On August 27, as the armed helicopter came to a steady stop at Qinggang City Naval Base, Haizaki and Utaha finally arrived at the port city located eight hundred kilometers away from Wuhua City.
Like Wuhua City, Qinggang City now looked desolate. High-rise buildings were covered in a layer of gray dust, cement roads were cracked and broken in patches, and weeds grew thickly everywhere.
In just four months, a once-prosperous city had lost all traces of civilization and vitality.
This trip to Qinggang City, eight hundred kilometers away, was not only to fulfill the promise Haizaki had made to the girl three weeks earlier—to take her on a seaside vacation—but also to explore the naval base, gathering usable intelligence and materials.
At present, he already possessed a considerable amount of information on the Eastern Union's land and air forces, but naval data was still lacking.
He needed to collect military intelligence from major powers as reserves.
After returning to the initial world, he would make use of it according to actual circumstances.
He only hoped he could bring it back.
If he couldn't, it would mean that his risky journeys to Japan, to the Northern Union (Russia), and to other countries would have all been in vain.
"This sea… just like in Japan… its blue is so captivating."
After getting off the helicopter, Utaha gazed at the vast blue ocean, a faint smile appearing on her face as her mind relaxed.
She liked the sea.
After five months, she was finally seeing the ocean again.
"Haizaki…-kun, thank you…"
After arriving in Wuhua City, she had once thought that she would never see the sea again in her lifetime.
She hadn't expected Haizaki to take the initiative and help her realize that wish.
One regret in her life had been erased.
She had inspiration for a new volume.
"Let's go. Let's find some vehicles that can still run." Although hearing Utaha address him by his given name surprised Haizaki a little, he chose to brush it aside and spoke.
After just five months, most vehicles were still usable.
With Haizaki's current repair skills, he could also handle simple malfunctions.
"Mm."
Utaha followed behind Haizaki, carrying a backpack and a bag.
They had brought quite a lot of supplies. After all, with Qinggang City having lost power, all frozen food had already spoiled.
This seaside vacation was meant to relieve the accumulated pressure of staying in Wuhua City, allowing both body and mind to truly relax.
Following behind Haizaki, Utaha had assumed he would choose a hotel, but instead, he selected a seaside villa.
This villa was equipped with a solar power generation system.
"Change clothes. We're starting the cleaning."
Utaha softly responded, full of motivation.
She was responsible for most of their household chores. Her housekeeping skill—Cleaning—had long since been unlocked.
Still, facing the size of an entire villa, she felt considerable pressure.
"Hang in there!"
Utaha encouraged herself.
In the past, traveling had been pure enjoyment—hotel accommodations, local cuisine, convenient transportation, all achievable with money.
But now…
Everything had to be done by just her and Haizaki.
After doing so much, it was inevitably tiring. Compared to past travels, every trip now required hard work first, enjoyment later.
A world without people was indeed inconvenient and lonely.
…
Utaha was responsible for cleaning, while Haizaki inspected the power system and water supply.
After confirming that water and electricity were functional, Haizaki began helping her with the villa's cleaning.
Two hours later, the two bedrooms, bathroom, first-floor living room, kitchen, and the outdoor courtyard had all been cleaned.
However, after being left unattended for so long, the villa emitted a strong smell of mold and decay.
All they could do was open the doors and windows wide and use air fresheners to reduce the odor.
"So tired…"
After finishing the cleaning, Utaha completely ignored her ladylike image and sprawled lazily across the sofa, her body fully relaxed.
"You get some rest. I'll look around nearby and see what we can replenish."
The supplies they had brought didn't include long-lasting seasonings like oil, salt, and sauces.
"I'll go with you."
"You should stay here and rest."
Haizaki had decided to head toward the military port. This was his best window for action.
"I want to take a look around Qinggang City."
"I don't recommend that. Qinggang City isn't much different from Wuhua City."
Cities all over the world now looked almost the same.
They all exuded the decay of a civilization that had vanished.
"Oh, I see. Then…"
At that moment, Utaha, sprawled on the sofa and freely displaying her graceful figure, revealed a mischievous smile.
"Help me relax a bit. After all the traveling and nonstop cleaning, I feel completely worn out. I urgently need Haizaki-kun to help me properly relax."
She was constantly trying to entice Haizaki.
Casual, unintentional seduction could sometimes produce unexpected results.
Moreover, for this seaside vacation, she had deliberately searched all over Wuhua City to find her decisive swimsuit.
When the time came, she would make it impossible for Haizaki to look away and conquer him completely.
She didn't believe that Haizaki truly wouldn't be moved by her sexy figure and the beauty she displayed as a woman.
"Is that okay?"
Her slightly seductive, alluring tone, coupled with her wine-red eyes releasing an intimate gaze, made Utaha seem as if she were calling out to him.
"No. I'm sore all over too."
Haizaki stretched his body, his joints letting out crisp cracking sounds.
"Then let me help you massage. But which part do you prefer?"
Utaha extended her slender, fair hands. Her right hand then pointed to her legs, while her left…
A smile she couldn't hide appeared on her face.
"Which one do you like? Either is fine."
…
Haizaki suspected that Utaha had noticed some of his unusual behavior.
However, out of respect for his personal matters, she never asked or probed further. The two of them maintained a certain tacit understanding.
She was probably waiting for him to voluntarily tell her his secret.
But this secret was something Haizaki believed he would never tell her.
The vehicle slowly entered the military port.
Haizaki's eyes reflected the sight of Union warships. Once mighty and imposing, their hulls were now mottled with rust, emitting a sense of desolation.
Time really could change many things.
"Let's begin."
Haizaki took out his tools and camera.
Having explored several military bases before, he was already quite familiar with this kind of work.
He didn't need too much material—just a few documents involving core secrets would be enough.
At present, he couldn't obtain usable data from removed hard drives, but once he unlocked the hacking skill through the "system," he would be able to use these materials to achieve his goals.
His goal was to borrow important military data from various countries to prove his own special nature.
He had no direct evidence to prove that an apocalypse would occur in two years, but he could use other methods to increase the Union's and other countries' trust in him.
Through this, he aimed to help humanity prepare for the apocalypse in advance.
…