Chapter 521 Finding the right place
Unaware of its pursuer, the robot walked straight into the building, disappearing from Erik's sight.
<I'm finally here,> he thought, sighing relief. He only needed to get the hostage out now to finish the test. He still had to act as if he had no idea this place was holding the hostage he was tasked with rescuing.
The structure Erik found himself in front of possessed an understated but grand air about it. At first glance, there did not appear to be any significant differences between it and the other fake-aged architecture that made up the city. It was constructed from a stone with a sand-colored hue, and it sat there unobtrusively among its siblings.
It appeared to be attempting to blend in or hide in plain sight. It was a substantial building that reached a height of three stories and gave off the impression of solidity. There were hidden rooms and maze-like corridors on each floor, which were identifiable by rows of small rectangular windows. The foundation of the building was sturdy and unremarkable, and the sole distinguishing feature was a sizable wooden door.
The stone seemed to have a life of its own thanks to the creeping growth of moss-green vines, which gave the impression that the building was much older than its actual age. However, a more sinister undercurrent that Erik could feel but couldn't place overshadowed the location's charming allure.
Erik knew this building was anything but what it appeared to be from every angle. Its seemingly unremarkable exterior served as a mask and a facade. The last piece of his mission was hidden in this building, which did not seem particularly noteworthy at first glance.
Standing at the threshold of the ordinary-looking building, Erik took a moment to survey his surroundings. His senses were on high alert; he analyzed every robot that passed by, every seemingly mundane activity.
An eerie sense of normalcy hung in the air, but Erik wasn't fooled by it. The ordinary pedestrians going about their day, the vendors hawking their wares, the laborers hauling their goods, all were too typical, too perfectly conforming to the city's rhythm.
Despite the near-flawless simulation of a busy day in a bustling city, Erik knew better. The exact moment he went inside the arena, he asked the Biological Supercomputer to find the hostage, and it not only did that but also told him the robots around the location all had the order to guard that place and to intervene in case they saw the test taker, Erik, go inside.
The robots, in their ancient-looking tunics and mannerisms mirroring human quirks, were excellently maintaining the illusion of a typical day. They interacted, argued, and laughed as if they were living out their lives in this simulated world. Any other mercenary would have been fooled, yet Erik knew these were all scripted interactions, an elaborate stage play.
<I swear, everything is starting to give me the creeps, he thought as his gaze fell on a pair of robots haggling over the price of a sack of grains.
One was a robust figure; the other was frail, bent with "age." Their conversation flowed naturally, and their body language perfectly aligned with their argument.
Again, Erik couldn't help but marvel at the level of detail and the perfect execution of human-like traits in the robots. However, as he examined them more, he noticed the brooches they wore—they had the same symbol he had seen on the robot he had trailed, meaning they were part of the group as well.
He wasn't dealing with regular robots anymore. He was amidst an artificial organization designed to test him to his limits.
Leaning casually against the sun-warmed stone of an adjacent building, Erik studied the three-story structure where the hostage was held. A logical part of him considered the straightforward approach of walking through the main entrance and killing everyone before freeing the hostage.
This bold plan was appealing; it would make for an exciting spectacle for those watching the livestream, and he could showcase his skills to the viewers outside.
While contemplating rushing in, his attention was drawn to the solid and beautifully crafted wooden doors at the front of the building. There was no question that they concealed additional, possibly more powerful guards who were ready to repel any surprise attack.
Even though it may have been exciting, a confrontation may quickly become a large-scale battle. As Erik deliberated over what to do, he quickly considered that the robots might "kill" the hostage. That would, for sure, make his mission fail. Since an indiscriminate battle might endanger her and, in turn, jeopardize his scores in the test.
He then looked at the array of windows dotting the building's facade. The second floor had several large windows for him to slip through.
His thoughts began formulating a strategy: he could scale the building's stone exterior, sneak inside, and avoid alerting the guards. This was the general outline of his plan. However, the instant the thought occurred, he immediately recognized a problem. Although the climb wouldn't be challenging, ascending would attract unwanted attention. The stealthy approach would be rendered useless when one of the guards noticed him, resulting in the same situation as the direct assault.
Erik rubbed his chin, lost in thought. He realized that neither plan was foolproof. Each had its problems and risks. Yet he also understood that the test was designed to be so. It wasn't meant to be easy; it wasn't meant to have a clear, simple solution. He was being tested not just on his strengths but also his strategies and ability to assess a situation and make the best decision considering all variables.
There was a third option, but Erik wanted to start thinking about it when he had exhausted all his other options.
He narrowed his eyes, and his brain began to search for a solution that would not only assist him in achieving his objective but also ensure the hostage's safety at the same time. He was looking for a way to accomplish both of these things simultaneously.
Erik quickly surveyed his immediate environment and determined that he needed a more comprehensive perspective of the area. As a result, he retreated a few alleys and began scaling the building. Additionally, this would prevent people from seeing him.
This chapt𝙚r is updated by fr(e)ew𝒆bnov(e)l.com