Chapter 228: The Meat Grinder (Part Nine)

Chapter 228: The Meat Grinder (Part Nine)

Along the way, through countless films, Xie Fangcheng glimpsed the grandeur of Central City. Only when they approached its outskirts did he truly fathom the enormity of the city.

The apocalypse had been ongoing for so long; other places, even the once-continuous mountain ranges, were now buried under yellow sand, their features indistinguishable.

Yet from afar, as one neared Central City, one could see mirage-like structures emerging from the sand.

As they drew closer, Xie Fangcheng realized these were remnants of cities untouched by the ferocious winds.

However, compared to ordinary cities, Central City before him looked as if it was constructed for giants. Ruins of once-majestic buildings hinted at their past grandeur.

Noticing Xie Fangcheng's bewilderment, Yan Xun explained, "At the dawn of the apocalypse, humans envisaged Central City as an indestructible fortress against the winds. Thus, in the early years of the apocalypse, technological advancement skyrocketed. The skies were virtually obscured by various airships, and to accommodate them and large machinery, Central City's gates were broadened, its buildings grew taller and grander."

"And then?" Xie Fangcheng inquired, "Was it the immense winds that eventually toppled these structures?"

Yan Xun shook his head.

"Central City wasn't toppled by the wind. Seventeen years into the apocalypse, humanity plunged into war."

At that time, Central City's population surged, external conditions deteriorated—volcanic eruptions, tidal surges... even seemingly harmless plants became lethal weapons. Countless people flocked to Central City. Despite repeated expansions, even the establishment of an underground city, it couldn't accommodate the influx of refugees.

The influx of humanity greatly outpaced the city's construction, leading to inevitable chaos.

It wasn't merely a singular conflict but an enduring series of battles, converging into a prelude to the apocalypse.

By the end, few could recall the initial ambition of building this city as a sanctuary for everyone at the onset of the apocalypse.

Central City stood as the last bastion of modernity, a city destroyed before its completion.

At this juncture, the city welcomed its first visitors in the post-apocalyptic age.

Yan Xun remarked, "There's nothing left above the city. The underground city might still have the materials we need."

Xie Fangcheng nodded in agreement.

Inside the vehicle was a fallen elf undergoing memory alteration. However, Yan Xun was no ordinary robot. Back on Cangcui Island, he could split his thoughts into thousands, and this moment was no exception.

The vehicle was left amidst the yellow sand, forming a wind barrier. Xiao Qi, still unconscious, continued her memory alteration, while Yan Xun had already opened the entrance to the underground city.

Compared to the overground city that was left with only sand, the underground city was indeed better preserved.

As they entered the underground city, Yan Xun inserted the compressed energy block into its central control system.

Soon, the streetlights that still worked in the underground city streets lit up.

"This way," Yan Xun led the way.

A robot with access to all maps never gets lost. The two of them walked on the spacious roads at a decent pace. All the while, Xie Fangcheng admired the once-majestic subterranean metropolis.

The surroundings were eerily deserted, with only the sound of their footsteps echoing.

In such a silent environment, Xie Fangcheng couldn't resist striking up a conversation with the robot beside him.

"Do you consider yourself the real Yan Xun now?"

Xie Fangcheng asked the question he had been pondering for a while.

If it's not exactly him, the current robot possesses all of Yan Xun's memories, as well as the memories of Zhang Si Quan, Lu Jia, and Zhan Dao An. It's as if their souls were combined.

However, if this is deemed the real Yan Xun, something feels off.

After all... well, even the species has changed.

Regarding this question, the robot didn't hesitate: "In some ways, yes. In others, no."

It explained, "From a □□ perspective, I am just the last robotic guardian created by Professor Yan Xun to protect Cangcui. But mentally, I've inherited all of Yan Xun's thoughts. It's not the chip inside me that drives my actions, but Yan Xun's consciousness. So, you can understand me as the soul of Yan Xun without his physical body."

Of course, robots don't have emotions. Everything it says now is merely a reaction under the control of the cognitive cells left by Yan Xun.

Xie Fangcheng mused and nodded, "I don't really understand you robots."

The robot displayed a flawless smile. Amidst extensive computations, it didn't need to ponder like humans. Given enough data, it could generate answers to any questions in an instant.

"Perhaps you could think of me as those emotion-stripped individuals you see in movies and shows in your world."

Xie Fangcheng couldn't help but chuckle, "Your knowledge is quite diverse!"

The robot's smile remained unchanged. Just as it was about to speak, the detector suddenly blared an alarm.

