episode_0219
by fnovelpia
“Human?”
Maria’s face suddenly turned cold upon Ike’s intrusion. Her expression changed mechanically, and she closed her eyes and concentrated.
It appeared that they were probably checking surveillance equipment.
“… There is definitely a group of people visible outside the factory area.”
‘They must be people approaching for the operation Blair mentioned.’
A series of groups, humans. The random box I had been waiting for arrived at just the right time.
However, it seemed like they had not yet entered the factory area where Awaken’s hideout was hidden. Maria said it was outside, and if it had already entered, she would have detected it on her own even if Ike hadn’t reported it.
It was probably something that the android in charge of the outskirts directly observed and reported.
“A hundred humans appeared wearing battle suits. Considering the combat androids, armored vehicles, and drones flying in the air, it is almost like an army.”
‘and… ‘Did you really prepare properly?’
It was a slightly larger force than I expected.
Considering the vast expanse of Elysion as a whole, you might say that the number was not that large, but looking at the level of equipment Ike mentioned, there was a high possibility that each and every one of them was an elite personnel.
Looking at Ike’s report with a serious face, it seemed like he was a little worried about the human forces.
Although the size of Awaken has increased, if you count the number of people, it is still in the three digits. More than half of them are even leaving the hideout and engaging in outdoor activities.
No matter how much the basic specifications of androids are higher than those of humans, that was only when humans were naked.
Unless they were androids specialized in combat, there was no way they could be a match for the humans who brought their equipment with purpose.
The hideout has its own defense provisions, but even so, how great is the level of preparedness in an abandoned factory area? It’s all about crude booby traps and poor armament.
It was clear that the difference in power would be wiped out in an instant if he didn’t come to his senses, so it wasn’t unreasonable for Ike to have a stiff expression.
Maria muttered with her eyes closed.
“I don’t know how they know about this place. Has the location of the hideout been leaked? ?”
“It seems that the attack on the factory attracted people’s attention.”
“I can’t help it. We can’t deal with them head-on yet. Prepare to withdraw. Fortunately, we are far away from the enemy, so we will all be able to evacuate before they arrive.”
“Okay.”
‘what? withdrawal?’
As I quietly watched their conversation, I was momentarily startled.
Even if it was impossible to face each other head-on, I thought there would be at least a collision. While the other androids were biding their time, my plan was to sneak a peek at the equipment the humans had delivered here.
But are you trying to hit me without even meeting my face?
‘Write… ‘Evande.’
I talked to Ike with the intention of taking some time.
“How are you going to run away? If what you say is true, the drone will track our entire movement path in the air. If you run away like this, you will be hunted one by one. Wouldn’t it be better to meet the enemy in this factory area, which is an advantageous space for us?”
“There is a sewer system in the basement of the factory that is currently not in use. A passage large enough for people to pass through. If you escape through there, you can outrun even the drones that are watching from the sky.”
‘Why does this crazy world love secret passageways so much? There’s one at the Android production factory, and there’s one at this old factory too?’
To be precise, this was not a secret passage but a sewer, but it made no difference in the current situation.
As I looked around to see if there was any other excuse, my eyes caught sight of Maria in the center of the tent.
“Then what about Maria? How does she plan to move?”
Maria is connected to various equipment in the tent through bundles of cables and wires. She didn’t even have parts covering her lower body and head.
The problem was how to separate and move the heavy equipment connected to her, the purpose of which was unknown.
I don’t know what the environment was like in that sewer, which is said to be no longer in use, but it felt like a short circuit would occur if even a single drop of water fell on the top of my head while I was being carried by another android.
It was Maria who answered my question, not Ike.
“It’s okay. Because I have no special affection for this hardware.”
“What is that… ”
A question naturally arose from the incomprehensible sound.
Maria gently opened her closed eyes and looked at me. It was a happy face, like looking at a small child.
