Chapter 517
New Weapons
"The module is destroyed."
Jiang Nian's voice echoed in the narrow crevice.
There was a two-second silence on the other end, followed by a cold laugh.
"The storage module uses a specially formulated high-temperature resistant material that can withstand temperatures of 1,000 degrees Celsius. The temperature at which the platform explodes will not destroy the core data."
Jiang Nian gripped the short blade tightly.
"Then come and get it."
No sooner had he finished speaking than he took the initiative!
In complete darkness underwater, the spatial awareness provided by the tagging system becomes the only advantage.
The short blade thrust out.
A metallic clanging sound!
The opponent's blocking speed was also very fast, clearly indicating that they had received professional training.
“You really are different,” the pursuer said as he fought. “An ordinary person would have been blind long ago in this kind of environment.”
"You're not bad either."
"Because I also have a mark."
Jiang Nian paused slightly.
In that moment, the other party seized the opportunity and kicked him in the chest. Jiang Nian crashed into the rock wall, sending pebbles tumbling down.
"Didn't expect that, did you?" The pursuer's voice was smug. "The organization has more than just you as a key. We 'defective' ones, while not as perfect as yours, still have the basic functions."
Jiang Nian coughed up a string of bubbles.
"Is Dawn also part of an organization?"
“We used to be.” The pursuers slowly closed in. “Now we are our own masters. The secrets of the Ruins should not belong to those old men alone.”
He raised his gun.
The muzzle of the gun glowed with a blue light as it charged in the darkness.
"Hand over the module, and I can let you join us. Anyway, the organization has already labeled you a traitor, and going back will only lead to your death."
The short blade pierced the rock above his head, and with a forceful pull, he shot upwards.
The crack has an upward branch here, which is well hidden and was just blocked by rubble.
"Want to run?"
A beam of energy shot out, grazing past the soles of their feet.
Jiang Nian had already squeezed into the branch crevice and was climbing upwards with all his might. There was light above, so they must be close to the sea surface.
"Hey, you guys outside! He's gone up there!" the pursuer shouted into the communicator.
Jiang Nian emerged from the water.
It was already fully light; the greyish-white sky hung low, and fine snowflakes drifted down. He was about a hundred meters from the anchor platform, and large and small ice floes floated on the surrounding sea.
The submarine was still there, and there was another person at the hatch, aiming a sniper rifle in this direction.
"Jiang Nian! Three o'clock, Hailong No. 4!" Old Qin's voice boomed in the earpiece.
Jiang Nian turned her head.
Three hundred meters away, a black miniature submersible broke the surface of the water, its hatch opened, and Hailong-4 poked half its body out, holding a signal gun in its hand.
A red signal flare was launched into the sky.
Almost simultaneously, the snipers on the submarine opened fire.
The bullet struck the ice beside Jiang Nian, blasting a crater the size of a bowl. A second shot followed immediately, this time aimed at the Hailong No. 4.
"Dive down!" Jiang Nian shouted, taking a deep breath and diving down again.
Underwater, another pursuer had already swum out of the crevice and was rushing towards them at full speed.
Snipers ahead, pursuers behind.
Jiang Nian glanced at the remaining power of the thruster: twelve percent.
That's not enough.
He drew his submachine gun and fired continuously at the pursuers. The specially designed bullets drew dense trajectories underwater, forcing the pursuers to take evasive action.
Taking advantage of this opportunity, Jiang Nian accelerated towards Hailong No. 4.
"Advisor Jiang! Over here!" Hailong No. 4's voice came through the underwater communicator.
Jiang Nian saw that the miniature submersible did not remain stationary, but instead approached him. An emergency interface opened on the side of the hull, and a robotic arm extended.
"catch!"
Jiang Nian grabbed the robotic arm and was suddenly pulled towards the submersible. The hatch closed behind him, the seawater was expelled, and air rushed in.
He slumped in the cramped cabin, panting heavily.
Hailong No. 4, sitting in the driver's seat, said without turning his head: "Hold on tight, we're leaving."
The submersible's engines were running at full power as it plunged into the deep sea.
"Where are the others?" Jiang Nian asked.
"Six is providing support five nautical miles away." Hailong No. 4 paused. "Six lost contact when the Greenland platform exploded, and it is highly likely that he was killed."
There was a few seconds of silence inside the cabin.
"Where's the module?" Hailong No. 4 asked. "Old Qin said you got the storage module."
Jiang Nian touched his tactical vest.
He was taken aback and quickly searched through all his pockets.
No.
“It’s lost,” he finally said. “It might have fallen during the fight in the crevice, or maybe…”
He remembered what the pursuer had said.
"It might have been taken away."
On the communication channel, Old Qin gasped.
"you sure?"
“Uncertain,” Jiang Nian said, closing his eyes, “but it’s very likely.”
