Volume 16 Tower of Babel Chapter 827: Guidance of the Beacon
"Gray Mist Forest?" Yeger tilted his head slightly. "Where are you going and what are you doing? I thought you would find an abandoned settlement of exiles or a heretic sect to settle down first."
As a veteran, Yeager naturally knew about the Gray Mist Forest, one of the few "forbidden areas" on Alpha that even warships could not enter. Although the actions of the special operations fleet were top secret, it was obviously impossible to keep a combat mission of this scale completely confidential... There is no wall that is impenetrable in this world. Even though most of the officers and soldiers who participated in the operation are no longer alive, all kinds of gossip are still spread through various channels.
But no matter which version of the story is circulating, one thing is recognized: the Gray Fog Forest has an extremely high "self-defense level". Not only is it impossible to enter the depths of the forest from the ground, but even flying over the forest is impossible.
If we talk about the least explored place on Alpha Planet, apart from the core and the deep sea, the third place is this strange and dangerous forest.
"There shouldn't be a place where we can get supplies, right?" Yeger said again, "And, as far as I know, the sky above the Gray Mist Forest is a no-fly zone of the highest level... Even Yaguna Kator, I'm afraid..."
"But there, at least we can avoid the pursuit of the Ark." 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 the Ark, outside the Black Well.
Area S017, the first line of defense.
The blocking force, which is composed of crisis management personnel, security bureau agents, elite troops of the garrison corps, and the remnants of the black troops that were originally secretly formed by Zeus and Apollo but whose control has now been seized by Demeter's faction, is on standby behind a makeshift bunker.
Lin Qiming took one last look at the weapons at hand, then glanced meaningfully at the black-clad troops at the front of the defense line.
"Deputy Section Chief...what is the origin of this unit? Why can't I find any files related to them?" An officer from the Crisis Management Department asked Lin Qiming in a low voice.
"We can't find it simply because we don't have enough authority." Lin Qiming said in a deep voice, "There's nothing strange about it."
"That should be the top elite force, right?" The Crisis Management Officer asked in confusion, "But why did the higher-ups put them at the forefront? It feels as if... as if they are using these people as cannon fodder and consumables."
Lin Qiming pointed his finger at his head and said, "As far as I know, these people are mass-produced clones, and their actions are completely controlled by chips implanted deep in their brains."
"So all these people are wearing full-face helmets... is it because they all have the same face?" For some reason, the operator suddenly had an 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 very reliable... Since we can control these clones through chips, the enemy can also..."
Before Lin Qiming could finish his words, a figure wrapped in a long robe suddenly appeared at the exit that was being aimed at by countless guns and cannons.
"Here they come!" Lin Qiming's expression became serious, and he stopped chatting with his subordinates. "Attention, all units, the target has appeared! Don't rush to open fire, follow the pre-determined plan and carry out a step-by-step blocking operation... Finally, I reiterate that our mission is to delay time, don't think about destroying the target... Be prepared for the worst."
The Crisis Management Department is still on high alert, while the black-clad troops at the front of the defense line have already rushed forward under the cover of friendly fire!
These soldiers in black clothes and armor were all equipped with highly mobile powered exoskeletons, and with the air cushion thrusters on their legs, their movement speed was no less than that of flying mechas gliding across the ground. In their hands were heavy Nino alloy physical heavy swords, which were melee weapons specifically designed to deal with energy shields: To cause damage to targets behind energy shields, in addition to overloading the shields through consumption, the simplest and crudest method was to use physical weapons with a large enough mass to penetrate the shields before they were completely burned out by the shields.
However, no energy shield light curtain appeared in front of the black shadow. He just walked through the hail of bullets as if he was taking a leisurely stroll in the garden. All the bullets shot at him would fall vertically to the ground only the last inch away from him, as if the kinetic energy and inertia of the bullets were reduced to zero at that moment.
"Has the kinetic energy of the warhead been absorbed by the target? Could it be some unknown alien technological device?" Lin Qiming, who was always keeping an eye on the target, frowned and muttered to himself.
Not only the bullets, but also the shock waves and fragments of the exploding shells, the burning sticky fuel shot out from the flamethrower and even the pulse laser, could not hurt the target at all, not even the robe he was wearing.
"It's like a field." The crisis management officer who had just chatted with Lin Qiming said in a trembling voice, "A field that can repel some things, whether it's energy or entities... This is simply unbelievable."
"What? Do you know the reason?" Lin Qiming couldn't help but look at him and asked.
"Honestly, Boss." The operator smiled a smile that was uglier than crying. "I've only seen this kind of thing in science fiction movies and anime... or rather, abilities."
If one had to give a name to this field, Lin Qiming felt that the four words "absolute defense" were the most appropriate. In his opinion, the strongest defense device was not an energy shield, but a "space partition device" that could generate a space barrier. The "shield" generated by that thing could block all attacks at the spatial level. But in essence, its powerful defense also needed to be maintained by energy. When the energy supply was insufficient, the generated space barrier would naturally become fragile.
"It depends on whether the physical heavy swords of those men in black can break through this layer of 'absolute defense'." Lin Qiming sighed... If even close combat attacks are completely ineffective, then there is no point in their blocking line of defense existing at all.
It's impossible to delay it even for a second.
However, Lin Qiming didn't even get to see the soldiers in the black army swinging their Nino alloy solid heavy swords at the target - these black-clad men wearing powered exoskeletons hadn't been able to get close to the target, and they fell down one after another like wheat being crushed by a harvester.
