Cyber Era Witch
Chapter 86 - 86 69 Ratman Witch

86: Chapter 69 Ratman Witch 86: Chapter 69 Ratman Witch After completing all the procedures with the Corporate Alliance, Zuo Hongchen reported the changes to Kyoto Infinity.

It was only when verifying the company headcount that he realized many had died in the chaos of the Rat Tide, which filled Zuo Hongchen with sadness.

He couldn’t protect the company or the workers, and most likely they would be deemed to have died on the job, which meant compensating their families.

Fortunately, most of the employees had neither parents nor spouses nor children, dying like wisps of smoke, truly exemplary workers, saving a considerable amount of expenses.

Those two million would be strained, and every cent had to be spent wisely and on the essentials.

After reporting to Xu Yang, Zuo Hongchen stood by his desk awaiting orders.

“It’s alright, contact us again after everything is completely over,” Xu Yang said, “During this period, find a safe place to stay and move around, get in touch with former partners, tell them that Jumen Commerce Corporation is not completely finished yet.”

“Yes.” Zuo Hongchen nodded vigorously to Xu Yang, forcing a smile on his face, “Jumen Commerce Corporation surviving is the best outcome.”

“I believe so too,” Xu Yang said, patting his shoulder meaningfully, “We are now investor and manager, so get to work.”

“Yes.” Zuo Hongchen nodded and left.

A few onlooking employees from the commerce corporation, hearing that the boss had mentioned money, followed Zuo Hongchen with flattering obsequiousness.

If Zuo Hongchen couldn’t secure the funds, the next second they would have to grab their buckets and run.

…Hmm…

He agreed to discuss things after all this was over, but when will the rat plague really end?

Xu Yang looked up at the television, where Kakuya TV Station was reporting on the current situation in Aizu City’s Underground City.

“Good day to all the citizens of Aizu City, the earlier report that Aizu City’s Underground City was completely safe was made by an incompetent temp worker on our station, who has now been legally dismissed.

I, Asahina, will now bring the report to everyone~” A cute 3D anime girl started the introduction, “Currently, due to Miss Suzukawa Kiyo, the whole world is focused on the situation in Aizu City’s Underground City.

According to first-hand information held by our station, Aizu City’s Underground City is currently facing an unprecedented rat plague.

The Corporate Alliance has announced a B-5 level crisis for Aizu City.

Dr.

Roy Bastet is here to introduce the situation regarding the rat plague.”

The host switched the feed to a battlefield laboratory.

Outside the lab there was continuous gunfire, the squeals of rats faintly discernible, clearly filming from inside Aizu City’s Underground City.

In the footage, a man appeared, wearing a mask, splash-proof glasses, and a white lab coat; his team could be seen dissecting the corpse of a large black-furred Ratman behind him.

The hurried silhouettes moving behind a screen and the dismemberment of the excessively hairy limbs of the Ratman were repulsive to watch.

“Hello everyone, I’m Dr.

Roy Bastet, I apologize for exposing everyone to such chaos,” the man spoke, “I am an R-35 medical officer with Rose Medical Company, currently analyzing the condition of the Ratmen attacking Aizu City’s Underground City.

Next, I will fully reveal and introduce the true nature of these Ratmen to you all.”

Rose Medicine was also a giant enterprise, located on several large islands near the Taixi Continent, with Lundinium as its headquarters.

The earlier news had drawn the attention of countless powers, including people from Rose Medicine coming forward, a giant famed for medical and biotechnology.

Xu Yang thought to himself.

He wondered what secrets they could unearth from the Ratmen.

“Without a doubt, they are influenced by two kinds of technology: one is the inherent magic power of the Ratmen, which is to say, a ‘Witch’ bearing mutations has been born among them; the other is the ‘Colossal Flame’ chemical enhancement technology from Black Fire Innovation.”

Black Fire Innovation!

Them again.

Was the Ratmen’s disaster created by Black Fire Innovation?

Why would they do such a thing?

How is this connected to their competition with Farosa for something?

“The current lab results show,” Dr.

Bastet continued, “that these Ratmen have been living underground for a long time, sharing a profound relationship with us humans, always lurking around the sewers, garbage dumps, underground voids, material storages, subways, caves, and aquifers near Aizu City, on a massive scale.

A significant amount of chemical mutation traces has been found in their bodies; it’s likely that what Black Fire Innovation used is…”

Boom!

The battlefield lab was struck, the screen violently shaking, the signal transmission unstable.

“Doctor!

They’re here!” Several security personnel burst into the lab, quickly aiming their weapons upward.

After another heavy blow, the ceiling collapsed onto the ground, crushing the doctor and his team, including all the equipment, with blood flowing everywhere.

A red-eyed Giant Rat stuck its head through the crack, sniffing curiously at the camera.

“Switch the feed back…

What?

The ratings are soaring?

Don’t stop!

Keep filming!” the girl host exclaimed excitedly.

A black silhouette jumped down from the head of the red-eyed Giant Rat, steadied the camera, and looked into the lens with confusion.

She was a dark-skinned, petite girl with no clothes on, her body merely wrapped in blood-stained, coarse bandages.

Her features were similar to humans, not as fluffy as ordinary Ratmen.

