Chapter 81
Chapter 81
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 81
Chapter Title: Unlocking the Server
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Yuseong stared blankly at the floor where the red dot had appeared, lost in thought.
*It’s definitely a beast or a monster.*
He couldn’t imagine any other suspects.
*But why did it just leave?*
Yuseong didn’t entertain any happy delusions that the thing hadn’t noticed him.
His own vision—his most acute sense—had been blocked by the darkness, but beasts and monsters weren’t hampered like that. He couldn’t escape their eyes just by hiding in the shadows.
It had definitely noticed him. He had to move with that assumption.
*Most beasts only think about charging straight at humans when they spot one.*
He’d experienced it countless times already. He had no intention of overturning that common knowledge now.
But that was only “most”—not “all.”
*Is it the trap-laying type?*
A truly headache-inducing variety. Traps were extremely hard to detect, and even if luck kept him from taking much damage by falling into one, he’d still be forced to fight from a severely disadvantaged position.
That was why Yuseong really hated beasts that dug traps.
However, there were even worse types than the trap-layers, in his opinion.
*The cunning ones.*
He’d learned there were those cunning by nature and those that acquired it through experience. But such distinctions were utterly useless to Yuseong.
They were equally dangerous either way.
Most beasts relied solely on their superior physical abilities and barreled in recklessly. But the ones that had learned cunning were different.
They knew how to use their physical superiority and could judge when the situation favored them.
Excluding monsters, these were the most threatening by far.
And unfortunately, the red light from yesterday was likely one that had acquired that cunning.
*Otherwise, it wouldn’t have backed off after spotting a human.*
It absolutely hadn’t given up.
A beast or monster giving up on a hunt after seeing a human? About as realistic as Yuseong abandoning Ark.
He could say that much with certainty.
*It probably sensed something off about me yesterday and pulled back, but it couldn’t let go entirely, so now it’s lurking nearby, keeping an eye on me.*
Obvious.
*What do I do?*
He had no choice but to agonize over it.
Should he retreat? But that meant abandoning the robot. Plus, he doubted the thing would let him go so easily. It would probably chase him or ambush him along the way.
*Better if it ambushes me on the road, honestly.*
Letting it tail him and discover his base was absolutely out of the question.
*So walking back is a last resort.*
The next option that came to mind was emergency evacuation. The safest way to retreat.
*But I’d have to ditch all my gear now.*
He could repurchase it, but that would rack up enormous costs. And it still meant giving up on the robot.
At least it was safer than walking back.
*The last option is finishing the robot somehow.*
It involved risk, but the moment it was complete, his combat power would skyrocket.
*…Alright.*
Yuseong made his decision.
*Prioritize completing the robot.*
In the past, he would’ve bolted first. But now he had the powerful emergency evacuation card. Plus, the radar meant no worries about surprise attacks.
*Still, I need to stay ready to run.*
There was at least one piece of good news.
*The odds it’s a monster just went down.*
Those things operated on another level entirely. Even if cunning, they’d toy with him openly rather than hiding like this.
Yuseong left the room. To activate the robot, he first needed to install a generator and secure power.
He considered using the exoskeleton’s power but dismissed it.
*No telling when a fight might break out. Gotta conserve the exoskeleton’s battery.*
Yuseong unmounted the robot from its stand and slung it over his shoulder. The new exoskeleton moved lightly despite the heavy load.
He walked slowly down the corridor. No enemies lunged at him, none showed on radar. But carrying the robot meant he had to stay extra vigilant.
He ascended to the rooftop via the stairs he’d scouted yesterday.
The gloomy sunlight bathed the spacious rooftop. Yuseong set the robot down in one spot and purchased a solar generator from the purchase window.
*Ugh, even if I need it, it still stings.*
He probably wouldn’t be able to take this generator with him. Pure money down the drain. But there was no helping it if he wanted the robot.
He installed the generator and connected it to the robot.
*Power’s sorted. Now for the software side.*
Where to even start looking?
*Best to search from the opposite side of the robot’s room, centering on where the railgun owner died.*
If the railgun owner was truly involved in the robot’s development and had been heading for the software, it made sense that it would be on the other side of the robot room.
*But that’s just an assumption.*
Still better than rummaging through the building aimlessly.
Before descending the stairs, Yuseong glanced back at the robot.
Hard-won as it was, leaving it unattended made him uneasy.
But nothing around here would destroy it now.
