Chapter 1359
Betrayal by All, Sextant
Liufen Yiyuantang is now deserted by everyone.
He lay on the metal bed in the laboratory, his body wrapped in bandages, steel nails in his legs, the swelling on his face still present, and a few gaps in his teeth letting in the wind.
He turned his head to look at the stark white light, the sound of Hikari's pen slicing across the paper as he recorded data filling his ears, a sound like insects gnawing at his nerves.
He knew he was finished. Those old foxes at SEELE wouldn't expose their whereabouts for a useless person like him. The five liaisons had long since listed him as a pawn to be discarded, and even Fuyutsuki had turned and left without looking back.
He could only pray that the people from the SEELE organization would come to his rescue.
But this is just wishful thinking.
He also knew that the people from the SEELE organization couldn't save him now.
Those old guys sitting in the stone circle are probably discussing how to distance themselves from the situation, how to package his death as an accident, and how to extract the last bit of value from this incident.
save him?
Unless he still has something they desperately need, but now he has even lost his position as commander and his body has become experimental material, what is there to save?
So, let's get tormented first.
Rokubungi Gendo closed his eyes, tears streaming down his cheeks and soaking his pillowcase.
Hikari's needle pierced him again, and he let out a weak whimper, too weak to even struggle.
As for the matter of Rokufen Gigendo.
Shinji Ikari doesn't care at all; things are fine as they are.
He walked to school with his schoolbag on his back. The morning breeze ruffled his hair, and the sunlight shone through the clouds, casting dappled shadows on the ground.
The school curriculum proceeded smoothly, and neither the teachers nor the students knew his true identity, treating him as just an ordinary transfer student.
During the break, he chatted with his classmate next to him about yesterday's TV program, his laughter crisp and natural, completely unlike a boy who once piloted Unit-01 to fight against Angels.
Go to school, practice Varga with Mr. Choi Myung, and play the piano with Kaworu Nagisa.
After school, Shinji Ikari would head straight to the NERV headquarters training grounds.
Cui Ming sat in the cockpit of Balga, teaching him the operating skills step by step, from the most basic balance control to complex tactical maneuvers, breaking down each action clearly and concisely.
Shinji Ikari learned quickly, and the joystick gradually became more obedient in his hands, while Varga's steps went from unsteady to steady.
After training, he would go to the music room and sit at the piano with Kaworu Nagisa, playing a four-hand duet or performing solos.
Kaworu's piano playing is gentle and profound, like a slowly flowing river that can wash away all the fatigue of the day.
Shinji Ikari had also met Rei Ayanami, but he didn't have any particular feelings about her.
It was a chance encounter in the cafeteria.
The blue-haired girl sat alone in the corner, a simple meal laid out in front of her, her red eyes as calm as a stagnant pool.
Shinji Ikari walked past her carrying a tray, simply nodding politely, and she nodded slightly in response.
There was no racing heartbeat, no resonance from deep within memories, no fateful pull; it was just like two ordinary colleagues brushing past each other in a corridor.
After all, his real mother's spirit is now beside him.
In the kitchen, Fuyuki was cooking miso soup, and steam rose from the pot, filling the entire room.
Shinji Ikari sat at the dining table doing his homework. The scratching sound of his pen on the paper and the stirring of the soup spoon in the pot intertwined, creating a warm rhythm.
He looked up at the figure standing in front of the stove, and a slight smile unconsciously crept onto his lips.
That is not a clone, not a replacement, not a manufactured tool.
She is a real mother.
Although Fuyutsuki was only his guardian, Shinji Ikari knew that the soul, the warmth, the presence that had protected him in the midst of gunfire and embraced him in the ruins, was now guarding him.
That's enough. It's more real than any phantom in memory, and more precious than any fateful bond.
"Shinji, the soup is ready, come and eat."
Dongyue turned around, holding the bowl, her voice gentle and calm.
"Okay." Shinji Ikari put down his pen and strode towards the dining table, his steps light as if he were running towards a home that would never disappear.
Inside the laboratory, Rokufenni Gendo's screams still echoed, but no one could hear them anymore.
Nothing particularly noteworthy has happened recently.
