Sky-cracking Rider-Chapter 366: Section 362 - Assessment Completed
The Bee Mutants BF-1334, still hesitating about how to initiate their attack, were caught in a dense anti-air artillery network. Even the swarms of mutants nearby, plentiful enough to form a cloud, were engulfed by the sweeping blaze across the sky, rendering them unable to escape to distant places.
"Adam" employed precision and effectively interlocked firepower to maximize shooting effects, as it needed to prove its worth to avoid being deleted by the unpredictable "Second Uncle."
As the most extravagant AI in the history of Blue Star, it naturally searched what the term "Second Uncle" actually meant.
Such rotten luck! To hell with Second Uncle!
But sometimes, "Adam’s" greatest enemy turned out to be itself.
Thus, Chen Fei had never been able to complete the task of subduing this AI.
"Adam" surely wasn’t convinced, but Chen Fei was not in a hurry. It wasn’t a life-or-death issue. With the highest authority in his hands, why the rush? Slowly does it!
30mm caliber high-explosive incendiary rounds bore one-foot wide holes in the Bee Mutant BF-1334’s bodies. In an instant, swaths of Bee Mutants fell to the ground, their bodies torn apart.
"Hey! I just loaded the ammo, and now, now it’s gone again!"
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Seeing the external wheeled mechanical ammo counter on the weapon platform rapidly diminishing, the large, black-skinned Apu helplessly scratched the back of his head, feeling like he was inevitably bustling about in vain again.
The anti-air dense array functioned like an insatiable void, continuously devouring countless rounds of ammunition.
Just this one array alone required ammunition replenishment by the ton each time—five or six tons at a time. The propellant would fiercely thrust the long projectiles into the air, with an effective range of three to four kilometers.
Such unrestrained firing, if repeated two or three times, would deplete the entire array system of its collective ammunition supply.
"Chen Fei, we are almost out of 30mm rounds. Once we run out, we will lose some of our defensive capabilities. Also, your AI is too domineering; it acted on its own without my authorization," Apu said.
Watching the control over the weapon system being usurped again at the console, the Puppet Master, Joseph, felt powerless to complain. Such wasteful use of ammunition could not last long.
Yet, this AI named "Adam" was incredibly powerful, easily overriding administrative permissions and taking control of all devices on the console, much like a similarly named AI from over thirty years ago that had been completely eradicated by humans.
Despite drooling with envy over the standard AI equipped in the current active duty single soldier tactical armor, Old Joe could only dream. Unless he, like Chen Fei, obtained the qualification as a tester for the single soldier tactical armor, he could never access such powerful tactical weaponry.
"Single soldier tactical intelligence units from Henghai Military Defense are definitely top quality! Hahaha! Don’t worry, counting the days, the supply should be arriving soon," Chen Fei chuckled, passing the buck. Henghai Military Defense would have to take the blame even if it meant crying and kneeling; there was no choice but to accept this responsibility.
Opportunities like his were extremely rare and precious.
Damn!
A quarter hour later, several firing anti-air arrays ran out of ammunition. The moment the sweeping flames dissipated, the cloud of mutants had already vanished, leaving not a single Bee Mutant in the sky, and the mutants on the ground had scattered like birds and beasts, fleeing without a trace.
The Puppet Master checked the ammunition reserve once more and said weakly, "Only two batches left, Apu, looks like you’ll have to make another trip."
"I knew it would be like this!"
Mumbling, the large black figure, Apu, headed back to the entrance of the Lava Cave to fetch newly stocked ammo boxes. What else could he do? With his large stature, hard labor was inevitable. Even a Second Rank War Professional couldn’t escape such a fate.
Constantly having his rights usurped by Chen Fei’s AI, Joseph wished he could just let go completely. If it was so eager to take over, then just take it.
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However, he couldn’t be at ease knowing how recklessly it squandered ammunition. Probably just a second after letting go, Squad 04 would run out of supplies.
Going full throttle with firepower might feel exhilarating, but it could easily lead to a passive situation.
Nevertheless, Joseph’s worry didn’t last long. As Chen Fei had said, in less than half a day, a small Sky Patrol Ship carrying supplies descended from the sky, bringing a plethora of materials to Squad 04.
With the inclusion of supplies for over a hundred people’s daily living, it looked like the Blue Star Global United Defense Committee was planning, after the evaluation period, to take over this base located inside the Dead Volcano permanently, turning it into a steadfast peg hammered into the heart of the Central Great Desert.
At least under controllable circumstances, the Blue Star Global United Defense Committee would not easily allow newly formed operation squads to fall into danger. After all, only after adapting to attacks by a large number of mutants could they properly respond to the counterattacks by various mutants trained by the "Water Bear" organization. Once those mutants were lost, the "Water Bear" organization would be like a tiger without its claws.
