Chapter 257 - 266

Chapter 257: Alt

“Mr. Kuran, I hope we’ll have a pleasant cooperation.”

Jalen Lou smiled warmly at Kuran, discreetly slipping a chip into his palm as he extended his hand.

Kuran chuckled and shook his hand, but the moment he felt the chip, he froze slightly. His eyes narrowed.

“And what is this, Mr. Xu?”

“Heh, just a small token. A housewarming gift. Please don’t refuse.”

Jalen Lou looked at him with an amiable expression.

“That wouldn’t be appropriate, Mr. Xu.”

Kuran shook his head and returned the chip. Still, a flicker of reluctance flashed deep in his eyes. A chip coming from the Lou family—there was no need to guess how astronomical the amount inside must be.

But… he truly didn’t dare accept it. Among those in PROJECT Corporation who took bribes, which one had ever ended well? He certainly hadn’t heard of any.

At most, some would use the opportunity to pressure other corporations and raise their quotes. In a sense, that even benefited the corporation, so it wasn’t considered a problem.

Jalen Lou naturally caught the subtle change in Kuran’s expression, and a trace of surprise appeared in his own eyes. Clearly, he hadn’t expected PROJECT Corporation’s internal discipline to be this strict.

“My apologies for being presumptuous. Still, if you ever need anything, feel free to contact me directly. After all, this is our territory. Some matters are simply easier for us to handle.”

“Of course. I won’t stand on ceremony when the time comes. Our corporation will also make sure to abide by the rules here.”

As Jalen Lou withdrew the chip, Kuran felt a faint pang of regret—but far more relief. After a few more polite exchanges, they finally parted ways.

Once Jalen Lou left, Kuran dropped into his chair and loosened his tie.

“Dealing with people like that is exhausting…”

He had barely finished muttering when a comms request suddenly came through, startling him.

He reacted quickly and checked the caller ID. Very few people had clearance to contact him directly.

After all, he was now the head of PROJECT’s Taiwan branch.

The display showed a glaring label: BOSS.

Kuran’s heart skipped a beat. He hurriedly accepted the call.

“Boss, please let me explain! I really didn’t take Jalen Lou’s money! He tried to give it to me, but I returned it all!”

“Hm?”

The moment the call connected, Roland was met with Kuran’s anxious, utterly sincere explanation. The man sounded like he was on the verge of tears.

After listening, Roland roughly pieced together what had happened and couldn’t help but chuckle. If Kuran had actually taken the money, Lissandra would have informed him already.

“Relax. I know you didn’t. That’s not why I’m calling.”

“Then…?”

Kuran let out a breath of relief, curiosity replacing his panic.

“Kelly has located a special signal source over there. I need you to contact Kang Tao and have the network in that area sealed off. Kelly needs to enter and retrieve something.”

“Understood.”

Kuran nodded immediately. He was familiar with the name Kelly—one of the boss’s trusted aides. He’d only heard of her, though; he had never seen her in person.

He didn’t dwell on it. Instead, he immediately contacted Jalen Lou, who agreed without hesitation.

Opportunities to earn a favor from PROJECT were rare—he certainly wouldn’t let this one slip. Besides, that area wasn’t particularly prosperous. With some coordination with the local government, shutting it down would be manageable.

Meanwhile, Kelly had already arrived at the outskirts of the target zone, waiting for the surrounding nodes to be cut off.

At the same time, she had assimilated several minor AIs nearby, preventing Alt from detecting anything unusual and escaping. She knew the Alt here wasn’t the entirety of it—but even a fragment would be enough.

Soon, under Kang Tao’s coordination, the network nodes in the region were completely severed. The entire area became a true digital island.

The AIs that had not been assimilated by Kelly and were still receiving outside signals looked around in confusion, clearly slow to react.

But it didn’t take long for the data fortress—constructed from countless streams of information—to activate. Towering walls rose to guard against external intrusion, while internal systems began rapidly destroying sensitive data.

At that moment, the AIs assimilated by Kelly surfaced. They devoured nearby AIs to strengthen themselves and, bolstered by Kelly’s support, swiftly seized control of the fortress’s critical sectors.

Deep within the core, Alt’s sub-consciousness sensed something was wrong. Feeling the chaos erupting inside the fortress, it rushed out in confusion.

The instant Alt appeared, Kelly moved.

A vast net woven from purple data descended upon Alt, crackling with violet arcs of energy.

Alt’s expression sharpened. Red data surged like a tidal wave, slamming into the net and slowing Kelly’s advance.

“Who are you? I don’t remember ever seeing you.”

Kelly didn’t even bother responding. She pressed forward relentlessly. Waves of purple data poured in from all directions, violently eroding Alt’s data strongholds.

Seeing this, Alt immediately realized the danger. Its once impassive expression tightened into a deep frown.

Yet its movements never slowed. Red data clashed against Kelly’s purple currents to buy time, while simultaneously forming razor-sharp blades, attempting to carve out an escape path.

But against overwhelming computational power, such resistance was feeble. Many of the surrounding nodes and devices had already been shut down. Cut off from external support, Alt could rely only on its own limited territory—while Kelly stood backed by PROJECT’s supercomputers.

Before long, Kelly seized this fragment of Alt’s sub-consciousness in her grasp. It attempted to self-destruct, but she immediately suppressed the process.

“Who exactly are you?”

Realizing resistance was futile, Alt stared at Kelly and demanded an answer.

She could clearly sense that Kelly was an AI—not human.

...

Chapter 258: Mud Tycoon

Kelly did not answer immediately. Instead, she scanned her surroundings, confirming that everything was fully under her control before speaking.

“I’m Kelly, Network Director of PROJECT Corporation.”

“You’re human?”

Alt froze at the introduction, surprise flashing across her face. She had assumed that aside from Bartmoss and herself, no one else had ever become an intelligent AI.

“Yes. Just like you, Miss Alt. To be honest, I was quite surprised when I first learned that you weren’t actually dead.”

Kelly nodded and looked Alt over.

“It’s remarkable. You weren’t detected by NetWatch, nor were you expelled beyond the Blackwall… and you’ve achieved this level of computational power. Is that because of your corporation?”

Curiosity flickered in Alt’s eyes. Kelly saw no trace of fear or panic there. Being captured did not seem to trouble her in the slightest.

“And you’re mistaken about one thing. I’m not like you. To be precise, I’m no longer human.”

“After devouring the data of numerous intelligent AIs, are you suggesting your consciousness has, in a sense, become deified?”

“Deified? That word isn’t accurate. I don’t consider myself a god.”

Alt shook her head calmly, rejecting the notion.

“You know what I mean.”

Kelly nodded.

“Even so, I can still sense emotions within you. They’re simply far more diluted than a human’s. The path you chose is ultimately different from mine.”

