NoveLight ™
“After playing EU for thousands of hours, I never knew there was a map like this below the lab…”
“I can’t feel any presence. Let’s slowly check the surroundings first.”
Just a few minutes ago, they gained access to the deep research facility. Once inside the small elevator that carried both Eugene and Carto, it descended endlessly. After about 20 seconds of descending, the door opened, revealing a faint light shining into what appeared to be a parking garage.
Aside from a slight smell of concrete in the air, there was no scent at all. There were one or two cars, but they didn’t bother with them. The facility itself was so unnervingly clean that it instead raised an eerie sense of unease.
After fiddling with the large military USB in her multipurpose pouch, Eugene glanced at the elevator she had arrived in, but the green light had long since turned red. She tried pressing the button again, but all that appeared was a holographic warning saying that there was no power.
“Well, this seems like a one-way route. It looks like I’ll have to turn on the power switch, just like on the upper floors…”
“Should we check later?”
“No, securing an exit is the priority. Let’s start by thoroughly searching the underground parking garage.”
Even without a clear exit route, Eugene thought like an operator—time to complete the beginner’s course. Ignoring Carto’s sudden expression of chills, she swiftly scanned the surroundings, wondering if there might be an electric panel somewhere. Typically, places like these, labeled as ‘restricted access to non-personnel,’ are often located in hidden areas, like near the parking garage.
As expected, after about two minutes of searching, she found a door that looked like an electric room. There was a keypad, but by lifting her rifle’s stock and smashing it down, the door easily opened.
“Holy…”
“Well, lucky for us, the durability isn’t too strong.”
As predicted, there was a large machine with a handle that looked like it was made to be pulled down. Of course, she didn’t plan on pulling it just yet, so she left the door slightly ajar.
After scanning the layout of the facility and mentally mapping it out, Eugene entered with Carto, who wore an uneasy expression. Unlike the chaos on the upper floors, the deep research facility wasn’t as messy, though it didn’t feel exactly clean either.
The eerie tidiness and organization of the place only added to the unsettling atmosphere.
The storage facilities in the area also didn’t give off the best impression.
“…Ventilation shafts and no gaps in the barricade… looks like it’s not going to be easy to get out of here.”
“Ugh, I’d be terrified if I came here alone… but I’ll trust you, Eugene.”
“Of course, you can.”
So, where should they go now? She unfolded the paper that wrapped the military USB, checking the notes she had written. The plan was simple: find the server room, open the terminal, copy all the data files generated on the date written on the paper, and then quickly escape the facility.
To her surprise, there was no need to search further. A blueprint of the map was conveniently displayed on the wall. The size of the deep research facility was smaller than the upper floors, but it still had three levels.
They were currently on the second floor, which contained the main lobby, while the server room was on the first floor. There were also signs indicating elevators, meaning there were plenty of escape routes after all. Eugene felt a lot lighter after this discovery.
“Don’t you need to keep an eye on the surroundings?”
“I’m keeping watch. Don’t worry too much. This is the first time I’ve seen a place this quiet…”
At that, Carto seemed to relax a bit. Heading toward a stair labeled A2, they descended to the next floor. According to the map, if they went left after the stairs, they would find paths heading in all directions—north, south, east, and west. The right side led to the power plant and switch rooms, while the left side led to the server room. The fact that the lights were off suggested that power needed to be turned on.
It was clear that turning on the power would likely trigger a chain of events leading to a disaster, but there was no other choice. Sometimes, risk was the only way to achieve the goal.
Considering that this facility belonged to Artemis, Eugene had a general idea of what might happen once the power was turned on, but there was no turning back now that they had reached the power plant.
She pulled the lever.
— Clunk!
“Ah, the lights are turning on.”
“Let’s hope nothing goes wrong…”
“Seems like trouble’s about to begin, just because you said that.”
Click Click Click.
As the darkness was gradually dispelled by the lights coming on, the feeling of dread only intensified with each light that illuminated the room. The static from the ceiling speakers gradually turned into coherent language, and the unease grew with it.
The server room door opened, revealing a variety of electronics, and the LEDs on the equipment flashed in bright colors. Eugene handed Carto the military USB and the notes wrapped around it. As expected, Carto was stunned, but Eugene didn’t make him the main shield.
She guided him to the access terminal and plugged in the USB before speaking.
“If you run into any issues, call me over. We’ll check it together. Don’t worry, I won’t make you do everything from start to finish.”
“Ah, but what are you going to do?”
“Me?”
At that moment, a “ding” echoed from the other side, and a long warning in English began to play over the server room ceiling’s speaker. Carto couldn’t decode it, but Eugene could. The message was long, but it essentially said:
As she opened her heavy bag and scattered everything on the floor, armor and small items clattered along with several firearms and magazines. In her right hand, Eugene held the Mk.18 Mjolnir, the M1A in her left, and the MK47 with a 45-round magazine in her tail. She shoved most of the magazines into the multipurpose pouch and smiled at Carto.
“You’ve never seen me shoot with my tail, have you?”
“…Huh?”
“You’ll see soon enough.”
At that moment, Eugene became the harbinger of death—the destroyer of the facility.
As the server room door she had closed earlier slammed open, the three firearms Eugene held unleashed their fury. The battle had begun.
“April 26th, April 26th… Do I really need to copy all of this—wow!”
Click!
The exo-skeleton that Eugene hadn’t fully destroyed attached itself to Carto’s back, and it began switching to capture mode. His body automatically fell to the floor, and his arms were raised behind his back, locking into place, leaving him unable to move. However,
“You might feel a little pain.”
“What the—ugh!”
Crunch, creak!
Eugene stepped on the exo-skeleton and lifted it with her hands, causing an eerie sound as it bent and tore. The rest she shot off to cut it apart. Once the exo-skeleton was no longer a threat, she pulled Carto up, and they began the next part of their mission.
Now fully focused, Carto grabbed the large military USB and started copying the data, while Eugene scanned the surroundings, ensuring no one would interrupt them. It was a tense moment, and they had no time to relax. The weight of the situation settled on Carto as he worked under pressure. Time was running out.
A few seconds later, Eugene shot the exo-skeleton and destroyed it, and now the only thing left was a nearly defeated mechanical Eugene coming after them.
As the UGV Eugene advanced, Eugene didn’t hesitate. She pulled the trigger of the Mk.18, her tail swinging the M1A to fire from multiple directions. The fight was intense, a battle between human and machine, the stakes higher than ever.
“I’m going to help you. Stay sharp!”
Carto responded and began shooting at the mechanical Eugene as well, trying to disable it. They fought together, coordinating every move, each shot landing with precision. The battle escalated with mechanical Eugene growing more dangerous with each passing moment.
"More enemies incoming! Hold on, Carto!" Eugene shouted.
The fight continued with great intensity, but they were closing in on victory. The next few minutes would decide the fate of the facility.