vanished from the scene, her body blurring into the shadows.
Navigating the vibrant streets on foot, she discovered a sleek, multi-story hotel located a moderate distance from the checkpoint station. She walked into the lobby, checked in using the stolen card, and entered her private room. Locking the door behind her, she immediately sat down on the edges of the bed before completely laying down on the mattress.
"It seems like this will be a long one," she sighed, staring up at the patterned ceiling panels.
Her thoughts raced as she analyzed Miss Jade's actions.
'They won't kill her anytime soon... and if she truly let herself be captured...'
As she continued to wonder, the heavy mental and physical toll of the journey finally caught up to her. Her eyelids grew heavy, and despite her trying to force them open, the room began to spin slightly as a wave of dizziness washed over her.
When her eyes finally snapped open again, she sat up abruptly, looking around the unfamiliar room in a slight daze. She ran a hand through her hair, shaking off the residual grogginess.
"Right... I'm still in this weird place."
She walked over to the window and peered outside, but the ceiling remained entirely dark, offering no indication of the true time. Turning her gaze to the digital wall clock, her eyes narrowed. She had dozed off for six full hours.
"Shit," she muttered.
She rushed off to the bathroom, turning the tap on high and splashing freezing water onto her face to fully awaken her senses. She pulled her hair back tightly, securing it into a clean, proper bun.
Exiting the hotel, she walked down to a nearby boutique, purchased a few sets of local civilian clothes to ensure she blended in perfectly, and carried the shopping bags back toward the checkpoint area.
She returned to the exact same cafe from the previous day, ordered a light breakfast, and sat down by the window, her sharp eyes scanning the security lanes once more.
Suddenly, the heavy pneumatic ground-locks of the checkpoint began to disengage. A colossal, heavily armored transport truck structurally reinforced and sleek arrived at the primary gate. Ai watched intently as the automatic security lasers thoroughly scanned the massive vehicle before the heavy blast doors slid open, allowing the vehicle to rumble through into the inner district.
Ai tapped her fingers on the table, her mind analyzing the vehicle's clearance profile.
'What might be inside that truck-like thing?'
A young waiter dressed in a neat uniform approached her table, placing her breakfast plate down with a soft sigh as he glanced out the window.
"Oh, they seem rather late today."
Ai looked up at him, her expression shifting into one of casual curiosity.
"Who?"
The boy pointed a finger out the glass toward the disappearing vehicle.
"Them."
"What is inside there?" Ai asked innocently.
The boy tilted his head, studying her face for a second before snapping his fingers in realization.
"Oh, you must not be from around this district."
Ai offered a polite, sheepish smile, nodding.
"Yes, I'm not."
"That explains it," the boy said proudly, leaning in slightly. "That is a supplier wagon. They usually deliver vital goods to high-end shops throughout the 3rd, 2nd, and 1st districts."
'That thing supplies goods??' A sharp spark flared in Ai's eyes, a smooth, fascinated smile appearing on her face.
"Oh?? Is that so? Can you tell me a bit more about it? That wagon looks really cool."
The boy smiled embarrassingly, clearly pleased by her attention, and scratched his cheek.
"Of course I can tell you. I've been working this sector for a while, after all. As you may already know, that supplier wagon is strictly handled by the Hyponox corporation.
They usually use this specific wagon to deliver high-priority things like specialized medicine and fresh groceries directly to the first three districts. The wealthy people living in those inner districts don't really come out that often—they are basically like kings of their own houses. So, the company delivers everything directly to their doorsteps."
Ai's smile widened.
"Thanks a lot."
The boy nodded with a proud, self-satisfied look, turning around to head back to the counter while giving her a playful smirk over his shoulder.
"Of course, no worries. If you're really that happy with the information, I won't mind a small tip."
"Of course," Ai murmured, sliding a few digital credits onto the terminal table.
She turned her gaze back to the reinforced gates, her eyes turning cold and calculating.
'Found a way through'.
After finishing her breakfast, Ai spent the next several hours wandering the perimeter of the sector, carefully keeping track of the timeline. She waited patiently until the massive transport truck which the locals referred to as a wagon finally emerged back through the District 4 security gates.
Ai checked her digital interface.
It took exactly six hours inside, she noted.
Due to its immense size and weight, the wagon moved rather slowly through the civilian transit streets. Ai easily blended into the thick moving crowds on the sidewalk, tracking the vehicle from a safe distance as the hours ticked by. She followed its route methodically through the interconnected sectors until she realized they had already reached the eighth district.
