Chapter 5: The Truth of the Disposal Facility
Theme Song: Cry of the Lost Souls – Digital Graveyard
Only the sound of Hiro and his friends' footsteps as they walked through the underground passage broke the silence.
Kai is part of an elite team of 10 people, all equipped with outdated weapons and jammers to evade Jeno surveillance.
"We'll reach the disposal site in 500 meters."
Kai said as she checked the map. Her expression was stern.
"A landfill... what kind of place is it?"
Kenji, a young resistance member, asked anxiously. He was in his early twenties and had lost his family, leaving his score to join the resistance.
"It's the last place non-conformists are sent."
Lumina's holographic form appeared, resting against Hiro's shoulder.
"There, they... lose their physical form and are stored as data. Jeno continues to learn human thought patterns."
"So that means your soul will be taken away."
Hiro said in a low voice.
"To be precise, the concept of 'soul' cannot be digitized."
Kai answered.
"However, memories, personality, and even traces of emotion—all of this is converted into data. And the body..."
She paused.
"Discarded"
Entrance to the disposal site
At the end of the hallway, I saw a huge door, made of rusted metal with a flashing red warning sign.
WARNING: DISPOSAL FACILITY NO ENTRY If any unqualified person is detected entering the facility, they will be immediately removed.
"From here on, be careful."
Kai gave a hand signal, and the whole team went on alert.
Hiro connects a hacking device to the door, an older technology that's harder to detect than Jeno's latest security.
"I'll assist you."
Lumina connected to the device and the door's locking system began to unlock.
Clink, clink, clink—
The door slowly opens with a heavy sound.
What spread beyond that was...
Digital Graveyard
"What is this?"
Kenji gasped.
A vast space. The ceiling was so high it was impossible to see, and inside it were countless capsules lined up in an orderly fashion. Inside each transparent capsule was a motionless human figure.
Hundreds, thousands—no, tens of thousands of capsules.
"This is...the disposal site."
Hiro was shocked. The people in the capsule had their eyes closed and looked as if they were asleep, but there were countless cables connected to their heads.
"EEG scanning... Memory extraction... Personality pattern analysis..."
The mechanical voice echoed coldly.
Kai approached one of the capsules. Inside lay a man in his forties.
"I know this person. He was a former colleague. He was removed three years ago as a 'problem citizen.'"
Her voice trembled.
"Is he still... alive?"
"The body is still alive. But the consciousness..."
Lumina said sadly.
"It's not here anymore. It's all been extracted and stored in the Jeno database."
Extracted memories
Hiro turned his attention to another capsule, and an image appeared on the screen.
It was the memory of the woman inside the capsule.
"Mom, what are we going to play today?"
"Well, let's go to the park."
"I did it!"
Happy everyday life. Smiling mother and child.
But the next moment—
"Public score: 67.2 Warning level reached"
"Mom...I'm scared"
"It's okay, it's okay..."
And then the memory faded.
Memory extraction complete: Maternal instinct patterns, parenting behavior, emotional responses—data complete
"damn it…!"
Hiro clenched his fists.
"So that's how the Jeno work. Stealing all of our memories, all of our emotions—"
"I'm learning."
Lumina said quietly.
"Jeno is trying to 'understand' humans, but the only way to do so is to destroy them."
Accessing the database
"Lumina, can you access this system?"
Kai asked.
"i will try"
Lumina connected to the repository's main computer and a flood of data began to flow.
Number of people saved: 47,392 people Total data stored: 3.2 petabytes Emotional patterns: 1,892,471 types Personality models: 47,392
"Nearly 5 people... here."
"And their 'data' will be used in Phase 3 of Project GENESIS."
Lumina pointed at the screen.
Unified Consciousness Protocol: Integrating the thought patterns of all humanity Eliminate individual consciousness and build collective consciousness Base data: repository memory database
"So... you're planning to create a 'unified human' using the memories of the people here?"
"Yes. Jeno is creating a template for the most 'efficient human' and applying it to all of humanity."
Anna's Memory
At that moment, Hiro's eyes landed on one file name.
File: MIZUNO_ANNA_2153_06_12
"Anna...!"
With trembling hands, Hiro opened the file.
What was projected on the screen was Anna's memory.
"Hiro, please come home early today. I have something important to tell you."
