Anchor, Stop Pretending, You're in Chaldea - Chapter 3

“180 seconds left until the isolation wall is sealed. Employees remaining in the central area, please evacuate through the second gate quickly!”

The system’s alarm echoed in the control room, which had turned into a sea of fire. On the screen in the live room, Mashu was motionless, pinned beneath a massive, shattered pillar.

“Mashu!!!”

Bai Qiu couldn’t control his body and shouted as he rushed over, completely disregarding the falling debris and the waves of heat assaulting him.

“…Sen…pai?”

Mashu struggled to raise her head, her lips devoid of color. Blood, crimson in hue, flowed from the part of her body crushed by the boulder. But she still made an effort to smile.

Watching this scene, Bai Qiu couldn’t bear to look anymore. Even though he knew this was an inevitable outcome. Even though he knew that in a short while, Mashu would be healed by Galahad and become a demi-Servant. Even though he knew his worries were unnecessary. But looking at Mashu in this state, Bai Qiu still felt as if his chest had been struck hard, rendering him unable to speak.

His phone fell from his hand, and the camera happened to focus on Bai Qiu and Mashu’s vicinity.

“…Senpai…you don’t have to worry about me…please, run away…I’ll be fine…”

Mashu’s words were faint, intermittent, as if she wouldn’t be able to hold on for another second.

“Mashu, don’t speak anymore!”

Bai Qiu reached out and held Mashu’s cold hand. He realized that Mashu’s hand was so small, small enough for his palm to completely envelop it.

“You’ll be fine, Mashu. You’ll get better soon.”

Bai Qiu spoke with certainty to Mashu.

“…Senpai’s words…bring me so much comfort…”

Mashu weakly shook her head.

“…But, Senpai…don’t worry about me…there’s not enough time…”

“It’s okay, Mashu. I’ll stay here with you.”

Afterwards, Bai Qiu sat down directly beside Mashu, using his own hand to try and warm Mashu’s fingers, which had already lost their warmth.

“Warning to observation personnel: CHALDEAS’ status has changed.”

“Simulated future observation data for Sheba has been altered. Human survival on Earth one hundred years from now cannot be confirmed.”

“The central isolation wall is sealed. Cleaning of the facility will commence in 90 seconds!”

Accompanied by the warning, the entire control room was sealed, leaving Bai Qiu with no way to retreat.

“…Senpai…I’m sorry…it’s all my fault…”

Mashu’s expression showed remorse.

“It’s okay, Mashu.”

Bai Qiu continued to gently accompany Mashu.

“Senpai…in here…we can’t see the sky at all…”

“Yeah, but I promise I’ll take you, Mashu, to travel to many countries and experience many things.”

Bai Qiu turned his head and looked at Mashu, giving her a smile.

“Let’s go and see the sky outside together, Mashu.”

“Mm…Senpai…thank you…”

Mashu whispered softly and then smiled happily, slowly closing her eyes.

Bai Qiu held Mashu’s hand tightly.

This is the only thing he can do for his junior now.

“Reset the suitable number 48 as Master, Anti-Summoning System, activate!!”

With a burst of intense light, a huge red flame engulfed the entire control room, and a stone slab fell and hit the phone.

Crack.

The livestream was interrupted.

“The host is not currently live, please wait.”

All the viewers in the livestream held their breath, nervously watching the now black screen, hoping for it to resume.

One minute, two minutes, three minutes.

Five minutes passed, and still no one sent any bullet comments.

Everyone was immersed in the shocking scene just now, and the touching conversation between Mashu and Bai Qiu made everyone extremely worried. Who has time to send bullet comments?!

The livestream room fell silent for a long time, finally welcoming the first bullet comment.

“Oh my god! Call the police!!!”

This bullet comment seemed to remind all the viewers in the livestream, and suddenly everyone started frantically sending bullet comments.

“Yes, yes, call the police! Someone might have died!!!”

“Such a big fire, and stones falling everywhere, not enough lives to spare!!!”

“Where does this host live? Any old fans know?”

“If you don’t know, call customer service and let them check!”

Just when chaos broke out in the livestream room, a melon-eating viewer finally sent a rational bullet comment.

“Wait, everyone, isn’t this a fire drill? Most likely, what just happened was all staged, right?”

Sure enough, everyone quickly calmed down.

“Hey, you make a good point, buddy.”

“Yeah, you’re not wrong.”

“This host used special effects to make us cry, right?!”

“There were some noises just now, mentioning something about the future of humanity. Could this be a sci-fi movie shoot?”

“Let’s ask him properly when he goes live again.”

“Miss Mashu is so my type, I almost cried just now.”

“It feels like watching a blockbuster movie, with a plot and everything. Is the streaming industry this crazy now?”

Even in the face of a black screen, the viewers in the livestream room didn’t leave, but instead treated it like a break room and started chatting hotly.

Little did these people know, at this moment, Bai Qiu and Mashu had appeared in Fuyuki City on January 30, 2004 AD.

“Chirp~~~ Chirp~~~”

Bai Qiu’s face was licked by something.

“Ah!”

He suddenly woke up and looked at Fou squatting beside him.

“Right, I should be… ugh…”

The soreness all over his body began to intensify.

Bai Qiu endured the pain and looked around.

He was in a completely devastated abandoned city, with collapsed skyscraper ruins everywhere, and in the distance, a red flame was flashing, a scene of the end of the world.

No problem, just a minor issue, it’s just that Fuyuki City has been destroyed again.

“Shoo——————!!!”

Suddenly, specks of starlight shone down from above Bai Qiu’s head!

Instinctively, Bai Qiu immediately took cover in the nearby ruins, only to see a familiar figure quickly blocking in front of him.

It’s Mashu!!!

She was using her shield to block the first wave of attacks from a certain Red Arcer.

“Senpai, are you okay?”

Mashu turned around and asked anxiously.

“I’m fine.”

Seeing Mashu wielding a shield that was as tall as a person, Bai Qiu finally breathed a sigh of relief now that she had successfully become a Demi-Servant.

But soon, he realized another problem.

He needed to have more combat power on his side now.

Right, the livestream!

Bai Qiu suddenly remembered about the livestream, but he couldn’t find his phone anywhere.

Oh no, could it be left in the control room of Chaldea?

That would have turned to ashes!

“System!”

Bai Qiu immediately shouted in his mind.

“I don’t have any livestreaming tools here, come up with a solution for me!”

[Beep beep – Considering the current host’s situation, the livestream connection has been switched to the host’s wristband.]

[The host only needs to open the wristband to start the livestream, and the view can be freely adjusted to panoramic or close-up mode.]

[Beep beep – The current host’s points have reached 1100, meeting the requirements for a lucky draw.]

[Would you like to start the lucky draw now?]