When the mission notice arrived.
Irina was organizing samples.
The room was quiet.
The air circulation system continued running.
More than a dozen transparent containers were arranged across the table.
Inside were ores, permafrost, and contamination residues from different sources.
Each container was labeled with a number.
Date.
Source location.
Hazard level.
She sat at the desk.
Wearing protective gloves.
She recorded the newly completed analysis data into the archive.
The tip of her pen moved across the paper.
Leaving behind neat handwriting.
This was not a combat department.
Nor was it an ability user training institution.
The Special Environmental Handling Division was more like a research department.
Most of the time.
Her work was to analyze.
Record.
Determine.
Then propose a solution.
Ability was never the first choice.
In fact.
The Northveil Directorate had never encouraged ability users to rely on their abilities to solve problems.
Problems that could be solved with technology.
Technology took priority.
Problems that could be solved through procedures.
Procedures took priority.
Only when every other method failed.
Would an ability user become the final measure.
That was why the staff here had a special attitude toward Irina.
There was no worship.
No awe.
More than anything.
There was trust.
They knew.
When the situation had reached the point where Kelvin had to be contacted.
It usually meant the situation had already exceeded normal handling procedures.
A knock sounded at the door.
Knock.
Knock.
Knock.
"Come in."
The door opened.
A staff member walked into the office.
He was holding a freshly printed document.
"Special Handling Level."
He said.
Then placed the documents on the desk.
Irina stopped what she was doing.
Her eyes fell on the cover.
The approval section at the top had already been signed.
First Director.
Oksana Volkov.
The staff member added.
"Eastern Region."
"Routine management has failed."
"The Administrative Center has requested special handling authorization."
Irina nodded.
She took the documents.
And began reading.
The room became quiet again.
The staff member did not leave.
He simply stood to the side and waited.
He knew.
She would read the entire report first.
Several minutes passed.
The only sound in the room was the turning of pages.
Contamination spread curves.
On-site photographs.
Treatment records.
Underground structural scans.
Isolation zone deployment maps.
She went through everything page by page.
When she reached the latter part.
Irina's movements gradually slowed.
She stared at one of the scan images.
For a long time.
She did not turn the page.
The staff member noticed.
"Did you find something?"
Irina extended her hand.
And pointed at the diagram.
"Here."
The staff member looked down.
It was a blurry area.
The underground scan showed a significant gap.
"Equipment failure?"
He asked.
Irina shook her head.
"More like something is blocking it."
"There is another space underneath."
The staff member immediately recorded it.
"I'll notify the field team."
She said nothing more.
Instead.
She continued reading the entire report.
Only after reaching the final page.
Did she slowly close it.
"When do we leave?"
"The transport vehicle is already prepared."
"Understood."
She stood.
Removed her work gloves.
And walked toward the changing area.
Meanwhile.
Inside the Executive Director's office.
Documents were still piled across the desk.
The screen displayed the latest data from the Eastern Region.
The contamination index was still rising.
Faster than yesterday.
Oksana quietly stared at the report.
A knock came from behind her.
"Come in."
Her secretary entered the room.
"Kelvin has received the notice."
Oksana nodded.
She said nothing.
The secretary hesitated.
Then spoke anyway.
"Should I arrange a communications channel?"
The room fell silent.
After a few seconds.
Oksana reached for the terminal.
"Put her through."
The connection was established.
After a brief wait.
The screen lit up.
Irina appeared on the other end.
She had just changed into her field equipment.
She was adjusting her cold-weather gear.
"Executive Director."
"Have you finished reviewing the documents?"
"Yes."
"What do you think?"
Irina was silent for a few seconds.
"There is something underground."
"Are you confident you can handle it?"
"No."
The answer was direct.
Without hesitation.
Oksana was not surprised.
Because she knew.
When it came to truly dangerous contamination incidents.
No one could guarantee success.
"Are you still going?"
The room became quiet.
Irina lowered her head.
She tightened the straps on her equipment.
Checked her communications device.
Then raised her head.
"If I don't go."
"The mining district will be affected."
Oksana looked at her.
"And?"
"The handling team will continue going inside."
"People will die."
There was a long silence on the other end of the communication.
Finally.
Oksana slowly nodded.
"Stay safe."
"Mm."
The communication ended.
The screen went dark.
The secretary stood beside her.
Saying nothing.
Because she knew.
That was all the concern the Executive Director could offer.
In the Northveil Directorate.
No one called anyone a hero.
No one spoke of sacrifice.
They only hoped that the people carrying out the mission could come back.
