Equipment and Purpose

Krauser, having already stepped behind the podium, watched as all the trainees walked up the tiers and took their seats in order. He then spoke with a solemn expression:

"Everyone, when you joined Atlas and learned that the Boss is an immortal, and that there are space gates leading to other universes and Earth, your knowledge and understanding were shaken, perhaps even shattered. I was no exception.

Yet, here you sit today. This means you are prepared to step into the unknown for the company, for the Boss, and indeed, for all of humanity.

As investigators, you must always understand your duties and maintain absolute loyalty and rationality.

But do not forget: your lives do not belong solely to yourselves, nor to your families; they belong to the company.

This is why I train you so rigorously, ensuring you possess superior physical fitness and combat techniques. Only by surviving can you maximize your value.

In other words, you are all vital assets of the company."

At this point, Krauser paused deliberately. Shortly after, two other instructors—both former U.S. Special Forces, now training investigators—walked into the tiered area.

The two instructors either opened equipment cases to organize items or assembled mannequins designed to test damage levels. These dummies possessed realistic skeletons, blood, and organs, though their skin and muscles were made of transparent silicone.

Soon, a mannequin dressed in a sharp suit stood before everyone.

Krauser spoke at the opportune moment: "Among all the factors that increase your chances of survival, technique, experience, and luck carry the most weight. These are dominated by you as individuals and by your environment; others cannot influence them.

However..."

As he spoke, Krauser left the podium, took a P90 submachine gun from one of the instructors, and walked to a position five meters away from the suited mannequin, ensuring the muzzle was pointed toward the wall, away from the tiered seating.

He disengaged the safety.

He aimed at the torso.

Krauser pulled the trigger immediately.

Da-da!!

Thump!

Following the crisp, piercing sound of rapid-fire gunshots, the mannequin—even with the support of a stand—could not withstand the impact and fell backward.

But Krauser had no intention of stopping.

The chief instructor adjusted his shooting angle and stance, flipped the selector to full-auto, and then...

Da-da-da!!

In less than the blink of an eye, Krauser rapidly emptied the 50-round magazine, leaving the conference room filled with the smell of gunpowder and acrid smoke.

Having finished firing, Krauser engaged the safety and placed the P90 on the podium. The two instructors quickly stepped forward to prop up the fallen mannequin and began to "undress" it.

Leon and the other trainees, who had been somewhat confused, understood instantly when they saw the mannequin stand up again after its wrinkled suit and inner vest were removed: their instructor was conducting an equipment demonstration.

While the mannequin's condition could hardly be called good—for instance, the bruising and swelling indicated by the bleeding under the silicone skin, and the fact that its torso and limbs were either cracked or fractured—the vital organs remained largely intact.

In other words, if a real person had been wearing that suit, they would have had a very high chance of surviving the P90's barrage.

!!

Analyzing this, all the trainees, including Leon, were incredibly energized and stirred with excitement.

Although it was a submachine gun, the P90 used 5.7x28mm ammunition. Its high muzzle velocity of approximately 650 m/s, pointed tip, and jacketed design all pointed toward immense penetrating power.

At 150 meters, it could penetrate a steel helmet; at 50 meters, it could pierce at least 48 layers of Kevlar; and at 30 meters, it could even punch through a 5mm standard steel plate.

Of course, these figures paled in comparison to 5.56x45mm rifle rounds, and the light bullet weight led to poor velocity retention at long ranges.

But for Leon and the others, those were not issues at all.

After all, that was "just" a suit!

A suit was appropriate for most occasions. It wouldn't draw too much attention, yet it significantly increased their survival rate if they were exposed and forced into a gunfight.

Moreover, the cut and style of the suit matched their aesthetic preferences. It had both style and excellent defensive capabilities; it was, without a doubt, a piece of "precious armor."

Seeming to sense the trainees' internal thoughts, Krauser returned behind the podium and said, "However, the company does have ways to intervene in external factors.

For example, the ballistic camouflage suit worn by the test dummy. You have all seen the results: it easily resists 7.7x28mm rounds. According to NIJ (National Institute of Justice) standards, its protection level is above Level III, barely reaching Level IV.

But I would not recommend you wear it to taunt guys holding AKs by saying, 'Come on, shoot me if you dare.' Otherwise, you will bear the consequences."

"Haha!"

Krauser usually presented himself as rigid and stern. It was rare for him to tell a dry joke, which caught the trainees off guard for a moment before they burst into laughter.

The atmosphere in the room became somewhat lively, but the corners of Krauser's mouth turned up slightly, indicating he was in a good mood.

Perhaps because this batch of trainees was about to graduate, he did not issue an order for silence.

Once the laughter died down, he continued: "The camouflage suit is protective gear specifically designed and developed for investigators by the company's R&D department. I believe it's woven with something like carbon nanotubes or carbon nanopaper... in any case, it's an artificial material not found on the open market.

The suit set is the basic model. Theoretically, there will be various styles, but that is conditional on your rating reaching the elite tier. And from what I understand, the manufacturing cost of the basic model alone exceeds one hundred thousand dollars."

!

Upon hearing this, all the trainees were slightly shocked. They hadn't expected that bulletproof suit to cost as much as a house or a supercar.

"Don't worry." For Krauser, however, this was already commonplace; the company had always been generous with weapons and equipment. "It's not just the camouflage suit. When you officially become investigators, the company will also provide equipment like sunglasses with HUD displays, ultra-thin personal computers, and more.

As I mentioned before, you are all vital assets to the company. Surviving and successfully completing missions is your primary goal, and the company will support you with everything it has, sparing no effort.

As for money?"

Atlas is never short on cash, so there is no need for any concerns; the company will always be your backing. However, do not forget that everything is built upon your absolute loyalty to the company and to the boss. Should you betray us...

Krauser shifted his tone, sweeping his gaze across all the trainees, and said in a calm, icy voice, "The company will launch an endless pursuit against you until you become nothing more than a corpse."

"Also, let me remind you one more time: there is a rumor within the company that the boss possesses mind-reading abilities, so do not think about deceiving him or harboring any wishful thinking. Understood?"

"Yes, sir!"

Meanwhile.

Sui Yang, the man speculated to possess mind-reading abilities, was currently aboard a private business jet, crossing the North Atlantic. He was currently at an altitude of ten thousand meters, having just entered United States airspace a short while ago.