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A Backpack, a Gun and a Codex Chapter 90 - Deep into the Abyss (part 18)
Mirai's hostile response is met with a quizzical head tilt. - Yes? I may or may not have seen you during the previous games, but this is the first time I come to greet the two of you. - I am pretty sure I also have never met him. - I add a remark. - Oh yeah, I forgot to enable your spectacles after the last maintenance. Here. - What do you mean by 'maintenance'? Since when did you... A transparent, black screen temporarily pops up on the glass. With the beeping sounds of configuration, my spectacles have returned to the operating state. And that is when I see a red, bolded number on his head. Ninety. I instinctively retreat the way Mirai did when she saw him and me conversing, except that I leap behind her, my hands grappling tightly on her shoulders like a coward. - So there is no point hiding, huh? Very well. Even though his cover is blown, his state of emotion is anchored in the seabed of calmness. With his unchanging face, he t
A Backpack, a Gun and a Codex Chapter 91 - Deep into the Abyss (part 19)
Suddenly, he remembered them. Those who beat him up badly in their first encounter, also his final mission. Those who held the utmost importance in retaliating against the Intruders, whose heads may have been placed a bounty on by the relentless extremists. And most importantly, when he thought that would be the last time he saw them, they met again as he brought them for a visit at the Huntly Mine. Although he did not observe them from the start, he knew that something big had happened while he was unconscious. He immediately realised that they had taken down one of the organisation's facilities at Huntly Mine only when police investigations resulted in the retrieval of samples he knew by heart just from the first sight. At the age of superior physical condition coupled with a turbulent state of mind, he quickly recovered from the bar explosion that day, but his unconscious cognition could not remove the image of them. After years of the organisation leading his nose, then sa
A Backpack, a Gun and a Codex Chapter 92 - Deep into the Abyss (part 20)
After the paid leave, we return to the construction site in the middle of nowhere again. Besides the mine that looked no different the day we first took the leave, the first thing we see is a frightened Maric holding a bunch of paper documents and running towards us. - Where have you been during the three days? For some reason, I cannot contact any of you, either by email, text messages or calls. - You look so pale and lifeless. Come, let's help you regain composure and we will talk. Mirai brings Maric back to the control room and gives her a cup of water. After she gulps a fifth of a litre in one shot, Maric takes a deep breath. - After what you said, at first, I was still doubtful. But, after I log into the association's system, most servers have been either disabled or closed down, except for the African region. I have attempted to mail the higher-ups, and they say that they are doing their best to contain the global insurgency, but soon, this contin
A Backpack, a Gun and a Codex Chapter 93 - Deep into the Abyss (part 21)
The sun is yet to rise from the dune afar. In the early morning sky glowing in a mystically red hue, a hovering motorcycle carrying three people breaks the stillness of the no man's land at the speed of a sprinting cheetah. Everywhere they move, clouds of sand are blown to the back by the powerful wind motors, creating a pattern similar to high-speed canoes riding waves. On the rider seat is no other than Mirai Sasaki, also the person who built this motorcycle, thus the only person who can ride it. Behind her are the two cowards, Yuusha Takahashi and Maric Mileva, each hugging the person in front of them tightly, their legs holding on to the body of the bike with their dear lives. The gusts passing through them are so strong, that without a pair of high-grade motorcycle goggles, their vision would be no better than being blindfolded. Unlike the pathetic riders, Mirai's auxiliary processors automatically filter out winds captured by her visual sensors, and thus she is the one enjo
A Backpack, a Gun and a Codex Chapter 94 - Deep into the Abyss (part 22)
We briefly describe to Mirai how we got the box. She curiously examines the box, and hears my observations about it, before concluding that we have insufficient evidence to crack it and putting the box into my backpack. The interior of the building is sombrely illuminated by occasional light bulbs along the aisles and inside rooms, perpetuating a mystic and threatening aura the deeper we delve into it. The primary map of the building is stored in Mirai's memory and projected onto my spectacles, so Maric is given the tablet to understand what is going on. Based on all of the occurrences, we conclude that with some lavish and unnecessary underlying mechanism, whenever we have obtained all clues from a room, it will no longer be accessible. While I place my hands on my chest, grateful that such a revelation tremendously shrinks the scope of our objective, the path ahead is still swamped with uncertainty. - Are we going to meander randomly forever like this? -
A Backpack, a Gun and a Codex Chapter 95 - Deep into the Abyss (part 23)
In front of her, there stands the Intruder who is caught off-guard in the most miraculous way it could ever imagine. While its wide-open eyes hint that it is in utter surprise that the random building structure permutation mechanism brought its supposed archnemesis right next to it in the first switch, it is quickly replaced with an ecstatic, distorted smile, as it can have a truly glorious battle with its prey, before choking it with its own hands. Mirai, who is also fully aware of its physical prowess, hesitates to act. With the barrel still pointing at the Intruder, she holds her pistol tightly and slowly walks towards the seemingly defenceless Intruder, constantly checking for blind spots and weak points on and around it. - Come on, just drop your guard. Do I look like I am hiding something? - Just by being an Intruder, no less an Intruder whose rank is just below the Commander, already implies that I have to be cautious against you. Do you have any common
