Wasteland Echoer.

Chapter 513 Abandoned Land (Part )

Cruzde Federation, Arctic Special Zone, old Arctic Zone, the former site of the Winternos River communication expansion project.

A team of federal soldiers dressed in pure white combat uniforms were holding old-fashioned "BK-45" submachine guns and "Sundial" portable quasi-cannons in the center of an abandoned construction area filled with construction debris, industrial waste and wild animal skeletal remains.

This team consists of about 20 to 30 people, most of whom wear heavy special masks for filtering polluted air. Their joints are equipped with the latest "cyber auxiliary power devices" to greatly improve their mobility and resist the increasingly serious mutations of the "aliens without hearts" near the wind wall area.

At their feet lay several broken human bodies, as well as countless remains of "heartless people" with broken heads and hearts that were still slightly squirming.

The surroundings were constantly echoing with ghostly sounds like the interweaving of birds and beasts, as well as the greedy groans of "careless people" when faced with delicious food.

There were a considerable number of "aliens without a heart" slowly approaching in front and behind this group of federal [warriors], but due to the strong smell of their own kind dying in front of them, this group of "aliens without a heart" stopped and hesitated to move forward when they were less than 50 meters away from the team.

But as time went on, more and more "aliens without a heart" around smelled the human scent that was confusing enough, and began to gather in the direction of this group of federal [warriors]. The simple wooden bridge and abandoned road entrance that were originally used for escape were also surrounded by the "careless people" who followed behind.

Faced with the increasingly severe battle situation, a federal [warrior] named Oaks in the team asked their captain Stanislav Khermenov in a very urgent and hurried tone:

"Captain? What should we do now? The roads ahead and behind are blocked. We can't get out. Should we fight? Should we force our way out?"

"No, wait a little longer." Stanislav answered in a calm tone, looking calm and composed.

He turned his head and observed the "aliens without a heart" that gathered around him but did not dare to move forward, and analyzed:

"The smell of 'burning liquid' here makes these 'borns' afraid to move forward, but the smell of blood emitted by the fallen among us drives their deepest impulses and makes them dare not leave. If there was no unpleasant smell like a fox from the Lost Ones, I could certainly order you to retreat, but now is not the time to leave by force."

"Why? Captain?" Oaks asked puzzled.

"You are indeed simple-minded but strong-limbed." Stanislav teased:

"It's obvious, Oaks, this group of 'heartless people' are commanded by someone. Moreover, after fighting with them for such a long time, didn't you see that? Their 'alienation' is very strange."

"Weird?" Oaks frowned and observed for a long time, but finally shook his head.

After all, this group of "careless people" seem to have... not much difference between them, except that their bodies are taller and stronger than normal ones, some have extra wings, bones and metal-like launch tubes on their backs, and some are abnormally large in size.

Stanislav saw that his subordinate's knowledge reserve was insufficient, and patiently explained:
"I know that you don't have access to some ancient documents. We are usually either on a mission or on the way to a mission. We don't have much time to study these 'aliens without a heart', so you will make judgments based on direct experience."

Stanislav pointed his gun at the chest of the closest "heartless alien" with a petal-shaped "metal pipe" on its back and said:

"Its heart is green, not pure blue or red. According to a document found in Joey Graeme's 'Evolution Station', in the 'New Construction Project', the hearts of the first few 'experimental personnel' infected with the 'Ivanov Virus' were almost all 'green'."

"Why?" Oaks continued to ask, turning his head to look at Stanislav.

"Because the 'Ivanov virus' was originally accidentally leaked from an embryo of a 'nuclear ancient beast' that was mutated by chance due to exposure to high concentrations of cosmic rays." Stanislav's voice was particularly low, like a god of darkness telling an ancient horror story:
"The 'Ivanov virus' originally had plenty of vitality, so after attacking the heart, it would force the body to release a large amount of 'life aura' into the heart. Because the chest of the infected person was corroded and the heart was replaced by machinery, it would emit a green glow.

"However, after the 'New Construction Plan' continuously updated the 'Ivanov Virus', when the real New Meta Crisis broke out, the 'Ivanov Virus' no longer stimulated the 'life aura' in humans. Instead, with the help of the constantly recovering magic power, it transformed humans into machines."

"Wonderful, wonderful." A deep and mellow voice that belonged to middle-aged men appeared in front of the team. Oaks looked up and saw a middle-aged man wearing a dark robe. The color of his robe was so dark that he couldn't see his specific body shape.

