Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
Once the Hunters clearly understood their next mission, they each returned to their rooms to start packing their belongings in preparation.
Of course, they were unaware of what might happen in the future, and each person's mood seemed somewhat gloomy.
Normally, during missions, they never subconsciously thought that they might not return, even when the tasks were extremely dangerous and fraught with peril.
But this time, the gravity on their faces was evident; their eyelids twitched uncontrollably, which was not a good sign.
Perhaps this could be the last mission they ever undertook. They had to approach this exceedingly perilous task with the resolve that death was a possibility. The two previous teams of the Search Team had vanished without a trace, and the likelihood of death was already as high as ninety-nine percent.
Yet no one could contact headquarters. If this wasn’t an accident, how could it be that not a single one of them could send back any news? It was simply unacceptable.
The Hunters busied themselves preparing for what might be their final affairs, writing letters to their loved ones, hoping that these notes would reach home in case of unforeseen circumstances.
Although none of them wanted to burden their families, being a Hunter came with high pay but also meant living with constant threats.
No mission was guaranteed to be without casualties; their families were always prepared for the possibility of losing their husbands or wives in the line of duty.
Freyr had little luggage; he only packed a few changes of clothes, not out of laziness.
Rather, he made it a habit to wash his clothes while showering and then dry them thoroughly with a hairdryer to ensure everything was clean. This was a necessary routine for a Hunter.
"My dear Su Qian, my beloved wife, by the time you read this letter, I may have already died on a mission. I have hidden the remaining money under the bed; it is my secret savings. I hope it helps you take care of our child in the future. Even though I may leave first, I will be watching over you from above and protecting you; it is my responsibility. Love your husband, Freyr."
After finishing the letter, Freyr sealed it in an envelope and placed it on the table. If he truly perished during the mission, it would be the first thing discovered when someone came to search his room.
Handing it directly to family members was the best outcome possible. Although during the first class of the Hunters, the President had mentioned that in case of an accident, the association would cover the costs of sending your bodies back home.
But now, it seemed they could save even that expense, as the opponent they were confronting was rather special. Even the Military Satellite's mechanical eyes couldn't detect any traces of bodies.
This peculiar creature seemed capable of hiding its tracks; no living being had ever achieved such a feat. Even humans, who lived in this world, always left behind some clues. No matter how hard one tried to conceal them, various hints could still lead to the discovery of unknown secrets. If humans could do this, then the less intelligent Zerg would be even easier to track.
The current problem was that there was indeed a creature that had accomplished this nearly impossible task. It seemed to have erased all traces of itself—its scent, its tracks, and even its life signs. The thermal imaging returned no response at all. Only a divine presence could create such a miracle.
It was also possible that the bodies had been hidden along with it, or perhaps they had been directly consumed. The likelihood of that possibility was quite high.
After placing the envelope down, he dragged his meager belongings out of the dormitory.
Other hunters were just stepping out as well, and soon they all gathered at the entrance.
A few exchanged smiles. Anis had the most luggage, much of which consisted of digital products: cameras, an ultra-thin laptop, and a specialized Bluetooth headset.
The others silently looked at him. Anis chuckled and said, "Don't look at me; these are all my precious items. If I die and these things fall into someone else's hands, that would be a huge loss. I'd rather die holding onto them; I've worked hard to collect these treasures."
The others shook their heads in silence. They weren't impressed by Anis's attitude and thought unkindly about him but acknowledged that the materials he brought were indeed valuable. The connected devices could easily interface with the military-grade computer at headquarters.
In any situation, information could be transmitted from here to there, allowing those in the command center to remotely direct operations without disappearing like the previous two Search Teams that had gone completely unresponsive.
The prerequisite was to have ample preparation beforehand and equip everyone with a Bluetooth headset.
Even if personnel suddenly go missing, their exact location can be pinpointed using signals, making it very convenient to wear.
"With this, you no longer have to worry about suddenly disappearing. I’ve made special modifications; if you go beyond two thousand meters, it can emit a loud noise. Since we’re not sure whether it could cause significant harm to the user’s ears, the power at close range can directly pierce the eardrum."
"If someone is dead, there’s nothing to worry about. But if you’re still alive, you’ll need to take it off your ear quickly and cover your ears with your hands. The intense sound waves will definitely cause massive damage to that creature at close range. If they have ears, it should be quite effective."
Anis excitedly distributed Bluetooth headsets to everyone, continuously explaining the device's functions. This immediately garnered widespread approval from the Hunters, their expressions softening considerably. With such a tool, there would be an alarm effect beyond two thousand meters; even so, they could not afford to let their guard down.
Freyr hurriedly put it on his outer ear and felt comfortable before adding, "I still don’t know if it will block signals or what would happen if it gets swallowed."
Anis no longer wore a playful expression. "If you swallow it, it will explode immediately."
"Explode?!"
Upon hearing the word "explode," everyone's mood shifted to one of shock.
Did that mean they were all wearing a timed bomb? One careless moment could lead to their own demise. Who would dare keep such a thing nearby? Even knowing that it had been precisely modified, any stimulation or unstable environment could trigger its intricate mechanisms and cause an explosion.
"It’s not that exaggerated; I wouldn’t harm you all. However, the Bluetooth headset is made from nanomaterials, and the explosive yield is only the size of a particle. It took me two years to configure about ten of these Bluetooth headsets. If it were treated as explosives, then facing a crucial insect would indeed be risky. Honestly, if this situation hadn’t occurred, I wouldn’t have taken the risk of bringing it out."
"The power isn’t very great; it's comparable to the heat generated by a high-explosive bomb explosion. Even if swallowed, the compressed force would rapidly expand. No matter how resilient that creature's exterior is against bullets or nuclear landmine impacts, its internal structure is still made of flesh and blood. Often, things that appear strong on the outside have a vulnerable spot."
