"♫ Can you teach me how to fly!"
"Fuuu, fuuu, fuuuuh!!"
...
The lethal resonating sounds brutally assault Anmu's nerves, his eardrums vibrating from the initial hum to a high-pitched ringing.
Module robots bustle around the floating Unit 13-31 and the broken glider, swiftly erecting a semi-transparent isolation barrier with gel-like walls, creating a divide between the chaos and the containment zone, sealing the deafening noise inside.
Anmu's gaze pierces through the barrier like a blade, scrutinizing the unfolding chaotic drama with an icy demeanor.
Yet he knows well, now isn't the time to dwell on these distractions.
Anmu withdraws his attention, his steps quick and resolute, heading towards the isolation area where GenShell resides. Even from a distance, the sight unfolding before him sets off alarms in his mind—clearly, the situation is far more complicated than anticipated.
GenShell's abdomen is undergoing a horrifying transformation. Its originally amber-colored nest belt reveals unusual distortions and collapses. Indigo creases spread like rampant serpents' vines across its skin, a wildfire out of control. GenShell clenches its eyes shut, frantically scratching itself with its limbs as if to rid an internal invader. But as it opens its eyes again, thin indigo lines begin to writhe from the edges of its pupils. These lines, seemingly alive, slowly entwine and cover the original purple patterns, filling the entire eyeball like eerie underwater plants in a dark current, unsettlingly unnerving.
Even without the alarms popping up in his main vision, Anmu knows his worst fears are materializing:
This GenShell is suffering from a mixed-state infection, harboring a type of indigo Yodao far more complex and ferocious than previously encountered.
Now, GenShell has completely lost its sanity, plunging into utter chaos.
It twists and turns its cumbersome body, attempting to roll back into the sea in a wild frenzy.
Simultaneously, electric spider balls buried beneath the sand are instantly activated by the system. Metal filaments shoot out like spider silk, rapidly entwining around GenShell, flickering with faint electric arcs. More spider balls emerge from the sand, crawling hungrily over GenShell's body. Their sharp metallic limbs penetrate its shell, tearing through the dense scales to expose soft, vulnerable skin, enduring the agony of each electric shock.
Painful cries erupt from within the trembling body of GenShell, its body and soul being torn apart.
Gradually, as the electric current continues its relentless assault, GenShell's resistance weakens. Its supporting limbs lose strength and heavily crash onto the sandy ground. Lying there motionless, it can only emit hot, intermittent whimpers. Each breath becomes a struggle for survival.
The entire containment zone sinks into oppressive silence, save for the successful mission prompts flashing in sync on all module robots' screens.
Moments later, over a dozen robots orderly enter the gel barrier. They circle the fallen GenShell, retrieving the previously deployed electric spider balls. Then, extending mechanical arms, they begin to cover GenShell's body with white bandages. The bandages tightly constrict and adhere to the skin, securing crucial points, ensuring it cannot move even an inch.
Anmu stands silently aside, the scene before him triggering memories from years past.
To his dismay, even after all these years, the system's approach to handling infected creatures has not changed.
His main vision indicates that the infection level has been escalated from On-2 to On-3. This signifies the imminent intervention by the Order and Security Bureau. At this moment, he needs to cooperate with the system, performing collection and examination tasks. Yet his thoughts are clearly elsewhere.
Anmu's chest rises and falls slightly; his hands clench into fists behind his back, trembling continuously. He habitually reaches into his pocket for the last calming sugar pill, only to remember he had given it to Ale. His eyes—slowly fill with countless red veins. Then, as he bites the inside of his lip, his hands cease their shaking, his face remains eerily calm.
If it weren't for that unexpected prank, this mission could have been resolved more gently, and the GenShell wouldn't have had to endure such torment. Before completing the task assigned by the system, he has another matter to handle.
He lifts his weary eyes, seemingly aged in the moment, gives one last glance at the fallen GenShell, and turns to walk away briskly.
·
In the meantime, the broken glider and Unit 13-31 have completely quieted down, lying silently on the sand.
Four module robots surround the square isolation chamber, their sensors and scanners flickering faintly. They are performing data retrieval and reconstruction tasks, searching the glider's registration, rental records, and recent flight trajectory. Simultaneously, the historical operation logs of Unit 13-31 are being continuously extracted, displaying its recent actions and all fragments recorded by the system. They analyze and piece together these bits of information, trying to reconstruct the complete context of the event from fragments recorded at various time points.
As Anmu approaches, one of the module robots swiftly comes forward, extending a mechanical arm, and a report scrolls on its screen.
Anmu bends down, his gaze darting across the scrolling information. Outwardly composed, he has already made a firm decision. In his duty, upholding order is paramount. Regardless of the motives behind this incident and the identities involved, he will adhere to his principles, ensuring that the parties receive the most "just" order scrutiny.
His finger glides over the report on the screen, his eyes revealing unwavering determination.
------ Investigation Report ------
Shop Information:
Shop Name: Mirror Pouch Toy Store
Address: Dodar 10th District | Agrigipina, Arsino Road No. 59, Galaxy Business Building, 2nd Floor
Contact: Photon#5819-26PX
Rental Record:
Clerk: Anthony Schmidt
Date: Migration Year 364, October 28
Duration: 3 days
Price: 3 Dobos
Transaction Code: #JZB8294
Renter Information:
Name: Lean
Identity Element: Synthetic Human | Mechanical Synthetic Body
Manufacturer: AtMan Life Technology Power Company
Application Model: Experimental Model 🝖 Dlü | Healer
...
At this point, Anmu's pupils suddenly constricted, his heart shocked to the point of disbelief. He stared at the screen again, scrutinizing every word in the report, an undeniable reality unfolding before him.
"Bring him to me," he said, his voice low and resolute.