SCOM - Chapter 36
Chapter 36
When the First Military Academy team entered, they could no longer see any trace of the Northern Military Academy. Ji Yuezhi looked at the map on his optical computer, chose a direction and route, and led everyone forward.
The winding mountain range presented varied terrain. They first passed through a low slope, surrounded by sparse trees blocking the path. This season, the leaves had long since fallen, and being at the bottom, their view wasn't good.
Zuo Luohuan walked at the very back. No need to observe the route; Ji Yuezhi up front would handle that. She held the SL-4 light gun, focusing on the movements around the mountain slope and trees.
The environment here was ordinary, the trees bare. Hardly anyone could hide here. The only thing to watch out for was a potential ambush from the slope above. Thus, Ji Yuezhi and the others focused their attention mostly forward, wary of possible threats from above.
Zuo Luohuan suddenly stopped, tilted her head towards the back, listened intently for a moment, then abruptly turned, raising her light gun. "Something's behind us."
The others instantly raised their guns. Not everyone turned; only Guan Xue and Ding Wuming in the middle-back faced the same direction as Zuo Luohuan, while the others observed the surroundings.
"Something is approaching at high speed," Zuo Luohuan reminded.
Along the way, there were no ambush points behind them. If someone hid there, they would have been instantly discovered. The only possible hiding place was underground, and humans couldn't stay hidden underground for so long.
Ji Yuezhi quickly connected the dots, guessing what was coming from behind. He turned and gestured to Jiang Hong and Yan Yan, having them spread out beside Zuo Luohuan, observing the surroundings sideways. "It's robot dogs."
Only robot dogs could bury themselves underground without needing to breathe.
"Robot dogs right from the start?" Guan Xue held her light gun, somewhat excited. "Finally get to experience the feeling of being in the military."
"Might be second-gen robot dogs." Ji Yuezhi raised his gun. He could now hear the faint sounds of feet hitting the ground behind them.
"Why second-gen robot dogs?" Yan Yan asked.
Jiang Hong explained, "Only second-gen robot dogs are worthy of the organizers preparing light guns for us."
The group tensed, waiting for the pursuers to appear within sight. However, they still underestimated the speed at which those things appeared.
Several silver-white shadows flashed by. Ding Wuming didn't even see clearly what it was before being tackled to the ground. Before he could resist, the light gun in his hand was knocked away, and a deep gash was instantly carved into his chest.
Guan Xue nearby, frantically firing at the silver-white shadow, caught a glimpse out of the corner of her eye. For a second, she thought Ding Wuming would die on the field today.
Fortunately, the next second, Zuo Luohuan fired a shot directly at the center of the silver-white shadow's head. Then, she used the gunstock to smash its head, took out the chip, and threw the disabled robot dog far away.
This was the first robot dog hit and disabled by losing its chip so far. Everyone got their first clear look at it. It wasn't the same as the Gashro Empire's second-gen robot dogs, or rather, it was modified based on them.
The Federation lacked the materials used for robot dogs. These robot dogs were all salvaged by various military groups from battles with the Gashro Empire, then repaired and modified.
The disabled robot dog was almost half the size of a real second-gen robot dog. The Federation likely shrunk the volume during disassembly to save materials, using them for this drill.
However, everyone present knew what second-gen robot dogs looked like. This knowledge was usually taught in the third year. Except for Zuo Luohuan, Ji Yuezhi, and Jiang Hong, the others assumed this was the Gashro Empire's second-gen robot dog.
"Guan Xue, stay calm, don't waste the light gun's energy." Zuo Luohuan stood at the front, firing five consecutive shots while reminding her.
Just now, a total of eight silver-white shadows had charged over rapidly. Guan Xue reacted faster than Ding Wuming, opening fire before they closed in. However, she was nervous and afraid, her shots losing accuracy, merely relying on the light gun's barrage to temporarily suppress the robot dogs' attack.
On the other side, besides Ji Yuezhi, the others' light guns could barely hit the silver-white robot dogs. They were too fast, impossible to see clearly.
Ji Yuezhi's marksmanship was excellent, almost matching Guan Xue's normal accuracy. Every shot hit a robot dog. However, these robot dogs lacked human pain sensation; hitting their bodies had no effect, at most slowing them down due to the light gun's suppression.
Ji Yuezhi wanted to hit the chip inside the second-gen robot dog, but this modified version had a different chip location than the real Gashro Empire ones. Additionally, the second-gen robot dogs protected their heads, directly blocking bullets with their arms.
"Diagonal entry, 45 degrees into the center of the forehead," Zuo Luohuan reminded them slightly sideways. "That can hit their chip."
As she spoke, she had already handed her position over to Guan Xue to guard Ding Wuming, while she herself charged towards a second-gen robot dog.
The second-gen robot dog was fast, but so was she. The light gun was 70 cm long, inconvenient for close combat. Zuo Luohuan held it vertically, using it like a staff to attack the robot dog.
Zuo Luohuan only needed to suppress the second-gen robot, forcing it to expose its head.
The next second, two consecutive shots grazed past her ear. The second-gen robot dog opposite her lost its central chip and instantly collapsed.
