"I-I-I'm definitely not his girlfriend!"
Almost as an instinctive reaction, Maki Shijo immediately spoke up to deny it, a blush rapidly surfacing on her cheeks.
Even though it had been about a month since she met Gao Hai, and their relationship had long shifted from strangers cooperating for survival to an extremely intimate state, Maki Shijo's dishonest nature was clearly not something that could be let go of so easily. Therefore, Chika Fujiwara's overly direct question carried quite an impact for Maki. In this situation, Maki Shijo simply had no way to voice her true inner thoughts.
"Eh? You aren't? Even though Gao-kun hugged you in front of everyone at school? And before I came here, Gao-kun told me a lot of things; I could tell he actually really cares about you. You aren't boyfriend and girlfriend? Could it be that you're already a married couple?"
Reaching out to cover her mouth, Chika Fujiwara revealed a very surprised expression and continued to press the question.
"Does he care about me a lot? Ah, no, no, cough, cough. H-He and I are just partners who work well together, comrades-in-arms... that's right, at most comrades-in-arms. Don't talk nonsense about being a married couple, okay? I'm only 17; m-marriage and such has to wait until 18..."
Upon hearing the words 'Gao Hai cares about her a lot,' Maki Shijo almost immediately revealed a slightly happy expression she couldn't conceal. However, very quickly, upon hearing the subsequent word 'couple,' the blush on her face instantly spread, and her voice became even more flustered as she hurriedly issued denials.
She even gave Chika Fujiwara a live lesson on the amendments to the laws of Japan, stating that the legal marriage age for women in Japan had been adjusted from 16 to 18, so getting married and becoming a couple was completely impossible.
"In other words, Shijo-san plans to marry Gao-kun next year once she turns 18? So bold?!"
Chika Fujiwara revealed an even more surprised expression, asking in a tone filled with wonder.
"D-Definitely not! I already said, he and I aren't boyfriend and girlfriend. We just have a good relationship. I-I don't plan to marry him!"
Maki stomped her foot and shouted angrily, as if she had turned into a kitten with its fur standing on end.
Of course, if Hai-kun really were to propose to me, it's not like I couldn't consider him.
This sentence surfaced in the bottom of Maki Shijo's heart, then was quickly suppressed by the girl's sense of shame; she really had no way to actually say such words out loud.
"Eh, is that so? I thought Gao-kun and Shijo-san were already in that kind of relationship."
Chika Fujiwara tilted her head slightly, speaking with a tone containing a hint of emotion.
"W-What is it? What does this matter have to do with you?"
Maki's brows furrowed. It was only then that she calmed down a little, realizing that this question Chika asked out of the blue was very strange.
"Because I really like love topics. As long as the topic is related to romance, I'm very interested in participating, you know."
Chika blinked and tilted her head, speaking in a very innocent tone.
"Now isn't the time to be interested in that kind of question. Focus your attention on these clues first..."
Maki, who really didn't want to continue this topic, muttered. Then, she discovered that Chika Fujiwara had already begun looking through the documents they had brought back.
What is with her? Asking that kind of question out of nowhere, and then acting like she doesn't care right after asking.
Maki took continuous deep breaths, trying her best to balance and relax her somewhat disordered state of mind, and focused her attention on the file she had brought back as well.
What she didn't know was that Chika Fujiwara, who stood aside looking seemingly normal, had a heartbeat that was currently accelerating.
Shijo-san... surely you would answer like that. I knew it, because in the month following the mission's end, I had already seen similar reactions. It's just that the you from that time was a bit more honest than now, although only a tiny bit.
Chika Fujiwara knew that the thing she wanted to do in the bottom of her heart was immoral and inconsistent with the current social order and social consensus.
However, from the moment one became a player, didn't those restraints cease to exist?
Thoughts like stealing Gao Hai away from Maki Shijo's side tumbled back and forth in Chika's mind several times. They never faded; instead, they became increasingly intense.
As for... if I really can't steal him away, joining them or something... No, no, no, that's too shameless. It's better not to think that far ahead for now.
For now, let's focus on the current mission. No matter what, only by surviving does one have the qualification to think about the future and what comes after.
Thinking this, Chika quickly calmed down and stopped agonizing over emotional issues.
Of course, although the girl's inner thoughts came one after another, the expression on her face didn't change much throughout. It was a starkly different reaction compared to Maki, whose facial blush couldn't quite fade after the love topic was mentioned.
At this moment, after reigning in her wandering thoughts, Chika's gaze settled on the file in her hand.
