Nearly a hundred soldiers dressed in full suits of dark green power armor sat on both sides, many of them wounded and bandaged, but their tones betrayed their excitement.
"Never thought we’d make it out alive!"
"Yeah, that Third Level lair we’ve been digging underground for years to save up two thousand units of superheavy elements, we swept it all in one go. Even snatched back five barrels."
"This time when we return, the Navy Department’s got to award each of us a half-ton gold medal, right? What do you think, Captain?"
Li Cheng and Gray Rain, sitting behind the camouflage rain tarps, were not initially noticed by these soldiers. Gray Rain reached out and held Li Cheng’s hand, liquifying her limb once again, morphing it into the exterior shell of the power armor to prevent other soldiers from noticing.
’Third Level lair? These soldiers must be from the Zeluo Navy’s Third Fleet Special Combat Team mentioned in the newspapers.’
Li Cheng listened to the rest of the soldiers’ conversation while reaching out to take down the individual Weapon Equipment hanging on the inner walls of the engine room.
These futuristic firearms could be handled and examined, but when he tried to put them in his backpack, the words [Unable to Pick Up] flashed before him, implicitly confirming that this was an illusion created by the engine room.
"Brothers and sisters, after completing this task, I’m going back to my hometown to get married!"
A young soldier stood up, pulled out a photo from his chest, and boasted to his companions: "Look, this is my fiancée. Isn’t she beautiful?" For original chapters go to novᴇlfire.net
"Jack, you lucky dog, stepped in some good luck, huh?" an older veteran scoffed with a laugh: "But I’ve also accumulated enough Military Merit Points, perfect for requesting retirement upon returning – after all, my child is about to be born."
A female soldier’s voice came from below the power armor embossed with the name Angelina, "Eh? Your wife is about to give birth, Roland? Just so happens my daughter Anna’s birthday is tomorrow, she keeps calling asking if I can make it back to Proxima A in time. Ah, I forgot to bring her a gift, maybe I’ll buy her a rabbit doll when we get back to the space station."
"Don’t talk so much, think about dinner! How about grilled meat tonight?"
The soldiers chatted cheerfully, while Li Cheng’s forehead began to sweat.
’No way, why’s everyone of these people raising death flags left and right? Saying things like [returning after the mission to get married][child about to be born requesting retirement][daughter’s birthday tomorrow rushing me home],
talking like that is like saying in Conan ’There might be a murderer among us! How could we sleep together? I’m going back to my own room,’
or like in Jujutsu Kaisen saying ’we will win’ is just tempting fate!’
Li Cheng’s temple throbbed as he inwardly ranted, ’But... Anna? I’ve seen this name before in children’s drawings, could it be that this soldier named Angelina is Anna’s mother? And the rabbit doll she mentioned...’
A sudden loud noise came from outside; the right engine of the transport plane was belching thick black smoke, followed by the destruction of a left engine. The four engines were now reduced to two, and the transport plane’s speed abruptly slowed.
Clang clang clang clang!
The sound of continuous blasts rang out non-stop, and a large number of steel spikes pierced down from above into the cabin, unfolding like petals as they opened, releasing motorbike-sized half-mechanical beasts.
These beasts, like the unnamed prisoners in the lower right cells of the Narrative Cage with saw blades and gears growing out of their flesh, landed and immediately attacked the soldiers in the cabin.