SCOM - Chapter 73
Chapter 73
The mine situation wasn't good. While they didn't have to protect civilians, countless Gen 3 robot dogs were emerging from the ground, exceeding even the numbers at the port.
By noon the next day, Yan Yan, Luo Shaoyuan, and Jiang Hong's groups converged, steadily moving towards the mine. Both sides were exhausted, but the morale boost from joining forces kept them going.
"Gen 3 robot dogs on the east side are one thing, but in other parts of the mine too?" Jiang Hong, utterly perplexed, asked the 377th Army commander. "Your people here didn't find anything unusual?"
The commander's face was grim. "No." He'd been questioning himself relentlessly since the robot dogs appeared.
"Looks like the 377th has sprung a leak." Jiang Hong remarked.
The commander instinctively wanted to retort but couldn't.
"Not everyone in the 377th is a problem. Captain Sun and her squad risked their lives for everyone's safety," Luo Shaoyuan, having grown up in the North District, felt a natural affinity for the Winter Army and couldn't stand Jiang Hong's sarcastic tone.
Jiang Hong shrugged. "I'm just pointing something out. Robot dogs appeared in the eastern mine before. The rescue team didn't find anything unusual then. Either the Gashro people tampered with something, or…"
The commander's eyes flickered. The Gashro wouldn't have had the opportunity. When the eastern mine exploded prematurely, Yan Yan's father led the rescue, only to encounter a second collapse, injuring many. Another 377th squadron had conducted the subsequent rescue. If anyone tampered with the eastern mine, it had to be them.
"The silver-green ore… they were the ones who discovered it," the commander said hesitantly.
"Let's leave that aside for now. It's best to gather the 377th and deal with the Gen 3 robot dogs together. We can investigate after this is over," Jiang Hong said. In reality, both the Winter Army and the West Union Army would maintain a distance from the 377th. No one knew if someone within their ranks would suddenly attack.
Despite their discomfort, the 377th had no choice but to comply. The commander, however, couldn't assemble everyone. Some were missing, others had died at the hands of the robot dogs. He scanned the remaining 377th soldiers, his brow furrowing. "Where's Lu Hui? Has anyone seen Captain Lu?"
Yan Yan froze. Uncle Lu had been with them at the hospital. Then a Winter Army unit arrived to protect his parents. As chaos erupted on Xijiang, Sun Long insisted she was fine. Yan Yan, his parents, and the Winter Army soldiers led the residents underground, while Uncle Lu said he was going to the mine.
"Commander, Captain Lu hasn't shown up."
"I haven't seen him either."
Yan Yan's parents, overhearing the conversation, paled. Missing at this juncture meant only one thing besides death.
Jiang Hong narrowed his eyes. Dr. Fang had said Sun Long was injected with a poison, though the injection wasn't complete, resulting in a coma. Someone managed to administer the poison while Yan Yan's father was guarding her. That person… had to be Lu Hui.
Jiang Hong discreetly pulled up Lu Hui's file. His situation mirrored Yan Yan's parents'. He and Yan Yan's father had been lifelong friends, and he had saved Sun Long's life in the North District, solidifying their close bond. For someone like that to betray the Federation and attempt to kill his best friend's wife, there had to be a reason.
What could possibly drive him to such extremes…
Jiang Hong slipped away and quickly sent the information to Ji Yuezhi, informing him of Lu Hui's disappearance.
"Jiang Hong sent a message," Ji Yuezhi said, glancing at his optical computer while driving. He turned to Zuo Luohuan. "Can you open it for me?"
Zuo Luohuan leaned closer and tapped open his optical computer, pulling the screen towards herself. "It's Lu Hui's file. Jiang Hong says he's missing."
She skimmed the information. Based on his school and military evaluations, Lu Hui was hardworking and amiable, not someone prone to extremes. He had a son, an A-rank Alpha, who failed the military academy entrance exam last year and remained on Xijiang.
Zuo Luohuan paused on that line. An Alpha who had differentiated but failed the entrance exam meant academic issues. The 377th commander had mentioned that after twenty years, many in the 377th longed to leave, not because of hardship, but because they had families and their children were grown. Those capable went to military academies; those who didn't needed other opportunities.
Zuo Luohuan closed the screen. "Perhaps his son failing the entrance exam made him resentful towards the Federation."
There were countless reasons for betrayal, some without any logic, like the infamous Ren Pingbo. He enjoyed the Federation's best resources, instructors, and friends, poised to become their next protector. Yet, he defected to the Gashro Empire. Before leaving, he murdered his instructor. His reason? A single sentence, recorded on his optical computer left in his instructor's blood: "Your Federation is so boring." Those few words echoed in the hearts of Federation citizens for years.
The eight hundred soldiers in the aerial vehicles were the first to reach the mine. Clad in skeletal armor, they jumped down like mechanical soldiers.
Luo Shaoyuan gaped. "If it didn't say Seventeenth Army on them, I'd think they were Gashro forces."
"They're wearing complete skeletal armor," Jiang Hong recognized. "We used incomplete ones during the war games."
Longing filled Luo Shaoyuan's eyes. "I want to try one."
