The next day, everyone arrived at the agreed-upon entry point on time. To Hu Tao's surprise, the three lost machines were already there, waiting for them with Grace.
Regarding these three unexpected companions, Grace explained that ever since these three machines went missing, the company's other intelligent machines had not received any further contact from the Prototype.
Therefore, it was highly likely that the Prototype's communication module was no longer capable of actively establishing contact with other devices.
So, the only way was for these three machines to spread out and call out to the Prototype, finding its location by capturing its return signal.
After listening, Koleda frowned and said, "But if we split into three groups, and then the Ropemaker has to lead each one individually, won't it take too long?"
Before she finished speaking, Ling quickly picked up a small box and confidently said, "It's okay! With this, two teams won't need me to lead the way!"
Everyone curiously opened it and saw several communication devices inside, similar in size to walkie-talkies but with a display screen on one side.
Ling proudly introduced them: "After acquiring Fairy, to improve communication efficiency within the Hollow, my brother and I, with Fairy's help, upgraded HDD's Hollow connection system."
"And, using IES's transceiver network as a reference, we made these lightweight and compact communication devices. They can also quickly transmit information via the display screen and camera! How about it? Not bad, right~"
Grace's eyes sparkled again: "What an amazing design! This way, communication with the outside of the Hollow won't be restricted by IES! Ropemaker, can I take it apart and study it?"
Upon hearing this, Ling's forehead instantly broke out in a cold sweat: "Ah, this... that... I have to... ask my brother's opinion first."
Koleda quickly covered Grace's mouth and said, "Ropemaker, don't mind what she just said. Let's go."
Ling nodded: "Okay, I'll teach you how to use them first—don't worry, they've already been tested inside the Hollow and won't break easily."
After reconfirming the procedure, everyone entered the Hollow.
The search process was relatively smooth, and the Remnants along the way were easily dealt with.
Subsequently, Fairy calculated the approximate coordinates based on the signals intercepted by the three machines, and drew a schematic diagram of the scene based on camera images from many years ago, sending it to everyone.
At the same time, when Ben saw the landmark in the picture, he was so shocked he could barely speak: "Ah! This—"
Koleda, who was acting with him, quickly leaned closer: "What's wrong, Ben? Is there a problem with this location?"
Ben said incredulously, "President, just before the former president disappeared that year, Belobog Heavy Industries obtained the construction rights for a project in this area, and that project—was the 'Pioneer Plaza' in this picture!"
Koleda was a bit stunned: "You mean the Prototype is located in the plaza my dad hadn't finished building that year?! What's going on?"
Ben replied, "I don't know, but seeing this picture just now, I suddenly... I suddenly got a creepy feeling, as if... President Hols wanted to tell us something."
Upon hearing this, Koleda quickly snatched the communication device and said to the other two groups, "Everyone, pay attention! There might be something on that plaza, don't approach rashly!"
"First, rendezvous nearby, then go together! Repeat, do not approach rashly!"
Although the other two groups weren't entirely clear on the reasons, they all listened to Koleda's advice.
Soon after, everyone rendezvoused at a spot near the plaza, then cautiously bypassed piles of scrap and entered it.
However, contrary to expectations, the plaza was eerily quiet, as if the crisis everyone imagined was lurking in a corner, slowly sharpening its claws.
Due to the sudden Hollow Disaster, the plaza's concrete ground hadn't even been leveled, making the massive blue monument in the center of the plaza look particularly out of place.
The base of the monument was a huge frustum, with a large pyramid on its upper face, and four smaller pyramids built on the upper sides of its four faces.
And beneath one of the smaller pyramids, a large white entity was holding up its two working arms, supporting it.
Grace recognized it at a glance and said excitedly, "I once saw its appearance in Uncle Hols's manuscript—no mistake! It's that Prototype!"
Hu Tao nodded, then asked confusedly, "But what's with this strange state?"
Ben echoed, "Exactly, I also think its posture isn't natural... it looks like it actively clamped onto the monument."
Koleda murmured, "Dad... what exactly happened back then?"