However, the tragic annihilation of squad 07 could only be attributed to unforeseen natural disasters, indicating that some unpredictable accidents would always occur, and it was not due to negligence by the Joint Defense Committee.
Responding to the call, joining the newly established "Bear Hunting Special Operations Division" was naturally for the greater good, and also for a generous salary as life insurance money, but it definitely wasn’t about sending them to their deaths without value; even in death, it had to be worthwhile.
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After eliminating the incoming Bee Mutant BF-1334, and confirming that the number of mutants near the Dead Volcano entrance had decreased, thus increasing safety, squad 04’s captain, Adrian, decided to take the opportunity while the distribution density of surrounding mutants hadn’t fully recovered, to strike first. He personally led Earth Mage Ruan Tiankai, Thunder Series Warrior Apu, Magical Beast Tree Boundary Ape Lulu’an, Holy Knight Walter Sam, and B-rated Ice Ability User Susanna. After a series of searches and consecutive killing about fifteen mutants encountered along the way, they finally located the new nest of the Bee-shaped Mutant BF-1334, situated inside a sand dune 10 kilometers west of the Dead Volcano entrance. It seemed that these displaced mutants had never given up and were still scheming to reclaim the nest inside the Dead Volcano.
After a meticulously prepared ambush turned into a complete massacre, only a few small insects remained in the nest, plus some non-combative Worker Bees, while the Bee King or Bee Queen hid in the deepest part.
Earth Mage Ruan Tiankai and B-rated Ice Ability User Susanna joined forces, using earth and solid ice to forcibly seal several exits of the nest.
Outside the only remaining exit, Captain Adrian continuously unleashed several powerful Fourth Rank Fire Spells "Flame Tornado," the scorching flames roaring as they surged deep into the nest.
Moments later, firelights and thick smoke burst through the sealed exits, a burning hot wave gushing out.
Only a few Bee-shaped Mutants covered in flames managed to burst out by luck, but they didn’t get far before Thunder Series Warrior Apu and the Holy Knight intercepted them, easily slaying the mutants that had their wings burned off and lost their ability to fly.
With no more concerns about Bee-shaped Mutants, the Dead Volcano where squad 04 was stationed became much more peaceful, no longer facing attacks from mutants.
Due to previous aggressive tactics that significantly diminished local mutants, the new mutants still hadn’t matured, hence leading to a rather uneventful half a month at the Dead Volcano entrance. There were no powerful mutants attacking, and the daily routine was monotonously repetitive: wake up, brush teeth, wash face, eat breakfast, fight mutants, eat lunch, fight mutants, eat dinner, take a shower, and sleep. Except for occasionally dealing with wandering mutants, most people gradually adapted to the boring life in the desert environment.
As the survival assessment neared its end, Liaison Officer Rossi and everyone in squad 04 breathed a sigh of relief, almost simultaneously.
Compared to other teams engulfed in dire straits, squad 04 was incredibly lucky to have no casualties.
Handing over the Dead Volcano lava cave base to the responding team sent by Habulav, members of squad 04 boarded the Mobile Base Vehicle, beginning their final return examination.
Surviving back to Habulav meant passing the assessment.
Just like on their way there, Captain Adrian and squad 18’s captain agreed, and the Mobile Base Vehicle took a slight detour to pick up all members of squad 18 at the Oasis.
Chen Fei’s Mobile Base Vehicle had spacious interiors, enough to accommodate two squads without feeling crowded.
The Mobile Base Vehicle broke through the mutant blockade and reached the edge of the Oasis, where squad 18’s captain, named Moron, was warmly embraced by Adrian as soon as he saw him.
"Long time no see, Moron, how have you been?"
"Not too bad! Adrian, sorry for making you worry."
Captain Moron’s head was wrapped in a bandage. Despite his smiling face and loud voice, he couldn’t hide the signs of exhaustion.
It was clear that defending the Oasis had not been easy for him and squad 18.
"1, 2, 3, 4... Huh, why are there two missing, where’s Simba?"
Ever since the Puppet Master suggested poaching from squad 18, especially targeting the Feathered Tribe sniper, Adrian was reluctant to do so but he couldn’t help but pay a little more attention to the young man from the Feathered Tribe.
But after the Mobile Base Vehicle arrived at the Oasis, aside from seeing some dust-covered members of squad 18, he did not spot the young man from the Feathered Tribe.
"Melissa was killed by a mutant at the bottom of the Oasis Lake the second day after arriving here, Simba... Simba was attacked by a mutant last night, eaten, by the time we found him, all that was left was one foot and his Large Sniper Rifle."
Squad 18’s captain suddenly had tears in his eyes, his voice becoming much heavier.
The faces of the other members were filled with grief. A vivacious, cheerful, and talented young man had died in the jaws of a desert mutant just before the end of the assessment, making it difficult for anyone to accept.
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