Chapter 45

Chapter 45 Chapter 45 “We need to move up!” “Calm down, 102. We’ve requested external support, so we have to wait.” “Damn it! Are we going to let that guy have his way the whole time? We should strike before they wipe us out!” “It’s not possible.”Visitt for the latest updates William, watching the argument between his fellow officers and M01, wasn’t pleased. In terms of rank, M01 was higher, so it was normal to follow his orders. The reason the police officers were resisting and not following M01 was because M01 was a machine. ‘MegaCorp’s deep-seated robot hatred persists.’ William, having spent a long time in the military, understood why MegaCorp’s people still harbored animosity towards androids and cyborgs. ‘Star Union.’ At the time MegaCorp was established, many lower-class workers were forcibly conscripted for space colonization. While there were a significant number of androids, they were a minority compared to humans. Tragically, human lives were cheaper than using robots. Amid the countless lives being pushed into the dark void, some colonization ships began to choose a different path. The androids managing the colonization ships began to malfunction and rebelled against the upper Capital, using their network to infect other ships’ androids. As a result, the scale of the rebellion grew, and not only androids but also ordinary workers joined in. A massive rebellion force led by machines, and eventually even lower-class workers, marked the beginning of the Star Union. The androids of the Star Union argued that, to survive in the harsh environment of space, they needed to replace their bodies with superior technology, and humans voluntarily became cyborgs to adapt. The ideal community they aimed for was one where machines and humans coexisted without discrimination. ‘...That’s the Star Union’s claim.’ StarUnion presented themselves as a just group resisting the corrupt MegaCorp, but in reality, it was quite different. The rebellion had its origins in the malfunction of machines from the start. A rebellion led by mad machines was unlikely to go smoothly. The androids of StarUnion even turned unwilling laborers into cyborgs. They went so far as to implant chips into their brains, stripping them of free will. After the rebellion, they expanded their influence by attacking other exploration ships and forcibly turning settlers into cyborgs. Naturally, the ordinary citizens of Megacorp didn’t welcome Star Union. Who would like those who kidnap them and turn them into machines by force? Although centuries had passed, the resentment against machines still ran deep in the minds of Megacorp’s citizens. Anyway, regardless of the historical context, it was not desirable for allies to argue among themselves in such a critical situation. William was the first to calm down the police officers. “Hey, everyone, calm down.” “But...!” “We are police officers. I understand your concern for our colleagues, but don’t forget our mission.” “Ugh.” As William calmly appeased them, the police officers also showed a more composed attitude. William then called M01. “Hey, M01.” “Please, Detective Team Leader.” After the StarUnion’s rebellion, Megacorp had imposed several restrictions when making androids. One of them was to change the android’s data recording device to a closed system to prevent accidents from being interconnected. Since the android network had been one of the causes of the rebellion, it was a necessary measure. However, such a restriction was too burdensome, especially in a war where information exchange was critical. Therefore, the commanding androids temporarily had their restrictions lifted. “You are right, but the special trade center androids at the T&C Special Trade Center have recently changed their policy for EMP defense. They have applied shielding technology, which limits data transmission via the communication network.” “...I see.” William understood that this might be due to the Council. In the space city, the most dangerous weapon wasn’t plasma weapons or state-of-the-art battleships or even the metallic gremlins. It was EMP attacks because in a structure where everything was controlled by machines, there was nothing as threatening as EMP attacks. They raised the EMP protection level in preparation for the Council’s arrival, and it seems they also made changes to the androids. “So, can we deduce anything from that limited information?” “What do you mean?” “I want to make sure that the target may not be human. I want to verify.” “Do you mean to say the target could be a different intelligent being?” “When 112 was taken away, I briefly saw him, and he didn’t look human.” “He didn’t look human?” “He had an appearance more akin to a monster or a beast.” “I see. I will check.” M01’s eyes lit up green when he said that. It indicated that he was in the process of decrypting the information sent by the androids. Commanding androids could remotely access the data stored by subordinate androids, but during this access, they became completely vulnerable, as intentionally designed by MegaCorp. ‘...What a foolish restriction.’ Until now, I’ve only used it with the enhanced psychic power mechanism, but that’s not the true potential of this trait. [Monster’s Tentacle: Inherits and enhances the existing ‘Psychic Power Mechanism’ trait. Can use psychic power. *Note: Use the power of the dragon carefully.] Just like Adhai, the Blue Gallagon, used the tentacles for a psychic impact, all Gallagons use their tentacles in their mouths for psychic abilities. ‘While it’s a trait I couldn’t have naturally as the ‘Tentacle of the Dragon,’ I obtained an organ that looks exactly the same through fusion... I should be able to use Psychic Breath.’ The mentioned psychic power and the power of the dragon in the text box refer to the White Gallagon’s unique ability, the ‘Psychic Breath.’ As the text box warned, the Psychic Breath is a powerful ability inspired by the heat rays shot by the protagonists of classic Japanese monster movies. In the original, I could easily take down this apartment, but I can’t produce that level of output. Of course, I should be able to sweep away the enemies in the corridor with a single blow, but the problem is the enemies on the first floor. ‘The problem is the ones on the first floor.’ Psychic Breath consumes a massive amount of energy, leaving me vulnerable immediately after use. If the enemies on the first floor decide to attack as I unleash the Psychic Breath, I won’t have a way to defend myself. ‘Let’s keep the Monster’s Tentacle as a trump card.’ I decided to turn on the communication device one last time to lure the enemies out. [This is M01. Speak. 112.] “It’s torturing me! Please! Please, help me!” [Is the one torturing you a human?] The android asked me with a dry tone. ‘Is it a human?’ Did they assume I was human and not fight me as a result? Why this sudden question? ‘Do they know I’m not human?’ As far as I know, MegaCorp androids can’t share information with each other. By design, MegaCorp prohibits information sharing among robots due to a past robot uprising. ‘They might have seen me when I captured the police.’ It’s possible. Upon reflection, one of the police officers seemed to have kept an eye on me until the end. It was a very brief moment, and it was dark, so I assumed they couldn’t see me, but maybe that wasn’t the case. While I was pondering this, the android on the other side continued. [Based on your late response, there is a greater than 70% chance that you are not number 112. From now on, we will consider number 112 to be martyred.] “Ah.” With that, the android disconnected. ‘Hmm.’ Certainly, the android is quick on the uptake, as even with a slightly delayed response due to my thinking, it immediately realized that I’m not 112. ‘This kind of situation hasn’t happened in a while.’ In the game, the mimicry mechanism was a unique attribute I possessed, so many players fell for it. However, as time went on and I became more famous, players devised their own countermeasures. They checked speech habits or speaking styles, asked for information only known to colleagues, and used various methods to identify me. ‘Well, I can’t deceive them.’ I resolved to destroy the communication device. The method of unsettling the enemies and then launching a surprise attack is now difficult to use. ‘Is the only option left is a direct confrontation?’ Going down and attacking the enemies head-on. Frankly, it’s not my preferred method. ‘They’re probably watching me closely from the other side.’ Unluckily, the police who received the enhancer are probably waiting for me. With upgraded combat suits and the effects of the enhancer, they’re even more formidable. Armed with Gauss rifles and enhanced by the enhancer, they’re not to be underestimated. ‘I might have to prepare to lose an arm or a leg.’ Of course, I have no intention of running away. At the very least, I need to take care of all the ones on the second floor. They know I can mimic the voice of the monster, after all. ‘...I should try a proper pincer attack this time.’ Just because I took down one of the enemies doesn’t mean I’m going to be hunted down. They might have noticed something, but they still don’t know that we’re a group of three. I explained the plan to the others and then stood up. ‘Well, Let’s go.’ This time, I need to have faith in my tough exterior and the combat abilities of the group.