The wagon finally ground to a halt outside a high-rise residential complex. The heavy pneumatic passenger door hissed open, and a young woman stepped down onto the pavement. She wore a distinct green management dress covered by a long, pristine white apron. The woman turned back, continuing to speak with someone who remained hidden inside the cabin.
Ai leaned against a brick wall a few meters away. Utilizing her heightened physical senses, she focused her hearing, filtering out the ambient city noise to listen to their conversation.
"Thank you, and sorry for making you drop me off on a company work vehicle," the woman in the apron said, offering an apologetic smile.
The driver's voice was muffled by the cabin acoustics, but it clearly belonged to another female worker.
"It's fine. Kids are completely unpredictable. As long as we both keep it strictly between us, there's no issue."
The civilian woman smiled gratefully.
"Thank you."
She turned around and began walking toward the apartment building. Ai detached herself from the wall and followed her silently, her footsteps completely soundless against the pavement.
'This works out perfectly', Ai thought.
As the woman approached the secure entrance of the building, Ai raised her right index finger a fraction of an inch. A microscopic, compressed ball of white vana flew from her fingertip, silently attaching itself to the fabric of the woman's apron without her feeling a thing.
The woman stood in front of her apartment door, pausing to smooth down her wrinkled clothes and take a deep breath. She leaned forward, letting the wall terminal scan her face. The biometric lock chimed, the door unlocked, and she stepped inside.
Instantly, the voices of two young children echoed from the apartment as they came running toward the entrance.
"Mom!" they shouted in unison.
The woman dropped her bag, kneeling down to hug them both tightly against her chest, a look of profound relief washing over her face.
"Sorry, I'm a little late today, my loves."
The elder boy shook his head, a warm smile on his face.
"It's fine, Mom."
The mother gave them a gentle, loving smile, kissing their foreheads.
"Alright, you guys go back to the living room and play for a bit, and I'll start cooking dinner."
The younger boy looked up, holding a tablet.
"Mom, I need some help with my school work."
The woman smiled softly, heading toward the kitchen.
"We'll eat first, and then we can look at it together, okay?"
"Okay!" the boy chirped, running back to his brother.
The woman quickly walked into her bedroom, changing out of her stiff work uniform into light, comfortable house clothes. She tied her hair back securely, washed her hands, and immediately entered the kitchen to begin preparing the evening meal. Though her shoulders sagged with visible, bone-deep exhaustion from her shift at Hyponox, her focus remained entirely on her family.
As she stood over the stove, the younger boy, who seemed to be around five years old, walked into the kitchen and gently pulled on the fabric of her trousers. The mother looked down, and in an instant, the visible exhaustion vanished from her face, replaced by a radiant, warm smile.
"Everything okay, sweetie?"
The boy looked up at her with wide eyes.
"How much longer until food?"
The woman chuckled, lifting him up effortlessly in her arms. She carried him out to the dining room and safely seated him at the table.
"It's all done, I'm just serving it now. Go call your brother to the table for me, please."
She quickly served the hot food, sat down with them, and watched them eat with a tender, protective warmth. After finishing the meal, she cleared the table, sat down with her elder son to patiently help him guide through his homework, and eventually tucked both of them into their beds, kissing them goodnight.
Exhausted, she finally entered her own dark bedroom. She sat down on the edge of her mattress, reaching up to untie her hair and let it fall over her shoulders.
"Shhh" .
Suddenly, the cold, razor-sharp edge of a steel knife pressed firmly against the bare skin of her neck from behind.
The girl let out a sharp, panicked scream, but before the sound could escape her throat, a gloved hand clamped down violently over her mouth, muffling her completely and locking her skull in place.
From the shadows behind her, a freezing, voice whispered directly into her ear.
"Listen carefully. Keep looking straight ahead and answer exactly what I am about to ask you. If you hesitate for even a second, or if you give me a wrong answer... I will be forced to rip out the guts of both your children in the next room."
The woman's skin turned entirely pale. Thick beads of sweat broke out along her forehead, and her chest heaved in sheer panic. She swallowed hard against the blade, giving a slight, frantic nod of compliance.
The figure slowly removed the hand from her mouth, though the sharp edge of the knife remained firmly pressed against her jugular.
"You work with Hyponox," the cold voice stated.
The woman nodded frantically, her voice trembling.
