Chapter 145: Earth Wasteland Arc (Eleven)
Chapter 145: Earth Wasteland Arc (Eleven)
The Sharkfish Pod glided slowly into a canyon. The terrain sloped steeply southward, flanking both sides with sparse, sickly, grayish vegetation—clearly untended weeds.
Descending the slope revealed a colossal cave entrance. The gaping hole in the cliff wall was large enough to swallow an entire Titanic.
Human intervention had clearly expanded and reinforced this site, transforming it far beyond natural formations. Thousands of metal brackets resembling railway tracks blanketed the rock face—some embedded, others suspended midair, interlocking like a complex steel spiderweb. Hut-like structures dotted the rocky ledges, while workers in protective suits moved along the metal frames. From a distance, Feng Bu Jue would surely have marveled at this grand spectacle.
As the Sharkfish Pod approached the entrance, an external communication channel activated. A mechanical voice announced, "This is the Observation Post. State your identity."
Hank, seated at the controls, glanced at Feng Bu Jue for guidance. The latter merely shrugged, gesturing for Hank to proceed.
"Scavenger Squad, Squad Twenty-Four. I’m pilot Hank", he replied, striving to keep his voice steady. "Departed the village this morning. Passcode is 'Bow and Arrow.'"
In Divine Protection Village, departing squads left official records and received dynamically updated passcodes. Reentry required reciting the current code—any failure to provide it meant the squad had either fled unauthorized or been replaced by impostors.
The communicator paused briefly, likely verifying the code. Moments later, he confirmed, "Passcode verified. Welcome back, Squad Twenty-Four. Proceed to your assigned berth. Supply personnel are en route."
The Sharkfish Pod entered the cave, navigating a winding passage before emerging into a vast chamber. It resembled a three-dimensional parking lot, its honeycomb-like walls dotted with hexagonal compartments. Guided by the navigation system, Hank maneuvered the capsule body into one such compartment.
As Feng Bu Jue and Kuangzong Jianying officially passed through Divine Protection Village’s "gates", a system prompt echoed in their ears:
[Hidden Task Activated]
[Locate "Chosen of God" York Kouben within Divine Protection Village]
"Feng Bu Jue, you still insist this scenario is sci-fi?" Kuangzong Jianying asked after reading the task.
"Ten points confirm", Feng Bu Jue replied.
By now, both had donned protective suits, joining Hank as they exited the Sharkfish Pod.
Divine Protection Village’s scientific system was bizarrely inconsistent. In many fields, their knowledge was shockingly primitive—biological, medical, and astronomical concepts barely surpassed tribal-level understanding. Yet they excelled in energy, architecture, and agriculture, possessing technology to manufacture anti-gravity devices and metal-smelting equipment.
Why their technology tree skewed so asymmetrically would require later explanation. For now, focus remained on Feng Bu Jue’s predicament.
The plan was simple: wear protective suits, impersonate scavengers, and infiltrate the village’s residential sector.
Implementation proved manageable. The village lacked photographic identification.
One might ask about electronic devices capable of recording images—smart cellphones, for instance. Alas, none existed. Divine Protection Village’s technological development mirrored the Germans in Iron Sky, straddling a paradoxical line between advanced and primitive—a civilization uniquely shaped by its special environment.
Naturally, questions arose about identity verification. Indeed, before cameras and ID cards, human civilization had thrived for millennia. People managed just fine.
Of course, Feng Bu Jue and Kuangzong Jianying’s disguise had flaws. First, while diverse races inhabited the village, Caucasians dominated. Their East Asian features risked attention. Second, average male height didn’t exceed 1.7 meters—Feng and Kuangzong stood nearly 1.8 meters tall, even hunched. Third, Hank claimed protective suits weren’t worn indoors. Revealing their identities would cause chaos: Feng as a suit-clad outsider, Kuangzong as a robed swordsman.
Yet Feng Bu Jue reasoned temporary deception sufficed. Their exploration time was limited. Doom Strike, searching for the laboratory’s exit, would abandon pursuit after two hours. By then, even if his vitality held, his psyche wouldn’t. Immediate priority: infiltrate the residential sector.
With a metallic clang, a mechanical sound approached. An elevator platform arrived, carrying a wheeled disc device and five supply personnel in protective suits.
"Scavenger Squad… Squad Twenty-Four?" the leader asked, consulting a metal clipboard layered with papers. No portraits existed—only basic records: departure time, passcode, mission reason, coordinates, and squad composition.
"Yes", Hank confirmed. The distance and suits obscured his nervous sweat.
"You’re two short", the man noted, eyeing Feng Bu Jue and Kuangzong.
"Dead", Feng Bu Jue interjected solemnly. "Monsters killed them while exploring foreigner ruins."
"Corpse recovered?"
Feng Bu Jue shook his head. "We barely escaped ourselves. Those monsters were vicious—no chance to retrieve anything."
A brief silence. "Your name?"
"Jiawei." Feng Bu Jue gestured. "This is Hank. That’s Qiao Yi."
Hank had pre-shared the squad’s five names. Divine Protection Village residents, regardless of ethnicity, used English names. The supply personnel’s records listed only names—no detailed physical descriptions.
The man sighed, marking the paper. "Another two deaths… Rotten day."
"Agreed", Feng Bu Jue nodded, recognizing that losing one or two members on return missions was routine here.
After a pause, the man asked, "Recovery item count… zero, I assume?"
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
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