This is not the date I wanted.

09 Layout

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It was an evening with an exceptionally dim sunset.

More than a dozen smoke columns like wolf smoke spread across the city. The streets and buildings were everywhere showing signs of violent destruction, and a hint of blood could be smelled in the air.

Even now, the memory of that day is still vivid.

[Oh, is this okay? Gokawa Shidao. I am using the Random Field to stop this child from losing blood and getting her wound infected. If I let her go, she will bleed to death in less than a minute. Unless someone can reattach her legs.]

[…You bastard.]

The sniper shot that was intended to hit the head failed. What rang out in Mengyue's earphones were the painful cries of a child, the malicious threats of Ai Wulian, and Shidao's angry whispers.

"Shidou! Don't be impulsive, I'll immediately-?!"

After realizing that something was wrong, Mengyue hurriedly tried to dissuade Shidao.

However, at this moment, a group of uninvited guests appeared in front of her.

"Found it! Liang Yi Meng Yue!"

"Hey! Are you the prototype? Are you our prototype?!"

"Haha, come and play!"

A pseudo-elf named "Nibelcol" with the same face as the sisters of Ormori surrounded Mengyue and attacked while speaking.

(Did the sniper attack just now expose our position?)

Meng Yue didn't have time to think more. Her body reacted immediately and avoided the siege of "Nibelcol".

But in the rush, the communication headset fell off Mengyue's ears and was destroyed along with the sniper rifle "CCC".

——Oh, so I can dodge the attack without summoning the spirit suit and angel!

——That’s really amazing.

——It looks like we can have a lot of fun!

"Get out of the way! Stay out of the way!"

Unlike "Nibelcol" who was laughing constantly, Mengyue, who had lost her means of communication, had a hint of hostility in her eyes.

Instantly summoning spirit gear and angels, high-powered lightning burst out from Meng Yue's body, annihilating the surrounding "Nibelcols".

(We have to go and support Shidou quickly.)

While repelling the "Nibelcol" who kept obstructing him, he rushed to the location where Shidao was. Recalling the conversation between Ai Wulian and Shidao before the communication was interrupted, Meng Yue's heart was filled with ominous premonitions.

(I'll be there soon...so don't do anything stupid.)

Then, when Meng Yue arrived, what she witnessed was the moment when Kiriren cut off Shidou's head.

——————————————I am the dividing line when I wake up from the dream——————————————————

"..."

Mengyue slowly opened her eyes.

There were dark curtains and a pure white ceiling, and a faint smell of disinfectant in the air.

Propping herself up from the hospital bed, Meng Yue began to observe herself. She was wearing a hospital gown at the moment. The parts of her body that had been burned were bandaged with bandages, and electrodes were attached to various parts of her body.

"…It looks like it's in the airship's infirmary."

Probably after he fell unconscious, he was carried back to the airship for treatment.

"...Ah...don't worry...everyone will sign..."

Suddenly, a murmur sounded beside her ears. Mengyue looked down and saw Erya lying beside her bed, drooling and mumbling strange things in his sleep.

"What are you doing, this fellow..."

Looking at Erya speechlessly, Mengyue shook Erya's shoulders.

"Hey, wake up Erya."

"...Huh? Submit the manuscript! Sorry, editor, give me three more days...Ah? Bilijiang?"

Erya suddenly straightened up and looked around in panic, as if he had not yet woken up. After a while, he gradually came to his senses.

"What happened to the editor?"

Meng Yue asked with a smirk on her face.

"Ahem - it's nothing, don't worry about it."

He quickly wiped the saliva from the corner of his mouth, coughed twice, and asked with a serious expression.

"How is your health, Bili-chan?"

"Yeah, that feels fine. How long did I sleep?"

After simply stretching her body and making sure that there was nothing serious, Meng Yue asked.

"Not very long, only one day."

"How's Kotori-chan doing?"

"He is no longer in danger of death. He is still in a coma and is being treated in a life support cabin."

"That's it."

After hearing Erya's answer, Mengyue nodded, removed the electrodes connected to her body, lifted the sheets of the bed and prepared to get up.

"Hey! Wait! What are you doing, Bili-chan?"

Erya hurriedly grabbed Mengyue.

"Go check on Kotori-chan, and by the way, there are some plans to prepare for."

Meng Yue answered as a matter of course.

"Don't be so anxious! Weren't you injured yesterday? You can rest for a day before going."

"Haven't we already had a day off? Miku will appear in two weeks, and there are many things to do next. It's a pity that we don't have time to rest."

"but……"

"Don't worry, that's why I absorbed Kotori-chan's spirit crystal. The injury from yesterday has already healed. If you don't believe me, just look."

As she spoke, Meng Yue untied the bandages on her body as if to reassure Erya.

It was just as Mengyue said, the horrific burns from yesterday had completely disappeared and were so smooth that not even a scar could be seen.

"……All right."

Although he was worried, seeing Mengyue was so persistent, Erya did not continue to try to stop her.

However, in order to prevent Mengyue from doing anything wrong, Erya still gave serious instructions.

"Bili-chan, please promise me that you will never force yourself, okay? I don't want to see a situation like yesterday again."

"Yeah...I know. I'll pay attention."

