October 31, 1675.

Location: Gregory's Secret Laboratory No. 724, 156 meters below the South Surian Heath.

Director Rivers looked gloomily at the lab, as if swept by a storm.

"How many times has this been?"

The assistant standing behind him replied tremblingly, "It's the twenty-sixth time, mentor." ”

The already frozen atmosphere in the air became even more terrifying at this time. But Director Rivers' face was even more gloomy, as if he could squeeze out water.

"26 ............"

At this time, the discipline troops, who had been searching the scene, seemed to have discovered something, only to see a team member wearing a red armband running in front of Cleaves and saluting: "Director! We found this on the spot! ”

Everyone looked over, and saw half of the fine cigars produced by the Imperial Neergin Company lying quietly in the hands of this discipline team.

"Cigars, produced by the Nergin Company, only half a cigarette...... Hum! Sure enough, it's the style of that madman! ”

Director Rivers' face turned pale, and he looked at the cigar and said in a deep voice, "No need to continue investigating!" Everyone, wrap up! ”

"Yes!"

In a messy lab, a large number of logisticians began to clean up the scattered experimental equipment, littered with broken pipes and the debris of petri dishes.

Laboratory 724 is a secret laboratory prepared by Gregory for the implementation of the "December Project", which is dedicated to the production of DEC-B069 Synth.

Gregory has prepared nearly a hundred such laboratories in recent years!

But all this is going to come to naught!

Because they're being targeted by a person!

Director Rivers' mind immediately conjured up a figure:

Christine Saint-Boan!

(The old virgin who crawled out of the rat's nest!) ）

At the mention of this northern commander, Rivers felt that his brain was aching! He knew too well the virtues of that old virgin! The two serve as commanders-in-chief of one of the military districts of their respective countries. It's been five or six years since we faced each other!

And Christine, as an Imperial General, has a skill that most other generals can't master!

That's going it alone!

(It's just that he has a good adjutant, and when something happens, he actually goes into battle in person!) A handful of old women of their age! Why don't you die?! ）

A certain director gritted his teeth with hatred for it!

But for Admiral Christine, who is a combat instructor in the Imperial Intelligence Force, it is her job to collect intelligence and assassinate key officers!

And now, she has clearly set her sights on the "December Plan" formulated by Fanariel University!

Director Rivers' heart was heavy.

Demeaning is belittled, no matter how much he verbally scolds her for not doing her job, no one will settle accounts with him! But as an enemy, Director Doctrian is genuinely terrified of Admiral Christine's ability to penetrate!

A week ago, Laboratory 687, 300 kilometers away from Laboratory 724, suddenly lost contact, and many of Gregory's executives, including Cleavus, thought it was just an unfortunate accident.

After all, there are so many cases of such experiments going wrong! The place where Gregory dies the most every year is not a battlefield with the Empire, but a "safe" laboratory!

Gregory never lacks idiots who have been bitten to death by synths of his own concoction!

But in the next week, a total of more than 20 secret experimental institutions in laboratories around the country lost contact one after another! Even a fool knows - something is wrong!

Seven days! 26 up! An average of four per day! There is only one person on the other side!

And there's more to it than that! B069, which was originally considered "usable" by a bachelor from a graduate school, suddenly went out of control! At least one-fifth of the test subjects broke free and ran to the territory of the Empire! But Rivers dares to bet 5 cents! The Empire is definitely scared! That old virgin couldn't have been hooked like this!

When I think of my old rival, the director is full of headaches!

Now the only question is - how much does that old woman Kristen know?

Standing in the proving ground, which had long since been reduced to ruins, the soft halo brought by alchemy cast on Director Coreus's face, but it could not dissolve the gloom on his face.

(Those old stubborns!) If you were willing to listen to my opinion, why would it be so hard! ）

As one of the key leaders of the "December Plan", he can get unimaginable benefits if the plan is successful! Planned Failure............

Going to those taboo labs where he can't even say his name and code name will be the material for human experiments!

"My future is tied to this, Christine, how can I let you ruin everything!"

