Chapter 111: Can You Leave? I Need Space to Work

Alice's issue was different from other Nikkes—almost like a design flaw.

Mo Chen recalled a theory he'd read on a forum before.

Some players, while digging through the game files for questionable mods, discovered references indicating that Alice was originally designed as a fairy-tale model.

There were vague hints about it in the documentation, but for some reason, the concept was ultimately scrapped and it became a discarded project.

But Mo Chen wasn't entirely convinced.

Alice might actually have been an experimental prototype during the Ark's attempt to create fairy-tale models.

Because of defects, she hadn't made it to the final product.

Alice's breathing grew more labored. Beads of sweat formed on her forehead, only to evaporate immediately into steam due to the heat radiating from her body.

Mo Chen took out a recovery serum and applied it to Alice.

But the serum, which had always worked miracles regardless of injuries or malfunctions, failed this time.

Instead of improving, Alice's body temperature spiked even higher.

Her condition worsened. Her small face turned pale, and she began moaning softly, her delicate body writhing in discomfort.

Curled up one moment, then stretching out the next as if unable to find comfort, Alice clutched the gun beside her, hugging it tightly as if it could provide some relief from the heat.

Even her breath felt scalding.

The fabric of her combat suit had turned semi-transparent due to the intense heat.

Both Ludmila and Mo Chen were growing increasingly anxious: if this continued, her brain might end up permanently damaged.

Ludmila brought in chunks of ice and snow from outside, but before they could even get close to Alice, the heat vaporized them instantly.

"Commander, it's too hot in here—be careful not to burn yourself. And you haven't rested in days. Go get some sleep. I'll keep an eye on Alice," Ludmila urged.

She looked at Alice with a pained expression, unsure of what else she could do.

All the methods she had tried earlier were completely ineffective.

Mo Chen paused for a moment before speaking.

"I have an idea… but it's risky."

Hearing this, Ludmila immediately asked what the idea was.

Mo Chen's expression turned serious.

"I can't explain it right now. And I can't guarantee it'll work. Honestly, there's a high chance it won't."

"On top of that, it might leave serious side effects."

What Mo Chen was referring to was the Punishing Virus.

It was a last resort: recovery serums couldn't fix flaws inherent in Alice's design. Nor could they rewrite her programming.

But the Punishing Virus could erode both organic and mechanical components. He had already experimented with it on Marian.

However, there was a catch.

The Punishing Virus could alter the personality of the infected. Marian was a prime example of this.

And because every individual reacted differently, there was no telling what effects it might have on Alice.

"What kind of side effects?" Ludmila asked urgently.

Her concern for Alice left her no time to hesitate.

Mo Chen carefully chose his words.

"There might be… cognitive changes."

"Cognitive changes?" Ludmila froze for a moment.

She wasn't unfamiliar with this term.

In fact, she had encountered cases like it before.

"Yeah." Mo Chen nodded solemnly. "I can't predict how Alice might change after this. You're someone Alice trusts deeply, so I'll leave the decision to you."

"Do it."

Ludmila bit her lip and looked Mo Chen straight in the eye.

She didn't know exactly what method he was planning to use, but she was out of options.

Waiting any longer would mean watching Alice die.

She decided to take the risk and put her trust in the commander. She believed Mo Chen wouldn't do anything to harm Alice.

"Alright." Mo Chen nodded. "Then step outside for now."

"Outside?"

Ludmila froze, caught off guard.

"Mm." Mo Chen nodded. "You should leave for now. I can't work properly with someone watching."

He didn't want others to know about the Punishing Virus.

Even though a few close people already knew, Mo Chen still preferred to keep it as secretive as possible.

He didn't want to attract unnecessary attention from the Ark's bureaucrats.

Of course, even if the Ark found out, it wasn't a big deal.

After all, they couldn't even handle someone like Dorothy—there really wasn't much to be afraid of.

"Alright."

Ludmila turned to leave but paused at the doorway. She glanced back and said, "If you need help, just call me. Don't try to handle everything on your own."

"Got it."

Mo Chen nodded, then added, "Also, no matter what you hear, don't come inside unless I say so."

He wanted to prepare her in advance, just in case the Punishing Virus triggered unexpected reactions.

"Understood."

Ludmila nodded silently, then left. Before stepping out, she turned to look at Alice one last time. She also gave Mo Chen a glance, pressing her lips tightly together before walking out.

Now, only Mo Chen and Alice remained inside the shelter.

Alice's face was flushed red, almost like a ripe apple. She let out weak whimpers, her small body writhing restlessly.

Mo Chen reached out and placed his hand on her forehead.

Steam rose. Yes, actual steam.

Mo Chen confirmed it—there was visible vapor, accompanied by a faint smell of burning.

Her temperature felt as hot as a branding iron.

There was no time to waste.

Mo Chen quickly pressed his fingers back to Alice's forehead.

Scarlet light began to glow at his fingertips, swirling in thin strands like threads, forming rings that hovered and spun over her head.

At the same time, black and red patterns appeared on Alice's forehead, swirling like a vortex and interweaving with the red light radiating from Mo Chen's hand.

The vortex spun faster and faster.

It's working?

Mo Chen felt a spark of hope and increased the output of the Punishing Virus.

Then, she caught fire.

Yes—fire.

Alice's equipment spontaneously burst into flames without any warning.

Mo Chen froze.

This was high-grade material designed to withstand temperatures over a thousand degrees.

If it burned away, her cooling system would be gone.

And out here in the wilderness, repairs weren't an option. Worse yet, there wasn't even a spare set of clothes.

Mo Chen quickly tried to smother the flames, but water evaporated instantly, leaving him with no other choice but to use his hands.

Halfway through, he stopped.

Because the equipment was already gone.

It had burned away in seconds—faster than the fuse on a firecracker.

Without the armor, Alice's flawless, porcelain-like body was fully exposed.

Her figure, though slightly petite, had soft curves and skin as smooth as polished jade.

Her slender arms looked like carved ivory, and her legs were long but not overly thin—giving them a supple, well-rounded appearance.

Her chest, surprisingly ample and firm, formed two gentle slopes that quivered slightly.

They were unexpectedly larger than even Eunhwa's.

Her waist was impossibly slender, almost fragile, but flared out below into full, rounded hips, creating a figure that resembled a perfectly sculpted hourglass.