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墨書 Inktalez
The vast expanse of the Large Magellanic Cloud stretched out, its distance measured in light-years. Fortunately, the journey from the border welcoming Vera to the territory of the Terrorists was not too far. By the time the energy of the three mechs had been depleted by two-thirds, they arrived at their destination—a planet known as Administrative Star, home to only a few tens of millions of inhabitants.
Currently, Administrative Star had very few residents; most were business personnel or military logistics. Those who lived amidst gunfire and chaos were generally impoverished individuals unwilling to leave their homeland, even if it meant facing danger.
When Jufeng and his companions reached Administrative Star, it was relatively calm. However, many city streets had been destroyed, and the land was scarred and desolate, devoid of human presence.
The appearance of the three mechs quickly attracted the attention of the stationed military forces. During such sensitive times, although various military units passed through, inspections were never neglected.
Under the clear blue sky, Jufeng's three mechs hovered in place, facing a dozen camouflaged mechs—standard equipment for the Cosmic Police's mech squadron.
"I am Captain Hua Cheng of the Galactic Ironclad Corps' 103rd Squadron. Which unit are you from?"
A man's voice came through Jufeng's mech communications. Upon hearing this introduction, he felt a jolt of surprise.
The Galactic Ironclad Corps was one of the three major military divisions under the Galactic Police Headquarters (the other two being the Cosmic Fleet Armored Division and the Universal Landing Force). It was known for its high individual combat capability and flexibility, with a structure comprising hundreds of battalions, thousands of squadrons, and tens of thousands of teams deployed across various Star Systems outside Earth.
As a squadron leader, Hua Cheng held a rank equivalent to a junior officer. However, due to the special importance placed on Ironclad Troops, their ranks were often considered higher than those of their peers. This was not an official recognition but rather an unwritten rule. Dealing with someone like Captain Hua Cheng could be quite troublesome.
Seeing that Vera did not intend to reveal her identity, Jufeng had no choice but to report his own rank.
"Huaguo Second Lieutenant Officer Jufeng. These two are my companions. We have just arrived at the Large Magellanic Cloud and heard about the rampant activities of the Terrorists here, so we came to see if there was any way we could help."
In introducing himself with "Huaguo," it was clear that he was an officer from Earth. In the entire interstellar realm, there were no national boundaries aside from Earth itself.
Hua Cheng raised an eyebrow upon hearing Jufeng's origin. What qualifications did a junior officer from Earth have to interfere with matters concerning the Cosmic Police?
His tone turned unfriendly as he said, "From Earth? Why aren't you enjoying your peaceful life back there? What are you doing here? Bombs and artillery don't discriminate; be careful or you might not return to your tranquil days."
Jufeng was momentarily taken aback by these words; indeed, they rang true. The Cosmic Police were particularly proud and aloof, with Ironclad Troops being their prime representatives. Although they fell under the jurisdiction of the police headquarters, their role differed significantly from that of police on Earth. The Cosmic Police functioned as a military force responsible for peacekeeping across the Star Domain, which naturally led to some arrogance.
Before Jufeng could respond, Vera's voice echoed in his ears.
"Captain Vera of Universal Landing Force's 521st Squadron requests that Captain Hua retract his previous statement. We have the right to conduct military operations here; please allow us passage."
Upon hearing a cool female voice in his ear, Hua Cheng felt a shiver run down his spine. While there were female officers in Cosmos forces, they were exceedingly rare; those who made it to the front lines were even fewer. The voice pierced through him like an arrow—calming yet enchanting—and he couldn't help but wonder what kind of woman possessed such a voice.
Hua Cheng did not try to curry favor; since they were both part of Cosmic Police forces, he decided to grant them passage. However, after Jufeng and his companions left, he sent one of his subordinates to follow them and see what further plans they might have.
Through the inspection, Jufeng sighed and said to Vera, "It really is effective when a beauty steps in. But when did you bring in that whatever squad leader?"
Vera replied calmly, "I made it up."
Jufeng was momentarily speechless.
...
After arriving at ground level, the three of them got out of the mech and found a place to refuel it before starting to gather information about the Terrorists.
Walking through the ruins of the streets, they saw a few shops still operating, with owners eagerly trying to attract passersby. Unfortunately, their efforts often went unappreciated, resulting in dismal business.
Liu Gulang looked at these impoverished people and couldn't help but reflect on his own tumultuous life. He remarked with some emotion, "The Large Magellanic Cloud is at the center of the Interstellar Era universe, yet even in such a prosperous place, there are still dark corners where people go hungry and without clothes. It's truly ironic."
Jufeng agreed with Liu Gulang's sentiment but found it hard to feel pity for others.
He slowly said, "Where there is sunlight, there are shadows; the synonyms for nobility often include filth. Those in high positions only care about their great achievements, and these corners are a blemish on their records, so they naturally want to hide them. We can't be bodhisattvas saving the suffering; if we can eliminate one bad person from this world, that would be our contribution."
Vera interjected coolly, "If you really want to eliminate bad people, perhaps committing suicide would be a good method."
Once again, Jufeng found himself at a loss for words.
The three of them walked and stopped intermittently, gathering information from vendors struggling amidst gunfire about the Terrorists. They inevitably ended up buying some useless items as a small act of kindness.
However, they couldn't gather much useful information from these lower-tier vendors. After visiting several districts without success, they returned empty-handed.
As night fell, the three decided to stay put for the night and investigate another relatively prosperous area the next day. However, before they could find a place to rest, they unexpectedly encountered another attack from the Terrorists.
"Boom!" A bright flash lit up the sky several kilometers away; it was a signal for an enemy attack. The vendors around Jufeng had clearly become accustomed to this routine and began orderly packing up their goods to take shelter in air raid shelters.
Jufeng exchanged glances with his companions and hurried back to the mech, flying towards the area where the light shone. Numerous Fighter Jets were also heading in that direction, and the atmosphere suddenly became tense.
The journey of several kilometers was quickly covered. When they arrived at a winding mountainous area, dozens of mechs and many Fighter Jets were already patrolling and searching.
Occasionally, rumbling sounds of explosions echoed through the land as Fighter Jets fell from the sky.
"It seems this time there are quite a few Terrorists," Jufeng observed.
Three people began piloting their mechs through the winding mountain range. Liu Gulang observed the battle situation and said gravely.
Jufeng, upon hearing this, also became serious. The mountains were particularly vast and the terrain complex, making it easy to hide. It would be difficult to locate the terrorists concealed within, while launching a surprise attack against them would be quite simple. He instructed, "Activate all identification sources to avoid friendly fire. Maintain a triangular formation and proceed steadily southeast."
Vera was taken aback by Jufeng's sudden seriousness but followed his orders nonetheless. She couldn't help but ask, "You actually know about Mecha Squad formations and tactics?"
Jufeng smiled at Vera's compliment, saying, "Did you forget? I am a top student from Huan City University majoring in Mecha. During your time in Washing City, I went back to school and refreshed my knowledge, so I do have some insights in this area. Besides, do you think the military district keeps me around just because of my connections in the Underworld?"
Before Jufeng could finish his sentence, Vera's mech suddenly accelerated forward, clearly indicating that he was being too talkative.
Once again at a loss for words, Jufeng had no choice but to catch up with Vera alongside Liu Gulang, diligently maintaining their triangular formation as they searched for signs of the terrorists in the mountains.
(To be continued)
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