Alice in the Land of Steam

Chapter 1428 Should we save the people around us first?

As the smoke and dust gradually dissipated, what appeared before everyone's eyes was an elegant and slender figure.

Standing approximately 2.5 meters tall, its slender and streamlined form resembled an elegant knight clad in steel armor rather than a war machine. The armor's matte, deep blue finish made it difficult to spot in dim light; the joints featured a more flexible, spherical design, ensuring fluid and precise movement; atop its silver-white visor were a pair of crescent-shaped, slanted eyes, now gleaming with a calm, azure light. Most striking were its weapons: each arm was equipped with a long, slender metal blade nearly as long as its height, its narrow blade gleaming with a cold, eerie light, suggesting it wasn't designed for brute force but rather for extreme speed and precise piercing.

Furthermore, six silver-white floating light cannons silently hover behind the machine, their energy fields resonating with each other, connected like tangible rays of light, forming a massive halo that adds to the already silent machine's aura of holiness. However, when you face their eerily hollow muzzles, a dangerous aura will jol you awake, making you realize that these are not angels proclaiming holiness, but shadows bringing death.

The Imperial soldiers were visibly stunned. Their intelligence had never mentioned the Rebel Alliance possessing constructs! Moreover, judging from its appearance, it didn't seem to resemble any of the known models in the intelligence. Could it be a new machine developed by the Rebel Alliance themselves, their secret weapon?
It's understandable that they didn't know; in fact, even within the Axis powers, there was a lack of information about this machine. However, members of the Society who participated in the interception of the Alien Philosopher outside the Sanctuary of Heaven might have some recollection of this scene, because the machine before them was remarkably similar to the Armed Goddess Themis, which had suddenly appeared on the battlefield and fought the Dark Witch Caraboss to a standstill—in fact, it could be said to be a simplified version of the latter.

Even the driver was the same person.

The mysterious machine that descended from the sky gave the enemy no time to react. It moved the instant it landed, its miniature magical engines spewing out almost invisible streams of pale blue ions, providing instantaneous explosive power and unbelievable directional changes. Like a true master swordsman, it transformed into a ghostly blue afterimage, cutting into the Imperial army's formation.

Their movements were as light as a dance, yet utterly deadly.

Thrusts, slashes, diagonal cuts, counter-thrusts, upward thrusts; suppression, blockade, obstruction, and lethality. She was like the most elegant and agile swordsman, mastering all the techniques and applications of this weapon since its inception, and perfectly integrating them into this steel-forged mecha. Her attacks were like a whirlwind, leaving the enemy no room to breathe; her movements were concise and swift, never wasting a single ounce of power; just like her posture, so elegant and beautiful, she danced with the trajectory of her sword, weaving a beautiful yet dangerous steel flower on the battlefield. To describe this rhythmic and graceful style of attack as a sword dance is truly fitting.

Simultaneously, the floating beam cannons hovering behind the mechs launched their attack autonomously, without human intervention. As if possessing independent consciousness, they silently dispersed, tracing graceful arcs in the air at incredible speeds, appearing only as flashes of light to the naked eye. They swiftly circled the Imperial forces' flanks and rear, unleashing thin, straight beams of light from their cold muzzles. While not powerful enough to instantly destroy the enemy's heavy armor and siege equipment, their rate of fire was extremely high and their precision incredibly accurate, targeting weak points such as wrists, eyes, and the magical reactors or vents of magical artifacts. With all six floating beam cannons firing simultaneously, the beams intertwined in the void, creating a net that the enemy had no way to avoid. Almost instantly, they destroyed four lightning-type magical cannons, eliminating the greatest threat to the enemy formation.

Screams and cries of terror rose and fell. The Imperial army's disciplined offensive formation completely collapsed in the face of this incomprehensible attack. Ultimately, the Blackblade Legion was stationed in the Atoliga province precisely because of its low combat prowess, tasked with guarding against a group of barbarians, convicts, and rebels whom the Empire looked down upon. They were accustomed to facing the giant axes of barbarians, the arrows of slaves, and the burning passion of rebels, but had never encountered a truly powerful enemy. If it were the Imperial army's elite legions, such as those that had faced the Axis tank onslaught and mech offensives in the central theater, they would likely not be so helpless at this moment.

The commander attempted to regroup, shouting orders, but a fleeting, eerie blue shadow swept past him. He felt a chill on his neck, and his voice abruptly ceased. Without their leader and facing such an elusive enemy, the remaining Imperial soldiers utterly lost their will to fight and began a chaotic rout. But against a machine renowned for its speed and maneuverability, attempting to escape and exposing their backs was a foolish decision. It didn't even need to lift a finger; with a brief pursuit and interception, the dark elf Kalia used her shortbow to precisely kill each fleeing enemy, ending the bloody skirmish.

……

The embers of battle swirled in the afternoon wind, drifting towards the edge of the mountains, the mingled smoke and blood stench permeating the desolate woodland. Imperial soldiers' corpses lay scattered everywhere; the once-determined offensive formation had been utterly reduced to rubble. A ghostly blue silhouette—a machine resembling an iron knight—stood silently in the center of the battlefield, its six floating light cannons behind it having dimmed, hovering silently like loyal guards.

Arnor walked towards the mech, the gravel crunching under his feet. At the same time, a barely audible hiss of pressure release came from the mech's chest armor, and visible steam billowed from the joints, scalding the sand and gravel. A crack silently opened; there was no gangway, no rope. A familiar figure leaped gracefully down, landing steadily on the blood-stained ground. Her long, golden hair, tied in a red ribbon into a ponytail, fluttered gracefully. Her face still bore the traces of battle fatigue, but her fiery red eyes still burned with an intense fighting spirit, leaving a lasting impression.

