Malfunctioning Utopia

Chapter 27: Battle Memories

Sun Jack’s bluff failed spectacularly. Before he could utter another word, the nine AABs charged at him, a crushing wave of metal descending like a landslide.

Faced with imminent death, Sun Jack’s mind went blank. In the stillness before his end, fragmented memories surfaced in his consciousness.

At that critical moment, Tapai surged forward, clutching Sun Jack to his chest and using his metallic body as a final shield.

Screeching claws raked across Tapai’s armor, leaving three deep gashes that exposed the circuits beneath. Sparks flew in the air as Sun Jack’s eyes turned bloodshot, and a raw, uncontrollable emotion erupted from his heart.

“Hilda!!”

Suddenly, the pressure in Tapai’s grip lessened. Looking down, he realized Sun Jack was no longer there.

A sharp, metallic screech came from the left. Tapai’s head spun 180°, its sensors locking onto the source.

There, Sun Jack plunged his blade like a scalpel into the power core of one AAB. As its red eye dimmed, he yanked the blade out and dodged, the razor-sharp claws grazing his skin.

Before the AAB’s body hit the ground, Sun Jack kicked off, retreating swiftly before aiming his cannon at its chest and firing. The recoil propelled him backward, and mid-air, he adjusted his posture like a tiger pouncing onto another AAB.

Though not unnaturally fast, Sun Jack’s every move was precise and deliberate, wasting no energy.

Four Ai, King Kong, and Tapai watched in stunned silence. They couldn’t believe what they were seeing—a flesh-and-blood human twisting and turning amidst the metallic beasts, matching them blow for blow.

Realizing Sun Jack’s threat level, the remaining AABs adapted their tactics. One deliberately exposed a weak point, baiting him.

As Sun Jack attacked, another AAB leaped from his blind spot, sinking its teeth into his left arm.

It didn’t bite through immediately. Instead, it tugged at him, aiming to disrupt his balance and make him vulnerable to the others.

Without hesitation, Sun Jack severed his trapped arm with a swift slash. In the same motion, his blade stabbed into the AAB’s core, severing three critical wires with surgical precision.

The AAB exploded in a burst of flame, and Sun Jack used its remains as cover, shielding himself from further attacks.

Reaching into the flames, he cauterized his wound with unflinching resolve, his movements steady as though the searing pain were someone else’s.

As the blood ceased flowing, Sun Jack surveyed the remaining AABs. Without hesitation, he launched himself toward the metallic panther.

“What are you all waiting for?! Help him!” Tapai yelled, charging forward with his weapon, while Four Ai’s drones followed closely behind.

It was unthinkable—a human challenging these mechanical beasts, especially with such overwhelming odds. But somehow, Sun Jack was doing it.

When the final AAB bit through his prosthetic limb, severing it completely, Sun Jack lunged forward. Clamping his teeth onto his detached arm, he used his remaining strength to drive the unpowered blade into the AAB’s chest. 𝘙ä₦ộВÈŝ

When the last AAB collapsed, sparking and lifeless, the entire rain shelter fell silent.

Tapai was the first to reach Sun Jack, his repair cables snaking out to patch up the ruptured blood vessels in Sun Jack’s body.

But Sun Jack simply stood there, dazed, his unfocused eyes staring ahead.

“Are you okay, Jack? Look at my fingers—how many?” Tapai steadied him, his voice concerned.

Sun Jack’s lips trembled as he tried to speak, but before a word could escape, he collapsed, unconscious.

Tapai moved to carry him out, but Four Ai’s shout stopped him. “Are you trying to kill him? Let me handle this!”

Dragging her injured leg, Four Ai limped over, glared at Tapai, and knelt beside Sun Jack. Her drones descended, scanning him with spectral lights.

As the data streamed in, Four Ai’s expression darkened. “Body temperature 43°C, elevated creatinine levels, atrial rate 1/540, atrial fibrillation…”

Barking rapid commands, she had the drones lift Sun Jack and carry him toward the car.

Tapai moved to follow, but Four Ai stopped him. “Don’t come with us! Go to the basement and finish the job! See if Father is still alive—if he is, drag him out!”

“Jack’s dying! What does the job matter?! My duty is to stay by his side!” Tapai’s display turned crimson, flashing furiously.

“Hey, tin can!” Four Ai jabbed a finger into Tapai’s chest plate, her voice fierce. “If you want to save his life, then finish the job! You can’t save him, but money can!”

After a tense silence, Tapai turned toward the villa.

Four Ai looked skyward. “King Kong! Get me the nearest surgical room with a life support system, now! This kid doesn’t have much time!”

“I’ve found one. Uploading coordinates to your UI now. I’ve hacked the car’s driving system—I’ll handle navigation,” King Kong’s voice replied before fading into data streams under the artificial sun.

The SUV’s doors opened automatically, and the drones loaded Sun Jack in. As the car sped away, silence enveloped the rain shelter once more.

Tapai stood motionless for a moment before rebooting his logic system. With a soft beep, he began diagnostics and walked toward the villa doors.

Sun Jack woke to the sound of overdue loan alerts, a countdown ticking ominously before his eyes. He knew what would happen if he couldn’t repay in time, but that wasn’t his biggest concern right now.

Looking down, he realized he was completely naked, lying on a hospital bed with tubes and wires snaking into his body.

As he began pulling out a few of the tubes, the door opened, and Four Ai walked in, puffing on an e-cigarette.

“You’re awake?”

“What… what did you do to me?” Sun Jack asked, dazed and confused.