Chapter 33 – Rescue Operation (1)
“According to the quarantine protocol, you must be tested in a quarantine area for a while after moving in.”
[I understand. However, is it possible to separate the residence of prisoners and guards?]
“I’ll be considerate as much as possible, but I can’t guarantee it. This side has also suffered a severe blow, so the situation is not easy.”
[I get it. Then what should we do?]
“Tell them to stay calm as rescuers will arrive. We just need to spread the word to follow our instructions.”
[I don’t know about the prisoners in the east wing, but will the prisoners in the west wing obey?]
“We have armed guards in sufficient numbers. I hope you fully convey that there will be ruthless suppression if you do not obey the control. It is also true that if you think of something soft like a riot baton or a Taser gun, you will get a serious nose injury. It is a world where people and organizations no longer care about the human rights of prisoners. There’s nothing we can do about it because the composition of their staff is much wilder than we thought.”
Lee Se-young was rather satisfied with my answer that I would not hesitate to suppress violence.
Rather, they seemed more relieved that a group with certain armed forces was on standby.
[Okay, I’ll pass it on as it is. On behalf of all prisoners and guards, thank you. I don’t know how to repay this.]
“You can repay with sweat.”
[Of course. I have no intention of playing and eating for free.]
Se-yeong was the type of negotiator with whom she could communicate well.
All that remains is the composition of the special forces.
Bang! Bang!
Gunshots rang out from the training grounds filled with improvised temporary buildings and obstacles.
The security robots fired gas guns and started a mock operation. None of the objects stopped while shooting.
Puck! Puck!
The projectile infestation hit near the head of the drawn target.
Bang!
They didn’t even stick around. Because it shares the view with the camera attached to the gun, accurate aiming and shooting was possible in any position.
Since it does not breathe, there is no need to stop breathing when shooting, and there is no shaking of the hand due to instability in the flow of electricity in the muscles or nervous system.
Combat robots that are free from numerous factors that limit humans’ accurate shooting and are capable of non-verbal communication without knowing emotions or pain.
Through Artemis’ sophisticated programming, they were transformed from civilian guards into veteran soldiers.
The training itself had been carried out in various ways even before there was external communication, and eventually the day to use it in actual combat had arrived.
Bang!
When the last remaining target was blown out, the guard robots in front kicked back gas guns and pulled out riot control shotguns.
Bang!
The door to the temporary building was shattered in one kick with a heavy weight.
After a quick plunge, I approached the signs with the human on them.
[Move!]
[If you follow us, we will guide you to a safe disaster-prevention city.]
[Follow the controls. We have been entrusted with the authority for unlimited repression.]
As each spoke their prepared lines for crowd control, the signs moved in the direction of the guidance.
Bang!
Surprisingly, when some signs tried to hit the guard robots, they immediately fired shotguns.
The sign, beaten by dozens of grains of salt, quietly returned to its original course.
Beep-!
With the alarm announcing the end of the training, everything went back to its original position, and the guard robots from one platoon divided into three squads and lined up.
“Very impressive.”
It’s not that it’s not, it was a much better operation ability than the subordinates I had when I was on active duty.
“Because I have been training every day. Artemis didn’t take a day off from updates, and on some days she even sent dozens of mock training courses.”
A beautiful woman at the head of the guard platoon answered.
Her black straight hair came down to her waist, and she was tall, standing at 180 cm. There is no smile on her beautiful face, and no frills in her restrained posture.
Forged Flowers. There will be nothing better than that to express that figure.
She looks like she would look good in a suit or uniform, but what she’s wearing right now is a riot gear.
[Thank you for listening to my request.]
Said Rose.
“Rather, it’s something I wanted to ask from my side. There are negotiations that need to be carried out on the spot, and it was difficult to send only robots when leading a large number of people and mediating possible troubles. I should be grateful.”
She said grabbing her shoulder.
‘Manager, I have a petition for you.’
Rose had spoken to me when the meeting and communication were over.
