Chapter 39: Farewell

After the blinding light faded, the members of the Grey Eagle Squad slowly opened their squinting eyes. As their vision gradually cleared, they finally saw that they were now standing on the outskirts of the alien ruins. The sky around them was dark and heavy, the thick night pressing down like a dense curtain—clearly, it was nighttime.

The ruined buildings of the Light Wastes, once ominous and threatening, now seemed almost familiar. The realization brought a sigh of relief to the entire squad; none of them wanted to face those damned bronze entities again.

Ye Mi instinctively glanced back over her shoulder. The blood cocoons that had once covered the surface of the ruins were now twisted into a crimson portal—meaning the Grey Eagle Squad had been transported out through these very cocoons. Even now, the portal was slowly dissipating; the blood cocoons, like a receding tide, withdrew in orderly fashion back into the crevices of the bronze plates, once again slipping into semi-invisibility. From the outside, nothing appeared amiss.

“These things...” Ye Mi frowned, unconsciously rubbing her fingers, unable for the moment to comprehend what kind of power she was witnessing. Yet she suddenly recalled the psychic attacked by the blood cocoons outside the ruins—after being possessed, he had undergone a violent aberration. Not long ago, Anders, after swallowing a Light Wastes energy crystal, had undergone an identical transformation. Though the mutations took different forms, it was clear that their bodies had experienced a moment of evolution beyond what any human could endure.

Ye Mi had already surmised that the alien civilization and the birth of the Light Wastes were inextricably linked. Perhaps these “blood cocoons” were the product of some kind of energy. But there was too little information; everything remained unknown.

Realizing this, Ye Mi no longer dwelled on it. This was a matter for the Defense Bureau to puzzle over—not her concern. She had a more pressing task at hand.

“We need to leave here immediately,” Ye Mi ordered.

She was not the only one to notice the anomalies in the alien ruins; the other two Defense Bureau squads, who exited before them, must have noticed as well. Given OC Corporation’s tendency to monopolize everything, they would likely scramble to cordon off the area without hesitation.

The blood cocoons on the ruins’ surface were brimming with Light Wastes energy; the Defense Bureau would never let such resources slip by. In all likelihood, their operatives were already on their way.

The Grey Eagle Squad melted into the night.

Only after Ye Mi felt they had put at least three or four kilometers between themselves and the ruins did they stop behind the collapsed remains of a concrete wall, finding a corner to settle in. As soon as they set up their makeshift camp, Raj slumped to the ground, utterly spent; his backpack thudded beside him, raising a small cloud of dust. Relaxing at last, he sighed, “Now we can finally get some real rest...”

Indeed, compared to the ever-present dangers and ceaseless battles within the ruins, even the ordinary sectors of District Two now felt like a safe haven.

Red, too, relaxed, offering a summary of their operation: “We owe this one to Gina.”

Ye Mi simply smiled and said nothing, her gaze flickering to the semi-transparent data screen projected by her cybernetic eye. The date read: [2082.06.01]. There were twenty-two days until the start of the Mothership Project experiment on June 23rd.

She had to get her real body out of the Defense Bureau before then—the sooner, the better.

Her recent battle with the deputy captain of Squad 13 had proved that she now possessed the strength to infiltrate the Bureau and extract herself. But the plan was far too risky; she needed certainty. She wanted to become even stronger.

With the expedition to the ruins over, it was too dangerous to venture deeper into the Light Wastes—too many uncertainties, and she couldn’t guarantee she would emerge on time. If she wanted to improve further in the time she had left, her only chance was—

The Defense Bureau’s supply station.

That outpost on the edge between District One and District Two must be well-stocked. Even if she didn’t find anything truly valuable, causing trouble for the Bureau and sowing confusion would suit her plans perfectly.

The supply station was a place she had to visit.

Under the cloak of night, the Grey Eagle Squad gathered around a flickering, amber camping lantern, chatting quietly—a rare warmth settling among them. But Ye Mi was swift to shatter that comfort.

“Captain, I’m leaving the squad,” she announced.

At her words, everyone froze in surprise.

Raj was the first to recover, though he sounded bewildered. “Gina...? What did you say?”

Kira and Red turned puzzled eyes toward her, waiting for an explanation.

Ye Mi had anticipated this scene. She sighed inwardly.

The members of the Grey Eagle Squad were, at heart, good people—better than the bloodthirsty teams who lived on the knife’s edge. Over these days, Ye Mi had come to appreciate them. But now, she had to take “Gina” from the Grey Eagle Squad, because Gina could not be returned to them anytime soon.

After being parasitized by Ye Mi’s silver body, Gina had effectively been possessed. Her own psychic strength had waned to a mere flicker. Ye Mi was aware of this only thanks to her experiences in the ruins, where she had first become conscious of the existence of psychic energy—and realized that her silver body could perceive it.

Carefully attuning herself to all that was within her mind, she formed a concept of her own psychic strength, and also detected the remnants of Gina’s original psyche. If Ye Mi simply vacated Gina’s body without erasing these traces, Gina would be left in a vegetative state for at least a month, a burden to her team.

Thus, for now, Gina’s body had to act alongside Rust Tide—and Ye Mi, bearing so much on her shoulders, had to leave the squad.

Her silence cast a heavy shadow over the camp; the lantern’s dim glow threw uncertain shapes across their faces. In the wavering light, Ye Mi noticed Kira’s unusually clear eyes fixed intently on her.

She was caught off guard for a moment, then spoke quietly. “I... will come back for you after some time. Be careful of the Defense Bureau’s squads; avoid going deeper for now. Wait until the commotion around the ruins dies down before you head out again.”

It was all the warning she could give.

Seeing her resolve, seeing that she could not be persuaded and would not share her reasons, Red and Raj were left helpless but ultimately respected her choice.

Only Kira looked at her calmly and said directly, “You’re not Gina, are you?”