"So that's how it is." 11B froze for a moment and said.
"Then can I meet you? My… uh, lifesaver." 11B added.
"You can, but not yet."
"Then when can I?"
"Wait until your teammates complete this mission."
"You even know that? Don't tell me… you're with the Resistance?"
"No."
"Then who are you?"
"You'll know when the time comes."
"..."
Aiden didn't talk with 11B for long. The brief exchange ended quickly, but before cutting off communication, he still instructed Kuangfeng to stay by 11B's side.
The ruins factory was full of dangers. Since he had already saved her, he might as well go all the way as a good person and ensure she could survive.
"Speaking of which, YoRHa B-type androids all have white hair, huh. I remember the prototype machines had all sorts of hair colors…"
"But it's fine. Their appearances still have slight differences. Otherwise, it'd really be hard to tell them apart."
After a bit of aimless thinking, Aiden put his thoughts away. Now wasn't the time to space out, they had already entered the inner part of the ruins factory.
Next, what they would face wasn't just the endless mechanical lifeforms, but also one very powerful… monster.
———
"As expected of No. 2. With you here, our advancement speed is much faster than last time." On the way to the top platform of the ruins factory, Anemone said to A2, who was fully wrapped in a cloak.
Last time she led a team here to investigate, they were blocked by an endless sea of machine lifeforms and couldn't move an inch. Only after several Resistance androids sacrificed themselves did they barely reach the top of the factory and catch sight of a massive mechanical arm. Realizing they couldn't win, they just took a look from afar and retreated.
But this time, it was a completely different story. Although A2's two companions hadn't made a move, just with A2 alone, they easily broke into the inner part of the ruins factory, and none of their allies were injured.
"Just ordinary small fry. No matter how many come, I can handle them easily," A2 said irritably.
It wasn't that she disliked Anemone's praise, they used to be comrades and had a good relationship, so no matter what was said, she wouldn't get angry. It was just that her cloak, which Yakor had patched up, now had several more holes. That's what truly annoyed her.
"In that case, I'll have to keep troubling you, No. 2~"
Anemone seemed to understand the reason for A2's irritation. She turned her head and glanced at Aiden chatting with Yakor, then chuckled behind her hand and continued, "But while you're struggling to clear the way up front, your companion looks like he's on a sightseeing trip!"
A2 turned her head to glance at Aiden, and her mood seemed to worsen. Still, she said nothing, only swung her blade at the mechanical lifeforms charging toward them.
Shing!
With a flash of the blade, the heads of a dozen small mechanical lifeforms flew into the air, and one of them, by sheer coincidence, landed right at Aiden's feet, startling him.
"Hey hey, your girlfriend seems angry!" Yakor kicked the machine head away and leaned close to Aiden's ear, whispering.
"What's she angry about now?!" Aiden sounded a bit helpless, he hadn't even done anything, had he?
"Who knows~" Yakor smiled and suddenly put an arm around Aiden's shoulder.
Immediately after, a cold, piercing gaze shot toward them.
Aiden couldn't help but shiver. Just as he was about to push Yakor's hand away, the ruins factory suddenly shook violently.
In an instant, a massive amount of dust and old structural parts began falling from the ceiling.
"Get out of the way!" Anemone shouted. Though androids had bodies of steel, those falling support parts were tons of heavy steel. If hit, even if they didn't die, they'd be crippled. They weren't YoRHa units that could be salvaged after injury. If they died, it was permanent.
Aiden immediately grabbed Yakor and ran toward the corner of the factory. He didn't know what model Yakor was, but judging by her usual behavior, she seemed like a support unit focused on manufacturing. So without thinking, he chose to protect her first.
And this act caused A2, who had been watching Aiden closely, to narrow her eyes. She was a little angry and regretful, regretting agreeing to co-rent with him back then.
But when she saw a large steel plate falling toward Aiden from above, all the anger in her heart vanished instantly. She dashed forward.
BOOM!
The massive steel plate embedded itself deeply into the ground. The three people, now like tumbling gourds, clung tightly together.
