Industrial Hive City.
The Hive City remained the same, with domes vast enough to disorient anyone, a suffocating sky that couldn't be seen, and the surrounding metal structures, along with ruins still emitting smoke after the "Imperial Army's terrifying bombardment."
As Cain dismounted the armored vehicle, the smell of scorching hit his throat, making him cough. The unit hadn't encountered any Gretchin before reaching their destination, but Cain remained cautious.
Upon dismounting the relatively safe armored vehicle, he ordered the Soldiers to treat the area as enemy territory. Information gathered from the comms channel was not optimistic, and his attempts to seek help from a higher Commander at division headquarters were fruitless; no one there knew what was happening either.
However, this was an Inquisitor's mission, and she seemed to have no intention of canceling it, so after a while, Cain gave up complaining and let her continue leading the operation.
"Looks quiet enough," Amberly said, examining a sensor she had found from who-knows-where. For a moment, Cain wondered what else she might be hiding beneath her black cloak.
The Soldiers dismounted in good formation, covering each other as they advanced. Kaelp took the lead, with the others moving under the protection of the armor, until he reached a pile of rubble nearby and took cover. Treibek then moved to a broken wall on the other side.
Once they were concealed, Velarde followed, then Hollanby. Cain noticed that Hollanby chose an angle that would protect him as effectively as possible and cover Treibek, though there was a blind spot. After a moment's consideration, he decided not to pursue it for now.
After all, this team was not the most cohesive, and Hollanby's actions might have been well-intentioned.
Sorel swept the surrounding area with the scope on his long-barreled Laser Gun, then raised a hand. He said, "All clear, Political Commissar, you may proceed."
"After you," Cain replied.
Sorel shrugged slightly, advanced stealthily, moving quickly in a low crouch over the uneven ground, running about 50 meters ahead of Kaelp, and stopping beside a collapsed beam.
He climbed up, squeezed into a gap between large stones, and then remained motionless, monitoring the surroundings with his sniper scope. Had Cain not been watching him continuously, his presence would have been almost undetectable.
"Wouldn't it be safer to have him cover you during the advance?" Amberly asked with a peculiar raised eyebrow.
Cain replied, "With any other sniper… but after hearing his remarks during the briefing…"
"Better safe than sorry," Amberly finished for him.
Cain nodded, then pointed to the open rear hatch: "Ready to move when you are, Inquisitor."
"After you," she said with a smile, almost echoing his tone.
Cain responded with an understanding smile, indicating he didn't take her seriously. He stepped down, his boots sinking into the dust, just as Yugen emerged from the cockpit. Cain caught his scent, turned to see him approaching, and raised an eyebrow slightly.
"Are you sure this gear isn't too cumbersome this time?" he asked. Yugen frowned, then realized it was a joke and his expression softened.
Yugen, like the others, wore flak armor, but it was clearly a size too large for him. He carried a hellgun, the same model as the other Soldiers, but it was merely slung over his shoulder.
In his hands, he held a meltagun, a heavy thermal weapon typically used to inflict heavy damage on tanks at close range. Although no one knew where he had acquired it, Cain found it somewhat reassuring.
Yugen shrugged: "Might need to clear obstacles quickly when fighting in the pipes."
"Good idea," Cain nodded. When on a mission, there was never too much firepower.
"Do you remember Marshmallow?" Amberly suddenly interjected.
Yugen looked at her in confusion: "I don't know…"
"She's joking," Cain clarified for him.
Yugen suddenly understood and smiled: "Oh, the meltagun… like roasting…"
"Quiet!"
Sorel interrupted them. The big boss needs to hear footsteps! That's why real players hate playing games with their partners; they're so noisy and annoying!
He then signaled that everything was clear ahead, and Kaelp resumed his advance, leading the unit closer to the objective.
Cain hoped they would find nothing, as the entire building had collapsed, yet Amberly's sensor guided them precisely. Advancing with alternating cover, they cautiously approached the target, finally gathering beneath a half-collapsed wall.