Alive.
Back at the underground transport station.
The tracked transport vehicle was ready.
Technicians were conducting the final inspection.
Detection equipment.
Energy modules.
Communications relays.
Everything was being checked one by one.
When Irina arrived.
Several staff members immediately stepped aside.
Some nodded in acknowledgment.
Others simply continued working.
There was no welcoming ceremony.
No unnecessary small talk.
Before a mission began.
Everyone was more concerned with their own responsibilities.
The team leader walked over.
And handed her the latest report.
"Spread rate has increased by two percent."
"What about the mining district?"
"Safe for now."
"Estimated contact time?"
"Approximately sixty hours."
She finished reading the data.
And immediately boarded the transport vehicle.
The team leader followed behind her.
The doors closed.
The transport vehicle began to move.
The heavy gate slowly opened.
The frozen wasteland appeared once again in their view.
Snow and wind swept through the darkness.
Searchlights illuminated the road ahead.
The inside of the vehicle was extremely quiet.
Only the sound of equipment operating could be heard.
Several young team members secretly glanced toward Irina.
To them.
She had always been a special existence.
Sixteen years old.
An ability user.
A special handling officer.
Many of them had heard her name.
Few had actually met her.
Finally.
One of the young men could not resist speaking.
"Miss Kelvin."
Several people in the vehicle turned their heads at once.
The young man immediately became nervous.
Irina looked at him.
"What is it?"
"What does it feel like... when you use your ability?"
The question made several others perk up their ears.
Clearly.
They were curious as well.
Irina thought for a moment.
"Cold."
The young man froze.
"Cold?"
"Mm."
She looked out the window.
"Like putting your hand into ice water."
"Then sinking deeper and deeper."
"Going farther down."
The vehicle became silent.
The answer was completely different from what they had imagined.
No power.
No overwhelming sensation.
Only cold.
Irina did not continue explaining.
Because that feeling was difficult to describe.
When Phase Transition Dominion activated.
She could sense changes in the state of matter.
She could also sense the flow of energy within it.
And every contact.
Would allow the cold to continue invading her body.
That was one of the reasons she disliked using her ability too frequently.
Abilities were never free.
She understood that better than anyone.
Several hours later.
The transport vehicle arrived in the Eastern Region.
An abandoned observation station appeared deep within the snowstorm.
Half of the tower had already been buried beneath ice and snow.
The temporary field base was still lit.
Detection equipment continued operating.
Warning lights flashed from time to time.
The team leader immediately came forward.
"Welcome."
Irina nodded.
"Data."
Several reports were immediately handed to her.
She stood beneath the searchlight and read them.
No one at the scene disturbed her.
Time slowly passed.
She first examined the failed treatment records.
Then the contamination growth curves.
Finally, the sampling results.
After reading everything.
She personally inspected the equipment on-site.
Questioned the technicians.
Asked about the detection procedures.
Confirmed every step.
Only after confirming that all handling procedures met the required standards.
Did she walk toward the isolation zone.
This was the habit of the Northveil Directorate.
Confirm first.
Then determine.
Finally, act.
Do not skip steps.
Do not trust intuition.
Because intuition could lie.
Data could not.
At the edge of the isolation zone.
Black contamination had already appeared beneath the snow.
Like ink seeping into white paper.
Slowly spreading outward.
The readings on the detection device began rising continuously.
Beep.
Beep.
Beep.
The alarm was especially clear in the snowstorm.
Everyone instinctively held their breath.
Irina crouched down.
Removed the glove from her right hand.
The freezing wind immediately touched her skin.
She reached out.
And gently touched the black layer of ice.
Instantly.
A massive amount of information surged into her mind.
The contamination structure.
The direction of its spread.
Residual energy.
And an anomaly deeper below.
Several seconds later.
She slowly opened her eyes.
Her gaze passed beyond the observation station.
And settled on a point beneath the ice.
Somewhere much deeper.
The team leader noticed the change in her expression.
"What did you find?"
Everyone around them looked at her at the same time.
The wind howled.
The searchlights swayed slightly.
Irina remained silent for several seconds.
Finally.
She spoke.
"The contamination isn't the source."
The air seemed to fall silent.
"What do you mean?"
The team leader immediately pressed her for an answer.
Irina slowly stood.
Her gaze remained fixed on the distance.
"This contamination."
"Was expelled."
Everyone's expression changed slightly.
The team leader's voice became low.
"There's something else underground?"
Irina gently nodded.
Then said something that left everyone silent.
"And."
"It is still alive."