Chapter 23
The drone missiles that Smith hacked hit the three D-Link planes. Two of which are obliterated while the last one is about to crash head-on.
The plane that barely managed to survive is the D-Link plane that Kynon is piloting.
"Shit! Wolf, we did not see that coming," Kynon said as he tries his best to stabilize their crashing D-Link plane.
However, he is not oblivious that his action is futile.
"The Phantom Cannon is already useless, and the armor of the plane is already broken. The Midnight Hunters could hit us at any time…"
Meanwhile, Mad Hat Camile, Parker, and Scarlet are rejoicing as they survive this calamity.
They could not deny that Meta is indeed full of surprises.
"Who would have thought that Meta had a trick like that?" Scarlet said.
"That scrap Meta, I thought he had surpassed me at being a sharpshooter. It turned out that he is hacking the drone missiles and directing them to his bullets."
Despite the 'hardship' that Parker had experienced from Meta, he could not deny that he is indeed good.
However, the happiest of the three is Mad Hat Camile.
"Treats are on me tonight! I thought I will lose this newly bought D-Link plane!"
Mad Hat Camile is anxious all this time that they might lose the D-Link plane. One must know that she had exchanged the Armageddon for this.
"You said it, boss! I will drink to my heart's content."
"Hahaha! You're the man, Parker."
"Speaking of man, boss. I think you should get yourself a man. That Nolan sounds good for you."
"Yes, boss," Scarlet seconded.
"No! How can that man be good for me, you know his reputation, right?"
"Boss, have you heard of the saying that 'a man can change for the one he loves?' "
"Seriously, Parker? Where did you heard that saying?"
"Ha! Boss, I think Parker just made that."
"No, I think I heard that somewhere."
"You think?" the two ladies exclaimed.
Meanwhile, while the three are having a good time, Smith is pondering over things.
"Why am I unable to hack the three D-Link planes?"
He is confused, at the same time, he regretted that he could not hack them. Otherwise…
"I could have gotten more D-Link planes. I can sell them for a lump sum without capital."
…
Ha! Those D-Link planes could bring me much money.
At the same time, they are in trend nowadays.
Unfortunately, there is a jam.
"Sir Smith, there is an emergency!"
One of my maids contacted me.
I wonder what could that be?
Well, I guess I will know when I get back. However, first things first. I will depart from Meta's body after placing it inside the D-Link plane.
Of course, I also did not forget to fix the error on Meta's system.
Speaking of which, it turned out that the system overload is because the operating system that I created is unable to process everything from the fight.
Well, with a few codes and some wave of my virtual hands, I fixed it.
Now, Meta's operating system should be better than the last.
"Tell me… what is the emergency? How grave is it?"
I asked my maid as I went back to my mansion.
Honestly, I don't want to tend it for now. I want to lay on my jacuzzi and relaxed my tensed muscles after that intense battle.
Ha! That almost exhausted me to death.
Hmm, let me have a glass of orange juice.
Whoosh!
With a wave of my hand, the thing that I craved 'magically' appeared.
"Sir Smith! The sales had hit the ground!"
Whoosh!
The juice that I'm drinking came out of my mouth like a fountain.
"How could that be?"
I sell the cheapest weapon! Nobody would say no to cheaper items even if it is only one number lesser!
What sorcery is this?
"Sir Smith, the courier service are no longer catering our items. They said, they could not afford to do so," my maid answered.
"Hmm! I don't know what that means. However, I am sure this is the machination of those in power."
Those bastardic creatures. What do they want from the puny businessman like me?
"Sir Smith, pardon me. But your business is no longer puny. We have earned three million Energy Units from the moment that it was founded."
Wait, did I say it out loud? I'm sure that is a monologue.
"Did I say it out loud?" I asked the maid.
"No, sir. But your thoughts are projected into the mansion. And since we are one with the mansion, we could hear it."
Indeed, they function as one with the mansion. However, the thing is why is my thought projected to the mansion?
"Can… can you hear all my thoughts?"
This is bad. My lewd thoughts are… no, no, no, I can't think of those. She might hear me.
"No, sir. It seemed that we can only hear your thoughts that contain strong desires or emotions."
Phew!
That's good to hear.
But did she say, desire?
Now, I could feel my face heating up.
"Well, Ahem… let's go back to business. Do we really have no way to bring our sales back up?"
"Sir, the reason that there are no courier service that wants to cater our goods because it is ordered by the World Federation."
Hmmm, they finally decided to act? Well, it's not that I am not expecting this.
"System, back up the database and prepared to launch code Eden."
Although I can deal with Artemis, the A.I. of the Apollo Tech, I don't think I can deal a colossus like the World Federation.
But the question is why did they reprimand my business? I am paying the right amount of tax, right?
Or… did I breach the law?
"System, did I breach the laws of the World Federation."
Ding!
⌈ No, sir. ⌋
That's a relief.
"As I've thought, those greedy bastards in power indeed wants my business."
Ha! As if I'm letting them.
"Sir Smith, you have a guest named Federant. He is waiting at the reception."
…
Right after the scout mission of the Midnight Hunters started…
"Federant, old man! Hehe, the higher ups have finally heeded to you request!"
Federant who looked like an old sage was greeted by a rude-looking middle-aged man.
"Well, they cannot ignore the issue that I gave them. Can they, Fiend?"
Just like Federant, Fiend is one of the A.I.s of the World Federation. But unlike Federant, Fiend had absolute freedom.
The World Federation gave him freedom since he did not have terrifying calculation ability like Federant. Instead, he only excels in battles such as manipulating the planes and giving command the men of the federation.
"Indeed, uncle Federant. They cannot disregard the threat that two unknown variables brought."
This time, it is a child who spoke. Well, it is an A.I. in a form of a small girl at the age of seven.
"Jam, it's good to see you."
"Good to see you too, uncle. But it is definitely not good to see that delinquent man."
The delinquent man that jam is talking about is Fiend.
"Huh? Who would want to see a childish A.I. like you?"
"Childish? I am a cute child, bastard."
"Child? Who knows how old you are? And… who said you are cute?"
"Huh? I. Am. Cute."
The two started bickering. 'They always did. Huh! They've always been incompatible.'
"Okay! Okay! That's enough. You're not here to bicker, are you?"
After a few minutes of waiting, Federant could no longer take it.
"We are! We always bicker every time we see each other."
"We are! We always bicker every time we see each other."
"…"
They said in unison which made Federant tongue-tied.
No one spoke for a while.
Federant who called for the cease fire of the two stayed silent.
"So, uncle Federant, are you not going to tell us something?" Jam asked.
"Yes, why are you silent?" Fiend added.
"…"
For the second time, Federant was tongue-tied again. 'When did these two become compatible?'
"Why is it me? You're the one who went inside my virtual room."
"…"
It seemed that Jam and Fiend forgot that they are the one who had to say something to Federant.
"Hehe… it seemed that we forgot."
Fiend scratched the back of his head while Jam nodded.
"Federant, an A.I. of the World Federation, we are here as per the command of the higher ups. Use us as your limbs in the real world."
They said in unison.
Federant appealed about the two unknown variables which rather threatened the World Federation.
Federant appealed for the World Federation to extend his vision on the sensors of the ships.
At first, Federant did not think that his appeal would be granted.
Well, what he is asking is a breach to the privacy of the subjects of the World Federation.
However, Federant forgot that this is okay as long as they are not caught.
It's not like the subjects of the World Federation did not trust the World Federation who governs them.