Volume 9: Molten Mine Chapter 445 "Shortcut"
"Layton, measure the inclination and ductility of the tunnel." Ke Lan said. Although Park Sangyou said that the tunnel could be extended to more than twice its length, Ke Lan still believed in the measured data more.
"The tunnel's inclination is 28.5 degrees, which is rounded to 30 degrees. We are currently at a depth of about 50 meters. According to the formula, we can reach the surface in about 100 meters." Layton said, "In addition, I used a probe to test the strength and ductility of the tunnel... I can only say that the Alpha civilization's technology is much stronger than ours. Twice is probably a conservative number. In my opinion, extending it three to four times the length is not a problem at all. Moreover, the airtightness and heat insulation can be guaranteed. I really don't know how they built this tunnel."
"You mean, if we go another hundred meters, we'll be on the ground?" The Hound said, "Won't that expose us?"
"Not really. Layton's algorithm assumes that this must be a straight rigid tunnel." Ke Lan shook his head. "I asked him to measure the inclination only to determine the settlement depth and tensile stress resistance of the tunnel body when the rock layer is severely cracked. As far as the current situation is concerned, even if the entire ground sinks into the magma, as long as the exit is still on the ground, the tunnel is safe."
"I don't understand." The Hound shook his head. "What is settlement depth and what is stress resistance... It sounds like a term that only civil engineering students would use. Have you ever made a living on a construction site before?"
"Because I'm interested in the ruins of the Alpha civilization, I've also read some books on architecture and geology... These two data are very important safety indicators in the field of architecture. They are mainly related to the depth of the foundation and the force-bearing structure of the building itself. Of course, they also apply to some buildings built below the surface..."
"Can you put it more simply?" The Hound interrupted Ke Lan's long speech.
"It's about whether the building's location and structure are strong enough. The stronger it is, the more resistant it is to weeds. Isn't that straightforward enough?"
"Why didn't you just say that earlier? " The Hound rolled his eyes.
"You should ask it yourself..." Ke Lan speechlessly made an international friendly gesture to the hound.
"Okay, okay, just treat it as a fart, okay?" The Hound muttered as he took out a can from his backpack. "Damn, I've been running around hungry for a whole day. I didn't feel anything before, but now that I'm temporarily safe, I realize my stomach is almost empty."
But when the hound opened his mask, a suffocating smell of sulfur suddenly penetrated into his nostrils, choking him and causing tears to flow. Even the can in his hand fell to the ground, rolled down the slope, and finally fell into the semi-solidified magma, making a series of "hissing" sounds.
"Cough cough... Damn it... cough cough... This passage... Damn it... cough cough... The air is poisonous..."
"Isn't this normal?" Layton said while chewing the food - he closed his eyes and held his breath the moment he opened the mask. He quickly stuffed the food into his mouth and closed the mask. He didn't dare to breathe again until the air circulation system extracted the toxic gas from the helmet.
"... cough cough... I... was careless... cough cough..." The hound coughed violently. His sense of smell was very sensitive, so the stimulation he received was naturally stronger than that of other people.
The group rested for five minutes, had a simple meal, and then continued forward along the tunnel.
There are lighting devices in the tunnel. These lighting devices can be activated with energy crystals. Only a small piece of the lowest-level energy crystal is needed to light up a tunnel of several dozen meters long. Ke Lan is not stingy with these crystals. Every time he finds a groove for power supply, he will stuff a first-level energy crystal into it.
These lighting devices are all-round, just like the shadowless lamps in the operating room. Even the ground underfoot is embedded with light sources. When Ke Lan walked inside, he suddenly thought of a scene in an old movie.
The name of the movie is "Resident Evil", and there is a similar passage in it. The four walls of the passage are made of glass and mirrors, and there are light tubes all over the top, bottom, left and right. At the end of the passage is a locked security door - of course, this is not the key point. The most fatal thing is that there will be high-speed cutting lasers in the passage, and these lasers can even form a dense large net that covers all the space in the passage. Several of the mercenaries who entered the laboratory with the protagonist died under this deadly laser.
Even the boss of one of the films was eventually killed in this laser corridor.
Could it be that the Alpha Civilization also has a similar mechanism? Ke Lan looked up at the walls of the tunnel. If the glass walls in the movies could be broken, then the strength of the material used in this tunnel was not comparable to glass... Moreover, even if they were able to break the tunnel wall, there would be thick rock outside... If they were unlucky, there might be magma flowing back in.
If you really encounter that kind of trap, you won't even have anywhere to run.
"By the way, Dr. Park Sang-woo, have you explored this tunnel several times? Have you ever walked through the entire tunnel in one go? Have any mechanisms or other equipment been triggered?" Ke Lan asked Park Sang-woo with some concern.
"I walked back and forth by myself. There were no traps. It was very safe... If there were any equipment, it would probably be these lighting devices..." Park Sang-woo, who was lying in the lifeboat, replied, "Are you worried about traps?"
"To say that you're not worried is pure lies! I don't know if there's something wrong with their brains or what, but the Alphas particularly like to set up all kinds of traps and mechanisms inside their own buildings. Except for the lowest-level residential areas, the more important the place, the higher the danger level. And tunnels like this one, which have unknown purposes but cost so many high-end materials, must have some important function for them - I wouldn't be surprised if you said that you install a trap every three steps." The hound answered for Ke Lan.