The middle-aged man stretched out his bandaged hands like a dying man, clapped them a few times to express his unexpected emotions, then pulled down his hoodie to reveal his iconic vampire-like pale face.

"Nikolai Yuri Malsky, a core member of 'Spear of Odyssey', a prophet known as 'Illusion', is good at predicting the future direction of things based on subtle information, and can construct an alien world that can drive people crazy and collapse. Am I right? 'Illusion'?" Stanislav read out the information held by the Federation Council in a low voice.

"Of course I am right, I am Nicholas, and also 'Illusion'. By the way, I admire your Federation Committee's ability to control information. You are powerful enough, unlocking a lot of old technologies, and even have demigods and evil gods serving you. Even your 'Northern Territory Bear Stormtroopers' are the absolute elite for carrying out assault missions, but why, you still can't eliminate the 'Heartless Man'? No, you can't even eliminate us Lost Ones who are willing to cooperate with your Federation." Nicholas said viciously:

"That's because of the inherent meanness of you humans. You are indeed powerful, able to judge that the group of 'heartless people' I lead belong to the era of Ivan XXII through the light emitted by the heart, but did you know that the most primitive group of infected people may be the strongest one?"

Nicholas laughed wildly without any restraint, his mouth opened so wide that his lips almost touched his eyelids.

He groaned in a tone like a mad devil seeing his coveted prey, looking up at the scorching sun that suddenly emerged from the clouds and was hot enough to burn his eyeballs completely.

After Nikola's crazy behavior lasted for almost three minutes, Oaks slowly raised the "Ice Tiger-02" sniper rifle in his hand, aimed it at Nikola's head, and pulled the trigger.

Whoosh!
Nicholas' exaggerated squirming and violent shaking caused his head to deviate from the bullet trajectory preset by Oaks. The bullet, which was powerful enough to penetrate the steel plate, just passed by his face, which was as white as the wall, leaving a concave scratch.

A few seconds later, countless red blood with a foul stench flowed out from the wound, but before it touched the ground, it turned into countless black ashes and dust in the air, like burnt objects that were crushed. With the sudden airflow, it merged into the endless abandoned land.

Finally, Nicholas, who felt threatened, stopped all his strange behaviors. He took a half step back and suddenly took off the black robe on his body, revealing a product of the combination of machinery, magic, mutation and human body that was weird enough.

This body, which resembles a human figure, does not have a single trace of healthy flesh color on its surface. Instead, it is filled with scarlet, blue, red and pitch black, presenting a weird and completely random abstract industrial work.

His right arm was completely severed in a dream that was the opposite of reality, so he had to install a temporary mechanical arm left by an alchemist during the Steam Age. In order to make it look beautiful enough, Nicholas also covered the new arm with a thick bandage. Unfortunately, it had already been rusted and rotted under the erosion of the strong "Heartless Virus".

The dark skin on his chest and abdomen was covered with ugly growth lines left over from giant reduction, like a pregnant woman before giving birth. However, as soon as these skins came into contact with the air, they were entangled by countless tiny black tentacles, forming a "body armor" that was highly defensive and practical, but almost completely lacking in aesthetics.

However, the heart was deliberately forgotten by the mecha. Stanislav saw that the heart that almost burst the chest was neither an ordinary human heart nor the red mechanical heart exclusive to the Lost Ones and the "Heartless People", but an "MB-11: Eternal Mechanical Heart" that was once preserved in the data of a banned organization. It had a silver-white steel aura and a red "burning liquid" glow, and was branded with the emblem of the "Spear of Odyssey" organization.

After standing there howling and groaning in pain for a while, Nikolai did not use his "giantization" ability. Instead, with his slightly short body and bloody mouth, he rushed towards Stanislav, the captain of the "Northern Bear Stormtroopers".

The "aliens without a heart" behind him also chirped in response at the same time, breaking through their instinctive fear of power. They either followed Nikola forward to quickly close the encirclement, or opened the metal pipe launchers on their backs and began to gather strength.

However, Stanislav saw a familiar flash of fire.

A shell with a bright white glow and a long tail of smoke came in a parabolic trajectory from behind their team!

This is - "The Final Silence of Thermite".

　Thanks to Wanfengzhuiluori, leegst and book friend 20230210045549535 for their monthly tickets.

　　Thanks to Wanfengzhuiluori for the reward.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)