Soul-Slaying Maiden: Master Of Ancient Divine Weapons

[Detected: over-threshold energy fluctuation.]

[Explosion analysis: Origin—Mechanical Research Institute's original energy power reserve center, triggering chain explosions.]

[Current area supervisor, Five-Star Necro-Warrior Shang Lin, has gone missing.]

[Incident level escalated to Level 1]

As one line after another scrolled across the large screen, the central hub of Skynet was running at full capacity. They had severely underestimated the potential threat of the rat in their facility.

The Mechanical Research Institute—or rather, half of it—was now in shambles.

Far away, the dazzling firelight illuminated the ruins, its reflection flickering in Han Zhen's eyes. The raging flames seemed to burn in his gaze as well.

"Wang Chunyu…" Han Zhen murmured his name softly. "Congratulations—you've become a hero too."

After saying this, he wasted no time, turning and heading directly toward the third escape route.

Wang Chunyu had bought him enough time, but the commotion caused was a double-edged sword.

While the explosion cleared out a wave of pursuers, it likely prompted Skynet to escalate the risk level in the area. The next wave of reinforcements might not just include Five-Star Necro-Warriors.

When that time came, escaping would be far more difficult.

The third escape route led to the Mechanical Research Institute's waste disposal chamber.

The chamber was piled high with research waste. Every night, at a fixed time, the waste was cleared and disposed of—Han Zhen's window to escape.

As he entered, the sheer scale of the garbage heaps stunned him.

It was hard to imagine that one research institute could produce so much waste in a single day.

Han Zhen walked deeper into the piles. Among the mountains of trash, he spotted severed human limbs—one half-hand sticking out prominently, middle finger raised.

Elsewhere, he saw several severed heads, clearly belonging to the young people who had insulted "Han Zhen" during their transport. Their bodies were nowhere to be found, their heads split open, with blood and brain matter spilling out. The air reeked of gore.

Such scenes were everywhere.

CanShang Company's cruelty and madness were starkly displayed in this one place.

Frowning, Han Zhen continued inward. The waste disposal process was scheduled for 1 a.m., and with the information passed on by Shang Xiaoyun, he quickened his pace.

Suddenly, he sensed something.

It was faint—like being watched from the shadows.

'Someone?'

Han Zhen stopped abruptly.

As a seasoned warrior, his heightened senses alerted him whenever a gaze lingered on him for more than three seconds.

But just as he paused, the feeling vanished.

Not convinced, Han Zhen resumed walking. Within two steps, the sensation returned.

Closing his eyes, he recalled the direction of the gaze and then opened them sharply. With a sudden burst, he rushed toward a specific pile of trash.

Before him stood a heap indistinguishable from the others—a small mountain of refuse among many.

Tossing debris aside, Han Zhen uncovered a peculiar metal object.

"A robot?"

The strange hunk of metal lay lifeless, seemingly a discarded, broken-down machine.

Cautiously, Han Zhen lifted it out of the trash.

It was indeed a small robot, but crude and battered. Its limbs were connected by rusted hydraulic rods, and its roundish, boxy head barely resembled a humanoid form.

The robot was no taller than Han Zhen's knee. He had never seen such a poorly built machine.

"Stop pretending. Speak up—who are you?" Han Zhen demanded.

The little robot remained silent.

"Still pretending? Since when do broken robots close their eyes? Broken ones always keep them open."

Hearing this, the little robot obediently opened its eyes.

"Really?" it asked in a crackling electronic voice, its speech distorted by a corroded sound module.

"Not really," Han Zhen replied honestly.

After all, who cared if a robot's eyes were open or shut? It was a ridiculous observation.

The robot fell silent.

"Now tell me—who are you?" Han Zhen pressed.

"Buling, Bulong, I'm a robot," the robot replied mechanically.

"I know you're a robot, but you don't seem like you belong to CanShang Company—not anymore, at least. Judging by your outdated, rusted components, you've been here for over a century."

Indeed, only CanShang Company's technology could last over a hundred years and still function, albeit in this dilapidated state.

"Buling, Bulong, I'm a robot," it repeated, stuck on the phrase like a scratched record.

Han Zhen's expression darkened.

But the robot showed no hostility. Otherwise, it would have already alerted Skynet to his location.

"All right, let's make a deal. Be honest with me, and I'll consider taking you out of here."

"Buling, Bulong…"

"…and I'll get you a brand-new body."

"Really?" The robot tilted its head, intrigued.

"This time, it's true," Han Zhen promised sincerely.

The robot finally opened up.

"I don't know who I am. When I woke up, I was already here."

"Why didn't you leave?"

"What's the point? I don't need food, drink, or entertainment. Staying here is fine."

Such a response left Han Zhen at a loss for words. A century of solitude would have driven any human mad.

"What's your name, then?"

"I'm called October," the robot replied quickly.

"Why do you have a name?"

"Because some idiot thought naming me was funny," it replied sarcastically. "When I woke up, the system clock said October. So that's my name."

Han Zhen chuckled, brushing off the jab. "Nice to meet you, October."

"Hello, trash—"

Before October could finish, the waste chamber's doors suddenly opened beneath them.

The floor dropped out, and both Han Zhen and October plummeted.

They had successfully escaped the Mechanical Research Institute.

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