Origin (30)

Squelch—

The thick snowflakes settled on the ground compressed together under pressure from above. So much snow had fallen in just a few hours that every step I took sank deep into the powder.

We were currently making our way down an icy mountain slope. I had hidden the hover bike well beneath the tent and covered it with more snow so it wouldn't be discovered, planning to retrieve it later.

Once we started moving, it would be nearly impossible to return to the spot where the hover bike was, so we had done our utmost to prepare. We equipped ourselves with as many weapons as we could carry.

First and foremost was the custom suit Nadia and I were wearing. We had spared no expense, using rare and costly materials to compress the armor plating—the strength was practically that of a power loader.

It was inevitable that the suit would be somewhat heavy. But I was willing to bear that burden—after all, that weight could save my life later.

Affixed to our forearms were shockwave emitters. Thanks to Kyle, who had managed to completely miniaturize them, each cartridge allowed us to fire up to three full-power blasts. Any more, and we'd need to swap in a new cartridge, kept within easy reach in the belt pouches.

In addition, Nadia had special weapons—her modified laser deployer and flashbangs—and Celestia carried the smart pistol.

The main difference between the weapons the pureblood supremacists used and Celestia's gear was that hers were fundamentally non-lethal, firing attachments that induced paralysis—closer to a type of taser gun.

Because the gear was interfaced with the suit, I'd heard Celestia had her own exclusive HUD aiding her aim.

Carry's flamethrower was impressive as well, but the single most critical tool for this operation was something else—the Cube. It artificially jammed communications.

Without this, the infiltration mission would have been impossible, since if we failed to neutralize the pureblood supremacists or if any of them sensed something strange and contacted the team at the refinery, our risk level would skyrocket.

Even if the new suit could block a few bullets, just standing there and taking fire was not an option. We had to be in position to attack as one-sidedly as possible.

The mountain road was steeper than expected. Luckily, we already knew that the terrain was free of crevasses—otherwise, every step would have been taken in hesitation.

Clumps of snow occasionally tumbled down the slope in response to our movement, but that much could be dismissed as the effect of the wind—it was within permissible limits. There weren't any pureblood supremacists in sight, either.

At last, we reached a vantage point where the robot manufacturing facility filled our view. Hoo, hoo. My breathing, rough from tension rather than exertion, barely filtered through my respirator mask.

At my signal, Nadia and Celestia stopped moving. I cautiously scanned our surroundings, pressed my palm, and established communication.

—We've reached the manufacturing facility.

—Good. What's the situation around you?

—Quiet. Nothing visible at the moment. Still, something definitely happened here.

There were no ghouls in sight. I could see a bluish glow from places around the facility, but it felt different from the light the ghouls usually gave off.

The pureblood supremacists weren't visible, either. Maybe the facility was so massive that I simply couldn't see them, or perhaps none were present in this area to begin with.

Either way, acting cautiously was wise. There was no telling when someone might suddenly appear.

—As expected, the facility is down. Are you sure those so-called security protocols will reactivate everything, even though the damage to both the security robots and the facility itself is substantial?

—I'm sure. There's a reason it's called the last line of defense. Right now, that's the only thing we can count on.

If Licorice said so, then it must be true. Without further delay, I reported that we would proceed inside. Licorice replied in an apologetic tone.

—I don't think I'll be able to help this time. I've got my hands full here as well.

Licorice had to support the team heading to the refinery. Since the chances of direct confrontation with the pureblood supremacists were high, that team was in just as much danger.

We'd already received data about the interior layout of the facility, and if we ran into any other locked-down permissions, Celestia could handle the authorization, so I told Licorice not to worry and fiddled with my suit.

With a clank, metal parts previously hidden in the armor plating extended. Almost simultaneously, a helmet made of a special alloy formed around my head, replacing the respirator mask.

A fierce blue glow emanated from my eyes. The atmosphere became unmistakably oppressive.

"Hyun-woo, you need to turn off your eye lights. They're too bright."

That was as far as the comment went. The intimidating blue glow vanished.

"Let's do a final check before going in."

We double-checked our internal comm system. One advantage of being fully integrated was no longer relying on the inconvenience of text-based communications.

Of course, if we screamed or made a loud enough noise it could leak out, but as long as we spoke softly it was fine.

"Being able to speak directly is so much better."

"Yeah, much more convenient. I used to wonder when I'd ever have time to type messages—ah, I'll turn on the device now."

Agreeing with me, Nadia pulled a terminal from Carry's supply box. It was an improvised sensor, assembled using components salvaged from the destroyed Alpha.

After numerous tests, its accuracy was proven to be very high, though its range was only about 15 meters—not very wide. Still, it could see through walls, which had its advantages.

It didn't just detect living organisms; it picked up vibrations generated by moving objects and displayed them on the screen, so it could also spot robots. You never knew how any operational security robots might react, so it was best to be cautious.

"When exposed to the resonance of the raw stone, special coated circuits can only withstand about thirty minutes."

The robot manufacturing facility likely wouldn't have any raw stones present, but it was best to keep such uncertainties in mind to avoid being caught off guard later.

With the sensor functioning reliably, I glanced at Celestia fiddling with her smart pistol, my lips silently forming words. Wearing a helmet, I would have seemed to simply stare at her.

Celestia lifted her head at my gaze. Even without seeing her expression, it was obvious she was nervous—her tension showed in every gesture and movement.

She spoke in a resolute voice.

"...... Hyun-woo, Nadia. If things go wrong, I'll reveal myself—not as a suspicious trespasser inside the facility, but as the leader of Myosotis. That way, at least, I should be able to save your lives."

"Saying something scary even before we begin. That won't happen, so stay close and be careful."

I was already aware she was willing to risk herself this way. But I had no intention of letting her make such a sacrifice.

