The Signal from the Void
Power restored! It seemed N.E.M.E.S.I.S. had finally understood my sincerity. "The... milking plan will be put on hold for the time being." While she didn't say she wouldn't do it at all, it at least meant she wouldn't pin me to the bed and have her way with me right this second. At those words, I finally let out a breath I’d been holding. Looking at her, I suddenly realized that this Underground Village could potentially become my second home. When everything was settled, Placia approached me.
"Chanwoo."
"Oh, Placia."
Lyla, the infected girl who played a decisive role in subduing N.E.M.E.S.I.S. that day. And Placia, who hadn't stopped her and had trusted me instead. Just as we were about to leave, she handed me something.
"This is your reward for the request."
With an apology for the past, Placia held out two items. The first was a cylindrical device about waist-high. Its exterior was as smooth as skin, and a sticky, organic texture tickled my fingertips. The circuit patterns flowing along the surface squirmed like a living thing, and as it began to operate, a flow like red liquid circulated inside, while the LED screen displayed 'Charge Rate 1%'.
"This is a high-efficiency energy capacitor. It's the same grade as the one used in our village's defense core. It's shock-resistant and easy to carry."
"Wow... at this rate, I can really take it anywhere."
Placia nodded and pulled out another piece of equipment. A structure stretching out long like a gaunt tower. In the center was a glass tube, and inside, a faintly glowing coil was rotating slowly. When connected to power, the air trembled with a high-frequency 'hum—'. A sensation like electricity brushing against my fingertips flowed through me, and the five metal supports attached to the floor squirmed like living creatures.
"This is a power output amplifier. It allows for high-output transmission in a short period. It's also linked to my workshop, so it doubles as a communication device."
"...This is strangely lewd."
"Pardon?"
"The way the machine is squirming... it feels weird, somehow."
Placia smiled quietly and said, "That's because part of the material is mutant organism tissue. It becomes sensitive when it overheats."
"It won't go berserk or anything, will it?"
"It rarely does, but if it were to... it would be quite a sight to behold."
I hesitated for a moment at those words, but soon reached out my hand. "Then, I'll gratefully accept it."
Placia smiled as she handed over the equipment, and I carefully held both devices to my chest. "With this, I'll be able to... properly let R.P.M. know that I'm alive."
"That is correct. Now, Chanwoo will also be registered as 'humanity' that R.P.M. must protect with all her might."
Hearing that, Revi crossed her arms and said, "A living human? R.P.M. is going to be quite shocked. Protective measures? She'll definitely have to get in line."
Serika nodded as if to say that was true. The three of us exchanged those words, smiling slightly at the strangely palpable sense of anticipation.
"Chanwoo Oppa! Revi Unni!"
A moment later, Lyla came running toward us at full speed. Seeing her running with both arms waving vigorously, a smile spread across my face naturally.
"Lyla! You worked hard."
I turned my head, smiled brightly, and reached out my hand. Her small hand carefully took mine, trembling slightly.
"Can I... come with you next time too? On an adventure. Like this one."
"Of course. I'll call you whenever I need you. But..."
I carefully lowered my head to meet the girl's eye level.
"You know it's much safer in here, right? You're still... way too small."
Lyla bit her lip slightly. Her face held both the burning desire to go and the disappointment of having to hold back.
"...Yeah. I know. I'll wait here. But next time you come... we're definitely going on an adventure together again, okay?"
"I promise."
"Re, Revi Unni too! I want you to give me a piggyback ride again..."
"Of course."
I carefully stroked the girl's hair. Her small but warm body temperature was transmitted to my palm. Revi was silent for a moment before quietly placing her hand on Lyla's head.
"Let's meet again. Lyla."
The touch was still mechanically precise, but it definitely held a human warmth within it. Having said our goodbyes to the villagers, we headed toward the village entrance hidden by the toilet.
Unlike when we first arrived, a heartfelt send-off followed. "I will see you out." For the final farewell, N.E.M.E.S.I.S. stepped forward herself. Refined steps, flawless posture. But within it, a strange sense of hesitation and regret permeated. While walking to the entrance, she didn't look back once. She simply walked ahead in silence. True to her nature of valuing 'etiquette' and 'procedure' above all else.
And, just before we parted ways, N.E.M.E.S.I.S. stopped her toes and turned her head slightly.
"Kang Chanwoo."
"Yeah?"
