People at the scene were shocked to hear that a helicopter had crashed.
Mako Mori instinctively retorted, "Impossible! In the past ten years or so, there has never been a record of a monster shooting down a helicopter in the sea!"
Others reacted similarly.
Nobody believed it.
How could a monster that can only move in water and on land shoot down an aircraft that is flying hundreds of meters or even higher in the air?
This is utterly absurd.
"It's true, this is the message we received!" Tendo Choi confirmed the message again.
Zhang Tianyuan asked, "What caused the crash?"
Tendo Choi paused, "We have received the video and audio recordings of the helicopters before the crash, and the investigation is still ongoing. All we know is that before any of the helicopters crashed, someone suddenly heard a loud and piercing noise on their communication channel."
Old Pan took the microphone. "Send the video over."
The video was quickly transmitted to the conference room.
Old Pan immediately opened it and found that it was indeed not much related to what Tendo Choi had said.
Of the helicopters responsible for tracking and reconnaissance, only a portion were hovering at low altitudes with sonar to detect the location of the water monster, but the majority were helicopters responsible for logistical support, flying at altitudes of hundreds or even thousands of meters.
Normally, being a few hundred meters in the air would be safe enough, especially at sea where the monster has nothing to throw.
However, in the next second, all the helicopter channels were filled with a piercing noise.
According to the video footage from inside the cabin, the people inside the helicopter didn't last long. They swayed and staggered amidst the noise until they completely lost consciousness, and some even experienced uncontrollable vomiting...
Upon seeing this, the first weapon that flashed through everyone's mind was:
"Sound wave!"
Only sonic weapons could cause this. Xxs-②
However, someone immediately raised another question:
What kind of sonic weapon could produce this effect?
"You know, those pilots all wear flight headsets."
Mako Mori thought for a moment and replied, "It might not just be the noise waves we hear; there might also be inaudible ultrasonic and infrasound waves..."
Common types of acoustic weapons include noise waves, infrasound waves, and ultrasound waves.
Among them, the Horn often seen when dealing with noise waves are simply a type of device where the sound wave direction is restricted, allowing it to target people in a specific direction, although the attack range is generally only a few hundred meters.
Infrasound, with frequencies below 20 Hz, can cause mental confusion, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and even delirium and mania if its frequency and intensity are controlled within a certain range.
Ultrasonic weapons utilize high-energy ultrasonic generators to produce high-frequency sound waves, which can also cause physiological reactions such as blurred vision and nausea. They can even be used for directional mine clearance and to detonate landmines, naval mines, and torpedoes.
Of these three types of sonic weapons, infrasound and ultrasound are the most covert, capable of killing without leaving a trace.
but...
Old Pan watched the video; the helicopter in it had begun to crash out of control after losing pilot control.
He covered his eyes and turned to look at Mako Mori:
Even so, it still doesn't explain how such a powerful sonic attack was formed.
How are sound waves focused and emitted, and how is it achieved in such a vast, open environment as the ocean?
"To reach such a high intensity?"
In Old Pan's view, the ability to instantly defeat helicopter pilots hundreds or even thousands of meters in the air is an incredible feat of sonic weaponry.
As he said, sound waves are difficult to focus and direct, and they are difficult to control.
Secondly, sound waves are unlikely to have much power in an open environment.
Third, sound waves are not very efficient at transferring energy to objects, which greatly limits their destructive power.
In addition, Old Pan could list a whole host of the drawbacks of sonic weapons. If these drawbacks didn't exist, the most successful practical sonic weapon on Earth wouldn't be a Horn used to drive people away.
Zhang Tianyuan rewound the video recording a bit, bringing it back to the moment before the helicopter was attacked, and then pointed to a corner of the screen:
"Look at the sea, the monster emerged from here, and then the helicopter was attacked the next second."
This almost certainly confirms that the sonic attack was launched by the third monster.
"As for the practicality of sonic weapons, I don't think we need to get too hung up on that; that's a matter for Precursors."
These words immediately enlightened Old Pan.
He patted his head.
Those aliens have even created wormholes, so what's so hard about them creating a monster with powerful sonic weapons?
This world is already sci-fi enough.
Now all we need to do is confirm that the monster might have this ability.
Having understood the problem, Old Pan issued a new order:
"I am now issuing orders that the monster currently attacking Hong Kong is codenamed [ Horn ]. It is speculated that it can launch a wide-range, high-intensity sonic attack. Neighboring PPDC member countries are requested to dispatch drones for close reconnaissance..."
