Chapter 430: The Situation
Chapter 430: The Situation
The next day, as the morning light gradually brightened, Chen Chuan opened his eyes from his deep meditation.
He sensed his surroundings and felt that the effects of taking special medication while in the Convergence Zone seemed even better than in Central City.
However, it seemed to come with greater risks.
He looked towards his Second Self, where the signs of fading were evident, and the entanglement persisted. It appeared that this invasion had been long-lasting, and he didn't know how long it would take to eliminate it.
Therefore, taking medication and practicing here required more caution; he couldn't be as frequent as in Central City, after all, he still had to undertake combat missions.
He got up, freshened up, and was about to go outside for some activity when he suddenly heard a sharp whistle from outside, indicating something was amiss.
Upon realizing this, he changed into the uniform issued the previous day, stepped out of the dormitory, and made his way to the open space in the middle of the fortress. He saw the main gate open, and a team of guard soldiers were jogging out, but no vehicles were mobilized.
He immediately understood that there was an issue in the nearby area, so he walked out through the main gate with salutes from the guards on both sides. As soon as he stepped outside, he didn't need to search; he instantly spotted the anomaly.
In front of the thick layer of white snow, not far from the railroad tracks, there was a series of massive footprints, each about two to three meters long, deeply embedded in the ground, revealing the dark mud beneath.
Judging by the footprints alone, it seemed to be a large quadrupedal creature, which had come from one end of the railroad tracks and extended all the way to where his vision couldn't reach. The closest footprint was only twenty to thirty meters away from the fortress wall, almost right next to it.
A few technicians and officers were standing next to the footprints, discussing, while several soldiers surrounded them. Although they spoke softly, their words were still clearly audible to Chen Chuan's ears.
"Looks like it's a big one," one of them said.
"Not necessarily," another replied. "In the Convergence Zone, what we don't see can't be counted, and what we do see might not be entirely real. So these footprints might just be footprints, and there might not be an actual creature."
An officer called over one of the soldiers on duty from the previous day and asked, "Any disturbances last night?"
The soldier saluted and reported, "Sir, everything was normal last night. I didn't hear anything. This trace was discovered during the morning patrol."
The officer seemed accustomed to this and casually ordered, "Record it and file it in the archives."
Chen Chuan observed the footprints for a while, then turned back.
Since controlling the Vitality Index was the most crucial task at hand, he had directly applied for it when he went through the procedure yesterday, and the time was set for 8:00 am.
He went back, had a quick bite, met up with his two teammates, and headed to the training room. The teacher responsible for teaching the breathing technique had already arrived.
This teacher, surnamed Zhai, was also a Tier Three Fighter and served as both a Fighting Guardian and instructor in the base camp.
After the three of them arrived, he briefly introduced himself and started explaining the key points.
The basic breathing technique presented no difficulty for Chen Chuan and his teammates. After listening to the instructions once, they all grasped it effortlessly, and the next step was to practice diligently.
Yuan Qiuyuan's attitude towards this teacher was entirely different from his behavior with Tian Yu. He showed great respect and, after mastering the breathing technique, stood up to ask, "Instructor Zhai, aside from the breathing technique and medication, are there any other ways to prevent the harm caused by activation?"
Instructor Zhai replied, "Yes, there is. Implanted implants can effectively prevent such incidents because synthetic implants have a low activation level and are less likely to be affected by activation. That's why they are widely used. Even the ordinary guard soldiers here use combat implants.
Fighters also have corresponding fighting implants. If you need them, we can arrange for them, but matching a Tier Three implant takes a long time, and we need to take altered tissue from your bodies. So, even if you submit an application, there will be a waiting period."
Yuan Qiuyuan shook his head. "I don't need it. I only trust my fists and weapons."
Instructor Zhai said, "It's good to stay true to yourself, but we are combat personnel. Our future is not determined by our own wishes but by our enemies.
I have served here for over twelve years and have seen people whose bodies or internal organs were overly activated, forcing them to use implants as replacements. Many more have lost parts of their bodies in battle, and they, too, went from initial rejection to acceptance. Many of them are still active on the front lines and have become the backbone of our forces.
In the forward areas, their kind has become the mainstream.
Take me, for example..."
As he spoke, he rolled up his sleeves, revealing a muscular arm.
One could see that the lower half of his elbow had been replaced with an implant, and from the outside, it looked almost identical to his original arm. This was because it was covered by the skin that had grown over it.
But upon closer inspection, one could notice subtle differences.
"This implant was adapted to my altered tissue, and using it feels almost the same as before. It doesn't hinder my combat abilities; instead, certain aspects are even enhanced.