"Y-Yes."
"What is your exact position?"
"Pardon?" the woman whispered, her mind short-circuiting from terror.
The figure behind her didn't hesitate, pressing the steel blade deeper into her flesh until a tiny bead of crimson blood pooled at the tip. The woman closed her eyes in sheer horror, her legs shaking violently beneath her.
"I-I handle the direct management and logistics of the products to be sent into the higher districts!" she shrieked softly, desperate to stop the pressure.
The figure's grip remained unyielding.
"Is there a functional way for someone else to enter those districts inside the wagon?"
The woman, still shaking uncontrollably, shook her head as best as she could without cutting herself.
"N-No! Only the people with p-proper background checks and company authorization can enter the gates!"
"So there is absolutely no way?" the voice asked, the tone growing noticeably colder, sending a deathly chill down the mother's spine.
"T-There is!" the woman stammered desperately, tears finally spilling over her eyelids. "I-I can legally take you inside as my temporary assistant or delivery helper! Fo-For the first time, the scanners will look off everything if I register you as a trainee... b-but that will only work exactly once!"
The cold weight of the knife suddenly vanished from her neck. The figure stepped back, leaving the bed, and walked calmly around to stand directly in front of the terrified woman.
The mother looked up through her tears. The attacker's voice was undeniably that of a young girl, but her facial features were completely obscured by a dark colored mask.
Ai reached up, smoothly pulled off the mask, and sat down casually on the bedroom chair, her expression entirely heartless and detached.
"I'll be completely straightforward with you," Ai spoke, her eyes locking onto the mother like a predator. "Help me successfully reach District 1 tomorrow, and I will spare both you and your kids."
The woman gripped her sheets, her voice cracking with emotion.
"Why... why do you want to go there?"
Ai's expression darkened instantly. She clicked her tongue in irritation and slammed her fist violently down onto the wooden vanity table, shattering the corner.
"Don't ask unnecessary questions."
The woman jumped at the sound, flinching violently as she nodded in sheer panic.
"Okay! Okay... I'll come alone with the supplier wagon tomorrow morning. I can successfully take you inside the gates as my designated assistant... but I won't do anything else for you."
Ai offered a slow, satisfied nod.
"That's more than enough."
She stood up from the chair "What's your name."
"Yulva sophon. T-thats my name."
Ai gave a slight nod and started walking calmly toward the bedroom door.
But just as she reached the threshold, she paused in her tracks.
Without turning around, she spoke softly.
"Yulva, It's a really good excuse to buy yourself some time, right?"
Yulva blinked through her tears, her heart stopping.
"Pardon?"
In a flash of movement, the knife in Ai's hand was launched through the air. The blade flew past the Yulva's face with terrifying velocity, leaving a small, shallow scratch along the side of her neck before embedding itself deeply into the headboard behind her.
Ai turned her head slightly, a mocking smile on her lips.
"You agreed to my terms far too quickly just now, simply to make me leave this apartment, right? The moment I walk out that door, you intend to contact district security."
Yulva's breath froze completely in her throat, her entire body locking up as her legs began to shake uncontrollably.
Ai smiled coldly, turning around and walking back over to her. She leaned down close to the Yulva's face, her voice dripping with malice.
"Both of your kids... they are rather cute, right? It would be incredibly unfortunate if something horrible were to happen to them tomorrow..."
The girl's eyes went wide with absolute horror. A wave of pure, unadulterated panic crashed over her, and she threw herself forward, her hands shaking violently as she grabbed Ai's clothing, begging frantically.
"I-I'll do anything! Anything you want!" Tears flowed down her cheeks in a heavy stream as she choked on her own sobs. "I promise I won't tell a single soul! I won't call security! Just... please, I beg you, don't do anything to them!"
Ai casually pushed the woman back onto the bed, forcefully freeing her hands from her frantic grip with total indifference.
"Pay attention," Ai commanded coldly. "I'll be waiting for you near the main checkpoint station tomorrow morning. And whatever you decide to do tonight, think twice. Your children can easily vanish from their school as well. You cannot be with them the entire day... and neither can the district security."
Turning on her heel, Ai exited the room and slipped out of the apartment, leaving the door to click shut behind her.
The mother sat paralyzed on the edge of her bed, her entire frame shaking violently as the weight of the blackmail crushed her. She quickly tried to force herself to stand up, but her legs were trembling so severely that she could barely support her own weight.
