Глава 16

It's <i>U-Uchitel</i> Rankin... He's chased away the P-Patrol Unit chasing us.

We're s-safe for now.

Yes... for now.

Where else can we go? Where must we go to find shelter...?

B-Babushka... are-are you hungry...? I'll go ask Hawley... for another piece of bread.

I'm fine... You're such a sweet child, but I really am.

Go see Rankin.

He has done so much, his spirit must be nearly worn away.

Go see him. Do not let him be burdened any more than he already is.

<i>Uchitel</i>, he...

Phew...

Under the twilight sky, the young man's stern countenance eases.

The cold soon cools the warm blood staining his pickaxe. The enemy before him is completely routed.

Don't... Don't kill me! You're not allowed to do anything to me, I surrendered!

But we haven't accepted that surrender.

Tell me, how many of these squads are pursuing us?

<i>Chyort!</i> I don't—I don't know!

Every Patrol Unit's independent, we don't talk to each other!

Tell me something I don't know, or I'll have no reason to let you live.

Wait, don't! Listen to me!

The chips you have in you! The diagnostic chips!

Chips? You mean the ones used to check how infected we are?

Ha... Hahaha...

'Rankin the Noble', 'Rankin the Hero', are you really so naive?

Those chips send your coordinates to the mine's research facility and nearby guard posts. The moment you try and leave the mining district, or the chip leaves your body—

Boom!

Losing a single leg would be lucky. Losing both is definitely possible. You won't be running anywhere like that, haha!

Just give up already, Rankin... You think you can leave this mine by killing a Patrol Unit?

There's nowhere to go. Ursus will chase you forever.

Surrender. It's the only way you won't die a miserable death.

Don't listen to him, Rankin! If the chips really did blow up, we'd have a bunch of three-legged burdenbeasts walking around!

The Patrol Units are worse than bastards! An honest one of them is like an aphid in winter! I got to know them before I became infected!

Gah—!

You've done enough today, Rankin. Leave this one to me!

N-No!

St-Stop—killing people!

We don't... need to! N-Nobody's... badly hurt...

<i>Uchitel!</i>

Let him go.

Get back, Vetochki! What's the point in showing a man like him mercy?

It was these bastards who killed Paulina, all because she was caring for an unregistered child... She was pregnant when they hanged her!

Have you forgotten all the terrible things they've done?

I... I...

Urgh! *cough* *cough*

Haha, thank you, Vetochki.

I remember you... You were the meekest of all the children. You will have a happy ending, even if the rest of these scum—

<i>Uchitel!</i>

...At least I didn't let him bleed out slowly in the snow.

Stand up, Vetochki. Go to the back and find that doctor for me.

Paul, go get Nikto and tell him to gather everyone who wants to leave the mining district at the south dormitory.

Get them ready, we need these chips out of us.

You believe what that guy said?

Doesn't matter, we need the chips out of our bodies. Even if they don't explode, they definitely transmit our location.

The Patrol Units have already found us once, and we don't know when the next squad will show up. If this keeps on, we'll be on the back foot the entire time.

Alright, I'll get it done.

<i>Uchitel</i>, y-you pro-promised... me...

Oh, you're still here.

I didn't promise you anything, Vetochki.

Besides, if the rest of the bastards in his units are dead, why should he be any exception? Because of his arrogance? Because of his ridicule?

No...

...Never mind. You wouldn't understand. Forget what I just said.

Right, take this.

What... is it?

A stopwatch. I found it in the institute, should still work. When we get a minute, I'll teach you how to use it.

From now on, you won't need to live your life counting meaningless numbers, worrying about a miscount leaving people dead in the mines.

At least now... Go, Vetochki. Go help me find her.

<i>Uchitel</i>, your hand... is shaking...

Hush. Go do what you have to do.

...At least... let me...

Pray that your... soul... can be... saved.

Even though you've seen how those men treated us, and seen how I killed them?

Y-Yes.

Do not be so quick to bless others, or to forgive them, Vetochki. Me included.

Now go already. We don't have time.

...Gospodin Rankin.

Hello, Gospozha Serafina.

Though we have not known each other for long, I want to believe that, since your medical team was willing to come to such a remote place to treat the Infected, you are people I can trust.

I am sorry that I now have no choice but to ask for your help.

Please, go ahead. As long as it's something I can help with.

I just learned that inside every miner, there is a tracking chip that could explode at any moment. We need a way to extract them so we can escape the Patrol Units.

I am prepared to serve as a test subject myself.

If it is successful, please perform the surgery on the others. If it does unfortunately explode, then I hope you will be able to give me first aid.

If I die... then I ask you to tell everyone waiting for me about this.

Now, I must ask you to leave—

No. Let me do an examination first. May I?

Go ahead.

...I regret to inform you, these chips really could explode.

They contain miniaturized, high-powered Originium bombs. If the chip does not receive electrical signals from the local district relay or the human body, it will trigger an explosion...

If you hope to get everyone out of this district, then you must remove the chips.

Amazing. Is this your Arts at work?

Of course...

I may be able to temporarily copy the signal to fool the receiver. But I must warn you, this still carries a great deal of risk.

We can't afford to wait for a perfect solution. Your idea is good enough.

One moment, then.

Raidian starts using her Arts, causing beams of energy to resonate at the same frequency as the chip's receiver.

Rankin nods and sits down, grasping the hilt of his dagger. It is cold, smooth, and solid as he rubs it against the calluses of his palm.

You'd best back away from me a bit, Doctor.

That won't be happening. This is the first time I've tried it, so I need to observe it in real-time.

I can guide your hand using nerve impulses. Take care not to detonate the chip.

Incredible... It's a shame we didn't meet sooner.