Chapter 339: Parasitic Data

Chapter 339: Parasitic Data

The nuclear blast erupts, and the unmanned machines withdraw.

The supreme deterrent held by the Huaxia forces still proves effective.

Lacking sufficient electromagnetic‑pulse resistance, faced with the nuclear threat, the only recourse for Mountain City is to retreat underground.

Shielded by the terrain, they can preserve the few remaining unmanned machines.

Chen Jian stands upon the newly erected launch platform, before him a heap of dismantled laser‑generator components.

He photographs each piece with the camera mounted on his helmet, then radios the images back to Base 011 for Fuxi to analyze.

At the current transmission rate, the whole process will take at least an hour.

Chen Jian switches his smart ocular back to the standard combat interface and turns to the newly arrived Yu Qian, saying:

“You’ve worked hard.”

“Your wounds haven’t healed yet, and you’re already leading another team.”

“But we truly have no better candidates.”

“Other duties are important too; comparatively, this assignment carries less danger.”

“I understand.”

Yu Qian nods slowly.

In truth, before departure he had believed this would be a near‑suicidal, cannon‑fodder mission.

Yet once he entered Mountain City, he found the situation, compared with his expectations,

seemed considerably better.

The high‑intensity clash has not yet begun; both sides are merely in a stalemate.

The peripheral Tier‑One monsters appear unable to breach the city, posing no direct threat.

This is indeed a “low‑risk” operation.

Though his squad’s strength is modest, each member has survived a death‑defying battle, making them the most fitting and matched team.

Not too many, not too few—just enough.

With that thought, Yu Qian asks further:

“What do you need us to do next?”

Chen Jian points to the nearby position and replies:

“We must hold this spot for two days.”

“When Fuxi finishes preparing the spare parts and the expedition force secures a micro‑reactor, we’ll commence clearing the peripheral Tier‑One monsters.”

“The plan has changed. We originally intended to provoke the Mountain City dwellers by attacking the monsters, forcing them into dialogue with us.”

“But now that plan has clearly failed.”

“Fortunately, the overall direction remains unchanged.”

“We still need to open a surface passage into Mountain City, preparing for the subsequent assault.”

“Thus every task from now on will revolve around that objective.”

“You must clear a safe zone around the area, establishing guard posts and fire points.”

“Later we will conduct second and third rounds of delivery; your job is to ensure those drops go smoothly and safely.”

“Understood.”

Yu Qian answers solemnly, saluting Chen Jian.

Chen Jian nods briefly, and at that moment Ji Xing arrives.

“Something’s off about those Mountain City people.”

She says.

“I of course know they’re off‑kilter; if they were normal, they wouldn’t stubbornly refuse dialogue when it’s so plainly offered.”

“They’re human too, yet I can’t fathom why they’ve become our adversaries to this extreme.”

“They—”

“What if they aren’t human at all?”

Ji Xing interrupts Chen Jian, then continues:

“I mean, they aren’t even Saint‑blooded.”

“Their power is great, their speed swift—that’s a fact.”

“But I see no trace of anything akin to us Saint‑blooded in them.”

“Moreover, in that recent battle I detected a distinct, unusually strong scent.”

“The very scent I mentioned before.”

“I don’t know what that odor signifies, but could it be the smell of the aberrant?”

“It’s possible.”

Chen Jian nods slowly.

“That’s the only rational explanation we have right now.”

“So we still need to find a way to retrieve those Mountain City corpses.”

“Regrettably, without first establishing full surface superiority, we cannot organize the retrieval of the fallen.”

“We must wait.” “Three days after the full offensive begins, we’ll have an answer.”

“Got it.”

Ji Xing’s gaze flickers faintly.

Then she asks again:

“If we judge solely from the clues we have,”

“Commander, what do you think lies beneath Mountain City?”

“A massive underground fortress.”

Chen Jian ponders briefly, then adds:

“A… cyborg base?”

“That’s the most plausible answer at present.”

“Yet that answer cannot fully account for the city’s bizarre manifestation.”

“This city should not exist in this world at all.”

“Yet it does, undeniably.”

“Most likely, the way it exists is wholly different from the way we perceive it on the surface.”

“What does that mean?”

Ji Xing frowned and asked:

“An underground city— isn’t that just a different way?”

“No.”

Chen Jian shook his head again.

“It’s not a matter of above ground versus below.”

“I have a hypothesis now, though it may be off‑track.”

“I wonder whether those ‘real humans’ in that city truly still exist?”

“Or perhaps”

“They are merely a mass of data parasitizing the intelligent network?”

“Data??”

Ji Xing was stunned.

“I don’t understand.”

“It doesn’t matter.”

Chen Jian waved his hand.

“We’ll have an answer soon enough.”

“Until the answer arrives, tend to the task before us!”

Meanwhile, on the southern side of Hanshui City, near the Yinshui Cave nuclear plant.

He Shuo led a detachment of the expeditionary force, concealed within the jungle, silently watching the distant power station.

Beside him, Li Xian, brow furrowed, held a telescope aloft.

After a moment, Li Xian lowered the telescope, exhaled a long breath, and then said:

“This truly is the lair of Qin Yuan.”

“Their numbers are staggering—conservatively at least four hundred.”

“Almost all are small monsters, yet their agility is such that we can scarcely contend with them.”

“Our manpower is too thin. If we charge in outright, casualties could be horrific.”

“Should we consider holding our ground here, and summon the remaining forces behind Hanshui City for reinforcement?”

“No need.”

He Shuo shook his head.

“If even a swarm of this caliber warrants reinforcement, then we might as well never venture out again—stay holed up in the city like your old Guardians of the Faith did.”

“Though their numbers are great, they are not beyond our capacity to deal with.”

“This is a precious opportunity for training.”

“Relay the orders—everyone obeys my command.”

“Ignore the peripheral monsters; employ a three‑by‑three rotating formation for cover, surge swiftly into the plant’s interior, and clear the half‑collapsed workshop nearest us.”

“Once inside the workshop, we establish a defensive perimeter, lure the monsters into attack, and rely on our firepower superiority to hold them.”

“We must move with speed.”

“In the shortest possible time, eradicate every monster nearby.”

“Then dismantle the reactor here for me!”

(End of chapter)