A Duet of Whimpers and Melodies (Part 1)

A red Jinx star pierces through the low-hanging, grey clouds, hanging over the horizon.

The soft afterglow envelops the entire coastline, casting golden ripples across the sea.

Lean stands on the beach, the defense area before him resembling a giant orange gummy candy in the light.

Suddenly, he hears the cold sound that prevents people from approaching.

Rows of One-Eye 12 robots come into view, their bodies are rigid yellow rectangular modules, patrolling around the defense area impenetrably.

Although Lean used to be part of the Cyclops system's Ecological Security and Order Bureau, he never had direct contact with these robots. He knows that the scanning system of the One-Eye 12s can precisely identify all recorded biological information, but only distinguishes three identity tags: humans, mechanical bodies, and other entities, like himself, a replicant. They show a gentle attitude towards humans, but become stern and strict when facing their own kind or other entities, even enforcing containment on potential threats if necessary.

Lean still hasn't received permission for mission coordination, let alone access to the defense area. Any rash action would only cause unnecessary trouble for the team. However, as a healer, his strong sense of duty and concern about the infection situation drive him to seek the truth personally.

Lean's eyes widen slightly, allowing his thoughts to freely flow through his mind.

On the shallow beach, the howling sea breeze carries a distinct saltiness. A kite shaped like a blue-ringed octopus takes flight with the wind, its tentacles tumbling and dancing in the air, drawing cheers and clapping from a group of children. They leave deep and shallow footprints on the beach, which are soon smoothed over by the waves. The laughter and screams of the children echo with the whispers around Lean. A small hand stealthily reaches out, touching the toy glider in his hand.

He closes his eyes, and the entire space seems to pause momentarily in his mind. He rapidly focuses on analyzing the scene before him, checking every minute detail captured on his retina, even a single grain of sand.

When he opens his eyes again, he's already walking directly towards the defense area.

Two One-Eye 12s quickly detect Lean's approaching figure with their scanning eyes. Their sensors not only analyze his steps and walking trajectory but also meticulously examine his facial expressions and breathing rate. As Lean passes by them with steady and calm steps, the scanning eyes continue to follow his retreating back until he walks far enough away, and they dim down to monitor other directions.

At that moment, a faint yet sharp sobbing sound barely reaches his ears, filtering through the thick gel crystal layers of the defense area. Although the intensity of the sound from inside is significantly reduced, Lean's acute hearing still catches this unusual tone.

A sense of inexplicable worry rises in his heart.

Inside the defense area, Anmu witnesses another absurd spectacle.

"Whoo... Whoo Whoo... Whoo Whoo Whoo..."

The desperate crying sound becomes piercing and heartrending here, as if numerous tormented souls are screaming in unison.

The GenShell, this massive and usually docile creature, seems to have suddenly fallen into an inexplicable state of sorrow, emitting a distressing sobbing sound.

In its large, disproportionate single eye, some kind of liquid twinkles. Tears, perhaps? Anmu can't be sure at this moment. He watches the liquid slowly rise in the GenShell's eye, interwoven with purple patterns, pooling into a sea of sadness. Its branch-like appendages stretch out, tenderly wiping the liquid from its eye, making them too appear wet. Some of the appendages gently pat and caress the GenShell's massive head, as if comforting itself. Amid the sobbing, the GenShell occasionally lets out a mournful howl, as though voicing its endless grievances.

The unit Robots standing inside the gel crystal partition become mere spectators of this tragedy. They stand there, seemingly taken aback, continuously circling the GenShell, performing all-around observations and analyses. The data flashing and scrolling on their top screens seem to express their silent confusion about the situation.

Among the weeping sounds, two particular unit Robots stand out conspicuously. The objects they carry seem alive, spreading ripple-like glows - these are the biological minerals just retrieved from the sealed box.

Like the other unit Robots, they also dare not make any rash move, quietly waiting for an unknown signal.

·

Outside the defense area, the Order Patrol Team's "Guardian Ark," is currently moored along the coast.

The streamlined shape of the Ark, divided by deep blue and red, resembles a giant capsule. Designed for the transfer of life forms, it can easily switch between sea and land modes. Its interior is precisely divided into protective chambers, not only providing suitable containment environments for different life forms but also monitoring their physiological states in real-time. Currently, it is prepared for the arrival of the GenShell, quietly awaiting its approach.

Not far from the Ark, a "Scavenger" vehicle waits patiently. True to its name, it is designed to collect and process mission debris. The vehicle's front end is short and robust, while the rear is equipped with a huge grey-black loading bay, which is now empty except for... a striking bright yellow.

It's a containment bag holding a rectangular object, slowly sliding along the cold, hard conveyor track, heading straight for the decomposition chamber. There, it will be broken down to its most basic elemental units, preparing for future reconstruction.

However, just as it's about to plunge into the decomposition chamber, a hand firmly catches it.

Under the 444 Protection Protocol, any object marked for "recycling," if it has potential value or data, authorizes replicants of the institution to implement emergency protective measures.

The containment bag is carefully opened, revealing a damaged One-Eye 12 in Lean's view.

Its head is covered with uneven scars, suggesting a history of numerous impacts and compressions. The top screen is no longer functioning properly; a crack starting from the top-left corner meanders across the center like a scar, distorting and fragmenting the once clear data and images. At first glance, the flickering number seems to be "101," but upon closer inspection, Lean feels it resembles "10-01" more.

Lean's eyes convey a sense of apology. "Sorry, 10-01," he says softly. "Before you're recycled, I need your help with something."

He picks up the toy glider at his feet and starts making adjustments for the next step. Trying to fix 10-01 onto the glider, he realizes that the safety buckle doesn't match the robot. Without hesitation, he quickly takes off his grey-black spider silk cotton coat and wraps it around the robot's body, leaving only a small gap for its head. The superior stretchability of the spider silk cotton material snugly encases the robot. To ensure it's secure, Lean carefully wraps another round. After all the adjustments, 10-01 looks like a chick just hatched from its grey-black shell, poking its head out. Lastly, Lean carefully stuffs two devices into the coat; they are key to the operation.

Everything is ready.

Now, it's time to send it back to the defense area.