New Equipment

"Rat-tat-tat!"

Gunfire erupted across the village and the rainforest, the sustained, rhythmic roar of 6.2mm and even .50 caliber weapons echoing through the air.

If it were the rebels doing this, it would be standard procedure.

The insurgents entrenched in this vicinity had never received any formal military training; they didn't understand the concepts of burst fire or controlled rapid fire, preferring simply to empty their magazines as quickly as possible.

However, the true source of this sustained barrage was the group of soldiers who had just leaped from the aircraft cabins, executing rope-less rappels.

Their black combat uniforms, the red "Λ" insignia, and the "ARS/3rd Infantry Company" shoulder patches identified them as the Atlas Rapid Response Force (ARS) 3rd Infantry Company.

Their equipment had become significantly "heavier."

Every infantryman was now equipped with a mechanical exoskeleton, allowing them to mount additional protective plating on vital areas, carry more ammunition, and effortlessly execute rope-less rappels from a height of twenty meters.

Beyond that, the full-face helmets worn by the ARS featured integrated HUD screens, which assisted in locking onto targets within their field of vision and coordinated with the exoskeletons to calibrate their aim.

Coupled with the rigorous training and extensive combat experience of the ARS, they maintained an incredibly high level of accuracy even while firing in sustained bursts.

Viewed from the air, the thirty-plus soldiers of the 3rd Company were dispersed throughout the village in three-man fire teams.

Among them were two ARS troopers dressed as heavy infantry.

With their specialized mechanical exoskeletons and full-body modular armor, their shoulders mounted micro-missile pods and 40mm grenade launchers, making them nothing short of "human tanks."

Consequently, whether it was rebels or the infected, anything that appeared within the ARS squad's line of sight was met with rapid or sustained fire.

Facing the dense 6.2mm and .50 caliber rounds, the sheer kinetic energy instantly tore human torsos, limbs, and skulls to pieces.

Bang!

Splat!

The sound of bodies exploding and shattering echoed through the village and the rainforest; blood mist filled the air, and the soil was soaked with gore and pulverized flesh.

Against the ARS, who held a crushing advantage in equipment, weaponry, and military discipline, the only outcome for the infected and the rebels was death.

Not to mention that an A-10, an AH-1W, and a CH-53E equipped with rotary machine guns were providing overhead fire support.

Surrender?

Having witnessed the infected and mutants, and having seen Atlas's new equipment—not to mention the urgency of the mission—the ARS simply ignored the rebels' attempts to surrender.

In truth, Atlas had already developed several prototypes with greater mobility based on the United Defense Force (UDF) vehicles from Earth-01, but they were still in the testing phase. There was no need to expose them prematurely, so the vehicles participating in this support mission remained older models.

At this moment.

"..."

Leon stood up, feeling somewhat dazed.

He watched the ARS soldiers slowly advance into the rainforest, using the two heavy infantrymen as mobile cover, then looked down at the HK USP in his hand and couldn't help but shake his head with a sigh.

An ARS soldier with red-painted shoulder armor walked up to Leon, retracted his visor to reveal a bearded face, and extended his left hand.

"Rapid Response Force, 3rd Company, 1st Platoon Leader, Sergeant Gideon Elimo. Are you alright, cadet?"

Leon engaged the safety, holstered his HK USP, and reached out to shake the man's hand. "Sergeant, you arrived just in time. Thank you for the support. If you had been two minutes later, I might have had to resort to a knife fight."

"It's our duty." Sergeant Gideon Elimo released his grip and turned his gaze toward Quill Sears and the others, who were emerging from a tin shack looking even more bewildered. He continued:

"Cadet, our orders from high command are to eliminate all threats and locate the source of the current situation: the God's Flower. You are to cooperate with us, act as a bridge for communication, negotiate with civilians like Quill Sears, and assist us in completing the objective of finding the God's Flower."

"Understood, Sergeant. Leave it to me."

Leon nodded in agreement and walked toward Sears and the others, briefly explaining the current situation.

During this time, the gunfire shifted from intense to sporadic, indicating that the 1st Platoon of the 3rd Infantry Company had used their overwhelming firepower to clear the area and were now searching for stragglers to finish them off.

Although the infected and mutants possessed the intelligence to operate firearms and fight in groups, they lacked the instinct to take cover and were easily eliminated by the ARS.

The rebels, seeing that the battle was lost, immediately scattered and fled.

However, exposing one's back to the enemy was a fatal mistake, and they quickly became sitting ducks. Some of the smarter ones tried to use the terrain of the rainforest to hide and escape.

But as the heavy infantrymen fired several reconnaissance rounds—equipped with motion detection and contour scanning capabilities—into the rainforest, and with the thermal imaging provided by their helmets, the rebels had nowhere to hide.

Before long, the small-scale conflict came to an end.

Seeing this, the CH-53E that had been circling overhead chose a suitable landing spot to offload a large number of technical and engineering personnel.

The moment they left the cabin, technicians in black hazmat suits immediately began collecting bodies, taking samples, and initiating decontamination procedures.

Meanwhile, engineering personnel in black work clothes and orange vests selected areas to sanitize, then used their portable tools and materials to begin modifications and construction. It appeared they were preparing to establish a forward outpost in the village for immediate testing and analysis.

At the same time, two technicians were performing the standard procedure of drawing blood and conducting on-site testing for Leon and the students led by Sears.

Once the results came back green and clear, the two technicians turned and left to carry out other tasks.

Taking a moment to breathe.

Leon pressed a disinfectant pad against his neck where blood had been drawn, then looked toward Gideon at his side and asked, "Sergeant, is the company preparing to...?"

"Control the situation. The second and third platoons have already deployed to Lojia Town. The company will have its hands full around here until the impact caused by God's Flower is minimized. Michelle!" No sooner had Gideon finished explaining than he issued an order over the comms:

"You and fireteams 8, 9, and 10 are to remain here, responsible for providing protection to the technical and engineering personnel, and wait for the arrival of follow-up units."

"Yes, Sergeant."

"Mm." Hearing the reply over the comms, Gideon gave a soft acknowledgment before looking back at Sears and the others, saying in a tone that brooked no refusal:

"Professor, you will now accompany us deep into the rainforest to search for the ancient city and God's Flower. Atlas will pay you and your students a handsome commission, and will also recruit you into the company, where you will receive better working and living conditions."

"This... of course, that is fine." Sears understood that they had been dragged into the other side of the world, and especially after witnessing the ARS's summary execution of the rebels, he naturally knew the consequences of refusal.

"Very good." Gideon put his mask back on and, as he began walking toward the northern rainforest, raised his left hand and gave a slight wave, continuing to issue orders:

"Everyone except those staying behind, follow me. Let's see what exactly is hidden in this rainforest."