Then, without a word, she turned her body to show her back. As she spread her bare buttocks—without a single piece of underwear—with both hands, the hidden crevices that would never normally be seen were slowly, erotically revealed. The soft, damp space between the two intimate borders. N.E.M.E.S.I.S. showed her two horny holes as if it were nothing and said:
"I am ready at any time. So... when you come next time, please, let's make a baby."
At that bold farewell, I was speechless for a moment, simply swallowing a dry gulp.
"I... definitely will."
"Then, this is the Underground Village's way of saying goodbye."
And with her plump buttocks wiggling softly, N.E.M.E.S.I.S. gave us her final greeting. I stared at the sight for a long time, only coming to my senses when both my arms were grabbed by the two androids approaching from the sides. Communication with R.P.M.? The future of humanity? All of that was a problem for later. Right now... I had to cool my face, which had turned red all on my own from this absurdly lewd conclusion.
"We're finally here, motel room!" Serika kicked the door open and raised both arms high. The old sign, the peeling wallpaper, the creaky bed, and the dented refrigerator—everything was exactly the same.
"It really smells just the same~ Hehe, our smell!"
I laughed, closed the entrance, and put down the luggage. This place was shabby, but it was the only base of our own that we had built to survive.
"Revi, let's install the energy capacitor first."
"Yes. I will begin by stabilizing the internal flow."
The equipment I took out of the bag was the high-efficiency energy capacitor and output amplifier Placia had given me. That bio-machine, whose surface squirmed even when still, transmitted a sensation of being alive, vibrating minutely the moment I held it in my hand.
"I'll connect the capacitor first."
I plugged the connection terminal into the wall outlet. In an instant, the red fluid inside the device began to circulate slowly. The phrase 'Charge Rate 1%' appeared on the display, and soon the numbers began to climb rapidly.
"The electricity is sufficient. Now we'll have an output that was impossible with just the solar power we farmed."
Revi carefully set up the power output amplifier. As the five gaunt grounding points touched the floor, the surrounding air trembled slightly.
"Output path no issues. Flow is normal."
"Good... at this rate..."
I slowly inhaled. I felt as if the connection that had been blocked all this time was finally opening up. Serika dusted off the top of the TV and asked, "Today... it's really going to work, right? R.P.M. communication!"
I nodded and said, "Yeah. That's why we went all the way down to that underground tunnel. It has to work."
Revi checked the connection status. "Energy flow, no issues. Output path stabilization complete."
Taking a breath, I walked in front of the old CRT TV. I picked up the remote and pressed the power button.
Whirr... The old screen turned on, and red static and grids flickered. There was noise, but no response. I slowly pressed the transmission button on the output device. The device vibrated low, and a unique wavelength that filled the space spread out.
However.
"...Huh?"
The screen remained the same. With only the red grid faintly overlaid, no signal came through. 'It worked like this in the game!' I checked the HDMI terminal again and re-verified the connection. The output amplifier and the capacitor were both normal.
"Revi. Check the signal status..."
It was just before I finished speaking.
"Current output, path issue—"
Click.
The words were cut off. Revi's mouth was half-open, and she stopped just like that. Her pupils, her head, even her breath—everything was frozen as if bound by time. Like a doll whose power had suddenly been cut off.
"...Revi?"
Watching her without a single sign of movement, I swallowed my breath without realizing it. My fingertips turned cold. I turned my head to check on Serika.
"Serika, did you perhaps..."
And at that moment, a chill ran down my spine. Serika, too, had stopped. Smiling in front of the TV, she was frozen like a statue, keeping that very smile. Her pupils lost focus, and I couldn't hear a sound in my ears. The room was so quiet that only the sound of my own heartbeat seemed to ring out excessively.
A room where nothing was happening. But it had 'stopped' so perfectly, so bizarrely. That strange silence couldn't possibly be normal. It was as if even the air in the room had come to a halt. My heart gave a sharp 'thump'.
And.
Static.
The noise flowing from the screen. A low, ringing mechanical sound spread through the room via the CRT.
[Signal... confirmed. Routing through R.P.M. communication port.]
That voice, which started like a mechanical sound, was strangely... like a 'girl's'. Too composed and clear, which made it all the more alien.
[...Human?]
A short silence. That single word washed over my entire body like a shudder. Red grids spread across the TV screen, gathering in the center as if staring at me. At this very moment. The legacy of all humanity was looking at me.