NIKKE, When the Milky Way Blossoms

Is it because of your CEO status? Or because your name is Shu En?

Honey, think about it carefully. Why do Ingrid and the others tolerate you, indulge you, and even occasionally protect you?

What? You don't think that a conglomerate as large as Missilis can't find a CEO, do you?

Think more carefully about the people behind those individuals: Elysium, Tetra, the Ark Government—which of them hasn't annexed Missilis's assets?

"..."

“Miss Shuen, admit it, they want you to remain the CEO of Missilis.”

Because you are too young, and Missilis is too old, it is impossible for most people to be convinced of your worth in a short period of time. Many older people feel that they can take your place.

Only when the internal strife within a single conglomerate escalates can other conglomerates seize the opportunity to join forces and divide it up, right?

"Cough—cough cough! Cough!"

With Phoenix letting go, Shum, who had been suffering from oxygen deprivation, was finally able to breathe deeply to replenish his brain's oxygen needs.

"Huff...huff...what exactly are you trying to say?"

No resistance.

Even Shuen herself didn't realize that she was being forcibly embraced by a man she was meeting for the first time.

Cooking temperature

almost.

Knowing that the kid's attention had completely shifted to business, Phoenix, whose plan had succeeded, finally gave her a direct answer to her question.

“I need Niki, who can take orders from me in private, and you need henchmen who can help you eliminate dissidents.”

Miss Shuen, don't you think this deal is a great deal?

"..."

…………

Click!

The office door was pushed open again. After watching the departing CEO of Missilis, the man sat back down on the sofa as if nothing had happened, tapping the armrest of the sofa with his fingers.

Phoenix.

Within his mind's eye, having witnessed the entire process, Anik couldn't help but ask with a strange, sidelong glance.

Why do I have a feeling that 'things aren't that simple'?

Hunch?

Phoenix responded with slight surprise at the comment about artificial intelligence being "dumb."

How come an artificial intelligence company like yours is starting to use such imprecise terms as 'premonition'?

【Why can't it be used?! Have you ever seen genuine artificial intelligence before?!】

Confident he had no problem, Anick crossed his arms, adopting a fearless attitude, and continued to urge, "Mind your own business with artificial intelligence, and answer my question now!"

Since she had a complete showdown with this guy, she has become much bolder, no longer having any reservations.

Since things have already come to this, there's nothing to be afraid of.

[Answer a question? What question? Are you talking about me tricking a kid into giving me candy?]

The unscrupulous man stroked his chin and said frankly.

The situation is actually quite simple. If Yuni and Mihara aren't on my side, my nightly movements will be very inconvenient. But, to get them on my side...

Ok……

I can satisfy Mihara, but Yuni is a problem.

So I'm going to promise her a toy, a toy named Shuen, which should keep her happily playing with it for years.

Chapter 42 Maintaining Composure

Shuen is gone.

Carrying her pent-up anger and fear, along with the anticipation and tension of seeking revenge, she returned all the way from the rehabilitation center to the top floor of the Missilis Building.

When the mischievous little devil stepped into her own little world and was completely surrounded by the sense of security of "home," she breathed out a long, pleasant sigh.

Then, reverting to her sour face mode, she glanced sideways at Yuni, who was still kneeling on the wool blanket with a dazed look in her eyes, and couldn't help but recall the contents of her deal with that guy.

Shu En snorted dismissively and took out his phone to call his personal assistant, Lian.

"How's the repair of that piece of scrap metal going? Get her into my room."

……

……

five minutes later,

"Listen up, you two pieces of scrap metal. Starting at noon today, you no longer belong to me, Missilis."

Upon hearing Shuen's words, Mihara, who had just been repaired, immediately narrowed his pupils to pinpoints.

On the underground ark, Niki, without ownership, faced only two fates: either be sent to the factory for destruction, or be abandoned in the outer perimeter to fend for herself.

but……

They were already completely obedient to Shu En, so why couldn't they escape the fate of being destroyed by him?

"Shuen! I promise you, Yuni won't make the same mistake again. From now on, I'll stay by your side..."

Mihara wanted to explain something to salvage her and Yuni's fate, but before she could finish, Shuen waved her hand dismissively.

"Shut up! Let me put it more clearly: starting at noon today, your nominal ownership still belongs to me, Missilis, but the real ownership will be transferred to Phoenix, the guy you're supposed to be monitoring. Do you understand?"

"...You mean, Commander?"

"commander?"

An unexpected name, an unexpected answer.

This not only surprised the unprepared Mihara, but also brought back some of her spirits to Yuni, who had not responded to the outside world for a long time.

commander……

Yuni was right; the commander who was willing to help Mihara injure humans was a very good person.

The commander has come to rescue Yuni and Mihara.

Although……

Although Yuni never helped the Commander at all, and even used the guise of protection to monitor him, the Commander was still willing to help Yuni and Mihara...

"Alright, stop getting in my way."

Seeing that Niki, whom she had created herself, reacted upon hearing that guy's name, Shuen felt inexplicably annoyed. If she hadn't made a pact with that guy, she would have wanted to give those two pieces of scrap metal a few bullets right now.

"Get out of here right now."

……

……

"Phoenix, what did you and Shum talk about?"

In the staff office of the rehabilitation center, Ingrid arrived late, her face grim, her pair of imposing purple eyes trying to see through the thoughts of the man in front of her.

"Misilis admitted that their field agents had attempted to threaten your life."

This is simply a fantasy. No matter how arrogant those people are, they know that the bottom line is that no one should be killed, let alone someone like you who is being monitored.

Tell me what you and Shuen talked about!

“We didn’t talk about anything. Ms. Shuen just asked me what happened at the time. I said that they were going to attack me, and that long-haired guy even grabbed my collar and asked me personally if I wanted to die.”

Phoenix looked at the woman standing across the table with an innocent expression.

"If you don't believe me, you can go and ask her yourself."

"..."

Seeing that the man was completely unmoved, Ingrid actually took his suggestion and immediately turned around and went out, making a call to Shuen's cell phone.

It was definitely easier to get information out of that brat than to pry his mouth open.

"Hey, what do you want?"

As soon as the call was connected, Shuen's unique, annoying tone immediately came through the phone's speakerphone.

"Is there something wrong with Missilis's public relations department? They actually admitted that members of the field operations department wanted to harm a suspended commander."

Ingrid didn't want to waste time with the kid today, so she went straight to the point:

Do you know how much trouble this will cause?

"Does this have anything to do with you?"