All in all, the situation had now become even more complicated.
An alien holy relic had fallen onto this planet, and that alien civilization had followed after it, trying to retrieve the relic. At the same time, they had split into two factions and were locked in endless conflict with each other.
Fortunately, this planet itself was already on the brink of destruction… well, all right, strictly speaking, that wasn't really good news either.
The key issue now was where exactly the AllSpark was. In fact, based on the residual data Liumier had read from that robot's remains, they had already found clues and a location for the object within Skynet and were preparing to investigate it.
"All right. First, we deal with this problem. Then we come back and clean up Skynet."
Back aboard the warship, Duanmu Huai stared at the screen in front of him.
"But I still find it strange, Sir Knight."
Anne also leaned over at this point and asked in confusion.
"That robot was far stronger than the ones Skynet makes. If Skynet's database contained something called the AllSpark, why didn't it use it itself?"
"Because it couldn't parse it."
"Couldn't parse it??"
Hearing Liumier's answer, the girls looked at her in confusion, while Liumier nodded.
"In Skynet's database, there is indeed top-secret information left behind by the nation that created it, and that information does include records about the AllSpark. However, those records are stored in an alien script. So to Skynet, that information is nothing more than a string of strange symbols that cannot be decrypted…"
"So in the end, an artificial idiot is still an artificial idiot."
Duanmu Huai curled his lips. That was the difference between humans and artificial idiots. Artificial idiots could only use what already existed to achieve their goals, but humans could use other methods and means to accomplish the same thing. If it were a human, seeing a top-level secret in the database that involved alien writing and records, they would definitely try to investigate what had happened. But for an artificial idiot, if it couldn't parse the text, then no matter how high the clearance level was, it wouldn't know what it was and would just toss it aside.
That lack of associative thinking and creativity was the greatest flaw of artificial idiots. Just as Anne had wondered, if Skynet had truly understood that thing earlier, it might not have been so easy to deal with now.
But this was fine too.
"Forget those boring artificial idiots. Get to the point."
"Yes. According to the information in Skynet's database, about eighty years ago, humans on this planet discovered it in the Arctic, along with a robot that was frozen in ice. They secretly transported both back to their country and researched and developed the technology…"
"And in the end they created something like Skynet. All right, looks like none of this is good news."
Duanmu Huai stared at the screen, then shook his head.
"According to the data records, it should be here…"
As Duanmu Huai spoke, the screen in front of them flashed, and a massive dam appeared before their eyes. At this moment, several robots could be seen fighting in a chaotic melee atop the dam.
"Well, looks like we found the right place."
"These robots… they look kind of weird?"
Watching the battle on the screen, Gureya quietly spoke up.
"It just feels like…"
"Eh, they're okay. Just so-so."
Duanmu Huai understood what Gureya was trying to say. One look at the battlefield was enough.
Normally, when people talked about robots, they imagined high technology and cutting-edge science. And indeed, seeing that robot transform into a fighter jet earlier had been shocking. But the way these robots were fighting now—how should one put it—there was absolutely no sense of technology at all.
To put it bluntly, if you replaced these robots with women, it would basically be no different from shrews fighting in the street.
You grab my hair, I grab your collar, the two of us rolling around on the ground. You slap me, I kick you…
Completely disgraceful.
They could afford to be disgraceful. Duanmu Huai didn't need to be.
"Lock targets. One wave of light lances, two waves of macro-cannon fire. Saturation bombardment."
Duanmu Huai issued the order directly. Even though the two groups of robots appeared to be hostile to each other, what did that have to do with him? From the Tribunal's standpoint, they were all damn abominable intelligences. Purge them all!
As Duanmu Huai gave the order, the gunports along the side of the cruiser slowly rotated, locking onto the target area. In the next moment, dozens of beams of light roared out, slamming toward the ground.
When the rain of light fell from the sky, the robots on both sides were still locked in combat. By the time they realized something was wrong, it was already too late.
"BOOOOOOM———!!"
The energy beams slammed directly into the battlefield, and blinding light erupted in an instant, swallowing the two groups of robots that had been grappling with each other. In the next moment, the massive dam collapsed, torrents of water bursting forth and roaring downward. At the same time, shell after shell fell from the sky, completely engulfing the entire battlefield.
A short while later, the smoke cleared. The dam had been reduced entirely to rubble, and the robots that had been fighting atop it were nowhere to be seen.
Seeing this, Duanmu Huai turned around.
"Let's go. We're going to find the AllSpark."
At the same time, below, everything was already in chaos.
"Pfft—!!"
From within the ruins, a slab of debris was suddenly lifted aside, and a tall robot crawled out.
Wh-what exactly was going on?
The robot turned its head to look around. And just then, beside it, another massive mechanical hand suddenly reached out and grabbed it. The robot quickly reached back, pulling another robot out of the muddy wreckage. However, when they saw each other, both froze.
