Clara (Moon Rabbit) was resting.
The overnight meal deliveries had left her utterly exhausted. She lapped up a bit of groundwater, found a relatively clean boulder, and flopped down to rest. Not only were her ears drooping, but even her limbs refused to budge.
“Jijiu…..” (It’s already morning outside…)
Her forelegs were stained red with the blood of her kin, and her once pristine white fur was now filthy.
At present, within this Moon Rabbit stronghold, there were two places she absolutely could not go.
On one side was the rabbits’ “barracks”—only Rabbit Soldiers were allowed to report there. Ordinary Moon Rabbits would be stopped and persuaded to leave.
Because she couldn’t get in, Clara had no way of knowing how many Rabbit Soldiers were drilling there, waiting to give the surface humans a little taste of Moon Rabbit shock.
However, based on last night’s output, she could estimate the number of Rabbit Soldiers.
Just one night had produced over a hundred Rabbit Soldiers. Counting the previous numbers, there were now at least two hundred muscular, battle-ready rabbits poised beneath the resort.
Even if Ps·ycho and the Mother Body didn’t take action, just unleashing this whole horde would probably be enough to flatten herself and the Sigma Series, wouldn’t it?
Still, she had no idea what those Rabbit Soldiers were truly capable of.
The other forbidden area was the tunnel where the giant rabbits emerged.
Each time a Rabbit Soldier left, a plump, big-eared giant rabbit would tumble out from the sloped tunnel behind the stone platform. Unlike the meat blocks that would eventually be used up, the supply of these giant rabbits—as materials for Rabbit Soldiers—had never once run dry.
Ordinary Moon Rabbits could only give birth to ordinary Moon Rabbits. Even a whole litter of over a dozen kits would just be regular Moon Rabbits. These giant rabbits, clearly, weren’t a product of normal breeding.
Just as Nyx had guessed, these giant rabbits were nothing but tool rabbits, and the flesh stuffed inside them was the real key to creating Rabbit Soldiers. That’s why these giant rabbits didn’t eat ordinary food—they only ate “meat blocks” made from ordinary Moon Rabbits.
To Clara, it was a rather gruesome scene, but to the Moon Rabbits, it was simply common knowledge. The few Moon Rabbits who’d escaped with her earlier were the true outliers.
But as living beings, it was only natural to fear death. Whether Rabbit Soldiers were still Moon Rabbits at all was impossible to prove.
“Jiu…..-“
Another Moon Rabbit appeared shyly behind her.
Clara didn’t recognize it—or rather, even as a Moon Rabbit, she couldn’t tell these Moon Rabbits apart. Their kind had nearly indistinguishable appearances, at least as far as Clara was concerned.
“Jii?”
Clara couldn’t figure out what it wanted, but it was already snuggling up to her with its furry body, giving Clara a bad feeling.
[In my opinion, it wants to mate.]
What a joke—no way.
“Jijiu!!”
Clara screeched sharply in refusal, which scared the amorous Moon Rabbit so badly it toppled over backward, feet in the air, then wiggled its rear and scurried away.
[That was a female rabbit.]
They’re all females, so why come to me to mate?
Clara knew full well this combat body was also female. She didn’t even need to check—she understood Nyx’s habits far too well.
Nyx neither confirmed nor denied it, instead changing the topic with a reminder.
[It’s about time to leave the rabbit warren and get ready for the mission.]
Not yet. At the very least, she had to find a way to charge into that tunnel and take a look.
Those giant rabbits rolled down from above.
Above.
Could it be that the tunnel led to the surface?
Nyx, what location is above the Moon Rabbit stronghold?
[According to the map, it’s a stretch of roadless rainforest—no buildings.]
Not even marked on the map… That actually sounded more suspicious.
Although Clara, as a Moon Rabbit, couldn’t sneak in, her main body could move freely, couldn’t it?
A plan formed in Clara’s mind.
But just then, another bashful Moon Rabbit sidled over.
[Still a female rabbit.]
“This coordinate… there’s nothing here?”
Clara provided the coordinates above the Moon Rabbit stronghold.
Ogata Dharma compared it on the map, but saw only a patch of green woodland—no traces of roads, an undeveloped area of the resort.
“I’m not really sure, planning to go check it out… Anyone coming with me?”
Without a second thought, Sista stood up.
Verdant Remnant and Crimson General remained seated.
“You all can fly, you’re more mobile—so the two of us will stay behind,” said Green.
“Someone has to handle the livestream, and we also have to guard against the Fourth Calamity attacking the resort or the hangar. You and the kid can get back quickly anyway,” said Red.
It was a fairly reasonable division of labor.
In fact, they didn’t believe Clara’s coordinates held much value.
Fran, however, pulled a syringe from her thigh and tossed it to Clara. Inside glowed a dangerous green toxin.
“Take this—use it if you have to.”
“Understood.”
Carefully putting away the syringe, Clara exited the hangar.
She then turned back to remind them, “By the way, watch out for the resort staff too. We have to keep our operations a secret—the Fourth Calamity is lurking among them.”
To this, Crimson General nodded, though who knew if that muscle-bound brain truly understood.
“Access code: z, equip!”
A beam of laser light fell, and Pure White Storm’s gear was equipped.
Before Clara could summon the Ink-Stained Staff, she was swept up from behind in a hug—the hard exoskeleton pressing against her scapula…
Ugh, not comfortable.
“This time, let me fly you.”
Pure White Storm flew pretty fast.
A bit too fast.
“Whoaaa!!”
Before Clara could react, the wind smacked her face, and her body endured the stress of flight.
On Pure White Storm’s mechanical wings, the numerous small thrusters spat out dazzling vector jets, forming distinct Mach rings as they blasted like missiles toward the rainforested coordinates.
Clara barely had time to adapt to the speed before they’d already reached their destination. When Sista put her down, she had to lean on Sista’s arm, legs wobbling.
“Next time, please give me a moment to mentally prepare.”
Her hair, windswept and wild, gave off a feral beauty. Clara smoothed her tangled locks and began to take in her surroundings.
The terrain here was anything but flat—no roads, no buildings.
Just as marked on the map: an untouched expanse of rainforest.
From Sista’s exoskeleton shoulders, two mini-drones deployed, scanning the terrain.
They’d used this to capture Ps·ycho in the bomb shelter before, but this was Clara’s first time seeing it.
Nyx, you scan too. See if there’s any tunnel leading underground.
[Nyx believes the entrance wouldn’t be so easily found—nor is there any need.]
But if there’s no entrance, how do we get in?
[Since we’ve confirmed that the main Moon Rabbit nest is below this coordinate, there’s no need to go in through the entrance. This is a manmade island—the bedrock isn’t as solid as you think.]
So what you’re saying is…
[Data upgrade, Ink-Stained Staff: Main Cannon mode.]
A brand-new trick—Nyx’s intentions were obvious.
The shortest distance between two points is a straight line.
Went out to attend a wedding banquet today, so the third update is late!
Boom. Heh heh