Dispatch 1
The first dispatch party wrapped up without a hitch. Neither Alpha nor I faced any retaliation, of course.
"Ahh... my Maria..."
Alpha showed up at my room and started fondling my hand like it was some holy relic. This is ImmuneWire-grade cyberware for bitmancers, you know. Clea, who shared the room with me, looked horrified at the sight, but there wasn't much she could do about it. And why the hell was I Maria?
"...Maria?"
"Indeed. Aren't you the daughter chosen by the Messiah?"
I slipped my hand away from his creepy touch, and Alpha reached out wistfully but didn't force it.
"I'm truly overjoyed that I could assist Maria today."
"Uh, yeah..."
I'd gotten plenty of praise before, but this level of worship was a first—totally awkward. And the gap between the thug he'd been at the party and the devout priest he was now? Night and day.
"Do you know how moved the Holy Legion was to learn that our Messiah, Cashian Krabets, might finally lay down his cross?"
Still, having a powerhouse like the Holy Legion—and someone with their own serious firepower—on the chairman's side felt pretty damn good. Listen to him talk; no way they'd betray us. These were people who'd fight to the last man for the chairman.
"The Messiah gave me a revelation: to aid Maria and her apostles."
"Apostles?"
"I mean the young lady's friends."
Svetlana chimed in cautiously from behind. Alpha continued.
"The apostles are all promising students at the gifted academy, aren't they? Soon they'll take on key roles at ImmuneWire. They'll be a huge help to you in every way."
"What exactly are you proposing?"
"Instead of just attending the academy, they'll gain real-world experience early. It'll make promotions smoother."
Classic performance funneling. If it panned out, it'd be great. Alpha seemed to be basing it on my friends' political standing, but I saw it positively from another angle too. Training together in the field would build skills and experience—and if we bonded like me and Clea, maybe even collaborate on AI research. Just like how Svetlana stuck by me despite knowing my secret.
"Since they're all still green, we'll start with the easiest jobs."
"Like what?"
"Best to gather everyone and let them choose."
Five of us, centered around me: me, Clea, Saints, Ayaka, and Lorenzo. Inside the Holy Legion, we were known by the ridiculous title of the Five Saints. Every soldier we passed at legion HQ called us that. For the record, Svetlana was "Maria's Handmaiden." And it wasn't just a nickname—they were digging into our daily lives for "faith activities" or some insane shit like that. I didn't even want to ask why friends hanging out counted as a "Holy Task."
My friends were all flustered by the surprise worship.
"As expected of Neige. I saw it coming."
Everyone except Clea. What the hell did she even think of me?
"Apostles, you probably already know this."
Once the five of us gathered, Alpha spoke first.
"We'll give you two missions. Split into groups of three and work under the banner of 'cooperating' with the Holy Legion."
"Wait, doesn't that need six people?"
"Maria will lead one team, and Svetlana the other."
Svetlana nodded from behind.
"Oh, Neige in the field..."
Clea muttered in a creepy tone that sent a shiver down my spine.
"One is an aphrodisiac factory destroyed during the Alphabet War—"
"I'll go with Neige!"
Clea jumped up, cutting Alpha off. Svetlana grabbed her collar and yanked her back.
"Miss Clea, where do you think you're going? The commander hasn't dismissed you yet."
"But..."
"You're a promising agent candidate. Listen through the briefing and ask questions."
"Hng..."
"What's a young girl like you rushing for?"
Svetlana shut her down effortlessly. Alpha, interrupted, wasn't annoyed—instead, he looked enraptured, like he was witnessing saints converse.
"Ahem... Anyway, one is the aphrodisiac factory, the other a cooperating bank. Let's start with the factory."
Alpha hit a button, and the HQ wall monitor lit up.
> Necronauts: Scavengers who dig through old war ruins for valuables.
"Know what Necronauts are? Modern-day treasure hunters rummaging war relics for profit."
ImmuneWire's been buying up relic intel at premium prices lately. Probably the chairman's orders—framed as recovering humanity's lost tech, but really supporting my research. I thought we'd get bogged down in politics, but handling it in parallel like this? Not bad.
"Most sites are duds... but this factory reeks of jackpot."
Alpha tapped more buttons. New photos appeared: factory interior crawling with active war robots and turrets—Alphabet War leftovers, no doubt. Abandoned data vaults visible too. A live site rejecting outsiders and data vaults? I could smell the jackpot too.
"Especially for you, Neige..."
