Wow! The item-dropping rate is really high!

"The intel says the passages in the target base are almost all shut, with only one entrance open on the west side and southeast corner each, and each entrance is guarded by two bio-engineered soldiers."

"Going a bit further inside the corridors, there's a patrolling squad of four bio-engineered soldiers, but the cycle isn't very certain, and I only 'saw' one squad."

"In addition, their perception isn't as sharp as the intel described, and not every bio-engineered soldier is equipped with the standard gear mentioned."

"As long as we conceal ourselves properly and launch attacks from behind, they are very likely to be unaware. I can only carry two people at a time at the maximum, and the concealment effect will fail when we're within 50 meters of them."

"If we can instantly take out the two gatekeepers at 50 meters, we've got a very good chance of infiltrating the base without detection!"

"The base only retains minimal lighting power, and I didn't detect any other electronic devices being used. From what I can see, their living and combat ways are just as primitive!"

After reporting all his findings, the Spiritual Energy user Pansen waited for Gregory's response. Although he held a superior position, he also had to follow the commands of the commander when it came to specific operational arrangements.

Gregory pondered briefly and soon made the arrangements, his precise and concise voice ringing in everyone's earpieces, "Dawson, Han Lei, AB, Bill, you four follow Lord Pansen and launch a surprise attack on the west gate. Make sure to eliminate the guards before they can sound the alarm."

These people all had their special skills, sniper rifles, throwing knives, close combat assassinations... after all, the opponents were bio-engineered humans, with centuries-old black technology, who knew what kind of stuff they had modified, so even sniper rifles couldn't guarantee a kill.

Only long-range sniping combined with an instant burst from a 50-meter range could assure a foolproof action."

"Additionally, Old One, 95B27, Molly, Lina... Aside from the soldiers just named, all remaining personnel prepare to launch an attack. As soon as we take the west gate, everybody rapidly assault!"

"The personnel staying behind must protect the key figures and be ready to respond to orders at any moment. Members involved in the invasion, ensure clear communication, and stay in contact. Start checking your equipment now, I'm giving you 1 minute to prepare!"

After speaking, Gregory turned to Likok and his assistant, Miss Aryan, who had been summoned behind him, "The two of you, we don't know the inside situation, so we must eliminate all risks before we can take you in. Please wait patiently."

While the drones continued to scout from afar, 1 minute quietly passed.

"Ready yet?"

"Ready."

"Ready."

The soldiers leading the way responded one after another.

"Move out!"

Four soldiers split into two groups following the Spiritual Energy user, and before the eyes of Bai E and others still waiting, they performed a great vanishing act once again.

Even with preparation this time, Bai E kept his eyes wide open without blinking, but under the hypnotic ripples in the targeted space, he still lost the trace of the five people after an irresistible moment of mental haze.

I really want to... blow him up.

Envy filled Bai E's heart.

After another short wait, with Pansen's cover, the two snipers got to their optimal sniping positions and lay in hiding, while the other two soldiers vanished from sight alongside the Spiritual Energy user.

Until Pansen's cool voice came through the earpieces, "Action."

"Bang!" Two sniper rifles fitted with silencers fired simultaneously. The dampened sound and flash only flickered in the perception of the attentive Bai E and other soldiers, unable to reach the base's interior, blocked by the thick outer walls.

"Go!" As the guns fired, the two soldiers who approached within 50 meters under Pansen's cover exploded into action.

After a minor sound of knives piercing flesh came through the earpieces, Pansen's voice once again rose steadily, "Objective completed."

Gregory clenched his fist in exhilaration, his voice steady and fervent, "Attack!"

The doors of the three off-road vehicles opened simultaneously, and over ten soldiers scattered into the fields, rushing towards the west gate like a pack of hunting wolves amid the rustling sounds.

A total of 25 men came, and now, apart from the five including Bai E left behind for fire support and the two snipers still in hiding, only two scientific staff remained in the vehicles.

The numbers weren't large, all gathered inside the second vehicle, waiting for the outcome, while the first and third vehicles also kept their engines running, ready to move and provide support at any moment.

And including the commanding officer and the Spiritual Energy user, 16 soldiers together launched an invasion into the target building.

Silence filled the comms, and those left outside, including Bai E, quietly awaited the outcome.

They could only guess at the situation encountered by the soldiers who entered the building through snippets of dialogue transmitted via the limited range of the radio—

"These bio-engineered soldiers haven't exceeded human limitations, there is a possibility of completing the task."

"Go in!"

"No one in the left corridor!"

"No one in the right corridor!"

"No one in the central corridor!"

"Split up and move! Blood God, you take them through the left! Han Lei, you take them through the right! The rest come with me down the middle! Try to eliminate their living forces as much as possible, maintain communication, be quick in action, and decide on your own whether to retreat or call for reinforcements when encountering a tough nut to crack."

To completely take over this base and restart the servers, they needed to fully eliminate all living forces.

The allies had not understood this base for hundreds of years, and Spiritual Energy users' scouting abilities were blocked by the building material.

The opposition might have foregone electronic surveillance and other equipment due to energy restrictions or other reasons, relying solely on manpower.

The information gathering and counteracting abilities of both parties were almost at the same level.

