Loved by the War Machine

95 – Experimental Chamber 005 (1)

– Thud.

Barely visible through the smoke, the name “Mirsys” was clearly written.

However, what I held in my hand was a weapon that didn’t suit him, resembling an old Eastern Bloc assault rifle.

“Safe. Send the signal.”

Twice, slowly pulling, the black rope began to shake.

The passage, which had only two people, instantly filled with eight.

“As expected. Radio’s dead, and so is the signal.

No way we can use a drone in this situation.”

The man with the helmet’s light glanced at the boy, smaller in stature than himself, then headed toward the tunnel where no steam emerged.

“Move.”

The shadows of people disappearing into the smoke.

And, gloves lightly grasping the boy’s shoulders.

Beneath them, not the soft hands of a person but sturdy prosthetics.

“There’s no need to scratch nerves to that extent…”

“The gentlemen who wouldn’t have crossed the city’s outer walls if we hadn’t let them in?

And the promised compensation, for a ‘super mega corporation,’ it’s pretty shabby. Even if they hadn’t tried to enter here…”

Contracts, conditions, and an authoritative attitude.

Recently hardened, and with few aiming to go to the city that has completely isolated itself from the surrounding areas.

Especially walking towards its center was tantamount to suicide.

“…So, I have to ask.”

A woman, despite wearing protective gear, spoke without removing her mask.

Wiping droplets on the transparent plate revealing her face with her hands.

“Why did you want to come in here anyway?”

“Wasn’t that something we agreed not to ask?

Well, even if I ask… isn’t it obvious?

Numerous advanced equipment and technologies within the secretive factory.

Claiming to be an ‘independent’ city, yet Mirsithis seems to be showing peculiar interest and cooperation.”

Independence of Incheon.

An unprecedented incident where an unknown superior artificial intelligence seized control of the city network.

Mirsithis, Tonhu, and all the companies that had facilities in Incheon suffered painful losses –

Countless unmanned forces preventing external access created a situation strictly blocking information.

Eventually, after considering the facilities and information still remaining in Incheon, the companies engaged in incomprehensible communication with the city of Incheon reached a conclusion.

Acknowledging the special autonomous status of Incheon.

“There are people who can enter the treasure warehouse, aren’t there? I mean, someone curious about what’s inside?

Especially individuals like me or older sisters would be interested in such information.

…But, who did you say you’re looking for? From what I heard earlier, it seems like you’re looking for a veteran soldier.

Why would you try to find a soldier in this factory?”

A moment of silence.

And exchanged glances.

The man shrugged his shoulders, and the woman let out a heavy sigh as if exhausted.

“…That’s – “

Right at that moment.

With a loud noise, a scream echoed through the passage.

“Hey, they thought they could just go wherever they pleased…!”

The stomping resonated on the iron floor.

And before the boy, an exposed – torn floor.

” ——— Oh, they’re coming!”

“What’s going on?!”

“I don’t know if they stepped on the iron plate forcefully, but the floor just got ripped off as it is.

The king and two of his men fell in this direction.”

Fell, but not from a very high point.

From the very beginning, those who had been separated were taking care of themselves and looking around.

“Damn it, where the hell are we now…!”

A man who was extremely irritated shouted and illuminated the surroundings with a flashlight.

The flickering white light pierced through the darkness and soon turned towards the wall, where large letters were written.

“——— Do you know where this is?”

“I already told you that I couldn’t confirm the location.

If there are any internal facilities or written letters to check, we can only guess by looking at them…”

As the light from the captain and the remaining members no longer pointed towards the upper passage, the boy who was talking turned his body and looked towards where the light was heading.

‘TESTING GROUND 005’

The neatly written English letters in white paint meant nothing other than Experimental Facility 005.

However, there was no way to know what was being experimented in the darkness.

“——— Send the technicians down!”

The rope was lowered, and the five who remained in the passage eventually stepped on the ground using it.

As various lights illuminated the floor, the interior began to come into view.

“This is… just a simple platform. There must be a proper experimental facility below.”

“I looked down, but I didn’t see anything special.

It was just a steel floor with a few thin rectangular gaps.”

“Then what are you doing? We need to find a way down. Technicians, turn on some lights here and extract information.

Private Lee, keep an eye on these guys so they don’t do anything stupid.

As for the protective suits… since they seem safe for now, take them off.”

With a few strokes of the spear, commands were issued and the floor was littered with protective suits that glistened with moisture like discarded insect shells.

The woman in the mask and the man wearing black gloves held their pads, while the boy put on a bracelet and projected a holographic screen.

And Agent “Lee” with glasses opened his laptop.

“…There’s nothing here.”

“That’s right.”

“—This side is the same. It’s empty.

Wasn’t this a factory managed by an AI? Why is there no network?”

However, hacking was only possible when there was something.

As if to show the technicians that there was nothing in Experimental Chamber 005, it revealed nothing.

Until a radio transmission came from below.

[Agent Lee, I found the switch. Any information?]

“A switch? Sir, are you referring to the switch right now?”

[Yeah, the switch. Do you know what it is? Like a light switch or something?]

The unfolded pad, the projected holographic screen, and the laptop.

There was no information of note in any of them.

“Boy, do you know what that is?”

“I don’t really know exactly what this factory is. But… if we want to hack something, we need to turn on the power first.”

“I agree with that, Agent Lee.”

