This is a Beta Test?! - A Literally Broken System

Chapter 250 47.X2 Interlude: Existential Panic

"W-What in the world is going on here?!"

Vesper held onto her desk for dear life as her head threatened to explode with pain. Having pushed her [Manifest] hard just to get a peek at the newly exploded crater that just so happened to be located right in the very facility she was using to enrich her dream project, the strain that was melting into her psyche was more than enough for any normal man or woman to simply drop dead and die. Fortunately, she wasn't like normal men and women. Her sheer will of fortitude refused to let her die before her dreams would be fulfilled, for her precious home to be well protected against any and all threats that might try and take it away from her and her people.

And yet, based on her own reasoning, even the very darkness that perpetually blanketed the world was an existential threat to their very existence.

Groaning, the Head Intellect ran her bloody nose through the black sleeves of her suit. Forcing herself to stay awake, she stood up and grabbed her cane before heading out. Her city was starting to burn, and she wouldn't have it all destroyed under her watch.

"Fools... Always have to do things myself..."

Coming down from her office, Vesper didn't care about the looks of worry or pity that many of her subordinates gave her. They knew what she was all about, and they would all know better than to stop her whenever she was angry enough to push through her constant pain.

"H-Head Intellect?!"

"Get out of my way," Vesper growled, her bloodshot eyes almost scaring the poor receptionist that somehow blocked her way into silence. "I'll be overseeing the operations on the ground myself."

"B-But-"

"This is an order," she almost barked out, her voice grating even to her own ears as her eyes widened. "Get out of my way, or I'll make you. Is that understood?!"

"Y-Yes, Head Intellect!"

Vesper cursed under her breath as she walked out of the administrative building. That look the receptionist gave her was something that she should really be used to seeing, but she was currently too angry to care about it for now.

"Damn this body for making them pity me..."

Shaking her head, Vesper walked out onto her city's streets, ignoring the looks her citizens were giving her as they gave her a wide berth to walk through.

"H-Head Intellect?"

"What is she doing here?"

Ignoring the whispers going on around her, she mentally took another feel of her city using her [Oversight]. While it wasn't the complete picture, her moving away from her office was giving her a look at what used to be a part of her range. Already, she could tell that there was a panic going on around the crater. The burning warehouse was already under control, and she could only thank the innovations that made it possible for her not to have yet another thing to have a headache about. Meanwhile, the flow of people had understandably partially halted near the incident areas. The roads toward Port Decim were still seeing traffic somehow, however, and she didn't want any potential suspect getting away while the investigation was ongoing.

Quickly scanning her surroundings, Vesper barked out. "You there! Academic!"

"Y-Yes, Head Intellect?!"

"Go to the edge of the city and close all roads leading to Port Decim," she ordered with absolute authority. "While you're at it, tell your fellow Academics to have them close all roads leading out of Centrax itself!"

"O-Of course!"

The murmurs around her that followed her orders were expected, but she didn't pay them any mind as she continued on with her journey toward the crater. Closing all the roads would hurt their economy, but hopefully, it would only last for a day, especially since it was already around well past midnight, and the commotion would surely disrupt everyday routines.

"Tsk... What a pain..."

Vesper sighed with utter annoyance. Her throat itched, and her lungs felt like they needed something hot to warm her up. Already, she was suffering from withdrawal, and she knew that it would be highly inappropriate if everyone saw her being jittery and more irritated than usual while she was on the field. She had no choice. She had to get a fix somehow.

Reluctantly, she eyed one of the nearest vice stores she could find and went inside. The shopkeeper was clearly drowsy, but all of his sleepiness quickly got thrown away as soon as she saw him enter his shop.

"H-Head Intellect?!" the man stammered, caught off guard by being visited by such a powerful figure. "W-What brings you here to this humble shop?"

"Do you have any cigarettes?" she growled out, almost slightly embarrassed to even have to buy cigarettes herself.

"W-Well, we have the local variety, but-"

"I'll take them," she quickly barked out, her voice coming out harsher than she had wanted it.

The shopkeeper flinched at her tone, but he quickly nodded as he pulled out an already open pack. "H-How many, Head Intellect?"

"Ten."

"T-Ten?!" the shopkeeper stammered out. "B-But-"

"Just hurry up, sir."

Her eyes narrowed as she shook her head. Taking out her lighter, she grabbed the first stick she could get and put it in her mouth. With a practiced flick, she lit it up and took the most relieving puff of smoke she had had in hours. For a brief minute, Vesper allowed herself to relax as the Marquee's homegrown tobacco filled her lungs, only for it to dissipate as soon as she took in a deeper huff.

Clicking her tongue, she went on to light her next cigarette, only to then realize that the shopkeeper had given her the wrong order. "Sir, I asked for ten packs, not ten sticks."

"T-Ten packs?! I-I'm afraid we don't have that much in stock."

Vesper sighed. "Just give me everything then."

Just as quickly, the shopkeeper gave her what amounted to four and a half packs. It wasn't going to last till her next shipment, but it'll have to do. "Thank you."

"Y-You're welcome, Head Intellect."

Paying the man his ten Chips, Vesper resumed her course toward the crater. Going through a stick around every street, Vesper lamented the fact that homegrown tobacco just couldn't stand up to Vestygian brands. Their cigarettes burned out too fast, and while it gave her the same soothing effect that a Vestygian cigar could, it was only a fraction of what she was used to for about double the cost.

"I really have to fix this...."

Shaking her head, the Head Intellect took a deep breath as she finally reached her destination. Already, her eyes narrowed in worry and anger as she saw the pillar of light shooting up to the sky. It was pretty much a glaring sign that something had gone wrong. And to their enemies, this will tell them that Marquee had not been idle in developing their own unique weapons to try and end the war. What's worse was that Project D wasn't meant to just be a weapon. It was meant to be the solution to their growing energy needs, an infinite supply of heat and light for them to exploit and use to their heart's content.

"H-Head Intellect?"

Ignoring the looks the various Academics around her were giving her, Vesper made her way to the crater's edge. Her green eyes took in the catastrophic damage her project had caused, the lives of those that once lived above it were now gone because of something that had gone wrong.

Taking a deep breath, she reigned in her anger as she shouted out, "Status!"

At her voice, every Academic went in line as she eyed them all with a scrutinizing gaze. Through her [Oversight], she had seen all that was happening around the city, and through it, the foreigners that just arrived mere hours ago jumped to the top of her list of suspects.

"Nearby civilians had been completely evacuated, Head Intellect!" one Academic reported. "The damages sustained in the blast were massive, but minimal casualties had been recorded thus far!"

Vesper narrowed her eyes at the report. "Anything else?!"

"Preliminary investigations suggest that the explosion might've been an accident," another Academic reported. "The pillar of light suggests that it was caused by a failed innovation, one that might be developed by an Intellect."

"Yes, and that Intellect was me," Vesper declared. "And I can assure you that the innovation in question would have never failed this catastrophically without outside interference."

Everybody present had their eyes widen at her confession. If Vesper was the one in charge, then it fell to her to pay for the damages caused by her innovation. Of course, with her being Head Intellect, it could also mean that it was a state secret that shouldn't have failed in the first place... which meant...

"A spy?!"

"Indeed," Vesper frowned. "I'm here to personally bring the criminal to justice. I will also try and stabilize the innovation before it goes critical."

"W-What?!"

Vesper scoffed, "This is my innovation, so it's my responsibility to power it down."

She shook her head. Did they seriously think she wouldn't risk her life to correct a mistake? She designed the damn thing, so it was her job to keep it in check.

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