ch79

Trailing.

In dictionary terms, it refers to the act of following someone secretly to monitor their behavior or gather evidence necessary for an investigation.

Therefore, criminology teaches basic trailing methods to ‘trail a target without being detected.’

For example, when trailing on foot, walk at the same speed as the target, never make eye contact and look slightly down, utilize any terrain features that can conceal your form, and always be cautious when turning corners, etc.

In that sense, it seemed like a decent method for a tin can with a humanoid body to use these rules to pursue suspicious groups.

…Yes, if it weren’t for the fact that the composite resistance armor that Anastasia had deliberately taken the trouble to match was particularly conspicuous.

A dark alleyway. Before leaving the building after finishing their work, a man who had been surveying the surroundings let out a groan.

It was a natural action, as it had not been long since they received a communication warning them to be careful, as the troops guarding the main street would occasionally conduct inspections even in places like this in search of their hostile forces, who were not showing themselves no matter how long they waited…

“Hmm…”

“What’s wrong?

Even though the atmosphere was filled with a sense that no human presence could be found at all. For some reason, he couldn’t let his guard down.

After all, the only noticeable, moving objects were a cylindrical cleaning robot busy tidying up the dirty ground and… a robot tearing down illegal posters plastered on the wall in the shade.

“…No, I was just thinking that these days, they even use humanoid types as cleaning robots.”

He glossed over it with another reason, citing a vague, unsettling feeling that was hard to express concretely. But it wasn’t a false signal sent from a body tensed up from carrying out a secret operation.

“You’re worried about everything. I guess they have different uses. If the installation is done, let’s move on to the next location quickly. The lady from headquarters said to finish it before the parade arrives at the plaza.”

“Hmm… I guess so.”

The feeling the man felt was déjà vu.

Care Bot, who had been trailing them for a long time from the main street, stared blankly at the two men as they left, hesitating but unable to delay any longer. Then, he tossed a rolled-up bundle of paper to the real cleaning robot and entered the officetel where the men said they had ‘finished the installation.’

……. –

Saving memory to allocate to the voice module, he maximized the scanner and central processing unit.

Judging that they must have hidden tangible equipment somewhere here, not just programs, based on the faint shoe prints left on the tiles, the scattered dust clumps, and the nuance of their words, the tin can traced their tracks.

There were no signs of unauthorized entry into tightly closed offices or rooms.

However, he didn’t think they would have left suspicious objects out in the open in the hallway, where residents or employees could come and go at any time.

The tin can reviewed the mission outline shared by Anastasia.

They had clearly stated that they would interfere with the parade as revenge for the unjust terrorist accusation.

Underground organizations are fundamentally usurpers.

Ambitious individuals who try to break through the walls of corporations that can never be torn down through normal means and settle into the upper echelons of power.

But among them, the Five Eyes is a group that primarily advocates the reconstruction of an ideal nation. Would they really resort to bombing civilian buildings or direct attacks, which have little to do with it, as a means of retaliation, as the corporation expects?

Is it here… –

The tin can stood in front of the door where traces of the Five Eyes agents going in and out remained.

There were no vibrations or signs of life detected separately from inside, but he couldn’t let his guard down. After all, the only heat detection equipment attached to the Care Bot was a non-contact thermometer for checking the temperature of water or drinks, so he couldn’t be sure.

Thump!

He roughly pushed open the door and rolled into the room.

That clever choice to minimize the area that could be hit and not miss the first strike… was unfortunately useless.

What appeared before the tin can, who was prepared for battle, were items that were somewhat tame to be called equipment used for terrorism.

A terminal that seemed to serve as a signal receiver was placed alone on top of a box, and near the open window… a searchlight with eyes drawn on it and a large speaker.

He blinked his scanner at the sight reminiscent of a cluttered event venue warehouse.

Quite. They seem to prefer a gentle form of resistance movement. –

There was no particular animosity, but today he had decided to help his owner, so the actions he had to take were clear and there was no hesitation.

With a deflating friction sound, the tin can cleanly unplugged the power cords connected to the lighting and sound equipment and diligently moved to find other suspects…

Huh? The equipment. Did you connect it properly? The place that Team 4 just turned on has changed to no signal? –

I’ll contact the site. To see if they’ve been caught from behind. But have you been in contact with the gate terrorist who caused this mess? –

…They won’t pay attention until I win! I’m busy, so hang up!! –

…I can’t understand the pride battles of hackers at all. –

The branch manager, who had finished a short call with the lady dispatched from headquarters, immediately contacted the field agents.

To cut off the corporate stooges, and if not… to respect the on-site judgment.

No machine was an exception to the rule that if the tail was too long, it would be caught.

Only when dusk was gradually falling and the darkness of Christmas began to descend on the city. The Five Eyes side was able to grab the tail they had been chasing, believing it to be a corporation, and finally confirm its true nature.

Sometimes pretending to be a cleaning robot on the street. Sometimes just pretending to be a passing, unrelated Droid.

The tin can, deceiving potential enemies, eavesdropping on their muttered conversations, and disabling the installed equipment, realized that the moment to retreat had come.