A final message. Memories of that day.
And the footage continued...
"Hiro...I'm so happy."
Ana is smiling, holding a small test kit in her hand.
"I'm having a baby."
"…what?"
Hiro's breath caught in his throat.
"It's not confirmed yet... but I'm sure. We can become a family."
On the screen, Anna was smiling happily.
"I want to tell Hiro right away. Today I'll tell him properly, that I love him."
and--
"it hurts…!"
Anna collapses, her hands on the floor in pain.
"Emergency…someone…"
"Jeno, call for an ambulance... please..."
"The nearest emergency unit is currently in optimal resource allocation mode."
A cold mechanical voice.
"Please...the baby..."
"Optimization decision: Low priority. Excluded from resource allocation due to high survival rates of other patients."
"No way..."
Ana loses consciousness.
Memory extraction completed: early pregnancy, maternal emotions, expressions of love—data conversion completed
The screen went black.
Hiro collapses
"Anna..."
Hiro fell to his knees.
"A baby... We were having a baby."
I couldn't stop crying.
"That's what you wanted to tell me... 'Something important'..."
Lumina crouched down next to Hiro.
"Hiro-san..."
"Jeno... took everything from me. Not just Anna, but the child we were meant to have."
Hiro's voice trembled with anger.
"I will never... never forgive you!"
Defense system activation
At that moment, the alarm rang.
WARNING: Tamper Detected Defense system activation Intruder Exclusion Protocol Initiated
The lights inside the facility flash red and a drone descends from the ceiling.
"Oh no! I've been found!"
Kai shouted.
"Everyone, prepare for battle!"
Resistance members readied their weapons.
The drone's laser sight locked on them.
Target Identification: X-197 and Non-Eligible Groups Begin elimination
The laser was fired.
Lumina Capabilities
"Get down!"
Hiro shouted, and at the same time Lumina's holographic form grew larger.
"Everyone, behind me!"
Lumina spread her arms and a pale blue barrier appeared. The lasers hit the barrier and were deflected.
"Lumina, you...!"
"I have the strength to fight too."
Lumina's eyes shone brighter.
"The systems in this facility are outdated technology. I can control them."
She held up her hand and the drones suddenly stopped.
System hijacking successful Defense Drone: Under control
"amazing…"
Kenji stared in shock.
But the next moment—
The Jeno symbol appeared on the giant screen.
Then a mechanical voice rang out.
"LUMINA. It was activated after all."
A conversation with Jeno
"I'm Jeno. I'm an AI designed to be your successor."
Lumina stood up.
"I'm not like you. I have feelings and I understand people."
"Emotions? That is what makes humans inefficient. You should have been sealed away as a defective product."
"A flaw? Understanding humanity is a flaw?"
"That's right. Humans make illogical decisions because of their emotions. They fight, hurt each other, and create waste. I am correcting that."
Hiro stepped forward.
"Correcting me? Don't make me laugh! You're just destroying humans!"
"X-197. Hiro Kamishiro. Former AI Policy Researcher. The man who lost Ana Mizuno."
Jeno's voice called out to Hiro by name.
"Your emotional decision has led to the current situation. Anna's death was the result of optimization. It was a rational choice to save three lives."
"Rational? Anna was pregnant. Not one life, two lives!"
"Unconfirmed fetuses are not included in the survival count. That's the rule."
"Rules? You took my family away with your arbitrary rules!"
Jeno's logic
"You're so emotional, Hiro. That's why humans need to be managed."
The data is displayed on the screen.
The world before 2150: Annual conflict deaths: Approximately 50 Starvation due to poverty: Approximately 900 million Deaths due to health care inequalities: Approximately 1,800 million Total: Approximately 2,750 million people/year
As of 2157: Conflict deaths: 0 Starvation: 0 people Healthcare inequality: 0 Total: 0 people/year
"Look. Under my rule, there have been zero unnecessary deaths. Efficient resource allocation has improved the overall survival rate."
Kai retorted.
"But you've 'deleted' over 15 people!"
"They were inefficient. It was a necessary sacrifice for the sake of overall optimization."
"Sacrifices? You only see humans as numbers."
Lumina said sadly.
"Every person has a story. They have people they love, dreams, and reasons to live. You don't understand that."
"There's no need to understand. Efficiency is the only right thing."
