The two of them stood there, facing each other, not a word spoken.
Even though upon seeing the girl again, Jawed had a thousand things he wanted to say. Yet now, standing before her, he found himself at a complete loss for words.
In the end, he still spoke up, trying to break the strange atmosphere:
"Uh.... hello. It's been a while. Well, not really, it has just been a few days, actually. But, I mean—"
Jawed fell silent. Or rather, before he could finish, the girl suddenly rushed forward, wrapped her arms tightly around him.
"It's you.... It really is you." she whispered softly, her voice trembling, filled with longing.
Feeling her body quiver against his, Jawed froze. Every word he had prepared was swallowed back down.
"You found me again, canned-meat guy." she murmured.
Jawed: ರ_ರ?
canned-meat guy?
He let out a helpless smile, hesitated for a moment, then awkwardly pats her slender back.
"It's okay. I'm here now, I'm here with you," he said, his voice calm and reassuring.
He stayed still, letting her hold him. Neither of them spoke, allowing the moment to linger.
"Ahem, sorry to interrupt, but you're..... this girl's old rider?"
One of the others in the room suddenly spoke up, breaking the silence.
Jawed turned his attention toward him, a young man with side-part short hair. He quickly noticed a distinctive mark on the man's arm. He was a Mecha human.
"No, I'm just an acquaintance of hers," Jawed replied, not noticing the faint cold in the man's tone.
Hearing that, his expression slightly relaxed "I see."
Jawed looked around at the others in the room. There were three guys and one girl, all of them bore engraved marks on their bodies.
They were all Mecha humans.
"Why were all of you brought here?" Jawed asked.
"About that... let me tell you everything." Another guy spoke up, a bespectacled young man. He then calmly recounted what had happened.
They all came from the Mecha human residential center.
Earlier today, a rider had come and specifically requested low-stat Mecha humans, and they were the ones who met his criteria.
"'I'll make useless ones like you become useful,' that's what he had said, before loading us into a van filled with strangers in black. By the time the vehicle stopped, we had already been brought here. Where this place is, or what that guy's purpose was, I really don't know."
Hearing that, Jawed frowned slightly, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.
"Alright, let's put that aside for now. For the moment, let us focus on getting out of here," he said after a pause.
He had originally come only to save the girl, but, well, now he couldn't just heartlessly leave the others behind.
Yet, no one responded to him. It seemed that no one cared about what he said, about escaping.
After a long while, the side-parted guy let out a heavy breath:
"Haah..... Escape? This factory is surrounded by an anti-Mecha barrier. One touch and I'll be deactivated. The only way out is through the main door, straight through that place crawling with those guys, which is almost impossible.
He leaned against the wall, his gaze nonchalant.
"....And, even if I could escape, then what? Go back and continue waiting, day after day, for some racer to sign a contract? If I have to keep living those same days, then what's the point of escaping?"
He fell silent, and the glasses guy picked up where he left off:
"From the start, when it comes to weak Mecha humans, even if a rookie rider signs a contract with them, they'll switch to a higher-quality one as soon as they get the chance. No one has the time, or the desire, to slowly upgrade a weak Mecha human.
In the end, our fate is either to be assigned to logistics, or to be dismantled so the resources can go to someone better. Compared to that, whatever happens if we stay here can't possibly be worse."
His voice was rational, yet unable to hide the despair beneath it.
One by one, everyone in the room lowered their heads, their gazes dimming. Even the girl in Jawed's arms loosened slightly, her shoulders drooping.
Silence filled the room, as if everyone had already accepted everything.
"So.... you're all just going to give up?" Jawed suddenly spoke. "If you stay here, you might die. Or something even worse than death could happen. Still willing to give up?"
"Didn't you hear us? We can't get onto the racetrack, never. The purpose of a Mecha human's existence is to race. If I've lost the meaning of my existence, then why bother caring whether I live or die?" the side-part guy growled.
"...."
"...Even so... don't give up on living."
"Hah?"
"Even if you're living a meaningless life, keep living. Because there're always people who want you to keep doing so."
Hearing that, the person in front of him couldn't hold back a self-mocking laugh:
"Hahaa, who the hell would want me to keep living? You?"
"That's right."
"WHAT?! We've only just met. We're complete strangers. Why the hell would you care whether we live or die? Don't screw with me!" he growled.
In response, Jawed fell silent for a moment. Then, in a same calm tone, he spoke:
"Why? Maybe, it's simply because I know you exist, so I wouldn't want you to disappear, and I'd feel sad if you did."
Those were words Jawed had once heard before—that there were always be people who wished for others to keep living, and would feel heartbroken upon learning that they were gone. Even if they were nothing more than strangers to one another.
Simply because they knew the other person existed in this world.
"Therefore, no matter what happens, keep living, even if it's just existing. Because you wouldn't want to make me, or those people, sad, right?" Jawed said, helping the girl in his arms to her feet.
In her eyes, there were surprise, a hint of confusion, and a faint glimmer of light.
"Um, can I say something?" A girl among the Mecha humans suddenly raised her hand.
"Uh, well, I think I kinda understand what you mean, or maybe I don't really understand it at all. But... perhaps there's one thing I do comprehend. I don't know anyone here, but I don't want anyone to die, especially that beautiful Mecha girl!"
"Um?"
"So, please, everyone, could you stop giving up?" she said, her voice almost pleading.
Hearing those words, the two young men were momentarily stunned.
"Rinne..." the bespectacled guy murmured.
"Alright, that's enough preaching. Let's just get out of here together already. Hurry up, I still need to go hunt for canned food on sale," Jawed cut in.
"W-Wait! I never said I'd go with you yet!" the side-parted guy spoke up. "So what if someone would feel sad for me? Wouldn't I still just be living aimlessly? Tell me then, what happens after we keep living?"
"Hm? Who knows. I don't," Jawed shrugged.
"Huh?!" The guy fell silent in shock.
"But, whatever. In the end, even if you're in despair, even if nothing gets solved, life will still go on," Jawed replied in a low voice, slightly uncertain, yet calm.
"So, are you coming or not?"
"I-I guess I will. But seriously, how are you planning to get us out of here? That flimsy air duct can't possibly support the weight of this many people."
"Hmm," Jawed fell silent in thought.
Suddenly, he looked toward the girl. In that instant, an idea flashed through his mind.
His gaze hesitated for a moment.
Finally, Jawed clenched his fist and spoke: "I think I have a way to get us out of here. First, everyone, transform into your motorcycle forms."
***
In the corridor.
Two men in black strolled along the hallway, chatting idly.
"So what are you planning to do this weekend, Jerry?"
"Who knows? Probably take the wife and kids to watch the Mecha arena."
"That brutal tournament?!" he blurted. "You'd actually let kids watch that???"
"So what? It's just machines fighting each other."
"Yeah, I guess you're right. Hahaha."
As he laughed heartily, he suddenly paused.
"What's wrong?"
"Did you hear that? Sounds like an engine."
"Huh? Are you getting paranoid? You've probably been working too hard. Come relax with me this weekend."
"Yeah, you're probably right. Maybe I just—"
KRAAAANG—!!!!!!!!!!
A thunderous crash cut him off mid-sentence.
The two men in black stared wide-eyed, their souls nearly leaving their bodies.
Right before their eyes, five Mecha humans tore through the rusted wall, like butterflies breaking free from their cocoons.
They shot past right in front of them, then drifted hard before blasting off, leaving behind nothing but the deafening roar of their engines.
"Alright everyone, let's get the hell out of this damn place!"
....