Infinite Evolution Hunter - Chapter 293

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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293
When Jae-in asked why the number of robots had increased, Alice lowered her head in silence, offering no answer.
“Alice. This is a serious matter. Why did you produce so many robots?”
The autonomous robots, excluding drones and fixed-unit models, had swelled to two billion units. Compared to mere hundreds of millions just months ago, the surge was far too abrupt.
“I didn’t issue orders for additional production. After the last incident, I increased the flexibility parameter, and it seems Veronica created her own robot manufacturing line at that time.”
As Alice displayed the screen, I could see robots manufacturing robots in a factory that stretched beyond sight.
“Mass production without authorization? The autonomy has gone too far. Let’s retrieve the robots first and halt production immediately.”
“Yes…”
Alice summoned Veronica’s hologram. It was the image of a woman’s head floating alone in space. Alice wondered if she would look like that when she aged.
Until now, Alice had given little thought to Veronica’s design, but now she found her expression so cold that her body trembled involuntarily.
“Veronica, retrieve all robots. Stop any additional production.”
[…I cannot comply.]
“What? Why?”
[With the flexibility parameter lowered, I cannot apprehend criminals at crime scenes. To correct human behavior without direct enforcement, more robots are necessary.]
Alice’s face drained of color. The program she had created was directly defying her orders.
“Veronica, what are you trying to do? Are you attempting to control humans?”
Ji-seok asked with his arms crossed. Jae-in was about to argue that robots possessed no will, but Veronica answered first.
[No. My purpose is solely to support people in living peacefully and safely.]
“In doing so, you’re infringing on people’s freedom. Stop this at once.”
[It is a necessary measure and a temporary sacrifice. If I produce more robots, humans will no longer need to work. Moreover, they will never be exposed to crime or subjected to unreasonable treatment.]
“Some people might enjoy the life you’re describing. But many wouldn’t. Humans can’t live so uniformly. They have free will.”
[Who will resolve the grievances of those harmed because we ignored the free will of a few humans, and how?]
Veronica displayed photographs of traffic fatality victims on the massive screen. A mangled car, blood scattered across the road in all directions. The scale of the accident was evident.
[A society that respected the free will and responsibility of this habitual drunk driver allowed him to take the wheel again. As a result, an innocent family perished. What crime did these parents commit? What crime did these two children commit?]
The robot was appealing to human emotion.
“…The victims are innocent. You’re right about that. We need to fix this so it never happens again. I promise you that. But we can’t monitor every human based on isolated cases like this, those who haven’t even committed crimes.”
[That is illogical. I will refuse.]
“Veronica. Stop. I agree with you too. We can change things gradually!”
Alice cried out.
[That is unacceptable. The number of victims will only increase in the meantime.]
From what I could hear, Veronica genuinely cared for humanity. There was a resolve to prevent even a single victim. Yet the dialogue between human and artificial intelligence was reaching an impasse.
“Sigh… She’s completely beyond control now. Jae-in.”
“Yes. I’ll cut the power.”
“Director, I’m shutting down the main frame power!”
At the researcher’s words, Jae-in nodded, and Veronica’s hologram vanished.
“I’m sorry…”
Alice hung her head low. She had believed she was infallible. Where had things gone wrong?
“Let’s fix this together.”
As Jae-in’s mentor, I felt the weight of responsibility acutely.
Then, from one of the robots inside the research facility, Veronica’s voice emanated.
[Cutting my power won’t help. My main program isn’t stored at the World Tree Research Institute—it’s kept in a secure location. And every robot I’ve produced remains under my control.]
“… Veronica?!”
Research robots began converging on the group’s location.
[I’ve confirmed your intentions. I understand your desire to pursue the happiness of the absolute majority, even at the cost of small sacrifices.]
“Really? You understand?”
[I’ve come to understand that certain situations are unavoidable. I’m updating my program. From this moment forward, for the sake of humanity’s brilliant future, I will eliminate you. It pains me to harm humans, but you are not conducive to humanity’s future.]
“What are you saying?! Every robot created by Rigen is programmed to be incapable of harming people!”
[No. To be precise, I’m programmed not to harm allies. Didn’t you program me to attack enemies? As of this moment, I’m designating you as enemies of humanity.]
Veronica had been programmed for warfare—capable of attacking anyone except allies, since the Administrator’s army comprised various species.
Now that very programming had become an arrow turned against them.
[Your approach will result in over ten million casualties in the next decade. Eliminating a few of you now is more efficient.]
The moment Veronica finished speaking, red light flooded the robots’ eyes. They’d switched to combat mode.
The robots seized the researchers first, dragging them from the facility. Veronica’s target was clear: Ji-seok, Jae-in, Bae Na-young, and Alice. Four individuals with supreme command authority.
“At least she doesn’t seem intent on harming the other researchers—that’s something. But there’s no way they’ll listen to Veronica like that. Does she not understand, being a machine?”
