Origin (35)
"A problem has come up."
- What? All of a sudden—no, what problem?
I called Licorice, and before the single ring even finished, she picked up. I could already picture her frowning. I wasted no time and got right to the point.
She already knew we had infiltrated here and was aware of our actions. There was no need to beat around the bush.
"We managed to get into the console room in the facility's deeper level, but I discovered there are traitors who put a virus in the robots. Because of that, I couldn't carelessly activate the security protocol."
- ... Give me more details.
I conveyed only the key points from what I had seen in the records. Some of the technicians working at the facility were pureblood supremacists, they tampered with the robots, and while the remaining technicians tried to fix things, it wasn't perfect.
So, even after production, the robots might go on a rampage from a virus infection or attack us in turn. I actually even witnessed a robot acting abnormally.
At my story, Licorice let out a long sigh.
- So that's why you called me.
"Yes. I figured you would have skills in this area as well."
Licorice had a hacking tool that could deactivate the safety on tools. I believed she could handle this kind of virus with a simple click.
- No problem with activating the protocol?
"They trashed the control room, though I'm not sure if they knew about the protocol, but I was told activation itself should be possible."
I also told her that Creep had spread throughout the control room, and that the facility was being overrun in a way. At that, Licorice paused and then spoke up.
- What would you do without me? Just wait a moment.
I waited patiently, and a file was sent to my bracelet.
- Install that on the console to apply it to the entire facility. That should make sure the thing you're worried about doesn't happen, even with Creep present.
"Is it like a vaccine program?"
- No, it's a hacking tool. A really nasty one.
"... What? What about a vaccine?"
The program she sent me was nothing like what I expected, and I asked without thinking. Licorice snorted.
- How would you know what virus it is? Since the pureblood supremacists set it up, it won't be an ordinary virus. You can't respond to that with a regular program. If you try, it'll just get eaten and you'll make things worse. Even if you eventually solve it, it'll take so long the situation will already be over.
"Then this is...?"
- If you don't know what you're dealing with, it's better to just wipe it all. I'm sure you've at least heard that the best defense is offense.
It attacks the existing OS and completely burns everything down. When all that's left is ashes, then you install the OS Licorice made. Since it's a program intended for security robot Alpha series, this method is more efficient—so she said. I was left speechless for a moment.
I exchanged glances with Celestia and Nadia. They both looked just as confused.
It was a bit odd, but it was a program from Licorice. There was no doubt that simply installing this would be more effective than anything we could try ourselves.
"I'll try installing it for now."
- Good. Anything else you want?
"Nothing right now."
- Seems like you got in more easily than expected.
Agreeing with Licorice, I told her what I had seen here.
"There are pureblood supremacists present, but they weren't that vigilant. Other than Creep spreading in the power control room entrance, nothing particularly dangerous happened."
"Hyun-woo, you took out two pureblood supremacists too."
"Ah, right, that happened too. Anyway, that's the end of it."
- You took out pureblood supremacists? Did you use a jamming device?
"No, I didn't. The right timing never came up."
We continued chatting as we installed the transmitted file onto the console. I figured since we had the connection, we might as well update each other on the situation.
- Pureblood supremacists, huh... I suppose we should prepare ourselves. It's good that we added more armament.
"Are you on your way to the refinery now?"
- We're holding position in the air nearby. As soon as you finish preparing to activate the security protocol, we'll move in.
"Not coming in together with us?"
- The timing won't work for that. We're already late as it is, can't waste more time here.
She had a point. The shuttle upgrade took longer than expected, so the pureblood supremacists who set this trap would already be getting even more uneasy.
Licorice planned to walk to the refinery with Eric and two Alpha units after getting off the shuttle. We were to either join her afterward or observe the situation while using Eric as bait.
She quickly added that it was Eric's idea to be the bait in the first place.
- So, you do everything you can now. Since you can't control things remotely, what can be handled must be handled now.
"Understood."
- Good. Stay safe. Communication over.
Normally, I would have asked more, but the quick end to the call made it clear she had a lot on her mind. I pretty much got the picture.
Now it was our turn to do everything we could, just as Licorice had said.
