A journey of Shadowverse and Honkai Impact 3rd

The laboratory looks ordinary from the outside, a standard rectangular building with solid walls and no windows, giving it a cold and austere feeling that no one is allowed to enter. But after walking in, the beautiful lighting and humane layout dispel the coldness of the exterior.

The juicy green plants thrive in the light brown pots. The water-filled green leaves exude visible vitality, complementing the white coats around them. They instantly create an interesting blend of the seriousness of scientific research and the interest of life, making the seriousness in people's hearts fade away unconsciously.

"Good afternoon, Manager."

"Everyone has worked hard. If you are tired, please remember to take a good rest and clean up the redundant and erroneous data."

She responded politely to others as she passed by, and even after getting into the mood, she still retained some of her original liveliness. While Loramiya gained the respect of others, Sera also received many kind greetings from people. It was probably the celebrity effect brought about by her fame.

"Hello, Miss Sera. I watch the videos and recordings of your performances every day. If possible, could you please give me an autograph as a souvenir?"

Because of the enthusiastic behavior of others, Laura Mia was stopped. After Sera signed her name with a smile as a souvenir, Laura Mia looked at the researcher who was leaving and said something with a hum.

"Sera is really popular. Even as a manager, no one has ever asked for my autograph so enthusiastically."

As soon as you hear it, you can sense the slight dissatisfaction hidden in it. I don't know if it's because he feels that his popularity has been overshadowed by Sera, or he doesn't want to see Sera signing autographs for others. Fortunately, Sera has her own experience in dealing with this kind of thing.

"There's still a gap between managers and celebrities. Without authority, it's hard to be a leader. But for me, not having authority is actually a good thing. It makes me more likable than you, llmy~"

"That's right. Well, we should get going quickly. The other teams should have assembled by now."

Being coaxed into a state of happiness, Loramia immediately forgot what had just happened. After returning to normal, she immediately talked about business. She pulled Sera to the designated equipment distribution point and moved much faster. She was in a hurry, as if she was about to be late.

But who knows why Laura Mia speeds up?

171. The Falling Abyss

With great enthusiasm, they walked into the designated location, a spacious room where five teams had already gathered. Five identical instruments were placed on five upright tables. The smooth edges seemed to be natural, and the light purple glow was indescribably beautiful. Although it was a simple cube box, it was integrated with high-end technology that others could hardly imagine.

"Although according to how we analyze detection data, at most three teams are needed to obtain a highly accurate location, for safety reasons, this operation consists of five teams, including us."

After walking in through the opened automatic door and looking around, Laura Mia explained every aspect of the operation to Sera. As it was a rare opportunity to travel far away, the mecha girl had naturally memorized the plan items clearly, and the data records in the database did not show any signs of error.

"Of course, because our group has the highest rating in terms of the quality of its members, the execution location we are heading to is relatively the most dangerous."

Loramia said with a smile, although what she said was true, it was obvious that this rating was not very good for herself and the team members other than Sera, so much so that team member Aurora rolled her eyes at the respectable manager and almost complained a few words.

"I didn't expect it to be you, Aurora."

Acting as a buffer zone and communicating with the third team member, Sera's beautiful face and kind tone immediately made the ordinary team member complain. They said that they had worked so hard these days, but suddenly they were pulled out to join a dangerous mission, which was completely unreasonable.

"You're just using any employee you find useful without restraint, huh? In my opinion, the committee that approved this list must be completely out of their minds."

Aurora clenched her fists and yelled, her fierce expression and wide blue eyes erupting with the rage of a low-level worker. For a moment, Sera was speechless and didn't know what to say.

I have a feeling that this is a bit like the subtle feeling I had when I was being ordered around by Teacher Thrandal. It's a kind of sympathy in a sense...

"Illmy, Aurora doesn't really want to participate. Can we let her have a good rest? It's okay to leave the rest of the group matters to me."

"Eh?"

Facing Sera's stern eyes, it was really hard to say no. Just when Loramia wanted to use her privilege to nod in agreement, the third team member suddenly became unhappy. Although she complained verbally and angrily, it seemed that in fact, the complaints did not seem to affect the girl's energetic sense of responsibility.

"Forget it, it's just a momentary complaint. Anyway, after careful calculation, everything can be turned around. Even after this is over, you can just lock me up in the single room where Alter is staying."