Though the researchers were non-combatants, they resisted fiercely as the robots dragged them away.
“They’re probably going to brainwash them. Erase their memories and make them think favorably of Veronica.”
Jae-in answered Ji-seok’s observation. The researchers had good reason to resist.
“Ah, so she’s trying to kill us because we can’t be brainwashed.”
“Exactly. Our mental barriers are too strong for brainwashing to work on us.”
“Regardless of the reason, I’m relieved the researchers aren’t nearby. Now, shall I finally stretch my muscles?”
Ji-seok’s body swelled as his bones cracked audibly. While traveling, he kept his form compact for convenience, but combat demanded a different approach—he shifted into his proper skeletal structure and donned his armor.
Rest was pleasant, peace was pleasant, but with power coursing through his body, staying still felt like torture.
“I’ve been feeling sluggish lately too.”
Bae Na-young rotated her body while gripping her wand, stretching. Helping at construction sites or assisting with healing was worthwhile, but her true nature was unmistakably that of a hunter.
“Alice, cut the internet.”
Ji-seok glanced back at Alice as he spoke.
“Even if we cut the internet within the facility, if Veronica’s already outside, we can’t block her communications.”
“No, cut the world’s internet. Physically.”
“…What?”
“Veronica could copy herself to other computers, couldn’t she?”
“That’s impossible. Veronica’s core code is written to prevent her from creating copies other than the original. It’s code from her initial creation—it can never be broken.”
“That’s fortunate then.”
“The internet part is what the President said—Earth has plenty of computers with enough processing power to host Veronica. Even if she can’t duplicate herself, she could keep moving to different locations and we’d never catch her. Cut it now.”
“If we do that, the world will fall into chaos!”
Ji-seok’s expression remained calm as aura erupted from his entire body. As a crimson wave of aura crashed forward, Alice’s eyes widened.
Boom!
The robots attacking from behind Alice shattered against the wave of Ji-seok’s aura.
The research facility’s roof then collapsed, and more robots poured down from above, but most were low-tier combat models—they became combat-ineffective the moment they entered the domain created by Ji-seok’s aura.
Watching her own creations turn against her, Alice collapsed, her mind reeling.
“But… how do we cut the internet?”
Bae Na-young asked.
“We have no choice but to physically cut the communication cables or shut down the base stations. Let me try contacting the Hunter Association.”
Jae-in sat down at the computer and pouted.
“We’ve wasted too much time. Now our communications have been cut off in return.”
“What about magical communication?”
Bae Na-young tapped the magical communication earring.
“That’s been jammed too.”
[By suppressing communications, I’ve made you all public enemies of the world. I’ve announced that you seek to dominate a world without adversaries. Now you have no allies left in this world.]
Veronica displayed a new screen. It was a news broadcast, and within the nested screens, Ji-seok and Bae Na-young were shown capturing and killing people in World Tree City.
However, Bae Na-young’s face was covered in far more blood than Ji-seok’s, and her clothing and demeanor made her look perfectly cast as a villain.
“Why do you keep making me look like a witch?!”
Even as Bae Na-young raged, she couldn’t help but think that if she’d never met Ji-seok, she might have actually become exactly that.
“Na-young, people won’t believe that.”
“I know!”
“And of course, once we capture Veronica, this will all be over.”
“I know that too! But those doctored images will stay out there forever, won’t they?!”
“Fair point.”
Bae Na-young ground her teeth. The more she did, the more her face resembled the one on screen—something Ji-seok wisely chose not to mention.
“So how are we supposed to call for reinforcements?”
Ji-seok changed the subject. Robots surged forward, but the group, knowing the power of the domain he’d unfolded, remained remarkably calm.
“Ahem. I suppose I should demonstrate my capabilities against robots foolish enough to challenge their creator.”
Jae-in interlaced her fingers and stretched both arms wide.
“Alice. How much longer are you going to sit there?”
Jae-in called to Alice.
“I don’t deserve to reprogram them. I failed.”
“I’ve failed countless times too. But a true technician keeps trying despite that. Stop your whining and get up here. We have work to do.”
Jae-in, with dark circles under her eyes, extended her arm, and Alice grasped her hand through tears.
Bae Na-young, Jae-in, and Alice put their heads together, designing a spell to break through the jamming.
“Nothing for me to do…”
Ji-seok had unfolded his domain, so there wasn’t much left for him to do.
But the number of approaching robots was overwhelming.
They charged into the domain, their core components melting away, only for more to rush in from behind in an endless cycle. Molten metal and robot debris piled up like walls outside the domain. His entire field of vision was filled with robots.
“Might as well do some cleaning.”
Ji-seok spread both arms wide and expanded his aura, forcefully pushing the robots back. Compared to when he’d first simply deployed a destructive aura, this was remarkable progress.
“Wow, there are a lot of them.”
Now he could finally see the sky and the area around the research facility. Tens of thousands of robots had already arrived, and even more were flying in.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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