Using the bedroom wall for structural support, she wiped the tears from her face and began dragging herself down the hallway toward her children's room.
She pushed the door open and rushed inside.
Both of her young sons were lying completely unconscious in their beds.
When she pulled back their blankets, her breath hitched there was a clear, precise cut on both of their necks.
The wounds were shallow, but the message was terrifyingly clear.
She collapsed to her knees by the beds, weeping silently into her hands, a warped sense of relief washing over her only because they were still breathing.
With trembling hands, she spent the next hour carefully bandaging her children's necks, her fingers shaking so badly she could barely tie the gauze.
Once they were secure, she stumbled out into the kitchen, her throat dry.
She poured a glass of water, trying to take a sip, but her hands were vibrating with such intense panic that the glass slipped from her fingers, shattering into pieces across the floor.
She collapsed onto the kitchen tiles among the shards, her entire body convulsing with fear as she clutched her head.
"She'll kill them..." she whispered into the empty room, her voice cracking. "She will definitely kill them if I don't follow exactly what she said."
Using her right hand to tightly grip her left arm, she desperately forced her shaking under control.
She slowly stood up, looking back down the dark hallway toward her children's bedroom, her eyes hardening with a desperate, broken resolve.
"Don't worry," she whispered to the silence, her knuckles turning white. "Nothing will happen to you. Nothing."
Ai stepped into her hotel room, the heavy silence of the enclosed space instantly settling around her.
She locked the door and moved straight into the restroom, needing to wash away the exhausting residue of the day's manipulation.
Leaning over the basin, she turned the tap and scooped freezing water into her palms, splashing it violently over her face. She held her breath as the chill hit her skin. Strands of her thick, curly hair, loosened from their constraints, clung damply to her forehead and temples, dripping small beads of water down her jawline.
Droplets pooled in the sharp hollows above her collarbones, glinting under the harsh bathroom light. Her eyebrows were knitted tightly, wet and dark, framing eyes that looked hollow and strained in the mirror. Her skin appeared stark, stripped of the synthetic innocence she had forced onto it hours earlier.
She stared at her reflection, watching a droplet trace the line of her throat.
"I feel like shit doing this," she muttered to the empty room, her voice flat and raspy. "But I have no choice."
Wiping her face with a harsh tug of a towel, she walked back into the bedroom.
She sat down in the center of the mattress, crossing her legs smoothly. Methodically, she checked her stance, her breathing, and her mental focus, ensuring every variable was perfectly aligned for the morning. Her gaze dropped to the bracelet resting against her wrist, its silent presence a reminder of the stakes.
She leaned sideways, hovering her fingers over the glowing bedside lamp until the proximity sensor tripped and the light went out, plunging the room into total darkness.
---
Across the district, a small boy slowly blinked his eyes open.
The dim, early morning light filtering through the apartment window revealed a silhouette on the floor. His mother was sitting against the edge of his mattress, her head resting heavily near his feet, fast asleep in her uncomfortable position.
The boy shifted, reaching out to gently shake her shoulder.
"Mom, wake up."
Yulva's eyes snapped open, panic instantly flaring in her chest before she registered her son's face. Without a word, she lunged forward, pulling the boy into a tight, desperate embrace, her heart hammering against his ribs.
The boy blinked, trapped in her grip.
"What's wrong, mom?"
Yulva quickly pulled back, using the back of her hand to wipe her watery, bloodshot eyes. She forced a fragile smile.
"N-Nothing. Everything is fine. I have to leave for work now, okay?" She smoothed down his hair, her hands trembling slightly. "I have prepared breakfast and lunch on the counter. Once your brother wakes up, make sure you eat together."
The boy raised a hand, his fingers lightly brushing the thick gauze wrapped around his neck.
"Bandages?"
Yulva immediately placed her hand over his, gently guiding it down to prevent him from feeling the shallow incision beneath.
"You got hurt yesterday while playing, that's why I did it."
The boy tilted his head, confusion wrinkling his brow.
"I don't remember getting hurt."
Yulva nodded quickly, her voice tight.
"You did. It happened quickly."
The boy's confusion vanished, replaced by a trusting smile.
"Well, if you say so."
Yulva stood up, her posture rigid as she looked down at him.
"Listen to me very carefully, Emitis. Do not open the front door no matter who comes by. And until I come back home, do not go outside under any circumstances. Understand?"
The boy nodded solemnly.
