Cyber Era Witch
Chapter 705 - 591: Hotel

Chapter 705: Chapter 591: Hotel

Nestor Corporation’s Intervention Army headed to Jialong Slope, with Kanako Kojima leading six shuttle machines and two hundred personnel. Meanwhile, Aledy commanded other regular Quick Reaction Forces, standing by in the vicinity.

In the military shuttle named "Innovation," Kanako sat upright in her seat.

Leaning against a leather cushion, she occasionally stroked her abdomen, repeatedly monitoring her condition through the chip in her brain, hoping to detect signs of pregnancy.

She secretly ridiculed herself for being overly anxious—it was still too early, at least a few dozen hours before any real signs could be detected. Yet, she was so eager to see the fruit of her love with Xu Yang; she was ready to bear his child, a true blood relative. The Witches couldn’t accomplish this, making Kanako unique in this regard.

She felt as though she had been preparing for this for years.

The shuttle machine was clean, its interior quite simplistic, for it was used for military travel and thus did not offer any form of entertainment.

Kanako looked around, feeling somewhat out of place, missing the devices that could summon music and neural tuning waves at any moment. Now, she could only use her imagination to alleviate the discomfort of the journey.

Think of the name "Xu Yang."

Xu was a pleasant surname, while Yang was synonymous with tyrants and calamities. Yet, Xu Yang did not bring pain to the world but instead used his Power to improve the status quo, harboring the noblest ideals and taking the most pragmatic actions. The more she thought about the name, the more captivating and complex it seemed, as if it were inherently contradictory. Kanako also hoped to give her child a similar name.

A boy? No, boys were synonymous with brutality and violence. Kanako hoped to have a girl, as there seemed to be a pattern within the Xisheng Family, one that had been proven time and again, almost like a curse—the men of the Xisheng Family were bound to be foolish and short-sighted, while the women were invariably shrewd and capable. Kanako could easily see this in her relatives, and she prayed earnestly for a daughter.

The trip wasn’t long, and while these military shuttle machines weren’t specifically designed for speed, they could still reach the skies above Jialong Slope in just six hours, ready to deliver Nestor Corporation’s iron fist to the embroiled city.

Kanako’s gaze turned to the window, where the sky was filled with vast rain clouds, seemingly growing thicker as they neared Jialong Slope. She switched on her handheld terminal, using her gaze to control the screen’s content and quickly saw the weather forecast—

A torrential downpour would continue for ten days, from today until August 5th.

Jialong Slope was a tropical city, where such intense downpours were common. Kanako was no ordinary person confined to one place for life; she had traveled the world and was familiar with Jialong Slope, well aware of how terrifying tropical storms could be.

But in the past, her visits to Jialong Slope were accompanied by robotic servants and cash cards. Now, she was accompanied by a special task force, with Witches on one shuttle machine, members of the Secret Front on another, and the rest filled with silent Elite Soldiers and valiant Nestor Legion soldiers.

She was heading to Jialong Slope to become the queen of the city.

Kanako intended to build a love nest in Jialong Slope, her territory, where other powers could establish themselves, but they had to follow the rules and show enough respect to Kanako Kojima.

She wanted to overlook the tens of thousands of freighters navigating the strait, inspecting them on behalf of Nestor Corporation. If they controlled the gateway that connected the Great Ocean, the whole world would regard Nestor Corporation with respect. Even the most arrogant financial enterprises would have to pay up, lest their goods be intercepted.

The power that shaped the world through shipping and commerce was just as strong as that of armies, and Kanako knew that among all in Nestor Corporation, only she could manage this properly. Others would blindly burn and loot Jialong Slope, or take a little and think they’ve captured all the riches, like someone who sucks the juice from an oyster but neglects the plump meat inside.

"Miss Kojima! The Xisheng Hotel in Cold Bay has been attacked!" Seeking Shadow transmitted the message to Kanako across the fleet.

Kanako’s brow furrowed, a sense of alertness rising within her.

She multitasked ceaselessly, scouring for relevant news while using Nestor Corporation’s intelligence channels to gather information.

Reports from various sources indicated that the hotel was suddenly attacked by armed bandits two hours ago, plunged into a state of crisis with many rooms invaded, guests taken hostage, and security personnel trying to resist, killed.

Witnesses saw the Xisheng Hotel engulfed in flames.

It was like a trespass on Kanako’s future assets!

Kanako looked at this distressing news, her emotional fluctuation lasting only a moment before subsiding.

Maintaining composure under pressure was one of the many lessons Kanako had learned, and she was not shaken in the slightest at this moment.

"It means we have work to do as soon as we get there," Kanako said, touching her abdomen.

She knew she might live in Jialong Slope for a long time to come, cutting ties with the numerous conspiracies and occult knowledge of the Northern Archipelago, turning Jialong Slope into a financial stronghold from which to observe the world from the side under her control.

For this, she had to plan carefully, ensuring a complete victory in the battle for Jialong Slope.

When the fleet of shuttle machines arrived above the city, several major hotels around Cold Bay came into view.

Under the gloomy sky, the world-famous Namisis Grand Hotel in Cold Bay appeared like a giant luxury cruise liner suspended in the air, supported by three majestic hotel towers, topped with even taller buildings, gardens, and fountains. The extravagant casinos, outdoor pools, and resort areas atop attracted countless tourists every year.

Kanako had once swam there, looking out over the entire sea and Jialong Slope from the edge, as if standing at the top of the world.