The rescue forces, however, had no time for pleasantries. They immediately engaged the Gen 3 robot dogs, giving the exhausted regular army a much-needed reprieve.
"The upperclassmen are here," Yan Yan said, spotting a line of vehicles approaching.
"It's them." Jiang Hong saw Zuo Luohuan open the car door. "Damn, she has skeletal armor!" His voice dripped with envy.
Seeing robot dogs charging towards them, Zuo Luohuan didn't wait for Ji Yuezhi to stop. She opened the door, activated her armor, stepped onto the car's running board, and leaped out, obliterating the robot dogs ahead. She brutally tore them apart.
Ji Yuezhi slammed on the brakes, swerving the car left as he jumped out, firing his light gun into the throats of the snapping robot dogs. He wasn't wearing skeletal armor; it hindered his speed.
The once-menacing robot dogs were now being crushed by the rescue forces. The regular army was ordered to withdraw to avoid the explosions.
Ji Yuezhi stood beside Zuo Luohuan. Before he could reach her, an upperclassman behind him fired a barrage, triggering a chain reaction that intensified the explosions. Debris flew towards him.
Ji Yuezhi instinctively tried to dodge, but two robot dogs lunged at him. If he fired, he'd be caught in explosions from both sides.
Before he could react, a dark figure swept in, scooping him up and raising his hand, firing his light gun into the two robot dogs. As expected, debris rained down, but it didn't touch him, hitting only the person shielding him.
Ji Yuezhi turned to the black skeletal mask, his cheek pressed against the cold armor, listening to the impacts on Zuo Luohuan. Anxiety welled up, but he didn't dare move.
"Stay close to me," Zuo Luohuan said after the debris settled.
"…Okay."
With the arrival of reinforcements, the mine was mostly cleared of robot dogs by nightfall. They deliberately avoided the eastern mine to preserve the ore.
"The regular army will set up camp and rest. The rescue forces will continue searching for any remaining robot dogs," Ji Yuezhi announced. Everyone returned to the temporary shelters at the mine, which had been inspected beforehand. By the time they settled in, dawn was approaching.
Ji Yuezhi and Zuo Luohuan didn't rest. The port was completely cleared, and a thousand rescue soldiers were dispatched to sweep key locations across Xijiang.
"This thing is hard to move in," Jiang Hong complained, trying on a set of skeletal armor. Despite its seemingly light build, it was cumbersome.
"Takes practice." Luo Shaoyuan, stronger than Jiang Hong, adapted better.
Yan Yan, having grown up in the mines, was also relatively strong.
Zuo Luohuan glanced at them. "Once you've rested, join us in sweeping the city."
The sweep lasted three days before they were certain no robot dogs remained. A group of captured Gen 3 robot dogs were held at the mine, awaiting researchers from the capital.
…
"You haven't stayed here before, have you? Enjoy it tonight," Jiang Hong nudged Yan Yan. "We can go back the day after tomorrow."
After the sweep, some were assigned to Xijiang Mansion, which had plenty of vacant rooms.
Ji Yuezhi and Zuo Luohuan returned to their original room, finally able to remove and destroy the listening devices. Zuo Luohuan's arm, despite being repeatedly strained, had healed quickly with treatment.
She emerged from the bathroom, towel-drying her hair, and stood barefoot at the bar, gulping down ice water. Even so, the restlessness within wouldn't subside.
A knock echoed. Zuo Luohuan glanced up but didn't move. Her rut was intense this time, and clearing out the robot dogs had provided some release, but tonight, the restlessness surged again.
When no one answered, the person outside assumed she was asleep. The knocking stopped. Just as Zuo Luohuan thought they had left, the knocking resumed after a while—two rhythmic taps.
Zuo Luohuan set down her glass, the bottom clinking against the bar. As she walked to the door, cracks spread across the glass, shattering on the counter.
"…What is it?" Zuo Luohuan opened the door. The irritation on her face vanished, replaced by surprise at the sight of the person outside.
Ji Yuezhi held out an inhibitor. "I asked an upperclassman for an S-rank inhibitor for you."
Zuo Luohuan stared at him, not reaching for it, her gaze unreadable. "Which upperclassman?"
Ji Yuezhi seemed oblivious to her odd tone. "Xiang Chengping. I remember he's also in his rut, so he should have some on hand…"
Zuo Luohuan cut him off with a cold laugh. "You remember Xiang Chengping's rut?"
"He mentioned it to me before," Ji Yuezhi said, still holding out the inhibitor.
"He tells you that kind of thing." Zuo Luohuan scoffed, snatching the inhibitor. "I told you, S-rank inhibitors don't work on me."
Ji Yuezhi finally seemed to register her anger. He looked up to explain. "I ran into him at the infirmary, and he had inhibitors with him, so we talked a bit."
"You don't need to explain that to me. It's between you two," Zuo Luohuan said, gripping the inhibitor. "Thanks."
Ji Yuezhi pursed his lips. "You said… it's useless. Should I get Dr. Fang?"
"It's just a rut." Zuo Luohuan suddenly laughed, looking at Ji Yuezhi intently. "Do you know what I need most right now?"
Ji Yuezhi met her gaze and instinctively stepped back, but it was too late. She pulled him into the room.
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