079. Leap Over the Dome
Due to the centrifugal force generated by the fortress's rotation, the upper layers of thin atmosphere rubbed against the electric particle defense force field system, the 'Dome,' producing a pale purple glow. For those on the ground of Fanlenkov, it made the sky appear as if it were tinted purple.
This was Fanlenkov's night—purple skies with hints of crimson. If one looked carefully, they could even spot the laser storms erupting on the Vorositov frontline two light-years away, a reminder of the defeat from two years ago, just now reaching the eyes of those on the planet.
Li Aozi and Nikita walked side-by-side toward the main entrance.
The cold wind lifted dust from the ground. Even near the bustling Merdelo Tower district of Fanlenkov, the scene was one of almost barren desolation. Even protest signs had been looted, and abandoned police cars and automatic turrets lay stripped bare.
"Are we really just walking right in like this?" Li Aozi asked curiously.
"Merdelo Tower is split into an inner and outer section. The inner section is where the Supreme Legion's leadership lives, while the outer part is the public office space, but…"
Nikita explained, then led Li Aozi into the outer tower. Inside, the lobby was already filled with tents from various protest groups. The air reeked of waste, food, and sweat—a pungent mixture of poverty.
Women and children crowded together, fighting for warmth and access to electricity, with power strips and cords tangled everywhere. Li Aozi and Nikita barely had space to step. Even in damp trenches and barbed-wired battlefields, movement was less restricted than here.
"If a fire breaks out here, they'd all be goners," Li Aozi remarked.
"Hard to believe, isn't it?" Nikita said self-mockingly. "Kalmets has taken a tolerant and lenient approach with the people, refusing to deploy military or security to maintain order. He thinks this will earn public support. Being the son of a doctor and a lawyer, he's a bit too idealistic."
"If morals were enough, why do we need laws?" Li Aozi sneered. "Order has always been maintained by force. Citizens' rights come from mutual support within a collective. Unrestrained freedom only fosters a mob mentality."
While they were speaking, a robbery and brawl broke out nearby.
"Kalmets is genuinely trying to make the country better. We all know that."
Nikita's tone was complex:
"But if kindness alone could override law and reason, wouldn't that, in itself, be a violation of human nature?"
"Who knows. At least you should be grateful—I've seen other planets just as chaotic and disordered as this. At least you still have the sun."
Li Aozi quipped, though Nikita did not feel relieved.
They took a detour, and Nikita led him to the electrical room, where he discreetly altered part of the circuitry. They then took an elevator down to the sewage treatment pool. The circuit disruption had disabled the static barriers on the pipes, allowing them to slip through the piping, twisting and turning until they finally arrived inside the inner tower.
To Nikita's surprise, Li Aozi showed no complaints about the winding path and cooperated actively, using spatial ripples to retrieve items and tools hidden behind walls and doors.
Nikita couldn't help but comment on Li Aozi's skillful approach:
"Why do I feel like you know this place better than I do? Do you even need me?"
"Doing this alone would take too long, and spatial ripples make a lot of noise. There's also a chance that they'd be detected by gravitational wave sensors. Having you helps cut the risk in half."
"I get it—extra caution, huh?"
Nikita chuckled:
"You're not so dull after all, Leoz."
"I used to think my own skills and experience allowed me to overlook certain objective oversights. It ended with my teammate's death."
Li Aozi didn't directly respond.
"Who hasn't made mistakes?" Nikita said as he operated the elevator. "Only gods don't make mistakes, and if they do, it's only because of a lack of power. That's why everyone wants to become a god."
"There are only so many spots on the path to divinity. Out of the tens of trillions of living beings in Abyss, only a few billion even qualify for godhood. Believing you can be one is less likely than winning the lottery."
Li Aozi and Nikita made casual conversation as they moved with precision, soon infiltrating the inner tower.
The scene here was hardly better than in the lower levels. Walls were left unrepaired, and the guards on duty looked none too happy. Nikita even spotted an office worker forced to stay late, secretly wiping away tears.
Moving stealthily, Nikita led the way, avoiding all security cameras and avoiding conflict.
"They don't have it easy, either," Nikita said with a hint of sympathy. "Let's try not to clash with them."
"Let's split up." Li Aozi handed Nikita a program written by the hacker. "You go retrieve the second daughter, Merly Shieldcrest. We'll meet on the top floor. The escape ship is already overhead."
"Wait!"
Nikita took the chip, glanced back, then turned to Li Aozi and said, "If you're going to deal with Kalmets, you should gather some incriminating actions and have the hacker splice them maliciously."
"What's the point of that?"
"People on the outside don't understand anything. All they'll know is that some merciless mercenary killed a good person." Nikita said with complexity, "Sully his image a bit, so Fanlenkov's people can accept it."
Li Aozi was momentarily speechless.
"Even if he's done nothing worthwhile and dragged the country into ruin?"
"A mediocre ruler and a tyrant aren't the same."
[Quest updated: Optional branch—"Final Consideration"]
[Completion Condition—Forge incriminating footage of Kalmets and distribute it later.]
[Reward: Skill [Frame and Slander]]
—This is why I came to you, Nikita.
For a character with [Charisma] as the main attribute, the essentials are three tricks: persuasion, charm, and slander.
Lying requires [Intelligence], but these three non-combat skills purely benefit from [Charisma].
While players can fabricate evidence early on, it's not very efficient without the skill. Nikita is a stable source for acquiring [Frame and Slander], and his son-in-law Julian will provide another excellent non-combat skill.
Of course, he couldn't say that aloud.
"Alright."
Li Aozi activated optical invisibility and vanished.
Instead of heading straight for the children, he first made his way toward the office of Fanlenkov's supreme leader.