r18novel Chapter 126 Investigation
Chapter 126 Investigation
As the remaining flight time dwindled, the atmosphere in the cockpit grew increasingly tense. Lorraine had already rejected Platinum's sortie requests twice.
With the remaining battery life rapidly approaching the 10-minute limit, Lorraine had prepared for a temporary retreat, planning to fight again another day.
【drop! 】
A buzzing sound suddenly rang out, and the screen lit up, displaying the images transmitted back by the loitering munition.
A loitering munition at an altitude of 200 meters rapidly swooped down, exploding in mid-air and leaving a cloud of black smoke.
"Four loitering munitions, fire!"
As Lorraine ordered the firing of follow-up loitering munitions, the three remaining loitering munitions in the high sky swooped down from different directions at the same time.
Three loitering munitions struck the enemy target almost simultaneously, and a larger plume of black smoke rose from the industrial base.
Two low-altitude loitering munitions rose to high altitudes, providing the flagship with a field view.
"The flagship has advanced to a distance of five nautical miles, and the main guns are loaded with proximity-fused pre-fragmented rounds, ready to conduct interception fire."
Lorraine stared intently at the image on the screen. Only after the black smoke dissipated and he confirmed that the suspicious target on the ground had lost its ability to move did he open the intelligence system and quickly glance at it.
[3. Five nautical miles east of the coastline lies a high-tech industrial base with access to a large number of manned and unmanned vehicles; however, minor dangers still exist within its walls.]
"It appears that all the suspected targets capable of anti-aircraft fire have been eliminated."
Lorraine immediately approved the Pivot Squad's request to launch an attack and dispatched two reconnaissance drones to accompany them.
The flagship's stern hatch opened, and two landing craft were placed on the water. As the landing craft's engines started, the two craft sped toward the shore, leaving white trails behind them.
"Snapped!"
The landing craft's ramp struck the rocks on the shore, and Platinum quickly rushed ashore, using the tools he carried to cut through the barbed wire fence surrounding the industrial base.
"Reconnaissance drones are in position. Note that the primary objective of this operation is to confirm the specific details of enemy targets."
"If a heavy target is detected, please call for support immediately. Four loitering munitions are currently cruising at an altitude of 200 meters."
Platinum received.
Platinum, carrying a Gauss rifle equipped with an underbarrel high-pressure grenade launcher, led the team across the barbed wire and ordered the robotic dogs to begin their operations according to the pre-arranged groups.
The Listener took the lead, using its micro-motor and low-profile design to quickly search every corner where enemy units might be hiding.
100 meters later, Bai Jin, along with Qie Xue and Tian Gou, followed. They were the breakthrough team, responsible for providing fire support and frontal breakthrough for Di Ting.
100 meters behind is the support group consisting of Xuan Tie and Luo Yi. They are responsible for ensuring the safety of the squad's rear and providing fire support to the breakthrough group using the individual missiles carried by Xuan Tie.
The two reconnaissance aircraft in the sky were positioned on the left and right sides of the pivot team, responsible for reconnaissance and surveillance in the pivot team's blind spots.
The pivot squad traversed several buildings that resembled factories and warehouses, and safely arrived near the first destroyed enemy target.
"Platinum calling flagship. The team has arrived at the first mission objective location and is currently searching the surrounding environment and collecting enemy samples."
"Flagship received. Numbers 15 and 16 will patrol above the squad."
Platinum received.
Then, Bai Jin sent Di Ting to the front to guard the area, Qie Xue to the front to block the gaps in the building that had been bombed, Xuan Tie to guard the area, and Roy to collect usable samples from the wreckage on the ground and store them in the storage compartment on the Tengu.
Two Hummingbird drones flew out from behind Platinum and entered the building, which appeared to be a warehouse, through the gap created by the blast.
The images transmitted by the drone convinced Platinum that the building in front of her was a warehouse, but they also gave her the creeps.
Images captured by the Hummingbird drone were relayed back to the flagship via Platinum.
The warehouse was filled with iron drums that were missing their lids, and inside the drums was some unknown, bluish-white, oily liquid.
With the hummingbird's high-definition camera, one can vaguely see that there are some strangely shaped machines inside the iron barrel filled with unknown liquid.
As another Hummingbird drone turned its camera to a corner of the warehouse, the two discovered some metal scraps stored there.
"Cleveland, load high-explosive shells into main guns, locate the depot, set firing parameters, and be ready to fire at any time."
Lorraine's voice was transmitted to Platinum via a public channel.
[Commander, high-explosive rounds loaded, target locked, firing data set, ready to fire.]
"Platinum, how's the sample collection progressing?"
Platinum temporarily stopped observing the footage transmitted by the Hummingbird drone and turned to glance at Roy's work progress.
"Enemy wreckage samples have been collected. We are preparing to attempt to enter the warehouse to collect more samples."