"Okay."
Yulva turned away, walking into her bedroom to change into her green Hyponox management outfit and white apron. She fastened the buttons with stiff, mechanical movements.
Before heading to the front door, she glanced back at her children's bedroom one last time, a heavy weight pressing on her chest, then stepped out into the corridor. The automatic lock clicked into place behind her.
Taking a deep, shuddering breath to compose herself, she headed down to the transit level and made her way to the Hyponox logistics facility.
Upon entering the bustling warehouse, she immediately began inspecting the inventory manifests to keep her mind occupied. She walked over to the central management counter, picking up a digital tablet to systematically review the high-priority addresses and cargo loads scheduled for delivery.
"Good morning, Mrs. Sophon," a deep voice called out.
Yulva looked up to see Barret, one of the transport drivers, walking toward the counter. He gestured toward the loading docks.
"If all the stuff is fully loaded into the transport, shall I depart?"
Yulva gripped the edges of the tablet, keeping her eyes glued to the screen.
"Good morning, Barret. And no... today I plan to deliver them myself."
Barret paused, his brow furrowing.
"Pardon?" He took a step closer, looking at her with a puzzled expression. "But you're the manager here. Delivery work isn't your job."
"I have to personally deliver a huge amount of specialized stock to District 1 today," Yulva explained, forcing her voice to remain steady and professional. "It wouldn't be polite to not go myself given the high profile of the clients."
Barret let out a short breath, shaking his head.
"Today again? Those District 1 folks really make you work for it, huh?"
Yulva let out a weary sigh, shifting her gaze to the loading bays.
"Well, what can we do."
"Well, then I'll try to help around here as much as I can while you're gone," Barret said, turning back toward the floor. "If there is something specific you need me to handle, feel free to ask."
Yulva offered a faint, grateful smile.
"Thanks, Barret. I'll let you know."
She turned and walked out to the secure loading dock, climbing into the elevated cabin of the massive supplier wagon. She settled into the driver's seat and punched in her ignition clearance.
She was just about to pull the primary thruster lever to depart when another logistics worker came running up the steps of the bay, waving her hand.
"Manager! You're coming along today as well?" Emily asked, halting outside the cabin window, catching her breath.
Yulva looked down at her from the high cabin window, her expression tight.
"Emily, I'm going entirely alone today. We have a massive volume of processing to handle back here at the hub, so you stay and oversee the floor."
"Huh?" Emily blinked in surprise, but before she could ask for further clarification, the wagon's heavy anti-grav engines roared to life, and the massive vehicle began moving forward, steering out of the bay.
Emily walked back to the central counter, looking thoroughly confused. She found Barret there, cross-checking a physical cargo list.
"Good morning, Barret," she muttered.
Barret looked up from his tablet.
"Oh, good morning. Late again?"
Emily sighed, tossing her tablet onto the desk.
"A little, yes." She leaned closer to him, lowering her voice as she watched the distant exhaust trail of the wagon. "By the way... is it just me, or is the manager acting completely weird today?"
Barret looked back down at his list, his expression thoughtful but guarded.
"She is acting strange, yes. But let it be. She must have a lot on her mind with the recent audits. Let's just focus on exactly what she left us here to do."
Yulva gripped the steering controls tightly, her palms slick with sweat. Her mind raced in a state of sheer panic; she hadn't been given a specific location to pick Ai up, so she simply kept the massive wagon moving along the primary transit highway toward the automated checkpoint station.
As she neared the corner of the final intersection before the gates, her eyes caught a figure standing completely still in the shadows.
It was Ai.
The moment Yulva slowed the wagon to a crawl near the curb, the passenger side door hissed open, and Ai slipped into the cabin with terrifying speed.
"Start moving," Ai commanded flatly, sliding into the shadow of the dashboard.
Ai looked around the interior, noting that the transport wagon was incredibly spacious, with a large storage and seating area built directly behind the cockpit.
Yulva reached into a side compartment, pulling out a folded garment and throwing it onto the adjacent seat.
"Change into this outfit."
Ai looked down at the fabric. It was the exact same green management uniform and apron that Yulva was wearing.
Without a word, Ai stepped into the rear cabin space and rapidly changed into the worker clothes, ensuring the fabric covered her technological bracelet.
Yulva kept her eyes locked on the road ahead, her voice trembling slightly as she spoke over her shoulder.
