Chapter 1437
Good heavens, the electric stamp hit me here?!
Cui Ming was sitting in the base with a displeased expression.
He leaned back in the chair in the command room, arms crossed, scarf draped over his chest, his eyes like two stagnant pools, with sharks swimming at the bottom. A laser pointer lay across the table, its muzzle pointed at the door; if anyone entered and didn't look up, he could draw his gun instantly.
The rest of the Victory Team instinctively moved away.
Daigo walked close to the wall, Shinjo pretended to study the ceiling, Horii buried his head in piles of data, and Rena and Nori simply hid behind the control panel. Everyone was afraid of being forced into a long training exercise—last time, when Choi was in a bad mood, the entire Victory Team was dragged along for fifty kilometers, and even Spike threw up.
Saeko Busujima sat down next to Choi Myung with a smile, holding a pot of hot tea in her hand, and slowly poured a cup for Choi Myung.
"Cui, have some tea."
Cui Ming took the cup, took a sip, and frowned even more: "Thank you, but I'm still very unhappy."
“Then let’s go kill some enemies,” Saeko Busujima said casually, as if suggesting what snacks to have for the day. She was wearing her signature high school uniform, her long hair cascading over her shoulders, and her smile was as gentle as if she were discussing the tea ceremony, but the glint in her eyes was exactly the same as Choi Myung’s.
Choi Myung turned to look at her, and the corners of his mouth finally curved into a smile: "Good idea, Saeko, you come with me."
Saeko Busujima laughed heartily upon hearing this. The smile spread from her lips to her eyes, like a slowly blooming spider lily, beautiful yet dangerous.
But just then, someone called.
The communicator suddenly rang, its shrill ringing jarringly in the quiet command room. Saeko Busujima's smile froze instantly, her gaze sharp as she glared at the noisy communicator.
"Who?" Her voice was still gentle, but the temperature dropped by twenty degrees.
Cui Ming patted the back of her hand: "Don't worry, it won't affect our mission to kill the enemy."
He answered the phone, his tone flat: "Hello, this is Cui Ming."
There was a two-second silence on the other end of the communicator, followed by a fawning, almost servile voice with a familiar, charlatan-like tone:
“That… Lord Storm One… is, is one of us… the Kirieloids…”
Cui Ming raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything.
The Kirielod on the other end felt the pressure of the silence and immediately sped up their speech, unleashing a torrent of words like a machine gun:
"My lord! We're truly innocent! We really didn't cause any trouble! The grievance has its source! It's that Ai Nengmei! That stupid demon god from another dimension! She used her berserk electromagnetic waves on you! That's why we got caught in the crossfire! You just need to kill Ai Nengmei! Please let us go!!!"
As Cui Ming listened, he tapped his fingers lightly on the table, his rhythm neither too fast nor too slow.
"Oh?" he finally spoke, his voice so soft it was almost a whisper, "You're being wronged?"
"Injustice! Utter injustice!" The leader of the Kirieloids was almost in tears. "We've been behaving ourselves lately! We've withdrawn from our strongholds! We've dispersed our personnel! We've even stopped spreading our faith! We haven't done anything!"
"Didn't do anything?" Cui Ming sneered. "Then how do you know about Ai Nengmei's situation? How do you know I used the violent electromagnetic wave on her?"
"..."
An awkward silence followed on the other end of the communicator, then a hushed argument among several Kirielods:
"I told you not to talk back!"
"Shut up! Wasn't this your idea?!"
"Stop arguing! Let the leader speak!"
Cui Ming waited three seconds, then said calmly, "Alright, stop acting. I can let you go."
"Really?!" The Kirieloid's voice lit up instantly.
“But,” Cui Ming’s lips curled into a smile that made Saeko Busujima raise an eyebrow, “tell me something.”
"What is it, sir? Please tell us! We will tell you everything we know!"
"Where is the Nackle aliens' base on Earth?"
There was silence on the other end of the communicator.
This time the silence was longer and heavier.
Although the Nackle aliens and the Kirieloids aren't exactly allies, they are still aliens, outsiders to Earth, and to some extent, they share a sense of "misery loves company." Betraying one's own kind is a major taboo in the alien world.
But Cui's life was not in a hurry.
He slowly picked up the teacup, took another sip, and then gently put the cup down. Click.
The sound of porcelain clattering against the table, heard on the other end of the communicator, sounded like the footsteps of death.
"My lord..." the Kirieloid's voice trembled, "What...what do you want the Nackle aliens' stronghold for?"
"What for?" Cui Ming laughed, a laugh that made Saeko Busujima move closer to him. "Of course, we're going to kill them. Enome is hiding too deep; we won't be able to find her anytime soon. As for the Nackle aliens... I've heard they've been quite active lately, so it'll be a good opportunity to vent our anger on them."
"..."
"Will you talk or not?" Cui Ming's fingers tapped the table again, the rhythm quickening. "If you don't talk, I'll assume you're in cahoots with the Nackle aliens. If that happens, I might take down more than just a few outposts."
"Let's talk! Let's talk!"
The Kirieloids decisively sold out the Nackle aliens.
"Tokyo Bay! The underground warehouse at the Third Pier! They're disguised as an import/export trading company! The person in charge is named Zarab! And the Osaka Industrial Zone! The Seventh Steel Plant! They..."
"That's enough," Cui Ming interrupted him, his tone flat. "Two places are enough."
"My lord... then... you'll let us go?"
“For now.” Cui Ming stood up and put the radiant device back into his waistband. “If I find out you’re causing trouble again, it won’t be as simple as just taking down the stronghold.”
"Yes, yes, yes! We'll definitely behave! We definitely will!"
Communication was cut off.
Choi Myung turned to look at Saeko Busujima, who was smiling and holding a teapot, as if nothing had happened.
"Zezi, let's go."
"Alright." Saeko Busujima put down the teapot, drew a katana from under her seat, its blade gleaming coldly in the lamplight. "Tokyo Bay or Osaka?"
“Go.” Cui Ming pulled his scarf up higher. “First Tokyo Bay, then Osaka. Nakel aliens, leave no one alive.”
"I like this plan."
Saeko Busujima laughed heartily, her smile mirroring Choi Myung's, like two drawn swords gently clashing in the air.
The two walked out of the command room side by side, their steps light as if they were going on a date.
Daigo peeked out from behind the control panel, watched their backs, and swallowed hard.
"New City..."
"Ok?"
"Aren't the instructor and Ms. Saeko... starting to look more and more alike?"
“More than just similar.” Shinjo rubbed his face. “They’re practically demons. Nackle aliens… good luck.”
In the command room, everyone looked at each other, then simultaneously breathed a sigh of relief.
At least, Cui Ming had a place to vent his frustration.
And the Nackle aliens are about to become the next unlucky ones.
This is the daily routine of Storm One.
Feeling annoyed?
Then let's go kill a few enemies.
Simple, direct, and effective.
Moreover, there are always people willing to accompany you.
For example, Saeko Busujima.
For example, that insatiable killing intent. (End of Chapter)