Chapter 16

Chapter 16. On an Ice Satellite (4)

"...... He's dead."

Nadia, who had been burning with animosity upon seeing the pureblood supremacist's symbol, relaxed her body as if in resignation upon seeing the unmoving body.

Her tail, which had been tucked between her legs, finally regained its rightful position. The fur of her tail, which had stood on end in a state of alert, began to gradually settle down.

"He was already severely injured. It's strange that he was alive until now."

I surveyed the building from which the dead pureblood supremacist emerged. Although it was a center isolated from the outside following standard security procedures, the traces of an explosion were undeniable.

Following the charred marks with my eyes, I noticed that the control center located at the building's top was still intact. I had worried that the tram control center might have been destroyed in a bomb attack, but fortunately, the blast walls seemed to have descended properly.

I glanced briefly at the deceased pureblood supremacist. Over half of his body was covered in horrific burns. The sight of the suit melted into his skin was nauseatingly unpleasant to witness.

'Could he have turned into a monster?'

There were no blue crystal ores protruding, nor was there any physical mutation. This meant he died while still human.

Nadia and I passed by the pureblood supremacist's corpse without any further thought. We had no choice. I had hoped to get some information from his bracelet, but it appeared specially locked as it showed no response.

Cautiously stepping into the tram station center, we surveyed our surroundings with cautious apprehension.

The interior, devastated by fire, was in chaos, with bloodstains everywhere, an unidentified viscous liquid clinging to the walls, and the acrid smoke only intensified the disgust.

And several marks deeply etched into the blast walls.

Near the emergency-deployed blast wall, several tools were scattered. It seemed they had tried hard to get through, likely in a bid to ascend to the upper floor.

"......"

Nadia furrowed her brows at the blast wall. She gestured to me to wait a moment, and I thought she was trying to manipulate the circuitry to open it, but her whispers made me realize I was mistaken.

"Hyun-woo, this isn't a blast wall that descended following security procedures. It doesn't even have anything to do with the passage leading to the upper floors. Beyond this is the office."

"...... Which means."

I quietly stared at the firmly closed metal door. Nadia stood beside me, seemingly having the same thoughts.

The person temporarily fixing the broken tram wasn't alone. Wasn't there the bracelet's unknown owner and the man called Ted?

'Is he alive?'

Given the abrupt end of the footage, the man's life or death was uncertain. However, if he was truly fortunate, maybe he survived the pureblood supremacists' attacks. Perhaps he managed to escape and lower this wall.

After all, we weren't the only living survivors in the residential area. Everyone was just holed up, refusing to come out; there was a good chance more people were alive than we thought.

Additionally, this hall was also used as an emergency shelter. It was in the tram station control center, so security was comparatively high.

〈Tram Station Hall - Office〉

【Notification: The current interior is locked. Please contact the maintenance team immediately.】

"...... Is anyone in there?"

I gently knocked on the blast wall and asked in a low voice. With the wall lowered, it didn't matter if it was a monster or a person inside the office.

If it was a monster, the door wouldn't be breached anyway, and if it was a person, they couldn't do anything unless they opened it for us.

【......】

There was no verbal response from within. However, there was a sense of presence. Nadia, perking her ears, nodded with certainty.

Feeling my lips dry up, I continued speaking.

"Ted, right? We saw the records of your colleague in the station. We are not pureblood supremacists. We're also not monsters. Surely, you can see this through the cameras."

I raised my hands, looking at the security cameras installed everywhere in the hall. The cameras had lit up when we entered, indicating they were operational.

"We need help. We're trying to secure a tram to the central tower. Staying here won't solve anything. Come with us."

【......】

We awaited a reply but received none. The extreme wariness was apparent. Knowing it was best not to provoke someone pushed to their limits, I decided to back off. We couldn't afford to spend too much time here.

I had thought that, given his maintenance team status, he might have a higher rank than us and could provide cooperation to prepare for any potential situation, but alas.

As we were backing away slowly while looking at the camera, a male voice suddenly came through the external speaker.

【There are no operable trams left. Those damned pureblood supremacist bastards blew them all up. If the control center is your goal, it's pointless.】

The man revealing his intention to engage in conversation had us looking at each other wide-eyed. We kept our voices low to prevent it from leaking outside.

