1.41 So, shall we take a photo?

“Invisible prosthetics,” Wu Chen remained calm and composed.

The four armored female warriors had already surrounded the ambusher. With just a gentle pull of the trigger, the Gauss machine guns would instantly tear the target apart.

“Optical camouflage. Who are you?” As the light and shadow shifted, the ambusher revealed herself.

“Wu Chen. And who are you?” Wu Chen countered.

“Mira Killian, Major of Public Security Section 9,” the ambusher introduced herself.

“Mira Killian, known as ‘Major,’ originally named Motoko Kusanagi. After full-body cybernetic augmentation, she changed her name to Mira Killian,” the artificial intelligence quietly read from the newly accessed core database. “She is a core member of Public Security Section 9 and the very origin of the name ‘Ghost in the Shell.’ Section 9 is the backbone force tasked with countering terrorist attacks and protecting New Port City. Its scope includes cybercrime, witness protection, capturing major criminals, and assassination operations.”

“Hello, Major,” Wu Chen said with bright eyes and a smile.

“Are you human?” A flicker of surprise crossed Major Killian’s cybernetic eye.

“I am.” Although unsure how she knew, Wu Chen admitted openly.

“Very well.” Major Killian slowly lowered her weapon. “This place is fraught with danger and resources are long depleted. There’s no need for further exploration. Which survivor camp are you from?”

This question carried a wealth of information. Even after the destruction of New Port City, human survivors remained, forming their own camps. Venturing into perilous territory to scavenge resources was part of their daily struggle. Protecting these survivors was clearly part of Major Killian’s duties, explaining this encounter. Or perhaps she was drawn by the battle between Wu Chen’s armored female warriors and the massive composite entity.

“How many members remain in Section 9?” Wu Chen asked suddenly.

“Just me,” Major Killian answered frankly. She seemed completely unguarded in the presence of a human. Then she produced a vial of nutrient fluid. “Here.”

“Master, you have not undergone cybernetic augmentation. Consumption is inadvisable,” the AI whispered in Wu Chen’s ear. Since Major Killian’s appearance, the AI had remained silent.

“Thank you, but no,” Wu Chen declined. “I have no cybernetic organs, so I cannot absorb it.”

“What?” Major Killian was now surprised. “So you are... a natural body!”

“A natural body refers to a pure human without cybernetic augmentations,” Wu Chen understood without needing the AI’s explanation.

“Indeed,” Wu Chen confirmed.

After a brief pause, Major Killian blinked sharply. “Alright, Wu Chen. Which camp are you from?”

“I’m effectively homeless in the city,” Wu Chen replied, which was not untrue.

“No wonder,” Major Killian breathed a sigh of relief. The earlier inconsistencies suddenly made sense. “Are these your companions?”

“Yes.” Wu Chen gestured to the armored female warriors to lower their weapons.

“Ghost in the Shell is impressive,” Major Killian commented, referring evidently to the transforming armor.

“Motorcycle Terminators,” Wu Chen did not hide it. “Transforming armor.”

“Good, Wu Chen.” This frank conversation earned Major Killian’s favor. “Where are you headed?”

“To an underground clinic to collect prosthetics,” Wu Chen added, “Actually, it’s a commission.”

“Follow me.” It seemed Major Killian was very familiar with the area.

She left the three armored warriors behind to wait. With Vitris protecting Wu Chen, she accompanied Major Killian toward the prosthetics clinic.

“How did it come to this?” Wu Chen asked on the way.

“After the ‘Mutation Day,’ the entire city fell to ruins…” Major Killian patiently explained, fully aware that Wu Chen’s status as a natural human in the apocalypse made survival nearly impossible. Whether Wu Chen was an experimental subject awakened after the catastrophe or a fortunate survivor, she answered all doubts with patience: “Although the host died, the prosthetics survived in another form. Over time, they evolved into their current state.”

