In the House, Part 4

I offered the robot a gentle smile.

"It's me. A human. The human you're supposed to protect."

The robot scanned me, projecting a crimson laser beam across my body.

"Why is this bastard acting like this?" I muttered.

— Looks like there's a system error. The database must have been wiped, so it's attacking and detaining innocent humans. Which just lets the zombies eat them. The hilarious part is, those tin cans classify the zombies as 'patients' and protect them. The zombies don't care about the robots either, so they don't attack them.

What an absurd symbiosis.

Should I destroy it? I reached for my pistol, but a better idea struck me.

"...Ms. Julione. Would your railgun have enough power to shut that thing down?"

— Probably. But it won't destroy it.

"No, I don't want to destroy it. Just shut it down. I'll hack it."

— Hack it?

"Yes."

— ...Whatever. Let's try it.

Whirrrr—

The truck drew in electrical current. Sparks condensed on the railgun mounted atop the cargo bay.

Zap!

An electromagnetic discharge. Hit directly, the robot shuddered with static before collapsing into a temporary shutdown.

"Good."

I rushed forward and connected the cable from my wrist to the back of the robot's head.

"It worked."

A console-like window popped up before my eyes.

Though it was filled with complex lines of code, this was ultimately a hack executed through mana. There was no need to overcomplicate things. I just had to project my desired commands onto the robot using my Cognitive Image.

'Once you reboot, you will serve me, Seol Ha-woon, as your primary protectee, and obey all of Seol Ha-woon's commands. You are Seol Ha-woon's bodyguard robot...'

I repeated the thought dozens of times until the robot began to boot.

Whirrrr.

Power returned to its systems. The lights on the robot's face flickered to life as it clanked back to its feet.

I swallowed hard, locking eyes with the machine.

The robot emitted a synthesized mechanical voice.

"Phew."

— Oh? Were you a professional hacker?

"...Well, something like that."

I stood up.

"Let's go. You, follow me."

My companions had grown to two.

One was a small, rattling truck, and the other was a drum-shaped robot, but they felt incredibly reassuring.

The bodyguard robot led the way, with Ha-woon and the truck trailing closely behind. Having a heavy tank in front made a world of difference. This is why every party needs a warrior.

"You're guiding us to the server room, right?"

"Keep your voice ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠down."

The robot's volume decreased significantly.

Detention Center

We soon reached the detention center. The stench of rotting blood assaulted my nostrils.

"Ugh. Do we really have to pass through here to get to the server room?"

"...Fine. I'm trusting you."

The robot opened the door.

Along the corridor where red emergency lights flashed, cells lined both sides. Other robots seemed to be patrolling the area, emitting soft beeps, while a significant number of zombies stood inside the cells and in the corners of the hallway.

I stuck close to the robot's back, hiding behind its drum-shaped chassis. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Step by step, I moved as if I were a robot myself...

Grrr!

Suddenly, a zombie let out a guttural screech. Its bloodshot eyes locked directly onto me.

"Uh oh."

Screeech!

The creature lunges at me, but the patrol robots immediately intervened. Cold metal arms clamped around its waist.

The glitched robots really treated the zombies as patients!

Grrr.

Screeech!

One by one, the zombies in the detention center noticed me, but they were promptly restrained by the other robots.

— Graaa!

The mechanical voices of the robots and the shrieks of the zombies tangled together.

— Keeeeeek!

— Graaaaargh!

Zombies and robots became entangled in a bizarre, chaotic dance. It was an absolute circus.

"Quickly. Let's move fast."

Taking advantage of the commotion, we slipped out of the detention center.

The patient is having a seizure. The patient is having a seizure...

The heavy iron door shut behind us, and the mechanical voices gradually faded into the distance.

"Phew..."

— That was lucky.

"Tell me about it."

"Yeah, let's go."

We walked through the outer corridor. The air inside the dimly lit vessel felt heavy and stale, and the walls were heavily stained with blood.

Server Monitoring Room

"Is this the server room?"

"...Alright. Let's go in. Search the interior for anything useful."