In the dim, silent laboratory, no one heard Director Cores' muttering, and the grim and resolute voice slowly dissipated into the air.

…………………………

“………… Uh~~~~"

Throwing away the cigar that was still half in her hand, Christine picked up a document that was scattered on the floor.

"DEP–B069 Modification?"

His Excellency the Commander had a wry expression on his face.

"How much do those alchemists like these burrowing rats............"

If An Jie were here now, she would be surprised to find that the concept art of the finished product printed on the DEP-B069 Improvement Plan was very similar to the Earth Demon Beast she had fought several times!

In the dimly lit underground laboratory, fragments of various experimental utensils were scattered all over the ground. While the rector of Gregory was still inspecting the damage caused by the 26th attack, His Excellency the Commander had already completed his 27th raid!

"It's all the same thing, and intelligence collection is a bottleneck here."

Pull out a new cigar and light it.

"Isn't it time to think about going back............ No, forget it, let's go back in a while! My task is to harass and contain the army, and let Lesa do this kind of thing when it comes to mobilizing the army and coordinating military affairs! He's doing better than me anyway! ”

"Huh! However, that guy Leza must have jumped to his feet in anger............ When I get back, I open a bottle of my treasured wine bar, and I can't just let him work without getting paid. ”

As if thinking of something happy, His Excellency the Commander smiled knowingly.

However, the progress stopped at once because of something.

It wasn't overly maintained, but it was completely indistinguishable that the palm of a hand in his 50s pulled out a single document that didn't look like anything wrong from the scattered papers.

Carefully distinguishing between the watermark on the document and the letters hidden in the lace, Christine groaned slightly, and moved her finger holding the document to the bottom left corner of the document.

！

Feeling the strange touch in his hand that makes it easy to ignore the past without careful attention, the admiral sighed.

"The special alchemical encryption paper of the graduate school............ Those nerds are still using this outdated stuff! Unbelievable! ”

Having said that, she quickly put the file in her arms and turned to leave the lab, which had no other value.

“………… The time to go back is going to be postponed, and it will only make you work harder, Leza! I think you can understand me, I'm also very busy working overtime.................."

The footsteps faded away, and the dimly lit laboratory, set off by the corpses on the floor, fell silent again..................

……………………

November 16, 1675, Weather: Heavy rain.

The heavy rain poured down from the sky, the wind-blown people couldn't open their eyes, the weather was dark, as long as you turned around, you would turn into a soup chicken when you came back! On days like these, no one chooses to run outside.

People vented their hard work in the tavern, the ale was served on the table in glasses, the five big men with five thick feet and three rough feet fought and broke their wrists, and the whole tavern was in an uproar! The handmaidens with heavy makeup but touching looks also cherish this hard-won job opportunity, and although they look a little sorry for society, there are always guests who are drunk and don't mind these slapping their butts!

In such a noisy environment, a dark shadow slipped silently into the tavern, and no one noticed his presence.

He cautiously flashed past the drunken men and came to a table full of black-clad men wearing the same black cloaks as he was.

"Sit down."

"Yes, sir."

After seeing the newcomer sit down, the man in black at the head said, "'That', how is it?" ”

"Intact and undetected by anyone!"

"Well, that's good."

"Your Excellency!"

A man in black, who seemed to have a quick temper, spoke:

"Now, the Empire is at war with Gregory as planned! Although the two sides have not officially declared war, they are already inseparable at this time! Now is the time to do it! ”

"No ............"

However, in the face of the impatient man in black, the "adult" shook his head.

"The time has not yet come."

"............"

"Alright, alright! Wolft, don't embarrass the captain! Didn't the captain say that the time had not yet come? And I haven't had enough of it in the human world! Just complete the mission and go back, how boring it is! ”

A slightly flirtatious voice interrupted Wolft's words.

"I know what you're worried about! However, the alchemist's side is overwhelmed by the famous admiral, and the Empire is busy whack-a-mole, so no one will notice us! We're safe! ”

He said.

"Chloe, don't let your guard down!"

