r18novel Chapter 56 Picking Up a Bargain
Chapter 56 Picking Up a Bargain
Now or never.
Andy stood in the tactical command center, looking at the map on the big screen that looked like a tattered rag.
Gamma-9 and his apprentices worked through several sleepless nights and sacrificed dozens of "Black Spirit" spiders to achieve this result.
Although there are still large black blind spots at the edges, it looks very unpleasant.
But Andy's main focus, Area D, the core entrance area of the starship wreckage, was already almost completely lit up.
The defensive blind spots left behind by the Helios Group's retreat, the ruins of temporary firing points, the scanning blind spots of automatic monitoring probes, and even the cracks in the walls that had not yet been repaired were all clearly marked.
Helios thought he had blocked the news, but in Andy's eyes, they were practically running around naked.
"Gamma-9, no need to fill in any more details."
Andy tapped his finger on an entrance that was flashing a red cursor.
"The current map resolution is sufficient."
"Notify everyone to assemble in the equipment room immediately."
……
Ten minutes later, in the underground equipment room of the shelter.
The atmosphere was somber.
There were thirty-two people standing in front of Andy.
Twelve Storm Squad soldiers equipped with Hellfire Guns and modified shell armor, and twenty members of the Heavy Guard wearing brand-new T-9000 heavy exoskeletons and carrying CBS high-explosive crossbows. The members of the Heavy Guard were elites personally selected by Andy.
The cost of their equipment combined was enough to buy half of the base.
Andy looked at them, without giving any impassioned speech, and said coldly:
"Listen carefully, today's operation has only one focus."
"Silence."
Andy pointed to the quiver hanging from the waists of the heavily armed guards.
"I know you guys really like those high-explosive arrows with three sticks of explosives inside, guaranteed to kill in one shot."
"I know you're eager to try out the newly issued high-explosive grenades and molten metal projectiles."
"But if anyone dares to make a sound before I give the order to fire, I'll throw them into an acid bath."
"Today's mission is infiltration."
"Everyone, switch your primary weapon to 'shape memory alloy solid arrow'."
The alloy arrows were specially made by Andy using a high-performance chromium-molybdenum shape memory alloy produced by a reconfiguration device, and contained no explosives or fuses.
Relying on the terrifying initial velocity provided by the exoskeleton and the CBS high-explosive crossbow, arrows can easily penetrate light armor at close range or pin a person to a wall.
Most importantly, as a shape memory alloy, no matter how twisted it becomes when it's fired, it will automatically return to a straight state after being recovered and slightly heated. This means that the ammunition can be recycled indefinitely.
This is very important on the battlefield.
It is important to understand that when operating behind enemy lines, logistical supplies are cut off.
Being able to retrieve fired bullets and reuse them not only saves money but also ensures extended battery life.
"Do you understand?"
"clear!!"
The thirty-two people answered in unison, their voices deep and powerful.
Andy nodded in satisfaction.
"Set off."
The group did not take the conspicuous large freight elevator, which was for the dead, or rather, for those who wanted to die.
Although Helios withdrew his main force, he still left behind a large number of surveillance and automated sentry guns in the main road and elevator shaft of Zhongchao.
Forcing your way in will only trigger the alarm and get you ganged up on.
Andy led his team into an abandoned sewage pipe near the elevator shaft.
This pipe was a shortcut that the "Black Spirit" spider discovered while roaming through the underground pipe network these past few days. It bypassed all the checkpoints and monitoring nodes along the way and led directly to an underground warehouse in the 7th district of the Middle Nest.
The road is difficult to travel.
The pipes were filled with ankle-deep silt and foul-smelling sewage, and in some places, laser cutters had to be used to cut through the blocking metal fences. But for the soldiers wearing fully enclosed exoskeletons and armor, this was no problem.
Two hours later.
"Sizzle—"
As the last rusty iron plate was cut open.
Andy was the first to crawl out of the hole.
They arrived at an underground warehouse filled with discarded tires and plastic crates, the air thick with the musty smell of rubber.
