Undercover.Agents who infiltrate a specific organization to conduct espionage. However, the undercover androids at the 5th Defense Force Base are so vicious that even that name is too good for them. Their sole purpose is to fracture the unclassified soldiers.The humanoid androids that infiltrate as undercovers use their highly socialized AI to form close relationships with humans. Sometimes they become good friends, other times reliable comrades. The words and speech patterns they utter, guided by their learned programming, allow them to easily win favor and build trust.And they ‘use’ that trust whenever necessary, by finding weaknesses or manipulating relationships from behind the scenes.But why?The reason is pathetically petty. To stop the soldiers from uniting to clear their names. To prevent a large number of them from working together to expose the corruption within the Defense Force.‘Viciously inefficient.’But even if they did join forces, could they really overcome the high bastion of the Defense Force? When you think about it, there isn’t much the unclassified soldiers can do… yet the military chose to torment them to the very end.And that choice becomes the biggest stumbling block when the end of the world begins. The androids, having learned nothing but socialization and the division of groups, act only for that mission.‘If I leave them be, they’ll just pick sides and tear each other apart.’In the early stages of the apocalypse, the reason more than half of the five hundred Defense Force soldiers suffer such devastating losses is purely because they fail to concentrate their strength in one place. They eventually realize the existence of the undercovers and try to oust them, but by then, it’s too late.That is why there is not a shred of hesitation at the tip of my swinging blade.SHIIIIIIING—!And with that, the last of them falls, its neck severed.Thump.Forcibly suppressing a faint sense of excitement, I realize the battle is over.[‘Extrasensory Perception’ deactivated.]The state of heightened senses fades, and a deep breath escapes me.“Hoo.”It’s not because my breathing is unsteady. It is simply a sigh of relief at having untangled a difficult knot so easily.‘Thank god.’It was a problem I’d been wrestling with the entire hoverbike ride over. How would I root out the rest of the units, besides the few I already knew about? That worry vanished the moment I drew my sword and activated my extrasensory perception. I could feel the subtle difference between human and android. A slight dissonance in their breathing, the manipulated beat of their hearts—that subtle difference became a certainty.‘Normally, I wouldn't have been able to tell them apart from humans.’Undercover androids. Before explaining the reason for making the extreme choice to decommission them, I take a look around.Eyes, half-mixed with terror and vigilance.“You, what’s your identity!”“Get a… get a gun!”Countless shouts assault my eardrums. It’s to be expected. I did just make a huge mess. But it had to be done. Giving those bastards time to react would have been a foolish choice. Acting first and cleaning up after was the only way to move forward without taking a detour.“Do you have any idea what you’ve just done? You’ve just launched a preemptive strike against the Defense Force. Drop your weapon! If you don't, we’ll open fire!”“I believe the message was to be armed and ready for a state of war. You’re slow.”If they had armed themselves as quickly as the dispatch from the Central Control Center had instructed… I would have faced a much more difficult situation. Perhaps their incompetence created the best possible outcome.Enough with the introspection. It’s time to reveal it. The reason I made such an extreme choice. It is a truth they, too, deserve to know."Eli Wayless.""Yes.""Please dismantle the terminals of the destroyed androids.""Yes, I understand."It’s not a request like before, but a clear command. It could be uncomfortable, but Eli doesn't show it."As quickly as possible.""Yes, understood."In fact, with a quick wit, she changes her tone. Now is not the time for clumsy etiquette, but for asserting authority. The name ‘Eli Wayless’ once again causes a stir.“Wait… did he just say Eli Wayless…?”“The Eli?”“From the Wayless family…”“It’s her. Eli Wayless. I’ve seen her in videos.”Regardless of the commotion, Eli's hands rummage ceaselessly through the wreckage of the broken androids. Many are stunned by the rare sight. I needed to shift their attention."I'm sure you all have many questions."It was a casual query, but no one could answer easily. The soldiers’ momentum was already broken. This isn’t bad. It creates an atmosphere where we can talk. The encounter prompt soon followed.Ding!【Encounter Occurred】【The Truth of the 5th Defense Force Base】You know the truth of the 5th Defense Force Base. Their future actions will change depending on your choices.[(Reveal the truth)][(Conceal it)]However. There is one thing I must consider. Is it really the right method to explain everything head-on? There's a high probability they'll dismiss it as bullshit meant to excuse my actions.So then?"I'm going to need you to… explain why you've done this."[‘Actor’ Trait Activated]A momentary, deep breath. I carefully make my first move."I'd rather not.""This isn't a suggestion or a request.""Do you really need to know? What I destroyed were androids that had infiltrated the Defense Force. Not humans."The reaction was immediate."All units, subdue the unidentified hostile.""Drop your weapon and put your hands up! Any funny business and we'll have no choice but to fire!"A few who were late to arm themselves now turn their muzzles toward me. I gaze at them calmly. Strangely, I don’t feel nervous. Is it because of the Actor Trait? No, that’s not it. It's because I was already prepared for this situation.Even so, there's a reason I'm not revealing the truth right away.