Why it never ends

Chapter 1249 Terminal
This is certainly a common possibility, but its credibility subtly diminishes after being described repeatedly.

As Hester pondered these things, she suddenly noticed the time. It wasn't even 6 p.m. yet. If everything went smoothly, she might be able to return to the square earlier.

She seemed to have rediscovered some curiosity about Tie Xi.

……

Emmanuela's reserve base doesn't look much different from Tan's.

Even though this was Hershta's first time here, she easily found the ground office building for the administrative staff, the dormitories for the reservists, and the training grounds.

These buildings on the ground are no different from those ten years ago, and they don't seem out of place in Emmanuela, a place full of old buildings.

Hester circled the training grounds once, then wandered around the dormitories and administration building area. All the entrance doors were locked, and she hadn't gotten the keys yet—although theoretically these buildings with unsealed windows shouldn't stop her, Hester only stood in front of them and looked up for a moment before heading towards the underground entrance.

The reserve base was deserted at dusk, completely silent except for the sound of the wind.

Hesta stepped into the elevator, watching the last bit of natural sunlight disappear into the slowly closing elevator doors.

Why are reserve bases all over the world so similar? It's as if they're mass-produced according to the same blueprints... This seems somewhat absurd, because AHgAs's Mercury Needle Apartments around the world are all unique, clearly designed with local architectural styles in mind.

The elevator stopped on the third basement level, from where the base's underground hospital begins.

Hester re-entered her biometric information at the access control, which theoretically allowed her to roam freely throughout the entire underground building tonight.

Where should we go first...?

"Hello, Jane, you've arrived." A calm female voice rang out.

Hester looked around. The sound didn't seem to be coming from a specific direction; it was just ringing out in the corridor at a low decibel level.

"I'm here."

Hester then noticed a bright circle on the white wall beside him, which was expanding and shrinking as if breathing.

The moment Hershta's gaze fell upon it, its brightness suddenly increased, before returning to a soft, dim glow.

“…Hello?” Hersta stared at the floating circle, which flickered there. The walls there were like a misty screen, and once it left, everything became ordinary again.

Hester couldn't help but reach out and touch the material of the wall—smooth, clean, and with a delicate texture, nothing about it contradicted Hester's impression of the base.

“I am the terminal here,” the circle continued breathing in sync with its voice, “I can help you understand the structure of the underground buildings of the Emmanuela Reserve Base in District 12, and if you need, I can give you a tour.”

Hester didn't speak. She reached out towards the circle, and the moment she touched it, it brightened up again.

Hersta abruptly withdrew his hand, but felt no discomfort in his fingertips—there was no electricity, nor was it hot.

"What did you just say you were?" Hersta asked.

“Terminal,” the circle replied. “I am the projection of the base’s central control onto the wall, and I can assist you in understanding this area.”

“The base’s central hub…” Hester murmured, repeating the name. “I didn’t even know our base had a central hub… Where is it? Deeper down somewhere?”

“That was an old-fashioned centralized hub, but this one is distributed. Important data is distributed across different layers of the structure according to function, without relying on a single, centralized hub,” Circle replied. “Right now, you are standing at the sensing node of the base’s central hub.”

Hersta instinctively took a small step back.

“Here too,” the circle said.

Hester narrowed her eyes slightly, took a few steps forward, and hopped across the water like a dragonfly: "Is this place also here? Is this place also here?"

“Yes, all of them.” The circle slid along the wall, following Hester’s steps, always standing beside her. “With the distributed hub, the base can have full-area perception. If another chelate escapes, no more reservists or staff will be injured—we will immediately activate the self-cleaning mode.” Hester glanced in the circle’s direction: “You know me?”

"You are Jane. Jane Hester."

“That’s not what I meant,” Hesta said softly. “I meant, you just gave me an example of a chelate escaping.”

"Yes, in 4623, a serious incident occurred at Tan's underground base involving a chelate attack on the reserve mercury needles. The chelate 'Raphael' attacked you and your friend Turan."

How much else do you know about me?

"My understanding of you is based on all the materials existing in official files, roughly covering your background, combat experience, medical records, and interpersonal network—"

"You mean all of them?"

"Yes, but not including 4632, the time after you left the Third District."

“…Ha.” Hester let out a mocking sigh. “Terminal…is that what you call yourself?”

"If you don't like this instrumental way of addressing me, you can call me by my name."

“You even have a name,” Hershta said, glancing at the wall. “What is it?”

"zero."

Hester stopped abruptly: "Zero?"

The circle on the wall lit up again, as if in response to the name.

“…Zero,” Hester stared at it, “Your name is 'Zero'?”

"Yes."

"Are you sure your understanding of me doesn't include the time after I left District 3 in 4632?"

“Information indicates that you left District 3 in 4632 aboard the cruise ship Awakening, went to District 14 to recuperate as a medic, and applied to come to District 12 at the end of the same year, where you have remained until now,” Circle replied. “That’s all the information I have.”

Hester frowned slightly: "...Why are you called 'Zero'?"

"All terminals in the Mercury Needle underground base use this name. If you think it's necessary, you can give me another name, and I can respond accordingly."

Hester stood there for a moment, and then she suddenly remembered the little girl who had traveled with Anna on the Awakening—was it a coincidence?

Or……

Hershta paused for a moment, then continued walking forward.

“I heard that the underground base in District 12 is connected to the mother city here,” Hester said. “Then theoretically, you should also have a way to communicate directly with the mother city, right?”

Yes, I can.

"Did you know that Mercury Needle can sometimes make direct requests to the mother city? Hmm... something like technical support..."

"Yes I know."

“I haven’t mentioned it yet. I know I can apply through office number 2, but that’s too much trouble. Can I have you do it directly?”

“Yes,” the circle’s voice remained calm, “you can.”