"It is also possible that this is a common passage used by the Alphas in the mining area... The expert team once speculated that this tunnel is likely a fast passage for transporting Nino alloys, just like the bridges and roads we build on Earth. It is not strange to use high-end materials for such infrastructure." Park Sangyou said, "Military bases and laboratories may set up a large number of mechanisms to prevent outsiders from entering, but a road that is used every day will not be filled with pits, right?"
"Hey... although I'm reluctant..." The Hound shook his neck vigorously, "but I have to say that what you said does make some damn sense..."
At this moment, Layton, who was walking in the front and clearing the way, suddenly stopped and raised his arm: "There seems to be something ahead!"
"Is it an enemy?" The Hound turned around instantly, skillfully picked up the gun hanging in front of his chest, and aimed it at the tunnel in front of him.
"Not sure... It looks like a person lying on the ground..." As Layton spoke, he threw out the drone, and the small car with four wheels that were larger than the main body sped out, then suddenly jumped up, and four blue flames sprayed out from the bottom, directly sticking to the top wall of the tunnel.
After seeing the images sent back by the drone, everyone breathed a sigh of relief - there were three humans lying on the ground, their lives or deaths unknown, and the protective suits they were wearing had the logo of the garrison base on them.
"They are our own people, but we can't detect their heartbeats. They must be dead," said the Hound.
"Let's go and take a look." Ke Lan picked up the gun and ran towards the three bodies first.
…
All three victims were male, aged between 35 and 40. Based on Ivan's autopsy results and the almost zero barometer reading on the oxygen tank, it can be known that the cause of death of the three was asphyxiation due to lack of oxygen. It seems that they evacuated in such a hurry that they did not remember to bring enough oxygen concentrators.
"Judging from his attire, he seems to be a researcher at the base. Could he be a colleague of that Korean guy?" said the Hound after examining the corpse.
"That's easy. Just have Captain Breya scan the facial features of these three people."
Although the faces of the three deceased were severely distorted due to the pain of suffocation, the identification method adopted by the Security Bureau is mainly based on bone structure - commonly known as "bone appearance" rather than "skin appearance". In this way, some wanted criminals can still be identified even after makeup and minor plastic surgery. Unless they have the courage to make major changes to their facial bones, they may be able to escape the Security Bureau's facial recognition device.
"We have found out...the three people are Dr. Bernd Ferry, an aerodynamics expert and senior researcher at the institute; Dr. Muller von Guderian, an architecture expert, relic archaeology expert and a mid-level researcher at the institute; and another one is Huang Renxun, who is not a regular staff member of the institute but is an authority in the field of Alpha Technology. His name was on the team that cracked the energy crystal converter back then..." said Aya Breya.
"My goodness... Any one of these three is a well-known expert in the field. This one called 'Bourne Ferry' has published several papers in the 'Flying Vehicle' magazine on how to combine air-to-ship vector thrusters with anti-gravity devices. To be honest, he does have unique insights in this area. I also referred to his design ideas when I modified Valkyrie... I didn't expect them to die here." Layton sighed with some regret.
But before Ke Lan could say anything, Park Sangyou in the lifeboat suddenly shouted, "What... whose body did you find? I seemed to... I seemed to hear you talking about Mueller... and Bourne?"
"What's wrong? Do you know these people? Bernd Ferry, Muller von Guderian and Huang Renxun. We found their bodies." Layton replied.
"What did you say?!" Park Sangyou's reaction was like being struck by lightning, "Are you sure these are the bodies of the three of them? You didn't make a mistake?"
"No mistake. The name and identification code are on the badges hanging on their chests. We also scanned their facial features and they match the files kept by the Security Bureau." Leighton said.
"According to the files, Dr. Park Sang-woo and the three of them were transferred to the Molten Mine District at the same time. They should have also participated in the project to restart Yaguna Kotor and are Dr. Park Sang-woo's colleagues." Aya said as she flipped through the files.
"Put me down, I want to see them with my own eyes! I don't believe it!" Park Sangyou shouted.
"Alas... I really can't do anything about you. Are you close to these three people? Why are you so excited?" Layton sighed, removed the lifeboat from the bracket, and stood it upright on the ground, so that the porthole on the hatch could face the three bodies lying on the ground. "Well, whether it is true or not, you can see for yourself... Didn't you already assume that everyone except you is dead? Why are you reacting so strongly now?"
Ke Lan also looked at Park Sangyou in some confusion. Through the porthole, she could see that his facial muscles were constantly trembling, as if he had seen something extremely terrifying.
He hesitated for a long time before speaking:
"They... they are indeed my colleagues... and participants in the 'Restart' project... but, but they shouldn't die here!"
"Yes, they are all rare talents. It is a pity that they died here...but things have happened, and no one can bring them back to life. You have to accept this reality." Layton supported the life capsule and comforted them kindly.
"No... That's not what I meant!" Park Sangyou shouted hysterically, "They... They are three of the four experts who voluntarily entered the lava channel! How... How did their bodies appear here?!"
As soon as these words were spoken, the surroundings suddenly fell into silence.
"You...are you sure? Are you sure they entered the lava channel?" The Hound was the first to break the silence. "Are you too nervous and remembering it wrong? This place is a million miles away from the No. 1 lava lake in the center of the mining area!"
"No! I saw them get into the vehicle with my own eyes! I still remember Mueller told me before he left that if he couldn't come back, he wanted me to help publish the two papers he had stored in his computer that he hadn't published yet... Damn it! Why is he here! This is impossible! Impossible!"
"It's not completely impossible..." Ke Lan suddenly said, "That ancient warship once hovered over the mining area for a while, right? Could they have taken this opportunity to escape and come here?"
