Chapter 257: The Commander... Touched Me

Mo Chen finally understood: from the very beginning, Cecil's target had been him.

Was this some kind of new-age online scam?

In reality, to Cecil, Mo Chen was far more important than the cure, perhaps even ten times more.

Ever since she had learned about him, she had been investigating him in secret.

And the deeper she dug, the more shocked she became.

At the same time, her curiosity grew. Because this was the first time a human, relying solely on flesh and blood, had destroyed the mechanical constructs of the Raptures and defeated an overwhelming Heretic.

What baffled her even more was how a fragile cellular structure could unleash such immense power.

More importantly, if all humans possessed Mo Chen's strength, humanity would enter a new era.

The night passed without further incident.

By early morning, Eden's forces had already assembled. The eradication mission for the Heretic Nihilister had officially begun.

The designated battlefield was fifty kilometers outside Eden, in the wasteland Mo Chen had passed through earlier.

A land ravaged by fire, as if the earth's very skin had been torn away, leaving behind nothing but charred and grotesque scars.

Embers still flickered faintly on the scorched ground, while the air reeked of smoke and burning ash, suffocating and acrid. What was once fertile soil had turned pitch-black, as if seared by flames, completely devoid of life and vitality.

"Commencing operation."

Cecil's voice came through the communicator.

As a human, she couldn't take direct action on the frontlines. Instead, she was responsible for communication, support, and tactical coordination.

"The mission objective is to drive back the Heretic Nihilister."

"Activating Alva Particle Purification Sequence."

"53.58%…"

"28.77%…"

"1.49%…"

"Purification complete."

Mo Chen didn't feel any change from the Alva particles, but the surrounding Nikkes collectively exhaled in relief, as if a heavy burden had been lifted from them. Even their expressions became noticeably more relaxed.

The Alva particles had a strong disruptive effect on Nikkes, capable of causing erosion. Even Dorothy wasn't immune to its influence.

"Based on scan data and past battle records, tracking the target's current position."

Cecil tapped on the holographic keyboard, activating the radar at full power. In just a short time, the predicted path was calculated.

"I've just sent the estimated coordinates to both Commanders' terminals."

Mo Chen took out his phone.

It was still the same one from before, but now it had been modified by Cecil—not only was its performance enhanced, but its communication capabilities had been vastly improved.

The screen lit up.

A blinking red dot appeared on it, presumably marking the predicted location.

"The target is expected to remain airborne. Please move quickly."

Nihilister, nicknamed the Flame Dragon, usually maintained a draconic form, soaring through the skies while unleashing searing flames.

At that moment, Mo Chen suddenly noticed someone's gaze on him. Turning his head, he saw Johan.

Johan remained silent for a moment before saying, "Nihilister is unlike previous Heretics. In both strength and level of threat, she has reached a whole new level. Stay vigilant and do not let your guard down."

Mo Chen was surprised that Johan, usually a man of few words, had taken the initiative to speak to him.

In the original story, he had always dismissed the protagonist with indifference. Even when he eventually acknowledged the protagonist, he remained cold and distant.

Mo Chen responded with a simple, "Thanks."

He was easier to get along with than expected.

If anyone else knew what Mo Chen was thinking, they would probably be shocked.

The team was divided into two groups.

Mo Chen was in a group by himself, and the others were in a separate group.

"Huh, this isn't right, is it? How can you let your lover face Nihilister alone? What if he gets into danger?"

Isabel was the first to voice her objection.

In response to the opposition, Dorothy didn't get angry, but instead smiled and said, "Commander, as the strongest among us, you're the only one capable of facing Nihilister alone. Considering that Nihilister might summon a Rapture army, having you there will greatly relieve the pressure on the other forces."

As she spoke, Dorothy seemed to think of something and added,

"Ah, sorry, I meant Commander Mo Chen."

Johan: "…"

Isabel was not convinced by Dorothy's reasoning and anxiously said, "But it's too dangerous! What if something goes wrong? With Nihilister's flying ability, it would be difficult to retreat in time."

"Don't you trust the Commander?" Dorothy glanced at Mo Chen, her smile growing brighter. "No matter what kind of Heretic, I believe with the Commander here, we can face it calmly."

"Well, if that's the case, then I'm going with the Commander!"

Isabel stuck to her opinion.

Dorothy's brows raised slightly, her eyes showing a trace of displeasure, seemingly annoyed by Isabel's resistance.

The atmosphere became tense.

At this moment, Mo Chen stepped forward, placed his hand on Isabel's shoulder, and stopped her.

"Let's keep it this way. I'll go alone."

Isabel immediately fell silent.

Mo Chen was surprised at how easily Isabel had been convinced.

Then he looked again and saw Isabel holding her face, her cheeks turning red, and muttering something.

"Commander, Commander, you touched me…"

Mo Chen: "…"

Don't say things that could be misinterpreted.

Actually, going alone was exactly what Mo Chen wanted. Bringing others along would only cause him to hold back, which would restrict his movements.

At this moment, Noah quietly approached and whispered to Mo Chen, "Be careful, don't underestimate her, Nihilister is really strong."

Her shield had been reforged at Eden's equipment center. After adding a special strange metal, the shield's defensive power had increased several times, which made Noah extremely happy. She even slept with the shield.

Her favorability towards Mo Chen had also risen quickly.

Seeing that he might face Nihilister alone, she sneaked over to "warn" him.

Seeing Noah sneak around, Mo Chen couldn't help but laugh.

"How is she strong? Tell me about it."

She was so small that Mo Chen always felt like she was a child.

Noah scratched her head, thought for a moment, and her eyes slowly became distant, as if she was recalling the terrifying scenes from when she fought Nihilister.

"You've never fought Nihilister, so you probably don't know."