The Trembling World

Chapter 279 - Machine Zombie

TL: xDh20, LifeisaJourney

While the transport aircraft was still searching the dense forest with the bright searchlight, it hadn't discovered the location of Liu Gan. There were many countries with armies that had thermosensing technology to search through thick forests for humans.

"According to the data, more than half a month ago was the time when the apocalypse occurred. These armored warriors frequently received various missions to execute. The number of missions ordered were quite frequent. It is as if an intelligent creature was managing their every movement. It seems that when the catastrophe was occurring,the mothership suffered severe damage. Then for the next ten days, these warriors were in a comatose state and did nothing. That was when they restarted functioning, but the one difference was that their mission completion rate was very low. The mission content had changed… it became very simplistic," Yin He continued.

"You said that their mothership was damaged?" Liu Gan was confused.

"Well according to my data, the mothership belongs to a certain unknown faction. There was a commander, who is the mastermind, left behind operating the mothership. This commander was responsible for choosing specimens for experimenting. I found out that the white-coat scientist we met on the island in the middle of the lake is part of their crew.

"The issue is that on the day of the catastrophe, how the mothership had sustained damage is still hard to tell. I don't know if it was under attack since there are no records of it on the mothership. It seems that the mothership was heavily damaged and all the intelligent creatures aboard are dead. Without any intelligent mastermind operating it, the mothership computer mainframe took over the duty of governance and maintenance. So most of the self-renovation and restoration work is all ordered by computer…

"After taking over control, there were no further orders from any intelligent personnel, so the computer mainframe is simply finishing off all the uncompleted missions. Since the mothership was damaged, the system hasn't been able to fully repair itself. It would explain why occasionally in missions, they would do incoherent things.This would explain most of the strange behavior of the warriors.

"The transport aircraft that was just here wasn't able to detect our presence, it seems like the detection device hasn't been regularly inspected. Perhaps their purpose wasn't to search for us, but rather they were executing their mission - to look for a missing companion. It must be a preset protocol. If only I could turn off that transmission, that would stop them from searching for me," Yin He finished replying to Liu Gan.

Listening to Yin He speak about the details of the mothership, Liu Gan understood most of it. The faction of armored warriors was on the verge of breaking. These warriors were only trying to finish all the outstanding missions. All the preset detailed procedures that came along with the mission were set by the intelligent masterminds.

The details behind the missions would remain a mystery. No one besides the people responsible would know. It was not worth pondering what mission they were doing. One thing was for certain and that is, now no one is controlling the warriors since the wrecking of their mothership. One word perfectly described them - Machine Zombies.

It seemed like the mothership wasn't the only thing out of control. The whole world was out of control.

One major point, if true, was harmful for Yin He. If there is an intelligent mastermind that is controlling the mothership, then it must be wondering where the missing warrior companion went, and will do everything in its ability to find out.

With such advanced technology,trying to track down Yin He would be a very easy task. But with only half a computer mainframe on the mothership, it will only extend half the effort. At most it will follow protocol and send a retrieval transport aircraft. It was hard to imagine that the mainframe would send out a search and destroy team.

"I could try to blend in with the other warriors. For instance, if the detection devices on the mothership and transport aircraft can't detect any abnormality, then there would be an opportunity. I will take that chance to see if I can sneak aboard to change the mission protocols on the mothership, or replenish my power supply," Yin He added.

"I am afraid it won't be that easy." Liu Gan shook his head. Even if that was what Yin He wanted to do, Liu Gan won't let her take that risk so easily.

"Yes, it won't be easy at all. The transport aircraft has strict inspections. It would be hard for me to pass through the conventional inspection. It is not difficult for these inspections to find the abnormality within this body. Once the transport aircraft docks to the mothership, there's a second inspection that is more strict within the mothership. This second inspection is to rectify any malfunction or error in the armored warriors. I definitely won't be able to pass that test," Yin He nodded.

"Then don't take the risk. Wait until there is a better opportunity," Liu Gan said to Yin He. He had achieved his goal of terminating any potential harm she might have taken.

"Okay," Yin He casually agreed. She didn't have any serious thoughts on going, but she had lost the chance of boarding the transport aircraft. With the mothership in critical condition, it would even be more strict with protocol if it discovered an abnormality in the warriors. To prevent the abnormality from spreading, it would completely destroy the hardware instead of fixing it.

***

After confirming that the transport aircraft had left the area, Liu Gan and the other two left the forest to head back to the secret laboratory in the mountain villa. It was now past midnight, and the villa was extremely quiet.

Normal players wouldn't dare to come out past midnight. Especially not for visiting these ghastly places. They were not good for the faint of heart. The hidden potential dangers lurking in the darkness, normal players wouldn't take the risk.

Liu Gan had improved his defenses, especially his [Mist Armor]. The concentrated attack of firearms wouldn't be a threat, so normal attacks with swords wouldn't be a problem. Even attacks from normal players and Variant Zombies wouldn't be a problem anymore. If there was another Kingler, even if Liu Gan can't win against it in the fight, he could at least escape.

They arrived at the mountain villa, using the flashlight for guidance. The camouflage technology that produced the precipice had vanished. In its place was a real wall.

Arriving within the large courtyard and proceeding into the small courtyard, Liu Gan found the bodies of Raincoat and his soldiers. A large portion of their brains were missing. The wound entry was a high temperature hole, unquestionably the shot came from the transport aircraft.

Scattered around the small courtyard were corpses. Kingler's body remained in place. Seems like a dead Kingler wasn't useful for research purposes, so it was abandoned there.

The two unconscious bodies of the armored warriors were nowhere to be found. Liu Gan guessed that either they had regained consciousness or the transport aircraft rescued them.