Chapter 531: The Key to ZB's Plan
Chapter 531: The Key to ZB's Plan
In a secret underground chamber within Research Zone One, Artifex 00, lounging on a sofa, took a sip of her now-cold coffee and chuckled. "My dear Andre~"
"You may be accurate in your predictions, but it seems I'm not too bad at reading you either. Judging from the traces left behind, he must have guessed your intentions. Instead of providing the actual address, he stayed several kilometers away on a rooftop, watching from a distance as your plan unraveled. Your scheme was completely transparent to him~"
Andre remained silent, ignoring Artifex 00's taunts. After a moment, he spoke expressionlessly, "What about the investigation I asked you to do?"
"You mean the records of food and water collection, and unusual travel logs? Those were also exposed~" Artifex 00 replied with a smile.
"It seems they anticipated your methods and guessed you'd use them to pinpoint their general area. They stole numerous identity recognition cards and queried multiple different districts each time to avoid detection. As for essential items like food and water, there are no records of purchases or collections. I suspect they're stealing to eat, taking only small amounts to avoid detection."
"Additionally, they've covered their tracks in almost every aspect of their lives in this city. Where they couldn't hide, they found ways to obfuscate. I've gathered a lot of information, but most of it is unverifiable, making it useless for tracking."
Andre couldn't help but rub his temples, feeling a slight headache coming on. Had Lyon noticed even these details?
It was odd; Lyon, from a backward kingdom without even identity recognition cards, should have lacked such secrecy skills. The agents from the Scorpio Division were exposed due to their travel records.
But Lyon was different. He seemed well-versed in these matters, aware that seemingly insignificant information could reveal one's location when pieced together. He had concealed his tracks exceptionally well, making the task ahead challenging.
The Corlock Kingdom, though small, was still a nation. If they continued to hide, it would require a significant operation to bring them out...
"Well, are you willing to hand over the entire kingdom to me this time?" Artifex 00 took a sip of her coffee, glancing at Andre's expression. With a cheerful smile, she said, "If you temporarily lift the restrictions and grant me control over the kingdom's highest privileges, not just computational power, I can have those two little mice dug out and delivered to you, skin and bones, within fifteen hours."
Andre gave her a sidelong glance, his thin lips twitching in a smirk that clearly conveyed his disdain.
"Rest assured, even though you've been unkind to your aunt, she still acknowledges you as her nephew." Artifex 00 remained unperturbed, sipping her cold coffee leisurely. "According to the agreement between you and the King of Slaughter, if they help you, you'll never have children, and the Corock Royal Family line will end with you. But that doesn't mean there aren't loopholes."
"With the human refinement technology you and Artifex 01 developed, we can mass-produce soulless shells and implant the brains of the most talented among them as the main core, with slightly less talented ones as subsidiaries."
"With my computational power and the Corlock Kingdom's resources, we can create twenty thousand Artifex Subsidiaries within thirty years. By then, you'll be able to..."
"Shut up!" Andre glared at Artifex 00, his expression darkening. "Do you take me for a fool? If I grant you the highest privileges, one of those twenty thousand Artifex Subsidiaries will undoubtedly use my brain!"
"Relax, you're not worthy yet."
"Artifex 00 smiled and replied, "When you were very young, I examined your brain. Although your brain is highly developed, it's not inferior to Princess Felicia's. However, the areas of development aren't what I needed."
"Judging from the active sectors, your artistic talents might be decent, but as for creating an Automaton core..." Artifex 00 sighed, "I'm afraid the gap between me and Princess Felicia is so vast that it would take seven hundred of you to match it. Using you as a subsidiary for Artifex would be a waste of materials."
"Hehe, in that case, I should thank you. If you hadn't looked down on my brain, perhaps back then..."
"Dong dong dang dang~"
Just as Prince Andre narrowed his eyes, about to retort, a rousing instrumental melody quietly began, followed by a familiar broadcast from the speakers in Research Zone One.
"Citizens of the Corlock Kingdom, this is the morning news broadcast."
The sweet voice of the broadcaster briefly overlapped with Prince Andre's words.
"First, yesterday's headlines: Scholar Bell Graham, who improved the wireless long-range walkie-talkie, was attacked by fugitives... Ah? Who are you? You can't come in here! Get out, all of you!"
Hmm?
The two people in the secret room were startled by the commotion in the broadcast. Prince Andre seemed to realize something and abruptly stood up, his face showing disbelief.
"I'm sorry, but we have no choice. We can only use this opportunity to speak out... Miss Broadcaster, please take a break over here."
A voice familiar to Prince Andre came from the speaker, and the original broadcaster, after making a couple of "um" sounds, was led away from the microphone.
"Citizens of the Corlock Kingdom, I regret to inform you that the entire kingdom has reached a critical point of life and death."
As the two cousins stood dumbfounded, the voice in the speaker continued with deep sorrow:
"Prince Andre not only plotted to harm King Fain but has also slaughtered all the royal family members. Now, he's preparing to use the newly developed technology in Research Zone One to forcefully control everyone's thoughts and then..."
"Quickly dispatch the troops!"
Hearing this, Prince Andre, who had already guessed Lyon's intentions, furrowed his brows and roared as he turned around:
"Immediately block... No! Bomb the 19th Residential Zone! Cut off all broadcast signals! Hurry, shut him up!"
"I've already done it!"
Artifex 00 bit her lip and said angrily:
"But at the start of the news broadcast, all fifty-two external signal stations in Zone One, except for the buried broadcast copper pipes, were cut off simultaneously. My commands can no longer be transmitted."
"?!?!"
Prince Andre's face darkened, and he said in disbelief:
"All fifty-two stations were cut off? Not a single one left? Didn't you keep a hidden signal station?"
"How could I hide it?"
Artifex 00, whose signal stations had been destroyed, seemed to have lost control over her actions, and she couldn't help but ask in frustration:
"The various sectors in the kingdom are semi-enclosed! Zone One's core is underground, surrounded by high-rise buildings. If the signal stations aren't placed high enough, they'll be blocked, and even shouting won't carry as far. Tell me, how could I have hidden them?"
"Citizens of the Corlock Kingdom, I am Princess Felicia, the Sixth Princess... and the sole survivor of the royal family massacre."
Just as the two people in the secret room began to argue, a voice both of them knew well pleaded tearfully:
"Andre has gone mad. To satisfy his ambitions, he killed his father, his mother, and everyone. Now, he's preparing to gradually control everyone using brain information chips and identity recognition cards.
I... I have no family left. I implore everyone, for the sake of the kingdom and ourselves, to stand up and resist his brutal rule!"
(End of Chapter)
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