She sported a pair of huge rat ears on her head and her eyes were a bright yellow with sharply defined pupils.

She stroked the Giant Rat behind her, emitting a pale green magic light from the palm of her hand, causing it to let out a piercing scream, becoming more robust and fearless, its fur visibly toughening and gleaming like steel.

The Ratman Witch.

“Hello, Miss!” the cheerful young hostess said, her voice carrying over to the camera so that the Rat Witch could hear it.

Her attention was not on the camera initially, but upon hearing the noise, she turned and glared fiercely at the camera, annoyed, she pounded on the lens with her fist before climbing back on the Giant Rat’s back.

With a roar, the Giant Rat opened its gaping mouth and viciously bit towards the camera.

Silence…

“She looks rather delicious,” Farosa mused with curiosity.

“The presence of a Rat Witch means unpredictability,” Xu Yang frowned.

If there were Witches among the Ratmen, it meant they still had endless possibilities.

The Rat Witch had previously used power similar to an Electromagnetic Pulse.

If she did it again, his slight frame wouldn’t be able to withstand it.

Xu Yang led a few people to discuss the current situation aboard the Anonymous.

It was docked in the underground parking lot of a large hat-shaped building, illuminated by the green fluorescence of emergency lights, silent and deserted.

“The problem we face is still the Rats,” Xu Yang said, “It threatens the safety of all of us.”

“The number of Ratmen has been exploding in the last few hours, with new forces continuously joining the attack,” Lila said, “but since the incident involving Suzukawa Kiyo, their numbers have begun to decrease.”

“The Ratmen are finite after all,” Xu Yang said, “They have to eat and drink, and the underground area cannot sustain an endless number of Rats; to kill one is to reduce them by one.”

“Indeed, the Ratmen were advancing incessantly due to a continuous influx of fresh troops, a movement like magic in its growth, but as that halted, their numbers began diminishing citywide, and large individuals were steadily being annihilated.”

“That means we don’t have to worry about the Rats anymore,” Asa Katsuragi said somewhat cheerfully, “How wonderful.” As soon as the Rat Tide ended, she planned to return to Katagi District to gather people and form a new gang.

“However, this doesn’t mean their threat has vanished.

I sense that they are consolidating their defenses, still angry, irritable, and high in morale,” Lila said.

“Moreover, that Rat Witch among them isn’t only well-protected but is also slowly regaining her magic power.”

“Right, she’s used her power once before,” Xu Yang remarked, “Although the momentum of the Rat Tide has been curbed for now, we are uncertain if the Rat Witch has other abilities.

She has previously created a large-scale Electromagnetic Pulse Blast and could presumably use it a second or third time, continuing to erode the power of the companies.”

“The only variable is the elite forces of various security companies, who will carry anti-electromagnetic pulse components into battle,” Lila said.

“Once they arrive, the electromagnetic pulse will be neutralized, and the Ratmen’s flesh and blood can hardly withstand the firepower; the Rat Tide will ultimately be completely destroyed.”

“The final battle between humans and Rats is about to erupt,” Xu Yang mused.

“Can you discern more details?”

“We need to be closer to the territories where the Ratmen are active,” Lila said.

“It seems they’ve concentrated their main force on Shenkong Tower in Hui City District, and have conquered it.”

The control panel screen switched to map mode, displaying a vast complex of buildings.

Connected by a massive mall, office buildings, and apartments into a ring shape, from above it looked like an ornately carved platter, with a garden-style plaza at the very center and a tower that ran straight to the ground, which meant the residents of Anjiu City could also use the top of the Shenkong Tower to access Aizu City’s Underground City.

“Shenkong Tower is located in the heart of Hui City District,” Farosa found a description of this building, wanting to show off her proficiency with cell phone features, so she casually read the content aloud.

“It’s a bustling place owned by Shenkong Group.

It has its own independent municipal institutions, with over 20,000 people paying high fees to live inside the building.

Covering one-fifth of the entire Hui City District area, this is a giant commercial complex with its own hospitals, security forces, schools, prisons, and TV station, truly a city within a city.”

“If Shenkong Tower falls to the Rat Tide, it means the heart of Hui City District is in the Ratmen’s teeth,” Xu Yang commented.

“If they’re heading to Shenkong Tower, they definitely want to use the entrances and exits of the building to reach the surface, to Anjiu City, to see the sun.”

“I’ve been to Shenkong Tower once,” Cui Junyou said, “They sell real luxury goods there, but the people living there are quite poor.

Once they pay the rent, they can barely afford anything else, making the mall there quite dull.

It only livens up when people from Anjiu City come down.”

“Since the Ratmen’s target is that place, let them fight it out with the company elites first,” Xu Yang suggested.

“Next, I need to take a trip to my basement.

When I first came to Aizu City’s Underground City, I rented a small room and left many things there.”

“Are we taking the Shuttle Machine?

Senior, what about us?” Li Xiaomin asked.

“You guys stay here.

I, Farosa, and Lila will take the Shuttle Machine.

We’ll be back quickly,” Xu Yang decided firmly, “Let’s use this large hat-shaped building as a temporary resting place.

Don’t get separated.”