[SOP2: Just got off the airship! Planning to hit the doorstep of Griffin HQ with AR15 in a bit!]
There wasn't much to the message, but behind the two of them in the photo—SOP2 gesturing victory and a reluctant-looking AR15—was a group of dolls disembarking from the ship.
M16 saw a number of familiar faces among those dolls.
"Is that AR15 and SOP2? Aren't those dolls behind them the Springfield Team that HQ announced had gone MIA just before?"
Before M16 could say anything, RO635 had already come over. After seeing the two people in the photo, as well as those dolls behind them, she couldn't help but exclaim in shock.
"Eh..." Hearing RO635's question, M16 scratched her head, pondering how to tell RO635 about AR15 and SOP2, as she and M4A1 hadn't had a chance to explain it yet.
"Wasn't AR15 wanted by Griffin HQ before? And why is SOP2 with AR15? And what about those missing dolls behind them?"
Seeing the awkward expression on M16's face, RO635 instantly fired off a series of questions, directly confusing M16.
Looking down at the unconscious M4A1 in the repair pod in front of her, M16 sighed, came over to RO635's side, and whispered about AR15 and SOP2.
Listening to M16 narrate the series of events, RO635's face couldn't help but become strange.
What is all this? AR15 running away due to the Parapulei virus was one thing, but SOP2 staying with AR15 and this guy Renault accepting a large group of runaway dolls from Griffin?
This was like stealing from Griffin!
"Well, although I don't know how Springfield and the others ended up with Renault, I do understand that Renault wouldn't proactively grab people from Griffin. Springfield and the others probably stayed with him for the sake of their members."
"How do you know that?" RO635 asked skeptically, unsure about Renault's character without meeting him face-to-face.
"Look at the dolls in the photo. WA2000 beside G43, and next to them M3 and a few others. When we separated from Griffin's main force, several of them were completely down, with shrapnel penetrating their neural cores, making recovery seem hopeless."
"Then how..." Hearing M16 describe it like this, RO635 frowned suspiciously.
Those dolls in the photo didn't look like they were in serious trouble; they even looked happy.
"Renault seems to have technology that can repair neural cores or transfer neural clouds. I'm not sure about the specifics, but it must be something similar. Those dolls must have been fixed by Renault."
M16 couldn't help but look down at the M4A1 in the repair pod. M4A1 had also been attacked by that Sangvis Mastermind recently, and up until now hadn't woken up.
Her state wasn't optimistic. If possible, M16 would prefer to send M4A1 to Renault.
But unfortunately, they had to return to Griffin HQ first and then transfer M4A1 back to 16Lab for Persica to check her condition personally. This time was just the right opportunity to get M4A1 out from under the military's nose before those guys did anything out of the ordinary again.
Gentiane had informed them of the situation before they boarded the plane. While the other dolls were aware of the military's movements, they weren't sure exactly where those guys were coming from.
There might be smart dolls who could guess what was really going on, but with Griffin's root protocol restrictions, they obviously couldn't talk about such confidential matters.
Hearing heard M16's words, RO635 likewise thought of the still-sleeping M4A1. This time, M4A1's neural core was said to be damaged from the forced intrusion by the Sangvis Ferri Mastermind.
Sending M4A1 to Renault for repairs was an option, but it was better to wait until Persica had checked her out. Persica, after all, was the one who made them, so there must be a way.
Just as she was thinking, a sudden burst of cell phone button sounds rang from M16's side. RO635 looked up to see M16 chatting on the cell phone with SOP2 and AR15.
No, not just the two of them, but a whole group of dolls on Renault's side.
"Well, are you still in the mood for chatting now?" Seeing M16's appearance of drinking while her fingers kept leaping on the cell phone screen, RO635 asked somewhat helplessly.
"Yes, why not? M4A1's situation shouldn't matter. Even if Persica can't fix it, we still have Renault as a last option," M16 replied, continuing to look at the cell phone screen.
Just now, MDR on Renault's side had created a group chat, pulling all the dolls on Renault's side into it. NZ75 and CF05 were working together with M1 Garand to distribute money to those without any.
"RO, how much money have you saved so far?" Looking at the amounts being handed out in the group, M16 couldn't help but swallow.
No wonder Renault could keep those Griffin dolls so smoothly!
His salary pay was really generous.
Looking at the messages designating payees, M16 really wished Renault would give her a paycheck too, so she wouldn't have to search around HQ for money to buy wine.
"Hmm? Not much. After all, the number of missions isn't high. I used most of my savings to buy special photo portraits."
Even as a special doll from 16Lab seconded to Griffin, RO635 didn't save much money. Most of her salary went to buy her favorite things, plus some usual expenses for food and drink, leaving little behind. Due to their special status, Griffin wouldn't raise their pay too high.
Otherwise, the compensation expenses for dolls would be enough to drag Griffin down completely. With dolls carrying out most of the combat tasks, human employees mostly held backup and logistics roles. This meant Griffin didn't have to spend too much on salaries.
If all the human employees had to fight, not to mention whether Griffin could afford it, there simply wouldn't be enough personnel available.
"Why do you suddenly remember to ask this? You're not trying to ask me for a loan, are you?" RO pursed her lips and raised her hand to cover the satchel at her waist.
"Here, look at this." M16 waved her hand and held the cell phone screen in front of RO635's eyes.