"Dong dong."
"Come in."
Following the female voice from behind the door, Thales and Bianka pushed the door open. Thales took a deep breath and said, "Director, we just released a missing person notice. I'm sure you've heard it. We went to all possible places, but we didn't find anything."
"Um... Thales, you mean someone disappeared in our library, and there's no trace left?"
The silver-haired female artist frowned.
"Yes, I used the quick search program to check the surveillance video of the entrance and exit, and I didn't find any suspicious movements."
Thales nodded, "Perhaps we should also install surveillance cameras inside... In short, I think it is necessary to cordon off the entire museum and conduct a search."
"Hmm? Is it necessary to go to such an extent?"
The silver-haired curator showed a look of incomprehension.
Thales revealed a wry and helpless smile upon hearing this: "Because this lady's companions have already blockaded the library, and if this matter is not handled properly, it might cause a long-awaited conflict between the city and the pirates."
"Pirates… Well, after all, people did go missing in our museum, and we don't want to have a conflict with pirates. There's no need to turn a missing person case into a large-scale violent conflict, right?"
Thales easily persuaded the curator.
"From now on, the library is temporarily closed for two hours; all staff must enter and exit…"
"My inspection," Bianka answered.
"Well, everything must be checked by this young lady. During this period, all staff and robots in the museum will assist you in finding the missing person. What is this young lady's name?"
"My name is Bianka, Bianka Ataegina, A-Class Valkyrie."
The other party's accommodation greatly melted the cold look on Bianka's face.
"Library Director, Caterina Michelangelo Buonarroti. Just call me Michelangelo."
Bianka showed a surprised expression, realizing that the curator's office was actually a painting studio.
Michelangelo turned to look at Thales and said, "Invite that consultant detective over, too. We can't delay this case any longer. We have to solve it."
With the help of the library staff and a large number of robots, the pressure on Bianka and her team was instantly reduced.
At the same time, the search efficiency was greatly improved, so much so that Bianka even had time to chat with the director.
No, it wasn't just a simple chat—at least Bianka was observing the curator in front of her. After all, no one can tell if the curator will make any small moves.
In addition to Michelangelo, the curator, there is another person here.
"Is it really okay to leave that person dazed there?"
"She's not dazed, she's just thinking," Michelangelo seemed to look helplessly at the woman sitting next to her.
A black-haired woman, who was not Egyptian but surprisingly had an Egyptian style, was sitting on a chair, thinking in a posture similar to Sherlock Holmes.
"So, who is this person?"
"She's the detective I called Thales to find," Michelangelo said it like it was a matter of course.
"I am an archaeologist who works part-time as a detective." The woman sitting beside her thoughtfully said slowly, "My name is Jeanne-François Champollion."
"French historian, linguist, Egyptologist."
Tian Shi gave a brief introduction: this person is considered a very unpopular figure in the eyes of non-professionals.
However, Tian Shi thought that if Jackal took off her mask, she might give people the impression of being very similar to this historian. After all, the Egyptian style of both of them is very similar.
"Let me tell you the conclusion first." Champollion stood up. "Your companion should have been taken out. If you want to know the reason, I can calmly explain it to you."
"No, time is running out. Explain more clearly, please."
Although Bianka was confused, she did not immediately refute.
"We closed the library early in the morning. It's impossible to put her in a suitcase and take her out. Besides, the surveillance didn't find anyone with similar suspicions."
"Who said we need suitcases? Aren't those robots the best tools to transport people? I remember that most of the components of these robots are in charge of automatic functions, right?"
"This…," Thales pondered, "If you remove those components and use the remote control mode… it can indeed accommodate a person."
"I remember the robot has a heart that constantly reports its location to the city center. This, obviously, is a huge obstacle to crime." Champollion said in a calm tone: "So, as long as we compare the number of robots in the city center and in and out of the library…"
"Dr. Champollion! We already have the results! Three more robots left the library than what was registered!"
Coincidentally, a staff member brought back results at this time.
"Well… in this case, although it is still looking for a needle in a haystack, it is obviously much simpler."
[With the help of Champollion, you successfully contrasted a clue.]
[With the help of Champollion's assistant, whose sense of smell is as sensitive as a dog's, you begin to approach the opponent's base step by step.]
[But your luck is not good at all: your destination seems to be under this sulfur lake, but you didn't prepare any equipment like gas masks and oxygen tanks. You have no choice but to ask Champollion's assistant to go back and get them.]
[On the other side, Schrödinger and Shakespeare led Rita to an artist's meeting in the city.]
[Schrödinger took the Holy Sword and explained the Philosopher's Stone to the president of this city, and told her the story of the Holy Sacred Sword.]
[Schrödinger revealed the truth about this business capital full of high-end robots.]
[It turns out that your initial feeling was not wrong. The current technological level of this city has only reached the level of a "combustion engine." From any perspective, robots are not items that should appear in this city.]
[In other words: the power of the robots in this city comes from the "crystallization of reason," one of the powers of the holy sword.]
[Under the guidance of President Shelley, you visited her computer room; in your opinion, the protection was simply trash, without even a decent firewall. If you wanted, you could even directly control the robots in this city.]
[However, you don't seem to need to control it.]
[The robots in this city are rioting.]
[Do you remember that Bianka once asked Schrödinger what would happen if the robot suddenly lost control?]
