Chapter 153: Chapter 153- Sabotage
The next morning, Rea’s eyes widened as he looked up at the enormous shape in the sky. The sky whale was descending lower, its colossal body looming closer to the city. His voice trembled as he spoke.
"It’s getting closer... the whale is almost here."
Vivi’s lips curved into an unsettling smile. She drew her dagger, twirling it between her fingers with a gleam of excitement in her eyes. "I can’t wait to cut into that thing. I want to hear its flesh tear."
Rea turned sharply toward her. "Shouldn’t we be thinking about running instead? Isn’t it too late to escape?"
Cindy snapped at him before Vivi could answer. "Don’t you dare play the coward, Rea."
Her fists were clenched, but Rea noticed the slight shake in her arms. He narrowed his eyes and scoffed. "Easy for you to say. You’re trembling just as much as I am."
"That’s not true!" Cindy shot back, her voice louder than she intended, almost desperate to drown out her own fear.
Vivi’s attention, however, remained fixed on the colossal beast above. Its massive fins sliced through the clouds, its shimmering barrier distorting the light around it like glass bending under heat. She pointed with her dagger. "It’s close enough to see clearly now. If we’re going to fight it, why wait? Let’s attack before it comes crashing into the city and destroys everything!"
Cindy shook her head, her expression tightening. "Have you already forgotten? We were meant to wait for the weapons. They’re the only thing strong enough to pierce that barrier. Without them, stabbing it will do nothing but get us killed."
Rea folded his arms and muttered under his breath, "Maybe Vivi forgot the plan because her head’s too full of Luke..."
Vivi’s dagger stilled, and her eyes snapped toward Rea with a flash of irritation. "What was that? Do you want me to beat that smart mouth of yours shut?"
Rea’s instincts screamed at his to run, but before he could take a step back, Vivi’s hand seized his collar and yanked him forward. Her knuckles tightened, ready to strike.
"Hey—hey!" Rea protested, his voice rising in panic. "Show some respect! I’m still your senior!"
Vivi lifted her fist, a crooked grin pulling at her lips. "I don’t remember ever having a senior as pathetic as you."
The blow never landed. A calm voice interrupted from behind them.
"You two... fighting this early in the morning? What’s the matter now?"
Both of them turned. Cindy was already smiling with recognition. "Oh, Fey! Good morning. How’s work in the production division?"
Fey looked exhausted, her arms crossed and grease stains smudged across her uniform. Her expression was grim. "Terrible. Someone messed up the weapon framework, so now we have to repair it from scratch."
The news broke Vivi’s focus. She let go of Rea’s collar with a shove, allowing Rea to stumble back and suck in a shaky breath of relief.
"You’ve got to be kidding me," Vivi snapped, irritation flaring again. She gestured upward, where the sky whale’s massive silhouette loomed ever closer, its barrier glimmering like a translucent wall of light. "The whale is nearly on top of us. Are you telling me those weapons won’t be ready in time?"
Cindy folded her arms, stepping between the two before Vivi’s temper flared again. "Calm down, Vivi. You’re the one who said you’d carve that whale open, remember?"
Vivi clicked her tongue, glaring up at the massive shadow drifting across the sky. "Yeah, I’ll carve it, once that damn barrier is gone. Until then, all I’d be cutting is light."
Fey raised both hands, her voice steady but weary. "Relax. We’re almost done. Half the division jumped in to help with the repairs, so it’s moving faster than expected." She exhaled, rubbing her temple with ink-stained fingers. "Still can’t believe I got roped into production work. This wasn’t supposed to be my job."
"That’s good news then," Cindy said, her tone brightening a little. "If the weapons are nearly ready, there won’t be any delays."
Vivi wasn’t convinced. She tilted her head sharply toward Fey. "Who was it? The one who messed up the weapon framework. Whoever it was, they might as well have signed our death warrants."
Rea sighed, shaking his head. "Don’t waste energy on that. It’s not our responsibility to chase down mistakes."
Cindy frowned, softer in tone than Vivi. "Maybe it wasn’t sabotage. People make errors under pressure. If it was just an accident, then... it’s fine."
Fey’s brow furrowed. "The one who caused the mistake was far too careless. Accident or not, that kind of slip nearly got us all killed."
Vivi shrugged, twirling her dagger again with a smirk. "As long as it’s fixed in the end, who cares? The weapon works, doesn’t it?"
Cindy tilted her head, curious. "Oh, right, why are you here, Fey? Did you just come to see us?"