The robot opened the door first, scanning the interior with its laser.

"Good."

I stepped inside. The first thing that caught my eye was a wall lined with consoles and monitors. It seemed to be the control center for the ship's security cameras.

And then...

"There it is."

Desktop

I immediately connected the cable. A blue light flowed along my wrist.

I chose Hacking without a second thought.

While I wanted to try out the other skills, the immediate utility of Hacking was too good to pass up right now.

"Robot. Turn on the power."

The robot waddled over and tapped a specific section of the console.

"Where do I do it?"

I walked over to the security scanner, which required simultaneous fingerprint and iris recognition. I unplugged the cable from my wrist and jammed it straight into the port.

The server room's lights and monitors flickered on. CCTV feeds from the Escort and several other vessels appeared on the screens.

"Robot. Can we see the status of other ships from here?"

I sat down in a chair.

"Alright. Let me take a look."

There were an immense number of CCTV feeds. The Escort alone probably had hundreds, and the other ships would have just as many. It was going to take some time to scan through them all.

I wonder what the others are doing.

It would be much easier to clear this if we had more numbers.

— There's a lot of good equipment here.

The truck mumbled. I glanced down at her.

"Are there any engine parts?"

— No. You'd have to go to the main Cosmos ship to find those. But still...

Julione rattled around, inspecting the various devices in the server room.

— Whoa. An Estrama OS and even a main chipset? If I configure the BIOS right...

Watching her do that really made it feel like the truck itself was talking.

"Robot. We can't see the main Cosmos ship from here, right?"

— Come to think of it, I haven't asked for your name.

Julione suddenly asked.

"It's Seol Ha-woon."

— Seol Ha-woon. Load up the things I select from now on.

"...Did you ask for my name just to make me do chores?"

This was ridiculous. The truck whirred and called out to me.

— Hurry. It'll be helpful to you too.

"Alright. Which ones?"

— This, this, this, and this.

Julione ordered through her camera. I detached them all—small circuit boards, semiconductors, computer parts from the server room, carbon fiber composites, and more.

— This will take a few trips.

"No need. I'll bundle them up and stack them on you."

Duct Tape was a skill, but it was also literally tape.

I wrapped the gathered equipment in a bundle and secured it onto the truck with Duct Tape.

"There. All set."

— I'll be back.

"Are you sure you won't break?"

I realized I had grown quite attached to the little truck. I'd probably cry if it broke.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

— Neither the zombies nor the robots pay any attention to this truck.

"Alright. Safe travels."

— The upgrades might take some time.

"That's fine. I need to get some rest anyway."

— Okay. Open the door.

"Sure."

I gently pried the door open. The truck peeked its front bumper out of the gap, scanned the hallway, and then rolled out.

Rattle, rattle...

"...Ah, I'm exhausted."

I closed the door and lay down on ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the sofa. I had planned to watch the CCTV feeds, but my stamina had hit its limit.

"Robot. Guard the door. Don't let anyone in except that truck. Wake me up immediately if anyone comes."

"Thanks."

The robot stood outside the door like a sentinel. I lay back on the sofa and activated my Dream Bubble skill.

I flipped the switch in my brain.

Click.

The public's shock over Kim Yoon-jun's death lasted only a few days. The world quickly returned to normal. Variety shows, online communities, social media, broadcasting stations, and news all regained their daily rhythm as if nothing had happened.

Still, Kim Yoon-jun would remain in the memories of many.

Just as a milestone of how fast time flies—"Oh, that person? That incident? Was that already a year ago?"

Or, when the culprit is finally caught, it will set the world ablaze again.

The poster...

Kang Hyun and Lee Jun-ho were the main focus, their profiles dividing the center, with other explorers lined up beside them. Seol Ha-woon was standing quite coolly near Kang Hyun.

"Hehe."

Lee Si-ah hugged the poster tightly to her chest.

Perhaps thanks to some guy causing a ruckus last time, they had released the posters early this week.

Lee Si-ah browsed the community.

She, too, felt more excitement for the next episode than shock over the Kim Yoon-jun incident.