But without a doubt, his crossing over, including his own miraculous, rapidly functioning mind right now, is likely connected to the wandering AI. To know the truth, what he has to do certainly cannot be separated from these mysterious wandering AIs.
However, the headache-inducing thing is—the number of AI existing in the old network is not just one or two.
But dozens, even hundreds.
That is to say, if he foolishly dives into Cyberspace hoping to find answers, encountering the badass AI that sent him across might be fine, but if he meets unfamiliar AIs... there's a high probability he'll end up like poor Tony, with a burned-out brain.
Humans facing AI in the network world are like trying to have a baby deal with an adult driving a tank—the other side might run over him without even knowing what they ran over.
Thus, before becoming strong enough, at least having enough self-preservation ability, even if he deep dives into the network world, the Cyber World, Mercer would never attempt to cross the Black Wall to face AI directly in the old network.
Mercer shook his head, temporarily not thinking about those 'where do I come from', 'where am I going' questions.
More pressing than these, the bigger issue facing him now is... survival.
At least, for now, survive the aftermath of this incident to avoid being made a scapegoat.
Afterwards, he must consider how to escape from this Arasaka 'hacker training facility'.
Staying is not an option; this idiotic Arasaka project is completely using him and other unfortunate kids like disposable material, throwing them into the old network to dig for data? Even the Voodoo Gang wouldn't do something so brainless.
If Mercer remembers correctly, from the Cyberpunk anime 'Edgerunners' based on the memory of the protagonist Lucy, out of a whole batch of hackers, only one survived in the end, and that was Lucy herself.
The rest of the young hackers either died from attacks by wandering AI during data mining or perished on the run from Arasaka.
But this also fully demonstrates one thing—escaping is entirely possible!
But before that...
"Click."
The automatic sliding door opened.
A hesitant girl walked in.
It wasn't Lucy as Mercer had assumed, but a cute little girl with red twin ponytails.
"...Kyoko?"
Immediately, the name of this girl popped into Mercer's mind.
Nishimura Anko.
From Osaka, a genius hacker girl sent here two years ago.
Currently only eleven years old, the youngest in the hacker training facility.
Upon hearing his call, the girl simply gazed at his expression with some tension, seeing his somewhat confused look, and didn't reply.
She merely hesitated to step forward, slowly walking to his side, eyes flashing with a faint golden light, clearly scanning something.
She stood beside Mercer, and after a moment of silence, she seemingly casually asked, "Mercer... are you okay?"
"Me? I'm still alive for now." Mercer looked at the little girl's expression, contemplating.
"Um..." she uttered in Japanese, which didn't require an automatic translator for Mercer to understand entirely, as he had been required to learn Japanese in training; it's Arasaka Company's 'native language', a compulsory subject for trainees like him.
In Arasaka's hacker training facility, most hackers are Japanese or of Japanese descent, only a few are of other ethnicities, because all selected hackers are orphans.
And Arasaka's so-called orphan welfare homes are mostly established in Japan itself, so understandably, this group of young hackers mostly comes from Japan.
Mercer himself is of mixed descent, but from where it's unknown, from the memory, the original Mercer was also an orphan, adopted by foster parents from a young age.
Unfortunately, these foster parents weren't anything good; when young Mercer showed talent in network technology, the people from Arasaka investigated, and with just a small payment of 50,000 Euros, they bought his life.
However, judging from the face, his primary bloodline is likely East Asian.
Nishimura Anko gazed at Mercer's face, seemingly wanting to discern something from him, but ultimately, she only whispered, "If you need help, please, please make sure to contact me."
"I... we're still friends, right?"
She said in a small voice.
Mercer just calmly watched her, and after a moment, smiled: "Yeah, we're friends."
Nishimura Anko seemed to let out a breath of relief, then, with her eyes once again flickering with light scanning the surroundings, she cautiously said:
"When you're out of the hospital, let's talk, me, and Lucy, and Daichi Monarch and Leon, for now it's just us four... would you like to join us? Just a... um, small gathering."
"Okay." Mercer nodded, then squinted, speaking with intent: "If I can survive to return later...
With something like suspected wandering AI attacking the server happening, I'm not quite sure about my circumstances afterwards, firing? Reassignment? Or something more troublesome."
He sighed, then said: "Anyway, now isn't a good time for gatherings, the company will surely be checking thoroughly internally."
Nishimura Anko slightly widened her eyes, she hadn't even mentioned anything yet!
"Got it! I'll tell them! Then, Mercer, you get some rest!" She immediately turned to leave, but then couldn't help but turn back to look at Mercer, and after a moment, suddenly said: "Mercer... I... I actually saw it."
"In any case... I believe you!" She seemed to regret saying that just after speaking it, so she hurriedly added the latter sentence, and then fled in panic.
Saw it?
Mercer squinted his eyes.
Saw what?
In just a second, a bold hypothesis jumped to his mind.
Could it be... she... saw those AI!?