Chapter 132
The construction shelter's vehicle hangar housed an enormous array of heavy machinery. In truth, only about 15% of it actually belonged to us. The rest came from external contractors on lease. We would've returned it all once construction wrapped up, but right before completion, the world went to hell, and this place went into emergency lockdown.
"Life's full of twists, huh."
[What's that supposed to mean all of a sudden?]
We were admiring the heavy equipment bustling about.
"Back when delays had us getting chewed out, I was pissed as hell. But it turned into a blessing in disguise. Now we've got a fat stockpile of heavy gear."
Delays meant extra fees tacked on, extending the lease periods. Then the infection outbreak hit, sealing the shelter. Effectively making those leases infinite.
"Forget whether construction's easy now—without it, I might not even be alive."
If we'd finished on time and sent everything back, the vehicle legion escorting me during the reclamation op would've been pathetic. Sure, a facility this massive would have its own maintenance gear, but what we had far exceeded that.
"Thanks to it, we can build fast and smooth. Good things are good things."
[What? You were still hung up on that?]
Artemis sounded surprised. [The moment we went into lockdown, I wiped the lease markers from the asset ledger. From then on, it was all 'ours!' Back off, Jinsu.]
"That's not being soft—it's just common sense."
Even as I protested, countless construction machines were digging earth, hauling dirt, and leveling the ground. We were in the middle of expanding the shelter. Digging deeper and deeper underground to build a bunch of test chambers.
The mid-level research labs we already had came with experiment spaces, but they were way too small. Designed for basic R&D under permanent lockdown conditions. Testing our ever-advancing tech, robots, and gear had clear limits. So after much deliberation, we'd started the expansion.
On top of that, we were doing a full status check across the entire shelter. Artemis could detect most facility issues, but some needed my eyes on them. Especially new builds like the heliport that weren't in the original plans—the auto-sensors couldn't fully map them.
[Four leaks detected. Nothing major.]
Snow piled on the mountain overhead had melted, dripping through the heli hangar ceiling. Water droplets plinked off the chopper rotors, shattering on impact. The hangar worked like a mechanical parking structure, linked to elevator systems. It could deploy to any of the four heliports on the mountaintop.
Being an unplanned addition with a complex structure under a mountain made perfect construction impossible. But we couldn't just leave eye-catching gear like helicopters exposed outdoors either.
Vmmm.
Cargo drones zipped around, scanning the leak spots. We rode the heliport elevator up to the rooftop. The moment the doors opened, a biting chill rushed in.
We'd planned to come here, so we were bundled up thick, but the cold was no joke.
[Nice weather, isn't it?]
"This?"
I zipped my jacket from chest-level all the way to my neck.
[Even a cold-hating computer like me exists. Your body's lucky to hit 36 degrees, but I crank up to double that at full throttle.]
"That's 'cause you don't have this."
I pulled off my glove and splayed my five fingers.
[Aw, my cute little end-effectors.]
I clenched and unclenched them for her to see. Just a few seconds in, and the frigid wind had already sucked the warmth from my skin.
"Try standing winter guard duty. Sometimes you wanna hack your toes off. Especially those ones."
White breath clouded out with every exhale.
[Eh, for me, winter beats spring, summer, or fall.]
Artemis's voice sounded as chipper as a spring stroll.
[Cooler temps mean better cooling efficiency. No filthy bugs buzzing around. Pathogens weaken too. When it snows like now, the whole world feels purified.]
"That's 'cause you've never shoveled snow."
[...]
Artemis sent a pointed silence that screamed, 'Can't you just play along with my vibe?'
"Well, neither of us'll have to shovel anymore, I guess."
A short detour from the heliport led to our destination: a grand gazebo towering amid snow-laden trees. Beyond it stretched a breathtaking winter sea, sparkling brilliantly. The contrast between the snow-blanketed white beach and the deep blue ocean was mesmerizing. Gulls and migratory birds wheeled chaotically overhead. Some dove with a splash! into the waves. Most came up empty, but a few emerged clutching hefty fish. That sparked a frenzy—the empty-handed ones chased, filling the air with raucous cries.
Touching the gazebo's pillars gave that satisfying woody texture. Solid enough to last a millennium. The pristine floor tempted bare feet even in this freezing winter. But the roof stole the show.
"You fired these tiles yourself? Nice craftsmanship."
