"The brooch, uh…?" Erik said out loud in a contemplative manner.
His mind raced with thoughts as he navigated the artificial city's streets. He thought again at the brooch-wielding robot he had seen during the battle in front of the grand building. The brooch was the same as the one the woman at the Jasmine House described; there was no doubt about it. If he was in real life and not on a quest made by the guild, everything meant he was dealing with an organized group. Not that this was a problem.
He remembered the robot's actions during the fight. It had remained out of the brawl, almost out of place, despite the chaos. Despite occasionally beating some of the guards, its eyes had remained calm and collected, devoid of the chaotic energy that engulfed the square and the other artificial creatures. However, despite this, it didn't stay idle, as it often shouted something and incited the crowd to be more violent.
Erik's mind raced as he retraced his steps back to the riot scene. The brooch was unobtrusive, and he would have missed it if it hadn't been for Hais's brain crystal power and all the intelligence points it provided.
Erik was rushing back to the scene of the riot; luckily, it was still going on, as testified by the loud noises he heard from a distance. However, if the robot was still, there was another matter, and he could learn about it only when he reached the place. The rest was up to chance.
As Erik got closer to the site of the revolt, the air became denser and denser, a palpable sense of unease clouding the otherwise peaceful day.
The sound of the fight became louder, and he started hearing the symphony of agitated robotic voices, metal clanging against metal, and the distinct thud of robotic bodies hitting the cobblestones in the distance. The city's calm quickly faded, replaced by a resonating hum of impending chaos.
The robotic citizens around him mirrored the uneasy atmosphere. Their routine movements had become erratic, with tension visible in their postures and rapid pacing. Some glanced toward the fight's direction as they, too, heard the sounds. Some Simply ran away.
The clamor grew louder as he approached the scene of the revolt. The distant unrest had become a full-blown revolt. Erik's feet seemed to vibrate subtly to the sound traveling through the space, mirroring the fight's beat as it resonated through the city.
Even though Erik was no stranger to conflict and upheaval, he was taken aback by the scene that unfolded as he returned to the city's heart, mainly because this was a fake situation created by the guild.
<Jeez… these guys in Etrium don't make half-assed things. This is a fucking movie!>
What had previously been a minor skirmish had erupted into a full-fledged revolt, and the entire city appeared to be on the verge of chaos.
The scale of the riot had significantly increased, now involving a massive crowd of robotic citizens. The unrest had spread from the square to the surrounding streets and avenues like wildfire through a parched forest.
Robotic figures in simple tunics clashed with metallic figures dressed as guards. Shouts, clangs, and crashes filled the air as metallic fists clashed. Bots were thrown through shop windows, and crude barricades made of furniture and debris were quickly erected.
Despite being outnumbered, the guards fought valiantly, their movements swift and precise. Nonetheless, the number of assailants seemed limitless, with robotic citizens pouring in like a metallic tide from side streets and alleyways. It was clear the agitators made their job splendidly, or at least that was what the guild wanted to show.
Erik stood still amid the chaos, his sharp eyes scanning the crowd. Finding a single robot amid this riot was like looking for a needle in a haystack. He didn't, however, have the time or the option to give up.
<Damn… I wouldn't need to do all of this in real life. I simply needed to hack some servers and some cameras, and I would find any hostage I was searching for…>
Erik started looking around since there was nothing he could do about the situation. His gaze darted across the scene, searching for the one-of-a-kind brooch among the sea of agitated robots.
He knew that even a fleeting glimpse of that symbol could lead him to his next clue. Even that seemed daunting amid the chaos and destruction. On the other hand, Erik knew better than to back down from a challenge.
Erik finally spotted his target after what seemed like an eternity of wading through the torrent of artificial unrest.
One figure stood out among the sea of unyielding metal and flailing mechanical limbs.
It was a medium-sized robot with a physical appearance that was indistinguishable from hundreds of others in the crowd.
ραΠdαsΝοvel.cοm It moved with a calculated calmness that contrasted sharply with the fierce robots surrounding it, dressed in a faded burgundy tunic. Its metallic skin was dented and scuffed, indicating that it had been involved in the ongoing conflict despite its attempt at staying out of it as much as possible.
Erik initially noticed it due to this bizarrely calm behavior in the midst of the confusion, his trained eyes immediately focusing on the anomaly.
However, it was the glint on the robot's chest that made him understand he found his target. A brooch that bore an uncanny resemblance to the symbol described by the woman at Jasmine House was nestled on top of the robot's tunic, almost lost in the folds of the fabric.
Erik felt a rush of adrenaline when he saw the brooch. He knew he was on the right track, and this was a critical piece of information in his quest.
<I hope this guy would simply lead me to where the hostage is being kept…> Erik sighed. It was frustrating knowing where the target was but being unable to go there directly for fear of being discovered by the viewers.
Even in the midst of the riot, Erik managed to keep his gaze fixed on the robot. He knew that losing sight of it in this chaos could mean the difference between his mission's success and failure.
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