WebNovels

Chapter 69 - Chapter 69: Pioneer

After repairing an unknown number of robots, Bai Luan had no choice but to rest.

This wasn't the Little Black Room; he would get tired.

The high-intensity, time-consuming, and labor-intensive work of creating these mechanical constructs had exhausted Bai Luan's energy, causing a stinging sensation in his eyes, which were now bloodshot.

So sleepy.

Hmm, that sounds a bit too relaxed.

He was dead tired.

He felt like he would collapse if he didn't sleep soon.

"756."

"I'm here."

"I'm going to sleep for a bit."

With that, Bai Luan fell asleep.

After an unknown amount of time, Bai Luan woke up.

Bai Luan sat up and found himself not lying in the snow, but on a bed, even covered with a blanket.

Well, that was a bit redundant.

Faced with this comical situation, Bai Luan didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

He seemed to have been moved into a house by that group of robots.

He clearly remembered that he had just flopped onto the ground and fallen asleep.

Anyway, he was wearing his mecha suit, so it was the same no matter where he slept.

Bai Luan threw off the blanket, opened the door, and immediately saw 756.

"Good morning, Bai Luan. Considering that sleeping in the wilderness is a suicidal act, we moved you into a room. We hope your sleep quality has improved."

Bai Luan's mouth twitched.

Although everything 756 said was true, why did it sound so strange?

Why did it make him sound like a foolish idiot seeking death?

"I slept very well. You moved me here, but what about those materials?"

"Don't worry, we moved the materials over as well."

756 raised his hand and pointed into the distance, and Bai Luan saw the piled-up materials.

"However, there aren't many materials left."

"Mm."

Bai Luan nodded in agreement, then said:

"We can go dismantle the next shelter."

"Bai Luan, your previous state of unconsciousness was very detrimental to your health. If possible, please make every effort to avoid such a situation from happening again."

Normally, Bai Luan wouldn't push himself to that extent, but that time he had gotten carried away, his mind filled with the idea of creating 'just one more'.

And constantly staying in the Little Black Room had also affected his habits; he needed to be more careful next time.

Thanks to the Little Black Room, he now found it very easy to enter a focused mode, often losing track of time when working.

"That kind of situation only happens occasionally. I still care very much about my health."

Bai Luan looked at 756, and a good idea popped into his head. He said: "Since you say you want to take care of my health, why don't I give you all the blueprints and data for your model's limbs, and you can help me share the burden?"

756 fell silent, then firmly refused: "Robots are not allowed to perform self-repair or individual replication."

"Why?"

"Bai Luan…"

756 looked at Bai Luan and said expressionlessly: "We are commodities."

This one sentence explained why they didn't have self-repair functions.

Commodities need iteration, need to be phased out, need… consumption.

And a 'commodity' that can self-maintain would only erode the manufacturer's profits.

Furthermore… the civilization of this world must also be worried about a robot uprising, right?

Commodities, huh?

Was this what it felt like to clearly know you were a commodity?

It surely wasn't a good feeling…

Bai Luan stared at 756 for a while, then said: "Abolish this rule. The moment the humans of this world left, you stopped being commodities."

756 looked at Bai Luan and asked: "Is that an order?"

"Yes."

Bai Luan chuckled softly.

"Let the shackles imposed by those who abandoned you go to hell."

Bai Luan nodded solemnly at 756 and said: "You all stopped being commodities a long time ago!"

"Understood. I will obey your command."

756 first thanked Bai Luan, then turned to face him squarely, slowly bowing: "And… I thank you for your command."

"Alright, alright."

Bai Luan waved his hand dismissively.

"Compared to these things, isn't repairing those damaged robots more important?"

"But how will you teach me?"

"It's very simple."

Bai Luan opened his hand, and a small stream of nano-machines detached from his body, gathering in his palm. It quickly transformed into a USB drive with a special interface.

This contained the data 756 needed.

I remember… their interface is at the back of their neck.

"Will you plug it in yourself, or should I?"

"Let me do it myself."

"Here."

Bai Luan casually tossed the USB drive, and 756 extended both hands to catch it.

Then, holding the USB drive in one hand, it glanced at it before plugging it into the interface at the back of its neck.

Instantly, the data from the USB drive flooded into its processor.

It had never seen itself so clearly.

"So… this is what we look like inside."

Listening to 756's words, tinged with a hint of wonder, a thought suddenly popped into Bai Luan's head.

Was he giving 756 a biology lesson?

『Indeed he is』

Hey, bro understands what I'm thinking.

Soon, 756 finished reading the data from the USB drive.

756 looked at Bai Luan and asked: "Can this USB drive be used by other robots?"

"It can… but don't you have that network? Couldn't you just upload it directly to the network?"

"No, the bad guys would receive it."

Bai Luan frowned: "Bad guys?"

"Actually… our network failed not long after our masters left, due to lack of maintenance. Later, a robot managed to repair this network. Although its scale is very small, only covering the vicinity, it was indeed repaired."

There's an expert?

A hint of surprise flashed in Bai Luan's eyes.

But what does this have to do with 'bad guys'?

Could it be…

"The 'bad guy' you mentioned is the robot that repaired the network?"

"Exactly. It… is the most unruly among us and has a very hostile attitude towards humans. For years, it has been searching for a way to manufacture robots. The data in this USB drive is precisely what it needs. If the data were uploaded, it would also receive it, and I cannot guarantee that it wouldn't use this data to threaten you."

"Then why did you upload information about my arrival here on the information network?"

756's face showed a hint of apology as he said: "I apologize, that was a mandatory program. Upon discovering the return of a human, we must upload a message and coordinates… I couldn't stop it. However, everyone is gathered together now. It is only one, and we will protect you."

"Alright, I can't really blame you for that."

"Thank you for your understanding."

"Where is that robot? I want to meet it."

"It… is very dangerous. I do not recommend you meet it. It has repeatedly dismantled shelters despite being stopped and frequently clashed with robots who tried to prevent it…"

Bai Luan looked at 756 and asked: "756, I gave you some commands that lifted some restrictions on your behavior, didn't I?"

"Yes."

"By your current standards, looking at that 'bad guy', is it still a 'bad guy'?"

Bai Luan's question plunged 756 into silence.

It began to re-examine the actions of that 'bad guy'.

Aside from its hostile attitude towards humans, repairing the communication network, self-repairing, searching for ways to restart the robot manufacturing factory…

756 realized that after no longer considering itself a commodity, after the shackles given by humans were removed…

That 'bad guy' seemed…

Just then, Bai Luan's voice, like the bell of final judgment, clearly rang out over the silent ruins: "Don't you think now… You should call it—The Pioneer?"

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