"The energy signature analysis is complete." A technician's voice interrupted Qingliu's monologue, brimming with confusion. "Commander, the weapons used by those... Gretchin infantry have energy profiles that don't match any known weapon in our database. They... they don't seem to be conventional plasma or laser weapons. They're more like... localized matter decomposition fields. The parts they hit aren't burned or blasted apart, but... erased at the atomic level."
"Matter decomposition?" Suisxing's brow furrowed even deeper.
"What about their artillery? Have you located their firing positions?" Suisxing continued.
"Reporting, Commander: no." Another reconnaissance analyst answered, "After the bombardment ended, we deployed the Stealth Drone Swarm to conduct a comprehensive sweep, but all we found across the vast wasteland were several million shallow pits, along with... some unidentifiable organic residue. It was as though... those millions of guns had grown legs and run away."
Suisxing's pupils contracted slightly.
Run away? Millions of heavy artillery pieces had vanished without a trace the instant they finished firing? The mobility and organizational capacity that implied were far beyond anything a group of newly freed slaves could possess.
He began reassessing the situation before him.
"Mr. Gretchin is requesting a communications link." The communications officer's report interrupted Suisxing's thoughts.
"Put him through," Suisxing said gravely. He had decided to probe this mysterious "Big Boss" himself.
Liu Zhipeng's hologram appeared in the center of the bridge once more. This time, he looked even more "wretched." His borrowed engineer's uniform was covered in dust and fake blood, and his face bore just the right measure of exhaustion and sorrow. Yet deep in his eyes shone irrepressible joy and pride. He looked like a simple village chief who had just led his villagers to drive off an evil dragon, exhausted in body and mind but filled with a sense