Alpha glanced at me. I got it.
"Yeah, perfect for my research."
"Exactly! I picked this mission with care. Haha!"
Alpha puffed out his chest—3M material, scary broad.
"The bank mission is hunting a traitor colluding with outsiders."
Alpha said pick freely, but teams were obvious. Traitor hunt? Perfect for agent pros Svetlana and Clea. No need for my help there. Factory raid was mine. With those machines inside, war squad's Lorenzo was essential.
"Negotiate with the Necronauts for the intel fee."
"Really?"
I sounded surprised; Alpha raised a brow.
"Why?"
"Figured you'd hold a gun to their heads and take it."
"Haha, plenty of evil corps do that. But then you can't exploit free labor outside the company."
Free labor perspective, huh.
"Pay fair, and they'll fetch the next big score. Then the company sends a team to loot it."
That team was us. Needed business squad's Ayaka for haggling. Teams locked in naturally.
"Me, Ayaka, Lorenzo. The three of us for the factory."
"Huh?!"
Clea's voice made me flinch too.
"Neige, what about me...?"
"Clea, it's for efficiency. You heard—negotiation and combat means business and war squads."
"I negotiate fine. I can fight too."
Your negotiations are gun-backed. Svetlana stepped in, tired of Clea's whining.
"Miss Clea, enough sulking. Everyone has specialties. Agents act like agents."
Svetlana hoisted Clea up, separating us, then turned to Alpha.
"Colonel Alpha must've handled it well, but variables remain."
"Yes. Who knows what Vice Secretary General Klaus is scheming."
Oh right—my friends got dragged into this mess because of me.
"Sorry, everyone."
"Why apologize?"
Ayaka shrugged.
"We got this chance thanks to you."
"Yeah, being Neige's friend... it was inevitable."
Saints, now on the bank team with Clea, chimed in. Lorenzo didn't care.
"Good. Time to work. The Holy Legion has your back—shine with holy light."
Factory team's plan was simple. Ayaka meets Necronauts, seals the deal. Lorenzo takes intel, enters with Holy Legion combat squad. I dive into cyberspace for rear support—my main bitmancer role. Sharing Ayaka's vision on-site.
Ayaka, elegantly seated in her hover-lift, adjusting her dress.
I pinged; Ayaka replied instantly.
"No. Just a routine price hag."
"...Voyeurism's not a good hobby."
Check that poise. I get called "miss" by Svetlana, but Ayaka's the real deal.
Ayaka turned. Holy Legion soldiers in the hover-lift chuckled and nodded greetings.
"Arriving soon."
Pilot's voice as the hover-lift banked. Outside the window, two guys and a vehicle waved from the desert—Necronauts, probably.
Ayaka rose as they landed, but soldiers stopped her.
"Apostle, we go first."
Soldiers exited, then Ayaka. Necronauts looked shocked—a kid?
"Lucky parents; already on big jobs?"
They whispered, thinking she couldn't hear. Ayaka's face didn't twitch.
Distance closed; talks began.
"Pleased to meet you. I'm Ayaka Amagi, dispatched by ImmuneWire for this deal. You're the Necronauts here for relic intel fees?"
"Yep. Hahaha."
They burst laughing—who knows why. Legion soldiers fingered triggers; Ayaka waved them off.
"Our offer: 150,000 euros, as requested."
"No way. Too low."
"That's what you asked ImmuneWire for."
"Weird. ImmuneWire offered a million."
Ayaka faltered—visible even to me. A million? Insane. 10k euros was lower-middle class yearly income now. Necronaut life was high-risk treasure hunts for reversal, but even with hazard pay, an abandoned factory wasn't worth that.
"ImmuneWire offered a million?"
"Yup! Wanna see?"
One handed a USB. Ayaka hesitated.
Ayaka nodded, jacked it into her neck port. I got the files too.
A doc claiming a million euro offer. Real?
> Command confirmed.
> No threatening code.
> ImmuneWire cert verified.
> Forgery check... complete.
> Genuine ImmuneWire doc.
ImmuneWire really offered a million? We'd heard nothing.
> Protocol Z activated.
> ImmuneWire encryption breached.
> Finance notary confirmed.
> Backtrace initiated.
[t(- n -)t]
Vice secretary general's handiwork. In cyberspace, I sank into a "comfy" data chair, pondering. Leak? Nah, Holy Legion's too tight. Chairman suddenly splashing on relics? Klaus moved, and it collided here by chance.