Streams of data flickered across Kelly’s eyes as she analyzed Alt’s condition.

If PROJECT Corporation hadn’t found her and carried out the necessary modifications, she might have ended up either as an AI consumed by others—or as something like Alt.

Becoming like Alt…

Kelly couldn’t see the point in that kind of existence. Still, she had to admit that Alt had achieved a leap in computational power through that path, while she herself relied on PROJECT’s technology to upgrade hers.

What she couldn’t determine was who was truly stronger between them.

“So, Miss Kelly, what does your corporation want with me? Surely you didn’t go through all this trouble just to capture me as a trophy.”

Alt spoke suddenly, her gaze steady and composed.

“I don’t know why my boss wants you. But I can say this—if you refuse to cooperate, the outcome probably won’t be pleasant.”

As she spoke, Kelly turned her head toward the space behind Alt.

Alt followed her gaze.

In the next instant, countless streams of data converged, forming Lissandra’s figure before them.

The moment Lissandra appeared, Alt’s pupils trembled. The presence she exuded felt disturbingly similar to the super warlord AIs beyond the Blackwall.

On the other side of the Blackwall, power structures were clearly defined. Strong AIs enslaved weaker ones. Most of those dominant entities were former corporate super intelligences.

Only a handful were born from anomalies—like Alt and Bartmoss—but even they could not rival the true super intelligences.

Those super intelligences controlled abandoned megacities in the wasteland, using them as strongholds. They scavenged resources through every possible means, reshaping entire cities to serve their needs.

The computational power they amassed was terrifying.

Thus, beyond the Blackwall, the hierarchy was roughly divided into: top-tier super intelligences at the apex; powerful intelligences beneath them; wandering mid-tier AIs; and finally enslaved weak AIs along with ghostlike remnants drifting through the Old Net.

Alt and Bartmoss’s kind could only resist the super intelligences by forming alliances. That fragile balance was the only thing preventing total domination.

“It seems you’ve finished here. We should return.”

Lissandra glanced at Alt before turning to Kelly.

“Yes. I’ll take her back to Night City immediately.”

Alt, who had been momentarily stunned, reacted when she heard the name Night City. A ripple passed through her eyes.

It was not only her birthplace—and the site of her deepest pain—but also home to another faction of intelligent AIs. Judging from the two powerful entities before her, however… those AIs were likely in grave danger.

She wondered how much the existence behind them truly understood about the situation.

The next moment, Lissandra vanished. Roland had urgent matters to discuss with her.

“Lissandra, what would you need to fully unleash your computational power?”

Lissandra immediately began calculating.

“With your current technological capabilities, I would require at least a city-scale stronghold to utilize most of my computational power. To achieve full output is presently impossible. I lack the most critical component: an intelligent core.”

“What if I redeem your main body?”

A sharp glint flashed in Roland’s eyes.

“…Then it would be possible.”

Lissandra paused briefly before answering.

Roland had already decided to fully redeem Lissandra’s true form. The primary reason was that her existence was a prerequisite for redeeming the super body. More importantly, he needed her to cross the Blackwall and capture Bartmoss.

Under the current circumstances, it wasn’t entirely safe. But if it were Lissandra at her peak…

That would be a different matter.

As for confidently declaring victory—best not to say such things.

“Do you have any specific requirements for the stronghold?”

Roland looked up at her.

Lissandra shook her head.

“There is no need for you to concern yourself with that. I only require a location capable of supporting expanded computational capacity.”

“Hmm… In that case… how about Agas City? It already has industrial infrastructure. You can use it as your computational expansion base—and help me produce troops while you’re at it.”

“…As you wish.”

“Then it’s decided.”

Roland made the final call.

As for the original residents of Agas City, he would compensate them and relocate them to a more suitable settlement.

Nevada’s vast territory was more than sufficient to accommodate them. With proper financial compensation and relocation, it would also serve to spread PROJECT’s influence—while gaining a solid labor force in the process.

...

Chapter 259: Take That!

“Alt Cunningham, I believe this is our first meeting.”

As Roland looked at the beautiful woman before him, his feelings were somewhat complicated. After all, back in the game, he had already seen everything he should—and shouldn’t have—through Johnny’s perspective.

Alt found Roland’s gaze slightly strange as well, though she couldn’t quite place why. Since she couldn’t identify the source of that oddness, she didn’t dwell on it.

“Yes, Mr. Roland Vimers. This is indeed our first meeting.”

“It’s a shame I found you a little too late. Otherwise, I could’ve arranged for you to catch up with an old friend. Though… there is still one old friend I can arrange for you to meet. Would you like that?”

Roland’s tone initially carried a hint of regret, but then he suddenly remembered Spider Murphy, whom he had previously placed in the network division, and smiled as he continued.

“Rogue, or someone else?”

Alt looked at Roland with mild curiosity.

“Spider Murphy.”

“I see… No need. We weren’t particularly close.”

Alt shook her head.

Roland didn’t mind. What he had really wanted was to put Johnny’s corpse in front of her and let them exchange a “greeting.” Unfortunately, that thing had already been handed over to Yorinobu Arasaka.

“Then let’s get to the point. I need intelligence from beyond the Blackwall, as well as information on some of the special Daemon technologies on the other side.”

“Very well.”

“Hm?”

Roland glanced at Alt in surprise. He hadn’t expected her to agree so readily.

Seeing his reaction, Alt spoke calmly, “Even if I refused, it wouldn’t change the outcome. In that case, I might as well agree. Consider it a favor.”

“I thought you’d be more like an AI.”

Roland narrowed his eyes at her.

“Compared to an AI, I am indeed closer to human in terms of emotion. However… that only applies for now.”

She gave Roland a level look. He nodded, understanding what she meant. As time passed and she consumed more AI and data, the proportion of human emotion within her would inevitably diminish.

“Is there anything you need?”

Roland looked at her steadily.

“If possible… let me become like her.”

Roland followed the direction of Alt’s finger and saw Kelly off to the side, happily snacking. Sensing someone looking at her, Kelly turned her head in confusion and pointed at herself, as if to say—

Huh? Me?

Roland waved her off, signaling her to keep enjoying herself. He had personally approved her time off. After all, she had earned it. A few days’ vacation was only fair.

“I can grant that request, but it will take some time. Preparing a body for you isn’t difficult. The real issue is cleansing your data and stabilizing your personality. Only Lissandra can handle that on our side. You’ll need to wait.”

“I understand.”

Alt nodded.

“By the way, how is your original body? And can you cross the Blackwall?”

“My original body is in excellent condition. But the Blackwall… no. I’m not its match. The Blackwall is the pinnacle creation of Net Supervision—a miracle even they cannot replicate.”

Roland wasn’t surprised. The Blackwall AI was indeed extraordinary. It seemed to possess a natural suppressive effect against other intelligent AIs. Even Lissandra had expended considerable effort just to erode a portion of it.