"Optimus Prime?!"
"Megatron!"
Seeing the other, both robots shouted and clenched their fists, about to lunge at each other—only to stop almost immediately, glaring viciously.
"Now is not the time for the two of us to fight."
Optimus Prime stared at Megatron. Megatron glared back, grinding his teeth, but he also understood that Optimus Prime was right. In fact, the two of them were the leaders of the two great factions of the Cybertronian mechanical civilization. They had come all this way for the AllSpark and had fought fiercely over it here.
But they had never expected to be attacked in the middle of their battle. If it hadn't been for the dam beneath them, they would probably already be dead!
"That's right."
Megatron snorted coldly and shook off Optimus Prime's hand.
"What the hell is going on? Why were we attacked? Wasn't this planet already destroyed? Their civilization shouldn't be capable of this level of power!"
"There may be an unknown threat. No matter what, we should leave this place first…"
"AAAH———!!"
However, before Optimus Prime could finish speaking, a scream suddenly rang out from the distance.
"Boss, run, they—"
Before the sentence could be finished, the voice abruptly cut off. Hearing this, Megatron's expression changed instantly.
"Starscream!"
"Uwaaahhh———!!"
At the same time, another scream came from not far away. Hearing it, Optimus Prime was also shocked.
"Bumblebee!!"
Shouting, Optimus Prime tried to rush toward the source of the sound, but Megatron grabbed him.
"Are you insane, idiot?! Going over there now is just suicide! We don't even know who the enemy is!"
"But—"
"There is no 'but'! If you want to die here, go ahead. I don't! I still need to find the AllSpark!"
After saying this, Megatron shook him off and turned to leave. The light-lance bombardment had vaporized the entire dam, and water vapor was everywhere. If he didn't take advantage of the moment to escape, he wouldn't be able to later!
"..."
Hearing the words of his mortal enemy, Optimus Prime clenched his teeth and looked in Bumblebee's direction. After hesitating for a moment, he turned and followed Megatron, disappearing together into the thick fog.
"Bang!!!"
The Thunder Warhammer smashed down hard onto a steel head as large as a human's, instantly shattering it into pieces. The robot that collapsed to the ground immediately went still. Duanmu Huai glanced at it, then continued forward, warhammer in hand.
Anne and Gureya followed behind him, watching him as they spoke softly.
"Honestly, Gureya, every time I see Sir Knight doing things like this, I feel like he's really amazing… and really scary."
"Mm…"
Hearing Anne's whisper, Gureya nodded. To be honest, when she watched Duanmu Huai kill these robots that were struggling on the brink of death, she also felt a bit uncomfortable. But after what she had seen Skynet do back at its base, she couldn't really say anything. She just felt somewhat…
"Oh, right."
At that moment, Anne seemed to think of something and smiled mischievously as she nudged Gureya.
"How did it feel?"
"How did what feel?"
Hearing Anne's question, Gureya looked at her in confusion, not understanding what she meant. Anne glanced at Duanmu Huai to make sure he was still up ahead smashing metal, then leaned close to Gureya's ear.
"Hehehe, didn't Sir Knight ride on you earlier? How did it feel?"
"Huh?"
Hearing Anne's question, Gureya froze. Only then did she remember that when she was in her dragon form, Duanmu Huai had been standing on her head—which did kind of count as riding her?
Wait, did that really count?
"N-no, no, no, no feeling! No feeling at all!"
Thinking back on it, Gureya's face flushed red as she waved her hands frantically. Hearing her answer, Anne looked puzzled.
"Really none?"
"None, none! Sir Knight was standing on my head, you know, it's just that his armor is… kind of heavy…"
"Oh, I see…"
Hearing Gureya's reply, Anne looked utterly bored.
"How boring. I was thinking I'd try riding you myself someday to see what kind of reaction you'd have."
"...…?"
Hearing Anne's words, Gureya was speechless as she stared at her.
I treat you like a good friend, and you actually want to ride me?!
At that moment, Duanmu Huai finished off the robots that were barely hanging on. At the same time, Liumier came to his side.
"Adjudicator, the situation is clear now. The AllSpark is not here. What was imprisoned here was Megatron, the leader of the Decepticon faction of Cybertron. The reason they were fighting here was because the Decepticon robots came to rescue their leader and were caught up by the opposing faction, leading to a battle. As for the location of the AllSpark, it seems only Megatron knows."
"In other words, the guy who just ran away."
Duanmu Huai wasn't an idiot. With the warship stationed in high orbit, how could he possibly not notice two robots escaping?
"Yes."
"Very good."
Hearing Liumier's answer, Duanmu Huai smiled.
"Then let him lead us to the AllSpark."
Back then it was always the protagonist doing all the work up front while the boss waited in the back to reap the rewards. Now I finally get to enjoy being the one who waits to profit at the end.
(End of Chapter)