Chapter 175
A seasoned agent can use movement to determine the presence of lurking underground Erosion Entity, taking into account factors such as visibility, marching speed, potential germs and contamination, and damage to equipment and instruments. However, this method is ineffective in rainy weather.
In short, there are indeed many troublesome aspects.
"Yes, yes..."
Yuan shrank back, an awkward smile spreading across her face.
She didn't know how to continue the conversation, and the air immediately fell silent again.
She switched the assault rifle in her other hand and continued to keep watch for any movement deep inside the passage, occasionally glancing at Efnir.
In fact, facing the mysterious "Chief" agent of Xijing City, Iris, who also uses the "First Generation" Order Weapon, has always been full of curiosity about Efnir.
While Yuan was indeed classified as a member of the Second-Generation Agent team, the weapon she actually used was First-Generation Order Weapon, only with the addition of a special scabbard made using "Second-Generation Beacon technology," but its essence remained unchanged.
As a member of the First-Generation Order Weapon, Kite's style is very different from the rest of the squad. While the other members would exchange experiences on weapon use and combat during training, she was the only one in the squad who didn't have a suitable person to talk to. Although she got along well with the other members of the squad, she always felt a little out of place.
In contrast, she felt a stronger sense of belonging to the other First-Generation Agent and always wanted to meet those "legendary" ones, as well as ask them for advice on some of the problems she encountered during training.
But there was no chance.
Then she met Efnir.
At first, I was amazed by Efnir's immense strength, then I was impressed by Anilas's admiration for Efnir, and later I truly experienced Efnir's unique qualities in the training ground.
It could be attributed to her charming personality, or it could be attributed to her strength. In short, Iris is quite interested in Efnir.
However, Efnir was a bit unapproachable—of course, you could talk to her, but something always seemed to be missing.
Yuan pursed her lips, then spoke again with difficulty, trying to find a topic to talk about.
"Um... speaking of which, the equipment here doesn't look like it's been used much; some of it even looks brand new..."
"Because the White Hole Erosion event occurred right after completion, strictly speaking, all the equipment here is still new, and it's 'New Type' left over from the Old Era..."
"Hmm... but honestly, this place is really huge..."
The kite raised its head, and above it lay a large number of pipes, with cables running through them, intertwined and connected.
The space here is wide enough for an armored tank to pass through.
If the entrance hadn't been so narrow, and if Efnir hadn't been worried that the explosion would cause extensive damage to the tunnel, she might have actually blown open the entrance and let the armored vehicle in, which would have made the journey much easier.
Efnir didn't say anything to Yuan's idle chatter, but instead answered Yuan's curiosity seriously, "According to the records, this place was most likely a civilian facility built as part of the nuclear power plant project. It was originally intended to be built as part of the urban redevelopment project, with a large amount of investment, hence its rather extravagant scale."
"Even so, the scale is still quite concerning... Were all cities in the old century like this? Could they build such massive underground projects so easily?"
"Perhaps... Many things have stagnated or regressed over the past twenty years."
Efnir sighed softly.
"We have never seen the most prosperous era in the world."
40. Another attack
The legacy of the Old Era consists of the only weapons and resources that humanity has left in the face of Erosion Entity and Dregs. Humanity has gradually forgotten that era and can only obtain guesses and memories of that era from pictures and descriptions in books.
In that distant past, human societies and cities were particularly prosperous.
Efnir had seen it in the preserved files.
But... even so, the size of this underground tunnel, where two cars can drive side by side without any obstruction, seems excessively large.
Like Kite, Efnir also had some doubts about the existence of the tunnel—it wasn't that Efnir hadn't seen the Old Era cities before; on the contrary, Efnir, who frequently participated in combat missions Beyond the Boundary, knew more about the true appearance of the Old Era cities than most people.
Nowhere else would such an extravagant underground tunnel be built solely for laying civilian cables; the structure and scale of this building suggest it has some other purpose.
Or rather, it's more accurate to describe this place as some kind of "emergency passage" rather than a "cable laying tunnel" —Efnir had observed it carefully, and the rigid structure of this tunnel seemed capable of withstanding the aftershocks of missile bombardment on the ground to some extent, far more robust Efnir had imagined.
But as a battlefield commander, Efnir believed he shouldn't make unfounded speculations.
Therefore, she did not tell Yuan her true thoughts.
Efnir continued her vigilance duties, and the conversation between the two of them returned to its previous silence.
The kite blinked and tiptoed.
Having finally managed to strike up a conversation with Efnir, she didn't want it to end so soon.
The question she most wanted to ask still hadn't been answered— Efnir's power generation techniques and fighting style were unique to her; others had tried to learn them, but without much progress.
Yuan kept wondering if, if she could learn even a little bit of that special fighting technique from Efnir, would her sword-drawing skills be greatly enhanced?
Just as she was about to say something, she saw Efnir suddenly crouch down and reach out to feel around on the blood-stained ground, as if searching for something.
Can I help you?
Iris wouldn't let this opportunity to strike up a conversation pass by, but Efnir simply waved her hand.
"Stay where you are and don't come any closer. Be on guard."
Efnir lowered her gaze and picked up something about the size of a finger joint from the inside of a pipe.
It was a "pebble," jet black, but upon closer inspection, it actually looked more like the seed of some kind of plant.
Efnir held the "pebble" in her hand, her brows furrowing slightly.
She noticed this inconspicuous "pebble" because she detected something unusual.
Dust floated on the "pebble"—though only a very small, inconspicuous speck, it was still keenly observed by Efnir.
Tobi also noticed the seed that Efnir was holding and became somewhat curious.
"What is this...?"
"It looks like the seed of a plant."
Efnir stared at her palm.