Nearby were other famous luxury hotels, Junyue Hotel, Namisis Grand Hotel, Starlight Hotel... and Xisheng Hotel, now a smoke-belching glass tower, completely reddened by the flames ignited within, with black smoke bellowing into the sky.

To come and find the Xisheng Hotel under attack was too much of a coincidence. Kanako thought to herself. It seemed there were hidden complexities in this battle for Jialong Slope. If there were any potential threats, they’d need to be carefully eliminated to avoid unforeseen complications.

"Clear the rooftop, prepare for airdrop assault," Kanako ordered.

Her flagship hovered motionless in the air, while the other shuttle machines quickly changed into combat formations, circling the hotel rooftop’s landing pad and the top facilities, carrying out sweeping aerial assaults.

A multitude of autocannons, micro-missiles, and rapid-fire guns extended from the shuttle machines, continuously shooting and bombing the rioters within sight.

"Ahhhh—"

"The enemy is here!"

"Bring the rocket launchers!"

"Charge!"

The bandits had occupied the top helipad at the first sign of trouble, setting up defensive personnel there.

The rooftop was not only equipped with combat platforms that automatically unfolded and machine gun towers quickly deployed but also guarded by at least 50 armed bandits. They held their guns high, firing ceaselessly at the large military shuttle machines circling in the air, with several robust bandits hefting man-portable air-defense missiles, locking on to their positions and trying to bring them down.

However...

It was useless!

Under the combined attack of multiple military shuttle machines, Kanako saw the figures on the rooftop momentarily covered by a dense barrage of metal! In just a few breaths, they fell in droves, as if smashed by an invisible hammer — several were even flung off the roof.

The makeshift metal barriers and automatic gun towers turned to scraps after several explosions, leaving only the flaming wreckage. The stubborn bandits shouted loudly, but in an instant, they were hit by a torrent of bullets.

Under such relentless firepower, each enemy took hundreds of bullets on average, getting completely torn up, turning into a spray of blood and plasma!

"Area cleared!" a soldier reported to Kanako.

Kanako felt a surge of mild excitement within her; with a single command, she could eradicate her enemies, and how delightful that felt!

A precise command and control chain, real-time video signals, and loyal subordinates made Kanako feel as if she were playing a game, and that familiar sensation returned to her.

Kanako thought that this was what life was all about.

"Rinne, hack into the hotel’s control center and information panels, confirm the hotel overview, Seeking Shadow lead the team to rescue the hostages, everyone else clear from the top down via the emergency passages," Kanako analyzed shrewdly, issued orders, and then gave more detailed instructions for an orderly arrangement.

She applied the techniques she learned from tactical games to reality; the games were the best simulations. Kanako watched as they set up hooks on the edge of the rooftop and descended rapidly, their enhanced bodies and advanced equipment allowing them to assault like lightning, shattering windows and bursting into different floors in an instant. The moment a soldier entered a room, it was a massacre for the poorly equipped and demoralized bandits.

"Hacked it!" Rinne had also infiltrated the core network module of the Xisheng Hotel by now, and Kanako had provided her with the Xisheng Key, making Rinne’s work a hundred times more efficient.

In an instant, the hidden backup defensive facilities within the walls were activated, and the bandits suddenly found the hotel was no longer safe. As the walls opened, backup combat robots emerged from the compartments, mercilessly striking at them with rotary machine guns and alloy swords.

"Any clues in the operation records?" Kanako asked Rinne.

"Some highly skilled hacker hacked the hotel, calling themselves ’Old Poet,’ and even left behind a Trojan to ambush me, but I’ve taken care of it," Rinne, who had been trained under Xu Yang, wouldn’t slip up in such a situation.

"They haven’t continued to control the hotel?"

"I guess the gang only paid him to start the job, or maybe they had other plans?" Rinne speculated.

It must be due to fear of Nestor Corporation’s cybersecurity forces. Different possibilities flickered in Kanako’s mind. Probably the "Old Poet" feared Nestor Corporation’s "network patrols" getting involved personally, defeating him, so he dared not stay long in the hotel’s network system. However, such a situation was actually impossible; no one knew that Xu Yang was the Cyber Specter, and he had to watch over the Helis Sea at Nestor Headquarters. Outsiders thought that Nestor Corporation deployed the Cyber Specter as a defensive force, sending network patrols for external attacks. They always assumed Nestor Corporation had two network experts, but actually, they didn’t.

This is our chance. Kanako seized the opportunity, immediately ordering her people to spread the word that the Cyber Specter had assisted in the operation. This claim was harmless and beneficial; if they believed it, they would be scared and might even try to infiltrate Nestor Headquarters at the Northern Archipelago, becoming Xu Yang’s prey.

Disinformation is to be used to fool people, Kanako mused silently. To bamboozle the enemy from all sides.

She could monitor everyone’s position through real-time tactical channels, just like playing a real control game — was this how Lila felt when she manipulated worldly affairs? Now it was Kanako’s turn to relish that sensation.

The bandits had no chance against the companies’ regular forces, and they hastily retreated from the hotel. Kanako immediately began post-operational cleanup, salvaging as much of the Xisheng Hotel’s assets as possible, and establishing her authority, securing her foothold there.

"Miss Kojima’s deployment is very swift," Rinne felt that Kanako’s command was well-organized. She didn’t understand, had Kanako always been commanding such vast numbers before? How did she manage that?

"Although I have no Magic Power or esoteric knowledge, I promise you that once this operation is over, I’ll return with the spoils of war, with all of you safe and sound to the Northern Archipelago," Kanako said softly.