Chapter 162: Dancing with Machines (2)
Chapter 162: Dancing with Machines (2)
“…This is Asian Express Flight 923, bound for Moscow Domodedovo International Airport.”
I was sitting in the first-class section of a commercial airliner.
Usually, these seats were packed, offering both luxury and guaranteed safety, but currently, every seat except mine was empty.
Flight attendants bustled about, preparing for takeoff, yet not a single one spared me a glance.
I knew first-class passengers were typically showered with all sorts of attention and care.
Even so, I had no intention of complaining to the crew.
This was only natural.
Both the empty cabin and their lack of attention were intentional.
From their perspective, the person sitting here was a high-ranking official from the Management Bureau traveling on official business.
They had likely been trained to look the other way and keep their mouths shut, no matter what I did.
Of course, I wasn't a high-ranking official, nor did I plan on doing any classified work here, but to them, that’s exactly who I was.
This was why I hated taking commercial flights.
Anyway, where the hell was he?
The flight attendants’ deliberate efforts to ignore me were already getting on my nerves, and my companion for the day was nowhere to be seen even as we approached the final moments before takeoff.
“Passengers, please double-check that your seatbelts are fastened. We would also like to remind you that smoking is strictly prohibited in all areas of the aircraft, including the lavatories.”
What gives? The announcements were almost over.
Was I really flying to the Soviet Union alone? I really didn't want to get into a shouting match with those guys by myself.
Just as I was worrying, and the flight attendants were taking their seats and buckling up for takeoff—
Thud. Thud. Screeeech.
“Sir, you can’t do this…!”
Along with a strange metallic grinding sound, a commotion broke out near the front.
Normally, passengers wouldn't be able to tell what was happening, but I was in first class.
If I just turned my head a little, I could see the forward door.
I had a pretty good idea of what was going on, but half out of curiosity, I leaned out of my seat to look.
The person who entered my field of vision was a very familiar friend.
Having tossed aside his usual grease-stained lab coat for a set of sharp casual clothes, he looked like a professional model.
A handsome Blonde Man with delicate features.
He had the kind of looks that were universally appealing.
As if to prove my point, the Onboard Hero stationed at the door was blushing while trying to talk to him.
“You appear to be a Hero, but using Heroic powers on an aircraft outside of an emergency is a punishable offense. Furthermore, we are at the critical point of takeoff when incidents are most likely to occur, so please be careful…”
No, in that situation, you’re supposed to label him a dangerous element and subdue him immediately.
What’s the point of using stiff, formal language when your voice is clearly trembling?
“Ah, my apologies. I was in a bit of a hurry.”
“Even if you were in a hurry, by regulation, what you just did is borderline terrorism…”
Seriously, just subdue him.
“I am sorry. It really was an emergency. Would you mind taking a look at these documents?”
Perhaps wanting to escape the bureaucratic lecture, our resident terrorist pulled something from his coat.
A single sheet of A4 paper and a pristine Hero Certificate.
“Please wait a moment.”
The Onboard Hero took the two items and scanned them with a device.
“…Confirmed. You may enter. Please refrain from such actions in the future.”
“Yes, I apologize for the trouble.”
“Not at all. Have a pleasant flight.”
The terrorist made a grand entrance into the plane and threw himself into the seat next to mine.
I suppose you can’t hide your true nature no matter how much you dress up; the moment he sat down, the faint scent of oil wafted into my nose. Catching the scent, I spoke.
“What took you so long?”
I directed the question at the Librarian.
“Haha. Well, you see.”
The Librarian, who was buckling his seatbelt while listening to the cabin announcements, looked away sheepishly, clearly aware of his blunder.
“Well, by my calculations, I should have arrived exactly on time… but there was… an accident on the way.”
“What kind of accident?”
“…I was in such a rush that I went over the speed limit and crashed into the tollgate.”
Forget the calculations; that means you were late from the moment you got into the car.
It was obvious you would’ve been late even without the accident, yet you’re still talking about calculations.
I guess some things don't change, even if he is becoming more like a machine.
Vrooooom.
After our brief exchange, the entire plane began to vibrate.
The airframe shook as it gathered the immense power needed for takeoff, and then it began to release that stored energy to lift the massive hunk of steel into the sky.
Amidst the vibration and noise, I asked the question I should have asked when he first made the proposal.
“What suddenly possessed you to go meet The Enemy?”
“I wonder.”
A dry answer came back.
As dry as the vibrations currently rattling the cabin.
“Are you going to retire?”
“No, it’s not that.”
This answer held a trace of emotion.
A sigh mixed with the scent of machinery.
“I simply found something I want to know.”
“Something you want to know?”
The plane began to lift off.
As we fought against the earth's gravity, a heavy pressure weighed down on my body.
“You said it when you visited my laboratory. That a scientist pursues all knowledge for the sake of a single answer.”
“Did I say that?”
“Yes, those were your words.”
I didn't remember saying anything like that.
Hmm. I probably just blurted it out without thinking.
Unless he was lying, there was no way the Librarian’s memory was wrong.
“Hearing that made me think. About something I can no longer turn a blind eye to.”
“And to find that out, you’re going to see our final enemy?”
“Yes.”
Whirrr.
Though we had barely spoken, the plane had already leveled off.
Perhaps we were just speaking slowly.
Question and answer. Answer and question.
The long intervals that stretched between them.
And after the longest silence of all, I finally threw out the question I had carefully considered.
“…For the sake of knowledge that might change your heart?”
“Yes.”
The Librarian answered simply.
What kind of knowledge was it?