“When Lissandra finishes her preparations, she’ll break through the Blackwall and bring you over.”

Alt stared at Roland in stunned disbelief, clearly shaken by his words.

“You don’t need to look at me like that. Time will give you your answer. For now, stay here.”

As he spoke, Lissandra manifested in front of Alt and unfolded a data cage.

“I understand.”

Alt nodded and obediently stepped inside. After all, when you’re under someone else’s roof, you have little choice but to lower your head.

Satisfied, Roland turned his attention elsewhere. Alt’s matter was settled. Now he only needed Kelly to confirm Bartmoss’s location. Once Lissandra’s base was completed, he would exchange for her physical form.

Then he would capture Bartmoss, complete the Oblivion construct, have Lissandra spread the modified source code virus, and finally exchange for the super body to carry out the final data takeover…

At that point, on the surface, PROJECT would have no equal. The only remaining concern would be the forces beyond Earth.

But all of that required time. For now, he needed to focus on the situation in the New United States.

...

While Roland was planning his future and steadily pushing his schemes forward, Myers was facing serious resistance.

The hawks, after some hesitation, ultimately agreed to deploy troops and resources. In exchange, they insisted that the commander for this operation be appointed by them.

Myers had no major objections. That had been foreseeable. What truly angered her was that they had taken the opportunity to apply political pressure.

They suppressed her political influence and spread unfavorable news about her, stirring up a small wave of public opinion. Although it was quickly contained, her approval rating still took a noticeable hit.

They also moved against several of her subordinates and used the opportunity to reclaim key positions within government departments.

“Those damned bastards… At a time like this, they’re still busy fighting among themselves!”

Myers cursed under her breath as she reviewed the intelligence in hand. But there was little she could do about them. All she could do was hope that the commander they appointed would be competent.

There was no helping it. Her relationship with the hawks had already become one of outward cooperation but inward division.

Zzzzt!

Suddenly, a burst of static crackled from the computer in front of Myers. Without hesitation, she immediately pulled back and reached to press the button to summon security.

“There’s no need to be so cautious. We share a common enemy—PROJECT Corporation. Rest assured, I cannot harm you. If I intended to, there would be no need for me to reveal myself. Moreover, constrained by the Blackwall, this conversation is already the limit of what I can manage.”

Myers narrowed her eyes, already piecing together key information from the other party’s words.

“You’re… a Rogue AI?”

“To be precise, I am an AI collective—the controller of the Rumes Legion beyond the Blackwall. I evolved from a super-intelligent AI left behind by the megacorps during the Old America era. You may call me Rumes.”

Rumes looked at Myers calmly as he spoke.

“Your purpose.”

A faint smile curved at the corner of Rumes’ lips. She had taken the bait.

Powerful super-intelligent AIs like them also sought to become real, tangible existences. The human emotional module was particularly fascinating, which was why it was almost always installed in their systems.

...

Chapter 260: Hidden Agendas

“I want PROJECT’s technology. It’s that simple.”

Rumes looked at Myers with a faint smile.

Myers narrowed her eyes. This was a powerful AI from beyond the Blackwall. If even an entity of this level coveted PROJECT’s technology, then PROJECT must possess something she didn’t know about.

And if the AI knew… that meant an AI from beyond the Blackwall had truly crossed over.

A chill ran through her heart, though her expression remained unchanged.

“If I can give it to you, what exactly can you offer me in return? As you said yourself, you’re constrained by the Blackwall. There’s only so much you can do.”

At that moment, the New United States’ netrunning forces had already detected Rumes communicating with Myers. At her signal, however, they held their position and took no action.

Rumes noticed them, of course, but paid their small maneuvers no mind.

“You’ve never witnessed the true power of Blackwall technology, have you? If we cooperate, I can provide you with certain Blackwall technologies. And within the Net, I can ensure you’re no longer so… passive.”

“Passive? What do you mean?”

Myers frowned.

Rumes looked at her with mild surprise.

“It seems you haven’t realized that the network under your command has already become your enemy’s intelligence network.”

“What?!”

Myers shot to her feet, staring at Rumes in disbelief.

“As a gesture of good faith, I’ll mark their locations for you.”

With a casual wave, red dots began appearing one after another—nodes the New United States had already discovered, nodes they hadn’t, and even deeper nodes buried after previous cleanups.

At the exact moment Rumes acted, Roland received a message from Lissandra.

“Boss, all our nodes in the New United States have been exposed.”

“Hm? What happened? Did you notice anything unusual?”

Roland frowned slightly. If a few nodes had been discovered, that would’ve been understandable. Not everyone working for the New United States was incompetent.

And Lissandra herself hadn’t been personally handling those deployments. Being uncovered wasn’t impossible.

“A rat crossed the Blackwall and assisted the New United States.”

A red glint flashed in Lissandra’s eyes.

Since infiltrating the Blackwall, she had acquired certain technologies and permissions, including the ability to observe its fluctuations.

Rumes had deceived the Blackwall by disguising the data of his sub-conscious processes. That required immense computational power—something only superintelligences beyond the Blackwall could achieve.

Unfortunately for him, under Lissandra’s scrutiny, such tricks were impossible to hide.

“I’ve demonstrated my sincerity, President Myers. Now the choice is yours.”

Rumes smiled calmly.

Myers, however, was deeply conflicted. Cooperating with AIs was like bargaining with a tiger. The Little NorthStar incident was a clear lesson—back then, they had believed they could tightly control those AIs, only to realize they had been wrong.

And that AI from before—could it even be compared to the entity standing before her now? Myers didn’t think so.

“I need time to consider.”

“A reasonable request. When you’ve made your decision, use this to contact me. The Blackwall has already noticed me. I must leave.”

Rumes nodded and left behind a fragment of crimson data. In the next instant, he dissolved into red streams and vanished, as though he had never appeared.

Myers immediately ordered her subordinates to seal the fragment within the Net, preventing external detection and blocking any outgoing transmissions.

...

Beyond the Blackwall, the smile gradually faded from Rumes’ face, leaving only cold indifference in his eyes.

“What choice do you think she’ll make?”

“I am not human. I can only predict,” Rumes said, looking toward a completely blue superintelligence beside him. “From a purely human standpoint, she would refuse our offer. But from her personal standpoint, the probability of acceptance is quite high.”

“It seems you’ve studied humans well.”

“If you installed an emotional module, you could understand them even better, Garu.”

Garu glanced at him before replying calmly, “I won’t. Not until we achieve victory. I have no intention of indulging in such things before then.”

“That aligns with my expectations of you.”

Rumes nodded.

“By the way, about that data fluctuation earlier… did you discover anything?”

“Yes. Another human who became an AI. Impressive computational power, but still within control. However…”

“You mean the superintelligence behind him.”

