Chapter 10: Shadows of Authority

"Hey, are you insane?"

Anis, who had been somewhat annoyed with the Commander earlier, now finally understood what Mo Chen was doing.

So, he wasn't a pervert after all?!

Anis, who'd been hoping for some juicy drama, felt a bit disappointed.

Marian pulled her clothes back on, her cheeks still tinged with a rosy hue. But despite this, her brown eyes showed a surprising determination.

"It's fine. This injury... I can handle it. It won't interfere with the mission."

As if to prove herself, she stood up and gripped her gun tightly.

"I won't hold anyone back."

"Are you out of your mind?"

Mo Chen grabbed Marian firmly, frowning. "Do you really think we're worried about the mission? We're worried about you! Do you even understand how bad your condition is?"

The Nikkes around them froze in shock.

It was hard to imagine these harsh words coming from the mouth of a Commander with a handsome face.

And Marian was stunned too!

Without paying her reaction any mind, Mo Chen continued inspecting her wound.

She had already used some healing spray earlier, so this injury must have appeared afterward.

It was right in the center.

Nikkes had highly advanced visual aids and battlefield awareness, making it easy for them to dodge most bullets.

If a particle cannon or bullet were coming at them directly, they could at least avoid critical spots.

This could only mean she'd taken the hit on purpose.

And if she did that, it was probably to protect someone else.

In this case, the only one worth protecting here was… him.

Mo Chen's heart grew heavy with complex emotions.

If it hadn't been for Marian, he'd probably have been killed without even realizing it—a total embarrassment.

He quickly redeemed another healing spray, tore her clothes open, and started applying it to Marian's wounds.

Meanwhile, he was determined to save up for that Bullet-Dodging Chip.

Otherwise, he wouldn't know how he might die on the battlefield.

He couldn't let Marian take a bullet for him again.

"I-I'm fine; there's no need to waste such a valuable…" 

Marian stammered, trying to refuse. But when she saw the look in Mo Chen's eyes, she swallowed the rest of her words.

"Is the Commander…angry?"

Though it was Mo Chen who seemed annoyed, Marian couldn't help but feel a sudden, rapid heartbeat.

"Haha, Commander, what are you doing?" 

Anis laughed from the side, teasingly said: "Nikkes aren't human. Stuff like this doesn't work on us."

But her words stopped mid-sentence as she froze.

She stared at the spot where Mo Chen had sprayed the healing mist. The wound was visibly healing before her eyes.

Yes, healing.

Despite her mechanical body, it looked almost like human flesh knitting itself back together.

"What…is this?"

"It's the Ark's latest nano-medication. It works on Nikkes too." Mo Chen improvised casually.

"Looks like our Commander came well-prepared," Anis grinned at him, giving Mo Chen a playful wink.

Ignoring her teasing, Mo Chen turned to Marian with genuine concern.

"How are you feeling? Any better?"

"Yes!" Marian nodded firmly, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. Her radiant smile lit up her face, as warm as spring sunshine. "Thank you, Commander. It doesn't hurt at all now."

"Good."

Mo Chen nodded, though his heart was mixed with emotions.

To monitor real-time battlefield dynamics and their own status, most Nikkes kept their pain receptors active.

This meant Marian had been enduring constant pain.

Under Marian's guidance, they reached the city center. Ruined skyscrapers loomed all around, some collapsed, others still standing, hinting at the city's former glory through the dense rubble.

Now, though, it was just a ruin.

"Hey, handsome."

"Sorry, that's not my name."

"Oh, don't be so uptight. I was just joking earlier. How about I apologize?"

"No need."

"Don't be so heartless. We're teammates, after all."

Mo Chen sighed, finally stopping in his tracks. "If you've got something to say, just say it."

Anis leaned closer, whispering with a grin, "So, are you really a recent graduate from the Military Academy?"

"Of course. Didn't you all already check my records?"

"Records aren't always accurate," Anis replied, her tone defiant. "There's a history of unreliable intelligence. Besides, records can be classified, right?"

"What exactly are you trying to ask? Stop beating around the bush. If you won't ask, then forget it."

Mo Chen made a move to walk away.

"Alright, alright, Commander." Anis quickly caught up, whispering conspiratorially, "Are you an agent sent down by the Ark's higher-ups?"

"An agent?"

"Yeah, someone on a special assignment," Anis ticked off her fingers as she listed examples, "like exploring new areas, investigating Raptures, overseeing other Nikke teams, punishing rogue commanders, testing out new equipment, or launching new products."

Agents were special operatives of the Ark, often tasked with classified missions. Reporting directly to one of the Ark's top AIs, Einkk, they held substantial authority that even the CEOs of the three major companies and the command center couldn't interfere with.

It was practically an open secret.

And that spray Mo Chen used on Marian, which healed her—none of them had ever seen anything like it before. It might well be a newly developed item undergoing field testing.

Plus, the Nikke bodyguard at Mo Chen's side was incredibly powerful, way beyond what an ordinary rookie commander would normally have as protection.

Suddenly, Mo Chen remembered something.

"By the way, you mentioned earlier that commanders rarely come to the surface. Why's that?"

"Hey, I'm still waiting for an answer!" Anis wasn't happy about Mo Chen dodging her question.

He turned to walk away. "Forget it then."

"Alright, fine!" Anis wanted to retort but couldn't resist her curiosity, so she held back.

"The Commanders…they're just a bunch of cowards. They don't actually command anything; they only hold power over us Nikkes while hiding from danger…"

In the original story, while commanders weren't always skilled, they were generally dedicated to their duty, with many sacrificing themselves for humanity.

But here, things were different: in this world, most of the commanders were nothing but cowards.

Not that they were all expected to charge heroically into battle, but at the very least, they shouldn't be fleeing or surrendering at the first sign of trouble.

Some even abandoned the Nikkes to cover their own escape—honestly, for them, that was as brave as they got.

Most didn't even set foot outside, keeping to the comforts of their quarters, more sheltered than noble ladies of old times.

No wonder Anis had such an attitude upon meeting him. Anyone would have trouble respecting someone like that!