Chapter 273: 44th Floor: To the Sea
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 273: 44th Floor: To the Sea
"Alright, this is the room you'll be using."
My temporary room.
It had a bed and a desk with a few books on it. Thankfully, it also had an attached bathroom.
"Ask if you have any questions. I can't promise I'll answer, but if it's something I know, I'll tell you."
Perfect timing.
Time to bombard him with questions.
"How long has this been installed?"
"The marine facility? We did it yesterday, didn't we?"
"Yesterday...? Then when did you start working on it?"
"Huh? Yesterday, of course, you punk. These days, you just have to drop in the custom-ordered parts. Honestly, it would probably run itself even without any humans around."
'The technology is impressive. Is this the space age?'
Apparently, a process that would have originally taken years was now as simple as purchasing a marine operations facility built to order, loading it onto a spaceship, and dropping it in.
He said it was the most rational method due to various issues like atmospheric composition, gravity, and environmental impact...
"So, when do we start mining this 'Giro' substance? And can I see the data related to the mining?"
"Oh! Yeah, good attitude. I like that a lot. Keep up that proactive mindset. You're the key to this mission, so it's better if you look over it beforehand. Now... it should be here somewhere, where did I put it?"
He started rummaging through the bookshelf in my room.
As I watched him search with an excited expression, a strange sense of unease washed over me.
'I'm the key? Don't tell me... I have to do it myself?'
Come to think of it, it was unlikely these people would have purchased an expensive Super Soldier without a good reason.
They acted as if there were no other threats, so why would they buy me?
It meant... some kind of manual labor was required.
"Ah, found it. Have a read. This is the project."
The Giro mining project, laid out in about five pages.
'Only five pages? For a mining project?'
I didn't know why they used an analog bookshelf, but I started to read it slowly.
[In Search of 'Giro,' the Origin of Life...]
I flipped past the plausible-looking cover and read on...
"Oh...?"
The mining method was on page four.
"What do you think? Pretty innovative, right?"
"No? This... this is barbaric!!!"
The plan was incredibly simple.
I was to descend 90 kilometers below sea level, use explosives and a pickaxe to break through the ground, and then, with sheer grit and determination, through blood, sweat, and tears, bring back the mineral-form Giro!!!
'This is... a space-age mining method?'
A Giro gas mining plan of the Super Soldier, by the Super Soldier, for the Super Soldier!
For the record, this platform wasn't for drilling, but for refining Giro.
"Hey, this is just me doing everything!!"
"That's why we bought you. Cost reduction! Do you have any idea how expensive a machine that can withstand the high pressure of 90 kilometers underwater is? Not to mention the drills, and the particles of Giro ore explode the moment their crystal structure is even slightly damaged. A machine that can work that delicately is insanely expensive."
In the end, it was all about money.
Lee Do-hee! Cheaper than a machine!
"Ah......"
Simply put, I was more cost-effective than state-of-the-art equipment. No, since I'm state-of-the-art, does this count as state-of-the-art technology?
"Misailris Industries happened to be offering Super Soldiers for performance testing at a cheap price, so I thought, this is it! And rented you."
And another thing.
A machine would have to be specially custom-ordered, but I could just be rented for a set period!
"Ugh... you... you scammers! You're a bad boss!!"
That's right.
Foreign worker Lee Do-hee.
I had become a mining slave, 90 kilometers underwater.
*
About an hour after Mickey left, I was speculating with the viewers about the monster's identity when Rodmill knocked and entered.
"How have you been, error robot?"
"I told you, I'm not..."
He smirked, one corner of his mouth lifting.
He looked like he was wearing a victor's smile.
"I took your words seriously and conducted an underwater inspection. First, the 50-kilometer radius around this facility is completely clean, not even an ant in sight."
"No..."
'Did it run away that fast? Or does it have a stealth function that blocks detection?'
"Huhu... still pondering other possibilities, I see. For your information, this planet may look like it could support life because of the water, but it's completely devoid of it. The initial survey classified it as a primitive planet where life had not yet begun."
"I-Is that so?"
'Then what did I see in the last run? I'm sure there was something wriggling like a tentacle.'
"You still don't seem to believe me. Well, danger can always arise, so there's no harm in being cautious. It could be an inorganic lifeform, or something could have flown in from space and settled here. The universe is full of unimaginable creatures."
He seemed to be respecting my opinion, but I could tell he was convinced there was nothing there.
"If there are no objections, we'll put that matter on hold for now. Have you been briefed on the mining operation? We'll be doing reconnaissance and a test run tomorrow, so be aware of that. Oh, and patch up that hole you made in the wall. The sunlight is harsh."
"Yes..."
'What is it, really?'