Hearing Erya's words, Mengyue smiled and nodded.

"Really? You're not lying to me, are you?"

"really."

Looking at Erya with a suspicious face, Mengyue sighed and said softly, feeling both amused and helpless.

"…I'm not Shidou."

————————————————I am the dividing line for leaving the infirmary——————————

"Ju Ya, help me get through to Director Woodman."

[Understood. A video call request has been sent to the other party.]

After a brief beep, Woodman and Karen appeared on the phone screen.

[…What a sudden communication, Commander Liangyi. I heard that you were seriously injured and unconscious in this operation. I thought it would take some time before I could get in touch with you.]

"Thank you for your concern, Director Woodman. My injuries have healed."

[I see, Commander Gokawa has the ability to recover... Anyway, please allow me, as the director of Ratatoskr and Commander Gokawa's superior, to express my congratulations and gratitude for the success of this operation.]

"Yes, thank you very much."

[Then... after you recovered, you were so anxious to contact me. What did you want me to do for you? ]

Woodman observed Liang Yi Meng Yue and asked slowly

Hearing Woodman's words, Mengyue smiled with satisfaction.

"As expected of Director Woodman, you have saved me a lot of time for nonsense. Then I will get straight to the point. I want you to issue an announcement in the name of Ratatoskr to all magicians using manifestation devices around the world."

【what news? 】

"After acquiring DEM, Ratatoskr discovered from DEM's database that there were fatal flaws in the design of the CR-Unit (Tactical Manifestation Unit), such as negative effects on the user's mind and shortened physical lifespan, and then bought back the CR-Uint and magic power generation device that were sold at a high price."

【Um……】

Hearing Mengyue's request, Karen frowned in surprise, while Woodman raised his eyebrows and asked calmly.

【Let me ask you, what is your intention in doing this? 】

“Eliminate unnecessary distractions.”

Meng Yue replied.

"Now that the location and time of Tohka and the others' appearance have been predicted and announced, I'm afraid that many troops will choose to ambush the elves instead of retreating. There are more than seven billion people in this world, and I don't know how many of them are magicians, nor do I know if there are magicians of Alan's level among them. If there are, this can avoid the risk of everyone being killed; if not, it can also prevent those magicians from seeking their own deaths."

[Although I can tell you responsibly that there are not many magicians who can reach Allen's level... I see, it is indeed necessary to have this kind of concerns. ]

After exchanging a glance with Karen, Woodman sighed, thought about the feasibility of this plan, and replied,

[It is not difficult to announce the defects of DEM equipment. After all, the experiments that Ike actually did were much worse than what you said. If the experimental data is released, it will not be a big problem even if the equipment with no problems is said to be black. But the acquisition of the manifestation device may be a bit difficult. Now that the space earthquake of the elves has caused such a large-scale disaster and casualties, even if there is a certain risk, most people will not let go of the weapons used for resistance. ]

[Besides, compared to this inefficient method, wouldn't it be faster to directly spread the computer virus and block the use of CR-Uint through wireless? Hacker - Liang Yi Meng Yue.]

At this time, Kallen, who had remained silent, suddenly spoke.

"Well, indeed, if I want to, I can do something like this."

Hearing Karen's slightly hostile tone, Meng Yue raised her eyebrows and answered her question calmly.

"However, this approach is undoubtedly a terrorist attack. If such a large-scale cyber attack really happened, the magician army would probably immediately associate it with me. Not only would it not eliminate interference factors, but it might also amplify human panic and exclusivity towards elves."

Many times, if you choose to use shortcuts to solve a problem because you are afraid of trouble, you may be able to easily solve the problem at hand, but at the same time it will also lay many hidden dangers, and most of these hidden dangers will only cause you to suffer losses.

"So, I have to give DEM a bad name, so that the actions of Ratatoskr, who 'sanctioned' DEM, can have a convincing justification. Isn't that right, Ms. Karen?"

【Well--】

Meng Yue’s words left Karen speechless for a moment.

"And, to answer your concerns, Director Woodman. Indeed, if it is only Ratatoskr who 'sanctioned' DEM, your concerns are not unreasonable. Then, what will happen if it is Ratatoskr who has the record of 'annihilating' Efreet?"

Meng Yue turned her gaze to Woodman and continued,

"You can tell them this. As long as they cooperate, it will only take half a year, no, only three months, for Ratatoskr to wipe out all the elves."

[Have you considered this far? I'm glad you're not an enemy of humans.]

With a sigh of admiration, Woodman said to Karen,

[Karen, please deploy according to Commander Liangyi's request just now. Two weeks is a bit short.]

【……Yes. 】

Kallen bowed slightly and then turned and left.

[I'm sorry, Karen said that because of her own considerations. If it makes you feel uncomfortable, please allow me to apologize here.]

"It's okay. I wasn't angry in the first place."

Meng Yue waved her hand and said this while staring at Woodman.

"The only thing that makes me a little dissatisfied is that you actually let your subordinates play the villain and you played the good guy to test me, Director Woodman."

Hearing Meng Yue's words, Woodman was stunned at first, then he showed a helpless bitter smile.

[Really... I really have no choice but to accept it. Commander Liangyi.]