4 4 301 DialogEnable 1 Haicma This is her last known location... 1
5 5 301 Three days have passed by the time Haicma arrives at the coordinates in her memory drive. Not only is she delayed by the long distance and the Corrupted—
6 6 301 1 But she has also had to face humanity's indiscriminating hostility after the unknown virus outbreak.
7 7 301 Haicma Re-diagnosing damages on the emotion simulator... Several regulating functions offline. Deviation on scenario simulations... 0.023%. 1
8 8 301 Haicma Situation acceptable. 1
9 9 301 Feeling the injuries on the back of her head, Haicma removes some of the broken parts.
10 10 301 A large wound goes across the back of her head, splitting the artificial skin and revealing the delicate circuits underneath.
11 11 301 It was caused by a soldier who mistook her for a Corrupted while escorting some citizens.
12 12 301 After that, Haicma would avoid humans in case something similar happened again.
13 13 301 The highways then had to be excluded from her planned paths as refugee convoys would frequently travel on them. Circling around, Haicma lost quite a bit of time.
64 64 301 Tearful cries enter her mind as overlapped figures run away from the city while a few run toward it.
65 65 301 Haicma looks at the people who are traveling against the current like her, and they seem like pebbles thrown into a river, creating small ripples before being flooded by a scarlet stream.
66 66 301 Haicma knows that humans consider those people to be "absolutely obedient."
67 67 301 Why would they do that? Is it because of "commands"? Haicma quickly rejects this hypothesis as her massive database shows that there has never been a command that can make a human "absolutely obedient."
68 68 301 Is it their "essence," then? Just like how machines act according to their underlying protocols, perhaps humans also act according to a similar core principle.
69 69 301 Even when they are different beings with different experiences, these people all make the same choice at that particular moment. Do they have the same "essence"? But what about the "uniqueness" of each individual?
70 70 301 Watching the fallen figures, Haicma thinks of the soldier with half a face scarred who was protecting the people behind.
95 95 301 But she cannot find the girl no matter how. The massive data stream threatens to drown her, clutching onto her like pairs of desperate hands.
96 96 301 Her white coat begins to turn red as despairing cries blur the line between the virtual world and reality. Sparks fly from the back of her exposed head as the integration module runs at a dangerous speed.
97 97 301 The temperature of her frame has long risen past the safety threshold. The air surrounding her distorts from the heat, but Haicma has no intention to stop the simulation.
98 98 301 Turning off all unnecessary sensors and circuits, she reroutes all computing power toward performing the simulation.
133 133 301 AniZhuanchangEnd A Corrupted slowly approaches a frightened girl who has run into a dead end.
134 134 201 1 500280
135 135 301 PanelActor1Shake 1 Renee S-someone help me... 1
136 136 301 Her shaken voice has not summoned a heroic rescue. The uncaring, threatening cold lights make her shut her eyes, and she prays that her death is quick and not painful...
154 154 301 Renee sobs, startled by the exposed memory shell at the back of Haicma's head.
155 155 301 She stumbles backward only to find her path blocked by an unmoving wall. That is when she notices the fallen Corrupted by Haicma's side.
156 156 301 Forcing herself to look away from the mechanoid's exposed parts, Renee turns toward the mechanoid's synthetic smile and asks.
157 157 203 1 0.25 -400
158 158 201 2 500487 1 400
159 159 301 1 Renee Y-you're not one of the bad machines? 1
160 160 301 Haicma I'm not. I'm your best family assistant. 2
161 161 301 Renee ? 1
162 162 301 Haicma has no idea why she has chosen the nanny personality, but with her emotion simulator offline, she can only reply with the personality's stock responses without real-time adjustment.
163 163 301 Renee Th-thank you for saving me. 1
164 164 301 The traumatic experience from the past few days is enough for a child to quickly grow up. Quickly she stops herself from asking more questions and crying, thanking Haicma with a sniffled voice.
165 165 301 Haicma That's alright. Come on, hon... let's stand up slowly... Good job! 2
166 166 301 Haicma gently claps her hands according to her personality profile.
167 167 301 Haicma Is there somewhere you want to go? 2
168 168 301 Renee My name is... Renee... Mr. Soldier told me about a refuge... 1
169 169 301 Haicma does not have to ask where this soldier is. Judging from the girl's expression, she can tell what fate has bestowed upon him.
170 170 204 2
171 171 301 At this moment, her environment monitor detects a flood of Corrupted nearby, their shrieks rushing toward them like a storm.
172 172 301 To get the girl out and bring her to safety, Haicma will have to clash with the wave of Corrupted. And if Haicma wants to get the girl out unharmed...
173 173 301 Her calculation and analysis quickly give her an answer—a harrowing success rate and the alarming damages Haicma will take.
174 174 301 Haicma ... 2
175 175 301 Renee Miss...? 1
176 176 204 2 1
177 177 301 Haicma Here, give me a hug, hon... You're such a good girl. 2
178 178 301 Haicma crouches and picks up the girl's tiny body, patting her shaking shoulders, stroking her back, and resting her head against her own chest.
179 179 301 Haicma You have to promise me you won't look up no matter what, okay? 2
180 180 301 AniZhuanchangBegin Haicma's gentle nanny voice creates a stark contrast to the oppressing air.
193 193 301 Her environment monitor suggests that there are no more Corrupted nearby, but Haicma's frame has also reached its limit.
194 194 301 Not only are her radar and visual module severely damaged, but her mobility units are also crackling from the heavy wounds.
195 195 301 Luckily, they are not far from the refuge Renee mentioned. She is capable of making the rest of the journey herself.
196 196 301 So Haicma gently puts her down. Renee has behaved remarkably, not looking up or making a fuss the entire time.
197 197 201 1 500280
198 198 301 1 Renee Miss... 1
199 199 201 1 500487 1
200 200 301 1 Haicma The remaining... Warning: Battery Low. Redirecting Computing Power... is safe. You... Module Offline... be fine, hon. 1
201 201 301 Haicma Just don't stop... Isolating Malfunctioning Programs... running, do you h-hear me, h-hon? 1
202 202 201 1 500280
203 203 301 Renee No! Come with me, miss! There are many adults there. They can fix you! 1
204 204 201 1 500487
205 205 301 1 Haicma only shakes her head without a word. Ignoring the fact that there might not be any qualified technicians among the refugees, it is simply not a good idea to keep a machine around that can get infected.
206 206 301 Haicma has done countless calculations, and the conclusion is the same. The wound at the back of her head is the best evidence.
207 207 204 1 1
208 208 401 2 584
209 209 301 1 Haicma I'm t-... Entering Sleep Mode... t-tired, I have to r-rest... 1
210 210 301 Barely holding onto her personality program, Haicma tries to speak as gently as possible, but all that comes out is a fizzing digital voice.
211 211 402 584
212 212 201 1 500280
213 213 301 1 Renee ...I-I'll bring someone. 1
214 214 201 1 500487 1
215 215 401 2 584
216 216 301 1 Haicma Alright, hon, I'll... Thank You For Choosing Our Service... wait here... 1
217 217 402 584
218 218 204 1
219 219 401 2 901
220 220 301 As Haicma watches Renee departs, she gradually turns off the units on the brink of destruction.
221 221 204 1 10
222 222 401 2 1516
223 223 301 1 AniZhuanchangBegin The last thing she hears before she blacks out is returning footsteps.