That’s why.

“Sir, let’s turn on the switch. There’s nothing here that could be considered a network.”

“The power needs to come in for something to start.”

[Got it.]

– Clank. Empty, empty, empty…

With the echoing sound filling the vacant space, a bright light began pushing away the darkness.

Only now did the contours become visible.

“Confirming activation of the internal network. As expected.”

“…Wait, Automated Process A? Should I start it right away…?”

And the facility started moving immediately.

[Lieutenant Lee? The switch went inside and disappeared. It’s good that the lights are on, but…]

[Commander, on the rail in front, there’s something… like a weapon.]

– Clickety-clack.

As the boy swiftly turned the screen, and as he moved towards the railing, the inside of the factory was revealed in his dark eyes.

The hacking team was standing on the hypothetical platform structure hanging from the ceiling.

And the armed personnel were descending to a straight line… an experiment platform.

People were arranged on the left I-shape on the floor, with rails laid on the right I-shape.

And on top of that, something resembling a giant cannon was moving.

[:: Automated Process A activated. Commencing the experiment ::]

As it moved and began to emit light, screams started coming from below.

[Turn it off! Turn it off! Lieutenant Lee, make it stop!!]

“Automated process? We don’t have control authority from this end?!”

“Captain, you need to bring down that switch!”

[As soon as the switch was lowered, it disappeared! It vanished inward!]

“A plasma gun. And it’s a colossal one at that…”

Weapons carried by the robotic units in the street emitted a blue light.

Simply enlarging it wouldn’t do justice – numerous thick cables were connected, and the train-like turrets supporting it added a sinister touch.

The man, rising with a black glove gripping the railing, looked at the back wall behind the platform where the armed personnel stood.

“Damn.”

Unlike the wall with writing on it, it wasn’t painted pitch black –

Perhaps, it seemed more fitting to say it was charred to a deep color.

[Private Lee, find a way!]

The barrel began to glow with a blue light circulating around it.

Simultaneously, a charging sound echoed in the background, amidst the flickering sparks.

[Private Lee!!]

“Wait a moment, I found it. Is this it?”

Cutting through the chaos, the boy waved his wrist.

At that moment, a rectangular wall appeared as the golden light opened on the platform.

A yellow-hued force field emerged, facing the direction of the barrel.

“Captain, the boy raised a shield. Over there!”

– Vrooom…

As the four crouched behind the wall, a fully charged cannon lifted its head towards the wall.

And then.

[:: Prototype Gamma fully charged. Activation countdown 3, 2, 1 ::]

– Beep…

A massive flashbang erupted, producing a noise and light akin to a detonation, forcing the eyes of those standing on the platform to close.

When they opened again, a floor with a distinctly black shine was revealed.

[Darn, were they producing such weapons in a place like this?]

[The smell… this odor… what is this strange smell?]

“It’s the smell of ozone… with the power needed to operate a weapon like mine, it undoubtedly generates ozone through electromagnetic waves…

So, were the steam clouds all coming out to turn the generator turbine?”

Even with noses covered, an unpleasant and heavy scent penetrated, stinging the insides.

In the eyes of the Westerner staring at the hologram as if entranced, the struggles of those who survived from the weapons were soon reflected.

The shattered defense shield flickered and descended to the floor once again, and the armed personnel witnessed rising smoke alongside the red-hot gun barrels.

What stole their composure was the buzzing noise from the facility’s speakers, starting to malfunction.

[:: Error detected in the automation process. Taking corrective action ::]

A yellow light appeared on the boy’s hologram.

Simultaneously, a frowning face.

“Revoked access? This quickly?”

Others hesitated to react, but the same yellow light began to illuminate their faces.

For a moment, everyone was bewildered – a few panels on the ceiling opened, revealing cameras inside.

[:: Illegal intrusion detected. Path: Entry through the ventilation ducts ::]

[:: Unauthorized power usage detected in Experiment Chamber 005 ::]

[:: Experiment Chamber 005 automated process disengaged, manual operation engaged ::]

The reawakening hum piercing the ears once more.

And the platforms, strangely morphing.

What once sprawled wide now narrows and elongates.

[:: Prototype Gamma, switching to Delta mode ::]

[Activate shields, now, Private Lee!]

“Delta mode… for shields, penetration?”

The battered keyboard yields to relentless strikes, yielding the result again: a yellow shield, resurfacing on the right.

Four figures rush towards it, but the words etched on it give pause.

“You’re ordered to drop the shield, now!”

“W-what? Kid, that’s—”

“Delta mode is designed to pierce through that shield!”

Similar to a sniper rifle, the sharp end of the straight barrel points precisely.

A blue weapon aimed like a spear piercing through a shield.

Confidence emanates from the weapon, unsettling the men and the officer.

The yellow shield won’t withstand this assault.

“Captain, do you hear? Scatter!”

The barrel pivots directly towards the shield.

Simultaneously, the four individuals grab their weapons and charge forward.

– Beep…

Once again, Poga emitted smoke.

In the spot where the flash disappeared, traces of red melted into the shields and floor.

“Oh my goodness.”

Survivors of that bombardment were…

“Cra – cracckkk…”

One crew member whose legs melted, turning into ashes.

And there was another crew member staring at him in bewilderment.

A pungent smell filled the experimental chamber once again.

This time, the smell of burning flesh began to mix faintly.