Aiden held onto Yakor, while A2 tightly held onto Aiden, pressing both of them beneath her.
"Thank you!"
"Thank you."
The two voices of thanks rang out simultaneously, no one could tell who was thanking whom.
But A2 just coldly snorted and let go of Aiden, standing up.
Now wasn't the time to be caught up in this, because after the tremor stopped, the factory's ceiling was blown open by a huge mechanical arm.
And beneath the opening, on a platform, two stunning black silhouettes were facing off against the arm with blades drawn.
They were none other than YoRHa squad's 2B and 4B.
———
"Captain, is this guy our mission target, a large mechanical weapon?" 4B looked at the mechanical arm and asked in surprise.
2B wasn't sure either. Just as she was about to nod, her POD spoke in a mechanical tone, "Negative: This enemy is not the target."
"But it is still a dangerous enemy. Suggest immediate elimination."
"Easier said than done…" 4B muttered. Just looking at it, you could tell it was no pushover.
"No matter how tough it is, we just need to defeat it!"
2B wanted to complain too, but since 4B already said it, she simply raised her sword and charged.
Clang!
The Virtuous Contract drew a dazzling arc of light. The huge mechanical arm was slashed open with a deep gash, and countless parts scattered in all directions.
However, for the giant arm, that was just like a skin wound. Accompanied by a tooth-grinding screech of metal, the arm's saw blades began spinning wildly, slashing fiercely toward 2B and 4B.
The two android girls quickly retreated with blades retracted, but their PODs didn't rest, they opened fire on the arm.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
A series of explosions rang out. The mechanical arm was engulfed in flames. Broken parts fell like rain. Enraged, it lifted itself again, striking continuously at the two android girls.
But just then, several missiles flew in from the distance and hit the mechanical arm with precision, instantly blowing it to pieces.
2B and 4B leapt left and right to dodge the debris. Then they looked up and saw an HO229 fighter jet break through the thick smoke, appearing before them.
"You must be Miss 2B and 4B, right? I'm 9S, here to assist you." The android piloting the jet revealed a slight smile and said softly.
———
"9S."
From below the platform, Aiden and the other two simultaneously murmured the android's name.
But Aiden's tone was calm. A2's was cold, with a hint of killing intent. And Yakor's… carried a certain amusement?
"No. 2, Aiden, are you both okay?" Just then, Anemone's voice came from afar.
"We're fine. What about you?" A2 forcefully suppressed her urge to rush up and slash the YoRHa team, responding.
"I'm fine. But Murphy's injured, his leg is broken. Everyone else is okay." Anemone replied.
"That's good." Hearing that her friend wasn't hurt, A2 quietly breathed a sigh of relief. Then she looked back up at the three androids on the upper platform.
At that moment, she heard Anemone shout again, "Hey, up there! Hello, I'm Anemone, from the Resistance, here to support you!"
Hearing her voice, the three androids on the upper platform looked a bit surprised. Honestly, although the commander from the Bunker had told them there would be Resistance support from the surface, they didn't really expect much. After all, YoRHa units suffered heavy losses even during descent operations, what could regular androids even do?
"They're from the Resistance, huh. I guess they've got some strength, no wonder they've survived this long on the surface." 9S, being a reconnaissance model, had scouted the area in advance and knew how difficult it was for Resistance forces to enter the ruins factory without flying units.
2B and 4B suddenly remembered the aerial combat bot that had assisted them earlier.
"Captain, that robot… could it really be from the Resistance?" 4B asked in a low voice.
"It's possible." 2B couldn't confirm and replied hesitantly.
Though she had participated in many missions to hunt A2, she'd never dealt with the Resistance before.
And although the Bunker could communicate with the Resistance, they were still different factions. What kind of tech the Resistance possessed wasn't really known.
After all, even between androids, there were deep divisions.
At that moment, Anemone frowned upon seeing the YoRHa team not responding for so long, "Those guys from the Bunker really are arrogant!"
"That's just how they are. They've always looked down on androids from other factions." A2 walked over and said coldly after hearing her.
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