"You said there's no problem activating the security protocol?"
"Yes, with Myosotis's authorization, we've skipped all unnecessary steps. In about three minutes, the protocol will be ready to activate at any time."
High-level permissions really were great. Even if Myosotis no longer held her former power, Titan had so much of her technology woven in there weren't any issues with privilege.
"It'll make a lot of noise once it's activated, right?"
"Probably. The facility will start self-repair. It'll go stage by stage, so it shouldn't be super loud to start with."
"Hmm..."
I was worried about the pureblood supremacists inside the facility. If the noise was loud enough to reach outside, there was nothing we could do. But if we could confine the noise to just this robot production facility, we'd still have options.
Kill all the pureblood supremacists inside, or slip out and sow confusion among them.
'... Might as well take care of all of them.'
Coincidentally, I had just pre-installed the comms jamming device. If I wanted, I could do it anytime. I still hesitated to kill, but I didn't plan to stupidly hesitate at a critical moment.
'It's not good to leave something behind me, either.'
If possible, I knew that handling it cleanly was best for my own peace of mind.
As I was pondering, Nadia called my name cautiously. Her tail stopped in mid-air, the tip trembling anxiously.
"Hyun-woo, are you going to fight?"
Was she trying to talk me out of it? The thought was brief, as her next words made me wonder if I was hearing right.
"I have a good idea."
"Huh? You're not trying to stop me?"
"Not fighting would be best for me, but that's just my stubbornness. I don't want to interfere. I shouldn't."
She said she wouldn't just sit by and watch either, and gave me a determined look that it was better for us to work together to minimize risk.
I thought for sure she would stop me; instead, her reaction eased some of my tangled thoughts. But was it just me, or did Nadia look strangely forlorn?
"I can get the security robots in here moving again. We'll lure them in and catch them with that, so there's no chance for them to fire their guns."
She mimed gathering up everything nearby, then clapped her hands. The dust floating in the air gathered and disappeared without a trace.
Nadia's plan was simple. But a simple plan didn't mean an uncertain outcome. In fact, it reduced variables. As long as we did our part, it would work.
"Lure them...is that possible?"
Pureblood supremacists weren't ghouls still overwhelmed by instinct. They could think.
"Just destroy whatever they're protecting. The pureblood supremacists used the solar furnace to threaten us, so we can threaten them too."
"Protecting?"
"Right here."
Nadia tapped her foot on the floor. She didn't mean the deep console room, but the Creep covering above us, including the power control room.
"I didn't get the sense they were hesitant to enter here. If anything, they considered it a blessing, so it isn't reluctance—it's reverence. We'll repair the security robots to get them to do simple tasks."
Let the security robots remove the Creep, and use the stolen comms gear to send a panicked transmission—reporting that remaining facility robots are treating the 'blessing' as a contaminant and removing it.
'... Not bad.'
It wasn't an amazing plan, but it was a different perspective. I had thought only about defending the console room and never considered destroying it.
Sure enough, if we send a report that the Creep is being completely removed, it'll enrage them and they'll come running. As I showed interest, Celestia caught on and asked,
"Security protocol activation is ready. We can also use this console to get pre-authorization for the rest of the facility. Should I check where the enemies are?"
"Are there any working cameras left?"
"Maybe not for the entire sector, but at least for parts."
"Could you check for me? And...could you do some acting?"
"... What? Acting?"
"Yes, acting. Since you'll have to speak into this."
When I took out the old comms unit, everyone's eyes focused on it. Nadia and Celestia, previously serious, pressed their lips tightly together.
【( ◑.◑ )】
It didn't take long before they both started acting just like Carry.
***
【Power control room is severely contaminated. Initiating decontamination procedure.】
Barely functioning security robots were peeling Creep off the walls. The robots were in such poor condition that they'd stop at a soft tap, but they still had some of their security robot strength, so they managed to pull off big chunks of Creep.
While the security robots were busily and mechanically starting the decontamination, at the end of production sector 2, a group came rushing in.
They were pureblood supremacists armed with good old-fashioned powder guns.
"These damned tin cans...! Didn't we take care of all those things?!"