The biggest worry—the beast hiding somewhere nearby—wouldn’t touch the robot or generator. They had no interest in inanimate objects, and…
*It’s probably drooling over me. No way it’d bother with the robot or generator.*
No matter how cunning, a beast was still a beast. It wouldn’t grasp the concept of destroying an unattended human item to inflict harm.
Of course, if it had been hurt by that item before, the story might differ. One with experience taking damage from the robot might try smashing it.
*But overthinking like that would paralyze me.*
He had to search the building for the OS anyway. Couldn’t do it lugging the robot everywhere.
Yuseong ignored the robot and generator and headed down the stairs to begin his search.
Naturally, he remained on high alert in all directions.
*Where are you? Where the hell are you?*
Hunting a beast that could strike anytime. But nothing caught his eye. Not down the corridors, not beyond the doors Chaewon had flung open, not outside the windows.
*Did it leave?*
The thought slipped in unbidden. He immediately rejected it.
*No way. Get it together, Yi Yuseong.*
It might be waiting for the exact moment he let his guard down.
That’s when it happened, after descending another floor.
*This is…*
Yuseong’s eyes lit up. A corridor appeared, similar to the one leading to the robot’s room.
A long hallway with shattered doors layered inside. Security devices for scanning people seemed to line the walls beside them.
Even without seeing the robot room, he could guess something important lay beyond.
*Building layout-wise, the path from the robot room to here passes the spot where the railgun owner died.*
His earlier guess lined up pretty well.
*Is it really here?*
His heart raced a little.
Yuseong entered the corridor, passing four broken doors.
Stairs appeared.
*Not exactly the same, huh.*
Unlike the robot room—a massive space merging multiple floors—this area seemed divided into normal levels.
*Up? Down?*
After a brief hesitation, Yuseong decided.
*Down.*
Another door at the bottom of the stairs—of course broken.
He stepped through.
*Server room, looks like.*
Yuseong grinned at the racks of machinery. If the software existed, high odds it was stored here.
*Hope it’s still intact.*
It looked decent on the surface. But electronics often failed despite appearances.
Yuseong had seen plenty of servers in his time, most ruined by harsh environments, time, or physical damage.
*This one might be okay, though.*
The security here had been top-notch, by all appearances. The data had to be important.
*They use rugged servers in places like this.*
Supposedly incredibly durable. Pre-apocalypse civilization had been highly advanced, after all.
*Gotta see if it powers up…*
That meant supplying power.
Yuseong scratched his head.
*Need another solar generator.*
He’d considered reusing the rooftop one after the robot charged, but with an unknown beast lurking, better not.
Better to take the financial hit and move fast.
Muttering that it was an unavoidable expense, Yuseong soothed his aching wallet.
He didn’t go all the way to the rooftop. No telling how long the robot would take to charge, so he’d picked the sunlit roof, but the server didn’t need that much.
Yuseong went to a corridor window and gripped the frame.
Crack! Crack!
The powerful exoskeleton smashed the wall around the window. Sunlight poured into the corridor through the massive hole.
*This should do.*
Yuseong bought a generator, placed it in the sunlight, and hooked it to the server.
Whirr!
*Yes!*
As expected from a rugged server—it roared to life over a century later.
*Let’s find that software quick.*
Yuseong connected his portable computer to the server. As he poked at the screen, his body froze.
*…Damn, password.*
Apparently, more than just the data had survived.
*What now?*
Yuseong knew machines well enough, but programming? Scant knowledge there. In a world where electronics were extinct, how often did he deal with software?
*Come back later?*
No giving up. Not until he had the robot with its combat programming.
But this roadblock right at the finish line soured his mood.
*Fuck, I was really looking forward to this.*
Then he remembered how the strategy guide had easily explained the blueprints and guided the robot assembly.
*Maybe?*
Hope surged again.
*Strategy Guide. Can you crack this password?*
【Yes, I can.】
A welcome response.
*Do it, please!*
Instantly, Yuseong’s portable computer acted strange. The screen lagged, then numbers, letters, and symbols flashed wildly in the password field, too fast to follow.
Then, digit by digit from the first, the password filled in. Once complete, the prompt vanished, and a flood of data appeared onscreen.
*Cracked!*
Incredible ability. With the strategy guide, could he breach any security now?
【Shall I find the robot’s OS for you?】
*Yes!*
Again, the computer operated on its own, soon copying files over.
After a moment, the transfer complete notice appeared.
【Done.】
Yuseong broke into a huge grin at the strategy guide’s flat voice.