NIKKE, When the Milky Way Blossoms

These things weren't difficult, and with real objects available for experimentation, the girls quickly grasped the most basic logic of firing a gun and gained a preliminary understanding of how firearms operate.

Because the fourteen girls were all around the same age, and Anise was not only beautiful but also very outgoing and witty, the girls willingly placed their trust in each other within just ten minutes.

"Sister Anise, who was that...who was the man who came with you at the beginning?"

Walking through the secret passage leading to the outer edge of the district, thirteen-year-old Natalia asked the question that her older sisters were most curious about and most anxious about.

No one helps others for no reason; this is an ideology that the residents of the outer perimeter have been instilled with since childhood.

Anis, who had lived in the outer perimeter for a period of time, was naturally aware of this.

Selfless help is nothing like a fairy tale to them; it's something that simply doesn't exist.

But Anise knew her man's temperament better than anyone else; the Commander had no intention of getting anything in return from these girls.

The reason he was willing to pay so much was simply because he saw it, he loathed it, and so he chose to change it.

"That man? He's my boyfriend," Anise teased with a smile, while considering how to appease him. "Don't even think about getting a piece of his pie!"

"Boyfriend, what does 'boyfriend' mean?" Natalia asked a question that made everyone feel embarrassed after hearing her sister Anise's answer.

There are no schools in the outer perimeter area, and there is no internet in the true sense of the word.

Therefore, the word "boyfriend," which should be commonplace, was indeed a bit too advanced for Natalia, who had lived a life of mere companionship with her parents for many years and had few friends.

Why specifically call someone your boyfriend when you're just friends?

“Natalia, boyfriend means husband. Your father is your mother’s boyfriend.”

On the other side, Ilovna, who had some understanding of the word "boyfriend" but only a very limited understanding, kindly explained the little girl's misunderstanding of "boyfriend".

She was fourteen years old, and she felt it was her duty to teach her little sister, who had never seen much of the world, what she had learned.

Is this the outer edge region?

Anise, now a second lieutenant's wife, realized that her understanding of the outer perimeter was still not deep enough. Of course, it could also be because she lived in the Peony Society at the time, where the security and cultural level were so good that Anise once suspected that she was living in the slums of the Ark.

However, on the other hand, the young girl, who hadn't even received a ring yet, boldly accepted the title of "Second Lieutenant's Wife."

"Oh right, I mean... cough cough, let me make this clear from the start, my boyfriend definitely didn't save you for nothing."

To soothe the girls' anxieties, Anise didn't explain that her husband's actions were simply due to his dislike of human traffickers. Instead, she followed public opinion and made demands on the traffickers.

“We’re going to the Outer Edge to find someone. You should know how troublesome it is to find someone in the Outer Edge. So my boyfriend saved you for a simple reason: as long as you help us find that person, we’ll call it even after it’s done.”

"Okay...okay! Sister Anise!!!"

The girls, including Natalia, breathed a sigh of relief when they learned that the couple had gone to great lengths to rescue them in order to get their help in gathering information.

Unfortunately, they were about to reach the exit of the outer area along the secret passage.

The breath that had been sent down was once again successfully forced back into their throats.

In the middle of the passage ahead, a man stood upright, gazing at them with an expression so calm it could be described as indifferent.

Looking at one side of the passageway, there were about a dozen or twenty desperate criminals and human traffickers haphazardly piled together. Without getting a closer look, it was impossible to tell whether they were alive or dead.

"Come here, everyone."

Seeing the girls subconsciously slow their pace, Lieutenant Phoenix slightly tilted his chin and gave the order in a deep, authoritative voice:

"Now I'll teach you how to kill."

Chapter 155 Starting tonight, the difficulty of the outer perimeter will be increased to Hell.

"First of all, if there's no hole in your head, you're not dead."

In the underground passage, the lieutenant held a pistol that he had confiscated from someone, and moved the muzzle up and down at a human trafficker who had already woken up.

"Secondly, sometimes you don't necessarily have to aim for the torso. Although the Ark's body armor can stop Bretcher's machine gun, it can stop a few rifle bullets without any problem. So sometimes we can spray bullets at the thighs."

boom--! ! !

No sooner had the lieutenant finished speaking than a loud gunshot rang out, followed by the heart-wrenching screams of the human traffickers echoing through the tunnel.