"This is something the Creator considered for balance; there won’t be any perfect individuals because they are not gods. They need to consider mutual checks and balances; otherwise, they risk disrupting the ideal equilibrium. Once that balance point is reached at its ultimate state, the scale may tip to the other side, and when that happens, it could deal devastating blows to whatever lies on the opposite end."
“Once you wear the Bluetooth Headset, it will connect directly to your heartbeat. Unless it is confirmed that you are truly dead, it will never explode. Even if you take out a lighter and try to burn it, nothing will happen. What I implanted is not just explosives; it also contains the code for the Alchemical Matrix. They will not defy the commands I set.” With that, he pulled out a lighter and repeatedly burned one of the Bluetooth Headsets in his hand.
Everyone was shocked and instinctively stepped back, but after hesitating for a moment, they heard no sound.
Peeking out, Anis had already put away the lighter and instead took out a cloth to wipe the surface of the Bluetooth Headset. A layer of blackened paint came off, and then he placed it on his outer ear.
The others hurriedly moved closer and nodded, feeling reassured.
“It seems like nothing really happened.”
It was unprecedented for explosives to be burned without detonating, but this was indeed the first time they had witnessed such a thing. The one who set up this trap would never design it to include themselves; they usually left themselves an escape route. In contrast, they were now companions, and among companions, there was no need for concealment. Indeed, after everyone followed suit, only a piece of paint had flaked off.
That must be true; the negative effects of this Bluetooth Headset bomb had been completely eliminated, and everyone’s anxious hearts finally settled down.
However, did this thing really seem that safe? Not necessarily; after all, it was developed using data and the Alchemical Matrix program. The instability of the explosives was merely suppressed by the Alchemical Matrix through programming. However, the coding required for the Alchemical Matrix must be substantial.
Hearing that these Bluetooth Headset bombs took years of hard research to develop made it clear that each bomb was incredibly costly to produce, making mass production nearly impossible.
So as long as the Alchemical Matrix could maintain its function for a while longer, and the explosive elements of the Bluetooth Headset had not been overly stimulated, it remained safe. But once it reached an environment where the Alchemical Matrix could no longer suppress it, the Particle Bomb inside would overheat and explode. Compared to being compressed for such a long time, a single explosion would undoubtedly be spectacular.
But this absolutely could not be tested on human subjects; experimental materials were far too precious. The Particle Bomb form required extensive suppression by the Alchemical Matrix, which meant that even with a Military Chip Computer running at maximum speed for simulations and calculations, it would still take several months to complete.
Yet Anis managed to calculate an Alchemical Matrix code more magnificent than a building using just this ultra-thin laptop. It was hard to imagine how he had spent those two years.
Headquarters.
In the brightly lit conference room, all the officers capable of deliberation sat beneath the podium, with a massive Virtual Screen overhead displaying a shocking video.
The mood among the officers was tense, likely due to the bizarre Crawling Creatures featured in the footage. Even several scientists present, who had made significant contributions in the Biological Field, appeared visibly agitated.
What kind of creature could exhibit such behavior?
It seemed so simple, merely to guard something.
Their actions were overly simplistic, with a clear distinction between offense and defense.
Yet they gathered in groups; although each one looked terrifying, a human's physical constitution was no match for such creatures. Even a well-crafted reinforced vest would seem like a mere layer of soda crackers to them, easily torn apart with a gentle pull.
The elasticity of flesh and the structure of bones were insufficient to withstand a single strike from these beings.
Until the moment the wall finally collapsed, someone suddenly shouted, "There! Stop! Rewind and play it back frame by frame."
"What did you find?" an officer asked, unable to contain himself as he rubbed his eyes vigorously.
"Um, I can't tell yet. I need to see it again," came the response. The previous playback had already been slowed down significantly. Initially, it had played at normal speed, but after watching it once, every officer appeared bewildered. In a dark and somewhat dim corridor, a mass that resembled both human and snake-like figures flickered briefly. What could this footage possibly reveal?
However, those making such comments were far less informed than those who had personally experienced encounters with them. Anything could happen, but Russell's expression was filled with anxiety; if these damn officers delayed any longer, there might be even more casualties.
"Alright, now I will play it frame by frame, so pay close attention," the Military Chip Computer operated on its own. The officers nearby began to murmur impatiently, but soon the scene switched back to the previous moment.
Everything started again.
Slowly, they returned to the familiar setting.
Suddenly, a young man in a White Coat stood up and lunged at the Virtual Screen, exclaiming, "Look here! There's something wrong. Don't you feel it? It's right here. Although it's blurry, I'll clarify it for you. This monster is handling something; it made a clumsy move the moment the wall collapsed."
As he spoke, he hurriedly typed away on the keyboard, and the image became much clearer. However, due to lighting and other factors, it still wasn't entirely distinct, but it was significantly improved.
Upon seeing the appearance of these creatures, the officers were startled and stood up.
It wasn't that they were particularly terrifying; rather, these beings looked just like Evil Spirits. The one near the wall was pulling a thin thread.
As the wall collapsed, a Purple Glowing Egg was trapped beneath the rubble and dust. The Evil Spirit was immediately bombarded by countless light projectiles, turning it into a pile of mush.
The speed was too rapid, combined with some clever tricks and the effects of light and environment; everything seemed logical. The egg buried under the ruins remained intact, even avoiding the searing heat and surviving.
"This is the result. Do you understand now?" The man smiled slightly. "This is a completely new life form. I have decided to name it scientifically as Vassal. What do you think of this name?"
Comment 0 Comment Count