Beep—Beep—Warning! Warning! Dangerous entity approaching! Dangerous entity approaching!

The moment the alarm sounded, Xie Fangcheng had already pinpointed a direction.

"Something's coming."

With that, he drew the weapon Yan Xun had prepared for him.

From the eastern street, squeaks resembling those of mice began to resonate.

Soon, a horde of rodents appeared before them, each over two meters long. Their red eyes shimmered menacingly, and their matted fur bristled like porcupine quills.

Instinctively, Xie Fangcheng shielded Yan Xun behind him. However, the robot reminded him, "I am a machine. Even if I'm destroyed here, countless neural cells of mine remain on Cangcui Island. I can rapidly replicate another Yan Xun."

The implication was clear. This robot incarnation of Yan Xun should be the one protecting Xie Fangcheng. After all, no matter how strong Xie Fangcheng might be, he only had one life.

Xie Fangcheng paused in surprise.

Before he could react, the robot stepped in front of him, its arms transforming into dual laser guns, firing beams at the mutant rodents.

Just then, sounds from behind indicated another approaching threat. Xie Fangcheng quickly turned and was taken aback by the sight.

Several mutated creatures, resembling centipedes but five to six meters long, were rapidly closing in.

Those numerous legs... Even if Xie Fangcheng didn't suffer from trypophobia, the sight still brought physical discomfort.

"Damn!" Xie Fangcheng activated his laser sword. Despite his unease, he was ready to face the threat head-on.

However, as he prepared to confront the creepy sensation and charge, the robot beside him seemed to have eyes on its back. Its white military uniform morphed instantaneously, covering him like an exoskeleton.

Subsequently, two mechanical arms emerged from Yan Xun's back. Twin laser guns, without needing to aim, fired at the advancing centipedes.

After several chilling sounds, both the rodents and centipedes were annihilated.

Xie Fangcheng watched, utterly agape.

Damn! What kind of mechanical titan is this?

It must be said that Professor Zhan's craftsmanship is truly unparalleled – showcasing a mechanical ascendancy!

After dispatching the rodents and centipedes, the robot's lethal weapons retracted. The laser cannons morphed back into bionic arms, and the protective armor reverted to its white military uniform.

Witnessing this, Xie Fangcheng couldn't resist asking, "Why don't you remain in that form? Isn't it cumbersome to transform every time we encounter mutated creatures?"

Does the transformation consume energy? Is that why Yan Xun stays in the humanoid form, rather than in the combat mode?

These thoughts ran through Xie Fangcheng's mind.

The robot in front of him shook its head, candidly responding, "Assuming a humanoid form offers higher emotional resonance for you, which is a duty I'm bound to fulfill."

Xie Fangcheng felt a sudden flush on his face. As he touched his nose, the corner of his eye caught a flash of red.

"Watch out!" Instinctively, Xie Fangcheng raised his sword to deflect the red beam and reflexively pulled Yan Xun behind him.

His swift move flung the assailant several meters away. Upon closer inspection, it was a mouse, slightly different in color from common ones but roughly the size they were before the apocalypse.

The robot behind Xie Fangcheng approached and scanned the deceased mouse, "It's a rat king."

After this minor incident, Xie Fangcheng warily surveyed the surroundings. Confirming no other creatures were present, he relaxed.

"We shouldn't delay. Let's retrieve the seed of the tree you mentioned."

The robot nodded.

"And..." Xie Fangcheng eyed him, "Maybe you should revert to... that form?"

He gestured.

The robot quickly got the hint and transformed in the blink of an eye.

"Like this?" Uncharacteristically, the usually swift-calculating robot hesitated for a moment, "Doesn't this form feel... odd to you?"

Humans naturally feel aversion to entities that differ in form, especially something as combat-ready as Yan Xun's transformation.

However, the human before him cheerfully responded, "Not at all. It looks rather cool."

Jie Fangcheng wasn't deceiving him; after all, Professor Zhang in the previous world had mechanical tentacles sprouting out! Jie Fangcheng's only reaction was, "Whoa, that's cool!"

Who could resist a Transformer with such dashing looks?

Seeing no trace of unusual emotion in him, the robot finally nodded in acknowledgment.

After walking together for a while, the robot beside Jie Fangcheng suddenly asked, "Why do you want to protect me? I am a machine capable of getting damaged. It's not a wise choice."

"Huh? Do I even need a reason?" Jie Fangcheng scratched his head, "I'm so capable, so it's only right to protect you!"