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Chapter 32: Hunter and Prey
As the trio ventured deeper into Sector S102, they scoured the area multiple times but found nothing—not even a shadow. All that greeted them were barren rock pits and the undulating mountains at the edge of the acidic vapor zone.
With every step forward, Tang Fang’s expression grew darker. According to the intel chip, an unusual thermal reaction had been detected in this region. Based on the readings, it was likely a small base. Considering its strategic location and Sulru Empire’s frontline troop deployment, this could very well be a medium-range missile launch site—a direct threat to the division headquarters. Such a facility needed immediate confirmation so countermeasures could be prepared.
From a strategic standpoint, the mission made perfect sense. There was no apparent flaw in either the rationale or the objective. But why hadn’t they found anything? After reviewing recent reconnaissance data, there wasn’t even a trace of heat signatures within a five-kilometer radius—let alone a missile base.
Had the intelligence department of the 3789th Division been misled? Was this some kind of enemy trap? If true, he needed to warn the command post immediately.
Though Tang Fang desired life energy for his own purposes, he didn’t wish for the downfall of the 3789th Division.
“Tang Fang, do you think this might be a trap?” Arroz’s low voice crackled through the communicator.
“That’s what I’m thinking,” Tang Fang replied, halting his steps as he scanned their surroundings. “Let’s retreat.” To be cautious, he summoned several Zerglings to scout ahead in all directions.
The three retraced their path northward. About ten minutes later, one of the Zerglings patrolling the southwest spotted something that sent a chill down Tang Fang’s spine.
Two Porcupine multi-purpose armored personnel carriers(APC) were heading straight toward them from east to west. Given the number of vehicles and soldiers aboard, this was no routine patrol. It seemed the enemy had already discovered their presence.
How could this happen? Tang Fang’s mind raced. They had activated the camouflage systems on their powered armor, blending seamlessly with the environment, and it was the dead of night. Unless the enemy’s reconnaissance satellites had pinpointed their exact coordinates and zoomed in manually, it should have been impossible to detect them.
“The enemy is approaching us—two Porcupine APCs, about a platoon’s worth of troops.”
“What?” Both Arroz and Housen were stunned. How had the enemy found them? And why send an entire platoon to hunt just three people?
At the enemy’s current speed, the trio wouldn’t make it back to the valley where their recon vehicle was hidden before being intercepted. The flat, open terrain would hinder the Zerglings’ effectiveness, especially with the cover provided by the armored vehicles. Even if they managed to take out the enemy, the cost would be steep.
Desperate, Tang Fang sent a distress signal to command and pulled up a topographical map of the surrounding fifty kilometers. After analyzing the terrain with the computer, his gaze settled on a ridge-like mountain range two kilometers west, near the acidic vapor zone.
“Fine then,” Tang Fang muttered under his breath, adding two Reapers and two Marauders to the production queue in the barracks. As the numbers turned to 60 and 365 in the upper-right corner of the system interface, a sharp glint flashed across his eyes. “Let’s see who’s the hunter and who’s the prey in this round.”
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Following the satellite’s coordinates, the two Porcupine multi-purpose APCs stopped outside a ravine along the southern part of the ridge-like mountain range, which stretched for dozens of kilometers. According to the command center, the three infiltrators from the Monya Empire seemed to have noticed their approach and had taken refuge in a canyon difficult for reconnaissance satellites to track.
Twenty-four-year-old Second Lieutenant Raman Valen of the Sulru Empire disembarked from the APC, followed by his men. He ordered four men to stay behind to guard against a potential diversionary tactic, then led the remaining nineteen soldiers into the ravine.
Unlike the rugged style of Monya Empire’s powered armor, Sulru Empire’s suits were sleek and metallic. Had Tang Fang been nearby, he would have undoubtedly mocked the designer responsible for embedding the energy core in the chest plate, comparing it to Tony Stark’s work—except these suits couldn’t fly. Still, compared to Monya Empire’s tuna-can-like Teutonic Knight armor, he preferred the Sulru design.
Gravel crunched beneath their boots as Raman signaled his men to spread out and maintain vigilance. After surveying the deep ravine, he mentally marked possible hiding spots for the enemy.
Since the enemy was aware of their arrival, tools like infrared detectors and life sniffers were useless. Their only option now was to comb through the area inch by inch using the fluctuating signal spectrum on their electronic scanners. With twenty men against three enemies, and a reconnaissance satellite monitoring the region above, capturing them was only a matter of time.
Their mission objective was clear: capture the trio alive to extract information about Monya Empire’s troop deployments.
“Rodman, take five men and flank from the right. Artemy, lead another five around the left. Everyone else, follow me down the center.”
With orders issued, Raman raised his W-219 Boxer assault rifle and marched into the depths of the ravine.
Planet Namie’s crust was far denser than that of most planets, leaving little evidence of early geological activity on its surface. Whether highlands or valleys, aside from impact craters caused by asteroid fragments, there were no deep, winding caves. Thus, Raman wasn’t worried about the enemy escaping. In fact, he thought smugly, this situation was akin to “catching turtles in a jar.”
Rodman, Artemy, and their teams slowly advanced along the slopes on either side of the ravine. The spotlights mounted on their powered armor shoulders swayed with their movements, casting shifting beams of light under the pitch-black sky.
“OH SHIT, what the hell is that… AHHH!” Suddenly, Raman heard a curse over the comms, followed by a blood-curdling scream.
Flashes of fire illuminated the northern slope. Through the integrated imaging system, Raman saw Rodman’s group trapped in a meteorite crater, surrounded by over a dozen grotesque creatures moving with terrifying speed.
Despite the assistance of their targeting systems, Rodman’s team struggled to keep up with the creatures’ agility. Bullets rained down, either striking rocks and leaving countless holes or ricocheting off into the air with fiery trails.
“Boss, we’re under attack by unknown monsters! We need backup, NOW!” Rodman shouted frantically as one of his men was tackled to the ground by an alien creature. Its claws tore through the soldier’s steel chest plate, piercing his torso. Blood sprayed into the air, forming arcs of crimson droplets.
“Rodman, hold your ground! We’re coming!” Raman barked, preparing to order reinforcements to the northern slope when another panicked cry came from Artemy.
“Oh my god, where did they come from?”
Raman’s heart skipped a beat as he turned his gaze toward the southern slope on the left flank.
Artemy’s team stood frozen, staring in shock at two figures hovering eerily in the shadow of a steep cliff face opposite them.
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