Chapter 41: Plunder! Evolution

The sky remained shrouded in darkness, showing no sign of dawn. Ye Mi stood atop a high-rise that had not yet completely collapsed, gazing into the distance at the line of Defense Bureau supply stations stretching before her. Those domed, metallic structures emblazoned with the OC Corporation’s logo looked to her like a string of beads quietly resting on the horizon.

She pulled out her map and checked her position once more, tapping a red circle on the edge of District One—this was the place. The supply stations were arranged in a chain, with a small outpost every kilometer, each supporting the next to ensure security.

“Now should be the best moment…” Ye Mi murmured to herself.

She could easily imagine that, at this very hour, most of the Defense Bureau’s personnel were rushing toward the alien ruins, leaving these outer supply stations thinly defended. After all, aside from people like herself, whose hatred for OC Corporation had long since become irreconcilable, few would dare provoke them here.

A light breeze brushed her temple, making it itch. She flexed her wrists; Rust Tide had enveloped her body completely, rendering her, for now, impervious to blades and bullets. Of course, that only applied to ordinary weapons—energy arms of C-level or higher were another matter.

Testing the weight of the spear in her palm and confirming everything was in order, Ye Mi swiftly began to stalk toward the nearest supply station.

Before setting out for the alien ruins, Ye Mi had already studied the defense structure of these outposts: three electrified alloy fences encircled the perimeter, and rotating cameras loomed above. Now, with the shortage of personnel, she noticed that a swarm of combat-surveillance drones had been released to patrol at low altitude, their incessant buzzing an irritation.

“Tch.” Ye Mi let out a low sigh. They certainly weren’t as lax as she’d hoped.

Those three layers of electric grid were a headache, but not insurmountable. Under the black threads of Rust Tide, a cold mechanical prosthetic eye appeared in her palm—Anders’s eye.

Two sentry robots, each over two meters tall, stood flanking the main gate, their crimson electronic eyes scanning the surroundings.

“Beep—Identifying—”

As Ye Mi stepped into the scanning range, the robot on the left emitted a mechanical monotone. Unflinching, she raised Anders’s prosthetic eye to the scanner, her heart rate steady.

If this failed, she would simply launch a full-scale assault on the supply station. During her earlier reconnaissance, she’d analyzed the drones’ weak points through a combat eye and discovered the main breaker for the electric grid. With Rust Tide’s metal shielding her skin and the defense shield absorbing the arcs, breaching all three layers of the fence was well within her capabilities.

But evidently, Anders’s eye did not disappoint her. Perhaps even his spirit did not wish her undue trouble.

“Identity confirmed: Exploration Division, Squad 13 Captain, Anders Kowalski. Clearance level: C.”

The robots’ electronic eyes shifted from red to green, and the heavy metal door slid open.

Ye Mi’s lips lifted in a faint smile. She strode inside, her boots ringing crisply on the alloy floor. She really owed Anders a debt of thanks.

Inside, the supply station was emptier than she’d imagined. Apart from a few patrolling drones, there was little of note. The layout was simple—one vast chamber lined with shelves, each stocked neatly with supply crates organized by type.

To say Ye Mi was like a wolf loosed in a sheepfold was no exaggeration—she was free to help herself.

The first section was the survival supplies reserve. She rifled through the shelves: high-energy nutrient packs, medical kits, camping gear… Most of it was basic survival equipment—no surprise, since the teams venturing into the Light Ruins needed little else. Lamps, torches, tents, sleeping bags—Ye Mi had no use for these. She grabbed some nutrient packs and medical supplies, stuffing them into her backpack, then moved decisively deeper inside.

It was common knowledge that the farther in, the more valuable the goods.

After passing four or five rows of shelves, Ye Mi reached the equipment section. Here the selection was dazzling: the latest models of “Hornet” micro-drones, fully functional within the Light Ruins, lined their charging racks. She recognized them as the same swarm drones she’d seen outside. There were also OC Corporation’s mass-produced exoskeleton prosthetics, energy weapons, and a wide array of specialized gear.

“OC’s technological progress is faster than I expected…”

Ye Mi’s eyes narrowed. In the first year after the Light Ruins appeared, any device entering the zone would lose connection. Yet now, they had developed equipment capable of operating inside. No doubt, this owed much to support from the Light Ruins’ own energy.

“Well, then—time for my buffet.”

These devices, crafted from precious alloys monopolized by OC Corporation, were perfect material for Rust Tide’s evolution. Ye Mi looked forward to seeing how it would grow after devouring them.

Standing at the heart of the equipment section, black metallic threads of Rust Tide surged from beneath her skin, writhing like living things as they wrapped around the precision devices, greedily stripping the area bare. Exoskeletons, energy weapons, even the shelving itself—nothing was spared, all reduced to nourishment for Rust Tide.

Piece after piece of equipment, easily worth at least ten million credits in total, melted away before the naked eye, becoming part of the black threads and merging with her body.

After about five minutes—

“Hiss…”

Ye Mi drew a soft breath as she stood where she was, feeling the newly absorbed metal flow within her. The transformation brought by those special alloys was even more intense than she’d anticipated—metallic veins beneath her skin grew more pronounced, and when her fingertips brushed a shelf, they left five neat grooves as easily as slicing through tofu.

A terrifying sharpness!

She could feel, too, that her body’s resilience now far surpassed what it had been before, and even exceeded Gina’s defense shield. By the standards of ability ranking, her physical form could now withstand dozens of Anders’s attacks—her level of defense had at least reached C-class.

What was more, she suddenly found herself able to “sense” the Light Ruins’ energy drifting in the air. Wisps of faint red mist sparkled like fireflies in her vision—clearly, OC’s special technology enabled their equipment to resonate with this energy, or else it would likely have failed here as well.

Ye Mi flexed her wrist, the new power filling her with delight.

Now, it was time to advance toward the most important section of the entire supply station.