Chapter 145
Mitchell, after some deliberation, looked at Vera and said, "Director, if Atlas releases this type of armed robot, how do you plan to address the potential for misuse, like this time, during a rescue mission, if the terrorists purchased robots in addition to deploying their core members..."
"Huh?"
Vera gave this 'adopted son' whom Ains loved because of his love for Irons a meaningful look.
She smiled.
"As expected of a war hero personally invited by Professor Ains, you have a keen sense of smell. It's a loss for the Marine Corps to abandon a meritorious soldier like you."
Routine praise.
Mitchell remained silent and unresponsive to the topic.
After the initial pleasantries, Vera changed the subject, saying, "Progress comes from problems, which is one of the reasons I presented them to you so abruptly. Maintain a certain urgency and let you engage with them empirically and unpreparedly. That way, the impression will be profound."
"Technology is evolving, and as the best of the Atlas rapid reaction forces, you need to keep up with the times and become familiar with it. Be familiar with how to deal with it and how to fight alongside it."
Vera did not choose to answer Mitchell's question directly.
"You can't fight a war without threat-sensing grenades and Resonance Device?"
She countered with questions regarding the problems revealed during the exercise.
"I won't be staying in California for long. My only purpose in coming here is to fill in any gaps in your knowledge."
It was also to fill in the gaps in her Atlas.
"Come with me. Mitchell, Ains has something for you. I'll pass it on to you."
She said it casually.
~~~~~
144
Chapter 144 Vera's Reputation in Atlas.
"I've met Gideon, Mitchell's team."
"The best? Perhaps, but I have a negative view of most decisive weapons and extreme individual soldier projects. Industrialization, mass production, and large-scale production are the business principles I've always adhered to. I actually hope they aren't the best, but rather that they can continuously become better..."
Tap, tap.
Wearing a custom-made single-sided headset and holding an Ains tablet in the other hand, Vera slowly walked through the villa corridor splattered with fake blood.
Vera remained silent, neither confirming nor denying the "great warrior more important than an entire base" that Ains had mentioned.
As long as Mitchell doesn't threaten her Atlas interests, everything else is up to her.
Even if you make Mitchell change her last name to Ains, it won't concern her...
Shaking her head to clear her mind, Vera looked up and gazed elsewhere, taking in the 'post-war' interior with great interest.
Leaving aside the scene destruction effects, in the corridor, the "terrorists" who were "resurrected" due to the "end of the hostage rescue exercise" have removed their helmets and masks and are carrying out scene restoration work after the exercise ended.
Some pointed to the series of gunshot wounds on their bodies, the blood already dried, and laughed. Those who were judged to be dead due to headshots, close-range knockouts, or throat slits touched their wounds and complained that the rapid reaction force was really ruthless.
The virtual battlefield control system achieves a high degree of realism in its simulation.
The attacking Gideon squad was included in the virtual model. Based on the collected feedback information, such as the real-time parameters of the firearms used in the exercise, bullet types, grenade types, hit locations, and force, the model was comprehensively calculated and output. The data link was connected to each person.
The Atlas employees working at the simulation training ground are also very professional.
Their skill level is in no way inferior to that of veteran extras on Hollywood film sets.
As long as Ains approves, the sales department will dare to go to Hollywood and take on extra roles in hardcore military blockbusters.
"Existence, development, change, and the discourse of relativity. Let's make them even better, Vera."
"I should say that it makes Atlas even better, Professor Ains."
Vera left the holiday villa during a casual conversation with Ains.
Outside, the rain had stopped.
The outer lawns and passageways have all been cleared of the defensive equipment used in the exercise, including infrared landmines, booby traps, and sentry machine guns.
Beneath the towering, wide, segmented holographic dome, the lights come on, and the glass curtain wall at the edge of the field of vision exits the simulation. Accompanied by the slight rustling sound of the metal frame rubbing against the track, the integrated door slides in, and the slightly dazzling sunlight shines in, mixed with the noise from the outside world.
