IMAO Chapter 93

However, the boy’s words carried no conviction as his hands and feet trembled with fear.

“I won’t leave. This is North Mali too. North Rio is part of North Mali! I am a North Mali citizen!” The boy fought to suppress his fear as he puffed out his chest and declared.

“Heh.” The sharp-tongued man looked the boy up and down with contempt, as if he’d heard some amusing joke.

“Get them back where they belong! Back to their filthy gutters!”

The robot police immediately moved to grab the two and take them away.

The boy finally broke down, crying loudly and thrashing his limbs in the air. “I won’t go back, I won’t go back! My sister’s illness can’t be treated…”

“Wait.”

A voice cut through the boy’s cries.

The robot police turned toward the speaker, quickly scanning through entry records to retrieve their identity data. “Hello, visitor from the Federation. How may I assist you?”

Jiang Yuan looked at the boy and asked, “What exactly is your sister’s illness?”

The boy was startled to hear someone asking, then wiped away his tears and snot before answering, “It’s- it’s leukemia. Uncle Aka said it’s a very minor illness in North Rio! But we can’t treat it where we’re from!”

Leukemia was indeed a minor illness in this era. The treatment cost less than 2,000 star coins and took only an hour to complete.

The fact that it couldn’t be treated in the slums was beyond Jiang Yuan’s imagination.

But he quickly understood why. North Mali’s discovery by other nations meant its technology lagged far behind, like a newborn infant in comparison. Even now, although North Rio was prosperous, everything from goods to technology was imported from other countries, without any complete systems of their own.

Healthcare was even worse off.

When North Mali integrated into the interstellar nations, the country had already been sold out to capitalism. The poor had no benefits to speak of. They were the ones directly sacrificed.

“How about this? I’ll pay for the girl’s treatment, then let this boy leave with her. I think you’ll find it quite annoying if this little kid keeps making a fuss, right?” Jiang Yuan added, “After all, there are quite a few tourists here in North Rio.”

Jiang Yuan glanced at the boy, who immediately caught on and shouted, “I’m REALLY loud!”

The robot police clearly didn’t know how to handle this situation and quickly sent a report to police headquarters.

At the station, a middle-aged officer saw the robot’s request. Although he initially planned to refuse, after seeing the information about the two Federation citizens, he changed his mind.

He connected to the robot police’s communication channel.

“Hello, visitors. We can accommodate your request, but you must guarantee these two children won’t remain in North Rio. I can give you an hour and a half, and you must ensure the girl returns.

“The boy must stay with the robot police. I trust this arrangement won’t be a problem?”

Jiang Yuan nodded. “Of course, your terms are reasonable.”

The officer’s demands weren’t excessive. It was North Mali’s law that people from the slums weren’t allowed in North Rio. Jiang Yuan had no right to object. He and Ji Rong could only offer these siblings this small bit of help.

“Please proceed.”

The man ordered the robot police to hand the little girl over to Jiang Yuan and Ji Rong. After ending the communication, he sat down listlessly. Having watched the interstellar mecha competitions, he was familiar with Ji Rong and Jiang Yuan. After all, the Federation team had defeated Hoyt to win the championship this year. Their abilities showed they had a promising future ahead.

Besides, they were just two kids, a brother taking his sister to get medical treatment. He saw no need to be too rigid about it.

With these two involved, he’d have an excuse ready if the leadership questioned him.

Back at the hospital, the little girl was very nervous. Compared to her brother, she was quite clean, her clothes faded but tidy.

“Don’t be afraid. Just lie down in the medical pod for a while, we’ll wait outside,” Jiang Yuan said softly after the tests were done and the payment made. “Then you can go home with your brother.”

“Thank you…” came a voice as soft as a mosquito’s buzz.

After the girl went inside and the door closed, the treatment would take about an hour. Jiang Yuan and Ji Rong sat in the chairs, and Jiang Yuan checked the time.

Fortunately, they had plenty of time. Their ship wouldn’t depart for another three hours. After the girl’s treatment, they’d still have two hours to return to the spaceport.

“In North Mali’s slums, they can’t even treat leukemia, while the rich can get K91 for their cars.” Jiang Yuan stood up and looked through the transparent window in another direction.

What an ironic country.

Ji Rong remained silent. He was equally shocked!

In this era of advanced robotics and industry, all countries had surplus labor, and it was normal for some people to be unemployed.

But in other countries, the unemployed received regular living allowances from the government. Although not luxurious, it was enough to maintain their lives, and medical care was free. Some people even spent their whole lives idling at home.

Compared to North Mali’s poor, it was truly shocking.

After a while.

The little girl walked out, her previously pale face now showing some color.

“Feeling better?”

The girl nodded. “…Yes, it doesn’t hurt anymore!”

“That’s good. Come on, I’ll take you to see your brother, and you can go back together.”

The girl was noticeably more lively than before, her steps quicker.

Just then, Jiang Yuan suddenly heard a familiar voice!

He whirled around to look out the window!

Far in the sky, swarms of deep black warships appeared, flooding into North Mali’s airspace.

These warships were emblazoned with a red crescent and star, the color of bloodstained red.

This was…

The North Mali flag?

The North Mali flag had a white background, yet these warships bore colors completely opposite to it.

Jiang Yuan froze at the sight.

The warships approached, flying over North Rio as if reaching their destination. Then bombs began to fall.

Explosions erupted one after another!

BOOM!

BOOM!

Blood and screams filled the air.

Running.

Everyone was running in panic.

Outside the hospital, on the street.

Although caught by the robot police and ruthlessly mocked by North Rio’s people, Envy wasn’t sad. His sister was in the hospital receiving treatment. His goal had been achieved!

His sister’s illness was about to be cured!

This was the happiest thing for him, and his joy was hard to contain. Who said it couldn’t be done? Mom said they couldn’t cross the border, but he had brought his sister here anyway!

The annoying man from before had left, and an hour had passed. His sister should be coming out soon, right?

Envy nervously rubbed his grimy little hands, staring expectantly at the hospital entrance.

Just as he waited eagerly.

Suddenly!

A black object fell from the sky!

BOOM—

Fire exploded everywhere.

Shattered metal shards sprayed outward as the massive explosion made the ground violently shake.

Piercing screams rang out as people around panicked, losing all composure.

Envy was too terrified to move, but he…

He was still alive.

The explosion wasn’t too far from him. As he looked around, he suddenly felt like vomiting.

All around him were scattered body parts, though some people were still alive… one person moaned in agony, but their lower body was gone…

Others had lost arms, lost legs, writhing in pain on the ground.

Envy slowly looked down at himself. He was unharmed, and the reason he was unharmed was because the robot police had protected him!

The robot police that had detained him had its head partially sheared off and its leg broken, electricity crackling from its body with a sizzling sound.

Envy: “Are… are you okay?”

The robot police replied in a static-filled voice: “Of… course…”

Hearing this broken response, Envy thought: …How is this okay?

“Why… why did you save me?”

Robot police: “I am a robot.”

Envy: “Then why didn’t you save them?”

Envy pointed at the corpses and injured people by the roadside.

Robot police: “You… are… also… human. You… were… closest…”

Envy was silent for two seconds, then pushed away from the robot police. “Thank you. I need to find my sister.”

With that, Envy turned and ran into the hospital. The robot collapsed to the ground, its eyes flickering a few times before finally going dark.

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