Alien Relic Hunter

"Grey Mist Forest?" Yeager tilted his head slightly, "Where are you going? I thought you would find an abandoned exile settlement or a heretical sect's stronghold to settle down first."

As a veteran, Yeager naturally knew that the Gray Mist Forest was one of the few "forbidden areas" on Alpha Planet that even battleships could not enter. Although the operations of the special operations fleet back then were top secrets, the operations of this scale were It is obviously impossible to keep combat missions completely confidential... There is no airtight wall in this world. Even though most of the officers and soldiers who participated in the operation are no longer alive, various gossips still pass through various channels. Channels spread.

But no matter which version of the story is circulated, one thing is generally recognized: the gray fog forest has an extremely high "self-defense level". Not only can it not enter the depths of the forest from the ground route, it can't even fly in from above the forest.

When it comes to the least explored places on Planet Alpha, apart from the earth's core and the deep sea, the third place is this weird and dangerous forest.

"There shouldn't be a place to replenish supplies in that place, right?" Yeager said again, "And, as far as I know, the sky above the Gray Mist Forest is the highest level no-fly zone... even if it's Yagunaktor , I’m afraid…”

"But there, you can at least avoid Ark's pursuit." Layton said, "As for the supply issue, Major General Alexander and Ke Lan are discussing it, so we don't need to worry about it."

…

The core area of ​​Ark, and the periphery of Black Well.

S017 area, the first line of defense.

It is composed of crisis management officers, Security Bureau agents, elite troops of the Guards, and the remnants of the black-clad troops that were originally secretly formed by Zeus, Apollo and others, but whose control has now been seized by Demeter and their faction. A large number of blocking troops are on standby behind temporary bunkers.

Lin Qiming checked the weapons at hand one last time, and then glanced meaningfully at the black-clad troops at the forefront of the defense line.

"Deputy Section Chief... What is the origin of this force? Why can't I find any files related to them?" An operator from the crisis management department asked Lin Qiming in a low voice.

"We can't find it just because we don't have enough authority." Lin Qiming said solemnly, "There's nothing surprising."

"Those should be the top elite troops, right?" The crisis management officer asked doubtfully, "But why do the superiors put them at the front? It always feels like... as if they are treating these people as cannon fodder and consumables. Use the same."

Lin Qiming pointed at his head and said: "As far as I know, these people are mass-produced replicas, and their actions are completely controlled by chips implanted deep in the brain."

"Then these people are all wearing full-face helmets... because they all have the same face?" For some reason, the operator suddenly had the urge to take off these people's helmets. .

"Who knows, maybe... But I still have to give you a piece of advice, it's best to stay away from those clones." Lin Qiming said, "To be honest, I always feel that those chips are not reliable... Since we can pass Using chips to control these clones, the enemy can also..."

Before Lin Qiming finished speaking, a figure wrapped in a robe suddenly appeared at the exit that was targeted by countless long guns and short cannons.

"Here we come!" Lin Qiming looked solemn and stopped chatting with his subordinates. "Attention all units, the target has appeared! Don't rush to open fire yet. Follow the pre-decided plan and execute a step-by-step blocking operation...Finally, I'll reiterate it again. , our task is to delay time, do not think about being able to eliminate the target...be prepared for the worst."

The Crisis Management Section is still on standby, but the black-clad troops at the forefront of the defense line have already rushed forward under the cover of friendly fire!

These soldiers in black clothes and armor are all equipped with highly maneuverable powered exoskeletons. Coupled with air cushion thrusters on their legs, they can move as fast as a flying mecha that skims the ground. In their hands are heavy Nino alloy solid heavy swords - this is a melee weapon specially used to deal with energy shields: if you want to cause damage to the target behind the energy shield, in addition to using the method of consumption to make the shield Apart from shield overload, the simplest and crudest way is to use a physical weapon of sufficient mass to penetrate the shield before it is completely ablated.

