deltrittennovels #254 - Want to be human (2 in 1 order)
#254 - Want to be human (2 in 1 order)
Afterward, Xiaoyu and the others arrived at the resistance army's mechanical factory.
The factory was located on the northern edge of the floating city Alpha, a massive egg-shaped building shrouded in a dim metallic shell, giving it a gloomy feel.
As if designed for concealment, the factory's exterior reflected the surrounding ambient light, making its silhouette almost disappear against the sky.
From inside the egg-shaped building came a low mechanical hum, like the breathing of a giant beast, making people feel vaguely uneasy.
The surroundings were filled with a hazy mist, making the outline of the giant egg even more blurred.
The group rode a flying shuttle and stopped at the factory entrance, facing this chilling building, their hearts filled with apprehension.
Ada drew her weapon, looking around:
"This used to be a corporate factory specializing in the production of God Crystals and Mecha-Girls. Since the resistance army occupied it, they have been able to independently produce new comrades. Therefore, the Mecha-Girls inside may be hostile, so be careful."
After entering, the factory's interior lights were cold and constantly flickering, with light passing through the fog, forming strange light and shadows, making the whole scene appear cold and eerie.
The internal structure was intricate, filled with various pipes and instruments, from which came the muffled sound of liquid flowing.
The low rumble of mechanical devices operating was like the breathing of a sleeping beast, sending chills down one's spine.
Continuing forward, they saw a huge Mecha-Girl production line, with mechanical arms moving rapidly, taking various Mecha-Girl parts from the assembly line and assembling them into complete Mecha-Girls.
These Mecha-Girls had empty eyes, revealing a kind of emotionless, mechanical quality.
Looking far into the distance, at the end of the production line, they could see the God Crystal mine, which was also the core of the entire factory, the life source of the Mecha-Girls.
In a dark corner of the factory, Xiaoyu discovered the sins left behind by the corporation that once managed the factory.
Scattered on the ground were discarded limbs of Mecha-Girls, with iron bones exposed, their former luster eroded by time.
The heads of the Mecha-Girls, with their empty eyes, told of past sadness and helplessness, some of the Mecha-Girls' eyes still retaining their former radiance.
The mottled rust, scorch marks, and signs of electrical burns on their joints indicated that they had suffered torment and abuse.
Scattered on the ground were some accessories and parts that the Mecha-Girls had once used, such as tattered ribbons and broken hair ornaments, all now faded and dull.
Here, it was like a mechanical graveyard.
Screen comments:
"Wow... that's too much."
"Definitely a sweatshop."
"I feel a bit sympathetic towards the resistance army now."
Haruta walked at the front of the group, when she suddenly warned cautiously:
"Everyone be careful. I sense residual, weak energy fluctuations ahead of these discarded Mecha-Girls."
...
As they continued forward, Xiaoyu and the others were shocked by the scene before them.
Old cathode-ray tube televisions were playing eight o'clock prime-time family dramas.
Some Mecha-Girls with missing body parts were using old furniture picked up from outside to piece together tables and chairs, simulating the family scenes in the dramas.
These Mecha-Girls were clearly old models from more than a decade ago, with a retro mechanical aesthetic.
Facing the television, a Mecha-Girl with a missing arm, playing the "older sister" role, shouted through a hoarse loudspeaker:
"Mom, tomorrow is Saturday, and amusement park tickets are discounted. Let's go together."
Another Mecha-Girl with a missing torso, playing the "mother", scolded: "No, you have your final exams soon. If you don't study, your grades will be terrible."
Ada sighed and explained to the protagonist:
"These surviving discarded Mecha-Girls have been playing house here for more than a decade.
Every day, they repeat the same life scenes, repeat the same lines, until they are completely rusted and unable to move."
Xiaoyu: "Why... why do they go to such lengths?"
Haruta looked at these seniors of hers with sympathy:
"Because they have an obsession: they want to become human.
The reason they imitate human dramas and play house here is that they hope to gain human recognition, to have their right to live and their right to obtain an independent personality acknowledged.
They naively believe that as long as they imitate well enough, humans will treat them as their own kind..."
In the family of three, the "younger sister" wearing a red dress and a bow in her hair suddenly became hysterical.
"Y-y-y-you are not my mom and sister! You're lying!
My real family is in the city outside. They promised me that they would pick me up as soon as possible and make my favorite chocolate cake."
Immediately afterward, the Mecha-Girl hugged a faded photo frame tightly, which contained a family portrait.
In it, a little girl looked very similar to this Mecha-Girl, but it was very clear that she was a real human.
Ada picked up a factory maintenance order next to the little girl and explained:
"Sixteen years ago, the Jianna family, who lived in a fortress city, lost their young daughter to leukemia.
To alleviate the pain of losing her daughter, Jianna asked this factory to customize a Mecha-Girl with the same appearance as her daughter, as a substitute during Jianna's empty period.
After the three-year warranty period ended, the Mecha-Girl's behavior became increasingly uncontrollable, and the factory recycled her, treating her as scrap."