A Backpack, a Gun and a Codex Chapter 96 - Deep into the Abyss (part 24)
- Faster, Mr Takahashi! - I'm trying! And drop that honorific. You can call me Yuusha, I am not that conservative! Just as I step the other foot out of the corridor, the side walls slam towards each other, completely blocking a twenty-metre-long pathway and shutting down cameras 7 - 16 and 5 - 7. The roaring collision sound and the squeaking noises of the mechanical components send our bodies trembling. The box is intact, and after catching our breath, we have some time to carefully look at it. Unlike the first box which is encoded, there are no visible locking mechanisms on this one. There are no padlocks or holes to put any key in. If not for the rattling noises when we try to shake the box, none would ever distinguish between this work of art and a plain, decorative cuboid. And apparently, with the equipment available in the portable subspace, no amount of sheer force can break open this box. - Maric, you can lead the way. I think this box can
A Backpack, a Gun and a Codex Chapter 97 - Deep into the Abyss (part 25)
Unable to do anything, we hold onto anything attached to the walls to keep a standing posture. After another five minutes of pure nausea and trembling, the second restructuring is over. It takes us another few seconds to be completely stable on the floor. I open the room's door to see what changes have occurred. The corridor does not seem shorter or longer, but not seeing any scratch marks on the ground implies that the blocks of rooms and corridors have been switched. - Yuusha, I have noted down the location of the trigger Mirai stepped on. Camera 34 - 22. I have some hypotheses to test out, so let's start with finding this trigger first. The building is huge, but it does not take long for us to find a room with access to the camera system. As usual, Maric handles the footage analysis, and I try to obtain more clues from the surroundings. Along the way, I would occasionally meet with corridor blocks with scratches and gunshots, stacked between completely spotless
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Chapter 109 - Project Tomorrow (part 8)
- Have you received their money?- Yes, but ultimately, they agreed on half the maximum prize. It was a huge compromise on our side, but better than nothing. The money was wire-transferred into my decoy bank account this morning. A few days have passed since the filming of the game show. I was told to do nothing, as Mirai would handle the negotiation. Details of how they met up are intentionally omitted when I ask her, but she agrees to disclose how the negotiation progresses. Nobody knew the exact location of the room, but it represented the interrogation room, except nobody was having the edge. As per Mirai's request, they only brought three people. In the middle of the room, there was only a poorly maintained wooden table, with two chairs on opposite sides: Mirai on one side, and the main negotiator on the other side with two standing guards. The room was small, and the only source of light was a loosely hanging lamp. Their negotiator initiated the conversat
- A Backpack, a Gun and a Codex
Chapter 108 - Project Tomorrow (part 7)
With an abrupt gunshot, the screen that streams everything happening in the studio loses signal. Ali's face distorts and darkens: given how the strict protocols have kept the upper hand for him and the production crew, the incident is a surprise. He tries to contact the surrounding staff for help, but the electromagnetic interference system imposed on this room renders all his attempts futile. - I knew it! You have been the mastermind behind this scheme all along. Now we can legally arrest you for fraud...- I am pretty sure this is one of your operation blunders that resulted in a technical failure. On top of that, you have no grounds to frame me, and given how you said that everything I have to go through here is backed by the government, I wonder how this narrative would develop in case we see each other again in court.- Nonsense! As if somebody will trust the word of an ordinary person.- But how would you, the perpetrator, prove that whatev
- A Backpack, a Gun and a Codex
Chapter 107 - Project Tomorrow (part 6)
So the production team does not stop at heightened security.- You don't seem surprised at all.- I know the production team will go all out to protect the hefty sum of a billion pounds. It is just a matter of time before you rely on drastic measures, but to go this far... So, regarding the fifteenth question...- We have plenty of time. And the moment you incorrectly answer the last question, it is all over.- What makes you think that I will get the final question wrong?- Of course not you, but him.- Him? The screen in front of me shows the footage of the studio. Everything is there: the dramatic lighting and sound, the audience holding their breath, the host reading the question, and the contestant furrowing while listening carefully to every word. Except the people sitting at the podium are not Ali and I.- The moment I first saw your assistant pushing you into the office for registration, I have already felt s
- A Backpack, a Gun and a Codex
Chapter 106 - Project Tomorrow (part 5)
