Over the next few days, the deep renovation project of the Old Industrial Zone fell into a bizarre cycle.
Whenever a Krieg engineering squad encountered an accident in a dangerous mine or a corrosive pipeline—leaving a soldier greviously wounded and about to be "mercifully" executed by a Krieg medicae according to their harsh traditions—those Helldivers clad in black carapace armor would suddenly spring from the shadows like cutscene triggered NPCs, rushing to the side of the fallen.
The Tech-Priest among them would always perform minor surgery with startling efficiency using his arc-flickering mechanical limbs, stabilizing the soldier's vital signs. Then, they would vanish as quickly as a receding tide, leaving behind a Krieg casualty wrapped in bandages and wires like a burrito.
Watching the growing line of burrito casualties in their squad, even the stoic Kriegers began to catch on to the scheme these Helldivers were playing.
The Kriegers were forced to spend extra time caring for comrades who should have been "granted peace." Every day, simply feeding these incapacitated wounded and carefully transporting them during rotations consumed precious manpower and time, causing significant logistical trouble.
In the tunnels, transport vehicles originally meant for moving equipment or excavation now had to make room for these "living" burdens. The resulting decrease in efficiency was far greater than simply losing men.
While one casualty had a minor impact, they accumulated like grains of sand forming a tower. As their numbers grew over time, the impact on the overall engineering progress became massive, eroding their efficiency like a chronic poison.
Another dull explosion echoed deep in the passage, followed by the roar of collapsing rubble. A Krieger was struck by flying debris, falling to the ground with a mangled chest.
Simultaneously, those familiar figures flashed from around the corner. The Helldivers appeared right on cue, led by a man in a ghost mask who let out a hearty laugh—a sound completely out of place in the grim atmosphere: "Hahaha, Krieger brethren! What a coincidence, we meet again—"
However, this time the Captain did not remain silent. His lasgun pointed downward, but he stepped forward firmly, blocking the path between the Helldivers and the new casualty: "Please, do not come any closer."
In that brief moment, the Krieg medicae did not hesitate. As the Captain blocked the Helldivers, the cold barrel of the medicae's lasgun was already pressed against the wounded soldier's head. With a faint pssh, the heavily injured soldier stiffened and then went limp. Any possibility of rescue was gone.
"Aw, man, why are you guys like this!" Ghost-face looked at the lifeless soldier, his tone filled with clear annoyance as he put on a display of heartbreak. "We're here to help you! Saving a life is a great deed of merit, it's good for karma! Don't you understand that?"
"I do not understand what you are saying," the Krieg Captain shook his head, his voice devoid of emotion and his stance non-negotiable. "I only know that you have drastically hindered our efficiency in completing the mission. Please do not come again."
"Look at you, making it sound like we're doing it on purpose," Ghost-face pouted, speaking innocently. "We're just passing by every time. We happened to see the tragic state of your brothers and simply couldn't bear to watch someone who could be saved die a miserable death."
He acted with such conviction, as if he truly were a chivalrous hero stepping in to help.
The Krieg Captain complained bitterly in his mind: Even a Grox wouldn't believe you were just 'passing by.' You lie with a straighter face than a cultist!
If they were shameless enough—for example, if roles were swapped and Ghost-face's team were the ones facing this—he would naturally say: "Since you're so kind-hearted, why not help all the way? Take the wounded with you, nurse them back to health, and send them back when they're fit, how about that?"
But the Kriegers clearly didn't have such a lack of bottom lines; they strictly adhered to their honor and discipline. Thus, the Captain simply stated firmly again: "Please go back. Do not come again."
Seeing that acting like a nuisance was no longer working and playing innocent was a waste of time, Ghost-face immediately changed tactics, his tone becoming more "pragmatic."
"How about this: the reason you don't want us saving people is because you're afraid it'll affect your mission efficiency, right?"
Without waiting for a reply, he continued as if he had already received a "yes": "Sigh, why didn't you just say so! Let's just work on the construction together, then?"
Ghost-face gestured to the Tech-Priest and the other Helldivers behind him, striking a "strength in numbers" pose.
"Work together?" the Krieg Captain repeated, a hint of rare hesitation in his voice.
"Yeah!" Ghost-face finally revealed his true goal. "Just like a primary school math problem: Construction Team A works at Point A, Team B works at Point B, find out how long until they meet—we can work from both ends like Teams A and B. Or, with your assistance, we can handle the high-risk areas. Wouldn't that guarantee efficiency while saving lives? It's a win-win!"
The Krieg Captain fell silent for several seconds, evaluating the pros and cons. But quickly, he returned to his principles: "However, High Command stated that only we are responsible for this location. We cannot act without authorization."
"Sigh, why are you guys just like Ultramarines clutching their Codex!" Ghost-face sighed theatrically, wearing an expression of disappointment, trying to shake the Captain's resolve. "You need flexibility! Flexibility! The mission is everything. Isn't finishing the task on time more important than anything else? Do you really want to be reprimanded by your superiors for low efficiency?"
However, Kriegers are not easily talked into circles. The Captain countered directly: "We can also complete the task on time by killing the wounded."
"God, you people!" Ghost-face acted heartbroken again, as if deeply shocked by the Kriegers' disregard for life. "If we work together, won't the efficiency be even higher? Just give me a straight answer: are you going to let us work with you or not!" His tone turned forceful, no longer hiding his objective.
The Krieg Captain fell into another long silence. Finally, he gave an answer that conformed to Krieg regulations: "...I cannot decide. I must report this to my superiors."
Having finally achieved his minimum objective, Ghost-face knew when to quit while he was ahead. He immediately dropped his annoying persona, his tone becoming urgent: "Fine, fine! Hurry up! Time waits for no one! We are standing by at all times to serve the Emperor!"