"I haven't seen those two for a while—didn't they cause the problem? They sent the radio message!"
No one else could act, so I had no choice but to do it myself. Good thing the guys we killed were taciturn—if they'd been more talkative, the enemy might've noticed something off.
After reporting robots wandering about and firing some of the guns I'd picked up to simulate a crisis, the effect was outstanding. Just look at how fast they came running. Quite the funny sight, really.
"Carter! Leon! These idiots...!"
The pureblood supremacists turned pale at the sight of Creep being torn away and the two bodies, apparently killed by robots. It was a scene we had set up.
And I was watching everything from the high ceiling, flashlight in hand so it'd be easy to see what was happening.
"Hyun-woo, security protocol is ready. If you give the order, I'll activate it immediately."
How should I handle this? We had identified a total of ten enemies, both inside and outside the facility, not counting the ones we'd already dealt with.
I could only see eight now—the others were on the way. According to the cameras, they were still some distance away, so waiting for those two would make things awkward.
The comms jamming device was already running, so no news was getting out. My only worry was if someone got into the power control room.
That would put Celestia and Nadia in danger.
"Hold for now. Since not everyone is here, I think it's best to wait until we've taken care of all of them."
"I'll assist."
"Yeah."
With that, I dropped from the ceiling. As I fell, "pyut pyut" sounds rang out—the noise of Celestia's smart pistol paralyzing the enemies.
"...?!"
The pureblood supremacists, guns aimed at the security robots, suddenly seized up. Immobilized enemies were little better than mannequins.
I darted between them, swinging my plasma cutter. I first targeted the weapons in their hands, since even while paralyzed, they could still move their fingers.
As if to prove it, a gun was jerked upward, spitting fire. Rat-tat-tat! The sharp crack of gunfire echoed against the ceiling, and shell casings clattered to the ground.
A bullet or two grazed my shoulder, but only scratched my armor without any real effect. Even a direct hit would've been blocked.
I took a deep breath and launched forward. Each swing of my gleaming blade made an unsettling sound.
Blood sprayed, flashlight beams slashed through the air, and the sounds of falling equipment and body parts rang out.
The paralysis wore off fast, but before the pureblood supremacists could recover, they lost their lives.
The ones I was facing were nothing special, just bottom-tier. They weren't a core pureblood supremacist group. Maybe that's why.
They were weak. That thought flashed through my mind. Bodies less durable than ghouls, less strength, less instinct—worse in every way.
All I had to do was swing my weapon and they were cut down, offering barely any resistance. It wasn't a fight; it was one-sided slaughter.
Licorice had said not to hesitate to kill pureblood supremacists. Her words replayed in my mind as I sighed.
It felt hollow. Even on the verge of death, they didn't react as a human should.
Maybe I had underestimated just how insane pureblood supremacists were.
- Kzzzt- kzzzik...
Maybe the last two pureblood supremacists hadn't arrived and were trying to radio in. But with the jamming device active, their shouts didn't get through.
I stomped that device to pieces. Then, I approached the couple of familiar faces I'd saved for last.
This time, I made sure the comms were open. I glared down at the survivors, growling,
"Why call us lunatics? That's you."
The pureblood supremacist stared in horror. He didn't finish his sentence—my plasma cutter twisted in his throat before I realized it. I hadn't meant to cut him off, but the need to finish quickly took over.
He seemed like he wanted to say something. I shook off the unease. There were still some left to deal with.
The last pureblood supremacists leapt out from somewhere I didn't expect—maybe a camera blind spot. They aimed rusty guns at me, their barrels gleaming menacingly in the reflected light.
... Tsk.
"So it was some rat sneaking in. Didn't expect it to be you."
"Hey. Careful with your eyes."
I scanned for any unaccounted extra foes as I spoke calmly. The guns were pointed at me, nearly ready to fire, but I wasn't scared.
No surprise, since right behind them Nadia was making a truly terrifying face. I was more afraid of her than their guns.
"... What?"
The flashbang left Nadia's hand, pin pulled, and soared through the air. Biiing—with a shrill sound, it detonated in a blaze of light.
-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=
Nadia likes her flashbang.
【(⌐■_■)-︻╦╤─】