The tone of the man in black named Chloe was really relaxed, and the "captain" couldn't help but teach him a lesson.

"Yes~~~"

But Chloe apparently didn't listen either.

In addition to the man in black and the three of them, who had been silent since they first entered, there were five other people around the table, and after the young man named Chloe fell silent, he fell into complete silence, and even Chloe, who seemed to have a lively personality, did not say anything at this time.

After a long time, the captain who sat at the head spoke:

"Now, as Chloe said, Gregory is tired from being harassed by the Imperial Admiral Christine, and the Empire has to brace itself to face the synths that appear in the territory...... But! ”

The captain finally spoke in an aggravated tone, and he tapped his hand on the table, and said in a serious tone:

"It's all temporary! Whether it's Gregory or St. Doragon, with their vast land and abundant resources, they won't be stumped by this little thing! No matter how strong Christian Saint-Boon is, she is just one person, and Fanarian University is determined to clean her up, and she has to choose to escape! In the same way, although the Empire's railway transportation lines are now stagnant, the materials hoarded in various cities are enough for them to support the Imperial Academy of Sciences to develop a mature and effective ground survey device. And we! ”

The captain glanced around his teammates.

"We have come here with the trust of the motherland, and the task is naturally only to succeed and not to fail!"

"No amount of caution can be overstated! Do you understand? ”

"Yes!"

The eight men in black whispered.

Seeing that his team members were quite obedient, the captain nodded with satisfaction.

"Now it's still mainly latent and when the war between the Empire and Gregory heats up, we'll do it............ This time is not too far away! The most important thing is to double-check that "that" is still working properly before you start it! Do you get it? ”

Seeing that the team members all nodded, the captain nodded.

"So, disband!"

"Oooh oh !!"

As soon as the captain gave the order to disband, Chloe, who had a lively personality, couldn't help but cheer!

"I'm going to check out the new jewelry store across the street! Is there anyone to go with me! ”

"You're so noisy! Chloe! ”

Seeing the young man behave like this, the grumpy Wolft couldn't help but roar!

"What's the matter~~"

The boy exaggerated and made a backward jump.

"We have hiding............ anyway Belch! ”

Coincidentally, a drunken drunkard happened to pass by the table, and Chloe jumped back and knocked him to a stumbling moment!

"What?!! You guys...... You! You guys!!! ”

The drunkard who was hit by a stumbling was about to be annoyed and ashamed, but suddenly found that there was an extra table in the corner of the tavern, and a group of strange guys in black cloaks were sitting there!

He just wanted to shout, but a burly man in black came to him faster than his voice, and a powerful blow to the abdomen made his eyes widen instantly, and the words that spit out to his mouth were swallowed back!

"Look at what you've done!"

Wolft glared at Chloe fiercely, and the boy who knew he was in the wrong laughed dryly and tried to fool him.

"Speaking of which, it was your idea to meet here at the tavern! Aren't you the one who knows humanity best among us?! What are you going to do with the current situation?!! ”

"Uh............ That one...... Killed? ”

"You don't think it's big enough to mess up?!!!"

"Anyway, I'm just a drunkard~~"

“…… You! ”

"Alright, don't make a noise."

In the end, it was the captain who stepped forward, he tilted his head, and his eyes gestured to a petite man in black behind him.

"Cecilia!"

“………… Well. ”

A woman named Cecilia stepped forward and walked up to the drunkard.

“………… Look me in the eye ............"

The woman's voice seemed to have magical power, and the drunkard couldn't help but pay attention to the beautiful violet eyes............ With that pair of long, pointed ears!

His eyes widened!

"You! You guys! Who are you!! ”

However, the girl in black was unmoved by his shock, and a strange atmosphere began to emanate from the air, as if something unseen filled the entire space. She stared into the drunkard's eyes and whispered:

“………… From now on...... You will forget everything......"

His eyelids became heavier and heavier, and his consciousness became more and more blurred, and before his consciousness disappeared completely, he subconsciously muttered:

“…… Who are you........................ Elf .................."