"I've come to realize that as long as you know how to do something, there will always be something to do. I might as well be locked up in the isolation area with Alter and have fun."

The pretty twin horses swayed along with Aurora's waving and complaining. After this action, the team that reached a consensus received the instructions for using the device and their assigned observation points.

The lights in the room suddenly dimmed, as if day had turned into night in an instant. A few beams of light listlessly moved through the room. Although the poor lighting they provided could not provide much effect, it was just right for a large-scale virtual projection environment.

Wow.

The vast land transformed into azure light and shadow that leaped before everyone's eyes, making the boundless ruins appear with particularly fine details. The dense light that seemed to be recording and broadcasting in real time flowed, reproducing every detail of what was happening outside before everyone's eyes.

"Due to the limited detection capabilities of the Sublimation Center, without deploying an external action team, we can only conduct long-range detection within an area within a diameter of fifty kilometers. Obviously, the target we want to detect is not within this range."

The manager's voice was calm and composed, and his posture was very heroic, like a speech before a battle. It was a handsome posture belonging to Ilmy that Sera had never seen before.

"Our goal this time is to obtain relevant detection data, not to conflict with the Necromancers. If an emergency situation arises, please inform the other teams immediately if it cannot be resolved."

"This concludes my brief mission. From now on, after one standard sunlight cycle, I hope to see you all here again in good health."

clap clap.

Sera clapped her hands. It was just her personal gesture at first, but then it turned into everyone's recognition of Laura Mia. Under Sera's smiling gaze, the girl who walked off the stage suddenly asked.

"Was I handsome just now?"

"Of course, otherwise why would I applaud your speech, llmy."

"Hmph, it's just okay. Hurry up and grab the equipment and leave. The sooner this mission is completed, the sooner I can leave work."

.........

The door to the void opened, and the key received by a specific device evoked the roar of the reactor, allowing an extraordinary torrent of energy to flow in the forged circuit, and then converged into the virtual space in a strange way, opening up the passage between the subspace and reality, and briefly exposing the naturally formed "island of stability" to reality.

The five teams that came out of the place of sublimation went their separate ways after a brief exchange. Using the protection of the force field to avoid the perception of the undead, they went to different areas to set up high-order wave transceivers, and constructed the most precise target location with lines extending from nodes in different directions.

The first time she set foot in the outside world, Laura Mia's expression was not very good. Her little face looked tense and her brows were raised in displeasure. In Sera's eyes, it was obvious that she was lost. Her originally cheerful heart fell straight into the abyss once she touched the terrible situation in the center of Tianhai.

“When you really see it with your own eyes, it still hurts a little bit.”

The mechanical feet stepped on the dark ground, bringing a dull and stiff echo. Xinglan's eyes reflected the rotten plants growing all over the ground. The ubiquitous decay and death showed the despair that permeated the ruins in this way, but at least it was still a scene that was barely acceptable to the eyes.

If you go underground, you will encounter the jungle of the dead that Sera had seen before. Bones, flesh, and machines are intertwined like nerves. The strange network that is born vividly illustrates the disordered chaos. No one knows what kind of terrifying chaos lies deep inside.

"But at least, the winds of change are blowing across this land. The direction of that wind comes from every living being who is willing to change the earth. We don't know what the future will look like, but we have chosen what it should be."

Before heading to the destination where her team would arrive, Sera spoke these bright words beside Laura Mia.

"llmy, let's cheer together."

"That's right."

Looking at the two people communicating inexplicably, Aurora, who was carrying a lavender box-shaped device, was full of questions. When she was ignored, she suddenly felt the sadness of being a low-level worker.

If possible, please come and comfort me, thank you.

172. Accidents come with the wind

The smell of decay flowed across the surface of the ruins, and the gloomy color was different from the blackness of the ground, just like withered and yellowed grass leaves, which appeared a dim yellow mottled color after being crushed into fine dust, and finally fell to the ground and was covered by the blackness.

Scattered along the roadside were what should be the wreckage of an aircraft. The beautiful streamlined fuselage had become bumpy, like a pockmarked human face. There were also many large and small building remains lying around it, like cold coffin lids, suppressing the aircraft's last breath.

