Cyber Era Witch-Chapter 33 - 21 The New Place

33: Chapter 21 The New Place

33 -21 The New Place

“`

Undoubtedly, a person’s speed couldn’t match that of a bullet; one must not act rashly.

Death loomed dangerously close, and the slightest overstep could end in fatal peril.

As they counted down, Xu Yang briskly moved toward the exit.

These robots had no network access points, and they were highly sensitive to scanning, making them difficult to deal with.

If a conflict arose, his side’s chances of winning were 0%, there was simply no possibility of defeating these armed robots.

More gang members passed through the corridor, closing in on the inner chamber as backup, watching Xu Yang with vigilant eyes.

“That is Boss Suzuki’s family shrine,” a man said coldly, clad in a sleeveless vest with metallic arms from the shoulders down, “It’s forbidden for visitors.”

“I understand,” Xu Yang replied, “We took a wrong turn.”

“A poor lie,” he snorted.

“We won’t stay here a minute longer.

We’re leaving right away,” Xu Yang responded quickly.

“If I catch you near this place again, don’t expect to get off easy,” he said.

“Yes.”

Looking back, Farosa still appeared reluctant to leave the shrine, so he pulled her away.

Farosa turned her back and followed silently behind Xu Yang until they rounded the corner and climbed the stairs to a secluded area.

“Too close,” Farosa looked back, as if she could see the shrine through the floorboards, “The power and grace of the gods so near, yet just out of reach.”

“We can’t just take that thing as we please.

We’ll definitely come back, but not now,” Xu Yang decided.

“Phew.” Farosa suppressed the frenzy and longing in her heart.

Standing just outside the shrine a moment ago, she felt as though she could hear the thrumming of tides, as if a great deity was there, imprisoned in His own designed palace, waiting for a servant to conduct His procession.

Time passed in the blink of an eye, yet the deity couldn’t escape my grasp; patience was required.

Patience is the greatest virtue…

When Xu Yang looked at Farosa again, she had already put on an innocent smile.

Xu Yang didn’t want to linger here for another second.

With the Machine Gang’s sudden appearance just now, it was clear that it was unsafe for them here; one false move could lead to danger.

Kojima Kanako was waiting with her bag, backed against the wall.

“Shall we go?” she asked.

“Of course,” Xu Yang nodded.

“Where did you go?” Kanako’s gaze drifted past Xu Yang.

“We went somewhere they wouldn’t let us see,” Xu Yang walked ahead.

“Gang-controlled territory, not a pleasant experience, I suppose,” Kojima Kanako noted Xu Yang’s somewhat nervous appearance.

“Now we have our own place.”

“Can I play games to my heart’s content there?” Kanako asked curiously.

“If you can clean up all the corpses in the building,” Xu Yang joked.

“Corpses?

That’s terrifying, I’m not going,” Kanako said, though she still followed Xu Yang’s steps.

“If you don’t want to die, follow me and do as I say.”

“Uwaa…”

Kanako closely followed Xu Yang; having him give orders actually wasn’t too bad.

As long as he could prove he was always right, Kanako didn’t mind following his lead.

Xu Yang looked like a corporate drone exploited for years, both thin and frail, while Farosa was a complex figure of a witch, and there was something very strange about her — she seemed to have never worked a day in her life and was detached from social reality.

Never mind, no use thinking too much about it.

Kanako still preferred being a happy person.

Passing through the narrow pathways of the underground city, Xu Yang led Farosa and Kanako to the vicinity of the square.

Due to the Toshiaki Family Group’s policy of killing any approaching creature mercilessly, a large pile of humans and ratmen corpses lay nearby, creating a vacuum near the big marketplace.

“Can you handle this?” Xu Yang asked.

“What…” seeing it, Kanako’s face turned ghostly pale.

Encircling the square were human limbs, rat fur, tails, and bones stacked upon each other; the sight nearly shattered her soul.

It was as if her eyes were pricked by needles, causing a strong reaction, and she immediately turned her head away.

“So disgusting!

How did so many people die!” she exclaimed.

“This was a commercial building protected by security installations,” Xu Yang explained, “The Toshiaki Family Group used it for defense.

After the conflict, this is what it turned into.”

“I can’t stand it!”

“So, are you planning to cross these corpses with us to a safe place, or would you rather go back to Suzuki Springs and keep dealing with the gang?” Xu Yang questioned.

“People from the Suzuki Group are almost like animals…

a bunch of disorganized thugs.

I would be killed over there,” Kanako hesitated.

“Then coming with me is safe,” Xu Yang looked over, “Look, Farosa is already at the door.”

Farosa, unfazed by the human and rat corpses, breezed past them as if stepping over a pile of sand or stones.

Farosa pushed open the glass doors, curiously inspecting the sealed robots inside.

The various robots were displayed in different sections, each with its own performance characteristics.

“She’s a witch,” Kojima Kanako stamped her foot, “I’m human, I can’t stand it, do I have to step over these corpses?”

“`

“Bodies piled up in rings, the rats must have swarmed in from all sides earlier; there was no room for a leisurely stroll anymore.” Xu Yang led Kanako past them.