Sent Ayaka the analysis. She grasped it.
"Leave it to me."
Ayaka moved confidently.
"Looks like another department's screw-up. We're handling this deal."
"Oh yeah?"
"Frankly, a million's absurd."
"C'mon, we're not idiots."
Necronauts smirked slyly.
"Your company's infighting, right? We wanna cash in big. No million? Piss off."
Ballsy, talking shit with corp security staring them down. Ayaka didn't flinch—laughed even.
"Good, you're sharp. This'll wrap quick."
Ayaka reached for guards' clothes, unclasped crosses smoothly. Necronauts panicked at the sight.
"Smart guys know who wears crosses at ImmuneWire."
"...Holy Legion? Those cult freaks?"
"Yes."
Even outsiders knew 'em. Hard not to.
"Think company politics. Who's side is who on?"
Her play clicked. Necronauts wouldn't know internals. Holy Legion followed only chairman's orders—chairman vs. bug fight to outsiders.
"Fuck... shouldn't deal with corps."
One spat.
"No million here. Deal's off."
"Wait!"
Ayaka turned; Necronaut called out. Momentum shifted.
"We'll take 150k. End it here?"
"100k."
Ayaka slashed 50k.
"Fuck no! Saw the pics! Something's there! Pay up!"
"50k to shield you from ImmuneWire politics."
"...What bullshit—"
"90k."
They reached for guns; Legion soldiers faster, aimed. Ayaka stared coldly, unflinching. Necronauts froze, guns undrawn. One sighed.
"...120k at least. No deal, we're dead."
Ayaka eyed them, smiled sweetly, nodded. Opened bag, counted 120k euros, handed it over.
"As requested, 120,000 euros."
"...Damn ImmuneWire bastards."
Be grateful you got paid before badmouthing, I thought. Ayaka's kindness; otherwise, soldiers would've lit 'em up.
"Now the data."
"...Hah."
They handed another USB. Ayaka plugged without hesitation.
> No threatening code.
> Factory coords and interior pics.
> Cross-check ImmuneWire DB...
> No tampering.
> All legit.
"Pleasure doing business. Hope we keep good relations."
"..."
Necronauts spat on ground, turned to their ride. Pissed soldiers raised guns; Ayaka stopped 'em.
"Enough. No emotions in business."
"...Understood, Apostle."
Ayaka and squad boarded. Then she clenched a fist solo, thrilled at victory.
Ayaka startled, unclenched. Froze silent, then:
"...Get out of my head."
Kya, spot on. I got a talking tumor too.
[⊃゜Д゜)⊃]
Savoring bashful Ayaka, I prepped next phase.
Ayaka secured coords and intel. Lorenzo's turn.
"I wanna go solo."
He was stubborn.
"Apostle, war bots and turrets inside—rogue. Too dangerous alone."
"Not alone. Neige supports from rear."
Plan was squad entry with him—though he'd have little to do in combat. Why the sudden solo push? But Lorenzo wasn't ordinary. His Dead Sector training app reason? "Wanna do something cool once in life."
"Gotta solo places like this to handle others."
"But Apostle..."
"Not sleeping comfy in war squad cradle."
Damn, cool. 'Hey V, see? I was like that hacking.'
Master, no fear.
That’s not a brag.
'No fear'? Kid's got vocab. But yeah, stop risking my neck. V treasures me.
'Sorry.'
Fine.
V always likes Master.
[o(≧▽≦)o ♡]
Wrapped with V, opened comms to Lorenzo and soldiers.
"...Got it."
Lorenzo agreed; soldiers eyed each other but accepted.
"Maria's call."
Lorenzo approached factory entrance slow. Aphrodisiac plant...? Luxury era scale was nuts. Soloing this? Lorenzo's nuts. I'm the crazy bitch helping.
"...Neige, what's next?"
He checked gear at door.
"First time teaming with a bitmancer."
Oh right. Lorenzo's 14—just two years older. Forgot amid naturals, but he's a child soldier. Green as hell. Here to fix that.
"Roger."
Door opened. No immediate hostiles. Fearless or whatever, Lorenzo stepped in bold.
Master, foes are old Alphabet war machines.
Expect Alphabet's own ICE.
I knew. But I've got V—Alphabet's copy—and Protocol Z, made to beat her.
[(⁄ ⁄•⁄ω⁄•⁄ ⁄)♡]
Prime-era Alphabet, huh? My answer? Not the main body—just a splinter. Let's throw down.