What kind of information would drive someone to seek it out, even knowing it might lead to their corruption?
And how could he remain so calm?
Was it because he was a machine?
No, he was human.
A human being, completely different from the plane currently vibrating beneath me.
My dear friend, and a Hero of old.
The Librarian.
“That serious expression doesn't suit you, so you should stop.”
The Librarian’s words cut through my thoughts.
“…Was it that obvious?”
“Yes, very.”
“Then don't say things like that. Asking me to destroy you and all that.”
He’d talked as if he were about to die.
“Preparing for the worst-case scenario is a lesson we learned on the battlefield. I am simply following it.”
Sure, sure. You’re so very impressive.
I wasted my breath worrying about him.
I waved a hand at the Librarian and stared out the window with a grumpy expression.
We must have gained altitude quickly; outside the window, there was nothing but blue sky and white clouds.
I stared blankly at the view.
A few minutes passed as I calmed my mind.
“Hmm. I can see you’re quite annoyed with me, so would you like to take this?”
The Librarian spoke as he handed something dark over my head.
“What is it?”
I grabbed it since it was blocking my view, but I couldn't immediately tell what the black lump was.
However, the moment I held it, I recognized it.
A Game Gear Cast.
A recently released handheld gaming console.
“We should have… a round.”
When I turned my head at his words, I saw that he was holding the same model.
Well, I guess I had no choice.
I carefully gripped the console and powered it on.
The blue screen flared to life.
“I’m winning this time.”
I declared my victory.
* * *
“That makes it 43 wins and 21 losses. My overwhelming lead continues.”
“No, this is a scam, dammit! How did that even hit me?”
Even accounting for the fact that I hadn't played this game in a while, the results were atrocious.
I couldn't understand why my combos weren't connecting.
I was sure I was inputting them correctly, but the character on the screen wouldn't respond.
It wasn't like The System had changed, because the character the Librarian chose was chaining skills together as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
In my frustration, I activated Cognitive Acceleration and hammered in the commands.
Thud.
K! O!
The console in my hand coldly announced my opponent's victory.
“…”
“44 wins, 21 losses.”
This absolute bastard.
“Hey. You hacked this game, didn't you? Level with me.”
This piece of trash must have buffed his own character and nerfed my main just to undermine my overwhelming superiority.
Otherwise, there was no way that girl character currently dancing victoriously on the screen could have taken down my muscle-bound brawler.
“I did no such thing.”
Don't lie to me, you noob.
I checked it with Cognitive Acceleration, dammit. I crammed all the commands into a single frame, and the skill still didn't trigger.
“I’m telling you, I put the commands in.”
“Hmm? Did you perhaps not know?”
“Know what?”
“Hmm. Rather than me telling you… why don't you return to the title screen for a moment?”
The title screen? Why there?
The Librarian was making a strange request, but my curiosity about the situation was stronger, so I quietly did as he said and returned to the title screen.
“Now. Here. Look here. Doesn't something look different?”
The Librarian pointed his finger at a spot on the screen.
“Super X… Ultra?”
What the hell was Ultra?
The last version I knew was X.
“It’s the new version that came out a few weeks ago. Those developers sold another update. I didn't think you wouldn't know.”
The Librarian’s words solved the mystery.
In short, it was this:
The developers weren't satisfied with just a balance patch; they had sold yet another expansion pack.
It was probably something like the 8th expansion.
Ah, so that’s why I couldn't play properly?
I was fuming at the game company for such nonsense, but—
“Hand over the patch notes.”
Beating the noob in front of me was more important than the game company’s greed.
“Just a moment. I’ll search for them and give them to you…”
Just as we were about to continue our friendly conversation—
Ding-dong.
Suddenly, an alert sounded.
The chime echoed throughout the entire plane.
Then, a frantic voice came over the intercom.
“Passengers, the aircraft is experiencing some turbulence. This is due to atmospheric conditions, so please fasten your seatbelts and remain in your seats…”
“…”
“…”
Speechless, the two of us looked at each other, our gazes meeting.
We were likely thinking the same thing.
‘Ah, something—a monster or a beast—has latched onto the plane.’
Turbulence, my ass. It was obviously another monster.
Even the Onboard Hero by the door was panicking and grabbing his gear.
“…Weren't aerial ambushes supposed to happen only five to eight times a year at most?”
“Searching the database now… statistically, yes, that is correct.”
“Then why is this the second time for me this year alone?”
“I suspect it is because you are Lee Ha-ram.”
Even you’re saying that now, Librarian?
Am I truly cursed whenever I board a vehicle?
I lamented my fate and briefly considered jumping outside to handle it.
But I quickly dismissed the thought.
“Sigh. Do you think you can handle it?”
“Leave it to me.”
I had an expert in this field sitting right next to me, after all.
So, I rested the console on my lap and watched my fellow Hero perform.
Click. Clack. Shhh. Whirrr.
The sound of gears turning, hydraulic presses, and cooling fans.
A multitude of mechanical sounds echoed.
Hummm.
Finally, as the Librarian’s eyes glowed red—
Boom!
The sound of an explosion erupted from somewhere outside the fuselage.
“Is it over?”
“Yes.”
“Then let’s get back to the game.”
“Let’s.”
And so, the two of us picked up our consoles again.
“What happened?!”
“I just heard a strange explosion!”
“Where’s the flight attendant?”
“Passengers, please remain calm for a moment. We are currently assessing the situation…”
Noisy shouting drifted from the back of the plane, but it wasn't anything worth worrying about.
Evil had been repelled, and we were in the middle of a serious match.