Rust - Chapter 472



Only Krnovel

RUST -472

The Vladiak Tower’s defense system consisted of a combination of unmanned and manned defense systems that complemented each other.

In the early days of the tower’s operation, security, protection, and defense personnel were split as problem agents within the tower were removed, due to the risk of espionage and internal division.

In any case, since the number of personnel responsible for security and military affairs was reduced, it was inevitable to build an autonomous defense system.

Using experimental equipment and research data collected from the Western region, researchers and technicians succeeded in creating an autonomous defense system that was two generations ahead of its time.

In the case of the existing automatic turrets, all control was done by the core AIs, Diana, Tria, and Samantha. So, although they were the best in terms of stability, they had the disadvantage of being disabled if the connection was lost due to EMP or jamming.

To overcome this, the new defense system was improved to be able to continue operations independently and autonomously even if the connection with the core AI is lost by being equipped with its own artificial intelligence.

“I think it’s the best choice for now, as it can maintain both defensive and offensive power when combined with the base relay system.”

“Getting there seems to be too much reliance on AI. AI is already handling most administrative and security tasks. AI may be efficient, but efficiency does not mean wisdom, nor does it mean right.”

Hood and PD had different opinions. Hood was of the opinion that artificial intelligence should be used more and more actively to overcome the current situation.

PD was different. He acknowledged the usefulness of AI, but argued that it was dangerous to focus solely on AI.

“Even now, the citizens of the kingdom are close to their mental limits.”

“Mental limitations? We are people who have been exposed to AI (Artificial Intelligence), so what is so difficult about it?”

Aren’t there people who, when choosing TV or dramas, turn on AI and have it answer their children’s questions because they’re annoyed by them?

“You’re not asking because you don’t know, are you?”

“If it’s because of that old Big Brother phobia, wouldn’t it be better to just tell them to get out of the kingdom? Realistically, what would happen if people were to take over the current administrative and security work? I think the future of the kingdom depends on automation, mechanization, computerization, informatization, and the use of artificial intelligence. Don’t you think so?”

The nurse was whispering to the crow while the PD and Hood were fighting over momentum.

“···And again. Isn’t the future of the kingdom in the hands of the crows? Patrols and security, too.”

Kaaaak–

“Ah- Now that I think about it, I heard that wolves have been working hard for the kingdom lately.”

Huh?

“No. It’s not a comparison···?”

The nurse, who felt that the heated discussion had cooled down, turned her head with gentle eyes. Hood and PD’s salty gazes were directed at her, not knowing when they had finished talking.

Aara?

Caaaak?

The nurse and the crow blinked.

declared a kingdom.

So Maru consistently insisted on a principle of zero tolerance for problems that arose.

You don’t have to be wise.

It was okay even if it wasn’t the best.

The most important thing is survival and safety.

The citizens’ conflict over artificial intelligence that PD was worried about, the artificial intelligence system that Hood spoke of that considers maximum efficiency, and the country where humans and animals coexist that the nurse, the crow, and the wolf spoke of, all had only one value.

Does it help you survive and stay safe?

If citizens’ discontent grows and conflicts continue, it will be shaken.

As AI’s authority grows, it becomes more dangerous if problems arise with AI.

It would be bad if crows and wolves started thinking of humans as prey.

That’s why Maru focused on rest and elimination rather than tolerance.

Disgruntled citizens are made to leave.

The artificial intelligence has a suicide device attached.

It gave the crows and wolves a tradition of crowing and a sense of peace.

But there’s resistance in a remote village? Even cannibals?

“We will build a new autonomous defense system in the stronghold area. We will install it together with the stronghold relay system.”

“···What do you plan to do about the other villages?”

“We will definitely start with a cannibal identification test. Any village where a cannibal appears will be sentenced to reeducation through labor, regardless of the reason. Those who refuse to be tested for cannibalism or resist the execution of reeducation through labor will be summarily executed.”

Being eaten by a cannibal means that one of the villagers threw someone to the cannibal. Or, one of them caught someone who was not a villager.

Either way, it means that humanity was ignored. It was the same even if cannibals were considered divine beings and people were considered sacrifices. What kind of tolerance would be needed for someone who threw people away as food and thought of people as sacrifices?

This decision was immediately relayed to Kim Yang and his personal guard.

Whoosh whoosh-

Kkaaaaaaah-

“Save me! Save me!”

Aaaah …

“Surrender. Surrender!”

[Keep bombing them so they can’t get out.]

[The third bombing of the Holy Crow Unit begins.]

Near the Great Lakes, a remote village is engulfed in flames.

Kim Yang, who has already burned down seven villages, showed his emotions for the first time.

[Are you cockroach-like bastards crazy? Why are you all acting like this?]

Shouldn’t you just do it when they tell you to surrender? It’s not like you can just do a cannibal identification test. What do you mean, “Please spare me, I surrender” after you’ve completely lost after trying to attack me?

[I thought it was a reasonable choice.]

It would be good if they fought and defeated them, but if they surrendered even after losing, they would not kill them all. This is what they were thinking. If they started without any such thing, even if they were warned with zero tolerance, they would not understand.

[The remote village was isolated from the beginning, so there would have been no information. They probably only knew rumors about the village being attacked by raiders.]

[No. I said it was a kingdom.]

[They might have seen us as nothing more than a bunch of marauders pretending to be royal troops. They might have interpreted the very meaning of declaring a kingdom in a strange way.]

Kim Yang honestly thought so. He thought that PDs who thought the media and broadcasting were important, and Banban 2-ho who thought the internet and information distribution were important, were ignorant of the ways of the world.

People don’t die just because they don’t watch TV or use the internet for a week or a month, right?

In a world that is collapsing like this, what about broadcasting? The Internet? Information?