Sera didn't like this kind of scenery, because seeing it too much would always have some impact on her outlook on life, and a lot of dust would fall on the clear lake of her heart. The gloom brought about by it made her have to return home from time to time to cleanse herself.

"The installation is almost complete."

Aurora's calm voice was heard in the noisy world, adding a bit of life to the indifferent environment. But after a few replies, the place was once again occupied by the footsteps of the dead. Crazy spirits with strange limbs crawled everywhere, and the dark green resentful and crazy aura spread to every area with their movements, which was even more eye-catching than the smell of decay.

"Thank you for your hard work, Aurora."

Sera's barrier was the first thing deployed upon arrival. As a result, Sera's barrier did bring a lot of convenience to the team. Compared with the deception force field produced by the Sublimation Place, it had more advantages, so now they could carry out the mission directly under the noses of the dead without any problems.

However, this can be considered as making the best use of the resources. After all, the location where their group set up their equipment is the most dangerous one.

"It's not bad. This trip out was much easier than I expected, all thanks to your magic skills, Sera."

After performing a series of tedious operations on the operating screen that appeared on the surface of the box, Aurora breathed a sigh of relief after confirming that the equipment was operating normally. However, she saw a little fear in the eyes of the undead running around. After all, in her opinion, the safety range set by Sera was only about ten meters. Just watching the undead mechas, aircraft, vehicles and other things running around was already a particularly challenging thing.

As for Laura Mia, there was no fear on her face. In terms of function, as a sonic machine that easily broke the speed of sound, it was not difficult for it to wipe out all the undead in a very short time. However, such a world brought her a melancholy that seemed to be lingering forever.

The images and data obtained through indirect means are always different from everything experienced in person, just like dishes with and without seasoning. Pure natural freshness is a rare thing after all, and most of the time it is still the original and wild taste.

"Sera, what do you think is above the clouds?"

Lost in thought, looking up at the surface imprisoned by gravity, the seemingly lonely girl spoke in a vague tone, as if her thoughts had transcended the constraints of her body and reached above the high rolling dark clouds, where she saw incredible things.

"According to known observational data, there are at least three Mysterious Creations above the clouds," Aurora interrupted unhappily. Although it wasn't polite, it did allow her to vent her frustration. "They, along with numerous other ordinary Creations, have formed a massive network that blocks the entire planet. If they detect any unusual movement, they will strike as promised."

"Hmm..." The sudden melancholy that came to her mind was dispelled by the sudden words. Laura Mia blinked and looked at the pink-haired girl with twin tails who was hugging her chest and humming beside her. She could only pout helplessly and ran to the girl who seemed to be stumped by her question without saying anything. Her gaze, as if seeking comfort, was very touching.

What's above the clouds?

Immersed in her own thoughts, Sera did not pay much attention to the approaching Loramia. Many images emerged in her mind, and she did not dare to assert who the immediate superior of the creations was for the time being. But looking at the current situation of the blockaded planet, she felt that the most likely one was the so-called [Heavenly Realm Weapon Group].

—The Arsenal, located higher than the sky, operates in space on an undeniably massive scale. As I recall, it has been a must-have card for Transcendents who play Creation decks for several versions...

"If you ask me..."

Just when Sera was about to share her guesses with her companions, before she could finish her organized words, the changes in the surrounding environment gave them a real sense of crisis. At this moment, the undead who had not yet discovered their trace suddenly locked onto their target and simultaneously fired artillery bombardments containing strong negative energy towards their position. The poisonous green flames immediately ignited the ruins.

Boom!

A round of volleys undoubtedly caught Sera and the others off guard, but the killing results were really unremarkable. In front of the instantly activated defensive formation, not even a corner of their clothes was scratched.

The sacred holy blue light isolates the poisonous flames that harm life. The gentle and eye-friendly light of life is soft, bright and moving. It is a precious thing that the undead have been hunting and pursuing throughout their lives. Behind it is a team of three with an extremely tense atmosphere.

"The data from the equipment shows that just now, high-level waves of unknown origin appeared around us!"

Aurora and Laura Mia's voices rang out at the same time. What the two omnics said after checking the equipment was not beyond their expectations. There must be a malicious existence behind the sudden change. The sudden power to control the irrational undead made their vigilance reach an extremely high level.

"Sera, give us a little more time, and we can find the source of the message separately!"