"Can't we just repair or replace them?"

【How do you plan to deal with the noise? Do you know how loud hauling a new tram out from the warehouse is? And besides, why do you need to go to the central tower?】

Hiding anything when the opponent has the upper hand was a bad move. Cooperation is built on trust, and trust can only be earned by taking risks.

"A shuttle bound for Earth will land at the central tower in seven hours."

【Earth? Why take the risk of boarding that shuttle? If we just hold on a little longer, the military base will send reinforcements.】

"Do you really believe that?"

【......】

"I'm not saying this to unsettle you. If reinforcements were coming, they would have arrived by now. We barely made it back from Heaven. It's already hell over there."

【Damn it......】

Ted cursed after hearing that the blue crystal refinery, a place with the strictest security, had already turned to hell even before the residential area.

"Ted, we need your help. Let's head to the central tower together. There are plenty of seats on the shuttle."

I couldn't give a definitive answer regarding who gets to board as that would be up to the broker, but it shouldn't be a major issue. As a mechanic, he'd likely have ample credits, so a fair exchange should settle it.

【...... How did you manage to get here? With those monsters everywhere, I mean.】

Nadia and I silently showed the tools in our hands. We had cleaned them somewhat, but the residual blood still exuded a deadly atmosphere.

The camera zoomed in on the tools stained with blood.

【You're mad... lunatics......】

Nadia, being suddenly cursed at, widened her eyes in injustice. However, her widened eyes quickly shifted to a round shape. Understandably so, as the sound of the office blast wall rising reached our ears.

Creak......clunk.

The dented metal door clunked as it rose. The man revealed on the other side was Ted, who still carried a sense of wariness, symbolized by his green bracelet.

"You aren't going to suddenly kill me, right?"

"Look at our bracelets. There's not much we, as working-class, can do. Even if we go to the control center like this, it won't mean much."

"I see you genuinely need my help."

"It's no lie that the shuttle is coming. Speaking of which, your arm......"

I trailed off, looking at Ted. His arm was gone up to the suit.

"I lost it to the bomb those damn pureblood supremacists detonated. I've taken painkillers, so it doesn't hurt much. Don't worry about the arm. Anyway, I'm Ted."

"I'm Hyun-woo. This is Nadia."

As Ted extended his remaining arm for a handshake, I reciprocated as I spoke, introducing us on behalf of Nadia, who was shy around strangers. His name was already known, but formally introducing oneself felt entirely different. It felt like we truly saw each other for the first time.

"And who is this friend?"

"This is Carry."

"Equipped with AI? I've never seen a module like this. Nice to meet you."

Ted didn't seem to have any prejudice against robots, as he even extended his hand toward Carry.

【(*ˊᵕˋ*)ﾉ】

"A cute one indeed."

Having completed the greeting with its auxiliary arm, Carry, with a bashful expression, hid behind me. Carry then fiercely contested her spot with Nadia.

"Aren't there others? I thought this place would be filled with people."

"Nope. As you said, many gathered, but they were all wiped out by the bomb. Didn't you notice the remnants outside?"

"No remnants. Just some bloodstains."

"...... The monsters must've taken everything."

Though we doubted if we heard correctly about bodies being taken, we had no time to dwell on it. Ted stumbled and steadied himself against the wall.

His complexion had become even paler than when we first saw him, and not even a full minute had passed.

"Sorry, but let's depart immediately. I don't think my body can hold out much longer."

"...... Alright."

Ted was a part of the maintenance team; in terms of rank, he was a senior mechanic classified as a high-ranking worker.

He had purchased and administered intermediate-level medicine from the storeroom in the maintenance office, but his injuries were so severe that he needed further proper treatment.

Rejecting my offer to support him, Ted assured us he could walk alone as he headed toward where the elevator was.

"You held on well."

"Hardly, I've come out because I couldn't hold on any longer. Had my body been in better shape, I wouldn't have shown myself, I'd have just ordered you out of here."

"......."

"Don't look at it that way. Now that I'm out here, I'm committed to cooperating. You need my rank and privileges, and I need your protection. I'm just making a rational decision with a clear head."

