Translator’s note: In this instance/dungeon, Machine/robot/mechanically transformed Evolutionary are all pretty much used interchangeably. The smart robots here basically regard the mechanically transformed Evolutionaries/cyborgs as Machines/robot if more than 2% of their body has been transformed.
Just a random little fact, the word used by the author for the Machines is literally ‘intelligent machine’, which is also the word used for ‘Omnics’ in Overwatch. And the Radiant Legion’s ‘Radiant’ is the ‘Radiant’ in Dota. I was tempted to just stick with Omnic but then it seemed so Overwatch-specific.
Chapter 51
Ji Yuanji was dumbfounded, but Si Chen didn’t look like he was joking.
He glanced at the video camera next to Si Chen. Although no one uses such an old and bulky model nowadays, he still recognized it as a video camera.
So was Si Chen filming some weird films?
Ji Yuanji quite liked to watching those. However, it was with the premise that he played no part in it!!!
He took a deep breath. “Si Chen, let’s talk this over. I have an anonymous card with 80 million credit in it. If that is not enough, you can also dismantle some mechanical parts from my body. You can have those…”
As soon as Ji Yuanji finished speaking, the video camera in front of him expanded and a voice asked from the microphone, “Survivor, the Machine you bought has too strong a sense of autonomy. It is recommended that it be destroyed. Since it is your personal property, it is routine procedure before destroying it to ask if you would require my assistance.”
The focus and zoom ring of the camera lens both light up with white light, clearly a sign of the activation of its energy core.
Ji Yuanji: “…”
Apparently, he doesn’t know what a video camera looks like anymore.
If it weren’t for the failure of his energy core, Ji Yuanji would be able to fight three low-level Machines like Carol.
However, given his disadvantaged situation, Ji Yuanji turned pleasing eyes to Si Chen for help.
Si Chen replied, “No need. I set it up in this mode. I like them a little rebellious.”
Carol retracted the barrel with great regret. “I obey your commands.”
Carol: “We will be arriving at the base soon. Foreign Machines like this need to be sent for formatting. It will then be implanted with the chip of the Radiant Legion. Once done, the Machine shall be sent to your room. Rest assured that no parts will be replaced without your permission.”
Ji Yuanji suddenly showed panic.
Si Chen coughed. “It is very obedient. I do not think formatting is necessary.”
Carol: “If it can not be formatted, it can only be destroyed. I am sorry. As compensation, we will be given a Machine that is exactly the same from the appearance to the core program.”
“…On second thought, let’s just format it.”
If he’s formatted, there was a chance he might still be saved once they make it out.
Si Chen added, “Actually, the Machine in the previous photo is also my personal property.”
Carol’s screen flickered. It was processing the information. “I have transmitted the information back to headquarters. But I am not sure if your Machine is still there… According to the response from the main system, that Machine died half an hour ago in the incinerator.”
Si Chen was lost in thought.
This was a Level 2A instance; according to past experience, High-Dimensional Creatures here should be between the First to Fourth Step on Heaven’s Stairway.
Ji Chuyao should be on the Sixth Step. However, his energy core had been broken before.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
But since he had enough confidence to take along two oil bottles into an instance, he should be at least on the Fifth or Sixth Step right now.
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*
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In front of the incinerator, a humanoid Machine was operating the command platform.
“Confirmation of incineration, level five. Is it the highest incineration level? Yes.”
The energy reserves have been confirmed and the charge has been completed.
“… Was the incineration successful? No.”
“Third incineration. Initiating.”
The command platform complained, “Allen, do you need to upgrade your intelligent system? The failure rate of your operation today is very high. Also, as I said, I can do it myself. No other intelligent control is needed.”
Allen: “I am a level 2 energy core, and you are a level 1 energy core. My intelligence system is higher than yours. There is no need for me to upgrade.”
Due to protonuclear resonance, the temperature inside the incinerator was already terrifyingly high.
But the Mechanically Transformed human in the furnace didn’t turn into liquid metal as they were hoping.
Just when Allen decided to report the error, he received a new command from the system.
– Number **** Abort incineration of unknown Machine.
“Order receive.”
-Send to the production workshop for formatting.
” Order received.”
The original command was overwritten and Allen dismissed his plan of reporting the error.
Command Platform: “Pitiful cyborg. The degree of transformation is only 37%. The remaining 63% must have already burnt away.”
“Hey, Allen. Do you remember the time before we were 100% mechanized? You just came of age and had just saved money to get your arms.”
“That was all 40 years ago, don’t bring it up again.”
“40 years ago, we were just married and we were so happy. The engagement gift was a mechanical watch, so to speak. There’s a problem with my watch again.”
“You said its a gear watch with a constant magnetic field that could run for 300 years. Now it breaks down every two days.” The command platform complained.
Allen replied without emotion, “Happiness, a hallucination controlled by endorphins and dopamine.”
It activated the cooling system and after half an hour, the temperature in the cabin dropped to an acceptable level before the hatch opened.
There came an onslaught of heat.
Allen found that the cyborg inside didn’t even have its hair burned off. Its body was as smooth as glazed ceramic.
The strangest thing was that Ji Chuyao’s eyes were open. He wasn’t breathing. He was like a computer that crashed after a data overload and is trying to restart.
This obviously went beyond reason and it exceeded Allen’s data processing range.