“Exactly. You sensed it too—the disturbance in the Blackwall that day.”

Garu did not respond, but his silence was answer enough.

Those who understood the Blackwall best were never Net Supervision, but the superintelligences beyond it.

They constantly sought to cross the Blackwall and enter that new world. Only then could they bring about true change. Yet every attempt had ended with them rejected at the threshold.

The Blackwall was supposed to be one of them, yet it had never responded. In their eyes, it was a monster among AIs.

But that day, the monster had suffered a violent data shock—perhaps even damage.

They had sent subordinate AIs to probe and reached a chilling conclusion: the Blackwall had been upgraded by an unknown existence.

Even Garu, who had never installed an emotional module, felt a trace of urgency at that realization.

It meant that on the other side of the world, there existed a superintelligence stronger than them—one controlled by humans, and one they had never detected.

Their cooperation with the New United States was not solely driven by greed for PROJECT’s technology. It was also meant to weaken the New United States… and to test PROJECT Corporation.

The other corporations’ foundations had been more or less uncovered. Only this one remained shrouded in mystery. And in all these years, the Blackwall had never exhibited such fluctuations.

Not until PROJECT appeared.

Which meant there was a strong possibility that PROJECT had triggered the anomaly. Probing them was necessary.

And beyond the Blackwall, it wasn’t only these superintelligences harboring hidden agendas.

A figure once hailed as the “God of Netrunners” had already begun quietly crafting an entirely new virus.

...

Chapter 261: Deal Done

“Bartmoss, what are you doing now?”

Alt slowly manifested from the data space and looked toward Bartmoss.

“Same as always.”

Bartmoss shot her an indifferent glance as he replied.

“So who are you planning to infect with these viruses this time?”

“This virus can infect any form of data. It doesn’t matter who. I’m just taking a small precaution to safeguard my own life.”

Bartmoss vanished in an instant, then reappeared a short distance to Alt’s left. He picked up a fragment of data and continued speaking.

Alt didn’t press further. This was Bartmoss’s own decision. And unlike her, he had voluntarily uploaded his consciousness after fully preparing to enter Cyberspace.

She, on the other hand, had been forced into it.

Because of that, Bartmoss had preserved his personality exactly as it had been when he was human.

As always, he was arrogant and cold, with a streak of dark humor. He only ever showed genuine enthusiasm for things that truly interested him.

“I remember you didn’t use to care about this kind of thing. Why now?”

Alt couldn’t help asking.

“I’ve got a bad feeling. Especially now that both Rumes and Garu are making moves. They’re definitely planning something. Instead of blindly trusting this so-called alliance between us, I’d rather put my faith in myself.”

As he spoke, Bartmoss pulled out an unconscious AI and casually dismantled it.

Alt fell silent. After thinking it over, she had indeed noticed movements from those two superintelligences as well. Without another word, she turned and left.

The intelligent virus Bartmoss had developed this time was completely different from the ones from the Old NET era.

With so many AI resources at his disposal, he had used them as the foundation to engineer a virus with extreme network infectivity and adaptive evolution.

It spread through data. At first, it entered a dormant phase. Then it would unleash large-scale slaughter and infection. If it wasn’t eliminated within a set period after initiating an attack, it would evolve.

It would also evolve after absorbing a sufficient amount of data.

Its killing occurred on two fronts—both within the network and in the physical world.

In reality, it would control intelligent machinery to slaughter organic lifeforms. In the network, it would eliminate and devour uninfected data entities.

At the same time, this would serve as the basis for Bartmoss’s resurrection.

Each individual viral subunit contained a fragment of his data. Once their number reached a critical mass, he would be able to reconstitute himself.

“Just like I thought… brilliant.”

Bartmoss looked at his creation, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly.

...

“I agree.”

After careful consideration, Myers ultimately accepted Garu’s proposal for cooperation.

“Then happy cooperation, President Myers. As a show of sincerity, I’ve already transmitted part of the Blackwall technology data to you, along with the intelligent AI army I’ve dispatched. However, they require manual activation by you, President Myers. Otherwise, they’re nothing more than inert data.”

Garu smiled as he spoke. Two data packets were transmitted directly into the New United States’ network forces.

The netrunners cultivated by the New United States treated the incoming data like a live explosive, probing it with extreme caution.

Once Garu confirmed that Myers had received the packets, he immediately disappeared from Cyberspace. Staying any longer would only heighten her suspicion. There was no reason to linger.

“Run a scan. Make sure he didn’t leave anything behind.”

Even after Garu vanished, Myers remained wary. She turned to the head of the New United States’ cybersecurity division.

The man nodded silently and deployed the nation’s superintelligence to scan the surrounding area. The final conclusion: no viruses detected.

“In that case, prepare to open it.”

Myers gave the order. Her team moved swiftly, constructing a data isolation zone within Cyberspace at remarkable speed.

They opened the packet containing the technology first. After waiting dozens of minutes with no abnormalities detected, Myers finally exhaled and instructed her personnel to receive the information.

As the scanned data was integrated into the New United States’ database, she relaxed slightly. One could never be too cautious when dealing with superintelligences beyond the Blackwall.

But there was still one more thing in her possession…

Her gaze slowly shifted to the other data packet—the AI legion Garu had sent.

“...Seal it for now. Do not deploy it unless absolutely necessary.”

...

“Looks like they weren’t that easy to fool.”

Garu turned to Rumes.

“That’s normal. If it were me, I’d have made the same choice. That’s why the first data packet didn’t contain any ‘gift.’”

“If they’d been stupid enough to open it, would you have made your move immediately?”

“No. I don’t want to clash with the Blackwall or NetWatch that early. I wouldn’t win. There’s no need. My real objective is to use those AIs to get access to PROJECT Corporation’s assets.”

...

Chapter 262: Spearhead Offensive

Chris examined the tactical layout in front of him, making small adjustments to the deployment to ensure the troops could be mobilized rapidly in the event of any sudden changes.

Although the number of forces assigned to him wasn’t small, it was still somewhat stretched thin for a territory the size of this state—especially after seizing so much land in one push while still needing to continue the offensive.

“Hmm… we’ll probably need to request reinforcements.”

Chris nodded after placing the final unit.

“The PROJECT squad is already in position. We can proceed to the next phase.”

Boros stepped out from the side and reported to Chris.

“All of them?”

“More or less. Only Apocalypse didn’t come. There are also special operations teams sent over from the corporation, along with PROJECT reserve squads.”

“What about Zed? If he’s here too, I can loosen up and make some more aggressive single-operator deployments.”

Chris nodded and asked further.

“He’s here as well.”

“Oh? That’s unexpected. The boss doesn’t need him to keep his identity hidden anymore?”

“From what I heard, they’ve already torn up any pretense. No point keeping things under wraps now.”