"Oh my! My ancestors! You've finally arrived!"
A slightly overweight middle-aged man wearing a floral shirt popped out from behind the pile of tires.
He looked at the group of fully armed soldiers, who exuded a murderous aura, and the fat on his face twitched twice.
This man is called Old K, an old acquaintance of Sisyphus and one of his most reliable smuggling partners in Zhongchao. Compared to Father Zor and his ilk, he is considered timid, but it is said that as long as the money is right, he would even sell his own mother's body parts.
"Where's the boat?"
Andy didn't waste any words and asked directly.
"On the top floor! On the top floor!"
Old K wiped his sweat as he led the way, taking everyone into the freight elevator at the back of the warehouse.
"That's my precious darling. I've staked my entire life on this job."
Old K muttered to himself while stealing glances at Andy's bright yellow modified robe.
The elevator goes directly to the rooftop.
A civilian cargo shuttle, painted gray and with an extremely unremarkable appearance, was parked there.
Although it looks ordinary, Andy could tell at a glance that the spaceship's engine nozzles had been modified and fitted with vector thrust nozzles.
"Go up."
Andy waved his hand.
Thirty-two soldiers boarded the plane quickly, their movements as quiet as a group of ghosts.
Andy finally stepped onto the springboard and casually tossed a small bag to Old K.
Old K took the bag, opened it, and found five heavy gold bars inside.
"The shipping cost for this trip."
Andy's voice came from under the hood.
"If we stay down there for more than 24 hours, you can leave without waiting."
Looking at the golden light, Old K's previously lifeless expression vanished instantly, replaced by a fawning one.
"Don't worry! Even if the sky falls, I'll be here waiting!"
The shuttle took off.
Instead of gaining altitude, it flew low, skimming over the dense cluster of buildings in Zhongchao.
This flight method is extremely demanding on the pilot's skills, but it can avoid satellite scans to the greatest extent possible.
Ten minutes later.
The shuttle hovered above a huge ventilation shaft on the outskirts of Zone D in District 9.
This location, situated to the side and above Helios's blockade line, presents an extremely tricky blind spot.
"Jump!"
The hatch opened.
Andy led the way and jumped down.
"Thump."
With a soft thud, Andy landed steadily on a steel platform.
The soldiers behind him landed one after another, quickly dispersed, and established a perimeter.
The T-9000 exoskeleton's cushioning system activates the instant it lands, absorbing most of the impact force.
They are now less than 100 meters away from the blown-up starship entrance in Sector D.
Andy crouched behind an abandoned shipping container and activated his optical stealth mode.
He looked at the scene ahead, and the blue light in his electronic eyes flickered.
The ground at the entrance was littered with shattered bunkers, charred bullet holes, and bloodstains that had not yet been cleaned up.
Amidst the chaos, Andy spotted several large men.
The heavy plasma cannon, with its three damaged bases, lay crookedly over the roadside.
Although the barrel was slightly deformed and the control circuitry may have burned out, the core fusion battery and plasma generator appeared to be intact.
Helios just threw this thing away like that?
It seems that the psychological trauma from that battle was indeed so great that they couldn't even bother to retrieve such priceless heavy weapons.
"spendthrift……"
Andy silently cursed in his heart.
Although the recovery of the heavy plasma cannon requires highly specialized technicians, Helios should still have the capacity to send someone over unless he has some more important plans.
However, Andy believed that such a possibility was extremely slim.
What could be more important than digging up a ship?
Andy couldn't imagine it.
I'm thinking about it.
Sudden.
"Sizzle—"
A piercing static noise rang out on everyone's communication channels.
Immediately afterwards, a faint broadcast voice came from the channel.
Andy recognized the voice; he had heard it countless times in previous battle report recordings.
It's that very feisty AI that's in control.
But this time, her tone lacked the mockery and murderous intent.
Instead, there was a very strange, even slightly coquettish, surprise:
"Oh dear? Who's here?"
"I smell... a very familiar scent."