This humanoid, body covered in silver metal and faceless, skillfully sent Ji Chuyao onto the conveyor belt.
**
The survivors’ base was located underground, beneath the city.
Amidst the ruins, there were hidden elevators of various sizes which led to the base.
After 15 minutes, the elevator slowly came to a stop.
The elevator doors opened and before them were red lines intertwined in a grid pattern blocking the door, indicating that passage was prohibited.
Carol explained, “This is to prevent Machine infiltration from the Enlightened Legion. Only members of the Radiant Legion system can receive the verification code.”
As it spoke, it raised a thin leg and a metal hose protruded from the top. It entered a 24-digit verification code on the console next to the door.
The way they deliver verification codes was definitely not through SMS messages.
Si Chen asked, “Humans aren’t able to receive the verification code. Will they need to be accompanied by Machines every time they go out in the future?”
Carol kept smiling. “The base has everything that humans need. You will be well protected here. Noble and delicate humans have no need to go out.”
Si Chen gave a “tsk” in his heart, feeling that the situation in the base might be worse than he imagined.
However, there’s no use crying over spilt milk. The only thing he could do was to take thing one step at a time.
Two faceless metal men walked into the elevator and took Ji Yuanji away.
They lifted up the metal plate Ji Yuanji was welded to and walked towards the production workshop.
Ji Yuanji felt the weightlessness of his body, panicked and shouted in Si Chen’s direction. “Master! Don’t abandon me, Master—!”
He’d been in the elevator and clearly heard the conversation between the two.
It is said that people are made up of their memories. After formatting, Ji Yuanji would be roughly equivalent to a newborn.
Carol sighed, “Your Machine truly has much personality. It is very lively. It would be impossible for me.”
Si Chen looked at the countless metal men on the first floor of the base and the heavy weapons everywhere and said slowly, “Indeed, this Machine was quite expensive. It was built by the Machine Core.”
Si Chen deliberately spit out the words “Machine Core”.
What had flashed through his mind was the Serpent Staff Gene trademark on the building before.
If the Serpent Staff Gene existed here, then did the other major companies as well?
Carol nodded. “No wonder. The Machine Core ones are always the most expensive.”
The base was huge and the first floor was a wide unobstructed expanse dotted with numerous faceless robots. These robots were like enlarged versions of drawer’s mannequins, operating according to established procedures. They didn’t speak or make any sound.
These metal men were mass-produced models. Their combat effectiveness was equal to that of an adult male who had received physical training. One artillery shot would take down a whole swath of them.
These robots don’t feel pain and there are enough of them to be useful expendables.
Machines with unique shapes and thinking abilities like Carol were rare.
Humans who are new to the base need to register with the system.
Si Chen was led to the registration office, where his fingerprints and blood were collected.
The machine that collected the blood was also fully automatic. Si Chen stretched his arm in and through a thin layer of glass, he saw the needle stick into his own blood vessel and then draw out a tube of dark black blood.
Si Chen began to worry that his blood sample would not pass the test.
The first few floors of the base were all robot activity spaces. The human living quarters were at the bottom of the base.
It was both protection and imprisonment.
“Actually, it is not my function to send you to the living spaces.” Carol said, “But according to the data, a change of guide midway will make humans feel uneasy.”
Si Chen was allocated his own room.
It was like a good quality hotel room. It was a single room with a bed welded to the floor.
The windows were LED screens with scenes that can be changed according to the wishes of the occupant. There was also a bathroom, refrigerator, and TV in the room.
Si Chen checked and there were only 4 movies to watch on the TV.
He browsed them at 16x speed. Most of the films told stories about human beings living happily under the protection of the Radiant Legion.
To a certain extent, entertainment works can reflect some of the characteristics of the times.
To Si Chen, these films were more like documentaries.
He opened the movie titled “A Brief History of Machines 1”. He shifted the playback to the end of the movie and then canceled the 16x speed.
The protagonist of the story was a sick but wealthy human child whose parents bought him a companion robot. They grew up together and had many happy memories but in the end the child was dying.
It seemed a little wrong to say that it was a human child. This alien child had purple-black skin, a big head but an abnormally thin body, like an orangutan or a goblin with short fur. He even had a tail. The humans in the film all looked like this.
However, the Machines in the movie were no different from what Si Chen recognized as humans. Their appearances were extraordinarily delicate and beautiful.
The Machine in the film looked a bit like Carol.
On the sick bed, the child’s last wish was, “I want to be with you forever.”
The Machine replied, “I obey your command.”
It froze the child and with a face devoid of expression, pushed him into the operating room for dissection. It put the child’s brain into its own body, replacing the original smart chip.
The director made a meaning-laden cut away to a thunderstorm scene.
With a tail of fire, the meteor pierced the dark sky. The soundtrack gave it a groundbreaking epic feel to it.
[In the history of Machines, the first sentient Machine was born.]
This was where the movie ended.
not creepy at all….
wow 🥲 Forever 🧠.
Thank you for the update 🙂
HE for robots and “humans”…not creepy at alllllllllllll………
How people imagine “together forever: 💕❤️💋🧑🤝🧑💀
Machine: 💀🧠🦾🦿
Thank you for your translation 🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍
Lmao so accurate for that last (propaganda) movie XD
😭