The battle strategies also almost entirely consisted of cold weapons and close combat.

All of these were known to everyone before departure.

After all, not only were they trying to restart the servers but also the bio-engineered soldiers in the base, following the last orders of the electronic devil before it went silent, were equally cautious not to use high-powered firearms, afraid to damage the "main body" of their "master."

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Both sides were equally reluctant to make a move, afraid of incurring damage. Once the operation managed to break into the base, it would essentially be tantamount to engaging in close-quarters combat from the age of cold weapons.

Even if their cover was blown, it would merely make the mission more or less difficult.

The later the exposure occurred, the more enemy combatants they would undoubtedly eliminate, easing the mission slightly.

The only variable was the number of bioengineered soldiers inside, and their individual combat prowess.

There was no precise data to reference on this point.

Human technology was indeed formidable hundreds of years ago, but for that very reason, the level of individual soldier training did not match the emphasis placed on it in this era.

After all, many technologies of this era have been lost or are unusable, leaving nothing but the soldiers' own bodies to withstand natural disasters.

Therefore, bioengineered soldiers who "far exceeded" the capabilities of ordinary soldiers in that era might not "far exceed" the standards when facing the elites selected from the barracks today—it was unknown.

That was why the military opted for a conservative plan, to first send the strongest elite selected from regular soldiers to probe the situation. If successful, all the better; if not, they would decisively retreat while also gathering some data. As long as the server restart plan was indeed feasible, they would come back to deliver the final blow.

After all, the base wasn't going anywhere, and bioengineered soldiers without the backing of any power didn't have the ability to rapidly bolster their forces or climb the technological ladder.

Sooner or later, it would be in the bag.

But while the military had options, Bai E did not.

A second visit was certainly not what Bai E hoped to see. After all, he might not be taken along next time...

Success!

It must be a success.

The moment he first saw the ruins, the prompt for the main mission was activated—

[Prompt: "Ruins" discovered. Successfully completing exploration will fulfil part of the main mission—Iron Curtain. Current exploration rate: 0.1%]

Only with a major success in this operation would he, the "reserve personnel," have a chance to enter the ruins.

It would be best if those tough guys up front could just bulldoze through, leaving a safe shell for him to wander around and smoothly accomplish one-third of the main mission.

As for ignoring commands and acting on his own to follow... Apart from the potential risks of bioengineered soldiers within the ruins, the four gun barrels behind him were not there just for show.

Before setting out, the officer had made it clear that during this military operation, all actions should follow orders, and anyone violating orders would face military justice... which meant being shot on the spot.

He could only hope that everything ahead went smoothly... or maybe, that failure would necessitate reinforcement?

But if there were a rout, they would most likely retreat directly and wait to come back another time, and it wouldn't be his turn, including the five fire support personnel and two snipers, to go in and reinforce.

Worrisome...

All he could do was pray for their success...

Bai E frowned slightly, praying for divine intervention for his teammates.

He wondered how they were faring inside... ever since the decision to split up was made a while ago, there had been complete silence in his earpiece.

Bai E felt a vague panic with no feedback from inside.

"Are you 95B27?"

Amidst the stifling wait, Bai E heard an intelligent and gentle voice next to him.

Turning his head, he saw her identity immediately—not dressed in combat gear and with a delicate slender figure—it was Minister Likok's assistant, Miss Aryan.

"Hmm," Bai E responded stiffly.

"Do you understand computer hardware?" Aryan looked curiously at the stoic-faced soldier before her. Was this the man who had twice led everyone to safety during yesterday's journey?

Consequently, she casually struck up a conversation, "We might need your help soon... It's just Minister Likok and me. We might be overwhelmed."

"..." Hesitating slightly, Bai E still decided to be truthful and nodded, "A little."

Thanks to Wen Jie's scholarly efforts, he now possessed Level 1 knowledge in computer hardware maintenance, so he did have some understanding.

Besides, if there really was a need for his help later, he could actually assist. To decline now and then demonstrate the ability later would be somewhat embarrassing.

"That's good." Aryan, seemingly a pure research talent with little world experience, was immediately delighted by Bai E's simple promise, "Then, thank you in advance~"

"...It's my duty."

"You're also knowledgeable about computer hardware?" The conversation between the two drew attention in the quiet vehicle. The only soldier among the selected elites with some expertise in this area looked curiously at Bai E, "I don't think I've ever seen you in the information classes at the barracks."

He was one of the rare informational soldiers trained in the barracks, possessing not only decent shooting skills but also some learning in information technology. This dual capability was his ticket to selection. The unmanned drone deployed earlier was under his control.

Bai E rubbed the tip of his finger slightly and improvised, "I learned it on the outside..."

I'm self-taught, a prodigy!

Without giving the other party more opportunity to doubt, suddenly a fire support personnel asked with some confusion.

"Has anyone else noticed that it's too quiet on the comms?"

Since the decision to split up and infiltrate the base, there had been no messages transmitted back for a long time.

With the comms left open, one would have expected to hear at least the sound of footsteps or breathing, but there was utter silence.

This silent void was particularly unsettling, as if that silent, towering base was some primordial beast that had swallowed the unknowing humans whole...

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