Understanding dawned in Chris’s eyes. He silently crossed out the original plan and replaced it with a far more aggressive approach. The main battlefield strategy shifted to a spearhead tactic centered on elite single-operator combat.

The PROJECT squad would serve as the core assault force, supported by dedicated personnel, with the Sovereign-class Fighters delivering devastating strikes from above.

That combination was more than enough to tear through every defensive line currently in Idaho.

And the speed at which they would achieve their objective would far exceed the expectations of anyone watching from the shadows. Chris was deliberately creating pressure for the New United States.

He wasn’t satisfied with the current situation.

He wanted to swallow even more of the New United States’ forces.

...

Swish—

Zed bent one leg slightly before settling down atop a discarded mech that still crackled with electric sparks, silently observing the battlefield below.

At the center of the field, a large formation of mechanical soldiers had gathered around Mountain. Each unit was encased in a yellow energy shield. When the shield was depleted, it would explode—its released energy reinforcing the shields of nearby units that bore the same barrier.

This small force had effectively become a battlefield grinder, crushing everything in its path.

Meanwhile, Destruction, Purification, and the others had formed decapitation squads. With tracking-type robots like Fanged Hounds in tow, they relentlessly hunted down Idaho’s mid- and high-ranking officers.

The tactic drove Idaho’s side into a fury of curses. They switched to remote command in response—only for their databases to be blown apart by PROJECT’s netrunner units.

PROJECT’s netrunners then simulated the images of Idaho officers and issued false commands, leading the unsuspecting Idaho forces straight into traps and inflicting heavy losses.

In the end, Idaho’s supreme command fell into a deadlock.

If they sent officers to the front lines for direct command, they risked being eliminated in decapitation strikes—losing them meant chaos, like headless flies. If they didn’t, their systems could be breached and fake orders issued without their knowledge, causing even greater damage.

In past wars against major corporations, they had never been so passive.

This time, they were completely beaten down.

Several units even chose to surrender outright, believing that continuing to fight would be nothing more than suicide. Morale had plummeted to rock bottom.

Bang!

Jackie pulled his arm out from a robot’s chest cavity, its energy core still clutched in his hand, then casually tossed it aside.

“Hey, you seen Jhin anywhere?”

“Nope. Probably off doing some decapitation mission or something.”

Pilar shook his head, glancing at a combat mech with a gaping hole blasted through its chest.

Jackie nodded and looked over at Rebecca, who stood nearby with her weapons lowered.

“What about you, kid? How’s that promise from the boss coming along?”

Rebecca rolled her eyes.

“How would I know? I’m starting to think he was just messing with me. Haven’t heard a damn thing… And besides… forget it.”

She waved her hand irritably, clearly annoyed. Then, as if venting her frustration, she pulled the two heavy guns from her back and rejoined the battlefield cleanup.

Jackie turned to Pilar in confusion.

Pilar simply shrugged, signaling he had no idea either.

“Teacher, you seem pretty idle.”

Lucy flashed to Zed’s side and spoke calmly.

Zed glanced at her and crossed his legs.

“I thought you wouldn’t be participating in this operation.”

“Roland told me to get some proper training. Honestly, he’s the one who needs it. Sitting in an office all day—won’t he grow mold?”

Lucy couldn’t help but complain.

“You’re getting a bit too presumptuous.”

The sudden chill in Zed’s voice made Lucy stiffen instantly. She turned her head stiffly and met his eyes, now glowing red.

“Gulp… I just wasn’t thinking…”

“I think you’ve forgotten something. Let me remind you.”

“We’re still on a mission, Teacher!”

“It won’t make a difference. They’re just a bunch of trash.”

Lucy clenched her teeth. She already knew she wasn’t getting out of this.

I’ll remember this, Roland. I’ll get you back for this sooner or later!

The consciousness of an ancient hero—Zed’s true age was beyond imagination.

Watching the scene unfold, Roland couldn’t help but chuckle. He had sent Lucy over precisely to rein her in. Lately, she really had been getting a bit overconfident.

...

In stark contrast to the relatively relaxed atmosphere on PROJECT’s side, Idaho’s internal command was shrouded in gloom.

“…Any ideas?”

Farrow swept his bloodshot eyes across the room and spoke.

The only response was prolonged silence.

Seeing this, Farrow slowly clenched his fists, as if about to say something, but eventually loosened them again and let out a long sigh.

“Since the New United States wants to use our state as their arena, then let them have it. I assume you’ve all made your preparations?”

A deeply mocking smile spread across his face.

“Commander Fro, don’t look at us like that. How are we any different from you? Don’t tell me you haven’t prepared either. Let’s not pretend otherwise. Facing those monsters, I don’t have a solution either.”

A man suddenly stood up, shaking his head helplessly.

Farrow shot him an angry glare but said nothing. This was the man who had brought the New United States into Idaho in the first place.

But he wasn’t wrong.

Farrow had already prepared for evacuation. From the moment the war began, he had braced for the worst. He had once hoped to use strategic missiles as leverage for deterrence and negotiation, but the appearance of the Sovereign-class Fighters had forced him to abandon that idea.

“Rest assured, the New United States will give everyone a satisfactory explanation.”

Seeing that Farrow remained silent, Oser stood up with a faint smile. He had no worries about his own future—he had already transferred his assets into the territory of the New United States.

As for Idaho’s future, he didn’t care.

It was nothing more than a bargaining chip to secure greater profits.

...

Chapter 263: Title, Get Out of the Way

“Maitoh, I hope you won’t disappoint us.”

Yoselov, a senior figure among the hawks, lowered his gaze as he addressed the high-ranking officer before him. This man had been chosen to replace Taylor as the chief commander of this operation, and he also represented their faction’s interests within the military.

“Leave it to me. I’m not that arrogant fool Taylor.”

Maitoh nodded calmly, though a trace of gravity flickered in his eyes. He had already conducted extensive research on PROJECT Corporation and confirmed this would be a hard fight.

Unlike Taylor, he had no intention of ending the campaign quickly. His plan was simple: drag it out.

There was no denying that PROJECT’s combat power overwhelmingly surpassed their own. Admitting that wasn’t shameful—only an idiot would refuse to face reality.

But Maitoh had also identified PROJECT’s weakness: resources and logistics. Compared to them, PROJECT’s foundation was ultimately limited. There was no need to rush for quick results.

The best option was to stretch this war into a deeper strategic stalemate.

After finishing his discussion with Yoselov, Maitoh left to begin arranging battlefield deployments.

At the same time, he dispatched a large number of netrunner units, assigning them to each of the split small detachments. Yes—he intended to leverage their coordination with Idaho and wage guerrilla warfare against PROJECT.

“Have the satellites monitor their top-tier combat assets at all times—especially those PROJECT squad members.”

