"Boss, will that be enough ?"

"Don't talk such a bad thing. Don't you know about the word 'speak of the devil, he will come!' "

The person who spoke received a good old slap to the back of the head.

"This should do it."

"HM activate security protocol!"

Following his sentence, information about this protocol appeared in my head. Sadly only information about this world I have is manuals of protocols, nothing about people who made it.

Thanks to the highest authority I have, I can freely deny his request.

"Security Protocol is activated. Security measure is now in place. Please follow the rules to reduce the working shifts and during the effective duration of the order."

I spoke things written in the manual.

"What!"

"HM given authority over workers, civilians, non-combatants, and local force or until the threat is dealt with it."

When he removed my safety, I could use my weapons freely. But I need to continue my act if I want to continue to get the ore.

"From there on, please follow my instructions and don't leave 3m area around me."

"What did HM just say, boss ?"

"I don't know!"

"What!?"

"Then why do you use it without even know what is it?"

"That guy told me it is the phase that activates its weapon. I didn't know the word that puts it above my head. "

No one would want to follow the command from the automaton they imagined as a tool.

"HM, stop that protocol!"

"I take back my word."

"Null that previous order!"

"Apologize, but all orders from workers are canceled under the effect of the protocol."

Of course, this command can easily be overwritten by any military personal with rank above a lieutenant.

But, heh.

"Now, resume your work."

Good luck finding that in this tunnel or even in a city.

"SHIT!"

Despite saying that, the group continues what they are, doing continue digging while I continue drilling.

Just, this time I choose where to dig.

Until it is time for lunch, the Bao finally asked thing. I understood as a kid she can't handle her curiosity.

"Uncle, what is a 'thing' all of you talking about?"

During the lunch break, while holding her big chocolate-flavored cup, Bao asked from Andrews.

Well, even I want to know, but doing that will break my character.

Since in the manual it only said about the thing, it didn't defined in any way except only thing known it possesses the ability to absorb the characteristics of any bio victim.

"Well, it is no surprise someone like you who was born as slave and young. I bet even your big brother hasn't heard about those things either."

"Of course on the moment you get to know about those things, it would be already too late since overseers of this mine like to use slaves as meat shields. In some way, both of you are quite lucky."

As expected, Andrews doesn't hold anything back, saying such a thing right in front of their faces.

"Oh! Yeah, you asked about those things, right ?"

"Unn."

"I don't how, but from time to time, those things appear around various mines from something called a spatial rift."

"Reason, why we call them thing, is because they don't really have a specific appearance."

"It can't be described? like bucket or puppy?"

"No, no, I put it in a wrong way. The appearances of that things can be described, but it changes every time."

"Like 7 or 8 years ago when they appeared. I saw them the first time. Well, their copses that is. They looked like very large creepy incects with many human-like arms."

"Then, on last time I saw, those things running on two twig-like legs just like us but with all its disgusting hands it looked like an unholy fusion of human and cockroach."

"Just imagining makes shudder."

Well sucks to be you.

But I fucking made a portrait inside my head. And I hate it even more.

Damn you, my supercomputer brain!

Is there a way to just delete this picture from my memory, like erasing data?

"Yeah, I also remember one as well, just one and half years ago they appeared in eastern mine."

" I saw one that is similar to what boss this one still has a bug-like appearance, but this time it had a more bulky body surrounded by hard scale-like on the lizard."

Seems, like it said on the manual it eats and absorbs characteristic from any living things.

From their conversation looks like they now took characteristic from human, a bug, lizard or lizardman, race with four arms.

And seem it is not just taking it and stick into its body but refining it.

When they are about to continue their work after finishing their meal, I decided to send drones to scout and create the map of this mine.

"Sending the scouts to inspect the threats."

"Woa!"

"Brother looks HM's kid."

I didn't hear anything.

"Please, continue your work."

Then, two more days passed in peace. Without any trouble, I finished creating a map of the tunnel, and there were no signs of those things or signs of a fight.

*TNK!*

Oh! My drill hit something hard.

Then I saw large soil sliding down and showing piece of large track sticking out from the soft surface I dig.

This thing, I must scan it!

So I quickly began to act up.

"Warning, mining drill has damaged. HM request the working group to take rest for the night until it repairs."

"What!"

"Really to think we hit a junk like this time."

Junk? How rude!

But to scan this, I need some time, but I got a good reason for that!

"Due protocol HM will provide a special choice of choosing an additional flavor of the cup in meal to the working group."

"Really?"

As expected, all of their eyes shined from hearing about the addition of a new flavor.

Heh, food rules all!

"Affirmative, but each member from group will present the flavor of their wish, and from those lists, the flavor will decide by vote. Please, present your order. "

"Of course it should be whisky, right!"

"No, boss I don't want to taste another weird thing those rich like.

"Yeah, boss you and Chen are the only ones who drink those weird sour taste and dark coffee ones."

"Ugh..."

"Why not soup, like a thick meat broth?"

"Unn, CAKE!"

"YES! little Bao you really know what your sisters like."

"Ugn...cake? are those are just a soft bread, isn't it? Why not choose something tasty thing like those smoked fishes ?"

"YOU! Do you dare compare a cake with some bread? And fish? you can catch those!"

Leaving the group busy comparing their taste I slowly scanned the track and wheel.

Scan Complete New Technology ADM-001 added. ADM-001 Lv1 Hyper Mobility Track and Engine developed by eastern front. It grants tanks the mobility to move side to side, along with granting the ability to jump and crouch using its combination of advanced hydraulic systems, claw-shaped treads designed for maximum traction. /10t/

Damn, that is expensive.