[As Schrödinger said, the city was instantly paralyzed.]
[Look, the musket that appeared in the first act was successfully fired in the third act, though this is not good news.]
[Of course, fortunately, this is not an omnic crisis, just a very primitive and novice information warfare.]
[You and Schrödinger forcefully hibernated all the robots in the city.]
[Afterward, President Shelley decided to take you to the storage location of the Gem of Reason: a rocket launch station.]
[On the other side, equipment has been delivered, and Bianka is about to begin penetrating the enemy base.]
[With the equipment, you successfully entered the underground base of the Sulfur Lake. Near the entrance of the base, you found five people who died from poisoning; fortunately, Jimmy was not there.]
[Also, they died from hydrogen sulfide. Although it smells like rotten eggs in nature, in lethal concentrations, humans cannot smell it, it only takes a moment to numb the olfactory nerves.]
[But you are lucky, as a ghost, you can still smell the strong rotten egg smell.]
"What do you call this good luck?"
"These are…"
Bianka looked for a place similar to a computer room; relying on Tian Shi's ability, Bianka easily opened the door.
"Bianka, I advise you not to look. There is no one else here and, besides, it is not a good place."
Tian Shi, who noticed the internal structure of these machines, lowered his voice; this made Bianka a little uneasy.
Although they haven't been together for a long time, she also knows that Tian Shi is a very good-tempered ghost, and now his tone…
"Can you tell me what's inside?"
"I cannot carry out possession," Tian Shi said in a very vague and direct way.
After these days, Bianka and Rita naturally knew what Tian Shi's possession conditions were.
"Life form?"
Bianka didn't believe that those computer boxes had any intelligence.
"More precisely, the brain—the human brain, still alive in nature. Believe me, you don't want to see that jelly-like thing."
Tian Shi's words made Bianka's face turn pale. There are at least a hundred computer boxes here.
"Honestly, it's in really bad taste to put such dark stuff in such a classic RPG."
"I see, I won't go see it, Tian Shi, do you know where Jimmy is?"
This place was so evil that Bianka even wanted to destroy it directly with her dual weapons. But those brains…
"Or, in other words, where is the main brain that maintains these brains?"
"Upstairs, either Jimmy or Mastermind."
Tian Shi, who had already invaded all the base's programs, said lightly.
"Tsk, I thought she had been kidnapped, but it turns out she had gotten confused."
Bianka clicked her tongue and forced herself to forget about the computer boxes in front of her.
"Let's go see what the heck that guy is doing with that mastermind."
"It's not really a trick… How to put it? It's probably a typical example of compassion and hatred."
Tian Shi chuckled twice beside Bianka.
"I really hate your superstitious way of speaking… although Rita often says things I don't understand."
"Yeah?"
Tian Shi and Bianka went up the stairs and came to the true main control room of the base. Bianka opened the door impatiently and saw Jimmy in the room and a girl lying in some kind of cabin.
"Eh—!?"
"Hmm... It's been a long time since I saw him, Mr. Jimmy. Could you tell me in detail what happened here?"
"Well, to put it simply: don't be surprised if Schrödinger hacks other computers here."
Shakespeare's voice was heard.
"This was a base built by a mad scientist, Doctor Faust, after her expulsion. She studied supercomputers assembled from human brains. You also saw the AI with human consciousness she created. This is the girl in front of you."
"No beauty."
Tian Shi commented objectively that the most beautiful AI he had ever seen was probably Ada, although her image was modeled on the preferences of the blonde uncle Finn. But it's not just about appearance. In terms of technical design and even design concept, the girl in front of him is obviously not as good as Ada.
"So, what exactly happened here?"
Bianka frowned and asked the computer.
"Mmm… what happened? I guess this AI, Miss Alice, deliberately guided and harmed the real kidnappers, right? Although the kidnapped also suffered harm, of course, it is undeniable that she also saved Jimmy."
The five corpses at the entrance…
"And what about the Doctor Faust, who created her?"
"She died three days ago."
A female voice sounded from the computer next to the cabin; obviously, this was Alice's voice.
"Sudden death."
"…"
There is no point in investigating whether it was a sudden death or not. After all, no one feels sympathy for such a mad scientist...
Although this kind of death is still unspeakably strange.
"In other words, this matter was already over a long time ago, before we even arrived?"
Bianka suddenly lost interest.
"No, Faust left an attack program. If Schrödinger hadn't been here, this city might have been doomed."
Shakespeare spoke in a frivolous voice about the great events of the entire city.
"It's just a very primitive attack code." Schrödinger's calm voice sounded: "Even if I wasn't here, this city should have found a solution when about two-thirds of it are destroyed."
I really don't know if Schrödinger was bragging or stating facts.
"Then this guy…"
Bianka looked at Jimmy in front of her with boredom.
"Oh~ My crew, think about it, a cute mechanical doll, alone in a room, and a savior… hahahaha~~"
Having said that, we have reached the point where "those who understand, will understand."
"But even so, she still needs to go to trial. After all, it is a fact that she caused the gas leak and did not help. Although she claimed it would threaten her safety, it was obviously not self-defense."
Because all the people who could prove what she said was true are dead.
Combined with the other party's name "Alice," it's like a dark fairy tale.
But this is no longer something they have to worry about.
After getting the Gem of Reason, no matter how they treat this AI Miss who is both the perpetrator and the victim, it doesn't matter.