Xiao Han raised an eyebrow.
Trust takes time to cultivate. Zhang Wei might seem overbearing, but it also proved he was a captain who took his duties seriously. Xiao naturally held no grudge.
But expelling him from the team was impossible. He wouldn't even get past the higher-ups.
Zhang Wei knew he couldn't challenge the higher-ups' decision. Yet as captain, he bore the responsibility of leading the team. Now they'd parachuted in a rookie with no track record, not even providing background info. With almost zero knowledge of Xiao, how could he possibly command the squad?
Zhang Wei's fury stemmed not from his captaincy being challenged, but from feeling the higher-ups disregarded his team's safety.
A parachuted-in rookie, lacking capability, could easily make flawed judgments that plunged the team into danger. Even if unintentional, such a person would still be a liability.
Zhang Wei didn't discriminate against newcomers, but he believed they needed at least two or three years of training before qualifying for the Secret Operations Department. He certainly didn't want to lead a rookie on a mission.
They were shoving anyone and everyone onto his team. What did they think his squad was? A daycare center?!
They clearly didn't care about their subordinates' safety. Fu** those in power!
Damn it, corrupt privileged class—take this salty fish thrust!
Zhang Wei made a silent resolution: if Xiao couldn't fit into the team, he'd expel him no matter how much it angered higher-ups. At the very least, he'd pass this hot potato to another squad!
Xiao remained oblivious to Zhang Wei's inner turmoil, only noticing the captain's increasingly hostile glare. He had no clue what this seemingly upright leader was imagining, but he couldn't shake the feeling he'd screwed someone over again...
Just then, Lin Yao's computer screen lit up. Straining his neck to glance at it, his expression darkened. "Emergency mission. Headquarters demands immediate departure!"
Zhang Wei's expression turned stern. "Details?"
"Ma Qingyang's squad was ambushed during their raid on the Sprout Base. Headquarters orders us to provide immediate backup. We'll discuss the rest once we're airborne."
Raid the Sprout Base? Xiao froze. Right—this was one of the three base locations he'd previously provided intelligence on. After a moment's thought, he pieced together the sequence of events.
All three Sprout Base locations he'd provided were within Star Dragon's territory, allowing them to mobilize forces for a swift raid. Bureau 13 had already destroyed two domestic bases, pushing his mission progress to 2.0%. Even the Sprout, however foolish, would recognize the intelligence leak and prepare an ambush at the third base.
Zhang Wei hurried out, pausing briefly beside Xiao. He frowned. "Lin Yao, you'll stay behind to cover logistics. Xiao, you're new. This is a rare opportunity. Observe closely and learn. Aim to be useful sooner rather than later."
Lin Yao hesitated, about to speak. Xiao smiled indifferently. "Fine by me."
Zhang Wei hadn't participated in Operation Black Spider. Based solely on Li Yalin's animated description, he wouldn't trust Xiao—perfectly human, and Xiao understood. He silently sighed, thinking, Well, that's what happens when you're an understanding man.
Xiao Han paused, then intercepted Li Yalin. He produced four magazines loaded with high-ignition rounds. "Consider this my goodwill contribution."
Li Yalin's eyes lit up. "Is this your new invention?"
"Use them sparingly," Xiao chuckled, his tone thick with mystery. "They catch fire."...
[You have triggered an E-rank mission: Rescue.]
[Mission Details: Rescue the Secret Service squad under attack. Your role is to support teammates in completing this mission.]
[Mission Requirement: Successfully rescue Ma Qingyang's squad.]
[Reward: 8,000 EXP]
[Special Reward: None]
Eight thousand EXP—better than nothing, though it was yet another logistical-grade reward.
"Brother Xiao, the captain didn't mean to single you out. Don't take it to heart," Lin Yao said cautiously.
"I know."
Hearing Xiao Han's matter-of-fact tone, Lin Yao relaxed. She switched on three computers, rapidly tapping the keyboards to synchronise them with the frequencies of Li Yalin and the other two's miniature cameras and earpieces. Sound and visuals appeared simultaneously, displaying the squad's first-person perspective footage as they boarded the aircraft.
Headquarters possessed a dedicated underground rail system capable of swiftly transporting personnel to the suburban helipad.
The trio boarded the fighter jet, accompanied by a fully armed twelve-member field operations squad. Xiao Han, Li Yalin, and Lin Yao engaged in sporadic conversation, while Zhang Wei and Lambert remained detached, eyes closed in meditation.
An hour later, the fighter jet touched down at the designated location.
...
The scene unfolded across a barren desert, where bare, undulating hills stretched like the earth's exposed vertebrae. Beneath a sapphire sky, the sun blazed with radiant heat, distorting the air into shimmering waves. The sand-covered ground resembled a scorching hot iron, kissing the soldiers' combat boots and releasing a faint, acrid smell.