"Also, in an hour, a drop pod carrying Ludger will land nearby. Can you retrieve it?"
"Yes..."
"Ahem, has this robot glitched again? Cheer up. As long as you complete the mission successfully, we'll pretend what happened this morning never occurred."
'That's fine and all, but I'm telling you, there really was a monster.'
I also asked about the Super Soldier foreign worker mining plan, and he nodded as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"Do you know what Plan B was? To vaporize all the water with an orbital laser bombardment. This is better than that, isn't it?"
"Huh? That sounds better to me. Let's do that right now."
"Ahem... the thing is, we're not exactly mining legally, so it would be troublesome if we got caught... We can't do anything that requires high energy. And that would take years."
"Ah..."
These bastards. Turns out they were an illegal mining crew.
*
An hour later, I rescued a cowardly Ludger, who was trembling inside the pod, by carrying him out princess-style.
Then, we all had a meal together.
The menu was thawed crab-flavored soup.
As I grimaced at the tasteless food, Mickey, sitting across from me, spoke with a grin.
"From now on, your name is 'Ido'."
"What's that? My name is Lee Do-'hee'."
"In my native language, it means 'error'."
"Hey, I'm telling you, there really was a creature!"
That jerk Mickey... targeting me now that he's done with Ludger!
"Ido... not bad. Honestly, the 'hee' sound is difficult to pronounce. And it's a bit weird to call you Super Soldier Number 69, isn't it?"
"I'm... Number 69?"
As I stared blankly at the strange number, the men around me snickered, trying to hold back their laughter.
You perverts!
"But, by any chance... do you go in naked, without a diving suit?"
At Ludger's perverted question, chwa-reu-reu-reuk! The Arcane Power Suit materialized around me.
Until now, I had been wearing ordinary loungewear.
"Do you see this? This is the latest technology from Misailris!! Where are you looking, you perverted human?"
"Hey, I can see it when you transform!"
A feature of the Arcane Suit: you briefly become naked during the transformation.
The suit forms from the heart outwards, momentarily revealing that area.
"Mr. Ludger, I'm suing you for visual rape and sexual harassment!"
"W-Wait, really? No, right? I-I'm sorry!"
"Sigh, stop fooling around. Take off your gear and let's eat."
I had to listen to Rodmill.
"Yes, sir!"
"Ah, so you were joking? Haha... But in that case, maybe one more time..."
Clang!
Still, they were all pretty good-natured, so it wasn't uncomfortable.
They weren't overly energetic social butterfly types, nor were they the quiet type. They just felt like a group of old friends.
They all had easygoing faces, too.
It wasn't hard to get friendly with them after just one meal and a few jokes.
I liked everything except for the fact that the food was terrible.
'I'll have to make some army stew before bed.'
*
The next morning.
For reference, this planet's rotation speed is almost identical to Earth's. A day is 23 hours long.
"Hoo... well, I'm heading in."
I was anxious.
Not for myself, but for what might happen while I was gone.
But I had a plan.
---
<White Tower Master's Hat>
◇ All Stats +100
◇ <Install Warp Gate>: Installs a warp gate connecting two locations.
---
An item I'd bought just for an occasion like this!
When playing solo in the Tower's trials, there are often times when you have to defend multiple locations at once, or handle both offense and defense simultaneously. That's why I spent billions on this, even though its stats aren't that high.
I had secretly installed a warp gate in my room.
If anything happened, I could just open the gate and move.
But that wasn't all!
I had summoned and hidden my Pukteu Tribe warriors and mages in various places throughout the facility—the warehouse, under beds, in the vents, the engine room, the bathrooms, under desks, and so on.
"I'm ready."
A very sturdy alloy cable was tied around my back like a belt, connecting me to the marine facility. I also had a communication earplug. That was it.
Since the Arcane Suit could cover my entire face, communication wouldn't be a problem.
"[Ah, ah, can you hear me? Today, you're just going to check the seabed and come back. It's an equipment test dive, so you can take your time.]"
"Don't tell me... I'm included in that 'equipment,' am I, Captain?"
For the record, I'd decided to just call Rodmill 'Captain'.
"[...You're sharp.]"
"H-How could you treat a person like an object!!"
"[Get in the water before I sell you to a slave trader, Ido.]"
"Yes, Captain!"
Splash!
I slowly swam down into the water.
The water here was slightly less dense than Earth's oceans.
It was an ordinary sea, nothing special.
"Captain, if the facility suddenly tilts, or if it feels like something is rising up, you have to tell me without delay."
"[You punk, still haven't fixed that error? Don't worry, Mickey and Ludger are monitoring above and below.]"
"Was Ludger monitoring from below, by any chance? No wonder... I felt a hot gaze on my butt as I was about to dive..."
"[That's right.]"