"If you have any kind of knife or dagger on you... we will get caught immediately. The checkpoint scanners can easily detect any sharp metallic objects or hidden weapons."
Hearing the warning, Ai paused in the back. She pulled her concealed knife from her uniform. Strands of bright white vana instantly coiled around her fingers and coated the blade; within seconds, the metal disintegrated, turning to harmless ash that scattered across the floorboards.
Ai walked back to the front cockpit, dusting off her hands.
"Don't worry, I have nothing of that sort on me anymore."
Yulva glanced at her sideways, her eyes tracking the faint, residual energy radiating from the girl before she looked back at the windshield.
"Why do you want to enter the inner districts like this? I can tell you possess a ridiculous amount of vana... so you probably belong to the higher districts anyway."
Ai crashed heavily into the passenger seat next to her, leaning her head back with a look of utter indifference.
"One thing led to another. For now, just focus entirely on your driving."
Yulva nodded slightly, silencing her curiosity.
"Is there a reinforced checkpoint station like this for District 1 and 2 as well?" Ai asked, scanning the approaching structures.
Yulva shook her head.
"There isn't. The specific people living in those two districts alone are powerful enough to act as their own security. This automated gate we are approaching is just like a formality for the supply lines."
The massive wagon slowed to a halt directly in front of the District 4 automated security station.
Yulva took a deep breath, turning to Ai.
"Get off the vehicle with me, and please... let me handle all the talking."
Ai gave a slight, silent nod. She opened her door and stepped down onto the pavement alongside Yulva.
Above them, a bright blue scanning array flared to life, casting a grid of light across the entire frame of the truck.
After a few tense seconds, the system chimed, and the interface turned a solid, vibrant green.
A security guard holding an energy rifle stepped out from the guardhouse, walking toward them with a relaxed stride.
"Hey, Yulva. Good morning." He looked around the immediate area, checking the cabin windows. "I don't see Emily with you today."
Yulva forced a warm, seamless smile, though her fingers were clenched tightly behind her back.
"She was completely swamped with inventory management at the main hub today, so I brought in a new trainee to help with the heavy lifting."
The guard shifted his gaze, his sharp eyes locking onto Ai.
Ai immediately forced a sheepish, innocent smile, raising a hand.
"Hello."
The guard smiled back, completely disarmed by the display.
"Oh, a trainee?"
Yulva nodded smoothly.
"She recently joined the logistics division, so she doesn't have her proper biometric ID cards or clearance tokens on her yet. Can you please just let her pass on my authorization today?"
The guard let out a hearty laugh, waving his hand dismissively as he stepped back toward his post.
"Well, I trust you, Yulva. Besides, it's not like anyone can actually do anything harmful inside those districts anyway."
"Thank you," Yulva murmured.
Both of them slipped back into the elevated cabin, slamming the doors shut.
Yulva engaged the thrusters, and the massive supplier wagon rumbled forward, passing through the heavy blast doors into the restricted sectors.
The moment they crossed the threshold into the Third District, Ai's eyes widened slightly, her gaze glued to the glass.
It was an entirely different realm.
Towering, translucent spires made of polished composite materials reached toward a perfectly simulated, crystalline digital sky. Floating mag-lev structures drifted seamlessly between high-end estates, and glowing, emission-free energy conduits pulse-coded through clean, marble-textured streets.
Yulva kept her grip tight on the wheel, steering the vehicle down the main avenue.
"It's an entirely different world inside here."
Ai maintained her focus, her cold eyes calculating the distance.
"How long will it take you to finish making all of your scheduled deliveries throughout these sectors?"
Yulva checked her digital dashboard manifest before looking back at her.
"At least a few hours."
Ai nodded, her muscles tensing as she prepared to move.
"Wait for me at this exact spot after you're completely done with your route. I'll be back."
Yulva's eyes widened in panic.
"Pardon?"
But before she could utter another syllable or slow the vehicle down, Ai smoothly opened the passenger door and jumped straight down onto the moving pavement.
Her boots hit the ground with soundless precision, and she instantly blurred into the architectural shadows.
Yulva frantically looked around through her side mirrors, her heart hammering against her ribs. Thankfully, because it was exceptionally early in the morning, the streets were entirely vacant.
Left alone in the cabin, Yulva gripped the steering handle with white knuckles, her entire body trembling as she drove forward into the pristine district.
"Please let everything be alright..." she whispered into the empty vehicle, her voice cracking with emotion. "Please."
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