Chapter 22 A Dangerous Upgrade
Kit and Red both let out long breaths.
“This still feels unreal,” Kit muttered in disbelief.
“Your workshop is amazing, Kit. You’ll be safe here. All you have to do is repair people’s weapons.” Red glanced around the advanced facility. “And upgrade them.”
“They even allow me to charge material fees without taking a cut from my services.” Kit looked genuinely excited. “Though I probably can’t repair traditional weapons like swords.”
“Then focus on customers with high-tech weapons,” Red suggested. “Don’t waste your time on low-paying clients.”
Red walked toward Ursula. Now that things finally felt safer, her stomach started growling from hunger.
She grabbed the backpack, dropped it onto the floor near Call, then sat down in front of him. After pulling out several packets of food and three bottles of water, she placed them on the table.
Kit joined them, sitting between Red and Call.
“Now that you own the best workshop in After Domini, don’t start charging the two of us ridiculous prices,” Call joked while finishing the last spoonful from his bowl.
Then his attention shifted to the porridge packet Red had placed down.
“Don’t be stupid, Call. I’d never overcharge you. I’d probably fix your stuff for free,” Kit replied. “But materials and spare parts are your responsibility if I don’t already have them.”
“This revolver definitely needs fixing.” Call pulled the gun from his holster. “Why did my shot miss earlier?”
“That’s not the gun’s fault.” Red shot him a flat look. “You’ve never even used a gun before, have you?”
Call simply nodded sheepishly.
“Then practice more,” Red said.
Suddenly, Kit lowered her gaze. “I’m sorry.”
Call blinked in confusion. “For what?”
“I never really got to thank Phi and Flame properly, so I upgraded one of them.” Kit sighed softly. “Now they’ll be even harder to defeat.”
“You don’t need to worry about that,” Red said calmly. “If none of us survive… then let’s just hope they’ll still help the people on Earth.”
“Don’t say things like that.” Call looked visibly upset. “I can’t imagine my dad and sister staying trapped in dreams until they die.”
Kit’s expression darkened. She quietly opened one of the food packets while taking the bowl beside Call.
Call quickly pressed a wall-mounted button, causing an aluminum kettle to slide out of a compartment, steam rising from its spout.
“This machine’s amazing. It makes and stores hot water.” Call looked excited. “What do you think, Red?”
“I already have one at home,” Red answered with a grin.
“Same here.” Kit laughed. “Why are you acting like it’s some revolutionary invention?”
Call shrugged. “Because I don’t have one at home.”
“I wonder if every household gets different facilities.” Kit glanced at Red. “Wasn’t AI supposed to treat everyone equally?”
Call shook his head. “Maybe you two are just rich or something. Whatever.”
Red looked back at Kit, a strange feeling tugging at her chest.
A simple hot-water machine didn’t seem important, yet Call had never owned one.
It suddenly made Red wonder whether AI actually distributed resources differently based on a person’s assigned social level.
Maybe Kit came from a higher-class family.
Call poured hot water into Kit’s bowl of powdered porridge.
“You want some too, Red?”
Red nodded and handed him her bowl.
After pouring the water, Call returned the kettle to the machine.
“Will Flame really be that hard to beat?” he asked.
“He’s still human, so he’ll have weaknesses,” Kit replied. “But fighting him definitely won’t be easy. Especially with that blue fire. In close combat, he’ll be terrifying.”
“You probably have the best chance against him, Call,” Red said while opening another porridge packet. “Maybe you should improve your weapon’s range.”
Kit took a spoonful from her bowl. “The Tank is still the team’s main defense. That lets the others attack more aggressively.”
“Even with Ursula’s strength, dealing with fast opponents will be difficult,” Red said quietly.
Aamon’s figure suddenly flashed through her mind.
“Especially assassins.”
“If Ursula syncs properly with you, her movements will become much more flexible,” Kit explained while stirring her porridge. “Can you guide her to the diagnostic station?”
“I’m not sure.” Red looked at Ursula uncertainly. “Ghníomhact.”
Standing near the workshop entrance, Ursula immediately brought her palms together before clenching her fists.
Red slowly stood and walked forward. Ursula followed closely behind her until reaching the diagnostic station.
Once Ursula stopped in place, Red sat back down.
Kit approached the machine and pressed a button beside the station. A holographic screen instantly appeared.
She began running a full scan on Ursula.
“Are you sure you’ve synchronized with her, Red?” Kit asked.
“I think so. Maybe around fifty percent?” Red answered hesitantly. She had never actually seen the exact synchronization data before.
Kit continued analyzing the results with her advanced tools.
Then she suddenly fell silent.
“What is it?” Red asked.
“This is bad.”
Red frowned. “What do you mean?”
Kit slowly turned toward her.
“Red… your synchronization with Ursula hasn’t even reached two percent yet.”
Red’s eyes widened in shock.
“What?”