Without any intention of stopping or helping this horrific situation, reporters gathered in the designated safety zone near the main gate continued broadcasting.
“Terra Motors CEO Dongjin Seo has requested the forcible dispersal of protesters effective 9:00 p.m. tonight! As you can see, the sixty-day standoff at Terra Motors—marked by unyielding confrontation—is collapsing with the deployment of the White Bone Unit!”
Another reporter went further, outlining Terra Group’s grand vision.
“With all factories in South Korea becoming unmanned, even Terra Motors’ Second Plant—long considered the final stronghold of the metalworkers’ union—has now been automated. Human labor is disappearing from every factory in the nation. Holding the court order in his hand, CEO Dongjin Seo has announced an additional sixty trillion won in future robot investments, on top of the existing thirty trillion, declaring that humans will be liberated from labor and provided with basic income—”
Within the summoned reality, Mika stared at Zion Kang on the platform. Blood spattered his face, tears streaming from his bloodshot eyes. Someone desperately grabbed his collar, urging him to flee. Zion Kang stood his ground, ignoring the hands pulling at him, as if prepared to meet his end.
“Please! Leader! At least you must survive!”
Someone shouted. Only then did Zion Kang come to his senses. This was no longer a matter of whether a single person lived or died. If even he were arrested here, labor itself would truly disappear from this land. He had to run.
As Zion Kang turned, the young men shielding him were struck down by batons and collapsed screaming. Three suppression troopers climbed the steps, their walker feet pounding. As they approached Zion Kang, they raised their baton shock gauges to level ten.
Bzzzz—
Crackle—crackle—
Electric discharge burst from the batons.
“You’re dead, Zion Kang.”
At that signal, all three troopers lunged at him, their batons descending at once—
Boom—flash—
Crash—
The three troopers were hurled backward, tumbling more than five meters away. Groaning, they staggered to their feet and stared toward Zion Kang.
Hoooo—
Through the acrid smoke emerged a massive shoulder silhouette, armored chest plating, and within a black, gleaming helmet, a pair of horizontally glowing red eyes.
“You—”
“Pluto. It’s Pluto!”
As one of the fallen troopers shouted, every trooper beating the union members froze and turned to look. There stood the 2.3-meter-tall police robot Pluto, blocking their path as if shielding Zion Kang.
“Pluto…”
Mika muttered as well. That a wanted robot had appeared at the protest site was shocking even to her. Mika immediately gave an order to Leo.
“Move to the scene immediately.”
Leo’s Black Car Y roared onto the roads of Namsan. Even while moving, Mika remained within the summoned reality of the Teleport View, continuing to witness Pluto’s presence on site.
“Why the hell is that crazy tin can here?” one trooper muttered, gripping his baton.
“What should we do, sir?” another asked.
“All units, assemble!”
At the commander’s order, all twenty suppression troopers regrouped in front of him within two seconds. Pluto stood motionless at a distance, doing nothing but guarding Zion Kang.
“We smashed that thing before—how is it still intact?” a union worker muttered as he regained consciousness.
“Idiot. It’s a robot. Someone must’ve reassembled it.”
“Then why the hell is it here?”
“How would I know?”
Zion Kang was equally stunned. In the past, this police robot had always taken on the most dangerous roles at the most dangerous moments during protests. It had been struck by Molotovs, caught in gas explosions, and subjected to indiscriminate bombardment countless times. Eventually, steel pipes had been driven into its body, tearing its limbs apart.
A robot like that—emotionless as it was—should have been far more likely to harm a union leader than protect one. And yet here it was: a robot once brutally destroyed by protesters now standing to defend them.
“Pluto. You are wanted. Raise both hands and lie face down on the ground. This is an order.”
The suppression commander shouted.
Pluto did not comply.
Thud—
It stepped forward once. Several troopers flinched and took a step back. From within Pluto’s helmet came a deep, mechanical voice.
“White Bone Unit… get lost.”
Leave a Reply