NERV headquarters is operating smoothly, the reconstruction of Tokyo-3 is proceeding in an orderly manner, pedestrians are gradually increasing on the streets, shops are reopening, and even the dark clouds in the sky seem to have dispersed a bit.
At most, Choi Min-ho will transform into Jack and defeat those monsters when he encounters special monsters.
Whenever an unusual biological reaction appeared on the radar, whenever an alarm broke the silence, Cui Ming would put down his thermos and get up to walk to the attack deck.
A flash of silver light, and Ultraman Jack appears on the edge of the city, using the Ultra Hurricane to sweep up monsters and throw them away, or using the Specium Ray to turn them to ashes.
The whole process is clean and efficient, usually taking no more than ten minutes from transformation to completion.
Then I spent my days with Misato and the others.
After training, Choi Myung would leave work on time and have dinner with Miri in the cafeteria, listening to her talk about the day's events, occasionally chiming in with a word or two.
In the evening, he would accompany Asuka to stroll through the shopping street, watching her choose new combat suit accessories, or take a quiet walk with Rei Ayanami along the river. The two walked side by side, neither of them speaking, simply enjoying the tranquility of silence.
The apostles dared not show themselves too often...
On the radar screen, the light representing the apostles had not lit up for a long time.
Those apostles who should have arrived one after another seemed to have reached some kind of tacit agreement, disappearing one after another.
It seems like they were frightened?
In the command center, the technicians stared at the empty radar screen, looking at each other in bewilderment.
"Could it be... that they were all scared away?"
A young employee muttered under his breath, his voice tinged with uncertainty.
The person next to him shrugged, his gaze unconsciously drifting to the figure leaning back in his chair with his eyes closed, seemingly resting.
Cui Ming didn't open his eyes, but simply said calmly, "If they come, beat them up; if they don't, just rest. Don't make wild guesses."
Everyone quickly lowered their heads and pretended to be busy.
But deep down, everyone knew that the apostles were probably genuinely terrified.
They were torn to shreds by that silver giant, by that acting commander who could throw even a 200,000-ton steel monster, and by that madman who used the former commander as experimental material.
This world is no longer one where the apostles have the final say.
Yui Ikari seemed quite happy.
She stood by the kitchen window, a warm cup of tea in her hand, her gaze fixed on the few plants in the yard that had just sprouted new buds. Sunlight streamed through the clouds, casting dappled shadows on the ground, and the air was filled with the faint scent of earth and the aroma of food wafting from afar. This kind of peaceful, stable life, free from anxiety, was something she had never longed for before.
Life now...
pretty good……
She no longer needed to worry about attacks from the Angels, no longer needed to face those cold experimental instruments, no longer needed to watch her child pilot that purple mech in despair. Cui Ming shouldered everything; those Angels, those monsters, those conspiracies from SEELE—all were kept at bay. She only needed to stay here, in this well-protected space, living the most ordinary life.
Yui took a sip of tea, a slight smile playing on her lips.
A soup was still simmering in the kitchen, its bubbling sound emanating from the clay pot, carrying a comforting warmth. She turned around and gently stirred it with a ladle, instantly intensifying the aroma. This warmth of home cooking, this simple happiness of preparing a meal for her family, filled her with a deep sense of contentment.
However, Yui Ikari also knew that Choi Myung would be busy for a long time to come...
She knew that man too well. On the surface, he seemed calm and collected, leaving get off work on time every day to have meals, walks, and conversations with them, but a sharp glint always lurked in his eyes, like a sheathed sword, ready to be drawn at any moment. Although the apostles had temporarily disappeared, SEELE had not been completely eradicated, and the threats lurking in the shadows were still waiting for their chance. Cui Ming would not let his guard down; he was always preparing for the next battle.
So cherish the present.
Yui Ikari put down her teacup, walked to the door, and looked at the figure walking towards her from the end of the corridor. Choi Myung took off his dark uniform jacket, draped it over his arm, and walked with steady and composed steps. He looked up, his eyes met hers, and a faint smile appeared on his lips.
"Is the soup ready?" he asked.
"Almost done," Yui Ikari replied with a smile. "Go wash your hands, dinner will be served soon."
Cui Ming nodded and walked past her, stirring up a gentle breeze.
Yui watched his retreating figure, silently thinking—every day like this can last. (End of Chapter)