Amberly said, her sensor scanning the surroundings. She pointed to a small pile of rubble, smiling: "It should be around here… Yes! It should be right under there."
Cain directed Kaelp and Sorel to clear the rubble. They put down their weapons and began to dig.
"Everyone else, maintain vigilance."
He commanded, ensuring they remained focused on their surroundings. The sound of moving stones gradually diminished, and Cain saw that a maintenance access door had been unearthed, severely deformed by the collapse and high temperatures.
Kaelp tried to pull it open but made no progress. He stood up, panting: "We'll need demo charges to clear it."
"Perhaps I can use the meltagun."
Yugen stepped forward, raising his meltagun and aiming at the deformed access point. Kaelp and Sorel immediately retreated, and even Amberly raised a hand to stop him.
Amberly stood behind Cain with her hands behind her back, like a girlfriend out on a date: "We just want to open the passage, not blow up the entire building."
"Velarde, Hollanby, forward."
Cain ordered. Five rapid shots. With several hellgun beams firing in unison, the metal quickly vaporized, creating an entrance.
"Good idea," Cain patted Yugen's shoulder, reassuringly. Yugen grinned.
Amberly approached the entrance, inspected it, and nodded with satisfaction: "Hopefully the enemy will think this path is sealed off."
Cain wasn't going to make rash assumptions: "Kaelp, you lead the way."
Kaelp nodded, but was clearly not pleased. Cain had specifically arranged the formation to keep the Inquisitor and potential troublemakers separated, to maintain team discipline.
Amberly looked at Cain and nodded, indicating she wouldn't argue with him over command: "Ladies first, huh?"
Kaelp sighed and jumped into the dark, damp-smelling opening. There was no other way… they were already "slaves" carrying "girlfriends" to rank up.
Upon entering the pipe, Cain found the surroundings surprisingly reassuring, as if he had returned to the alleys he had frequented since childhood. But caution could not be relaxed, for complacency was tantamount to death.
Footsteps echoed behind them, and flashlight beams swept ahead. Apart from a few startled rats, no enemy traces were found.
Thick dust covered the pipe floor, showing no signs of disturbance. The gradually rising dust made Cain's eyes and throat itch slightly.
Cain raised an eyebrow and asked Amberly: "Is this it? It looks like no one has been here for at least decades."
She shook her head, then replied frankly: "This isn't the destination; this is a shortcut. We can reach our destination very quickly."
Cain further confirmed: "But you're sure about the direction?"
She smiled easily: "Roughly southwest."
They continued to advance until Sorel raised a hand, signaling them to stop. Amberly checked her sensor and found nothing unusual, but Sorel's intuition was trustworthy.
Cain asked Kaelp about the situation and received a negative gesture.
"Keep moving," he whispered to Sorel, adding,
"Stay alert." Sorel nodded, raised his gun, and continued to scout ahead, while the others followed cautiously.
"Taking up the rear? Isn't that dangerous?" Amberly approached Cain and asked in a low voice, with a hint of teasing.
Cain shrugged in response: "Quite the opposite of this absolutely safe position, wouldn't you say?"
Before he finished speaking, Amberly let out a few soft chuckles, with a relaxed, humorous tone, which eased Cain's tension slightly. However, his attention quickly shifted to the scene before him.
Cain now felt like he was being manipulated by this "bad woman," and in the future, when Cain met Li Feng's girlfriend, he would realize… that all rogues like them ended up being "manipulated" by "bad women."
Passing an entrance to a service pipe, Cain noticed disturbed dust around it, and it looked quite fresh.
He subtly gestured to Amberly about these traces, trying not to let the others notice: "What do you think this is about?"
The pipe was at least two meters above the ground, but the dust below only showed their own team's footprints. Cain felt a stinging sensation in his palm and picked up his flashlight, sweeping it across the crisscrossing pipes overhead.
Was someone hiding up there? Why would they withdraw so quickly upon their approach? And even more puzzling, how did those guys climb up there?
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