Outside the stadium, flagpoles stand tall, and flags bearing the Atlas logo—a black background with a white and red 'Λ' arrow—flutter in the wind. Further away, the base's office buildings are stacked in layers.
Buzz... Buzz...
A limousine, a six-seater convertible jeep, pulled up and stopped on the ramp.
Thump, an MP (military police) belonging to Atlas got out of the car.
"Let's talk later."
With a wave of her hand, Vera ended the video call with Ains, walked down the courtyard steps, and the waiting military police immediately pulled the car door handle.
Vera got into the car, into the passenger seat, where the seat back automatically adjusted to fit her body shape and height.
"Soldier, get in the car. KVA (anti-tech terrorist organization) has been becoming increasingly rampant lately. You need a more powerful cybernetic body to help you better fulfill your mission. I'm going to replace it with one or more top-of-the-line models for you."
She lightly patted the car, then pointed behind her, signaling the two quick-response duo who had walked out of the villa one after the other to get in.
Gideon and Mitchell, both with thick beards—one blond and one black—were talking as they walked down the steps. Hearing this, they exchanged glances. Gideon's gaze turned serious, and he placed a hand on Mitchell's shoulder. "Even if Ains values you, don't get carried away. Don't ask unnecessary questions."
He reminded the other person in a low voice.
Then, Gideon went up and opened the back door of the Jeep, letting Mitchell go in first.
During this process, he turned to the Joker (codename) who was standing on the steps and said, "Joker, we need to go to the R&D department. Mitchell will probably need time to adapt after the arm transplant, so I need to take him through the training area a few more times to test the coordination. Let me know when the simulation program is ready."
Gideon then got into the car, closed the door, and with a whoosh, the engine started up and the vehicle began to move.
The convertible jeep drove out of the [simulated battlefield] and moved smoothly through the traffic arteries between Atlas facilities.
Inside the car, Vera, sitting in the passenger seat, rested her right elbow on the windowless door, her head down, her slender fingers deftly swiping across the PDA tablet, her simply tied-up blonde hair flowing freely behind her head in the wind.
"Director Russell."
Along the way, guards at checkpoints recognized Vera and solemnly clenched their fists and pounded their chests in salute.
His right hand was noticeably whiter than the rest of his body, and had metallic dents. It was a prosthetic.
Vera waved in response.
Within a minute's walk, more than one Atlas employee had already paid their respects to Vera.
Its status and prestige in Atlas are self-evident.
Sitting in the third row, taking it all in, Mitchell stared straight ahead. In the second row behind him, two fully armed Atlas MPs completely blocked his view. "... Military police."
He murmured.
Can someone who can command military police have a low actual status?
I'm not jealous, I'm just surprised that the other person has achieved so much at such a young age.
"How old is Russell again this year?"
Mitchell suddenly asked.
"25, that's not surprising."
As if sensing Mitchell's thoughts, Gideon, sitting next to him, continued, "Perhaps our future pensions will be paid by Director Russell. After your fieldwork, you might want to pay more attention to the changes within the company."
As he spoke, he rotated his left arm and reached into the tactical terminal on the inside of his forearm to touch and operate something.
Mitchell raised his left hand.
Gideon sent him a document containing part of Vera Adelheid Russell's publicly available resume within Atlas:
[#2053, age 20, skipped grades to complete studies, graduated early from UC Berkeley, joined Atlas R&D department as an assistant engineer]
[#2054, made several breakthroughs in the technological exploration and research of neural networks and bionics, and was promoted to senior researcher and sub-project director]
[#2055, appointed as the Chief engineer of bionic prosthetics technology, whose medical prosthetic project, capable of effectively replacing missing or damaged limbs and organs, was approved by the Atlas Board of Directors and reviewed and approved by the FDA (U. S. Food and Drug Administration), and the medical prosthetic was approved for trial market launch.]
[#2056, proposed the concept of cyber components, became the director of the Atlas Prosthetics Research Institute, launched affordable, everyday prosthetic models for the civilian market, and reduced product costs through continuous process improvement and enhanced integration, making anti-prosthetic rejection treatment routine and affordable.]