"But... I think it's more like an 'egg'..."
"'Egg'?"
"This thing is unusual; I can sense it."
That being said, Yuan, standing to the side, couldn't see the "dust" on the seed that looked like a small pebble at all. In her eyes, it was just an ordinary seed.
Efnir didn't say much. Instead, she picked up a rag from the ground, wrapped the seeds in it, hesitated for a moment, put it in her pocket, and squatted down to continue searching carefully.
But only this one seed stirred up the "dust," Efnir reaped no other harvests.
Just then, gunshots rang out from the far end behind them.
Unlike the previous gunshots, this one was continuous, Efnir could almost hear the panic in the gunfire.
"Senior Efnir!"
Kite immediately raised her gun, entering a state of alert and readiness. Efnir slightly raised her eyelashes, her eyes half-closed.
"They're in trouble, let's go over there."
At the same time, ground troops--
The remaining soldiers and agents built a strong Defense Line with their backs against the Boundary Stele, and the space created by the Shielding Device became the troops' temporary base.
The access routes were blocked by armored vehicles, their menacing cannons pointing towards the distant horizon, ready for a fierce battle to begin.
"The train's energy level has reached the warning threshold, and the barrier power is decreasing!"
"The frontal Defense Line is now complete!"
"Report, we've acquired some ammunition and weapons..."
"What's the situation on the western Defense Line? What have you discovered? Wait..."
The soldiers breathed in the tense air as messages were rapidly passed between them.
Anilas wielded a black sniper rifle, occasionally snapping away Dregs wandered close to the Defense Line.
Her marksmanship was more accurate than any well-trained soldier; every shot hit the head, sending up a spray of grayish blood.
Of course, this rifle is not Order Weapon, but just an ordinary military firearm. Before the final battle, the agents are trying to conserve the Order Force as much as possible.
"Captain, Efnir Evnir has exceeded the communication time limit. Should we... send someone?"
"Wait a minute."
Herul gripped her weapon tightly and took a deep breath.
"... Our soldiers are ready."
It is unwise to gamble all the lives of one person on the shoulders of another, even if that person is the "chief" of Xijing City. Therefore, after Efnir, Kusei Maki gathered more people and prepared alternative plans.
If Efnir's mission fails, the second squad will immediately set off, advancing by ground.
"We no longer have any spare energy or manpower..."
"Wait a little longer."
Anilas the same answer.
"Miss Efnir is stronger than any of us. Trust her."
There was no sign of anxiety in Anilas's eyes; rather, she had confidence in Efnir.
They were all waiting for a signal flare from Efnir; until then, they could only remain still.
Just then, a sudden change occurred—intense gunfire from the West Line Defense Line ignited the tense atmosphere, and both Herul and Anilas noticed the unusual activity on the West Line.
"Urgent contact from the West Line! Requesting support!"
At the same time, a piercing explosion rang out on the west side of the temporary camp. Anilas and Herul exchanged a glance, their bodies flashing with silver light. They immediately went into battle mode, picked up their weapons, and ran westward.
The west side leads to the ICS Research Institute, which is also the direction Efnir and the others left in; they must ensure that the equipment there is not damaged.
But when the two arrived, they both frowned.
--Eerie vines, like a dense swarm of dark green pythons, twisted and coiled out from behind the burned vegetation. Soldiers kept firing at the vines. Several corpses were already lying on the ground, and an armored vehicle had also been destroyed.
"Prepare for battle!"
Anilas shouted and, at the same time, she and Herul leaped toward the direction of the vines.
41. Double lines
"It's those Aberrants!"
Anilas reacted quickly, loudly alerting her soldiers.
"Withdraw! Leave this to me!"
What exactly are those suspicious tree roots and plants? There is no definitive answer. There have never been any sightings of such things. Even Anilas and Kusei Maki, who are experienced in intelligence and combat, are puzzled by this suddenly appearing suspicious parasite.
But the only certainty is that they are enemies, unlike the Dregs, the Erosion Entity, or the Apostle.
From the moment Efnir encountered the first Aberrants, Kusei Maki and Anilas knew that there could not possibly be only one of these things, and they called these new enemies whose true nature was unknown "Aberrants." Both Dregs and human characteristics appeared on the Aberrants, and a suspicious tree root replaced their hearts, calling them their most important organs.
According to Efnir's report, their danger level can also be predicted to be roughly between ordinary Dregs and Erosion Entity, or in other words, somewhat similar to "Special Mutation Entity" with higher suitability.
Ordinary soldiers, relying on artillery and firearms, are fighting against these Mutationist have suddenly appeared on the western Defense Line. Gunshots and artillery fire rise and fall, and waves of heat blow away one Mutationist after another. But there is more than one Mutationist; they emerge from nowhere and rush madly toward the Defense Line.
The Defense Line was quickly torn apart—these Mutationist posed a far greater threat than ordinary Dregs. Some bullets were not enough to subdue them quickly, but their attack range and power far exceeded that of ordinary Dregs. Those thick, dark green vines continuously took the lives of the soldiers.
Anilas witnessed this scene.
"Where did this disgusting thing come from?!"
"I don't know. It's strange that our previous search didn't find any trace of these Mutationist; they seem to have appeared out of nowhere."
"Herul, it's too late! The soldiers' Defense Line will be breached! I'll provide support from here; you quickly clear out the Mutationist swarming in from the flanks!"
"Yes!"
Because the appearance of the Mutationist was very sudden, and each of them posed a threat no less than that of "Special Mutation Entity," the soldiers were caught off guard and their Defense Line crumbled quickly. Anilas didn't have time to run to the battlefield and could only crouch down on the spot to deploy her order's armed forces.