Virtual Reality Cultivator-Chapter 56: Assault on the Zenith Base

The shadow of Zenith's hidden outpost resembled a sleeping monster in the darkness of space. Nestled in the orbit of a dead asteroid, the station was nearly invisible to conventional radar. But not to Ethan and his team—not tonight.

Inside the cockpit of their ship, Ardent Flame, Ethan stood before the large screen, delivering the final instructions.

"Remember, this isn't just a rescue mission. This is a message. We're not easy prey."

Nova sat beside Seraphina, her eyes red from sleepless nights and the lingering weight of guilt.

"My little sister, Lena... she's just a child. They're keeping her like a bargaining chip," she muttered quietly.

Claire gently patted her shoulder. "We'll bring her home."

The Infiltration Begins

At 02:00 UTC, the Ardent Flame glided in silent mode toward their pre-planned landing point. They infiltrated the base through an old maintenance tunnel filled with debris and outdated traps—proof that Zenith went to great lengths to keep the place hidden.

"Motion sensors detected. But they're still using an old system," whispered Seraphina as she tinkered with her portable device.

Click.

"We're in."

Ethan gave a signal. Raze and Bell moved forward, weapons drawn, eyes sharp. The team advanced swiftly, navigating through the dark corridors that reeked of rust and blood from wars long past.

Footsteps echoed softly on metal. Heartbeats quickened. Cold sweat began to form. No one spoke—all were laser-focused.

The Fight Breaks Out

In the lower storage area, two Zenith guards spotted them too soon. An alarm was about to go off—but Claire's bullet was faster. They dropped before touching their triggers.

But the sound of gunfire drew attention.

"Hostiles incoming from the west sector!" Lazarus shouted through comms.

Boom!

A small explosion shook the base. The team split up: Ethan, Nova, and Seraphina headed for the detention area to rescue Lena, while Bell, Raze, and Claire held off enemies at the exit route.

Ethan and Nova slipped into the cellblock. One final guard tried to stand in their way, but Seraphina's electric round dropped him instantly.

Behind a transparent cell shielded by an energy field, Lena sat huddled, clutching a worn-out teddy bear.

"Lena!!" Nova cried out, nearly sprinting.

"Not yet!" Ethan warned, then fired a compact EMP at the locking panel.

With a soft hiss, the energy field vanished. Nova rushed in, wrapping her sister in a tight embrace, tears spilling freely.

"We're going home... we're finally going home..."

Stylish Retreat

With Lena safe, Ethan called Bell.

"Take Route B. We're heading out through the launch deck."

"Copy that. But the hostiles are closing in fast. We'll need cover fire."

Seraphina pulled something from her backpack. "Figured as much. That's why I brought this."

She revealed a custom-made plasma charge. "Not just for breaking doors. It'll scramble their comms too."

They dashed through the corridors, exchanging fire—bullets dancing through the air, weapon flashes and explosions lighting the gloom. In the chaos, Lena stayed calm, tightly hugged by Nova and carried by Claire.

A Small Victory, A Heavy Price

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They made it.

The Zenith base exploded from the inside, lighting up the asteroid like a second sun. Ardent Flame picked them up at the launch deck and raced out of radar range.

Inside the ship, everyone let out a breath of relief.

But this victory wasn't without cost.

Raze was injured in his left arm. Bell nearly lost his hearing in the blast. Seraphina was completely exhausted. Nova clung to her sister, crying without pause.

Ethan sat in the medbay, watching them all. Though his body was worn out, his heart felt a little lighter.

"We did it... and we didn't lose anyone."

Clarity of Purpose

Hours later, Ethan stood at the observation deck. Claire approached with two cups of warm drink.

"Still feeling guilty?"

Ethan gave a faint, bitter smile. "Maybe. But... now I know one thing. I'm going to bring Zenith down. To the ground."

Claire raised her cup. "Then let's begin the next Chapter."

They clinked their cups beneath the silent stars—a false calm before the coming storm.