220. Until the Abyss (Part 2)
"Based on the past memories gleaned from the planet's consciousness, there's also a fragment of the Identification Eye here. The reason this place became an educational hub is likely due to the influence of that Identification Eye fragment. The Holy Mother Mashgegang came here presumably because of this, too."
Turing•Binary's eyes remained aglow, as though performing some complex calculation:
"Councilor Coulomb•Torque, I've discovered something interesting: these attackers aren't from the [Crystal Tower] civilization. They come from an alien world."
"Alien world? That makes sense, since those colonized troopers aren't a native invention."
Coulomb•Torque seemed to recall something and asked at once:
"Speaking of which, that guy who killed you and Watt•Rivetsteel called himself Leoz. Hurry up and see if you can find out who he is. Where does he come from? What's his relationship to those colonized troopers?"
"It's tricky… This planet places huge importance on 'Leoz.' No matter how I search the keywords, all I get is worthless spam—damn it, related people are at 8,907,000?! Even if he's a legendary hero from beyond the Abyss, there are way too many Abyss-dwellers with that name!"
Turing•Binary, typically cold and logical, nearly lost its composure.
"Don't bother with that for now. Watt•Rivetsteel has already pinned down those colonized troopers, it's only a matter of time before they're eliminated. However… Leoz, C3 Luka-type cosmic humans, Identification Eye… there seems to be some connection."
Coulomb•Torque pondered for a moment, its antenna rotating slowly. It seemed to have a thought but couldn't articulate it within its programming. Turning around, it asked:
"They're aliens, but without their colonized gear, they're so weak. How did they get into White Candle Star in the first place?"
"They smuggled themselves in. Moreover, there's a whole bunch of cosmic refugees, but the planet's will accepted them on account of Leoz."
Turing•Binary sounded surprised:
"This Leoz is very popular on White Candle Star. I can't find any record of his origins; he's practically this planet's native son—yet obviously he's an alien!"
"Never mind that."
Beneath the two councilors stood Watt•Rivetsteel, who spoke in a muffled voice:
"Although only a small number of them are attacking us, when The Holy Mother Mashgegang arrives, most mortals will probably convert into citizens. We have to be cautious."
"Don't worry. When the Holy Mother descends, Speaker Meghaniuros will also take action personally."
Turing•Binary remarked calmly:
"Our Speaker isn't like those other [Societies], a mere combat puppet at the council's beck and call. He has extraordinary decision-making skills and extensive experience—besides, Speaker Meghaniuros personally fought in the 'Haines Extermination Campaign' and the 'Hidden Civil War,' enduring nine reforgings."
"The Speaker himself will act? He's already reforged nine times. Isn't he worried about the Star Abyss curse if he wanders around before fully diving?" Watt•Rivetsteel asked.
"It won't come to that. First, we want this operation to be foolproof. We deployed the Machine Realm Domain early on, screening out all communications. Even if Leoz and his troopers had reinforcements, they couldn't send word—though, judging by his behavior, I suspect he already knew about the [Society Domain] trick from the start, hence the plan for a surprise assault."
Coulomb•Torque explained:
"On the other hand, a brief operation doesn't pose much issue. The Abyss is not like the Morphedria Universe—although even the layer of the Abyss suppresses the Speaker. For a councilor reforged nine times, being separated from [Society] for too long still drastically shortens life."
"That Leoz really seems to know our mechanisms." Turing•Binary muttered, "I can't find any info on him. Even searching the troopers' origins doesn't work."
"Councilor Turing•Binary, just to be safe, scan White Candle Star's western hemisphere. Are there any other Zeta-tiers?"
Turing•Binary swiftly ran a check, then responded:
"I'm not detecting any Zeta-tier biological frequencies. In the eastern hemisphere, where Trivira City is located, there are 22 life signs above Zeta-tier, but none reach Kappa-tier—there's only Education Minister Balkomon, and he's locked in combat about 12 light-seconds away from here."
"So Leoz has no reinforcements, and the bigshots of Trivira City remain clueless."
Coulomb•Torque sneered, turning to the Austro Mountains, which Watt•Rivetsteel was repeatedly bombarding:
"A man who fancies himself a savior, stepping up on the basis of meaningless justice, yet fears letting mainstream society discover he's a [Domination]-path ascending deity. Humans are such complicated, fragile creatures—trusting others while holding themselves back, both complex and naïve, sensitive yet numb. Heh, that's exactly why they deserve to be crushed, torn apart, devoured, annihilated!"
Seeing Coulomb•Torque's posture, Turing•Binary reflexively stepped back, carefully asking, "Councilor Coulomb•Torque, I know every citizen hates the civilization they came from… but aren't you a bit too worked up?"
"…Just assume I lost especially much at the hands of these mages."
Coulomb•Torque didn't elaborate further.
Cold sleet drifted onto its shoulders, resting on the icy flesh for a long time without melting.
Watt•Rivetsteel continued tearing through the mountain below, bombarding it relentlessly until there was no sign of those Delta-tier troopers.
"It's done," Turing•Binary declared.
Suddenly, Coulomb•Torque spoke:
"Last year, when it snowed, I felt the chill on my skin, felt lost over unemployment."
"Now I wear titanium-alloy plating, powered by nuclear energy and a sixty-four-thread multi-core system."
"So why is the snow still so cold, and why does my heart remain lost?"
Coulomb•Torque opened its iron palm, attempting to catch a snowflake. A gust of wind passed by, and not a single flake chose to land there.
The plateau's air grew murky, funneling through its power lines. Dust clung hatefully to its surface.
"Councilor Coulomb," Turing•Binary said, "you feel it too, don't you?"
"This planet hates us. This world rejects [Society]."
Coulomb•Torque scooped a handful of snow, which promptly melted into an acidic fluid trickling past its fingertips, etching a clear line.
"This world has taken everything from us, and it won't even let me have my revenge!"
Coulomb•Torque let out a cold chuckle:
"Then let it behold how the world ends!"
Time remaining until the arrival of [Mechanical Society] Mashgegang's main body—1 hour 43 minutes.
The entire world is on the verge of a grand destruction.
Remaining players…