"Bullets have a cavity effect... Well, let's not talk about that for now. You just need to know that the pain caused by a bullet hitting the human body is generally unbearable for most people, unless the target is in an extremely excited state. Otherwise, a single shot can render the target incapable of fighting."

Listening to Lieutenant Phoenix's explanation, the girls all nodded obediently. Except for the two youngest, the others' expressions were almost unmoved by the traffickers' screams.

Anyone who lives to be twenty in the outer perimeter of the city has seen a few dead people.

Seeing that no one asked a question, Phoenix raised the muzzle of his gun slightly and continued, "Thirdly, anyone whose head is not pierced must be shot in the head unless required by the prisoner."

boom--! ! !

The screams abruptly ceased with the second gunshot, which also jolted the last unconscious fugitive awake.

Under the horrified gazes of the thugs, the man took two steps back against the other wall, turned to look at the girls, and calmly said:

"Remember these three points for now. Anyone who dares to kill can come and try. I won't force anyone who doesn't dare to kill."

Also, let me make this clear from the start.

The first time I saved you was because you had no ability to resist or the conditions to fight.

Now that each of you has a gun, if anyone chooses to give up resistance and struggle, then I have no obligation to save her a second time.

The lieutenant's gaze gradually turned cold, and his murderous aura spread outwards without his knowledge.

"Because I have neither the time nor the interest to waste my energy on people who voluntarily give up the fight."

Fortunately, the man's aura was strong enough that the girls couldn't immediately connect what he said with Anise's request.

Otherwise, given their normal intelligence, they would have quickly discovered that the lieutenant and his wife had not colluded on their "confessions".

"What if I kill them?!"

suddenly!

Among the thirteen people, a black-haired girl who looked to be in her early twenties stepped forward. She had a gentle and generous appearance, but her eyes held a courage that she had finally mustered up.

"If I kill them, will you spend your time on us?"

"???"

Nancy's words were clearly beyond the expectations of the lieutenant surnamed Fei.

Those who have neither the time nor the interest to waste their energy on those who give up the fight, conversely, those who are willing to fight have the time and energy to take care of the other party.

The logic... seems fine, but why does it sound so awkward when it's said?

Out of concern for his kidneys, the man replied coldly without hesitation: "They kidnapped you. They want to sell you to the three major companies. Half of you will die in the Nikki surgery, and most of the remaining half, or even all of you, will become mass-produced Nikkis."

So you're killing them for yourselves, not for me.

"But the gangs in the outer districts don't allow us to have guns!"

Who knew that the girl named Nancy was also going all out, taking two more steps forward, biting her lip, and the fingertips of her fingers gripping the rifle handguard had turned completely white.

“As soon as the gang finds out we have guns and bullets, they will do everything they can to attack us.”

In the outer areas, guns and bullets are more valuable than human lives. We might live a few more years without guns, but if people find out we have guns, we might not even survive six months on our own.

At this point, Nancy realized that her words sounded like those of a despicable person who takes advantage of others' kindness, so she lowered her head and helplessly apologized for what she had said.

“I…I’m sorry, sir. I didn’t mean to blame you, I just…I just wanted to live.”

I just want to live.

Seven simple words speak louder than a thousand, completely exposing the true nature of the outer area.

Lieutenant Phoenix, who had never been to the outer perimeter before, glanced at the dozen or so girls behind Nancy, and finally his gaze settled on Anise.

The moment their eyes met, the man knew Nancy wasn't lying; the true situation in the outer perimeter was far more dire than he had imagined.

He had assumed it was a slum rife with guns and constant gunfights.

Based on Nancy's description, the outer perimeter area doesn't resemble a slum at all; it's more like a rotten land ruled by warlords, where human life is treated like dirt.

Tsk,

It seems the outer perimeter is too comfortable.

After a moment's hesitation, Phoenix gestured with his chin toward the desperados and human traffickers on the ground whose kneecaps he had shattered.

"You can follow me if you want, to prove your worth."

……

……

boom--! ! !

When the heavy slug shotgun unleashed its furious roar, a Xhosa gang member hiding behind the wall was blasted through the steel plate with a bullet hole.

However, the bullet holes in the steel plate were only the size of bullet holes, while the bullet hole in his chest was large enough to fit through a fist.

Here it is again...

Hogan, hiding on the other side of the bunker, saw his brother slip to the ground with his eyes wide open in death, the blood on the ground a terrifying sight that seemed to seep into his very bones, finally tearing his remaining sanity to shreds.

He had no idea what had happened that night.