‘Reverse psychology.’I intend to exploit their reactance. It's a simple principle, despite the complex-sounding term. Human psychology is like that of a contrarian frog. Tell them not to do something, and they want to do it more. Tell them you won’t tell them something, and they want to hear it more. Right now, I need to use that."I do not wish to see you gentlemen fall into despair.""That is not for you to decide."An attempt to hide information. That very attempt amplifies their doubt. And as that doubt grows, whether the information is true or false becomes less important. They start to forget about verifying its authenticity. Of course, clear proof will emerge once the androids are dismantled. But for now, that momentary lapse in reason is necessary.Because humans are not rational beings. The message this world constantly delivers is the irrationality of man. No matter how clear the evidence presented, the moment doubt takes root, they will start doubting for the sake of doubting. When faced with a truth they don't want to believe, if there's any room to doubt it, they might start spewing nonsense about fabricated evidence. Arguing the details with solid information would just be a pointless waste of time."It's a story you'd be better off not knowing.""Then we'll have no choice but to pull the trigger."As expected, the atmosphere grows more hostile. There's no need for a lengthy explanation now. If that had been my plan, I wouldn't have asked Eli to dismantle the androids in the first place. To resolve their amplified questions, they will search for the solution themselves.And then, Eli's troubled voice rings out."Mr. Han…"In her hand is a terminal the size of a thumbnail. Now, one more sentence is all it will take."Eli, you must not hand that over to anyone."The soldiers react like cornered animals."Confiscate it, now!"A soldier moves toward Eli. I step in front of her, blocking his path, even with a gun aimed at me."Move!""If you continue to be uncooperative, I will have to shoot!"Can they really shoot? It’s a possibility I should be wary of, but right now, I’m certain. They can't shoot me. A being who possesses a master key. A being who can command someone from the Wayless family. To them, I must already feel like an untouchable entity. The proof is in their troubled expressions, which contradict their harsh words.Finally, the one who would put an end to this stepped forward from their ranks."Everyone, lower your weapons.""…!?""Ben! What are you—""Now-!!"Benjamin Howard. The heart of the 5th Defense Force, and the leader who would guide them until the very end. With a complex expression, he stood between the gun muzzles and me.“Ms. Eli called you Mr. Han.”“…”“I don’t know how you know my name, but, Mr. Han.”He… looked as if he was desperately holding something back.“Please, tell us the truth.”“…You’ll regret it.”“It’s a truth we must face.”That was a sufficient answer. I nonchalantly handed over the terminal. Benjamin turned his head and gestured to someone.“Dao.”“Ben.”“Connect it.”“Understood.”And then, for about ten minutes, silence fell. It was a silence close to a soundless scream.It couldn't have been just because of their unjust situation. They might have felt a sense of emptiness upon realizing the true identities of the friends and comrades they had trusted. Or maybe they were mocking themselves for being used like puppets all this time. One thing was certain: a chain reaction of negative emotions settled a heavy weight over the atmosphere.However, I wanted those feelings to finally explode. That was the purpose of this conversation, of these actions. Only when all those emotions detonate would they finally realize, wouldn't they? That they weren’t the trash that society saw them as. If they were truly incompetent beyond recovery, the military never would have resorted to such a low-handed tactic in the first place.If they could just realize that much, those old feelings would transform into a new desire. These are the men who, even after being branded with infamy, wished to remain in the military. When the mutants appear, they will be the first to form a line and fight to their deaths. At their core must be a desire.‘They wanted to be acknowledged.’They wanted to erase their stigma and fulfill their given responsibilities. They wanted to die as soldiers, not as trash. Is that the mindset of an ordinary human? No. It’s the mindset of those who surpass the ordinary.That is why I do not wish for them to end as the [Trash Can] or the [Moths].The voice that escaped me, born from that sentiment, was calm and heavy.“Does it hurt, now that you know the truth?”“…”“That was your place in this world.”“…What are you trying to say?”“It feels a bit late to say this now, but soon, this city will be destroyed.”"What are you—"The easiest way to make these men my subordinates would have been to disguise my identity. But such a relationship would collapse into mistrust the moment my cover was blown. If I am to find comrades who will be with me from beginning to end, I need to be sincere.“Come with me. There’s something I need to show you.”Ding![(Reveal the truth)]Ding!【Encounter Linked】【The Defense Force that Faced the Truth】The Defense Force, having heard the truth from you, is in a state of extreme confusion. Their future actions will change depending on your behavior.[(An unpredictable choice)][(Leave)]

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