If I was going to keep that resolve, we'd have to infiltrate deep into the facility and complete the operation. It wouldn't be easy. But then, no path before us was easy. Such roads always ended up cut off midway.

Whoosh......

A razor wind mixed with ice grains scraped against the now-cold facility. Maybe it was because darkness had settled over everything.

The facility was far larger, more ominous, and more mysterious than when I'd last seen it from above.

The robot manufacturing facility. Managed by SSTC, it was not only their factory but also the final bastion where the security protocol awaited activation.

We moved slowly, hidden in the shadows. Even the crunching of our footsteps was kept to a minimum.

〈Production Sector 1 Tram Station〉【There are currently no operational trams. Rails have been severely damaged. Tram service is completely suspended until repairs are completed.】

The facility's sheer size demanded trams. Yet now, only the broken trams remained, which meant nothing for us.

It wasn't disappointing. After all, we'd entered for the sake of infiltration; brazenly riding a tram was out of the question.

Passing straight through the tram station, I quickly scanned the area before proceeding further. I needed a grasp of the overall space for easier movement later.

Pipelines bigger than a person, anchor points everywhere, a vast factory site looming overhead, the hollow resonance of empty metal, shattered exterior production lines, smoky stains in places, piles of destroyed security robots lying in shadowy corners.

And, over it all, a mineral, suffocating atmosphere.

Had it not been for the deep snow covering everything, the pressure would have been overwhelming. On top of that was the tension, knowing pureblood supremacists had crowded here until just days ago—a feeling very different from fighting ghouls.

They could think like us, they wielded weapons deadlier than ours, and unlike us, they had no fear of death—the pureblood supremacists.

'If we encounter them, I'll have to kill.'

It would be unlike killing ghouls, but I had no intention of hesitating or faltering.

If I didn't kill, I would be killed.If I hesitated, the price would be paid by me and those around me.If I retreated, it would only corner me further.

Lessons learned from all my past experience.

"To reach the deepest level, we'll have to get inside Production Sector 3."

"The terminal still has power. If we cut straight through, we'll save time. Should we try?"

Celestia pointed to the door leading into Production Sector 1. To get to the deepest sector, we first had to enter the production area, where most of the lines were.

We also needed to pass the materials warehouse, the defective product screening area, and reach the power station connected to the refinery. Beyond the power station, there would be a route down to the bottom layer. It would be a long journey—if the data was correct.

Then—

Step— step—

Heavy footsteps echoed.

"...!"

Hearing footsteps besides our own meant the approaching presence was almost certainly an enemy. We couldn't start a commotion yet. We'd have to deal with them after getting deeper inside.

I silently signaled the others. Nadia and Celestia followed me, hiding around a nearby corner. Carry slipped in behind us, quickly covering our tracks as we went.

Soon, the source of the footsteps came into view. As expected, they were pureblood supremacists. Was it standard for them to move in pairs? I sensed no others besides the two. The sensor also detected only those two.

"... Judging by their insignia, they're the lowest rank,"

Celestia said. She explained these were probably new recruits or those lacking the skill to rise any higher. She started to say more, then fell silent.

The pureblood supremacists had drawn close enough to overhear. The two began talking.

"Perfect weather to drive you mad. Then again, everything filthy in here is already insane. Only reason we're holding up is accepting the blessing, but those things? Not a chance."

"They actually look okay. Didn't really behave that differently, either."

"Who cares if the surface's fine? The inside's already rotten. Just because they look normal doesn't mean they're spared from insanity."

Holding our breaths, we listened to the two grumble and argue.

"They say that for miners in direct contact with the raw stone, a month is the limit. Anything lasting longer's already damaged. Anyone not exposed, they make it a year at most before breaking down."

"Then what about the ones lasting multiple years here?"

"What do you think? Maniacs pretending to be sane. They're worse than we are."

To call us 'maniacs'—intolerable. Who was calling whom crazy, anyway?

Unaware of us lurking nearby, the supremacists kept chattering.

"They call it a 'refresh' here, right? Useless. From the moment you're exposed to blue crystal resonance, your mind's affected, never know when someone will snap."

"Reminds me of the filth in Tunnel 3."

"Yeah, like the one hiding there. When trauma cases get triggered, you ever see the way they go berserk? Dealing with that's the worst. Did you hear about the filth that silenced the second peak? Sounds like we might have to take care of them, too."

"How are those things surviving without the blessing?"

"Beats me. Either way, we can't afford to miss them. Otherwise, he'll kill us. Saw from afar, looked like he was interested."

"Hah, what irony. If exposure to the stone drives you mad, but some naturally resist..."

"It's proof society's rotten to the core. If you're normal, you'd never think of trying to survive here."

So, according to them, we were just another bunch of lunatics. With mouths like theirs, there was nothing they wouldn't say.

"The longer filth stays here, the more likely their minds go. When they fixate on something, you know how they latch on desperately."

They believed themselves to be saviors offering relief, opening a new age as pioneers and noble sacrifices, abandoning a rotten era behind them.

As the nonsense kept flowing, Celestia gripped her smart pistol, asking if she should shoot them, but I shook my head.

Who knew how many more were nearby? They'd mentioned shift changes. Acting now could jeopardize the operation.

"Space psychosis? Give me a break. They don't even know what's really going on."

The supremacists walked right past us, oblivious to our presence. Even as they left, their unpleasant voices never seemed to stop.

With the sensor and our own vigilance giving us a clear picture, we activated the terminal and opened the door, entering the corridor that led into Production Sector 1.

-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=Hmmm, it seems Nadia and Hyun-woo have a bit of tolerance from the blue crystal wave.【ദ്ദി(⩌ᴗ⩌)】

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