Read Novel Full Chapter 1039: They Don’t Look Military
Chapter 1039: They Don’t Look Military
We moved past the other side of the camp through their gates to continue our way towards our main objective for this mission.
According to the map, this tunnel should lead to a dead end which was already weird to begin with since it didn’t make sense for the bugs to dig out this tunnel that led to nowhere for no reason... So there must have been a reason for this tunnel just that we don’t know what it is yet.
Because of that, I wasn’t really expecting there to be any bugs here since the outpost behind us was still intact. The only way for bugs to get to this tunnel was either to overrun the outpost we just left... Or they burrow another tunnel in this direction to get around the outpost.
But seeing that there were no dead bugs in this particular tunnel, I assume that they have not done the latter since they would definitely have attacked the outpost if that was the case and died for it.
So I believe the bugs have not breached this area yet and we should be safe.
Ironically, what we need to worry about is the turrets on the outpost base turning on us instead.
The tunnel was slanted at a gradual decline so we were going further and further underground.
The dogs ahead of me manoeuvred through the dirt without a problem, some of them even jumping up to kick off the walls to get around each other while they sniffed the ground and air to keep a watch out for enemies.
The tunnel eventually reached a point where it started to flatten out and once again, we saw light shining from further in the tunnel, indicating we must have reached the outpost we were looking for.
Once again, I had the dogs stay put and I got closer towards the light, preparing myself to retreat should I get shot at.
Surprisingly, that did not happen and the turrets remained dormant, even when I walked well within their effective range.
Still... I wanted to be safe so I shouted out at the gate to get the attention of the people in the outpost.
"Hey!! Anyone there?!"
I didn’t need to wait long before a voice came from the hidden speakers at the gates.
"This is a restricted area. Identify yourself or you will be shot."
The person behind the voice said it so monotonously that I almost thought I was speaking to a robot.
And as though they were making good on their threat, the turrets on top of the walls whirred to life and rotated on their axis to point their barrels at me.
"Captain Tera of the Teran Mercenary Company. Here under the request of General Rourke to check on the status of this outpost and to deliver supplies."
There was a pause before the voice spoke again, "A Merc? Why would a Merc be sent here to do that? Why are they not sending someone from the military?"
I frowned, "Are you perhaps not aware that the bugs have managed to push through the main outpost and forced the main forces to retreat? All of you are currently cut off from the main force."
"Hmm... That will explain why the supplies are so late then... Wait... You say supplies but I don’t see any supplies with you?"
I gestured behind me, "They are all waiting there. The previous outpost had set their turrets to fire upon anyone that the turrets detected so I came here alone to make sure it is safe first since I’m wearing Power Armour."
There was a soft whirring sound and I figured that whoever I was speaking to was most likely manipulating the cameras on the walls to change the camera angle just to look past me.
Well... The first thing they would see is the small army of dogs in front of the entire group, all of them just sitting on their haunches obediently waiting for me.
And predictably, the guy went silent, as though he was having problems registering what he was looking at.
Thus, I decided to help him out by assuring him, "Yes... Those are dogs. I was assigned those dogs to ensure that this operation is a success."
"Dogs... Fine... Sure. Get your team here then."
The line went silent and I took that as a sign that we were approved to enter the outpost.
I waved at the group and my dogs... Ahem... The dogs and Freyja quickly got up to run over towards me.
My girls followed behind them with the drones, making sure to maintain a set distance between them and the dogs.
Once everyone was gathered, the doors to the outpost let out a groan before it slowly swung inwards, allowing us to step inside.
Behind the wall were several menacing looking people, though they were not wearing the uniforms or armour of military soldiers but instead, full body armour that also covered their heads and faces.
They looked more like a private armed forces instead, especially when their equipment all shared the same colour scheme.
In fact... If I looked at the walls and turrets... This place seemed to be designed way differently as compared to the military outpost we just came from.
I also took the chance to peek around the outpost as well and the place really could not be further from a military installation.
The earlier outpost was orderly and very minimalistic in design. The barracks, supply warehouses, training yard and mess hall were arranged as if they already had a set location where they should be built and each of them all shared a similar shape.
The layout was squarish in nature and had orderly paths laid out to get to each of the aforementioned places within the outpost.
Yet this place in particular... The buildings were set up rather haphazardly like they had just put them up wherever there was space to do so or where it was convenient for them to set them up.
Not only that, there were way more buildings here as compared to the other outposts and there’s even what looked like some kind of farming going on in one of the taller buildings.
First of all... How are they even able to farm underground? Second of all... The fact that they did that meant that they intended to stay here for a long time without even going up to the surface... Just what are they trying to do down here?
Leaving that aside, the other buildings all had a variety of different shapes with some of them being rectangular, some being ovals and others being spherical.
If I had to describe it... It kind of looked like those science parks back in my old universe where they would build all those weird looking buildings to house specific devices within them.
I was so distracted in looking around the place that I almost didn’t notice the group of guards move up towards me, their leader being the only one that wasn’t wearing a helmet.
He was a relatively young looking guy with frizzled brown hair and his irises were narrowed slits instead of round, yet he looked human so I assume that was a gene mod.
"Captain Tera I presume?" He asked, his eyes darting to the dogs near me for a moment.
I nodded, "Yes. Where do you want the supplies?"
I was half expecting them to take them from me and just ask me to fuck off or something but surprisingly...
"Just to confirm... You are a Mercenary, correct?"
I raised an eyebrow, though he wouldn’t be able to see it since I was wearing the Power Armour.
"Yes. What of it? I would have thought you scanned us to make sure of it earlier."
He showed no reaction to my question and merely asked another one, "Are you tied to the military directly?"
"Define directly?"
"Are you contracted to them?"
"Currently? We’re contracted as special consultants for the duration of this expedition."
The guy paused as his brows furrowed at my answer.
One of his men from behind then stepped up to speak to their leader.
"Teran Mercenary Company... They’re the Mercs with the highest nest clearing rate so far. They’ve also cleared two nests solo with no outside help... The Captain is said to have also defeated a Pirate Lord one on one and participated as a Merc in a skirmish in Zwerger territory while suffering no casaulties..."
That guy definitely did his homework... Or he has a scanner that basically told him all of that earlier.
The frizzled hair guy then turned to whisper something to one of his men, prompting him to run off while he turned back to speak to me.
"We will take over the supply drones here. However... There is another matter that we would like your assistance with if you are up for it. Could you come with us?"
Hmm... This is definitely sus...