However, no energy shield appeared in front of this black figure. He just walked through the hail of bullets like a leisurely stroll. All the bullets fired at him would fall vertically only the last inch away from him. On the ground, it was as if the kinetic energy and inertia of the bullet had returned to zero at that moment.

"Has the kinetic energy on the warhead been absorbed by the target? Is it some unknown alien technological device?" Lin Qiming, who was always paying attention to the target, frowned and muttered to himself.

Not only the bullets, but also the shock waves and fragments when the shells exploded, the burning viscous fuel shot from the flamethrower, and even the pulse laser, could not harm the target at all, not even the robe he was wearing. Can't do it.

"It's like a field." The crisis management officer who just chatted with Lin Qiming said in a trembling voice, "A field that can exclude some, whether it is energy or entity... This is simply unbelievable."

"What? Do you know the reason for this?" Lin Qiming couldn't help but glance at him and asked.

"To be honest, boss." The operator showed a smile that was uglier than crying. "I have only seen this kind of thing in science fiction movies and anime...or rather, ability."

If you want to give this kind of field a name, Lin Qiming feels that the four words "absolute defense" are simply apt... In his understanding, the strongest defense device is by no means an energy shield, but an energy shield. A "space partition device" that can generate a space barrier. The "shield" generated by that thing can block all attacks at the spatial level... But in essence, its powerful defense also needs to be maintained by energy. When supplied When the energy is insufficient, the generated space barrier will naturally become fragile.

"It depends on whether the solid heavy swords of those men in black can break through this layer of 'absolute defense'." Lin Qiming sighed... If even melee attacks are completely ineffective, then their line of defense will not exist at all. It makes sense.

It is impossible to delay even for a second.

However, Lin Qiming could not see the sight of the soldiers in black waving Nino alloy heavy swords at the target at all - these men in black wearing powered exoskeletons had not been able to approach the target, as if they were being crushed by a harvester. Like wheat, it fell one crop after another.

"What's going on? Have they been killed?" An officer of the garrison shouted in a tone that was half frightened and half confused, "It's obvious that the target didn't do anything!"

"Those fallen soldiers are still alive." Lin Qiming pressed the temple of his helmet and activated the telephoto function of the goggles. He saw that the fallen soldiers in black were still alive, with their body surfaces and powered exoskeletons There were no visible wounds, but their limbs were twitching involuntarily, as if they had been electrocuted.

"The chips installed in their brains were burned." Lin Qiming sighed, "The moment they were close to the target."

In order to ensure absolute loyalty, the chip installed in the brain of this clone army is completely different from the chip originally installed in the brain of the β-type clone. The main function of the chip in the brain of the β-type clone is to record images, To collect various data on the host's body, even if the host is to be controlled, the purpose can only be achieved by stimulating certain areas of the brain through weak currents, or through some means similar to thinking suggestions.

But the chip installed in this clone army is different. When their control chip was installed, part of the functional areas of the brain had been removed. In a sense, this chip has become an indispensable part of their brain. Once the chip is damaged, their brain will lose the ability to function normally.

As for the powered exoskeletons on these men in black, they are controlled through muscle electrical signals similar to cyborg prosthetics. When the brain is destroyed, it is naturally impossible to maintain balance.

"Get them out! Let the enhanced people who have not undergone cyborg transformation come in!" Someone from the Security Bureau also saw the problem, and several sturdy enhanced people immediately rushed out of the bunker and rushed towards the target. go.

When passing by the men in black who fell to the ground, these enhanced men reached out and grabbed the Nino alloy solid heavy sword that fell to the ground, and continued to approach the target.

The strongest one among them not only holds a physical heavy sword in his left and right hands, but also holds the hilt of a sword in his mouth - this heavy melee weapon forged from pure Nino alloy, relies on It is that amazing mass that can penetrate the energy shield. The weight of a single sword is more than 200 kilograms. Those men in black have to rely on exoskeletons to lift it, but this enhanced man can use the upper and lower jaws to lift it. The bite force lifted it up, and its strengthening level was at least eight levels higher.

