Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
“We’re finally out!”
The squad walked for another 10 minutes. When Neutron Star split open a bush with broad leaves using the alloy longsword to carve out a way, a new sort of scenery finally appeared in front of their eyes. There was an enclosing wall in front of them, mostly in ruins, and there was a broad, sparse meadow behind the wall.
“There’s a sign here,” said Glazed Ice, pointing at a rusty metal sign on the remaining wall. “It says ‘S-53 Military Base, Do Not Enter Without Permission.’ This seems to be the destination!”
White Crescent looked around curiously. “Isn’t this a military base? Why does it look so desolate and overgrown with weeds?”
“This was a military base before the Great Destruction over 100 years ago!” exclaimed Aike. “It’s impossible to keep a military base like this clean, even with its closed design. After all, variables like earthquakes or tsunamis could cause huge areas of soil to cover it up, perhaps even causing the base to be buried. Fortunately for us, it isn’t completely buried.”
Within their field of vision, some row of buildings and freestanding structures could be seen around 100 meters away. Even though different shrubs and weeds grew on the buildings, the players could still make out what the military base looked like.
“Mr. Pineapple, please protect the two employers well!” Red Queen said over the team channel.
In accordance with the rules of other games, it was highly likely to experience battles while in close proximity to the end of a mission like this, especially on maps that had not been explored, such as this one.
“Okay!” Big Pineapple said with a nod. He held his shield in his hand and stood in front of the two NPCs. The others also clutched their main weapons.
The squad walked past the enclosed wall and went to the meadow. After setting foot in it, they realized this meadow had originally been the main square of the military base, but the ground was now covered in soil, allowing grass to grow freely on it.
A distance of around a few hundred meters separated the enclosing wall from the nearest building. The NPC’s recon meter did not detect any tracks of any monsters throughout the journey, and they reached the front of the first building without trouble.
Compared to the ruined enclosing wall, this building looked a lot better. Aside from the weeds on the walls, there was no indication of any collapse on its exterior. After all, this was a military base, so the buildings were very sturdy.
Red Queen seemed to have a structural map of the military base in her hands. She led everyone in passing the building and approaching the inner part until they reached the largest, grayish-black building located in the middle.
The Red Queen stopped in front of the huge door. “We’re here.”
The building only had two stories, but each floor had a height of close to seven meters, making it as tall as a normal five-story building.
The material of the walls looked like a single, unbroken chunk of rock from afar. Upon closer inspection, it seemed to be made of an ingredient similar to glass. However, it was not reflective like glass, as the sunlight that shone upon its surface seemed to be absorbed by it instead. Even the huge, tightly shut door, which was almost five meters tall, was built using the same material. The whole building looked like a black fortress.
“This is the super light energy alloy researched during the Galaxy Empire era,” said Aike. “The black side absorbs sunlight to store energy, then releases it from the other side to be used as illumination. Therefore, even if it’s a fully enclosed room, by using this material, it can be as bright as day.” He was more than willing to provide scientific trivia about this game to the other players.
Big Pineapple lifted his head and looked around but saw no path for them to enter directly. “How do we get in? Should we break in?”
“No!” Red Queen said.
She held her staff in her hand and took a few steps forward to the door. She took an identity card-like object from her backpack and inserted it into a barely visible gap in the huge door.
Clunk!
A laser-like light scanned the card once. A few seconds later, the heavy doors slowly moved aside.
As the huge doors opened, a clean and tidy hall appeared in front of their eyes. The floor was covered in unique silver-white, anti-slip metal, and there were more than ten huge white marble-like pillars for support. There wasn’t a speck of dust on the floor, walls, or ceiling. Soft white light was being constantly emitted due to the use of the light energy material. This did not look like a place that had been abandoned for over 100 years whatsoever.
“Get inside,” said Red Queen.
She left an NPC waiting at the door as a precaution in case an unexpected situation occurred. Subsequently, the others gripped their weapons, followed her, and walked in.
“Wow, it’s so comfortable in here!” Big Pineapple said. He stomped his foot and left distinct muddy prints on the white floor.
They had passed through a rainforest filled with insects and muddy waters, causing them to be horribly dirty. To suddenly enter such a clean and tidy place was surprisingly comforting. Moreover, it seemed like no battles were required, as there were no enemy alerts from the recon meters of the NPC crew.
After enduring for so long, White Crescent and Glazed Ice immediately cleaned the stains from their weapons by putting them back in their backpacks. Glazed Ice even used water energy to create some water for her and White Crescent to wash their faces. The few guys present, however, were still alert, observing the surroundings of the hall while gripping their weapons.
Feng Luo held the M110 and turned around in a circle.
“On the wall!” he suddenly shouted, raising his head.
On the wall, which was emitting a faint white light thanks to the unique material, there was a robotic squid with a fully metal exterior. Several robotic tentacles greater than two meters in length were nestled flat against the wall. Its body seemed to be sucking on the wall.
Neutron Star frowned. “How did the recon meter not pick up its presence?”
“It’s been 100 years,” Big Pineapple said. “Even if it’s a robotic monster, it shouldn’t have power anymore. Or maybe it ‘died,’ so it cannot be detected?” All the same, he raised his shield to protect Lin and Aike behind him, separating them from the “dead” squid.
However, at the moment he finished speaking, the robotic squid’s body vibrated suddenly. Red light shone from both of the eyes on top of its head, rotating and scanning through the crowd swiftly! At the same time, a cold, electronic synthetic voice was emitted from its body.
“Number of people entering: 13. Identity recognition in process… One has Confidential Area Level 2 Staff permission. Others’ identities, unable to be identified. Level of danger assessment… moderately high!”
“Careful!” Red Queen warned quickly. At the same time, flames circulated on her staff. She had already cast an Expert-level Fire Shield on herself.
The situation was not at all surprising; they had predicted that battles would be likely as they drew nearer to the mission target, so no one panicked. They immediately raised their weapons to protect Lin and Aike.
The robotic squid’s electronic eyes, emitting red light, turned slowly as it said in a cold electronic voice, “Warning. This is the Empire S-53 Military Prohibited Area. You do not have permission to enter. Please leave within 30 seconds. Warning. Please leave within 30 seconds! 30… 29…”
******
What Feng Luo and the others didn’t know was what was happening elsewhere while they were entering the military base.
On the side of Silver Leaf Island opposite where they had moored their ship, a huge military ship—big enough to carry 200 people—was parked. A large crowd of players carrying weapons got on smaller boats and approached the island. There was a power emblem very familiar to Feng Luo on the players’ chests. It was a golden dragon’s head that was extending its neck and soaring.
After the players in front cleared the surrounding monsters, two male NPCs wearing white research coats finally stepped out from the ship, carefully protected by over ten Heavy Armor Warriors and Doctor players. There was a red and white umbrella symbol on the silver cases they held!