Zuo Luohuan looked back. Ji Yuezhi had fired those shots, both hitting the chip on this second-gen robot dog.
"Guan Xue." Zuo Luohuan rushed towards another second-gen robot dog. "Did you see clearly just now?"
Guan Xue's perpetually smiling face finally faded, gripping the SL-4 light gun. "Saw it."
"Jiang Hong, go." Ji Yuezhi waited for Zuo Luohuan to create an opportunity. Now, Jiang Hong needed to create a chance for Guan Xue to hit the second-gen robot dog.
"Guan Xue, counting on you." Jiang Hong immediately charged forward, attacking a second-gen robot dog directly.
The remaining Yan Yan and Qian Mao stood back-to-back beside Ding Wuming, holding light guns. Their marksmanship wasn't accurate enough, and the second-gen robot dogs were too fast. They could only fire light beams as much as possible, creating a barrage to slow down the approaching robot dogs. But it was only slowing them down; those few second-gen robot dogs were still getting closer.
Guan Xue gradually regained her composure. Though still nervous, she entered the zone. Once Jiang Hong created an opening, she wouldn't hesitate, instantly hitting the second-gen robot at the angle Zuo Luohuan mentioned earlier.
Qian Mao held his gun, firing wildly. Seeing a second-gen robot dog getting closer and closer, while the others were busy dealing with their own opponents, he resisted the urge to call out. He glanced back at Yan Yan and the nearly unconscious Ding Wuming lying on the ground, gritted his teeth, and turned back.
If that second-gen robot dog charged over later, he, he... should be able to fight it off for a while, probably.
That second-gen robot dog likely sensed the poor marksmanship of the human opposite it. Its speed suddenly increased, no longer carefully avoiding the light beams, getting closer and closer to Qian Mao.
Qian Mao swallowed hard, his face already pale. Taking a deep breath, he prepared to fight.
Just then, Zuo Luohuan from the other side suddenly threw over a disabled second-gen robot dog, forcefully knocking down the one facing Qian Mao.
"Save your energy bullets, leave them for me if you want." Zuo Luohuan followed closely, practically lifting the downed second-gen robot dog. Just as she raised its head, a shot immediately followed.
Zuo Luohuan turned her head sideways, her gaze meeting Ji Yuezhi's from afar. She raised an eyebrow, silently saying, "Thanks."
Then, without lingering, she threw the disabled second-gen robot dog at Qian Mao's feet and walked straight towards Yan Yan's side. Two second-gen robot dogs remained.
In the central control room of the drill, the First Military Academy instructors gathered together, watching the surveillance footage, couldn't help but cheer for their students' cooperation. When the last second-gen robot dog was eliminated, some emotionally charged instructors couldn't resist applauding, drawing sideways glances from instructors from other academies.
Based on the drawing order, Northern Military Academy, who entered first, encountered these modified second-gen robot dogs earliest. Their approach was cruder and simpler. Several people directly abandoned their guns, engaging in close combat, performing on-the-spot chip removal. Luo Shaoyuan grabbed a second-gen robot dog and smashed it on the ground until its head shattered, then ripped out the chip and finished it off with a shot.
Even the technician, unwilling to fight Zuo Luohuan, was calmer than expected.
The instructors in the central control room weren't particularly surprised. Northern Military Academy was close to the Winter Army's base in the Northern District, less than ten kilometers away. Further out was the border. These military students were definitely more familiar with second-gen robot dogs than students from other academies; they had seen the truly powerful ones.
Meanwhile, the First Military Academy's method of eliminating the second-gen robot dogs appeared more... cooperative. Especially the teamwork between Zuo Luohuan and Ji Yuezhi; even Kang Guang and He Yue had to admit, their coordination was seamless.
Zuo Luohuan didn't even need to exchange glances with Ji Yuezhi; it seemed Ji Yuezhi could anticipate her thoughts. Later, the coordination between Guan Xue and Jiang Hong also became increasingly proficient. Unfortunately, one member of the First Military Academy team was severely injured.
Actually, regardless of which team entered when, or which route they took, they would encounter the second-gen robot dogs. Once they entered, the organizers would activate the robot dogs based on the team's location to attack them.
On the slope, Ding Wuming lay with eyes half-closed, looking dazedly at the sky, mentally disoriented. He had lost too much blood, his whole body drenched in cold sweat, face abnormally pale.
By the time everyone eliminated the second-gen robot dogs and came over to check his wound, Ding Wuming managed to speak with difficulty, "Am I... going... to die...?"
"Shouldn't die." Zuo Luohuan knelt beside him, opened his clothes. Ji Yuezhi handed over the hemostatic agent. "Those second-gen robot dogs likely had limitations set, otherwise that strike would have directly slit your throat."
"...Sorry." Ding Wuming forced his eyes open. "Don't... withdraw. I can hold on."
In the first round, the team was a single unit. There was no option for individual elimination; either everyone advanced or everyone was out.
"Just don't get a fever." Zuo Luohuan and Ji Yuezhi worked together to bandage his wound. "Next, we'll carry you to the secret base even if we have to."
Comments
Post a Comment