“If only I could fly or had a jetpack to help me jump over.” Kanako followed.

Xu Yang crossed the square of corpses, stepping over pools of blood.

Wherever his eyes landed, there were humans, mechanical bodies, and Ratmen killed by bullets, broken and disquieting.

“It’s safe now, miss.” He looked toward the bright and shiny entrance of the mega-mart.

“Stop saying things that bother me!” Kanako trembled.

“You must have had many people taking care of you in the past.” Xu Yang speculated.

“I wouldn’t claim that,” Kanako shook her head, “I grew up with many, many, many siblings, and I wasn’t noticeable at all.”

“How can there be so many?”

“My mom had many husbands, ah, these topics go on without end, you’d hate living in a place like that too.”

“Why?”

“You become invisible!

You only get noticed when you make mistakes.” Kanako expressed her frustration.

“Well then.” Xu Yang mentally reviewed the list of rich matrons in the Archipelago Continent.

It was a bit long, and he had no idea which family Kanako might belong to.

It appeared that her family background was becoming increasingly complicated.

“I hope there’s food and drink inside.

I don’t dare to go out anymore.” Kanako said.

“There definitely is, I saw vending machines and the like.

I’ll reactivate the defense turrets, and the rats won’t be able to rush in for a while.”

“Where are we ultimately going?

Where’s your home?”

“I don’t have a home anymore,” Xu Yang said.

“That’s sad, a corporate man who was laid off.” Kanako felt less nervous seeing Xu Yang.

“Something like that.” A corporate man who was wanted.

“I don’t have a home either; it really could be a match.” Kanako suggested.

“Right now, it seems we must head towards a place with ample electricity and tight security, like Hui City District.

I even rented a small room there before.”

“Hui City District is quite far; you’d better take good care of me on the way!

When we reach a safe place, I will repay kindnesses and avenge wrongs,” Kanako stated firmly.

“What favor could a wanderer like you repay.” Xu Yang found it amusing.

“I have a Special Protection Card, although using it will let my family track the record.

But if it’s to repay you for saving my life, I can only go all out.”

“You make it sound like you’re making an enormous sacrifice.”

“It’s true.

Sigh, being destitute, I get bullied by uncles like you.” Kanako punched Xu Yang playfully, then hurried into the shopping mall.

Uncle?

He still felt young and energetic, how did he suddenly become ‘Uncle’?

But he let it slide.

She rushed off too quickly, he didn’t remind her there were also corpses inside; he wondered if she would scream out loud.

Xu Yang looked back at the heaps of corpses in the square.

These dead things, whether human or Ratman, made him uneasy.

They reminded Xu Yang of his own mortality.

Would he also die one day?

That was unquestionably true, but before that, he was definitely going to live life to the fullest.

The mega-mart had a total of five floors.

Xu Yang first found the area selling automated Cleaning Robots, removed their plastic seals, took them out, and started to configure and activate each one.

The Toshiaki Family Group’s control console had many usable robot activation codes, perfect for bringing these robots to life.

Once activated, they used their AI capabilities to shuttle between floors, diligently cleaning the mega-mart that had endured a fierce battle.

Under Xu Yang’s settings, they also gathered up the corpses outside for disposal, to prevent the spread of diseases and the attraction of rats.

Immediately after, Xu Yang went to the customer rest area, where Kanako and Farosa were puzzling over two vending machines.

“Hungry hungry, buy buy.” Kanako pointed at the vending machines and then gave Xu Yang a pitiful look.

“Chips?

Instant noodles?

Gashapon toys?

Cola?” Farosa was dazzled by the array of goods in the vending machine, “If they are sealed so securely, how do we get them?”

“You have to pay for them.” Kanako said.

Xu Yang used his Digital Mind to hack into the vending machines remotely, setting all the product prices to 0 and enabling automatic dispensing.

“I’ve set them to be free,” Xu Yang said, “buy whatever you want, just press and it’ll come out.”

“Really?

That’s amazing?” Farosa fiddled with the screen; it was her first time attempting to use electronic devices.

“How is that possible.” Kanako was still unaware of Xu Yang’s hacker powers and was skeptical of his claim.

“You’ll see,” Xu Yang said.

“Buying things definitely costs money, Xu Yang doesn’t have Magic Power, he’s tricking you, playing on your innocence!” Kanako said.

“Certainly not.” Xu Yang found it funny.

Farosa selected an icon for a can of coffee on the screen and then pressed the checkout button.

It quickly rolled out from inside the machine to the exit with a clanking sound, which she picked up with a delighted expression.

“Xu Yang is really impressive.” She said.

“Ah—” Kanako watched in astonishment, “How did you do that?

Why didn’t it cost money?”

“Don’t lump me in with the ordinary uncles,” Xu Yang said.

Kanako scrutinized Xu Yang seriously, and his image in her mind suddenly became mysterious and dangerous.

He seemed to be just a corporate guy good at shooting, running, and bragging, but now he appeared to have the ability to remotely control electronic devices.

Could it be that this guy possessed a “Digital Mind,” and came from a powerful mega-corporation?