Seeing Koleda distracted again, Grace walked up and patted her shoulder, saying, "Don't just stand there, the truth is right before our eyes—let's go, let's check out the Prototype's cockpit."
Koleda nodded, and the two walked towards the monument. IES and Hu Tao also followed curiously.
Surprisingly, although the cockpit was well-sealed, it was quite clean inside—but in this small cockpit, there were bullet holes everywhere!
IES leaned closer to the floor and said, "All the bullet casings fell inside the cockpit; the shots were fired at close range. It seems there was a fierce struggle here!"
"However, too much time has passed, so it's impossible to tell if anyone was hit."
But at this moment, Koleda could no longer hear what IES was saying—her eyes were fixed on a stack of receipts on the control panel, and her entire body was trembling uncontrollably due to intense emotion.
Immediately after, she snatched the stack of receipts, jumped out of the cockpit, and shouted to the others who were observing below, "Everyone, come quickly! I've found something incredible!"
Ben took it and instantly became so excited he almost shouted, "This... this is the Prototype's delivery receipt! It not only has President Hols's signature, but the amount is exactly the same as the sum that disappeared from the company's account back then!"
Grace also added excitedly, "Not only that, the time is exactly the day Uncle Hols disappeared! This means he took that money to pay for the Prototype's manufacturing costs!"
Anton shouted happily, "Haha, with this delivery receipt as evidence, Mr. Hols's tarnished reputation can be cleared!"
"No, there are still many doubts," Koleda poured cold water on the three of them. "Why did my dad drive the Prototype here back then? And how did he disappear afterward?"
"Moreover... we just found many bullet holes in the cockpit; something terrible must have happened here back then."
Then, she slammed her fist onto one of the Prototype's legs and roared, "Damn it! Dad must have gotten involved in something dangerous! But what did he discover? Why didn't he discuss it with anyone before—"
Grace walked up and patted her shoulder, comforting her, "Don't worry, we'll definitely find the answer."
"I've already checked the Prototype; its logic core is intact, and there must be driving records from back then!"
After we take it back, I'll immediately start analyzing the data, and we'll definitely find the truth about Uncle Hols's disappearance!"
Koleda nodded, perking up, and said, "Okay, then let's drag it back first."
Subsequently, the Pile Driver and the Tunnel Boring Machine were each tied with a towing rope, dragging one of the Prototype's legs, slowly backing away.
The Grappler slowly lowered the pyramid that the Prototype had been supporting, revealing the broken bricks and tiles at the connection point.
However, accidents always happen unexpectedly.
When the Pile Driver was almost at the edge of the plaza, it suddenly cried out as if waking from a dream, "That's right, the seal! Instructor Hols ordered me to come here to reinforce the seal! But... what exactly is the seal?"
Just as everyone was pondering this statement, there was a sudden movement from within the monument!
Everyone turned to look, only to see that many of the broken bricks and tiles at the connection point had been pushed aside. A Remnant, almost indistinguishable from a normal human, without any weapons, but with mechanical devices on its head and a completely white body, slowly crawled out!
Everyone pulled out their weapons but dared not act rashly, because this Remnant was too special; they had never seen anything like it before!
Without giving anyone time to think, the Remnant suddenly lunged towards the crowd!
Seeing this, Hu Tao quickly released Purple Flame, but it leaped up, pouncing directly at the three machines behind everyone!
Everyone inwardly cried out in alarm, but fortunately, the Grappler's arm was already raised high and it slammed the Remnant to the ground.
Grace cautiously approached, carefully raising the detector in her hand, and said, "This guy doesn't look like a Remnant, but its aether index is terrifyingly high..."
Suddenly, her voice turned to panic: "No good! The aether index is rising rapidly—retreat quickly!"
Before everyone had run far, the Remnant released a large amount of aether crystal, instantly engulfing the three machines!
Koleda shouted angrily, "Damn it! Why is that thing destroying our machines?!"
Grace still held the detector, trembling as she said, "No... not destruction... it's fusion! The aether index inside is still rising—"
Before she could finish, the aether crystals were violently smashed open! A colossal entity appeared directly before everyone's eyes...