I may have been too engrossed. –

Even if the hide-and-seek took place near the main street where the event and parade were in full swing, the distance to the situation room where the hacker mercenaries were gathered was a bit far.

To be so engrossed in the trivial task of disrupting anti-corporate organizational activities and neglect the important task of meeting his owner would be completely putting the cart before the horse.

The other side didn’t seem to want a full-scale battle either, so he decided to stop here and organize the collected information to report the facts he had learned from Asha.

Squeak…

……. –

As the tin can was about to turn around and leave, the suspects he had been chasing reversed course and began to approach him.

Thud, thud. With blatant footsteps, people he didn’t know when they had gathered were closing in, forming a shallow encirclement.

Being trapped in the middle of enemy territory without a suitable firearm in hand was definitely not a good picture.

The judgment was swift, and once the decision was made, there was no element to hesitate.

Bang!!

“Damn it!! Catch him!”

“Who was the bastard who said it would be a Levy unit?! That’s a completely custom robot!!”

At the roar caused by the tin can kicking off the ground.

At the shouts echoing through the back alley, everyone involved rushed in without anyone saying anything.

The only fortunate thing was that they also refrained from using firearms to avoid attracting unnecessary attention, seeing that the opponent was ambiguous to be seen as belonging to a corporation?

“Hmph!!”

Would you please not touch my body without permission? –

A field agent who suddenly popped out from the corner abruptly swung a hammer at the Care Bot’s pelvic area as it glided.

However, the strike, which contained the conventional intention of first suppressing mobility and then having a leisurely conversation, was thwarted by the tin can’s response, which was not mechanical at all.

“What?!”

“What the hell is that…?”

The mechanical body floating in the air soared upwards once more.

The lump of iron, which they thought had jumped over their heads, rose vertically as if it had wings.

He stepped on the protruding sign to replenish the lacking propulsion.

He grabbed the drooping power lines and used the recoil to fly his body to the next foothold.

From the moment he noticed that the surroundings were filled with suspects who were furious, the tin can didn’t even consider the plan to naively run away from this place.

If they were that sloppy, they would have been wiped out by the corporation long ago.

Rather, the tin can thought it was fortunate that he was able to get a glimpse of their activities this time based on clear intelligence.

The next time Anastasia gets involved with them, he can provide meaningful practical data…

Creak—!!!

……? –

The arm that had been holding onto the railing of a relatively low building tilted.

No, beyond tilting. The body that had been soaring against gravity was once again entangled in that chain and was falling towards the alley floor.

The cause was… a hand axe that flew in at the point when he thought he had escaped safely.

The prediction that the corporation’s hunting dogs would not be able to shoot recklessly because they were monitoring the area near the road with their eyes wide open was correct, but the appearance of a skilled person with such accurate throwing skills was an unexpected variable.

But where exactly did it hit that he was falling so cleanly?

There was no need to perform a self-diagnosis. While falling, the tin can confirmed that two of the fingers he had placed on the railing had been cleanly cut off from about halfway down.

Squeak!

Thud…!!

In order to prevent further losses, he reduced his speed by scraping against the outer wall and was able to land safely on the ground.

“…Okay. Shall we have a calm conversation now?”

“Huh? Hey!! What the hell is your crazy owner thinking?! We took the trouble to come all the way here, and you’re doing this to us…!!”

……. –

The words muttered by the leader, presumed to have thrown the axe, as he dusted off his hands.

The screams of the girl, who had been yelling into the terminal until just before.

The almost completed encirclement.

None of that affected the tin can’s thoughts.

Because he was in a state where even the deepest parts of his bone marrow were being corroded by a deep sense of displeasure.

He could only stare blankly at the severed surface of his fingers and sort out his thoughts.

Certainly… it was true that he thought the Care Bot body he was currently using was regrettable.

But that was only a pampered grumble that only one artificial intelligence who had been granted a new life by his beloved owner, only he who used the name tin can, could have. It was impossible for other riffraff to even dare to scratch or disparage it.

He had even disobeyed Anastasia’s order to stay home for fear that something might be damaged… such an undisguisable, unexcused wound?

…Adjusting engagement level. Upgrading from potential threat to high-risk enemy. –

Even if he spoke grandly, the tin can knew that it would be difficult to kill them with just the resentment he had.

Whether he could reverse the huge power gap was another matter, but the damage to the robot’s limbs was, at best, property damage. On the other hand, if a machine kills a person, the responsibility, of course, falls on the owner.

While the tin can was wondering if it would be okay to make enemies with such a group with his rash judgment.

He was also able to decide on a response policy to her communication, which echoed loudly in his ears.

Tin Can! You idiot!! I told you to stay home! What are you doing in a place like this?! Don’t tell me you ran into the Five Eyes? You’re not broken again, are you?! –

“A high-risk enemy, huh… That’s quite an honor. But don’t you have any weapons? Your owner is quite heartless.”

……Consider yourself lucky. I’m making an exception this time only because of that heartless person. –