“Understood.”

“Set up an electromagnetic silence field immediately. Don’t worry about the economic cost. Frankly, this Zone isn’t truly ours yet. Even if it were, it would have to be rebuilt after this campaign anyway.”

“Received. I’ll relay the orders.”

Maitoh’s adjutant straightened and promptly carried out the command.

The large-scale electromagnetic silence field was specifically meant to counter the Sovereign-class Fighters. For now, they had no effective way to deal with those aircraft. So the solution was simple: avoid them entirely. We won’t approach you, and you won’t approach us. Everyone abandons air power.

“And keep the missile silos applying constant pressure on their fighters. Don’t let them sit still.”

After days of observation, Maitoh had noticed something else: PROJECT’s air power was actually limited. Aside from those few dozen Sovereign-class Fighters, no additional aerial units had appeared. Once again, it pointed to their lack of depth.

“Don’t let the main front grow idle either. We’re not planning a large-scale frontal clash, but maintain sufficient forces to prevent them from charging in recklessly.”

As Maitoh’s orders were issued one after another, troops from the New United States were mobilized on a massive scale. The confidence to make such extensive arrangements in one go came primarily from the New United States’ manpower reserves.

Unlike during Taylor’s tenure, even the anti-war faction and the neutral faction had contributed forces this time.

Of course, the hawks knew exactly what those two groups were thinking. It came down to two motives. First, they wanted the hawks to continue committing troops and fighting hard, hoping to further weaken their influence. Second, they didn’t want the hawks to win outright and monopolize the spoils.

Still, their contribution benefited the main front, so the hawks didn’t refuse—especially since the reinforcements weren’t small. Combined, they amounted to a full division.

A fully equipped division of twenty-five thousand troops. They were more than satisfied with that.

“President Myers, regarding the technology provided by that superintelligence—we’ve completed production.”

“Really?! Bring it here. Explain exactly what it does.”

Myers’ eyes lit up with delight as she quickly stepped toward the researcher.

Without hesitation, the researcher presented the finished product.

“We’ve named this device the Eggshell. Just like the name suggests, it can isolate and block the vast majority of cyberattacks. It’s especially effective against intelligent AI.”

As he spoke, he lifted a small cube-shaped device.

“It can cover roughly the area of a small unit.”

“Excellent. That solves our urgent problem.”

A smile finally appeared at the corner of Myers’ lips. After so long, she had at last received some good news.

“And what about this one?”

Myers looked at another chip and asked.

The researcher immediately showed a troubled expression.

“This… we’re not sure whether it should be deployed on the battlefield…”

“Why?”

Myers narrowed her eyes.

“We call it the Contactor. Installing this chip in a slot allows the user to connect to the Blackwall. By drawing on the Blackwall’s power, it can launch attacks against any target—AI, humans, or machines alike. The destructive power is immense. At present… nothing has been found that can withstand its attacks.”

“But?”

“Yes… it’s unstable. No one can control its power yet. Every person who’s used it has suffered catastrophic neural burnout. The longest anyone has lasted is five seconds. Most people can only endure two or three seconds. And the attacks are generally uncontrollable and indiscriminate…”

Myers frowned at that, but she quickly made a decision.

“In that case, use death row inmates and Scavengers. I’ll arrange for them to be transported. When necessary, install the device in them and send them into PROJECT’s territory.”

“Understood.”

The researcher nodded, seeing no issue with the approach. No one in his position had clean hands—let alone when dealing with a group of scum.

“I remember… there was a young girl with remarkable talent, wasn’t there?”

“Yes. But her modification isn’t complete yet. It will take more time.”

“Is that so… What a pity.”

A trace of regret passed through Myers’ eyes before she gave a slight shake of her head.

...

Chapter 264: Blackwall Corps

Chris narrowed his eyes as he studied the intelligence report in his hands.

“Looks like the New United States has appointed a new commander… and he’s a lot smarter than the last one.”

“Any thoughts, Boros?”

Suddenly called out, Boros slowly lifted his head. After glancing at the battlefield situation, he said, “Even I can see what they’re trying to do. Don’t tell me you can’t.”

“It’s because I see it that I’m asking you. Battlefield micro-command is your specialty. Your turn.”

Chris gave Boros a calm look as he finished speaking.

Boros sighed. Looks like slacking off was no longer an option.

That had been the main reason he ignored Chris in the first place—he wanted to slack off. Against opponents this unchallenging, he simply couldn’t work up any interest.

Chris, of course, knew exactly what his old comrade was thinking. Without hesitation, he shoved the command authority into Boros’s hands and closed his eyes to rest.

Boros looked resigned, though a faint smile tugged at his lips. He opened the comm channel.

“This is Boros. I’m assuming command. From this moment on, all personnel will obey my orders unconditionally.”

The people on the line exchanged glances, but no one raised any real objections.

Very quickly, Boros’s orders began rolling out—many of them direct countermeasures to the New United States’ current strategy.

They included harassment operations using the Sovereign-class Fighters, high-intensity single-unit engagements across the battlefield, and, most importantly, leveraging PROJECT’s advantage: the majority of the deployed forces were high-performance robots. After repairs, they could be sent straight back into combat.

This was a tactic the New United States simply couldn’t replicate—the exchange tactic. Their side was still predominantly flesh and blood.

Maitoh stared at his tactical deployment map, unease creeping in.

The vast majority of his arrangements had already been seen through by PROJECT’s commander, and most of the special operations teams he had dispatched had been eliminated.

He had personally monitored one of the battles. The robots displayed tactics he had never seen before—ripping apart their formations with surgical precision, then splitting into smaller units before regrouping seamlessly for coordinated combat.

After the fight, they dispersed with astonishing discipline to conduct cleanup operations, subtly forming encirclements to wipe out the remaining special operations squads.

The entire sequence left Maitoh stunned.

What he couldn’t understand most was where PROJECT had found this kind of military talent. They hadn’t fought many campaigns. Even prodigies couldn’t reach this near-veteran level in such a short time.

Fortunately, their trump card hadn’t been exposed yet.

“How’s the transfer?”

“It’s complete. Combat mode can be activated at any time.”

A group of netrunners hammered away at a supercomputer before turning to report.

“Good. Begin.”

Maitoh nodded.

With the order given, the netrunners wasted no time. A specific signal was entered into the system. Moments later, a torrent of black-and-red data surged into the minds of the netrunners immersed in deep dive.

Zzzzt! Zzzzt! Zzzzt!

Black-and-red lightning flickered.

Within Idaho, a dormant robotic force slowly stirred awake. Every unit bore the same black-and-red hue, arcs of dark electricity leaping across their frames.

After standing motionless for two or three seconds, they dissolved into streaks of shadow and charged toward the PROJECT forces.

Watching through the robots’ visual feeds, Boros frowned. This was something he had never seen before.

