NIKKE: The Apocalypse Arrives, But the System is 100 Years Late

Walking down the corridor, the group advanced with Ludmilla leading the way. She moved effortlessly, as if the layout of the research base was etched in her memory.

Mo Chen recalled that she had worked here before, which explained her familiarity with the environment.

It wasn't long before they reached a massive gate.

Ludmilla stepped forward and approached the control panel, which was integrated with a manual override mechanism. She began attempting to open it but quickly noticed something unusual.

"…Hmm?"

Mo Chen stepped forward and asked, "What's the issue?"

Ludmilla looked puzzled, tapping a few times on the control panel. A system error sound soon followed.

"There's a problem. The security system is still operational, and we can't get in right now."

"Still operational?"

He was surprised.

After such an intense battle, it was a wonder the research base wasn't completely dismantled. Even if the internal structure had somehow remained intact, the energy from the nuclear explosion should have fried the circuits and other electronic components.

Unless the research base had a robust protection mechanism.

"I'm not sure why this is happening," she shook her head. "If we want to get inside, we'll need an access card. But back then, we were so busy trying to escape that no one thought to take it."

An access card?

Mo Chen recalled that, in the game, the protagonist had entered the base using Mustang's access pass. But in reality, he hadn't even met Mustang, let alone acquired his pass.

"How about we just break it down?"

He cracked his knuckles, flexing his fingers as he approached the gate.

With the virus enhancement and his reinforced suit, opening this door shouldn't be too difficult.

"Forget it. This gate is made of alloy-cast iron and is nearly a meter thick. Didn't you notice? Even during the battle earlier, it remained completely undamaged," Ludmilla quickly stopped him, trying to dissuade him from this unrealistic plan.

"Besides, after the earlier damage, the research base is already compromised. If you force it, the entire structure might collapse."

He thought about it and nodded. She had a point.

If the base collapsed because of a punch, it would all be for nothing. He was here for 'archaeology', not to get buried alive.

"This is tricky," Ludmilla muttered, clearly frustrated and annoyed. After all the hardships they had gone through to get here, being blocked at the entrance was infuriating.

"Let me try something."

Mo Chen stepped toward the gate. Ludmilla, thinking he was about to force it open again, moved to stop him.

"Wait a moment."

"Relax, I'm not that reckless," he said with a grin. "There are still people waiting for me back home. Getting buried here would be too much of a shame."

With that, he moved toward the control panel.

The panel was rusted and clearly dated.

He extended a single finger, touching the surface of the control panel. Threads of the Punishing Virus emerged, weaving delicately from his fingertip and infiltrating the system.

"Well, that's a relief," she sighed. "If this doesn't work, we might have to return to the Ark. The higher-ups there should still have access cards for the research base, but that would mean doubling back and losing time—"

"Beep—"

Before Ludmilla could finish her sentence, the system emitted a sound, the red light on the control panel turning green. The gate creaked and groaned as it slowly began to open.

She was stunned.

"How did you do that?"

Mo Chen turned around, smiling at her.

"Maybe it's just old and broken."

She gave him a playful glare, half scolding.

"Who'd believe that?"

Naturally, she didn't buy his excuse.

In her eyes, Mo Chen grew even more enigmatic.

The research base's security was at the same level as the Ark. If someone could breach the firewall here, it wasn't impossible to do the same on the Ark.

Previously, she might have thought his advanced technology and abilities came from the Ark's latest developments.

But now, she was certain they didn't.

If the Ark really had technology this advanced, they'd have launched a counterattack on the surface long ago.

In truth, Ludmilla wasn't far off the mark.

Mo Chen wasn't using Ark technology but rather the Punishing Virus.

The Punishing Virus's most notable characteristic is its ability to corrupt—not just machinery but also living bodies. As for circuitry and networks, those are child's play for it.

This capability became even more pronounced when Mo Chen upgraded to the second stage of the Punishing Virus: the Hetero-Core.

The heavy gate creaked open, revealing the space beyond.

Unlike the pristine and clean laboratories outside, the interior felt more antiquated. Oddly tangled cables and pipelines crisscrossed everywhere.

Even the floor was lined with embedded circuits.

"Thankfully, this area hasn't changed much," said Ludmilla, glancing around at the familiar environment. It was clear she felt a pang of nostalgia looking at the place she had once worked in.

"The data should be on that terminal over there."

"Got it. Since you're not in the best with this stuff, I'll handle it. Just tell me what to do." Mo Chen moved to the terminal and opened its control panel, grinning. "These are valuable research files. If this thing suddenly starts smoking, it'd be a real shame."

He added with a smirk, "By the way, there wouldn't happen to be any… sensitive materials on here, would there? Like browsing history? If so, better let me know now—I can delete it for you and preserve your spotless reputation."

"Shut it. There's nothing like that—"

Ludmilla froze mid-sentence.

Wait a second. How did he know that every device she touched tended to break?

That secret was known only to Alice. Not even Ark was aware of it.

So how could Mo Chen possibly know?

Ludmilla stared at his back, her eyes faintly flickering with suspicion.

From the very beginning, he had given her an inexplicably familiar feeling—like he had known her for a long time.

Mo Chen, oblivious to her reaction, chuckled.

"Relax, I was just joking. Anyway, there's a password here. What's the code?"

Ludmilla snapped out of her thoughts and gazed at him deeply before replying.

"The password is WonderLand—make sure to mind the capitalization."

"Got it."

"Now, click there and open that file. Yes, that one."

"And then?"

"Enter the second password: SuperUltraNikke."

Once the file was unlocked, a map unfolded on the screen.

"This is the complete map of the northern region," Ludmilla explained.

"The marked spots indicate locations where Nikkes have gone missing the most. Additionally, 130 kilometers north of here, there have been sightings of Chatterbox. If I remember correctly, you mentioned that it's your target, right?"