- Quick! Secure all exits of the television studio. Initiate first-level protocol. Focus security around studio 4-A. Hurried footsteps echo through the corridors and halls, as fully-armed police and military personnel impose a lockdown on the studio and check every nook and cranny for any intruders. The studio that hosts the game show is located in a fairly remote region near Cairo. As a national studio that produces most of the programmes in the country, its level of security is on par with a military base. The specific information of measures implemented is obfuscated to the public. Still, with some observation, one would realise that making any move within the studio needs meticulous planning from the most intelligent of humanity. As soon as every staff in the studio is mobilised, the girl starts to move. The trip sensors she installed throughout the studio have simultaneously triggered, capturing a huge movement.__________- The twelfth question is another
- A Backpack, a Gun and a Codex
Chapter 105 - Project Tomorrow (part 4)
- ... and despite being the country with the largest area in the world, boasting up to eleven different time zones, Russia is surprisingly not the country with the most time zones in the world. In fact, it is France that claims the crown as the country with the most time zones in the world, with twelve different time zones ranging from UTC-10:00 to UTC+12:00! This is attributed to the fact that France has many territories worldwide, which also highlights their significant presence worldwide.- Wow, that is a very detailed description, although it may be difficult for the audience to grasp what you are trying to say. But yes, the correct answer to the country with the most time zones is B, France! Let us give another round of applause for the amount of wisdom this fortitudinous man possesses! With Mirai's assistance from somewhere outside the studio, we breeze through the first ten questions ranging in all sorts of topics and requiring countless hours every day look
- A Backpack, a Gun and a Codex
Chapter 104 - Project Tomorrow (part 3)
- Ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to the thousandth show of the series "Who Wants to Be the Zillionaire?", a weekly trivia game show every Tuesday only available on Al-Hayat TV. I am your host, Ali, and today, to commemorate the thousandth show, the stakes have been raised. There are still fifteen questions, but each question is exponentially harder. In return, once the player clears all fifteen questions, he will win up to... A billion Egyptian pounds, approximately three billion yen or twenty million US dollars. That is ten years' worth of my previous salary or more. For thirty-three years of my life, I have never thought about this, because the odds of reaching the final question are as high as winning a lottery. However, with Mirai's help, getting the winning prize will be a breeze.- Let's welcome our player for today! Due to special circumstances, we will refer to him as T. Mr. T, please come in. The door to the game show arena opens., and I am immediately
- A Backpack, a Gun and a Codex
Chapter 103 - Project Tomorrow (part 2)
- It has been so long since we last talked in person. So, how have you been? - Let's say, my past few years have been a mess. You? - Same on my side. You cannot imagine how difficult it is to live around that woman. - From what I see, she is a very intelligent and awesome person, no? I envy you for having such a partner. - It is because of that so-called intelligence you praise her for, that I do not even understand what is going on in her head. I have a better chance of winning a lottery than guessing her mood. We quarrel almost every day. - However, if you think of it, it is those days that you argue that make you appreciate the days that you two live harmoniously together. Of course, I cannot speak for you, because my marriage is very peaceful back then... - I think I have mentioned this before, but please do not compare our dynamic with a married couple. - You are overthinking, brother. Albert and I
- A Backpack, a Gun and a Codex
Chapter 102 - Project Tomorrow (part 1)
2060, Sahara desert... Project Ashita... After the brief exchange with the Colonel-ranked Intruder named Lamabula, Mirai and I spent countless hours after the construction observation duty hours to devise a plan. After careful consideration, the seeds of Project Ashita are sown. Before introducing the project to the CEA survivors, Mirai initially hesitated, but she ultimately discussed it with Lamabula. Without a doubt, he burst into his signature, explosive laughter and rejoiced the moment Mirai mentioned the scale of the project, and willingly lent a portion of the base's space for the construction of the colossal battleship. So long as he deemed us subpar compared to the Intruders, he would continue lending assistance. However, the dangerous part of this rigged contract is that we do not know until when he would deem us sufficiently dangerous and suddenly cut all support. However, that has never been Mirai's concern, who can fight head-on with Lamabula, and whose distrust a
- A Backpack, a Gun and a Codex
Chapter 101 - The Future that Bet Life to Believe
Counter-Extraterrestrial Association, Egypt branch, 2060, From the outside, it looks like a small stand-up comedy house within the bustling tourist area of Cairo. However, in the basement, its true form is revealed. More than half of the basement area is for equipment and vehicle storage, and in the corner, a hydraulic lift is responsible for carrying them to the first floor. Deeper into the basement is the meeting room. Around the table, Mirai and Wilhelm sit next to each other, on the largest seat designated for high-ranking officials of the CEA or important people. Then, Ernst, Gottlob, Arthur, Maric, and I sit on the remaining seats. At the centre of the table, a hologram depicts the images of the current situation. Under the table, each seat will have a mouse which resembles a ball, so anyone can freely rotate or zoom in on the hologram projection for better observation. - Thank you everyone for being here. Before we start the impromptu meeting, two more people wo
