Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

The Executors were a “native species” of the home planet. At least a high-intelligence Executor like N-6, who was built in the image of a human, was only developed during the era of exile. If one had to find the rightful home for these AIs, it would be the Zenith and the lunar base. No matter which way one looked at it, they were not part of the home planet.

The ones who saw the home planet as home and were eager to return to their motherland were the humans who created those Executors.

However, when humans created the Executors, they had injected too much of their feelings into them. In the face of the devastation unleashed by the planet devourer, they taught everything they knew to the Executors like parents educating their children. They taught them how to fight, and instilled human ideologies and culture as well as the concept of home in them.

Over thousands of years, the Executors integrated the knowledge they had learned from their creators into their own logic circuits, digesting and applying the knowledge in their own way. So, although they did not originate from the home planet, each of these Executors knew that home referred to the home planet.

The home planet was just over 300,000 kilometers away, but they could not go back there.

Hao Ren decided to help these exiles achieve their dream of going home. But before that, he first had to enter the fort and spoke face-to-face with the ruler of the survivor civilization, meet the survivors and the Cortex Prime, which had become unstable lately.

“It sounds like the fortress is impenetrable. But I am sure this thing is definitely not completely sealed.” Hao Ren looked at N-6 and knew that the robot lady must have something yet to say. “At least now it is a command center on the moon, then it must retain the necessary connection with the planet. So, which connection that we could use to access it?”

“You are right. The fortress is not completely sealed off. Activated metal and repulsive field shrouded most of it, but it needs to physically connect to the information nodes in various parts of the lunar base. It also relies on several nearby reactors for energy. Those energy and cable pipes should be accessible,” N-6 said. But she also reminded, “I am just a combat-type Executrix coming out from the assembly line; I am not all-knowing. You will be on your own after entering the pipes.”

“Don’t worry about me, I will play it by ear.” Hao Ren let out a confident smile. “You may not believe it; my superior is even more badass than I am. She makes random decisions while I react accordingly.”

N-6 blinked. The AI could not make of what his gag meant.

Hao Ren rubbed his nose awkwardly. “All right, let’s go. The Cortex Prime must have learned about what happens in the maintenance bay.”

A modified Zenith fighter had landed on the moon—they could not possibly cover up the news forever. Soon, the other AIs in the maintenance bay and barracks found out that someone had tampered with the fighter that returned from the battlefield in Zenith and reported the discovery to the Cortex Prime at once. A normal-functioning server of the Cortex Prime quickly determined that there had been a security breach.

The siren blared through every communication channel, and the guards around the fortress rushed out at once. The surveillance network began to monitor the fort ten times more rigorous than before, making it impossible for the intruders to escape.

But Hao Ren and his team had entered the fortress through a secret passage.

It was a service tunnel used for transporting supplies. The entrance was right at the base of the fortress wall. Hao Ren had removed the protective barrier near the tunnel and slunk in. Inside, it was pretty spacious but dark. There were a few tracks on which self-driving freight cars hustling back and forth feeding cartons after cartons of supply into the fort.

Hao Ren successfully hacked the computer of one of the freight trains using the MDT. They hid inside a coach. N-6 pointed to several bottles neatly placed in the other end of the car and said, “The computer servers of the Cortex Prime consume a vast amount of energy. They also need the K

/N medium solution and stuff like that, in which some important chips in the servers are immersed.”

Vivian asked casually, “Is the fortress not a self-sustaining facility? Why does it require external supplies?”

“It is self-sustaining, but on the moon, it relies on the logistics system of the lunar base to keep it running,” N-6 explained. “The fortress will only operate on self-sufficiency mode during a crisis. We will not activate the system unnecessarily.”

Just then, Hao Ren suddenly felt something squirming in his clothes, and then the little mermaid poked her head out from his collar. The little guy stared into the fortress; her eyes gleaming with light in the dark.

The fish baby did not give Hao Ren any trouble as she hid in his clothes all the while. So, Hao Ren was a little surprised this time. “What happens?”

The little mermaid did not answer, just swaying her head and clutching Hao Ren’s collar.

“News from the Zenith battlefield,” he MDT suddenly said. “The Zenith security forces are putting up fierce resistance. Our drone cluster reinforcement could not arrive on time, and with the ban of lethal force, our existing drone cluster will soon lose control of the battlefield blockade.”

“The lunar base reinforcement is about to arrive,” N-6 said. “Do you really want to turn it into a full-scale war?”

“Of course not.” Hao Ren laughed. “The drone cluster has completed its mission. It is only a diversion tactic. MDT, inform Nolan to pull back with the drone cluster. But do not go too fast. It is best to let the Zenith forces chase them around the higher orbit to keep the Cortex Prime busy for a while.”

“Understood.”

While speaking, the self-driving train squeaked as it braked slowly to slow down. The MDT, which had connected wirelessly to the train computer, hovered in the air. “We have arrived at the destination. During the journey, I have found the information about the cargo discharge station from the train computer. Wait until I jam the surveillance signal in the area and then we will leave the train and proceed to the tunnel on the left.

“From here onward, the Titanium Guards are guarding the area.” N-6 picked up an electromagnetic assault rifle, which N-4 handed to her during departure. “The combat power of the Titanium Guards is at another level, totally different from the Executors. They are under the control of the Cortex Prime directly. Combat skills and consciousness are way above the regular forces. I know you guys are badass but do not take them lightly.”

Vivian smiled. “Do not worry, we have seen enough enemies. We will underestimate our opponents. And you do not be nervous. You know, you are now stronger than before.”

The self-driving train slowly docked next to a metal platform, where a large number of robotic claws and hover haulers started to unload the goods from the train. Suddenly, a few shadows flashed past the robotic claws.

Hao Ren and his team found the tunnel that could lead them to the deeper part of the fortress using the map that the MDT had cracked.

There were few lights in the tunnel, which made the cold steel passageway look even more creepy. Just like the rest of the lunar base, the fortress was deserted with only the hum of the machines and buzz of electric current were heard occasionally. But such sounds would only make the place seem more lifeless.

But the tunnel was not wholly deserted; there were the Titanium Guards here.

Lily halted, looked back and mouthed the words, “Three guards ahead.”

Hao Ren peeked from the corner and saw three armed figures at the gate. They were bionic soldiers taller but utterly different from N-6 that mimicked the human. The three soldiers had cold steel bodies without bionic skin. Faint white glow pulsated in the gap between their body armors.

The MDT had quickly determined through a scan that these soldiers not only had a stronger body structure but also a shield.

The Titanium Guards were an elite force multiple times more advanced than the regular Executors.

From here onward, the Cortex Prime controlled all the security systems of the fortress. It was impossible to sabotage the surveillance system of the fort by virus or signal jamming.

Nonetheless, the team had also successfully entered the fort. There were only a few tunnels and alloy barriers between them and the Cortex Prime.

So, Hao Ren decided to first say hello to Cortex Prime.

“Vivian takes the one on the left, I take the one in the middle, and Y’zaks the right. Lily and N-6 stay here.”

Hao Ren took out his standard-issue gun from his dimensional pocket and lunged out of the shadow.

Move, aim, and shoot; all in one go. It was the best of Sir Ominous.

Followed closely from behind were Vivian with her plasma bat bomb, which was a lightning ball, and Y’zaks with his demonic flare.

The three Titanium Guards fell dropped like flies. One was blown into crystal dust, one was shattered by lightning, and the last one was turned into molten steel by the demonic flare.

Hao Ren instantly felt that something was amiss.