As your instructor, let me give you some advice: Don't reject something that can save your life, even if it doesn't seem so great at first glance. Keeping your life is more important than anything else, and who knows when you might be able to make up for regrets.
"Yuan Qiuyuan gave a dismissive smile. While he respected Instructor Tian Yu, he wasn't interested in this particular topic. He had higher aspirations, and with this implant, his progress would solely depend on his skills."
After the breathing technique lesson, the three of them headed to the screening hall for the next part of the class, where they were briefed on the Convergence Zone's environment.
"This area is the near end of the Convergence Zone, quite distant from the World Ring as we perceive it. It's considered the rear area, the deepest part of the world that has been conquered, developed, and controlled by various nations."
"But it's not truly safe," Tian Yu continued, "because the Convergence Zone is too vast. We can only control the areas along the railroad tracks and a portion of the outer perimeter of our military base camps."
Yuan Qiuyuan raised his hand, and after receiving Tian Yu's permission to speak, he said, "We're here to protect the World Ring, but it seems so far away. Will we even get a chance to go there?"
Tian Yu replied, "In terms of physical distance, it is indeed far. However, the World Ring is not just a simple physical existence. It's more of a spiritual intrusion from the other world, so it's actually a domain isolation belt jointly constructed by the biota of all Central Cities.
"You three executors should know that the location of the Central City is the forefront of the collision between the two worlds, the breach between the two realms, and the anchor point to the other world. When the biota domains resisting these anchor points are gathered together, they form a tight seal, blocking all channels of intrusion into our world."
As she spoke, she pointed with her teaching rod, and a projection appeared on the screen, showing all the Central Cities worldwide. Above each city was a brilliant light representing the biota domain.
"When these domains are connected, it looks like this," she said.
Chen Chuan looked up and saw that the lights of all the Central Cities were connected, forming a shimmering nebula-like band of light that spun and intertwined.
"When all the Central Cities are linked, their material world manifestation resembles a giant ring, which is the origin of the term 'World Ring.' However, the spiritual manifestation of the biota domain may be entirely different. When the real and spiritual defense layers are combined, it's collectively called the 'Holoscreen.'"
Tian Yu paused, and on the screen, a version of the book "1619" appeared.
"Because the biota domain leans towards the spiritual realm," she continued solemnly, "certain unique fighters and powerful resonators may, under specific conditions, have a chance to penetrate this barrier and approach or even reach the other side.
"So, while the World Ring may seem far away, it's actually right beside you."
"Then, what's on the other side of the World Ring?" Yuan Qiuyuan asked curiously.
"Executor Yuan Qiuyuan, please raise your hand if you have a question," Tian Yu said.
Yuan Qiuyuan immediately raised his hand and eagerly asked again, "Instructor Tian, what's on the other side?"
"That's classified information," Tian Yu replied. "The government and major corporations strictly prohibit its disclosure. They also forbid anyone from privately crossing the World Ring, as such actions can damage the World Ring itself.
"And don't even think about crossing over," she added sternly, her voice rising as she addressed all the executors. "Those with such abilities are either eliminated or recruited by the government and corporations. They will intercept and locate anyone who attempts to cross without authorization.
"Once confirmed, a joint force comprising governments and corporate alliances from various nations will come to eradicate any individual or force that crosses this limit. They have the authority to eliminate any entity or power that violates the First Defense Protocol without trial."
Yuan Qiuyuan shrugged. "Alright, forget I asked."
Qin Qingque raised her hand.
"Executor Qin Qingque, what's your question?" Tian Yu's tone softened slightly.
"Our enemies," Qin Qingque asked seriously. "Since we're here to protect the World Ring, who are our enemies, and where are they?"
"It seems some of you are getting impatient," a voice came from the side stage of the screening hall.
Chen Chuan looked up from his seat and saw an officer in uniform, wearing a wide-brimmed hat, walking with a straight posture from the side stage door.
The officer approached the podium, saluted the three of them, and introduced himself, "I'm Tactical Advisor Ding Mou from the Command Center. I'm here to deliver your squad's mission briefing as ordered."
Yuan Qiuyuan's eyes lit up at these words.
Qin Qingque tensed up, her body naturally entering a state of readiness.
Ding Mou turned to Chen Chuan and said, "Executor Chen, as you've just arrived, the higher-ups initially planned to give you two days to rest, familiarize yourself with the environment, and learn about the necessary precautions. However, we just received an emergency message from another outpost. All other squads have been dispatched to the front lines, leaving your squad as the only combat-ready team available. So, your training schedule may have to be cut short."
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(End of Chapter)
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