"What is this?!" Megatron exclaimed in shock, immediately releasing the AllSpark Cube. But it was too late—the red data energy from the Cube had already infiltrated his palm and was rapidly spreading up his arm like pulsing veins of corruption. The energy, sinister and invasive, continued to erode his body at an alarming rate.
"Farke! What the hell is this?!" Megatron staggered backward, glaring at his arm in both anger and disbelief. The red data virus spread relentlessly, its tendrils coursing through his circuitry and into his mind, threatening to overwhelm him. His vision blurred as half of his body became enveloped in glowing, blood-red filaments, resembling roots burrowing into the metallic surface of his armor.
"Ahhhh!!!" Megatron roared in agony as he fell to his knees, clutching his head. "Get out! Get out!!!" The data virus had now completely overtaken half of his body, transforming his once-pristine silver-black armor into a webbed tapestry of glowing red lines. The infection spread across his face, his left eye flickering erratically.
Suddenly, the infected side of his body projected a holographic message.
*[Welcome to Rockstar, Megatron!]*
*[Task Release: Find the Matrix and awaken the fallen King!]*
"Who are you?! Why can you invade my body?! Get out!!!" Megatron howled in fury. He tried to slam his right arm into his corrupted left side, desperate to purge the invasion. But as he swung, his left arm intercepted the attack with an eerie precision, moving independently of his will.
"Get out of my body!!!" Megatron bellowed once more, but the virus-imbued side of his body remained silent, the only response being the mission directive burned into his mind. The AllSpark had merged with his infected side, as the red virus silently embedded itself deeper into his being.
....
As a police sergeant, George was overwhelmed with the aftermath of the recent events, so even visiting Merlin was something he had to squeeze into his already tight schedule. After confirming that Merlin was awake and stable, George quickly returned to his post. Dealing with the chaos species was straightforward—find the hidden ones and eliminate them. But the Green Men and players? That was much trickier.
Players were all humans, and despite their ambiguous relationship with the platform, this incident marked the first time they actively fought against the spread and destruction caused by the lizardmen and chaos species. These players came from all walks of life—company executives, the rich, police officers, firefighters—making it difficult to manage them.
For now, the authorities had temporarily set aside the player issue to focus on the Green Men. These Green Men were originally humans before they evolved, much like the players. The plan was to arrest them wherever possible, but what to do with them long-term was still up for discussion. Ideally, a cure would be developed. If not, George suspected that Apple City might have to adapt to the existence of a new species.
"Green Men..." George muttered to himself as he sat in his police car, rubbing his temples. The U.S.'s title as a "free country" had never been more appropriate.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Stacey stayed with Gwen for a short while before leaving Merlin to rest alone in his hospital ward. After everyone had left, Merlin, despite his injuries, turned his attention to working on online games.
He had plans for integrating "Detroit: Become Human" into the larger plot of the game GTA. As an open-world game, GTA's structure was flexible enough to accommodate the new elements he intended to introduce. When the time came to release the game, there wouldn't be too many issues; only a few details would need adjustment. With access to bionic human technology, the offline platforms could begin their expansion. After Liberty City, the next step was, of course, Los Santos.
[In Detroit, U.S., in 2038, the emergence of bionic humans has significantly boosted productivity and improved convenience in various industries. However, this technological leap has also caused an increase in unemployment. Bionic humans have replaced many human workers, widening the gap between the rich and the poor.]
[This has led to widespread dissatisfaction, with protests against androids growing louder, and violent attacks on androids becoming more frequent.]
[Amidst this unrest, abnormal bionic humans begin to break free from societal constraints!]
[Bionic beings like Connor, Kara, and Marcus... From which perspective will you experience this unfolding story?]
While Merlin was busy integrating this new game concept into the broader narrative, he suddenly sensed movement out of the corner of his eye. Glancing toward the window, he saw Simmons, in his trademark black suit, pressed comically against the glass. When Simmons realized Merlin was looking at him, he blinked joyfully.
Merlin raised an eyebrow, amused but resigned. "Jarvis, let him in!"
"ΟΚ," replied Jarvis, and the glass window slowly opened. Simmons hurriedly scrambled inside, adjusting his suit as he stood up.
"You're certainly dedicated, sir," Merlin said with a smirk as he watched Simmons catch his breath and straighten his clothes.
"Sorry, I'm just... in a real hurry," Simmons said, exhaling in relief and flashing an apologetic smile. Without the Allspark and the results of Megatron's reverse engineering, the Seventh Bureau was on the brink of disbandment. Simmons needed more answers, and fast.
"If you want some water, help yourself. If you have any questions, just start asking," Merlin said, neither annoyed nor making it difficult for him. He found Simmons' quirky personality oddly entertaining.
"Thank you!" Simmons shook his head, declining the water. After regaining his composure, he asked, "Is the Allspark in your hands?"
"It was here before, but in the end, it was taken by Megatron, who was hiding in the fleet. The Allspark was also stolen by him," Merlin explained calmly.
"Megatron... What's your connection with the Autobots?" Simmons asked curiously.
"We're friends. You know I run a modification shop, and my skills aren't bad."
Simmons raised an eyebrow. "The Autobots stole the Allspark. Were you aware of that?"
"Yeah, but it's theirs," Merlin replied nonchalantly.
Simmons countered, "There's no proof of that."
"You don't have any proof either. You even made a special freezer to hold it," Merlin retorted with a slight smirk.
Simmons, realizing the futility of pressing further, took a deep breath. "Thanks for the information. This is very important to me," he said, visibly relieved. After learning about Cybertron, Optimus Prime, and Megatron's factions, he felt like he finally had some clarity. "That guy, Sam, really doesn't know anything about anything!"
Merlin chuckled. "So, will you leave through the window or the door?"
"Wait a second, one last thing," Simmons said, his eyes hopeful. "Can you help me contact Optimus Prime and the others?"
Merlin paused, considering. "You can try asking after I recover," he said with a nod.
"Thank you so much!" Simmons quickly placed his business card on the table, looking visibly grateful. Without wasting another moment, he hurried out of the ward—determined not to get kicked out again.
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