Sky-cracking Rider-Chapter 1297 - 1263: Search

The artificially regrown rainforest is not as densely vegetated and impermeable as the undeveloped primeval forest. However, thanks to its latitude and soil, it remains lush and green as far as the eye can see.

The flames from the crashed airship quickly extinguished under the localized rainfall. Wisps of smoke still rose, and in places where the rain couldn't reach, the fires burned stubbornly, occasionally bursting with the detonations of firearms ammunition, holding its own against the rain.

The combat mech squad and mobile armor accompanying this now-decommissioned small transport airship mostly survived the emergency landing, spreading into the rainforest to engage in ground battles with the ruthless Leaf Army armed personnel.

The limitless green sea resounded with the sounds of battle, lively and intense!

The power of the railgun weapon completely ignored the dense vegetation's obstacles, carving countless large holes through the trunks of massive trees with its high-velocity rounds, causing some to collapse under their own weight.

Operating on the sovereign territory of Blue Star, Chen Fei couldn't act as recklessly as he did in other star systems. His combat resources were at the mercy of the sovereign powers, and if the supply lines were cut, his so-called "One Man Army" would quickly revert to its original state.

What could a mere B accomplish? This was a deadly question.

As soon as the Kilometer Flying Ship "No.2 Command Ship" arrived, the previously one-sided situation reversed immediately.

A mere group of leaf-planting and leaf-selling armed bandits, though self-proclaimed as a certain army, were in fact an illegal ground force of over three thousand, with only about a thousand capable of real combat. They had no professional fighter jets, no airships, only a dozen or so makeshift armed helicopters of minimal technological value. With this limited capability, they could dominate the South Continent of America, but even the local sovereignty found them troublesome. It's not that they couldn't be defeated, but even a victory would be costly, leaving the national defense significantly weakened and vulnerable to other illegal forces.

It's indeed difficult for two small transport airships and two combat mech squads to confront such armed forces head-on. After losing one airship to a crash, another sustaining minor damage, and nearly a third of the combat mechs being destroyed, the remaining forces managed to survive until the arrival of the "No.2 Command Ship", a significant achievement in itself.

Even with battle data-rich combat mechs, achieving a one-against-a-hundred feat was impossible.

Compared to the minor losses suffered by Chen Fei, the Leaf Army in the rainforest was nearly driven insane. With nearly a third of Chen Fei's combat mechs lost, they also suffered a third of their combat personnel either killed or wounded. Over two hundred died, and more than a hundred were injured, half seriously. Given limited medical facilities, survival was doubtful.

Moreover, they nearly depleted the few anti-air weapons they had, and half of their armed helicopters were taken out. The remaining ones were either out on duty, away from the camp, or hadn't had time to take off, thus avoiding total annihilation.

Over the years, combat mechs were primarily designed to battle "Sagali" civilization's biological combat weapons, hence their weaponry was often overpowered for human engagements.

Now, the colossal Kilometer Flying Ship manifested above the rainforest, casting a shadow that obliterated daylight. Illegal armed elements, hiding in the rainforest, the moment they saw the "No.2 Command Ship", except for a few stubborn fighters, most dispersed into the jungle without looking back.

A swarm of tactical bombers carrying cluster bombs roared out from the side of the Kilometer Flying Ship, unleashing a storm of death upon the tropical rainforest. Ton-sized thermobaric bombs filled the gaps beyond the bombing range like a paintbrush, making it impossible for the Leaf Army's forces to escape.

The ferocious blasts flattened large areas of the rainforest, turning the lush landscape into a patchy scene of destruction, with huge bald spots scattered everywhere.

As a result of the carpet saturation bombing, most of the Leaf Army's armed personnel couldn't survive the first bombing wave, with both humans and equipment reduced to dust. Even the deep jungle plantations couldn't escape the devastation, with the blast waves uprooting plants with shallow roots indiscriminately.

After this conflagration, it would take at least three to five years for this forest to regenerate.

Combat mechs, in numbers equal to the Leaf Army at its peak strength, landed on the ground to begin the final sweep, ensuring no one escaped.

When Chen Fei acts, he does it thoroughly. Letting even one or two pass is out of the question.

Artificial Intelligence AI "Adam" outlined the sweep's boundaries, capturing all the Leaf Army personnel. The few remaining aircraft in the camp not already hit by railgun weapons were now blasted by high-caliber high-explosive shells, effectively grounding them. All significant paths were blocked by combat mechs, and any attempted breakouts would trigger directional anti-infantry mines unleashing a hail of steel balls, opening the gates of hell for these reckless individuals.

After deploying large numbers of troops to the ground, the Kilometer Flying Ship "No.2 Command Ship" relocated to the site of a third suspected target.

Contrary to Chen Fei's expectations, the group of prehistoric civilization guardians occupying a prehistoric temple were armed yet non-belligerent. Upon spotting the two small transport airships, they initiated contact.

Artificial Intelligence AI "Adam" was straightforward, plainly stating its purpose.

The prehistoric civilization guardians replied earnestly, claiming not to possess anything resembling Longinus. They even offered to open their collection database for "Adam's" inspection, inviting him to verify in person if still in doubt.

The two small transport airships easily landed near the prehistoric temple, allowing the two teams of combat mechs, representing "Adam's" will, to enter the base peacefully and conduct on-site searches whilst accessing the collection database.

This prehistoric temple was just one of the bases of the Prehistoric Guardian Organization, having undergone significant modernization to properly preserve various relics over the long term, making the organization appear as a legitimate academic entity.

Even though they were transparent, Chen Fei remained skeptical, unwilling to naïvely trust them. Sending the Kilometer Flying Ship "No.2 Command Ship" was to ensure a thorough scan of the location and all other bases for the presence of Longinus.

At least within the Leaf Army's camp, the "No.2 Command Ship" found no trace of Longinus, nor was anything discovered in the wealthy manor's underground refuge after its cover was pried open by an element annihilation bomb.

About an hour later, numerous mechs deployed by the Kilometer Flying Ship meticulously searched the three suspected sites to no avail.

Unfortunately, nothing was found.

Chen Fei was forced to turn his attention to the suspect list beyond the initial three targets recommended by the intelligence dealer Kraken.

Miyoshi Xuesen couldn't help but grumble, finding this well-known intelligence dealer rather unreliable, suggesting to terminate the previous contract altogether if all they do is brag, sparing unnecessary expenditure on a useless asset.