"This is troublesome," Bai Yongxu's voice came through. "If the module falls into Dawn's hands, they might also be able to crack the anchor point algorithm. At that time, it will be a three-way battle for Guixu."
The submersible travels rapidly through the deep sea.
On the sonar screen, the submarine wasn't giving chase. It remained near the anchor point, seemingly salvaging something.
“They’re recovering the module.” Jiang Nian stared at the screen. “If the module really was lost, it’s definitely in their hands now.”
"Should we take it back?" Hailong No. 4 asked.
“No.” Bai Yongxu decisively ordered, “Retreat to base first. Jiang Nian needs treatment, and we need to reassess the situation.”
……
Four hours later, at a secret base of the North Sea Fleet.
In the medical room, Jiang Nian lay on the bed, connected to more than a dozen monitoring devices. Dr. Xu was giving him a full examination, his brows furrowing deeper and deeper.
“Three ribs fractured, left lung contusion, and second-degree frostbite on the right palm.” She recorded the data, “but this is the most troublesome.”
She pulled up the blood analysis report.
"Your blood contains protein structures that weren't there before, seemingly products of the fusion of marrow mineral energy and a labeling system. Mr. Qin, what do you think?"
Professor Qin stood outside the observation window, staring at the molecular model on the screen.
“Symbiotic evolution,” he said slowly. “Jiang Nian’s body is actively adapting to the marrow mineral energy, making it a part of itself. This is not a bad thing, but the speed of this change is too fast.”
"What are the risks?" Jiang Nian asked. "Unknown," Qin Lao confessed. "There has never been such a case in human history. Your cells may be mutating in some unknown direction."
The door was pushed open, and Bai Yongxu and Yang Zhan walked in.
Both of them had very serious expressions.
“The situation at the Greenland anchor point has been confirmed.” Bai Yongxu skipped the pleasantries and immediately pulled up satellite images. “The platform is completely destroyed, but the anchor point structure is intact. Moreover, judging from the energy readings, it is operating stably.”
The footage shows the hexagonal metal structure still suspended beneath the sea surface, surrounding a calm body of water 500 meters in diameter. Blue light pulses rhythmically, like a heartbeat.
"Where are the people from Dawn?" Yang Zhan asked.
"The submarine left after recovering some items." Bai Yongxu switched the camera. "We tracked its route, and it eventually disappeared into a fjord off the east coast of Greenland. The terrain there is complex, making sonar tracking difficult."
“The module is definitely in their hands,” Jiang Nian said.
"Most likely," Bai Yongxu nodded, "but we have a more pressing problem now."
He pulled up another set of images.
“The South China Sea anchorage and the North Atlantic anchorage are under construction simultaneously at an accelerated pace over the past four hours. The drilling platform in the South China Sea has reached a pile foundation depth of 2,500 meters, which is 30 percent faster than originally planned.”
“The situation in the North Atlantic is even more extreme,” Qin Lao continued. “They’ve mobilized at least twenty engineering vessels, working around the clock. At this rate, it can definitely be completed in forty-eight hours.”
Yang Zhan walked to Jiang Nian's bedside: "So we now have two choices. First, concentrate our efforts to destroy the other two anchor points, causing the triangulation to fail. Second, try to recapture the module, control the Greenland anchor point, and in turn, disrupt the organization's plan."
“Do both.” Jiang Nian sat up. “We’ll split our forces to attack the South China Sea and the North Atlantic. I’ll go and retrieve the module from Greenland.”
"Your body..."
“I won’t die.” Jiang Nian pulled out the IV needle from his hand. “Besides, the people from Dawn know me, so I’m the most suitable person to go.”
Bai Yongxu and Yang Zhan exchanged a glance.
"How many people do we need?" Bai Yongxu asked.
“A small team, at most six people,” Jiang Nian said. “In infiltration operations, having too many people actually makes it easier to be exposed.”
"What about weapons and equipment?"
“We need the best,” Yang Zhan answered for Jiang Nian, “especially underwater equipment. Dawn’s base is likely in the deep sea, and conventional equipment won’t be enough.”
Old Qin suddenly raised his hand: "I have an idea."
Everyone looked at him.
"Jiang Nian's body can now coexist with marrow mineral energy, so can we create a weapon that utilizes this property?"
"Be more specific," Yang Zhan said.
Old Qin quickly pulled up a design drawing: "Look, this is a resonant blade designed based on the principle of marrow ore energy. The blade has built-in micro marrow ore crystals, which can generate high-frequency vibrations and release energy impacts when in use."
He looked at Jiang Nian: "If you were to use it, you could use your own marked energy to guide the marrow energy within the weapon, creating resonance. The power would be much greater than that of an ordinary weapon."
