A foul stench filled the air as burrowing beasts burst from the earth, baring their fangs and charging Berserk at the imposing steel defenses.
thump thump thump--
The sound of the large-caliber defensive machine guns fired by Sunil's soldiers was more like the sound of cannons. The muzzles spewed out flames that were more than a meter long. Depleted uranium armor-piercing rounds and explosive rounds swept across the area. The burrowing beasts were as if they were being whipped away by an invisible giant hand. They crashed to the ground and were hit by concentrated bullet fire. They screamed and rolled around. Their carapaces and flesh were smashed into a muddy mess, and the liquid splattered everywhere, leaving sticky marks on the dry ground.
Hold the line!
Nivelle spoke in a cold, hard tone, directing his B12 Defense Squad through the combat channel built into his Non-Commissioned Officer-Grade Armor. He had thirty soldiers under his command, and their interwoven firepower kept the wild beasts in the area at bay.
Between shots, Nivelle glanced around. This wave of burrowing beasts hadn't caused much trouble, only damaging some armor and causing no casualties. It was a close call.
rumble--
Two dark, burrowing beasts suddenly burst from the ground beside the B12 Defense Squad. These were two escaped foe, their gaping maws lunging at Nivelle and a soldier beside them. The attack came abruptly.
Before the other defense team members could even turn their guns around, Nivelle had already reacted. He dropped his weapon, and in a flash, his hands shot out, his steel palms precisely grabbing the beast's open jaws in mid-air, preventing the fangs from piercing his helmet. In that instant, his mechanical arm spewed out a stream of air, its mechanical components rattling and pumping power, his joints locking to withstand the beast's immense force. The next second, he twisted his wrist, deploying a rotating wrist saw that sliced off half of the beast's jaws with a slicing sound.
Immediately afterward, despite the beast's thrashing claws in agony, Nivelle rammed his shoulder into it, knocking it over. He then raised his large metal foot and pinned it down on its throat, like a nail, firmly holding the struggling beast in place. He swiftly pulled two electromagnetically powered pistols from the recess in his waistband and fired them, blasting them through the beast's skull.
Blood splattered across the armor, and the tactical screen's field of vision was also stained with a sticky substance.
This series of movements was swift and agile, without any sense of cumbersomeness associated with wearing heavy armor.
However, the other soldier who was attacked was not so strong. His helmet was bitten and twisted, almost flattened, and blood sprayed from the gaps in the helmet. He swayed and fell down. He was the first to die. Before he died, he fired several shots into the beast's belly, fulfilling his last duty. Before he fell, he was worried about Nivelle's safety and wanted to support the captain. He even turned his gun towards the beast, but unfortunately, he didn't have the strength to pull the trigger.
Sunil's Soldier-Grade Armor elevates the combat capabilities of ordinary soldiers; its heavy steel powered armor gives soldiers the ability to fight even against powerful beasts. Nivelle's Non-Commissioned Officer-Grade Armor is even more powerful; even if he is not a superhuman, his armor's capabilities and veteran combat experience allow him to hold his own against the superhuman mercenaries who are arriving as reinforcements.
Nivelle retrieved the defensive machine gun and, together with his comrades, opened fire, killing the beast. He glanced at his subordinate's corpse, his tone unwavering, and shouted, "Ignore it, keep the formation intact!"
Having served in the army for over a decade, he has lost count of how many times he has donned this armor and gone into battle.
During his long service, he participated in the DarkStar Disaster, experienced the Great Migration of Races, led the Reconnaissance team in the early exploration and development of Planet Sunil, and experienced every Calamity. Comrades-in-arms died one after another, the number of veterans dwindled, and his old buddies disappeared one after another.
Nivelle's team has undergone numerous changes, and his current subordinates are all new recruits who have only been in the army for a few years. He always leads his team on dangerous missions, so the team often suffers heavy losses, including many friends he has known for many years... Regret? This word is not in his dictionary. Nivelle doesn't care about his subordinates dying in battle. To protect his tribe, sacrifice is inevitable, and this has always been his creed.
To outsiders, Nivelle was undoubtedly a cold-blooded officer.
After repelling the wave of wild beasts, the field Reconnaissance team reported back that there was a gap of several tens of minutes. Nivelle immediately requested logistical maintenance, and an equipment vehicle arrived at the position. A team of maintenance workers used various equipment and steel plates to repair the defense team's armor. Nivelle was surrounded by a group of maintenance workers with welding equipment when he saw Han Xiao walking over.
Because of Reldon, Nivelle had some impression of Han Xiao, and said in a deep voice, "Mercenary, return to your positions!"
"I would like to request a change of mission," Han Xiao said.
"There's no safer job than yours right now." Nivelle's tone was curt. He had seen many mercenaries request to switch missions at the last minute, simply because they were frightened by the Calamity scenes and didn't want to stay on the dangerous front lines.
The Sunil Race does not force mercenaries to participate in dangerous battles; they will only deduct a certain amount of credit and reward. Of course, Nivelle usually just waves them away, feeling that saying another word is a waste of energy, and it would be better to use that time to close their eyes and rest, and recover more physical strength.