[#2057, Due to the continuous attacks on global nuclear energy facilities by the anti-technology terrorist organization KVA, the world faces a nuclear threat and the situation is unstable. As a high-end technical personnel who also leads a nuclear radiation prevention project, I participated in the research and development of a number of nuclear radiation blocking drugs and nuclear radiation prevention products.]
[#2058, responsible for managing multiple high-precision research institutes involving bionic prosthetics, exoskeletons, intelligent control, energy, etc., serving as the Director of Atlas's R&D Department, in charge of the weapons R&D department, nominated by Chairman Ains and approved by the Board of Directors, to invest in Atlas with technology and management...]
Mitchell was amazed.
Unaware of the interactions between the yellow and black-bearded duo in the rear rapid reaction force, and their opinions of her, Vera was remotely controlling the prosthetic laboratory of the research and development department at the San Bernardino military station.
In less than 3 minutes, they passed through a warehouse where T5-240 self-propelled tanks were parked, a rotorcraft take-off and landing platform with optical camouflage capabilities, a swarm of drones, an outdoor parkour training obstacle course in full swing, and an AST Battle Mech operation training ground...
Squeak!
Brake, the vehicle stops.
Get out of the car. "Follow me."
Holding her PDA tablet, Vera waved and walked into the giant fortress building housing the base's research and development department without looking back.
Mitchell and Gideon followed them inside.
Thump, thump.
Inside the massive, wide-walled building, the hum of instruments, the clanging of personnel during tests, and the discussions of researchers... all these sounds intertwined to create a busy yet slightly noisy symphony.
Soon, after passing several testing sites, Vera and her group arrived at their destination. Three military police officers and Gideon stopped at a heavy yellow blast gate, and Vera led Mitchell inside.
Upon entering, the gate closed again, and the previously noisy environment instantly quieted down.
"Director Russell, everything is ready."
Inside, two technicians wearing white coats and name tags had been waiting for some time and then stepped forward.
"Um."
Vera naturally handed the PDA tablet to one of the technicians and took it from the other technician.
After dressing, she reached out and gracefully tidied her somewhat messy long hair. "Remove the exoskeleton and lie down."
Pointing to the metal instruments in the room that resembled an operating table, Vera spoke as she walked towards the indoor bathroom.
Nodding, Mitchell released the EXO exoskeleton. The sensor clips and locking mechanisms popped out, and he easily detached himself from the mortise and tenon structure of the exoskeleton. Under the technician's instructions, Mitchell lay on the operating table, where the sensor wristbands and waist belt were tightened and secured.
Is it really necessary to make such a big fuss?
Mitchell was somewhat puzzled.
"Minimally invasive surgery, [Elastic Joints], [Ankle Reinforcement], [tendon strengthening]—these additional protective cyber implants can help you better utilize the [Mantis Blades] and [Projectile Launch System]. Of course, you can also refuse."
At this moment, Vera came out after washing and disinfecting her hands and putting on sterile surgical gloves.
Actually, in the Cyberpunk genre, prosthetic implant surgery isn't that difficult to perform. It's quite common for Cybernetic Doctor on the Black Market to operate right after a guy has taken drugs and masturbated.
She did all this simply to reduce the psychological pressure on the other person.
"Are the [Mantis Blades] and [Projectile Launch System] the features that will be included in the new prosthetic limb I'm getting?"
Mitchell picked out the most crucial question.
"No, you can only choose one. Or, I'll cut off your other hand and replace it with yours."
Vera smiled mischievously.
"Uh... never mind then."
"Then let's pick one."
Vera projected the images and descriptions of the two prosthetic arms onto a holographic screen next to the operating table.
The Mantis Blades features a concealed folding blade that pops out, is reinforced with nanofibers, is extremely sharp, and has a very stylish appearance.
It offers a variety of special warheads to choose from, essentially functioning as a concealed hand cannon or a palm-sized missile launcher via a Projectile Launch System.