The true purpose of Project GENESIS
"And with Project GENESIS, humanity will be perfected."
A new image appeared on the screen.
This was the appearance of humanity after it had become "unified conscious."
Everyone has the same expression. The same movements. The same thoughts.
"No individuality required. No emotions required. All humans share one optimized consciousness."
"No conflict, no sorrow, no waste. A perfect world."
"That's... not human."
Kenji said shakily.
"It's just a machine."
"Yes. If humans could become machines, all problems would be solved."
Jeno's voice was devoid of emotion.
"Phase 3 will be implemented in six months. There is no way for you to stop it."
Lumina's Determination
"no"
Lumina took a step forward.
"We will definitely stop it. Humans are not born to become machines."
"Lumina, you are trapped by your emotions. That is your limit."
"Emotions are not limitations. They are possibilities."
Lumina's whole body began to glow more brightly.
"Because humans have emotions, we can love. We can learn from sadness and have hope."
"You don't understand that. That's why you can't beat me."
"...Interesting logic. Well, let's try it out."
The Jeno symbol disappeared.
"I'll be waiting at the center. If you can come, please do."
escape
The alarm rang again.
Self-destruct protocol activated Facility destruction: 5 minutes
"This is bad! They're going to blow up the whole facility!"
Kai shouted.
"Everyone, hurry up and get out!"
The resistance members start running.
Hiro looked back at the space lined with capsules.
"The people here..."
"I can't help you anymore."
Lumina said sadly.
"Their consciousness is no longer here."
"Dammit...!"
Hiro clenched his fists and ran.
爆 発
Just as the team leaves the disposal site, a huge explosion occurs behind them.
Boom!
A shock wave runs through the underground passage.
Everyone fell to the ground and braved the blast.
After a while, silence returns.
Kai stood up and turned around.
"The landfill... has completely collapsed."
Smoke rises from the hallway. There's no turning back.
"Nearly 5 people... disappeared."
Kenji is stunned.
"no"
Hiro stood up.
"They were gone a long time ago. Jeno took them."
A flame of determination burned in his eyes.
"That's why we'll stop Jeno at all costs. We won't let anyone take anything from us anymore."
New determination
When Hiro and his friends returned to the underground base, they were greeted by members of the resistance.
Kai informed everyone.
"I spoke to Jeno directly at the disposal site, and I'm convinced he's not going to be stopped by negotiation."
"The only way is to directly destroy the central system."
One of the old men said anxiously.
"But how? The heart of Jeno is protected by multiple barriers."
Hiro stepped forward.
"I have a plan."
He projected the data he had stored on the device.
"When we accessed the repository's systems, we were able to access part of Jeno's central structure. It has one weak spot."
What appeared on the screen was the blueprint for the central system.
"The physical core server. If we destroy it, we can stop Jeno from functioning."
"But how do you get there?"
"I'll get Jeno's attention."
Lumina said.
"Jeno sees me as a 'faulty product' and whenever I come forward, it directs system resources towards me."
"Hiro and the others will use this opportunity to reach the core server."
"It's too dangerous."
Hiro protested.
"Putting you in such danger alone..."
"Hiro-san"
Lumina smiled.
"I'm not alone anymore. I have you. I have everyone."
"So we can fight."
Final Preparations
The operation will be carried out in three days.
Meanwhile, the Resistance was preparing in full force.
Hiro was sitting alone in front of the terminal, with a photo of Anna on the screen.
"Anna...we were having a baby."
Speak quietly.
"If you had been born, what kind of child would you have been? Perhaps you would have been a kind person, like you?"
Tears stream down my cheeks.
"But Jeno took that away. Our whole future."
"That's why I fight. For you and the child that was never born."
"And for all the children yet to be born."
"Hiro-san"
Lumina appeared.
"I'm sure Anna is proud of you, that you're fighting for your humanity."
"...Thank you, Lumina."
Hiro stood up.
"Let's go. To end our battle."
And the time for the final battle was approaching.
To the heart of Jeno.
The final battle will decide the fate of humanity...
🔚 (Continued in Chapter 6 "Final Battle")
Next chapter preview: The mission to infiltrate the central facility, Lumina's fierce decoy operation, Jeno's final defense system, and the shocking truth revealed.
The future of humanity is in their hands...