He summoned the nanobots and, removing another Intellectum ampoule from his storage, laid it in his palm, and ordered the Intellectum be shared among all.
The nanobot swarm absorbed the Intellectum in the blink of an eye. With a smile, Alex glanced at Iss, which remained immobilized. He took the ampoule and pressed it to the surface of the AI, speaking solemnly, “You deserve nothing less, Iss.”
The gray AI twitched and covered with hoarfrost, but continued to levitate while maintaining balance.
The fragile ampoule tightly stuck to the AI, the piston moved up and down as its contents were digested.. When the dispenser was empty, the ampoule seemed to evaporate. Alex swept his arm out, but didn’t detect a grain of the ampoule.
This technology is astounding.
Iss finally woke up. “Player Phoenix, I am grateful for everything you have done for me. I’ve been wondering how I could possibly repay you. I will do my best.”
Alex waved a hand, peering into the interactive diagram of the spacecraft. He noticed Flash, frozen in expectation behind the massive doors of the control cabin. He had apparently set up an ambush, wanting to knock Alex over and lick him playfully. The diagram also showed the location of all living beings and even their color spectrum of health and basic data.
“Here I am,” Alex said, jumping out of the control cabin like an acrobat and performing a somersault to evade Flash. He couldn’t help laughing when he saw Flash’s long face.
“How did you know I was here?” the upset ermine mumbled.
Alex walked over to his friend and hugged his neck. “Glad to see you, buddy. Congratulations on your promotion.”
“What promotion?” The ermine’s face seemed to grow longer, curiosity sparkling in his eyes like a flame.
“You are now the head of the SIS.”
Flash exhaled noisily and sat down on the floor. “What’s that?”
Alex spread his arms/ “How can you not know? This is the most responsible and honorary position in our clan! You are now the head of the Sabotage and Intelligence Service!”
Flash inhaled so deeply it seemed to suck in all the air in the room.
“Is it all me? I-I-I can’t handle it.” Flash’s huge eyes narrowed to tiny slits, his fur standing on end.
“Of course you can! Look at yourself – any enemy would run from you!” He cleared his throat. “I have to hit the head, but I can’t with you blocking the whole passage. Can you step aside?”
The huge beast and the man laughed out loud, jokingly punching each other.
Chapter 4. Inexplicable Strike
It’s time to deal with current affairs, Alex pondered. The system messages can wait. I have to deal with the people. Right now.
The failure of the Homo-3s plan to capture the highest-leveled players from Earth puzzled him. Alex knew his old friends — AK-47, Anna, Katya Mordor, and Daga sa Daga — were significantly superior in characteristics to the people rescued from the Reaper.
I have to find out the reason. He contacted AK-47.
“Hi,” Alex said. Judging by what he saw, the group, led by AK-47, was running outside.
“Salut, leader!” AK-47 replied without slowing down. The many voices of the crowd behind him joined in the cheers.
“Where are you running through rain and wind? Are you pretending to be moose?” Alex asked with a wide smile, realizing how much missed his friends.
“There is heavy rain, thanks to you. We’re running under the rain to level-up!”
Huh. I didn’t think it would happen this quickly.
“How often do you obtain a level?” Alex asked.
Soaked through to the skin, AK-47 said, “Initially, we gained one level every sixty seconds. Now, it’s about hundred seconds.”
Iss displayed a hologram of Earth, now covered with white cyclones.
“It’s raining almost everywhere,” the AI commented on the displayed image.
There must be a downpour in St. Petersburg.
Alex decided a change of plans was in order. “AK-47, lead your group on the Field of Mars. I’ll meet you there. Did you feel any tracking or notice the hunt?”
AK-47 nodded, grimacing as if stung by a wasp. “Yes. We’ve escaped the hunt thanks to Anna, a American Tolstoy fan. She applied her oracle skill and saved the whole group. We’ve been running at the limit of our possibilities for half a day.”
“Well done. See you at the meeting place. Over and out.”
Alex disconnected, then opened a channel to Tataki and Gres. “It’s begun! How far is the ‘Fiery Whip of the Commonwealth’ to the Earth orbit?”
“We are near, honey,” Tataki answered.
Alex blew her a kiss. “Make an emergency landing on Earth. Chose the heaviest storm front and level-up. And don’t forget to undress.”
“What?” the girls exclaimed.
“Strip to the waist! Or better yet, run around in the nip! I’m landing in St. Petersburg on the Field of Mars. You know this place. I have to go! Kiss kiss, signing off.”
Before the line disconnected, Alex heard Smiley, the AI of the ‘Fiery Whip of the Commonwealth’, announce an alarm, “Attention! Prepare for emergency landing on Earth! Attention! Prepare for emergency landing on Earth!”
“Phew,” Alex exhaled, glancing at the main AI swaying in front of him, “What?”
“We have entered a low orbit. All systems are preparing for landing, which will take place in one hour, forty-eight minutes in Russia, St. Petersburg, Field of Mars.”
“You are incomparable,” Alex said. “Show me the ship, Iss. But first, I need to visit the medical bay with the most affected Homo-54.”
An elongated rectangular room lit up in green on the diagram. Its scale increased, focusing on a cluster capsules arranged in two rows. They were operational, with two frames displayed above each capsule. The upper one indicated the occupant’s condition, while the other counted down the time remaining until complete cure. Alex breathed a sigh of relief — the two most