“Usually, androids who have just awakened self-consciousness tend to become attached to their physical bodies. But not me. Since his initial awakening, he has already changed his body into different androids several times to escape from the scientists. Since I settled here, I don’t have to do that anymore… If necessary, data can be transferred to a spare body at any time. It’s difficult to take all the equipment modules, so just take the important ones.”
“… … .”
A novel idea where you can replace your body with a spare body. No, isn’t this a novel story in the science fiction world? Among the science fiction works I saw, there were works in which humans, not androids, moved between bodies.
“If it’s the size Ike just mentioned, I can deal with it. There is no need to throw away equipment as long as other members take the time.”
“No. Even if that were the case, it’s too dangerous. The good news now is that the humans didn’t just fire EMP missiles. It’s probably because they couldn’t figure out the exact location.”
Maria seemed to have already decided to abandon the hideout and retreat. Ike also added his words from the side.
“If it weren’t for the location issue, the missile wouldn’t have been fired. This is because the people coming now are police forces, and missiles are weapons managed by the military. Even if this is a factory area at the edge of a slum, shooting a missile at your own land is something you cannot do without feeling quite threatened. On the contrary, if we successfully defeat the humans here, there is a possibility that they will indeed drop an EMP missile here. It is right now to withdraw as decided by the leader.”
After saying that, Ike approached Maria to disconnect the cable.
At Maria’s gesture, the stored drones flew in and assisted Ike.
Crash. Kirilik.
With a metallic sound, the wires and cables connected to Maria’s head and lower body were separated one by one.
I thought while looking at that.
‘It would be difficult to run away like this… ‘
If we run away from here now, Awaken will spread out and operate as branch organizations until they establish another base. There is no telling how long it will take to create a new hideout.
The human side, which easily kicked out the androids, will not be able to launch such a large-scale offensive. All resources and manpower will be scattered.
Detective Branco and Blair may be at a disadvantage because the android fled the scene.
Crash…
When the last cable was disconnected, Maria could no longer float in the air. Ike supported her with only her upper body remaining.
A drone brought a large box. Opening it, I could see a disabled Android inside. It appeared to be Maria’s spare body.
“Ha… I can’t help it.”
‘I’m quite satisfied with the contents of the random box, so I’ll stop acting here.’
I didn’t think I could convince them with words. I’ll just clean up all the Awaken’s equipment here and take care of the humans myself.
“Hmm?”
As I suddenly approached, a question appeared on Ike’s face. It was the same when I reached out to him.
“I will support you as the leader, so you… … .”
Tuk.
thud!
As soon as I touched it, Ike disappeared into my inventory. Naturally, Maria, whom he was supporting, fell to the floor.
“What… ?”
When Ike, who had been supporting her, suddenly disappeared, Maria raised her upper body with her arms with a surprised look on her face.
I looked around, but there was no way I could find Ike in the inventory.
“Ike suddenly disappeared… ? Minho, did you see him disappear?”
Maria looked confused. In that short period of time, without even leaving the tent, an android disappeared in thin air as if evaporating. Something incomprehensible happened without any foreshadowing.
Of course, I had no intention of explaining the inventory to her.
I left Maria on the floor and put the equipment with disconnected cables in the tent into the inventory one by one.
I don’t know what specs the equipment has, but since the setting of this world is science fiction and it was equipment used by Maria, it seemed like it would be useful in the future.
‘I already know where Awaken’s equipment is stored.’
“Maria, I’m asking just in case… ”
Maria’s face, which had a puzzled expression on her face when she noticed the change in my tone of voice, became increasingly colored with astonishment as she witnessed the equipment disappearing without a trace every time she touched it.
She must have realized now that I was the culprit who suddenly disappeared. If the correct answer is clearly shown and you cannot even make that level of reasoning, the artificial intelligence is disqualified.
Indeed, Maria’s face became stiff with each step I took.
Crack…
Finally, after putting Maria’s spare body into my inventory, I turned to her and said, shaking my palms.
“You have no intention of doing as I say even now, do you?”
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