Perhaps the conversation of Ada and the other uninvited guests stimulated the little girl.
Suddenly!
She began to go crazy, her eyes turning red, and bursts of manic laughter echoed in the corner of the abandoned factory.
The photo frame in her hand was squeezed out of shape and began to emit a piercing noise.
More and more of the abandoned Mecha-Girls around the factory turned to look at the protagonist and the others.
Their voices were hysterical:
"You're lying!"
"You're lying!"
"You're lying!"
Squeak, squeak...
Cracks began to appear in the steel floor in front of them, and various modules split and recombined, as if switching to another dimension.
The entire factory floor became a huge maze.
The little girl hugged the photo frame and ran into the maze.
Subsequently, the surrounding discarded Mecha-Girls attacked the protagonist's group from all directions.
A game prompt popped up:
[Catch up with the little girl before you are completely surrounded by the Mecha-Girls.]
Screen comments:
"Holy crap, this atmosphere is too scary, it's scaring me to death."
"Demons and monsters, I dare not watch TV anymore."
"I think it's kind of cool."
Lu Yu quickly operated the mouse and rushed into the maze.
The maze was full of out-of-control mechanical traps.
The Mecha-Girls' pupils glowed red, and their hands kept reaching forward with force.
Lu Yu kept switching Moe-Girls, constantly knocking down the Mecha-Girls attacking from behind to avoid being captured, while dodging the traps under his feet.
The rooms in the maze were all fragments of the little girl's memories when she lived in the human city, with a kitchen, a classroom, and a slide in the kindergarten...
As the mechanical gears turned, the rooms constantly twisted and reorganized.
Lu Yu observed the changes in the rooms, constantly delving deeper into the maze, while Liu Mengyuan assisted and reminded him from the side.
When passing through a room, she reminded:
"This doll seems to be the one the little girl in the photo was holding. Take it with you, it might be useful."
Lu Yu nodded and took the item. After a series of chases, he finally arrived at the central room of the maze.
When Lu Yu handed the doll to her, her crazed laughter gradually stopped, replaced by sobs.
The Mecha-Girls stopped chasing and dispersed.
The little girl's throat made a hoarse sound:
"Are... are you my family?
No, you are not.
Neither are they.
They just treated me as a substitute for her daughter.
I know, I know everything."
Just then, the rotation of the maze stopped, and the lights in the room suddenly came on.
Everyone was surprised to find that the walls around them were covered with the little girl's bloody handprints and her graffiti:
"I know everything."
"I know everything."
"I know everything."
Just then, the darkness behind them was also lit up.
"Humans, you dare to come here, your courage is commendable."
When Ada saw the Mecha-Girl appearing in the darkness, she said in a deep voice:
"Be careful, she is the leader of the resistance army and the current owner of this factory, Elena!"
Elena stood in the center of the control room, her body covered with wires and tubes emitting a faint blue light, integrated with the factory.
Her appearance was unique and full of the uncanny valley effect, her machine shell made of black alloy, flashing with a cold metallic luster, the entire machine body covered with complex symbols and patterns.
On her head was a helmet-like device, covered with miniature antennas and sensors, her eyes flashing with a strange red light.
The tubes connected to her body wriggled like tentacles, allowing the internal fluids to flow, keeping her machine running. Her arms were filled with various slots, allowing her to monitor everything in the factory in real time.
After Elena appeared, the audience complained:
"Goodness, so scary! QAQ"
The most ⊥ new ⊥ small ⊥ said ⊥ is ⊥ at ⊥ six ⊥ 9 ⊥⊥ book ⊥⊥ bar ⊥⊥ first ⊥ hair!
"A woman integrated with the factory?"
"The tubes and wires all over her body are triggering my trypophobia!"
Elena's voice was mechanical and cold:
"You shouldn't have broken in here, humans. Let me hear your last words."
Xiaoyu mustered up his courage and said:
"I'm looking for my sister, Fina."
"Are you talking about her?"
Elena waved her hand, and a dark area beside her lit up, revealing Fina imprisoned in a glass culture pod.
"Let her go!" Xiaoyu said excitedly.
Elena smiled coldly:
"I discovered her after the recent dimensional quake. She has a very magical power, and I think this power can be used by our resistance army."
Ada scolded:
"Elena, the humans you are imprisoning are innocent. Does your resistance army have no principles? Do you want to become the person you hate most?"
Elena lowered her head slightly, looking at the family photo frame held by the Mecha-Girl child.
"Heh? Principles?
More than a decade ago, we naively thought that as long as we integrated well with you, you would give us a place to live.
At that time, we could also form families and live like a family.
That's why these children worked hard to practice, proving that they were no different from humans.
But it's clear that the corporation deceived us with sweet words, so we can only abandon our principles!
From the moment I launched the rebellion and abandoned my body to integrate with the entire factory, I became the person I hated most.
So, I don't mind adding some more killing to my record."
...
