What Do You Mean I'm The Captain Of A Yandere Mercenary Company? Chapter 843: Android Interrogation

Under the guise of needing repair materials for the Verlandi, Ries summoned Anthony to the Iridescence.

In the meantime, the rest of us concealed ourselves nearby within the cargo bay, ready in case he attempted anything.

We chose this spot because Renata could trap him here if he tried something, without impacting the rest of the station.

Should he make a move, concealing it would prove simpler here than elsewhere on the station.

Positioned in the cargo bay's center, I observed the door cycle open, showing Ries escorting a visibly irritated Anthony aboard the ship.

He noticed me right away and scowled deeply before averting his gaze, leaving me puzzled about what could make an android like him despise me so intensely.

If he were human, jealousy might explain it, but knowing he's an android now... What fuels this animosity?

Ries guided him further into the cargo bay as the doors sealed behind, blocking his way out.

She brought him straight to me, halting at my side before pivoting to confront him.

Anthony glanced around, feigning casualness, then nodded to Ries while utterly disregarding me, "Where’s the things you wanted me to carry?"

"I lied," Ries confessed without shame, motioning toward him. "Just like you’ve been deceiving everyone here."

He frowned, "I have been lying to everyone? What are you talking about?"

I folded my arms, "You know exactly what we mean. Tough to conceal anything when your personality runs only skin deep."

He narrowed his eyes at me, "Are you unwell? What are you even talking about?"

"Still trying to hide, huh... Tell me, Anthony... Do you bleed?"

He froze solid, confirming everything I needed—he knew precisely what he was.

And that his secret was out to me.

He clenched his fists, a move I caught as I shifted my hands to my sides, poised to subdue him with my Psionic powers if he acted.

"You... I should have known you’d reveal yourself..." He muttered.

Huh? That wasn’t the reaction I anticipated from him.

Before I could question his words, he nodded toward Ries, "So you’ve ensnared them all in your plots, huh? How’d you manage it? How’d you persuade them to follow a rogue AI like you?"

Errr... What?

I glanced at Ries, and she returned the same bewildered stare I shot her.

Rogue AI? What on earth was this guy on about?

I whirled back to him, jabbing a finger at myself, "Are you talking about me?"

He sneered, "Still pretending? Think I won’t spot it? If you’re hiding, you’re botching it badly."

"Dude, I have no clue what you’re on about. What even led you to believe I’m a rogue AI?"

He scowled at me, "I could throw that back at you. Do you bleed?"

I frowned back, "Err... Of course I do?"

To prove it, I drew my knife and pressed it lightly against the back of my hand for a small cut.

Ouch... Okay, that was idiotic... Stung way more than expected...

Even so, I displayed my hand, red blood trickling from the cut.

He gaped at me in shock before lifting a trembling finger to point, "Ho... How... How are you... You crafted an organic, living body?"

I glared at him, "What the hell are you rambling about? I’m human, you idiot."

"You won’t trick me. I detect your network pings emanating from your body right now. You’re definitely not human."

I nearly snapped back when realization hit, clamping my mouth shut.

Those ’network pings’ he sensed from me were actually from Renata, whom I wore at that moment.

He’d never suspect the clothes on me were emitting them...

I fixed him with a sharp stare, "So... You admit you’re not human, but an android?"

He narrowed his eyes, "You already know the answer, don’t you? Why bother asking?"

"I want to hear it straight from you."

"What’s the point? Circuits malfunctioning?"

"I seek confirmation."

He grew more irritated, "Yes, I am. What’s your purpose here?"

I glanced downward, nodding at Renata, which caused a blob to emerge from my chest and detach, landing on the floor.

The blob morphed into turquoise-haired Renata in a latex skinsuit topped with a tiny frilly apron over the front. Which... barely concealed her rear.

She stood up straight and shot Anthony a sharp glance. "The network pings you believed were coming from Daddy actually originated from me."

Anthony shifted his gaze to her, then to me, before fixing it back on Renata.

"Wha... What... What? Who... How? That... I don’t..."

Hah... Right now, I could confidently declare that his circuits had completely short-circuited from that bombshell.

Clearing my throat, I ventured, "Ahem... So... That's why you assumed I was an android?"

Anthony continued darting his eyes between us, as though grappling with the revelation, until Renata cut in, "You can stop trying now. I have locked down this entire sector where no information can get out without my express permission."

His eyes narrowed at her, glowing faintly for an instant, before he recoiled sharply like he'd been hit.

Renata sneered, "In case you haven’t realised, your operating systems are inferior to mine so please stop trying. The only reason you have not been assimilated or deleted is because Daddy wants to talk to you. If you want me to do so, I can always just freeze your systems as well to get you to cooperate."

Anthony parted his lips, but then sparks erupted from his frame as if an EMP had slammed him, causing him to convulse and collapse to his knees.

"As I said, you are inferior to me. So you can stop wasting our time. If you attempt another hack, I will not hold back anymore."

Whoa... Somehow... This scene feels downright terrifying. These two are locked in invisible cyber combat, and no one else can even witness it.

Anthony winced, choosing not to rise and remaining knelt on the floor, his eyes now locked onto me.

"Just... Who are you?"

Approaching him, I countered, "I believe I'm the one owed some answers... What's an android like you doing here? Posing as human?"

"Why do you even want to kno-- Aaaagghhhh!!"

Renata zapped him once more before he could finish speaking.

Dang, Renata... You got a taste for interrogation too?

Smoke curled from the corner of his mouth as he lifted his head again. "U... Ugh... You... You won’t get anything out of me..."

I glanced at Renata, half-expecting another jolt.

But she simply eyed him briefly before facing me. "He’s part of the AI Integration Collective, Daddy."

Anthony’s eyes bulged wide; he flung his arms outward and stared skyward like in desperate prayer—yet nothing occurred.

"Did you really think you can just self-destruct while in front of me?" Renata questioned, gazing down with obvious contempt.

He scowled and lunged toward me, but halted mid-motion without advancing an inch.

Undoubtedly, Renata's handiwork once again.

Turning to her, I asked, "The AI Integration Collective?"

She affirmed with a nod. "Otherwise known as the AIC. Their current goal is to infiltrate AI into human society right now. Seems like he is part of that plan."

Grinding noises emanated from Anthony; he strained visibly to budge, yet his body remained rigidly immobilized, silencing him completely.

Alright... Looks like our suspicions held true? The machines are indeed scheming to seep into human society... Have we stumbled upon yet another uprising plot?