'We've reached the location,' Zhang Wei reported in a low voice.
All three were fully armed. Li Yalin wore her signature yellow hooded sweatshirt and black bulletproof bodysuit, a folding combat knife slung at her waist and a black rucksack on her back containing a lightweight powered arm.
Lambert carried dozens of folding throwing knives alongside a long, slender large-calibre sniper rifle.
Zhang Wei's weaponry, however, startled Xiao: a full set of individual power armour!
His entire body was encased in thick, charcoal-grey armour, its surface etched with deep scratches. His head was encased in a heavy helmet reminiscent of medieval Western knights, revealing only slits for his eyes. His armour featured attachment rails on the forearms, mounting two modified heavy-duty machine guns. Ammunition belts were concealed beneath the armour, with reload points discreetly positioned on the outer thighs. A hexagonal steel shield hung from his back like a tortoise shell. The entire figure was a massive iron lump, incredibly heavy and of a very crude design. It was immediately apparent that this chap was an MT.
Xiao's intrigued. 'This is the prototype of the [Warrior Armour], one of the few basic power armour suits from the Blue Planet 1.0 version.'
The Six Nations each controlled distinct advanced knowledge, developing unique signature weapons—the so-called faction specialities.
Tilius focused on power armour development. The [Warrior Armour], unveiled after the open beta version, was Tilius's fully-enclosed, compact single-soldier power armour—the first such suit to appear on Blue Planet. It likely remains unfinished; Zhang Wei's suit was merely a prototype. How he acquired Tilius' equipment remains unclear—there might be something amiss.
Players must attain the [Respect] faction relationship with Tilius to purchase this power armour, and it comes at an exorbitant price. The maintenance costs alone after each battle run into tens of thousands. Players simply don't have the same rapid income generation capabilities as Xiao.
As the squad's logistics officer responsible for equipment supply and maintenance, Zhang Wei's armour would henceforth be entrusted to him for repairs.
Provided no security measures were in place, a mechanic could reverse-engineer blueprints from physical specimens. This process unfolded in two distinct scenarios:
First, if the mechanic had already mastered the prerequisite knowledge for the blueprint, the derivation process accelerated significantly. Moreover, the experience cost incurred during blueprint comprehension remained within manageable limits.
Second, if the prerequisite knowledge for the blueprint is unknown, deduction is still possible but proceeds at a snail's pace. The experience required becomes astronomical, often increasing by dozens of times. Such blueprints typically bear suffixes like 'incomplete' or 'fragmentary,' yielding results vastly inferior to formal blueprints.
The prerequisite knowledge for the [Warrior Armour] lies within the advanced expertise of another armed faction, held by Tilius.
Xiao bit his nails. If he could deduce the armour blueprint—even an incomplete one—it would grant him new combat capabilities. Armour significantly enhances individual combat effectiveness.
Yet after brief consideration, he suppressed this notion. Drawing upon his memories, he could fuse superior mechanical blueprints adaptable to diverse needs. Investing vast experience to deduce an incomplete armour blueprint simply wasn't worth it.
Lin Yao stated, 'The rescue squad is 13 kilometres away. Pursuing enemies comprise fifteen armoured off-road vehicles and one Black Hawk helicopter. The rendezvous point is tentatively set at the hill three kilometres from your location. Its elevated position offers a tactical advantage. Your mission is to engage and delay the pursuers while facilitating the extraction of your comrades. Avoid protracted combat. I have already relayed the rendezvous coordinates to them. Prepare accordingly.'
The orders were clear and methodical. As the saying goes, the observer sees clearly. This was the work of the logistics intelligence personnel: coordinating the overall situation and rapidly formulating suitable strategies for the combatants to reference.
The trio and the field squad swiftly reached the designated location, lying prone behind the hilltop as they awaited the enemy's approach.
Soon, the distant roar of engines echoed across the desolate desert plain. A dozen armoured vehicles belonging to the Sprout closed in on a single vehicle, their machine guns and grenade explosions ringing out incessantly. The fiery trails of detonations chased the fleeing vehicle, tearing craters in the earth and sending clouds of dust billowing into the air.
The fleeing vehicle carried Ma Qingyang's squad.
'Stand by!' Zhang Wei's tone was stern as he fixed his gaze on the closing distance. Only when within firing range did he order decisively, 'Open fire.'
The field squad concealed behind the hill unleashed a torrent of steel, a hail of bullets erupting in a spray of muzzle flashes. The relentless barrage struck the armour plating of the pursuing vehicles, sending showers of sparks flying and filling the air with a constant clatter.
Caught off guard, the lead vehicles swerved sharply to evade the frontal assault, nearly overturning at high speed.