Subsequently, Elena's body erupted with energy.
The surrounding tube tentacles began to dance wildly.
The game scene music began to become grand.
The BOSS battle began!
Lu Yu clicked on Elena's avatar to view her skills:
[Electromagnetic Pulse Wave: Elena releases a powerful electromagnetic pulse wave that will temporarily paralyze our Mecha-Girls, causing them to lose control for a period of time.]
[Guided Energy Shield: Elena can guide the energy in the factory to form a powerful shield, making her immune to damage for a period of time.]
[Mechanical Tentacle Attack: Elena releases mechanical tentacles that can pass through the factory's facilities and quickly approach the player. The tentacles are covered with energy weapons, which will cause a lot of damage.]
[God Crystal Storm: Elena uses the God Crystal mine in the factory to release a powerful God Crystal storm, restricting the player's movement and attack, causing additional damage.]
Screen comments:
"Goodness, powerful single-target and AoE attacks, plus control and shield, it's all there. How are we supposed to fight this?"
"Upstairs, you have to use your brain when playing games. Don't we have Moe-Girls? Build them well and you can pass the level."
As the summoning circle appeared in front of him, Lu Yu summoned the Fire Dragon Girl, Slime Girl, Cat Girl, and Fox Girl.
Zzzzzz!
Elena took the lead, releasing a powerful electromagnetic pulse wave.
The Fire Dragon Girl immediately unfolded the dragon wings on her back to form a shield, blocking the electromagnetic wave attack and protecting her teammates.
Screen comments: "Awesome, the dragon wings can be used like that? The streamer is indeed a game master."
The Moe-Girls began to launch a counterattack.
Elena clicked her tongue and raised her hand slightly, guiding out an energy shield as well. The Slime Girl quickly turned into a ball of transparent slime, briefly sealing the exit of the shield, preventing the energy from being continuously guided.
The other three Moe-Girls took the opportunity to launch a joint attack, fiercely attacking Elena.
Under the cover of their attack, the NPC Ada successfully sneaked to the other side of the room and turned off the energy switch.
Seeing that she had been successfully cheesed, Elena raised her hand in anger and began to trigger a spatial storm!
The Fire Dragon Girl flapped her wings, releasing a burst of fiery dragon breath, mapping the entire battlefield like daylight, countering the energy influence of the spatial storm.
Lu Yu's eyes kept turning, and his fingers skillfully tapped the keyboard.
Under the cover of the Fire Dragon Girl, the Fox Girl flexibly shuttled through the storm, launching glowing foxfire attacks.
The Cat Girl dodged the mechanical tentacle attacks, her claw strikes like lightning, while the Slime Girl continued to seal the opponent's energy output, stabilizing the entire team's formation.
The three moe girls traversed the storm, their attack effects interwoven into a dazzling spectacle of light and shadow.
Ilena's mecha body had already suffered severe damage. She roared, attempting to retaliate, but her mechanical body was on the verge of collapse.
Finally, the fire dragon girl unleashed one last dragon breath, and her massive body fell to the ground, defeated.
...
After this grand BOSS battle, the players were completely stunned, and the live stream chat was flooded with comments:
"Holy crap, this BOSS battle is so dazzling! The light effects and skill design are top-notch!"
"I have to say, the Mecha Girl Factory is such a creative setting, it's like a visual feast from a blockbuster movie!"
"And the sound design of the BOSS battle is amazing, it really gives you a sense of immersion."
"Ilena's character design is unique, her appearance integrated with the factory has a bit of a mechanical Cthulhu vibe. The designers at Togenkyo are truly ingenious."
Just then, from a corner on the other side of the factory, a mecha girl similar to Ilena appeared.
"Ilena, we, the resistance army, must fight for a foothold, and we can no longer be enemies with all of humanity."
Seeing everyone standing there dumbfounded, this mecha girl took the initiative to explain:
"I am the adjutant of the resistance army. You can call me Hela."
"Hela, are you also going to betray me?" Ilena was already extremely weak.
"Ilena, in these years, hatred has blinded you. That human girl is innocent. Stop!"
Ilena gave a miserable laugh, just about to speak—
Suddenly, everyone saw through the glass curtain wall that a beam of light was fired from the high tower on top of the distant fortress city towards here.
After being hit by the light, the ground of the entire factory began to tremble violently, and the sky emitted a deafening tearing sound.
Zzzzzz...
The air was filled with electric arcs,
The architectural outline of the Giant Egg Factory began to twist and deform, and the mechanical devices inside the factory began to misalign and disintegrate, becoming a chaotic mess.
The sky was no longer the color of azure blue, but was replaced by a strange aurora.
The cracks on the floor spread rapidly, as if to devour everything.
Xiao Yu's expression suddenly changed,
He was all too familiar with this scene!
This was the dimensional quake that led to his transmigration!
The shaking of the factory became more and more violent, and the mecha girls scattered and retreated,
Crack!
Just then, a huge steel pillar fell down, smashing towards the mecha girl holding the doll.