“It seems the prosthetics have developed ‘self-awareness’?” Wu Chen voiced his question.

“Rumor has it that the original project suffered a catastrophic mutation,” Major Killian replied, passing along hearsay without solid evidence.

The AI immediately provided an answer: “Sanhua Machinery: Initiate Project 2571.”

Needless to say, the “Mutation Day” Major Killian referred to was undoubtedly connected to the player, the catastrophic aftermath triggered by the activation of the Reaper rules.

“To this day, all contact with the outside world is severed, and very few humans remain in the city,” Major Killian said gravely as she opened a hidden door to the clinic. “Help yourself. I’ll keep watch.”

“Thank you,” Wu Chen replied, relieved to have some guidance on how to avoid detection while completing his task.

“Secondhand prosthetics—don’t tamper carelessly,” Major Killian warned.

“Understood.” Wu Chen entered with Vitris.

The underground black-market prosthetics clinic was larger than Wu Chen had anticipated. The generator was operational. Once the lights came on, other intelligent systems also activated. The AI quickly secured administrator privileges and promptly erected a firewall.

The target was in the prosthetics storage room.

As expected, Wu Chen easily completed the recording.

When the white light faded, the walls were empty. The “Prosthetics Storage” card had been successfully uploaded. It was a special “Flash Card” without a star rating, also known as a “Memory Card.” A single shutter flash captured it instantly. Once read, the card would disappear, hence the name “Flash Card,” implying something fleeting.

According to the player’s understanding, by the world’s narrative valuation standards, the more story-related a person or object is, the higher their value. The prosthetics storage, though high-tech, was still an inanimate object, carrying nearly no narrative clues, so it was treated as mere flash storage.

Next to the storage was the secondhand warehouse, piled high with dismantled prosthetics. In a corner, colorful cybernetic eyes were stacked. Like all secondhand prosthetics, the eyes had long been fused with disgusting composite bands. Following the earlier capture of the giant composite entity into a card, the signals of the prosthetic remnants in the composite bands around it were weak, as if collectively lifeless—or, unscientifically put, lacking a “soul.”

This aligned with the network node setup. As an important node in the death city’s composite network, the giant composite entity held the highest authority in this area. All surrounding prosthetic remnants were its subordinate links.

“Found it?” Major Killian’s voice came from behind.

“Yes,” Wu Chen said, unsure how to explain the empty walls, only to find Major Killian unconcerned, as if the emptiness was natural.

“Memory.” The AI calculated vaguely, “Being uploaded into a card is equivalent to erasing proof of existence. So as a narrative character, Major Killian completely forgets how this place once looked!”

“I see,” Wu Chen understood.

“Where to next?” Major Killian asked as they left.

“Back to base,” Wu Chen replied casually.

“You have a base?” Major Killian was surprised.

“Yes.” Wu Chen pointed above his head. “A floating base.”

“Good.” Since everything Wu Chen said was true, neither her expression nor tone betrayed any doubt. Even Major Killian, experienced in reading people, could find no flaw. Especially since Wu Chen was a natural human, naturally opposed to mutated prosthetics.

“By the way, here’s a gift for you.” As they parted, Wu Chen opened a mini trailer. A brand-new Honda NM4 motorcycle was unloaded by an automated platform.

“Wow…” Major Killian’s eyes lit up. It was her exclusive ride back when she was with Section 9.

“It’s also a transforming motorcycle, capable of turning into armored combat form,” Wu Chen explained. He had the AI fully utilize the world’s technology and collected materials to create it. The transformation style was very similar to the Motorcycle Terminator. Due to the different chassis, it looked distinctly different. Major Killian’s full-body prosthetics were powerful enough. It was said her electronic auxiliary brain could connect to every network in the city, easily controlling this transforming motorcycle.

Eagerly, Major Killian mounted the motorcycle.

Wu Chen raised his instant camera and smiled broadly, “Well then, shall we take a photo?”