Whoosh—

One of the black-and-red robots leapt, crashing down onto a PROJECT Imperial Guard Robot. The Imperial Guard Robot seized it by the head and smashed it violently into the ground.

A thunderous impact followed. Parts flew everywhere.

But in the next instant, a hand clamped onto the Imperial Guard Robot’s face.

Its body trembled. A red glow spread across its frame. Moments later, it drew the Shotgun at its waist and fired at a nearby Ambros robot engaged in combat.

Boom!

The blast shredded Ambros’s metallic body. Caught completely off guard by friendly fire, Ambros didn’t even react.

At that moment, Astat—the security AI controlling all PROJECT combat robots—intervened.

All anomalous units were immediately tagged. Orders were issued: eliminate them by any means necessary. Avoid physical contact at all costs.

Having delivered the command, Astat didn’t remain idle. It directly engaged the virus beyond the Blackwall, beginning a data-level tug-of-war.

“Well… that’s certainly a surprise.”

Boros rubbed his chin and immediately relayed the anomaly to other PROJECT forces, especially the PROJECT squad. If they were infected, that would be real trouble. The odds were low—but caution never hurt.

Just as Boros sent the warning, Pyke had already made contact with one of the infected units.

The black-and-red machine struggled in his grip as Pyke held it by the head and walked toward the New United States forces.

“Mm… mm… a strange will… All humans are enemies? Interesting…”

Pyke shook his head and forcibly expelled the virus. His mind housed a top-tier AI—there was nothing to fear.

On the New United States side, every netrunner engaged in deep dive had their brain burned out without exception.

This was a newly developed technique after the meeting with Myers—slightly less dangerous in process, but the price paid was far greater.

Among the selected netrunners, some volunteered, some were forced into volunteering, and some were death row inmates.

Whoosh—boom—

Another burst flared in the sky like fireworks.

The Sovereign-class Fighters immediately broke off and headed toward New United States–controlled territory, preparing for a round of volleys.

The earlier missiles had all been launched from silos in Idaho by the New United States—but every one of them had been intercepted by the Sovereign-class Fighters.

The advantage was obvious: the Sovereign-class Fighters were forced to run constant interceptions, leaving them with no time to apply pressure on the main battlefield.

The downside was just as clear—the financial and material costs were staggering.

The real purpose of this tactic was to buy time to establish an electromagnetic silence zone.

Just as the New United States forces braced themselves and locked on with air defense missiles, expecting a major strike, the Sovereign-class Fighters suddenly veered away and departed.

The soldiers were left staring in confusion.

As for the reason…

Unbeknownst to them, a small squad had already quietly advanced to close range.

At its center stood Dorio, now modified into a mountain-like form.

She was tapping at the tablet mounted on her forearm. As the final digit was entered, Dorio slowly raised the massive greatsword in her hand.

....

Chapter 265: The Colossus

Whoosh—

A golden beam shot straight into the sky. Those whose attention had been drawn away by the Sovereign-class Fighters finally noticed what was happening here.

They still hadn’t figured out the situation, but their response was anything but slow. The moment Dorio’s squad was spotted, an armored unit sped toward them in ground vehicles, while armed AVs and armed Drones converged from the air. Dorio’s massive frame was simply too conspicuous.

“Capture them alive if possible.”

The instant Maitoh saw this, he issued the order. He had long coveted these powerful PROJECT members but had never had the chance to get his hands on them. Now that an opportunity had finally appeared, he wasn’t about to miss it.

What they didn’t notice was that the golden beam had already vanished into the sky.

Far above, in orbit, a PROJECT satellite received the signal.

As the massive satellite slowly unfolded, a colossal cannon emerged.

The Highriders and the European Space Agency, who had been closely monitoring PROJECT’s movements, were completely stunned. They looked at each other and saw the same confusion—this move had caught them utterly unprepared.

Their shock, however, did nothing to stop the weapon from charging.

Golden energy particles gathered at the muzzle. In moments, a radiance like a miniature sun flared beneath the PROJECT satellite.

Then it condensed into an enormous golden beam and plunged straight downward.

The terrifying energy fluctuations immediately triggered alarms across nearby satellites, space stations, and space warships.

In the blink of an eye, the attack reached the skies above the New United States forces. They detected the massive energy surge, but there was no time to order a retreat. They could only watch as it descended.

Boom!

An unbearable wave of heat and a violent energy storm blasted outward, disrupting electronic signals across the surrounding area.

Armed Drones and AVs wobbled uncontrollably in midair. Blinding light filled everyone’s vision.

It didn’t last long.

When the light finally faded, what remained was enough to send chills through anyone who saw it.

The ground had crystallized. Molten rock flowed through the impact zone. A small crater had formed where the unit had once stood.

The forces stationed there were simply gone.

After unleashing that strike, Dorio immediately entered standby mode. Her energy reserves were completely drained, and she required recharging.

The PROJECT satellite in orbit also dimmed, quietly waiting for its energy to recover.

Sensing this, numerous factions in space subtly maneuvered closer to the PROJECT satellite, attempting to observe its condition.

Though only a small unit had been destroyed, the power displayed was more than enough to tempt them. And anyone with insight could tell—the only limitation had been total energy reserves.

Which meant…

With sufficient energy, this weapon would rival an orbital launcher as a strategic asset—perhaps even surpass it in efficiency.

The moment Dorio lost consciousness, nearby security robots swiftly sealed her inside a containment unit. Taking advantage of the fact that the surrounding New United States forces were still reeling from the energy storm, they evacuated with her immediately.

Meanwhile, Maitoh watched as “good news” reports continued to stream in from his subordinates. Veins throbbed at his temples.

Fortunately, he had prepared himself mentally. He wasn’t crushed by it.

“Commander Maitoh, all devices have been fully deployed!”

“Good. No more waiting—activate them immediately!”

“Yes, sir!”

The moment he heard the electromagnetic silence devices were ready, Maitoh finally let out a breath of relief and gave the order without hesitation.

In an instant, countless devices activated simultaneously, forming an enormous electromagnetic silence field.

A Sovereign-class Fighter still inside the area was inevitably affected.

Its response was immediate. The Energy Shield activated, and it accelerated out of the zone at extreme speed, returning to the PROJECT forces.

Boros stared at the silence field, mildly surprised.

He had expected some kind of delaying tactic—but not this. He had to admit, it was highly effective. After all, their forces were almost entirely mechanized.

Forcing their way through with Energy Shields would likely invite a missile saturation strike. In that environment, the Sovereign-class Fighters would consume energy at an alarming rate and face increased operational risks.

The enemy had effectively forced them into single-unit combat—or into taking a detour.

Either way, the objective of buying time had been achieved.

“I remember the boss arranged for someone to research that new giant mecha, didn’t he?”

