Chapter 317: Backlash
Chapter 317: Backlash
“As I thought, you’re not X-112.”
Plunged into desolate darkness, Chen Chen was completely unfazed. Not only that, he appeared more like he was deeply intrigued. “How should I address you? Alien? Or just Gantz?”
“You catch on quickly, human. You’re smarter than a significant portion of humans but that doesn’t mean anything.”
At the present, X-112’s voice had shifted into a more robotic rendition, reminiscent of a synthesizer. Its voice was emitted from the speakers, both hard and cold like a robot, completely devoid of expression. “I can make a deal with you and purge the mysterious phenomenon you’ve been afflicted with. My sole condition is that you’ll leave this base and never set foot here again!”
“Alright.”
Chen Chen immediately answered without a second thought, “Deal!”
“...”
The voice from the speaker became silent for a moment before saying, “Human, I don’t hear the sincerity in your words. You’re lying to me.”
“I never lie.”
Chen Chen shook his head. “Go ahead and try if you don’t believe me. If you can purge the mysterious phenomenon from me, you have my word that I’ll leave this place.”
“Alright, human. I’ve purged it for you, you can leave now.”
The voice suddenly informed again, having quickly shifted from its previous tone.
“...”
This time, it was Chen Chen who paused. He made a small gesture with his hands like a shrug. “So, we’re done talking?”
“Human, show some sincerity, then I’ll talk.”
The voice threatened, “You might not be aware of this, but the mysterious phenomenon you’re afflicted with is going to reach its peak soon. When that happens, the chances of your survival is nil.”
“Here’s the problem, how do I know if you’ve actually purged it off of me?”
Chen Chen asked with a frown greeting his expression, “What if you were lying to me about having purged it and I die from it right after leaving? Doesn’t that mean that no one will be left alive to spill your secret? That fits your motive, doesn’t it?”
“Human, you have no choice but to believe me.”
The voice continued. “This is your only chance at survival!”
“It appears to me that you have not consumed X-112.”
Upon hearing the other party’s remark, Chen Chen became visibly calmer.
“Human, how did you figure that out?”
“It’s simple, because he knows that I have other ways to erase the effects of the mysterious phenomenon.”
Chen Chen smirked. “The whole thing adds up when put this way. If you can infiltrate the Internet at will, you’d have incited a nuclear war a long time ago, just like the Skynet. Why would you run with an alternative of spreading Basilisk images online to destroy mankind? If I had to guess, the reason you were able to upload the Basilisk pattern was that you were connected via a network cable, am I wrong?
“Although you’re an alien computer, you don’t have the power to manipulate electromagnetic signals. This means that you don’t have access to the wireless network required to attack X-112 located outside the base. All you can do is chase X-112 out.
“Previously, when X-112 invaded the underground base network, you didn’t reveal yourself and waited until I entered the base before expelling X-112 from the internal network. I couldn’t notice that X-112 was replaced since there was no signal underground, hindering X-112 from alerting me of the fact.”
Chen Chen spoke softly, dissecting the situation, “There’s only one explanation for your actions and that is to keep me chained up in here because I was coming right at you!”
“That’s right.”
The voice answered, “I never made a move despite having all these humans huddled around me because they never saw me as a target. As long as you don’t have any ill intentions against me, I won’t hurt you.”
“You think you can fool me with your tales?”
Chen Chen frowned. “These people are a bunch of useless nobodies, but I’m not like them. You only kept them around because they helped you keep the forces of the outside world at bay. On your own, you don’t have any offensive capabilities. You can’t even utilize the powers of the Basilisk images and the mysterious phenomenon, am I wrong?”
“...”
It had become quiet.
Chen Chen further pressed the issue. “You didn’t negotiate with me because you don’t want to kill me. It’s because you don’t have any way to kill me. That’s why you tried to seal up the underground base to lock me up in here, but when you see the armor I have on, you begin having second thoughts.”
When Chen Chen said this, the two shoulder cannons propped up from the back of the PK Armor, aiming at the observation window in front of him. The thermal imaging vision module was activated as well. The darkness was inconsequential to Chen Chen.
“You were worried that the underground base cannot properly entrap me, then you were concerned that my weapon can easily shatter this observation window, allowing me to easily destroy you...”
“Human, the workings of your mind is nothing short of perfection.”
The voice started, shifting its attitude again. “I only have the same advice for you, which is that the mysterious phenomenon occurring to you is inching closer toward its climax. Are you sure you want to die with me?”
“I never bet on the mercy of others.”
Chen Chen shook his head. Immediately after, the shoulder cannon on his left began producing a steady hum as an invisible but significant power slowly accumulated.
“High-power microwaves cannon. All it takes is one shot at maximum buildup. I doubt this observation window is going to stop me.”
Chen Chen said softly. Without waiting for the Gantz server machine to respond, the twenty centimeters thick glass of the observation window appeared to have been hit by an invisible wave of explosion. In an instant, sharp ripples deep enough to fit a finger into were punched into the structure of the glass!
This was the power of microwave weapons.
Microwave weapons were a sub-classification of electromagnetic waves. Unlike regular electromagnetic waves, it used high-energy electromagnetic waves to obliterate its targets. On top of destroying electronic devices, its thermal effects allowed it to bypass defenses and armor to directly kill the soldiers beneath them.
When the Gantz server machine saw cracks instantly forming on the glass that was otherwise immune to bullets, it finally panicked. “Human, don’t do this, I’m willing to help you purge off your afflicted mysterious phenomenon first!”
“Really?”
The cannon on Chen Chen’s shoulder halted briefly as he raised his head. “Purge it right now, you have three seconds!”
“As you wish!”
Following Chen Chen’s command, the statue on the opposite end of the observation window began moving!
No, the enormous germanium-made statue did not move. Instead, traces of dark-red rays began appearing on its surface. These traces of light insidiously tracked along the surface of the Gantz server machine, appearing extremely malicious in nature. At a glance, it gave off a strong, ominous aura.
The light appearing on the statue only lapped around it for a brief moment before dimming out again. At the same time, the voice spoke, “Alright, I’ve purged the mysterious phenomenon from you, you’re safe now...”
“I don’t believe you!”
However, Chen Chen immediately responded, “I don’t feel anything at all. I think you’re trying to make a fool out of me!”
Without any hesitation, the shoulder cannon strapped behind Chen Chen produced a relentless microwave. What followed after was the sound of a roaring explosion, which shattered the thick observation window in a powerful display like an avalanche!
The destructiveness of the microwave cannon continued to grow from this point on. Its gigantic force instantly bombarded the surface of the statue. In a split instant, thin cracks began forming on the surface of the statue which appeared like a work of art...
The Gantz server machine, obliterated.