"[I'm at the very top right now!! Stop blaming me!!]"
"Just checking if the comms work, you perverted human."
"[Shut up, Ido! You error robot!]"
"Hey! Calling a person a robot? I'm suing you just for the hell of it!"
I wasn't just chatting instead of focusing on the mission.
I kept talking nonstop just in case a monster tried to assassinate me quietly.
It probably wouldn't be that effective, but you know that feeling? Like pretending to be on the phone when a suspicious man is following you?
*
A short while later.
"[You've only descended 10 kilometers? Ido? Are you secretly eating again down there?]"
For the record, I got caught secretly making army stew last night.
Mickey had been passing by, smelled it, and came in. How dare he enter a lady's room without permission? And then spread rumors about it? The guy has no manners.
Anyway, that wasn't what was important right now. I was facing a strange situation.
"No, something's weird. I'm descending quickly!"
For almost two hours.
I had been swimming down at a moderate pace, but the control room said my depth had been stuck at 10 kilometers for over ten minutes.
'What the...?'
"[The cable is holding steady, too. The length isn't increasing at all.]"
"Hold on."
At first, I thought it was an error in the control room, but I don't think so anymore.
It felt like... I was caught in some strange trap.
I started by spreading my senses.
'Water... H2O... water... sea...'
Only water.
I couldn't feel any other strange energy.
Now that the light was gone, all I could see was dark water.
Mana? There was none of that either.
'In that case, I have a way.'
"I'm going to detach the line for a moment and descend rapidly."
"[Understood. Permission granted.]"
I created a foothold panel behind me.
Then, I used a skill from my Arcane Power Suit.
For reference, the details of Power Jump are:
---
<Power Jump>
When you jump, you can exert 5 times your normal strength.
Cooldown: 10 minutes.
---
I gathered my strength and jumped down forcefully.
[Power Jump]!!
Gu-reu-reu-reu-reuk!!!
A strong current was created, and the resistance quickly slowed me down, but I had definitely covered a lot of distance.
"[Oh, you're at 10.3 kilometers. Huh? Wait, you're rising again!]"
"What? No... what is this? I'm perfectly still right now."
I'm not moving, so why am I rising?
A miracle of physics.
My surroundings were calm and quiet.
But they said I was rising?
It felt as if... the sea itself was rejecting me.
"[Whoa... what is this? You're back at 10 kilometers, Ido. You're not messing with us, are you?]"
"[It's the curse of the sea...?]"
"[You idiot, do you think something like that exists? Isn't she just caught in an upward current?]"
An upward current.
That was the most plausible explanation, but...
"Mickey... if that were true, I should keep rising, but I'm stopped right now..."
"[Huh...?]"
If it were an upward current, I should be rising when I'm still, but instead, I was stopped at the 10-kilometer mark.
It felt like some transcendent being was intentionally blocking me from passing.
The comms went quiet for a moment.
Silence.
Everyone's brain froze at the illogical phenomenon.
Ten seconds later.
"[I-It's a ghoooooost!!!!!]"
Ludger's pathetic scream snapped me out of it.
Still, thanks to that lame scream, I let out a chuckle and my tension eased.
"Sigh..."
"[Ludger, you damn coward, hahaha...]"
"[Agh, what ghost... Ido, can you try descending again like before?]"
"Yes, Captain. I'll shake off this water ghost!!"
'You dare have a staring contest with me? Whatever you are, I'll make you show your true form.'
I checked the skills on my Space Leap Shoes.
---
<Panel Creation>
Summons up to 100 stepping panels in mid-air.
◇ Panel Durability: Defense 100, Restoration Cooldown 10 minutes, Disappears 1 second after creation.
<Acceleration>
Each time you step on a panel, your movement speed increases by 10%, and the panels will not be destroyed by your steps.
Resets when movement stops.』
---
The panel restoration time is 10 minutes.
With a maximum of 100... I could maintain them continuously by using one every 6 seconds.
But that wasn't really important.
What I was going to use was the skill right below it, Acceleration.
For the record, it definitely looked like it compounded, but the Tower must have hotfixed it at some point, because now it just steadily increases by 10% each time.
Stack it 100 times, and that's 10 times the speed.
However, it wasn't like Agility, which increases thought acceleration and control; it was a concept where only your limbs got 10% faster. It was a flawed skill, perfect for tearing a muscle or tripping over yourself.
But, what if I was underwater?
And what if my defense stat was so overwhelmingly high that I could withstand the muscle overload?
It would become a super-acceleration, a totally broken skill.
Better yet, since there was no reason to stop, it was infinite acceleration.
Until when?
Until I hit the bottom!!
"Alright, let's do this!!"
BOOM!!!
I pushed off the foothold panel and shot forward.