Zhang Tianyuan also spoke to Ning Jihua and Taylor, saying, "Let's deploy more satellites to keep an eye on this monster. Since it possesses sonic weapons, it will most likely remain afloat for the rest of the time."
The two immediately agreed and quickly connected more satellite images to the base through the previously established emergency procedures.
Clear images of the monster were quickly transmitted back to everyone.
It was a lizard-like monster floating on the sea. Its entire body, from head to tail, was covered with vertical, ribbon-like structures, and it was shaking violently, causing the surrounding seawater to churn as if it were being boiled...
Mako Mori gave a brief explanation. "Based on the analysis of the currently transmitted sea surface images, the Horn is approximately 168 meters long and crawls on all fours. It has numerous vibrating vocal cords on its back, which, when vibrating, emit high-intensity sound waves that attack the surrounding environment, covering almost all frequencies."
"What is the kill range of the sound waves?" Zhang Tianyuan asked.
Mako Mori glanced at the data. "We've already detected noise levels of 130 decibels at a distance of five kilometers."
130 decibels...
The group looked at each other in bewilderment.
Sudden exposure to this decibel level can commonly cause inner ear damage, and even hearing impairment that modern medicine cannot completely cure.
Old Pan's expression was grave. "Does this mean that as long as the monster gets within five kilometers of the coast, it can attack the city's residents?"
"I'm afraid it's more than that."
Mako Mori shook her head and immediately added:
"The monster's sonic effects are still expanding rapidly. It is speculated that the vibrations of the vocal cords on the monster's back will become increasingly stronger over time."
Tsk!
Zhang Tianyuan clasped his hands together, rested his chin on them, and fell into deep thought.
Even he found this monster troublesome.
Needless to say, this is yet another monster targeting him.
The Precursors completely abandoned the monster combination that participated in the final battle in the original work.
This shows that they have realized that no matter how big the monster is, unless it can withstand the damage from falling from space, it cannot withstand a time-space exile.
That's why the Precursors created these two monsters.
It can fly, is incredibly agile, and if it falls from space, it can glide smoothly.
It can launch sonic attacks at any time, so he can't get close at all...
A five-kilometer range of sonic attack exceeds the operational range for visually activating Spacetime Tunnel.
Even he had to admit that the Precursors had truly come prepared this time.
Not only Zhang Tianyuan, but Old Pan and the others were also worried about this monster.
They also realized that this monster was specifically designed to deal with time-space exile.
"Can our current mechs handle sonic attacks?" Ning Jihua asked Old Pan.
Before Old Pan could answer, Mako Mori interjected, "Yes, the cockpits of all mechs are completely sealed, making it difficult for sonic weapons to transmit energy inside."
"Should we send another mech back to protect Hong Kong?"
As soon as Old Pan proposed this idea, Tendo Choi, who had been on the communication channel the whole time, immediately spoke up to remind him:
"There are still two monsters underwater, both level five monsters. Given the difficulty of underwater combat for mechs, if we only leave two mechs..."
No need to say anything more.
Everyone knew what the consequences would be.
Even on land, mechs are not necessarily a match for level 5 monsters, let alone in the ocean where movement is restricted, which is the monsters' home ground.
Leaving only two mechs there would be tantamount to sending them to their deaths, making the Plan to Nuke the Wormhole impossible to complete.
But what will the Hong Kong do if they don't bring back the mechs for defense?
"Shall we bring Crimson Typhoon back first?" Old Pan tentatively suggested, while keeping an eye on Taylor's face, which had already turned extremely dark.
However, Zhang Tianyuan shook his head.
"If we recall Crimson Typhoon to Hong Kong, what will happen to San Francisco?"
"That monster can fly. If it's not eliminated in time, it might fly off to somewhere else next time, potentially triggering a monster spread crisis..."
This is the most serious problem.
What if a flying monster is left on Earth? What if it's like the previous Otachi, a pregnant individual who deliberately smuggled itself to Earth to give birth, hoping its offspring will become an Earth beast?
Doesn't this amount to letting monsters take root on Earth?
The others had also thought of this problem, and their faces immediately turned ashen.
This is practically a trolley problem.
Either abandon the Hong Kong, abandon San Francisco, or abandon the Plan to Nuke the Wormhole...
Just when everyone was racking their brains, Zhang Tianyuan suddenly said:
"Shouldn't the Pangu be able to withstand sonic attacks as well?"
Mako Mori nodded instinctively. "Yes, its design technology is advanced, it's heavier, and its sonic, electromagnetic, and laser defenses are the best among all mechs..."
After saying that, she realized Zhang Tianyuan's underlying meaning.
The others also looked over.