Ted took out something from the storage bag attached to his mechanic suit and handed it to us. It was intermediate medicine, offering pain relief and some level of treatment effect.

Accepting it, Ted coughed as he spoke.

"Take this. As much as I'd like to buy new ones from the store, unfortunately, it's broken."

What we could see beyond the office door was a store flickering with blue sparks, presumably from damaged internal circuits.

"If you've seen the records on my colleague's bracelet, you'd know. The energy funneled from the base is wreaking havoc on the residential facilities. As of now, things are manageable, but if this continues, it will spiral out of control."

"Then we'd better hurry."

Ted silently nodded in agreement.

〈Elevator〉

【Elevator leading to the tram control center: Emergency shutdown in place following security procedures. Please contact the technical team immediately.】

Looking at the closed elevator, he asked curiously.

"But if I hadn't come out, how were you planning to use this?"

"Um, well... we've got a way. We can open doors."

Not wanting to openly admit to someone from the maintenance team, responsible for the residential facility upkeep, that we planned to manipulate the circuits, Nadia and I fumbled with our words. Messing with circuits is a serious crime, not something to boast about openly, right?

Given his deteriorating state, Ted didn't press further. He stood by the elevator, presenting his bracelet for recognition. Upon recognition, a green light laser was emitted from above, and the facility, acknowledging the authority, began to activate the emergency-shutdown elevator.

As the door opened with a metallic clank, we boarded the elevator and immediately pressed the top floor where the control center was located.

Bzzt-

With a speed that induced a slight sensation of floating, the elevator rapidly ascended. We took deep breaths, trying to stay calm to avoid letting tension seize us as we braced for the impending confrontation.

"...... Once at the control center, I'll immediately open the storage to replace the tram. The ones on the track won't make it to the central tower. Likely to blow up along the way. The problem is whether there's a viable tram available......"

"If there isn't one, we'll walk along the tracks."

"And what do you plan to do about the energy coursing through the tracks? Think your ancestors will block it for you? With the breaker in such a precarious state, you might find yourself cooked in the blink of an eye. The insulation feature in your worker suits isn't sufficient."

"So now what?"

"Hold on, I'm thinking......whew...... it's maddening; you know my head just isn't working and I......oh."

Ted sighed with relief, saying there should be at least one tram left to use. The area around his severed arm turned a deeper shade of red.

"A trial tram should be there. Though it hasn't been in operation since the early stages of the colony's construction, it should be capable of operation. It's likely buried in the very bottom of the storage, meaning the pureblood supremacists shouldn't know about it."

The elevator door opened, revealing the dark corridor of the base, and at its end was the control center.

〈Tram Control Center〉

【Access by maintenance personnel or higher rank required. Unauthorized personnel prohibited】

We immediately opened the control center door. The interior state was clear to us.

Numerous holographic windows displayed logs, likely equipment to control the center, and the mostly destroyed trams precariously hanging on the tracks due to the bomb.

And Ted, scratching his head irritably, cursed as he scanned the surroundings.

"...... Just as expected. The automatic replacement system is destroyed. The motors and data board likely burned out from the explosion."

"So what do we do?"

"Simple. We'll replace it manually. Let's start right away. I doubt I'll last much longer."

Ted, having swallowed the intermediate medicine that we'd been given, chewed it before opening the control interface by manipulating the holographic window, followed by the emergence of the control center announcement.

【Attention: Shutters are currently opening for tram replacement. Nearby workers should remain a safe distance to avoid any risk of falling.】

【Warning: A critical fault detected in the automatic replacement system. Switching to manual replacement mode.】

The tram replacement grappling hooks controlled by the station extended outwards, causing significant noise. Being a rarely used feature, the sound of the metal twisting was considerable.

At the same time, monsters enraged by the breaking silence began converging towards the tram control center where we were.

【Kiaaaah!】

【Screeee!】

"Keep me safe!"

"Don't worry, just focus on the replacement!"

Nadia, Carry, and I grabbed our weapons, readying ourselves for the thumping noises that approached.

-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=

I'm going to call it here, Ted will die and will never meet the mother.