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

Mo Chen leisurely sipped his tea, showing no urgency to get to the point. Glancing at the CEO, he remarked, "Your company seems to be making quite a profit. Setting up a biological treatment center in the city center must have cost a fortune, right?"

The CEO felt his scalp tingle under Mo Chen's gaze, unable to guess what the commander was thinking. 

He cautiously replied, "N-not too much… Uh, well, the company does have considerable revenue, but the expenses are just as high. Just building this rare disease treatment center already costs several years of profit, and maintaining it will require even more funds in the future."

"Hmm."

Mo Chen hummed softly, swirling the tea in his cup, watching the suspended tea leaves ripple with each movement. "I've heard you have quite a few connections with Ark officials? Spreading money around to grease the wheels, sending generous gifts?"

The CEO froze, startled, and quickly tried to defend himself. "N-no, that's just rumors…"

Before he could finish, Mo Chen's sharp gaze cut him off. The CEO's body stiffened, and his words faltered.

Setting down his teacup, Mo Chen stood up, walked to the CEO, and whispered into his ear, "Choose your words carefully. I don't like being lied to. Understand?"

His tone carried a chilling menace.

The CEO's heart pounded in terror, and from the corner of his eye, he caught sight of D standing behind him, particularly the gleaming axe on her back. His mind raced, and he instantly realized what was happening, breaking out in a cold sweat.

The Perilous Siege Squad!

They were here to investigate him!

A wave of dread washed over him, leaving his limbs cold and numb. The Perilous Siege Squad had the authority to judge and execute targets on the spot, a secretive force even the Ark's high-ranking officials feared.

Mo Chen smiled warmly. "Now, are you ready to talk?"

Despite the seemingly gentle smile, to the CEO, it felt like the devil's grin.

His mental defenses crumbled under the pressure. Overwhelmed, he finally broke down. "I'll talk! I'll tell you everything!"

As it turned out, the company indeed maintained close ties with Ark officials. The CEO regularly funneled large sums of money to several high-ranking figures in the Ark and often made donations under the guise of charity to various departments. Additionally, he frequently invited those officials as special guests to attend formal events.

"But our business is entirely legal and compliant!" the CEO hurriedly added.

Watching the flustered man making a fool of himself, Mo Chen chuckled meaningfully. "Legal and compliant?"

"Y-yes," the CEO stammered, drenched in sweat.

Mo Chen's sharp eyes locked onto him, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Selling mass-produced Nikkes and weapons to the Outer Rim… you call that legal?"

Mo Chen had known all along, thanks to the game.

C.O.L appeared to be a reputable company focused on medical treatment and charity, boasting an excellent reputation. However, in the shadows, it colluded with high-ranking officials in the Ark's Nikke Management Department to sell weapons and mass-produced Nikkes to the Outer Rim for profit.

The CEO was startled and took a step back. He never expected that his secrets would be discovered!

This operation was top secret, known only to him, a few high-ranking officials in the Ark, and frontline transport personnel. Even employees within the company had no idea what their actual work entailed.

Mo Chen's knowledge of the game naturally made him aware of this, but D was visibly shocked. She hadn't expected such an ugly truth to be hidden behind the company's polished exterior.

D asked, "Why are you doing two completely contradictory things? On one hand, you're trafficking Nikkes, and on the other, you're engaging in philanthropy. What's your reason?"

Initially, the CEO had been terrified of Mo Chen's sudden visit, but upon realizing that the inquiry was about mass-produced Nikkes, he relaxed significantly.

Because they were just Nikkes.

Just tools.

Even if they were killed, the punishment wouldn't be severe—at most, a fine or a few years of imprisonment.

In the Ark, prison time for the wealthy was a mere formality. As long as the bail was paid, one could walk free.

Besides, he thought of his powerful backers and instantly felt more confident.

"I don't see anything wrong with it. It's just another form of life's cycle."

D: "?"

The CEO, no longer timid, began to speak eloquently.

"Those mass-produced Nikkes, yes, they are pitiful."

"They already have limited time left to live, and being sold to the Outer Rim to be drained of their final value before dying is indeed tragic."

"But even if they don't go to the Outer Rim, they'll just be quietly scrapped."

"Completely erased, leaving nothing behind."

"All I've done is turn those meaningless lives into money, allowing others to continue living. It's a life-for-life exchange."

He spoke fluently, showing no sign of guilt, as if selling Nikkes was perfectly justified.

D, shocked by his attitude, felt her expression turn even colder.

"And those people in the Outer Rim… are they not lives too?"

The CEO showed no sign of guilt and even seemed self-righteous, as if he were discussing something perfectly normal.

"I'm merely providing Nikkes and weapons to the Outer Rim. How they choose to use them is their business, their choice."

"Those Nikkes can serve as labor, and properly utilizing weapon parts can improve living standards."

"This is no different from a store selling kitchen knives—some buy them to cut vegetables, while others use them to harm people. But you can't ban the sale of knives just because someone might misuse them."

Excuses. Plain, shameless excuses.

D said coldly, "So, you're saying you'll continue doing this?"

"Exactly," the CEO replied, unflinching in the face of D's threat. "You must understand, if you kill me, those suffering from incurable diseases will lose their aid."

"And many employees will lose their jobs."

A dangerous glint flickered in D's eyes as a murderous intent began to take hold.

"If I let you live, countless Nikkes and people in the Outer Rim will continue to die."

Despite trying to appear calm, the CEO instinctively took a step back under the pressure of D's killing intent.

"You can't kill me. Selling soon-to-be-scrapped Nikkes isn't illegal in the Ark. Once purchased, mass-produced Nikkes become the property of the buyer, who can do whatever they wish with them."