‘Everyone’s head is a flower garden.’

That’s what she thought, but after reducing seven villages to ashes, it turned out that it wasn’t like that.

If the TV broadcast had been alive as the PD said, it would have been known what kind of country the kingdom was and what policies it was pursuing, and at the very least, there would have been more hesitation before making the decision that would have reduced the village to ashes.

Even if the news had been properly circulated that the entire village was burned down because of dog poop, it wouldn’t have gotten to this point.

There was an incomparable difference between a large city and a remote village. Wouldn’t it be more effective to show overwhelming power, such as tanks or armed helicopters?

The villagers surrendered and the cannibals ran away, so it was better to track down and deal with the escaped cannibals using the warlock and wolf.

After much deliberation, I requested support with tanks and helicopters, but they immediately said no.

The tanks are yet to be repaired and upgraded, and operating the armed helicopters requires a population of crows that can overwhelm the flocks of birds in the surrounding area, but they cannot afford to lose that number of crows.

[This is a supply airship. It is said that it has brought a battery equipped with a new autonomous defense system and a base relay system.]

[I asked them to send tanks and helicopters.]

Small, mobile fortress buildings like this began to be built here and there.

While Kim Yang, his guards, and the black horse were wandering around the outside world for two months, various sounds began to rise from the outskirts of the kingdom’s stronghold.

Wheeeeeeing-

The sound of armed drones patrolling.

Kaaaak-

The sound of the sacred crow repenting in a red voice.

Krrrrrr-

The sound of anger and resignation from the wolf, whose regular guerrilla training was almost over, filled the room.

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The aftermath of an incident that began in a remote village in late May swept through the entire base area. After rolling and rolling for over two months, Kim Yang, who had returned to the tower, groaned.

“Ah- I’m really tired. I’m really going to rest now.”

The problem was that Ms. Kim, who said she was dying of exhaustion as soon as she saw the floor, had shiny skin and was full of fresh energy from head to toe.

‘Is it really that hard?’

Kim Yang hurriedly responded to Maru’s tired gaze.

“This is the shell. So, it’s only fresh in appearance. I’m telling you, it’s because of the gomtang and boiled pork! It’s really hard.”

Researchers said that gomtang and boiled pork are good for physical strength. They said that if you eat them for a long time, there is a high possibility that your physical strength will increase semi-permanently.

And the effects were seen in people who ate it consistently every day for over two months. Things like increased physical strength, quicker healing of minor wounds, and skin becoming a little tougher.

People who work out were excited because their athletic ability improved as if they had taken a steroid supplement. There were no side effects, so it was a huge hit.

This was the same for crows and wolves. Starting with the crows in charge of maintaining security in the metropolitan area, salaries were being paid.

Some of the crows even used their entire salary to buy bear jerky and resell it at a premium.

Maru shook his head at the thought that things would have been even more of a mess than they are now if they hadn’t been classified as strategic materials and controlled.

“I’m glad to hear that you saw the effects of gomtang and boiled pork.”

“······.”

In response to Maru’s words, Ms. Kim exercised her right to remain silent.

“But you should go and see this.”

“···What’s going on?”

“Director Yoo Mark 2 is on a hunger strike because he wants to see you.”

“!?”

‘What the hell is this?’

‘That bullshit is reality.’

Kim Yang and Maru’s eyes met. So she went to meet Director Yu Mark 2.

“Oh my, it’s been a long time since you’ve been here.”

“Is it true that you skipped meals because you wanted to see me?”

The slightly haggard researcher nodded slightly.

“Yes. It’s the perfect time to eat···.”“······.”

Kim Yang quickly walked towards where Yoo 2 was, as if she was about to hear something she didn’t want to hear, like a complaint or a story.

Director Yu Mark 2 greeted her brightly when he saw her.

“What the hell.”

“Why, you bitch. I told you to eat a lot and produce a lot of shit, so why are you starving and acting like a bastard? Don’t tire people out, and while we’re on the subject, do you want to starve yourself to death?”

Director Yoo, who had grown a lot in two months, smiled brightly.

“What is the dog, Croar?”

“Crow? A crow?”

Director Yu Mark 2 spoke again, furrowing his brows.

“Chro-Chrono-”

“How about just eating well and sleeping well? Seeing how fast you’re growing, I think you’ll be able to speak properly in just a few more months.”

“Chrono Mora Chroro Na Chroro Dosan Chroro-”

“Chrono? Chrono—what does Chrono mean?”

Kim Yang, who was impressed, muttered, “Chrono… Chrono?” and then blurted out.

“Cron?”

Dori dori.

“Cron or Chrome?”

Dori dori.

“Could it be a clone?”

Nod nod.

Kim Yang’s eyes narrowed.

I knew there was information loss during the information extraction and injection process. But I don’t know what a clone is.

If a clone doesn’t have the original information, what kind of clone is it?

“What are you going to do with that?”

“I’m going to pay attention-”

Conservative? Revenge?

“To whom?”

Kim Yang started to empty the insides of Director Yu Jju Jju Yu Mark 2.

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Dr. Jack Neese, now a brain-chilling bio-terminal, was spouting bubbles.

[Pokgurruruk- Pokgurruruk-]

Although the bubbles could not send a signal, the violent eruption of bubbles was enough to attract the attention of CCTV.

Kkieeeeing-

The moment the CCTV turned to the biometric terminal, the doctor, who had slightly revealed the hidden lens, began to blink the small lens attached next to the camera.

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There was an endless repetition of flashes in the video Maru was watching.

Maru asked Diana.

“It looks like Morse code. What does it mean?”

[This is TRIA.]

On the CCTV screen, a video of Dr. Noedungdung desperately calling out to his artificial intelligence was playing.