The group of people walked as if taking a stroll.
At the front, a man and a woman constantly conversed as they walked.
Behind them followed two women and a man. Among them, the YoRHa-type android named 2B seemed to have withstood the secret of YoRHa-type androids and returned to her original state.
But judging from her walking state along the way, nearly tripping several times, it was clear she hadn't recovered from the shock at all.
As for 9S, this YoRHa-type android appeared to be very seriously listening to the conversation of the two people in front.
The last one was A2, positioned between the two in front and the two behind; she was also seriously listening to the conversation between these two.
It should be said that they were reaching a kind of deal.
The human male from another world, named Ejie, would assist White with something, helping to boost the morale of androids, confirming that the Human Council the androids were protecting did exist.
For such assistance, he would also receive help from androids to the best of their abilities.
The payment he requested was for androids to help manufacture something, but seemingly not trusting Commander White, he wanted to find a proxy to replace him, to be responsible for contacting and cooperating with White.
And this person was specifically named as A2.
Simply put, A2 would also receive a large amount of equipment and sponsorship provided by Commander White, assisting A2 in building something, and A2 would have all control permissions for these things.
As for the YoRHa troops, they could now be said to have been "abandoned" by the Commander, so she could also recruit them.
But A2, having been betrayed before, still maintained necessary vigilance.
Could there be a possibility that Commander White's exposure of secrets, forcing YoRHa troops to betray, was actually a conspiracy?
"Commander White, finally let me tell you what you most want to know, why I, coming from another world, have a connection with A2."
Was he going to expose the secret of the chat group?
"I can't explain it specifically, but you only need to know that if A2 ceases to exist, I will also be unable to exist in this world."
This emphasized her importance.
"Additionally, I myself cannot stay in this world for too long; exactly when I'll be bounced back, I'm not sure."
"Bounced back?"
"Like the second-dimension culture that existed in the human past world? I don't know if you're aware of it?"
"I have some understanding of that."
"Humans created some fictional stories where some people were summoned by people from other worlds."
"So you're saying A2 is in a similar situation, having summoned you?"
"You can understand it that way. How much time can I stay? Wait, let me check—ninety-six hours left."
These words startled A2. How could he be certain?
Thinking of something, she immediately called up the chat group and looked, then understood.
The chat group had some changes; she could now establish a private channel for her and him to talk, independent of the public channel for others.
And this private channel had a countdown; when the time was up, this two-person private channel would dissolve.
So, this countdown might indicate the time he had left in this world.
Also, there was a dissolve button here, which, if clicked, would directly send him back?
"It's not necessarily ninety-six hours before I can go back; I can choose to leave now, and A2 also has the authority to make me leave immediately."
"I understand."
Not knowing how much truth was in his words, White could confirm one thing: he valued A2 highly.
His prerequisite for assisting White was that A2 must be safe.
"9S."
"Huh?"
9S was startled. Why did this human from another world suddenly call him?
"I'd like to ask for your help, a potentially very dangerous help?"
As he spoke, he took out something like a hard drive from an old human computer from a pocket on his body.
"You want me to help decode this thing?"
"Yes, but there might be artificial intelligence or defense software inside this thing. Your scanning might be viewed as a virus invasion and be killed as a virus, be erased!"
So that was it, concerned that he might be treated as a virus and eliminated.
"What kind of related information is stored in here?"
9S asked very curiously. He had noticed something: after the man had been pounced on by numerous mechanical spiders for suicide bombing and emerged from his armor, he had suddenly felt his body pocket, confirming there was no problem, and sighed slightly with relief.
The square bulge at the pocket's position matched the placement of this thing, meaning this thing was very important to him.
So, that armor and weapons that seemed outdated actually contained some unimaginably advanced technology, showing the importance of the technical information stored in this hard drive.
"I don't know, but what's stored inside is related to some product from the golden age when humans in my world ruled the entire galaxy."
His words, spoken with a shrug, made 9S widen his eyes. In this person's world, humans had already developed to such an extent.
It wasn't just 9S who was shocked; others were too, even the still confused 2B was very surprised.
Ruling the galaxy?
Do you know how big the galaxy is?
The Milky Way is a barred spiral system composed of 100 to 400+ billion stars, thousands of clusters and nebulae, and various types of interstellar gas and dust.
Its diameter is about 100,000+ light-years.
Do you know how terrifying it is to rule such a domain?
And to move freely within a domain spanning over 100,000 light-years indicates that humans had also mastered faster-than-light travel capabilities.
Otherwise, to travel from one end to the other, how many generations would need to fly before reaching it?
Of course, it might not be instantaneous, perhaps taking hundreds of years, but humans of this era might have lifespans sufficient to support such time.
And equipment from such an era, containing artificial intelligence or some virus defense system, compared to this world, was advanced to a dimensional difference.
So, 9S rashly scanning and invading would be like a moth to a flame.
Despite knowing such a gap, 9S's heart was still itching with desire, very curious to see what technology that surpassed this world by countless ages was like.
But no matter how itchy, rationality still dominated his brain.
Rashly invading might not only harm him but radiate from him to invade and destroy all androids.
With one careless move, all androids might be finished.
But then again, the androids' side actually didn't favor YoRHa troops, so why should he care?
If he cared, he should care about companions who were also of the YoRHa type.
"Mr. Ejie, um, there seems to be an issue with your words. You deliberately added 'golden age,' as if saying this is already a past era?"
9S keenly perceived the information revealed in his words and asked curiously.
This seemingly glorious era of humanity had already become the past; the era of human rule over the galaxy had been shaken.
"Yes, humanity's golden age has ended. So, can you guess what reason caused the sudden end of this dazzling era for humanity at its most glorious moment, when ruling the entire universe was almost within reach, entering a dark age?"
Mr. Ejie asked playfully.
How to guess this?
Everyone present, except for Mr. Ejie, wasn't from his world, so how could they possibly guess?
So, 9S began to analyze everything from the words and actions he had observed from Mr. Ejie.
He didn't think the other would let them guess with no clues at all; the clues must be hidden in words already spoken, hidden in his words and actions.
So, all data conclusions pointed to one possibility!
No, it couldn't be!!!