"It's the leader of the fifth field team, Roronoa." The crisis management officer next to Lin Qiming recognized the identity of the enhanced person, "He is the only member of the security bureau's official nine-member team. Super enhanced person."

There are only a handful of Level 9 Enhancers on the Ark, but this only refers to the Level 9 Enhancers who are publicly disclosed. As for the Level 9 Enhancers who are in the dark and have no real strength recorded in the files, as far as Lin Qiming knows, The number should be around three to five times what has been announced.

"I really don't know who is stationed at the five defense lines behind... I hope we can stop the target."

…

Yagunaktor, Core Power Zone.

Layton, who was talking to Yeager, suddenly received an emergency communication from the hound, and had to leave Yeager, who was unable to move, and hurried to the command room.

"What's going on? Are there enemies?" Layton used his mechanical prosthesis to tear off the side door of the command room and walked in quickly and asked.

Before he left, the route had been set, and Yagunaktor was heading towards the Gray Mist Forest at a regular cruising speed. It was expected to arrive at the target location marked by Ke Lan for them in another hour and a half.

"There are no enemies." Hound shook his head, "Miss Soma asked us to come here."

"Miss? Are you okay?" Layton immediately turned his attention to Zofia.

"Look at this." Zofia pointed to an equipment box made of high-strength engineering plastic placed on the table. There was a fingerprint lock on the side of the box, and inside the box, something seemed to be releasing. The light was shining brightly, and the light could even penetrate the shell of the box, which was enough to block the direct fire of the Zero-1 rifle, flashing rhythmically.

"What is this?" Layton asked curiously.

"It's the box left by Ke Lan, which contains some of his personal belongings." Zofia said, "But just five minutes ago, the box suddenly started to emit light rhythmically, so I brought it over."

"It's Ke Lan's personal belongings, so you shouldn't ask Ke Lan... Hello, Ke Lan? Where are you? Say something?" Leighton said matter-of-factly.

"Don't bother, we've tried it many times." The hound shook his head, "Ever since the things in this box started to glow, the connection between us and Ke Lan has been cut off. I don't know if he can see it. The situation here, hearing our voices, but in short, we no longer receive any information from him.”

"Is it related to the contents of this box?" Leighton pointed to the box.

Zofia nodded: "I'm afraid so."

"I think we should open this box." Hound said, "This box was left by Ke Lan and is still in the bedroom. Miss Soma often sees him using the things in the box, which are all practical. Small equipment and the like, I think there shouldn’t be anything dangerous inside.”

"Indeed, with Ke Lan's character, he shouldn't put things like crystal energy bombs in the bedroom." Leiton nodded, picked up the box, and looked at it carefully, "It has been scanned with radiography equipment. ?"

"Swept it."

"The results of it?"

"Nothing can be swept out. There are interference sources in the box, and the equipment cannot operate normally at all."

"Hiss...it's really a tricky thing." Layton thought for a moment, pulled out a wire from his robotic arm, pried open the casing of the fingerprint lock, and connected one end of the wire to the chip.

This equipment box and fingerprint lock were originally made by him. It is not difficult for him to open the box without damaging the box and its contents.

After all, this box was not originally used to store anything important, and it did not have such a high security level.

With a "click" sound, the green light on the fingerprint lock chip rang, and the box popped up with a slight gap.

Soft white light immediately came out from the gap.

"You all stay away." Out of caution, Layton motioned for everyone to retreat, while he activated the energy shield and carefully opened the box with his mechanical arm.

In a pile of messy personal equipment, a hard and transparent irregular crystal was flashing rhythmically.

"No radiation reaction was detected. No toxic substances were detected. No unstable energy fluctuations were detected." Leighton breathed a sigh of relief, "I remember this thing... was left behind by the 'black mummy', Ke Lan seems to call it a 'beacon'..."