"No problem, but it will take more effort to cover up the noise."

There was a bright confidence in her calm words. The next thing Sera did was to expand the scope of the barrier, swallowing up everything around it, briefly forming a true world replacement phenomenon. In this alienated world, the undead were to be greeted by brilliant lightning.

The thunder, full of vitality, is a different kind of new green, just like the rolling spring thunder that breaks the silence of winter. Its special attack power against the undead is particularly impressive. The destructive force that can crush away half of the dead in an instant, and the rest will also perish in the leaping thunder.

The cold metal and bones were pierced cleanly, and the soaring vitality spread a bright light in the world. The holy breath instantly drove away the dense negative energy in the world, purifying this civilized tomb originally occupied by the dead.

"We've locked the coordinates, Sera, and prepare to evacuate. Now we need to confirm whether other teams have encountered a similar situation as us!"

There was no direct pursuit. The original mission of obtaining information had been completed in excess at this moment. On this basis, Laura Mia was still concerned about the safety of other companions. However, Sera had some other ideas in her mind at this time, but it was not easy to say them out loud at this moment.

"Okay, gather around me! I'll start teleporting now!"

Her swift movements stirred up the dust on the ground, and the barrier that was expanding rapidly collapsed on its own due to Sera's indifference. At the same time, the space teleportation spell had been completed.

"go!"

173. One step at a time

"How's the status of the rest of the team?"

Thirty kilometers away from the original hypothetical location of the device, in the basement with a closed door, the conversations of the outgoing teams continued to echo in the void. The message conveyed was naturally not optimistic. Even though the density of undead in other places was not as high as the target area of ​​Sera and her friends, the movement caused by the undead had already triggered their hunt for the living.

And until they see normal lives being torn apart and destroyed, their heads filled with madness will never stop this rare hunting activity.

"Not great, but the weapons they're equipped with aren't something the undead can easily take down. According to the feedback, they're evacuating in an orderly manner."

Aurora communicated via high-order waves on the lavender transceiver. After she uttered this reassuring message, Laura Mia's mental core, which had been hanging in the air, could finally be put down.

"That's good. It's worth it that I discussed the retreat plan in detail with the others. Phew, I should prepare more plans like this in the future. I don't want to experience such an accident again."

After expressing her feelings in a thankful tone, Laura Mia glanced at Sera who was thinking about something beside her with a conscious look, and couldn't help but feel curious about her thoughts.

He walked over and patted Sera's shoulder. The pleasant voice came with questions, echoing in the girl's ears.

"Sera, what are you thinking about?"

"I'm considering whether to personally explore the unknown entity's true identity. Judging from the undead riot just now, it's clearly capable of commanding irrational undead groups. It might still be within the detection range this time, but I'm not sure next time."

After expressing her thoughts, Sera's blue eyes fixed on her friend in front of her, and the determination contained in them was self-evident.

"Illmy, think about it, isn't this the truth?"

"..."

The body's circuits were roaring, and its mind, faster than lightning, analyzed Sera's words in a moment, and the meaning was naturally clear. For a moment, Laura Mia, who put safety first, wanted to reject this risky proposal, but after thinking about it again, the girl felt that this might be the right answer at the moment.

"How sure are we of getting out of this unscathed?"

"Not much, but not less either." Since the enemy's true identity was still unknown, Sera shook her head and said nothing big. However, when she came to her senses, she discovered the blind spot in Laura Mia's words, "We?"

"Yes, my speed combined with your spatial technique, Sera, is an excellent choice for both attack and retreat. As a friend, I have no reason to let you take risks alone, Sera."

The invisible friendship turned into sincere feelings in the girl's eyes, and the foul-like sincerity emerged on Laura Mia's face, touching Sera's heart. Suddenly, a subtle atmosphere was generated between the two, but before it reached its peak in silence, someone broke it with words.

"Then I won't go. After all, I'm not a fighter jet specialized in combat. Even if I wanted to go with you, I'd probably just be a burden in the end."

Aurora stated this fact with melancholy. She exported all the data from the device and handed the information to Laura Mia and Sera. Then she took over some of the armed equipment in the basement and prepared to go out to meet the evacuating team. At this moment, her thin figure became particularly tall because of her upright heart.

"I did discover something, Laura Mia."