The safest job that mercenaries who backed out could apply for was Han Xiao's current position. Nivelle didn't know what was going on with this Black Star. Could he be a coward who was hoping for the best? No, he was Reldon's friend; he didn't seem like that kind of person.
Suppressing his impatience, Nivelle asked, "What do you want?"
My team wants to join the field Reconnaissance.
Upon hearing this, the soldiers and mercenaries resting nearby all cast surprised glances at him.
Nivelle wondered if he had misheard. This was the most dangerous mission ever, one that mercenaries would avoid like the plague. This was the first time someone had volunteered for a Reconnaissance mission.
Nivelle was known for his taciturn and disciplined nature, but even he couldn't help but ask, "Why?"
"My team members have some special abilities; they're best suited for dangerous missions," Han Xiao said, feigning nonchalance. "Besides, Reldon is my friend... Even so, the money still has to be paid; that's my principle."
"... I will apply to my superiors." Nivelle's tone was less cold, and the surrounding soldiers were even more respectful. The fact that a mercenary they had never met was willing to risk his life for his people, and no matter the reason, Sunil was grateful for this act.
The mercenaries whispered among themselves, becoming curious about Han Xiao's team.
What mercenary group are they?
"It seems to be called Black Star."
"Never heard of him, a newbie, huh? He's really working himself to the bone. Why bother? It'd be a waste if he died."
Not long after, a new mission popped up on the panel—Field Reconnaissance, with a reward of 8000 Enas. This mission was issued to the entire mercenary group, and other players also triggered it.
Han Xiao was satisfied. He couldn't take on other missions at the Mercenary Hall in the Juberly Hub because he didn't have enough credit points. But he could negotiate with the Sunil Race. This kind of private hiring wouldn't increase his credit points, but he would still get more fame and pay.
Wilderness Reconnaissance is indeed very dangerous. Han Xiao didn't plan to go himself, but instead let the players do it. Anyway, they wouldn't die, so he could squeeze them as much as possible. It was perfect for Reconnaissance. The players completed the task, and he could get a share of the rewards for nothing.
Players were pleasantly surprised. Staying in their positions was safe, but also monotonous. Now, with the rewards as motivation, players didn't care about the dangers of field Reconnaissance and were eager to try it out.
"I have another request. I personally hope to join the battlefield repair team," Han Xiao said. "I'm a mechanic... a pretty good one."
"Battlefield repair?" Nivelle frowned.
"I feel this job allows me to better utilize my abilities."
Maintenance work falls under logistics and is handled by the clan's own logistics soldiers. Involving mercenaries would be a waste of human resources, essentially paying for someone else's services. However, Nivelle did not immediately refuse. The Black Star Mercenary Group had just applied for the most dangerous mission, and the leader's request was not unreasonable. Nivelle felt that Han Xiao should receive some special privileges.
Han Xiao picked up a damaged Soldier-Grade Armor and began repairing it on the spot. He used various tools in turn, sparks flying everywhere, a dazzling display of skill. Before anyone could react, the armor was about 90% repaired. His Mechanical Affinity was high, and with the newly acquired [Armored Engineer] bonus, his repair speed was extremely fast.
He added at the opportune moment, "Only during rest periods can your equipment receive comprehensive repairs. Severe damage would be very dangerous, but I have the capability to protect myself and perform field repairs, providing you with security."
"Okay, it's been approved." Nivelle asked his superiors and received a positive response.
Battlefield maintenance requires shuttling between the front lines. Han Xiao voluntarily gave up his safe position and took on risks that he shouldn't have had to bear. Everyone was deeply moved—what kind of spirit is this? He is simply a model of selflessness and altruism.
There aren't many good people like this anymore!
Seeing this, Maple Moon couldn't help but recall Han Xiao's announced goal of going to interstellar space, and thought to herself, "Every protagonist has their own unique traits. He's a very positive person at heart. Could his trait be that he's a born hero?"
After the mission was changed, the players were all sent to conduct a surprise Reconnaissance training session in the wild. They had to set off before the next attack and temporarily split up.
Han Xiao no longer needed to fire artillery; he went directly to the field repair team, as part of his plan.
Mechanic Class can deduce mechanical blueprints through repair and modification, requiring only a large amount of experience. Han Xiao has no shortage of experience; as long as he has enough repair opportunities, he can deduce the blueprints. He values soldier-level and Non-Commissioned Officer-Grade Armor the most. These standard individual armors have good performance and are very suitable for large-scale sales to players. Not only can he make a profit, but he can also improve the average strength of the mercenary group.
Over the next two days, the defense forces engaged in continuous close combat, resulting in damage to much of their equipment. Han Xiao tirelessly worked within the defense perimeter, performing battlefield repairs and handling various types of armor, gradually proving that progress was being made.
Although his motives were impure, Han Xiao's timely field repairs did indeed save the lives of many defense soldiers, with remarkable results. Even Nivelle, who didn't care much about the casualties of his subordinates, felt that Han Xiao had given him a lot of help.