Chapter 668: Vengeance Hunt
Ryo slowly opened his eyes and withdrew his hand from the metallic panel.
His face betrayed little expression, but Asuka, standing nearby, keenly caught a slight furrow of the Doctor's brow. Immediately following that, a nearly imperceptible glint of... excitement... flashed within those deep black eyes.
"Doctor?" Maine asked, noticing that Ryo had concluded his "meditation."
Ryo turned around, his gaze sweeping over the individuals inside the cabin. His voice was calm, yet carried a weight that could not be ignored: "The situation is somewhat more complex than anticipated. The signal Celtic transmitted prior to his death primarily contained two directives."
He paused for a moment before continuing, "First, as I suspected, it initiated the opening of the ship's hatch. This is a tradition within their species—a form of unconventional acknowledgement toward whoever managed to defeat him."
"Second," Ryo's tone grew slightly graver, "He activated a vengeance beacon directed at his clan. The contents of the signal explicitly inform his kin that he was 'felled by a cowardly ambush' here, that the clan's honor has been desecrated, and he formally requested the initiation of a 'Vengeance Hunt'."
"Vengeance Hunt?" Dorio repeated the term, which reeked of primal bloodshed.
"It means that in the near future, it is highly probable that a larger contingent of Predators will arrive on Pandora," Ryo's voice echoed in the cold interior of the ship. "Their objective will not merely be to investigate the death of their kin, but to cleanse the insult in blood through slaughter, upholding their so-called 'clan honor'."
This revelation instantly plunged the atmosphere within the cabin to the freezing point.
A single Predator had already exacted a heavy toll on them. If a whole pack of them arrived...
Asuka couldn't help but speak up: "Then... then what about the RDA and the Na'vi...?"
"They will not be able to hold them off," Ryo delivered the conclusion directly. His tone was entirely flat, as if merely stating an objective fact. "The technological level and individual combat prowess of the Predators vastly outstrip the RDA's security forces."
"As for the Na'vi, even with Eywa's assistance, their primitive bravery, bows, and spears stand little chance of victory against interstellar warriors who are masters of cloaking, possess advanced energy weapons, and revel in the hunt."
He walked to the hatch, looking out at the faint light filtering into the cavern and the two massive Iron Guard mechs holding the perimeter. He spoke slowly, "For the RDA and the Na'vi, this is a nightmare that will likely bring about their annihilation."
Yet beneath his calm exterior, a completely different emotion was surging.
Trouble? It was trouble, indeed.
But the intrinsic value represented by the Predators themselves—their immensely long lifespans, the "Yautja Prime" coursing through their bodies, their advanced individual combat gear, and even their spacecraft technology—transformed this "trouble" into an incredibly alluring prospect.
The RDA and the Na'vi couldn't handle them. But he, Ryo, could.
The Revelation Spreads
A brief silence fell over the cavern. Only the low hum of the ship's systems and the faint sound of the wind outside served as a reminder of the passing time.
Ryo's declaration regarding the "Vengeance Hunt" weighed heavily on everyone's minds like a massive boulder.
Standing a short distance away, the two Hellfire Squad soldiers exchanged a tense look.
One of them lowered his voice and rapidly reported over the encrypted squad channel: "Sergeant, we have a bad situation. Dr. Chen says that killing this alien is going to draw more of its kind here. They're called 'Predators,' and they'll be coming for revenge soon."
Outside the passage, Sergeant Reynolds' face changed upon hearing this: "Verify the credibility of that intel."
"Dr. Chen seems absolutely certain. It looks like he extracted some hard evidence from the alien ship."
Sergeant Reynolds immediately relayed this intelligence up the chain to Colonel Quaritch at Hell's Gate.
Moments later, Ryo's personal communicator buzzed, transmitting Colonel Quaritch's somewhat hurried voice: "Dr. Chen, I hear you've made a new discovery? Something about potential alien retaliation?"
Ryo exchanged a glance with Maine, stepping into a relatively private corner before responding calmly: "That is correct, Colonel. Based on the data we extracted from this vessel, the alien entity we neutralized transmitted a vengeance beacon just prior to its death. Theoretically, its kin will arrive on Pandora at some point in the near future."
A moment of silence passed over the comms before Quaritch's grim voice returned: "Can you confirm a timeline? What about their numbers?"
"The specific timeline and scale of the deployment are currently unclear, but judging by their technological level, it won't be long," Ryo's voice remained steady. "This extraterrestrial species, referred to as 'Predators,' views hunting as a mark of supreme honor. Their individual combat capabilities are formidable, and they excel in stealth and ambush tactics."
Quaritch's breathing grew noticeably heavier. "Damn it... Now we have to deal with those blue monkeys and defend against an alien threat at the same time? Dr. Chen, I need your help. Your gear and tactics are effective against these alien biologicals; I need your militant support."
Ryo pondered for a moment before replying: "Colonel, since we are partners, we will naturally provide whatever assistance is within our capabilities. The Seekers will offer our full support in terms of intelligence and technology, and we can provide limited tactical assistance if necessary. However, I must warn you: these Predators are not ordinary adversaries. Acting rashly could result in unnecessary casualties."
"Limited assistance?" Quaritch's voice carried clear dissatisfaction. "Dr. Chen, if these alien bastards really show up, we're all dead!"
"I understand your concerns, Colonel," Ryo's tone remained cool. "We will assist in reinforcing the base's defensive network and developing specialized detection equipment. But until the situation becomes clearer, I do not recommend taking overly aggressive action."
The True Preparation
After terminating the comm link, Ryo motioned for Maine to follow him to the far end of the ship, away from the others.
Only after confirming no one could eavesdrop did Ryo lower his voice and speak to Maine: "Quaritch knows. He has requested our militant support."
Maine frowned slightly: "Do you intend to reveal our true strength?"
"Of course not," a very faint curve touched the corner of Ryo's mouth. "Publicly, we are merely a scientific organization possessing advanced technology. But in the shadows..."
His gaze turned razor-sharp. "It is time to begin preparations."
He continued at a volume only the two of them could hear: "The arrival of the Predators is a disaster for the RDA, but it is an opportunity for us. An opportunity to acquire more intact biological samples, study their societal structure, and perhaps even secure their entire technological tree."
Maine immediately understood Ryo's implication and replied in a low voice: "You mean to mobilize the Skitarii?"
Ryo nodded slightly. "The soldiers of the RDA will break under the pressure of elusive, cloaked hunters, and the warriors of the Na'vi will be harvested in droves by precise plasma fire. But the Skitarii are different—they have endured battlefields far more brutal than this."
In the dim lighting, Ryo's eyes flashed with the cold light of calculation. "The Predators value honor and are accustomed to elite, surgical hunts. The Skitarii, however, worship saturation bombardment and the crushing tide of steel. When these alien hunters eagerly arrive to execute their 'glorious vengeance,' what will be waiting for them is the iron fist of the Adeptus Mechanicus."
Maine nodded with grave composure. "I understand. On the public front, we provide the RDA with limited support. In private, we prepare for true war."