"Can you make it?" Bai Yongxu asked.
“We have a prototype in the lab, but it needs testing,” Qin said. “Give me twelve hours.”
“Then twelve hours it is.” Bai Yongxu made the decision. “Jiang Nian, you can rest during this time. Yang Zhan, formulate a detailed plan for the Greenland operation. I will have General Zhao coordinate the attacks in the South China Sea and the North Atlantic.”
The crowd dispersed.
Only Jiang Nian and Dr. Xu remained in the medical room.
"Lie down," Dr. Xu said, pressing on his shoulder. "You need rest, real rest."
“I can’t sleep.” Jiang Nian stared at the ceiling. “Every time I close my eyes, all I see is the image of the platform exploding.”
"It's not your fault."
"If only I could be faster, if only I could spot the dawners earlier..."
“There are always ‘what ifs’ in war,” Dr. Xu said calmly, “but the survivors have no time for regrets. They can only look forward and complete what the dead did not finish.”
She adjusted the IV drip rate.
"Go to sleep. I've given you a mild sedative that won't affect your consciousness but will relax your body."
……
Twelve hours later, at the base's deep laboratory.
Jiang Nian stood in the center of the testing ground, holding the new weapon that Qin Lao had just given him.
It was a straight-bladed blade about sixty centimeters long, with a streamlined shape and a matte black color. The handle had intricate patterns, and a faint blue light could be seen flowing within it.
“Resonant Blade, Prototype No. 1,” Qin Lao introduced. “The blade contains three grams of high-purity marrow mineral crystals, which connect to the user through a bio-interface on the handle. When in use, your marked energy will activate the crystals, generating high-frequency vibrations and energy release.”
"How do I use it?" Jiang Nian asked.
“Just like using a regular knife,” Yang Zhan said, standing at the edge of the testing area. “But when you draw the knife, imagine energy flowing from your arm to the blade. Try it.”
At the other end of the testing range stood a steel target, thirty centimeters thick.
Jiang Nian took a deep breath and raised his knife.
He closed his eyes and felt the energy flow of the marking system. The pale golden energy surged from the nodes of the five internal organs, flowing along the meridians to his right hand.
A slight vibration was felt in the hilt of the knife.
The blade glowed with a blue light.
Jiang Nian opened his eyes, took a step, and swung his sword.
No sound.
The blade sliced through the air, leaving a pale blue afterimage. The instant it touched the steel target, the steel was sliced through like tofu, the cut smooth and clean, with traces of melting along the edges.
The steel target crashed to the ground and broke in two.
The test site was completely silent.
"The power is beyond expectations," Old Qin murmured.
"What about the energy consumption?" Jiang Nian asked. He felt a tingling sensation in his right hand, like an electric shock.
"What about the other equipment?"
"Here it is." Dr. Fang pushed over an equipment table.
The full-body, deep black diving suit features a fine, fish-scale-like surface to reduce water resistance. The helmet integrates an augmented reality display and a sonar system. The thrusters are a new model, providing a six-hour flight time.
"And this too." Old Qin took out a palm-sized metal box. "It's for emergencies. Inside are three vials of high-concentration myelin stimulant. After injection, it can triple your marker activity within ten minutes. But the side effects are severe; you'll be exhausted for at least twenty-four hours after using it."
"The last resort." Jiang Nian took it and put it into the hidden pocket of his tactical vest.
At that moment, Bai Yongxu's communication came through.
"The Greenland task force has been assembled." He pulled up the personnel list. "Hailong IV will serve as the captain, and the other five are all skilled personnel drawn from various units, specializing in polar and underwater warfare."
"Has the location of the Dawn Base been confirmed?" Yang Zhan asked.
“The general area has been determined.” Bai Yongxu pulled up a map. “It’s on the east coast of Greenland, deep in this fjord. Satellite images show hidden dock facilities there, but the exact entrance is still unclear.”
"We'll scout ahead when we get there," Jiang Nian said. "When do we set off?"
"Two hours later," Bai Yongxu said, "the transport plane will take you to a temporary base off the coast of Greenland, and then you'll transfer to a submarine to approach. Remember, this is an infiltration, not a direct assault. The target is the module; once you have it, you're out of here."
"clear."
……
Night falls on the east coast of Greenland.
The transport plane glided across the ice field and eventually came to a stop in a disguised hangar. Jiang Nian and his team of six quickly disembarked and entered the adjacent underground facility.
This is an outpost, storing various polar warfare equipment.
“Breaking news.” An intelligence officer pulled up images in the briefing room. “Three hours ago, the sonar array at the entrance to the fjord detected underwater activity. An unidentified submarine entered and has not come out since.”
“Dawn’s base must be deep in the fjord,” Hailong IV said. “The question is, where is the entrance?” (End of Chapter)