Fey shook her head. "I came to tell you something, Cindy... and also to finally go home and rest."
Vivi’s grin widened. "Sounds like you’re about to get extra work, Cindy."
"Hee? Is that true, Fey?" Cindy asked, looking half-nervous, half-intrigued.
Fey gave a small nod. "Yes. You’ve been assigned to guard the weapon, to make sure no one tampers with it again."
Cindy’s mouth fell open. "That’s too sudden! And I’m not exactly skilled in combat, you know..."
"It’s fine," Fey assured her. "You won’t be alone. There will be others on duty as well."
Rea leaned forward, grinning faintly. "See? Isn’t that a good thing, Cindy? You get to stay near the weapon and avoid fighting on the front line."
Cindy puffed her cheeks in frustration. "That’s not good at all. Don’t you see? In situations like this, weapons are always prime targets. If someone does attack, guarding it might be even more dangerous."
Vivi chuckled, her eyes glinting with mockery. "Hehe... are you scared? Want me to buy you some candy to calm your nerves?"
Cindy’s face flushed instantly, caught between anger and embarrassment. "Candy? Seriously? Do you think I’m a child?" She stomped her foot, glaring at Vivi, though her hands trembled as she balled them into fists.
Vivi leaned in closer, grinning like a predator toying with its prey. "Well, if you keep shaking like that, I might mistake you for one."
Cindy snapped back, her voice rising. "At least I’m not reckless enough to charge at a sky whale with nothing but a dagger!"
That jab actually made Rea snort with laughter, quickly covering his mouth.
Vivi tilted her head, eyes narrowing with mock sweetness. "Hmm... sounds like you’re asking for a lesson."
Before she could move, Fey stretched her arms with a weary yawn. "That’s enough. I’m done with you guys, I’m going to sleep."
"Wait, take me with you!" Cindy cried, rushing toward her.
But before she could reach Fey, Vivi’s hand shot out and clamped firmly around her wrist. With a sly grin, Vivi pulled her close as if preparing to smother her in a crushing embrace.
Cindy struggled, her voice high and panicked. "Help! This gorilla is trying to kill me!"
Vivi’s smile twitched into outrage. "Who are you calling a gorilla?"
Rea, standing just off to the side, felt the danger rising and wasted no time. He whispered the incantation under his breath, her form blurring into translucent light. In the next heartbeat, his Mirage skill activated, and he slipped away unseen.
Cindy caught sight of the fading shimmer and realized instantly what had happened. "S-Senior! Don’t abandon me, help!"
But Rea was already gone, his footsteps vanishing into the distance, leaving only Cindy’s desperate cries echoing through the streets of the city on that too-early morning.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the city, Leo sat calmly in his quarters, savoring the warmth of his morning tea. The porcelain cup clinked softly as he set it back on the table.
Lucy stood nearby, her expression tight. "Security around the weapon is going to be reinforced. Someone sabotaged the framework yesterday."
Leo raised an eyebrow, his lips curling into a wild smile. "Oh? Someone sabotaged the weapon?"
"Yes," Lucy replied firmly. "From what we’ve learned, the culprit might be one of the people Julian brought with him."
Leo burst out laughing, his voice rich with amusement. "Hahaha! You’re joking, right? This is beyond me. What possible goal could they have? Intriguing..."
Lucy’s eyes narrowed. "They’re still investigating, so nothing is certain yet."
Leo leaned back in his chair, staring at the ripples in his tea as his mind drifted. A faint memory surfaced. "Wait... I remember. You’re talking about that one, aren’t you? The girl in the lab coat, with the sunken face, looking like she’s carrying the weight of the world?"
"That’s right," Lucy confirmed. "She’s under interrogation as we speak."
Leo’s smirk deepened, a glint of mischief in his eyes. "So that’s how it is..."
"There must be a reason. No one sabotages something so crucial without purpose. Dig deeper, Lucy. I want to know exactly what pushed that woman to act."
Lucy straightened, bowing her head slightly. "Understood. I’ll see to it immediately."
"Good." Leo placed the cup down with deliberate care, the faint clink echoing in the quiet room. His gaze drifted toward the window, where the enormous shadow of the sky whale could already be glimpsed through drifting clouds. His voice dropped to a low murmur, more to himself than anyone else.
"The attack will begin soon. I wonder..." His smile widened, sharp and unsettling. "...will we survive this trial, or end up as nothing more than the whale’s next meal?"