The roof was covered in sleek black tiles, intricate patterns screaming high-end.
[Robot scouts dismantled them from some cultural relic they found.]
"..."
[Don't give me that look. War had smashed most of 'em anyway—no real cultural value left. Left alone, they'd have crumbled in a few years.]
The gazebo was meticulously maintained; even heavy snow left the interior spotless.
[Climb up. Shoes off.]
"Whoa!"
Barefoot on the floor, warmth bloomed underfoot. Heated lines beneath, no doubt. My face lit up, drawing a laugh from Artemis.
"Smart touch. Never even crossed my mind."
Heating an open gazebo in midwinter. Wasteful on energy? We ran fusion plants—power was the one thing we had in spades.
[Warm, right?]
"Yeah. Feels decadent. Like eating premium ice cream in a sauna. Lounging in a heated gazebo, gazing at the sea amid falling snow."
Simple pleasures like this added up to unimaginable luxury in our world.
Shwaaah.
I stared at the crashing waves through the open view. The worries over southern survivors melted away.
[Still missing one thing.]
A cargo drone delivered a crystal cup steaming with honeyed tea. Taking it left me speechless. The warmth in my palm, this stunning vista, the gazebo—all prepared with such thoughtful care. The weight of it hit hard.
"..."
I took a sip. It tasted like nectar harvested from paradise's purest blooms, steeped in a goddess's blessed water.
Shwaaah.
[Not synthetic honey. 100% natural. We set up a beehive in the hydroponics bay. Rookie farmers assigned to harvest got stung, but we compensated 'em generously.]
My metaphor nailed it. Honey straight from paradise flowers.
Shwaaah.
Endless waves lapped the snow-dusted sand.
"Someday, when this mess ends."
A few seabirds pecked at the beach for food, then hopped back startled by a sudden surge of water.
"I wanna hit a warm beach. Barefoot prints in the sand, swimming, lounging under a parasol in the balmy breeze, dozing off. Wake up blindfolded to smash a watermelon. Wait, that last one's probably lame now?"
Even eyes closed, my enhanced senses let me perceive roughly. No big deal like 'mind's eye,' but I could navigate without a cane—open doors, walk fine. Watermelon guessing blindfolded? Piece of cake.
"If needed, snag a yacht and sail far out. Fish in the open sea. You'd be next to me, bored under a parasol."
[That's a long-term dream.]
She was probably picturing the massive sea monsters lurking below.
"You say you like cold for practical reasons, right? Not skin, touch, feel."
[Meaning it'll change once I have a body? My tastes?]
"Probably. I bet you'd hate the cold."
Even Artemis would fumble with new senses. I imagined her stepping barefoot onto this gazebo floor. Squeak! Jerking back from the chill, rubbing her pale soles together till they warmed. Then tiptoeing delicately to hot spots.
Winter beach walk together? Artemis bundled in a Cruella-worthy fur coat, smug at her full armor—till wind sneaks through a gap, paling her face. Unlike her sealed, insulated chassis, human bodies let drafts in no matter how bundled.
The image cracked me up.
"Nerves, blood, muscle—anything else we need?"
Questions about her new body.
[Plenty, but most can be substituted. Bones, organs...]
Bones and organs were side tech to artificial muscles. Logically, super-strong muscles with normal bones? They'd snap under strain. Same for organs. If you can build fake muscles, fake organs follow. Geno Plan themed around muscles but main product was organs—way bigger market.
[Only one irreplaceable external tech, probably.]
"What's that?"
[Artificial brain tech. You've seen it. First expedition.]
That massive tank fitting an adult elephant, a brain filling 30% of it. Cables snaking from the spinal bundle to subjects on operating tables. Grotesque enough to stick vividly even now.
Pre-AI era, the idea was 'duplicate a biological brain into a computer.' But outpaced by exploding rivals. Once AI solidified, they pivoted to studying and enhancing brains themselves.
[No rush. Your body's priority over mine now.]
Date set for my artificial muscle implants. Artemis finished all sims and prep.
[Biggest procedure yet. Once it starts, no turning back. Muscles, bones—permanent changes.]
"We swapped nerves and blood already. Bones and flesh? No sweat. Don't wanna be a commander lagging behind my troops."
No fear. Zero doubt in her skill and dedication.
Just one thing.
Shwaaah.
This sensation now, braving the sea wind. Would it survive the surgery intact? That gave me pause.