She has been requesting that she herself be transferred to her android body and participate in the rescue operation with the commandos.
‘The autonomous combat behavior and crowd control software programmed by Artemis is great. But what we have to deal with is the exhausted human population. Having the same human negotiators on-site will make a huge difference in how difficult they lead.’
What would happen if heavily armed robots came in and forced them to take control in a situation of starvation, extreme fear and stress?
They may be intimidated and follow quietly, but there is also a risk of group panic.
From their point of view, the infected and this mysterious group of robots may feel no different.
Because of this part, at first I thought about leading the robots, but as soon as I said it, Artemis, Rose, and Chloro objected with one voice.
‘No way!’
‘Absolutely not!’
‘Never!’
And right away Rose volunteered to act as her conductor.
“Moving inside the body of a second-generation android is on a completely different level than contemplating it in cyberspace. I’m not just talking about physical sensations. Interactions in the real world give back massive mental reactions.”
“Senses like stress, fear, anxiety, tension?”
I nodded.
Humans accept various senses of the real world through the body throughout their lives. That’s how the shell of the mind is built, and tolerance to external feedback is built.
Haven’t you ever been afraid of thunder when you were a child, or had the experience of pulling a blanket over your bed while watching a horror movie?
If they are repeated, the day will come when you can comfortably watch a horror movie while drinking beer on a thunderous day.
But artificial intelligence is different.
They always exist in cyberspace on a different axis from reality.
Indirectly contemplating there, receiving feedback filtered through several stages and synchronizing with Android to receive feedback through the skin in real space.
There is a huge difference between the two.
There are several papers on artificial intelligence that have panicked because of this problem.
“We can do it. Trust me.”
Rose’s eyes were determined.
“I have often talked to the other two.”
I mean Artemis and Chloro.
“Artemis always speaks of the future. He talks about the plans he prepares, the perfect city, the purified world. Chloro, meanwhile, speaks of love. At first it was about the many love books she read, but at some point it turned into a story about her manager. They even sent me embarrassing materials.”
In front of Rose, who smiled bitterly, I too put on a puzzled expression.
“What I pursue is duty. Keeping order in the city and guiding people in the right direction. Commitment to carrying out the manager’s policy.”
“Duty is always a good value.”
Rose nodded her head at my answer.
“I played and watched the administrator’s recorded video countless times. A journey through a city full of death, using all the experience and skills you have acquired. It was the noblest fulfillment of duty than any other material I had ever seen.”
I was speechless as I looked into those black eyes full of calm, duty and courage.
“Now I want to follow that too.”
The one in front of me was an android, but her eyes looking at me were very human.
“I will definitely succeed. We will lead the survivors here safely.”
Rose saluted.
“You are inviting yourself to work. If they come in, they’ll be very busy.”
I also saluted and responded.
“This is what I hoped for.”
I saw Rose’s smiling face for the first time.
That night.
“Open the back door.”
The shelter blockade has been temporarily lifted by my order with administrative authority.
Woo woo woo-
The outermost back door opened with a heavy sound.
The salty smell of the sea.
The sound of slapping seawater hitting the cave walls everywhere.
In the distance beyond the dark cave is the horizon of the night sea.
It’s been a long time since I’ve smelled the outside air, but I don’t have time to enjoy it.
A platoon of heavily armed security robots, Rose, and small drones for reconnaissance support boarded the three boats.
The security robots that do not participate in the rescue operation are armed with gas guns and flamethrowers and are on high alert in case of possible infection.
The Sentry Guns, which were everywhere in the subway, have been moved here, no matter when they were installed.
Judging from its appearance, it appears to have been remodeled by Artemis. Bloody-looking steel spikes are tied with ammo belts and hung in clusters.
Cargo drones, vehicles, and industrial robots are also waiting behind to install temporary bridges.
Since the normalization of the city, the greatest tension flows.
“Then, let’s go.”
The boats departed with a small noise and disappeared over the dark sea, and immediately the machines began busily moving and constructing the bridge.
The rescue operation had finally begun.