This was an operation record of explorations into the Red Nut Gray Hole. Similar to the tape from last time, but the records were more concise, contained more operations, and the content within was richer. Judging by the pages of records, this research base had clearly operated for a considerable time after its establishment, conducting countless experiments.
*[Red Nut Gray Hole Exploration Record Table]*
*[Record a1-1-001]*
*[Operation Code: Cave-01]*
*[Record Time: ■■/■■/■■■■]*
*[Personnel Structure: 6 people, Code a1-a6, Special Tactics Squad designated by General Shegera]*
*[Target: Arrive at the "Blood Vessel" entrance of Red Nut Gray Hole, complete sensor installation work]*
*[Result: All personnel lost, failed to achieve predetermined target]*
***
*[Record a1-1-002]*
*[Operation Code: Cave-02]*
*[Personnel Structure: 8 people, Code b1-b8, Assault Tactics Squad with full armament designated by General Shegera]*
*[Target: Locate missing Team A, confirm specific situation]*
*[Result: All personnel lost, failed to find information related to Team A]*
*[Note:]*
*[1. Stop wasting manpower, at least stop wasting soldiers' lives. This is meaningless. —General Shegera]*
*[2. Someone has to go down. This is a long-term major project; their sacrifice is necessary. —Professor Fulen]*
***
*[Record a1-2-012]*
*[Personnel Structure: 4 people, screened from ■■■ Prison]*
*[Target: Proceed from entrance to "Plains", install sensors in sequence, total 15 small sensors]*
*[Result: All personnel lost, successfully installed 13 sensors]*
*[Note:]*
*[1. Installation errors with a full 7 sensors, completely unable to complete normal detection work. The training and obedience of these death row inmates are unbelievably poor. We should revert to using trained soldiers for exploration work; at least they are somewhat professional. —Professor Fulen]*
*[2. We can resume that, but the government is no longer willing to pay insurance for these soldiers. So you must pay this money. If you agree, just sign. —General Shegera]*
***
*[Record a1-2-103]*
*[Personnel Structure: 3 people, screened from ■■ Prison, ■■■■ Prison]*
*[Target: Complete "Ordinary Tourist" tour process. Through the "Entrance - Stone Forest Path - Plains - Grand Plaza - Plains - Gentle Slope - Entrance" sequence, detect anomalous phenomena existing within Red Nut Gray Hole]*
*[Result: 2 personnel lost, 1 survivor. Lost at "Gentle Slope". Confirmed "Gentle Slope" contains another anomaly source different from "Blood Vessel" which has entered active phase]*
*[Note:]*
*[Halt rescue measures. Leave those two who fell down there. "Gentle Slope" has not had death or missing person events until now. This differs greatly from the situation in "Blood Vessel". There is a necessity to test the personnel casualties occurring inside. —Professor Fulen]*
***
*[Record a2-1-003]*
*[Personnel Structure: 2 small mountain-type remote control rovers, 1 small research drone]*
*[Target: Attempt to use remote control devices to pass through "Blood Vessel" and enter the deep regions of Red Nut Gray Hole]*
*[Result: Rovers and drone all lost. All lost after entering "Blood Vessel"]*
*[Note:]*
*[Stop using drones and rovers. The cost is too high. Let's use death row inmates; at least they are much cheaper. —Professor Fulen]*
***
*[Record a1-3-077]*
*[Personnel Structure: 3 people]*
*[Target: Carry K-type remote control explosives into Red Nut Gray Hole "Blood Vessel" area. Explosives will detonate after 30 seconds delay upon losing remote signal and entering offline state. Explosion power sufficient to destroy area where "Blood Vessel" is located]*
*[Result: No explosion detected. Exploration personnel all lost. Command room all members lost. Quarantine Zone suffered massive damage. Installed detection equipment within Red Nut Gray Hole failed over 90%]*
*[Note:]*
*[1. This is the most stupid, irresponsible, bastard operation I have ever seen. What do you think we are doing? We are Prometheus attempting to steal the fire of the gods. Do you really think this kind of arrogant destructive act can result in a good outcome? Wake up, you bunch of idiots. —Professor Fulen]*
*[2. Watch your language, Fulen. I still hold the highest command authority over base personnel. —General Shegera]*
...
Just the exploration records of Red Nut Gray Hole alone amounted to several hundred pages, spanning over five years.
It was hard to imagine exactly how many people had disappeared forever inside that cavern.
While Chika on this side felt palpitations over the records she found, at the same time in the corridor, Kaguya, who had already returned to the first floor, glanced around. After confirming there were no soldiers guarding the corridor at the moment, she carefully approached the electrical area. She took out the keys to test them, quickly found the correct key, inserted it into the lock, and quietly opened the door.
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