"What's going on? Were they killed?" an officer from the garrison corps shouted with a tone that was seven parts horrified and three parts puzzled. "The target clearly didn't do anything!"
"Those fallen soldiers are still alive." Lin Qiming pressed the temple of his helmet and activated the telescopic function of the goggles. He saw that the fallen black-clad soldiers were still alive. There were no visible injuries on their body surfaces and powered exoskeletons, but their limbs were twitching involuntarily, as if they were electrocuted.
"The chips in their brains were burned." Lin Qiming sighed, "The moment they approached the target."
In order to ensure absolute loyalty, the chips installed in the brains of this clone army are of a completely different type from the chips originally installed in the brains of the β-type clones. The main function of the chip in the brains of the β-type clones is to record images and collect various data of the host's body. Even if they want to control the host, they only do so by stimulating certain areas of the brain through weak electric currents, or through some means similar to mental suggestion.
But the chips installed in this clone army are different. When their control chips were installed, part of the functional area of the brain had already 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 worn by these men in black, they are controlled by electrical muscle signals, similar to cyborg prostheses. When their brains are damaged, they naturally cannot maintain balance.
"Let them retreat! Let the enhanced humans who have not undergone cyborg transformation go up!" Someone from the Security Bureau also saw the problem, and several sturdy enhanced humans immediately rushed out of the bunker and rushed towards the target.
When passing by the fallen men in black, these enhanced humans reached out and grabbed the Nino alloy heavy sword that had fallen to the ground, and continued to approach their target.
The strongest enhanced man among them not only held a physical heavy sword in each hand, but also bit the hilt of a sword in his mouth - this heavy melee weapon forged from pure Nino alloy relied on its amazing mass to penetrate the energy shield. The weight of a single sword was over 200 kilograms. Those men in black had to rely on exoskeletons to lift it, but this enhanced man could lift it with the bite force of his upper and lower jaws. His enhancement level was at least level eight.
"He's Roronoa, the leader of the fifth field team." The crisis management officer next to Lin Qiming recognized the enhanced person's identity. "He's the only level nine enhanced person in the security bureau."
There are only a handful of level nine enhanced humans on the Ark, but this only refers to the level nine enhanced humans who are publicly disclosed. As for the level nine enhanced humans who are in the dark and whose true strength is not recorded in the archives, as far as Lin Qiming knows, the number should be about three to five times the number that has been disclosed.
"I really don't know who is guarding the five lines of defense at the back... I hope we can stop the target."
…
Yagunakotor, the core power area.
While talking to Yeager, Layton suddenly received an urgent communication from the Hound. He 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, walked in quickly and asked.
Before he left, the route had already been set . Yagunakotor was heading towards the Gray Mist Forest at a normal cruising speed, and it was expected to reach the target location marked for them by Ke Lan in another hour and a half.
"There are no enemies." The Hound shook his head. "It was Miss Soma who asked us to come here."
"Miss? Is there something wrong?" Leighton immediately shifted his gaze to Zofia.
"Look at this." Zofia pointed to an equipment box made of high-strength engineering plastic on the table. There was a fingerprint lock on the side of the box, and inside the box, something seemed to be emitting light. The light could even penetrate the outer shell of the box, which was enough to block direct fire from the Type 01 rifle, and it flashed rhythmically.
"What is this?" Layton asked curiously.
"It's a box left by Ke Lan, and it contains some of his personal belongings." Zofia said, "But just five minutes ago, the box suddenly began to emit light rhythmically, so I brought it here."
"As for Ke Lan's personal belongings, shouldn't I ask Ke Lan... Hey, Ke Lan? Where are you? Say something?" Leighton said as a matter of course.
"Don't bother. We've tried many times." The Hound shook his head. "Since the things in this box began to glow, the connection between us and Ke Lan has been cut off. I don't know if he can see the situation here or hear our voices, but in short, we can no longer receive any information from him."
"Is it related to the things in this box?" Leighton pointed at the box.
Zofia nodded: "I'm afraid so."
"I think we should open this box." The hound said, "This box was left by Ke Lan, and it is placed in the bedroom. Miss Soma often sees him using the things in the box. They are all practical small equipment and the like. I think there shouldn't be anything dangerous in it."
"Indeed, given Ke Lan's personality, she wouldn't put something like a crystal bomb in her bedroom." Layton nodded, picked up the box, and examined it carefully. "Has it been scanned with a radiological imaging device?"
"I have scanned it."
"What's the result?"
"Nothing can be scanned out. There is a source of interference in the box. The equipment cannot function normally at all."
"Hiss... This is really a tricky thing." Leighton thought for a moment, pulled out a wire from his robotic arm, pried open the outer 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, so it was not difficult for him to open the box without damaging the box and the things inside.
After all, this box is not used to store anything important, and it does not have such a high level of security.
With a "click", the green light on the fingerprint lock chip rang, and a tiny gap appeared in the box.
Soft white light immediately shone through the gap.
"Everyone stay away from us." Out of caution, Layton signaled everyone to step back, and he activated the energy shield and carefully opened the box with a robotic arm.
Amidst a pile of messy personal equipment, a hard, transparent, irregular crystal was flashing rhythmically.
"No radiation reaction was detected. No toxic substances were detected. No unstable energy fluctuations were detected." Layton breathed a sigh of relief. "I remember this thing... It was left by the 'black mummy'. Ke Lan seemed to call it a 'beacon'..."