"Be careful. If the danger is too great, immediately withdraw from the shelling range."
Platinum received.
Platinum then continued to use the Hummingbird drone to monitor the warehouse. After confirming that there were no dangerous factors inside, she sent Roy into the warehouse to collect samples.
After receiving the order, Roy activated stealth mode and entered the warehouse slowly but silently.
Once inside the warehouse, Roy's surveillance equipment was running at full capacity as he checked for anything suspicious in the surroundings.
"Warehouse secure. Proceed with the mission."
Roy slowly walked up to the iron bucket, and a bunch of robotic arms used their strength to slowly lift the iron bucket.
It carried the iron bucket slowly backward, put it down near the gap, and then changed direction to leave a shooting range for the Kheshig and the Tengu.
"The target is clear, and we are ready to fire at any time."
Roy then extended his robotic arm and began extracting samples from the metal barrel.
The liquid extraction process went smoothly until it was ready to remove the suspicious substance from the iron drum, at which point an accident occurred.
As soon as his robotic arm probed into the liquid, the suspicious item inside the iron barrel began to move.
Seeing this, Roy quickly retracted his mechanical arm, raised the Gauss rifle on his back, and aimed it at the iron barrel along with Kheshig and Tengu.
After a short while, the inside of the barrel returned to calm. After waiting for several minutes, Roy extended the robotic arm again, ready to retrieve the suspicious object from inside the barrel.
The previous anomaly occurred again, forcing Roy to terminate the sampling process once more.
To prevent the situation from worsening and to avoid any unforeseen complications, Platinum instructed Roy to change his mission objective: to collect the metal scraps piled up in the corner of the warehouse.
Roy silently approached the target, collected some metal scraps in a small box, and then quickly returned to Platinum's side.
"Platinum is calling the flagship. The suspicious object inside the barrel appears to possess a weak sense of self, and the sampling mission cannot proceed."
After listening to Platinum's report, Lorraine pondered for a moment before making the next steps.
"Flagship received. Move the barrel to an open area. The team will then proceed to the second objective to carry out the mission."
Platinum received.
Following Lorraine's instructions, Roy moved the metal barrel to a location that would not obstruct the team's retreat.
"Cleveland, leave a reconnaissance drone to keep an eye on this metal barrel. Take off Rainbow 1 and take over the mission from this reconnaissance drone."
Cleveland controlled a reconnaissance drone to descend slowly, landing on the top of a nearby building, and then turned its camera toward the metal barrel.
With the help of aerial reconnaissance, the pivot team quickly reached the second target location.
Unfortunately, the second suspicious target was hit by more loitering munitions, and the wreckage was more fragmented, making it almost impossible to collect any useful information.
"Platinum calling flagship, target completeness is extremely low, recovery value is extremely low."
"Check the surrounding environment and, once you confirm there are no abnormalities, immediately return to the flagship. Move the iron barrel to the shore."
Platinum received.
The second target location was next to a factory, surrounded by three five- or six-story, square-shaped office buildings. According to the signs at their entrances, these office buildings were the Aerodynamic Design Institute, the Basic Technology Research Department, and the Energy Technology Department, respectively.
To save time, Platinum plans to first use drones to scout through the windows, and then dispatch robotic dogs to remove any anomalies found.
Strangely, there were no human targets or any active targets in these office buildings.
Platinum frowned, glancing at the time. The loitering munitions in the sky had been replaced, and this batch would return in 15 minutes.
Platinum took a gun-barrel-like object from Tengu and placed it behind him. After confirming that the surrounding area was safe, Platinum led his team away from there.
With drones and loitering munitions hovering above the squad, Lorraine turned her gaze to the metal barrel placed in the open area.
Lorraine glanced through the logs compiled by Cleveland and found that there were absolutely no unusual changes.
Feeling uneasy, he turned to Ouyang Nian and asked him to make a thermite incendiary bomb as a safety measure.
Ouyang Nian nodded and turned to head to the processing center.
Soon, the fulcrum team returned to the shore with the iron bucket.
"Platinum, remain on guard."
Subsequently, Lorraine and Ouyang Nian boarded the Vanguard transport ship, wearing exoskeleton armor and carrying a large thermite incendiary bomb, and came to the Pivot Squad.
Just to be on the safe side, Lorraine instructed Cleveland to aim the laser weapon at the metal barrel.
Target locked.
Then, the three of them and the mechanical dogs formed an arc, raised their weapons, and aimed at the iron barrel located at the dot.
Cat, meanwhile, lay on the stern of the transport ship, raised his sniper-type Gauss rifle, and aimed it at the iron barrel not far away.
After Ouyang Nian put a protective cover on Roy's mechanical arm, Roy extended the mechanical arm and slowly approached the iron barrel, preparing to take the unidentified object out of the barrel.