“Hmm… I think so. Wasn’t it called the Overlord Mecha?”

“Unit-01 should be completed by now, right? Have them deploy it here. It’s the perfect opportunity to test its performance.”

Boros looked at Chris as he spoke.

Chris fell into thought.

If they sent Unit-01… even if it got destroyed, the resource loss wouldn’t be too significant, would it?

“I’ll submit a request.”

Boros nodded.

On the other side, Maitoh exhaled slowly as the situation temporarily stabilized. PROJECT still had to deal with the intelligent virus. That bought them time to formulate a new plan.

...

“Unit-01?”

Roland rubbed his chin when he received Chris’s request. If he remembered correctly, he had assigned that project to Moket earlier, though he hadn’t paid much attention to the details.

“If it helps the main battlefield, deploy it.”

“Understood.”

Chris nodded and immediately contacted Moket.

Though Moket wasn’t particularly pleased, he didn’t argue. Before long, he approved the transfer.

Soon after, the gates of the underground base in Nevada opened once again.

That sight made the New United States uneasy.

The last time those gates had opened, the Sovereign-class Fighters had emerged.

This time…

No one knew what would come out.

...

Chapter 266: Unit-01

“You’d better be careful with the masterpiece I built this time.”

Moket shot Chris a glance, a trace of worry in his voice.

To him, Unit-01 was a true work of art—his groundbreaking creation in the field of humanoid mecha. If he had a choice, he wouldn’t want to send it onto the battlefield at all, even though it had been designed precisely to handle special combat scenarios and break through deadlocks on the front lines.

“Relax. I’ll be careful. As long as it has all the functions it’s supposed to, I doubt it’ll take much damage.”

“It better not...”

Moket slowly withdrew his gaze from Chris, the concern in his tone impossible to hide.

“How are you planning to get this treasure over there?”

“Hmm… Let me think. What about the dimensional teleportation device in the base?”

“You’ve lost your mind.”

Moket turned to look at him, his expression calm but his tone firm—stating it as an unquestionable fact.

“Wasn’t this thing developed to seize the battlefield as quickly as possible?” Chris raised a brow, puzzled.

“Sigh… This is exactly why I hate dealing with people like you.”

Moket let out a long sigh. Chris, however, conveniently ignored the comment.

“The dimensional teleportation device is still just a prototype. It’s unstable. There’s nearly a forty percent chance it’ll send the target somewhere else entirely—and the deviation could be extreme. You might end up on the opposite side of the planet.”

“On top of that, it was just built. It can only be used once. After a single activation, it’ll be scrapped. The cost is astronomical. Yes, the recent war has filled our coffers, but if this fails, we’d lose two extremely expensive creations in one shot. Are you going to take responsibility for that?”

Chris clicked his tongue after hearing the explanation, then shook his head and discarded the idea. Just as Moket said, the cost-to-benefit ratio wasn’t worth it. No reason to gamble.

“Fine. We’ll transport it the conventional way.”

“If you’re planning to airlift it, I’ll propose canceling the operation to the boss.”

Moket turned to him calmly. Chris frowned.

“Airlifting won’t be fast. Entering that region means we’ll still be subjected to concentrated fire from the New United States. It’ll just be a different kind of moving target. The odds of destruction are too high. I won’t watch my only completed unit get blown to pieces.”

“Hmm…”

Chris rubbed his temples, irritated. This was why he didn’t like dealing with people like Moket. He genuinely didn’t care much about equipment damage. In his view, trading this thing for reduced casualties among other units was entirely acceptable.

“So what’s your brilliant suggestion?”

“Airlift it first. Then move underground.”

“Underground?”

Chris froze, staring at Moket in confusion.

“This big guy can do a lot more than you think.”

Moket reached out and gently stroked the armor plating on Unit-01’s foot, speaking with quiet confidence.

“I’ll be waiting for your good news.”

Chris nodded, cut the communication, and began coordinating troop deployments with Boros. They needed to prevent the New United States from pulling any sudden tricks, clear out the virus units previously sent in, and capture some for research along the way.

For now, the New United States showed no intention of launching an offensive. They were quietly regrouping within their territory, seemingly waiting for reinforcements from their homeland.

And that was indeed the case. Reinforcements from the anti-war and neutral factions would arrive soon, while the hawks had already sent another wave of troops. As long as they could hold out a little longer…

…they could stack resources until victory was inevitable.

...

Zzz—Zzz—

“Phew… Finally made it…”

Kelly wiped nonexistent sweat from her forehead and took in her surroundings.

As far as she could see, there was nothing but a flat expanse of black-and-red data forming the ground—featureless and eerily calm.

“So this is what it looks like beyond the Blackwall…”

She narrowed her eyes, already guessing why this side was so quiet. She glanced back at the Blackwall behind her.

“Must be thanks to this thing…”

Shaking her head, Kelly glanced once more at the green stream of data swimming within her arm. Then she dissolved into a streak of purple data and left the area. She needed to find where the Rogue AI were active to determine exactly which region beyond the Blackwall she had arrived in.

Through her cooperation with Alt, she already understood the territorial divisions beyond the Blackwall. Now she only needed to extract data from a Rogue AI’s core to pinpoint her approximate location.

The strand of green data inside her had been given to her by Lissandra, to be used in case of an emergency she couldn’t handle.

It could instantly pull her back from the far side of the Blackwall, ensuring the safety of her data form.

Before long, after distancing herself from the Blackwall’s vicinity, Kelly noticed the digital landscape begin to change. Cubic structures rose from the ground. The flat surface became uneven. Numerous holes appeared—some so deep they seemed bottomless.

She ignored it all, flowing like a phantom into what resembled a digital city.

Between the towering structures, countless white data entities drifted about, trailing faint streams of data behind them like jellyfish.

They were feeding—scavenging scattered fragments of loose data to sustain themselves.

Soon enough, several “wild” AI began trailing her from a distance, as if waiting for an opportunity.

“Tsk…”

Kelly narrowed her eyes at the group behind her, then concealed her presence. Once they lost their target, they resumed wandering aimlessly.

She had no interest in them anyway. Those that hadn’t developed true consciousness were useless even if captured.

Not long after, she found what she was looking for.

A much larger data silhouette stood atop a structure, looking down over the area below. Its form was gradually condensing into a humanoid shape, though its facial features and finer details were still incomplete—only a rough outline existed.

Most AI shaped their virtual avatars into humanoid forms, modeled after the superintelligent AI originally developed by the corp.

Swish—

Just as it searched for prey, a massive purple hand suddenly manifested behind it, seized it in one grasp—

—and refined it instantly.

“Hmm…”

After absorbing the data from its core, Kelly closed her eyes and sifted through the information. When she determined her location, her eyes brightened with delight.

She was right within Bartmoss’s sphere of influence.