It was Alice.

Although it sounds obvious that this is how it should be, it has to be said that the girl in front of me has a completely different temperament compared to when I first met her. Is it because she has figured something out? Or has she made up her mind?
Almost the instant she landed, ripples spread across the elegant yet deadly machine, and its deep blue and silver armor rapidly transformed into countless flowing torrents of photons. The light converged and condensed inward, finally collapsing into a dazzling point of light that flew into Alice's outstretched palm, transforming into a palm-sized, metallic silver-white cartridge. The cartridge's surface was covered with fine and complex patterns, and a faint blue light at its center flickered like breath. She casually placed the cartridge into the cartridge case hanging on her belt, her movement fluid and natural.

"Are you all alright?" Alice stepped forward, her gaze sweeping over Arnor and his companions behind him, and asked with concern.

Arnor shook his head, sincerely thanking her, "Thank goodness you came to our aid in time, Miss Alice. Without your help, we would have been in deep trouble, and the safety of this pipeline would have been uncertain. If the Imperials had destroyed the water supply system, the consequences would have been unimaginable." At least half of the industrial equipment in the Feather Mine would have been shut down, making the already strained wartime production capacity of the Holy War Army even more difficult. Let alone holding the defense zone, just maintaining the daily operation of the large mine would have been a challenge.

Not far away, the dark elf Kalia deftly weaved through the corpses of Imperial soldiers, checking for any survivors and retrieving usable arrows. Gordan, meanwhile, frowned, clumsily trying to salvage valuable parts from a damaged lightning-powered magic cannon with his thick fingers, muttering about the sophistication of magical technology and the Imperials' wealth—even a small squad on a behind-enemy-lines demolition mission was equipped with such advanced magical devices. Although they were doing their own work, their ears were perked up, their attention clearly focused on the sudden conversation unfolding before them.

"It's just a little effort."

Alice waved her hand. If it were before, she would have been smug about the "NPC's" praise, since she was playing the game to be the protagonist and enjoying such treatment was only natural. But she wasn't in such a relaxed mood now. Seeing that Arnor and the others were alright, she said goodbye: "Since the battle here is over, I'll be going now. Perhaps there are other people who need my help elsewhere."

After saying that, she waved goodbye to the group with a smile and prepared to leave.

It seems Alice fights entirely with a "wherever I'm needed, I'll go" mentality, and Arnor has heard a little about her recent exploits. Ever since the Black Blade Legion began its advance into the Feather Mine, and even the relatively safe rear areas have seen traces of the Imperial Army, the Holy War's operations forces have been constantly on the move. They've done their utmost to stop enemy infiltration and reconnaissance, and while they can generally maintain order, they occasionally find themselves in dire straits. At these times, Alice always appears piloting her mysterious mech, turning the tide of battle with overwhelming power, before rushing off to the next battlefield. She has saved many lives and become an object of worship for many, with some even calling her "the messenger of the Goddess," a title that, in a sense, isn't an exaggeration.

Arnor admired her efficiency and selfless spirit, but was also worried about her tireless fighting. He couldn't help but advise her, "I understand how you feel, Miss Alice. The threat of the Imperial Army is indeed worrying, but there's no need to worry about it. Just like the sharpest sword needs to be sheathed and maintained, otherwise it will eventually fall into the hands of the enemy. I think you might need to take a break."

Alice was taken aback by his words, then muttered, "How can you give up so easily after finally finding something you can do..."

She was perhaps speaking to herself, so her voice was so soft that even Arnor didn't hear her clearly and instinctively asked, "What did you say, Miss Alice?"

"Nothing, nothing. What I mean is, I have this thing to help me!" The genius player patted the card box at his waist and said with a grin, "The Celestial Realm is fast and highly mobile. With it, I can go anywhere. No matter how many battles I fight, I don't feel tired. On the contrary, I'm very excited right now!"

When she mentioned the mecha's name, her tone carried a subtle intimacy, as if she were talking about an old friend. Arnor noticed her breathing was slightly rapid, her heart heaving a little faster than usual, but her posture remained ramrod straight, like a sword yet to be sheathed. A breeze brushed past her temples, lifting a few stray strands of golden hair that fluttered against her cheek. The girl reached up and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, a swift and decisive movement, just like her fighting style. The metal cartridge in the case clinked slightly with her movement, producing a crisp metallic sound, like the tolling of some mysterious bell.

Although Yanor didn't know the special meaning behind the name, he still went along with her and praised, "It is indeed a very powerful machine. I think even the Axis powers' proud construct mechs are no better than this."

"How can a few mass-produced machines compare to my Celestial?" Alice curled her lip, showing disdain for the construct soldiers of the cult alliance. Her mecha was personally crafted and customized by the genius alchemist Rorona. It was a standard protagonist mecha. It would be too low to compare it with mass-produced grunts.
However, it wasn't entirely Rorona's doing; the Holy War Army also played a significant role, primarily responsible for providing materials, especially rare materials like Orichalcos, magic alloys, mithril, and adamantite. The Holy War Army itself was short of these, but upon hearing of Rorona's need, Cheryl generously sent a large quantity. Rorona then used these materials, combined with her alchemy skills, to custom-create this new mech for Alice, inspired by the Armed Goddess Themis, fulfilling the genius player's wish to "play a role in this war."

Although it lacks the strategic significance of Ieta and Cloud Whale Sky Island, and doesn't possess Xinuo's invincible abilities, Alice would be content even if it could play a small role. After experiencing the deaths of Themis and Xia from the Celestial Realm, the genius player finally learned to face reality and seemed to have lowered his expectations of himself.

If we can't save the world right now, let's at least start by saving the people around us.

　Give me some cats
　　(End of this chapter)