From Titan Corporation to the Empire of Man

Chapter 697 "Extract the sample, immediately."

"Understood!" the six soldiers replied in a deep voice.

The group set off quickly.

The sound of the magnetic boots hitting the forest soil was heavy and rhythmic, and the occasional slight grinding of the chainsaw's gears sounded like a deep war song.

Although the orbital drone has not yet taken off, the images transmitted back by the ground reconnaissance drone are already clearly visible.

The dense forest gradually recedes to the north, and the outlines of human-made structures emerge at the edge of the open plain.

The houses are scattered, the streets are winding, and the town is large enough to accommodate about 50,000 people.

It is not a desolate ruin, but a settlement that exudes a vibrant atmosphere. However, no trace of pedestrians or vehicles has been found in the transmitted images.

This made Lei Ruoya frown slightly.

Her gaze was deep as she gripped the hilt of the power sword hanging at her waist.

"go ahead."

As she finished speaking, the figures of the Glory Legion warriors gradually disappeared into the shadows of the forest, approaching the unknown town.

Deep in the dense forest, light and shadow intertwine.

Lei Ruoya and six Glory Legion warriors walked among the shadows of the trees. The air in the forest was so fresh it was almost crystal clear, and the scents of pine and earth mingled with the fragrance of moss and wildflowers.

Sunlight filters through the gaps in the leaves, condensing into dappled spots that sway in the wind, resembling countless tiny golden scales floating in mid-air.

Wild animals could be seen flashing by from time to time.

Several deer were drinking water by a stream in the distance when they suddenly noticed heavy footsteps. They immediately pricked up their ears and then dashed into the forest like a gust of wind.

Higher up in the branches, a falcon circled and cried out, its gaze sharp and cold.

Several rabbits darted past among the bushes and disappeared into the shadows cast by fallen leaves.

All living things proclaim that this is not a desolate wasteland, but a vibrant land.

Meanwhile, Lei Ruoya's vision not only relies on the naked eye, but also on the holographic screen inside the helmet, which projects various data in real time at high resolution.

The miniature radar in the upper left corner flashes with dots of light, marking the surrounding terrain and the positions of friendly forces.

About 1,200 meters to the west of her location, another reconnaissance squad, also equipped with power suits, was patrolling. Their route intersected with that of the Glory Legion, but they maintained a reasonable operational distance to ensure that they could provide fire support to each other in case of emergencies.

The environmental parameters are displayed in a scrolling manner in the upper right corner of the screen.

The atmospheric composition is no different from that of a standard human habitable environment, with the oxygen concentration stable at 21% and the air pressure close to the standard value.

The system below calculates the sun's angle and position in the sky. Combined with magnetic field data, the conclusion is almost certain that their location is most likely in the northern part of North America on Earth 19, which is in the old Canada.

Then, the forest grew even denser, with tree trunks straight as pillars, piercing the sky, like an ancient and unchanging natural barrier.

Despite their heavy armor, the members of the Glory Legion did not move slowly. Their steps were steady, their breathing even, and the servo systems of their power armor emitted a low hum with each step, blending with the sound of the wind in the forest, as if accompanying this "ancient" army, playing a deep metal war song.

As she moved forward, Lei Ruoya's vision caught sight of the reconnaissance drone's flight path.

Those tiny machines, like flocks of birds, shuttled through the canopy, constantly transmitting terrain scanning data back.

Numerous images appeared on her helmet screen, showing the gradually thinning area of ​​the forest to the north.

Finally, the horizon began to unfold.

The lush forest gradually recedes, replaced by a vast and open view.

The edge of the plain came into view, where human-built structures stood silently.

The houses are scattered and the streets are winding, presenting a typical medium-sized settlement pattern.

However, the images transmitted by the helmet showed no pedestrians, no vehicles, and even very few signs of livestock or birds, as if all the vibrant traces had been erased by some invisible hand.

Lei Ruoya's eyes sharpened, but a faint unease rose in her heart.

"strangeness."

Her voice was deep and carried a unique air of authority.

Her armored hands unconsciously gripped the hilt of the power sword at her waist. The cold metallic heat transmitted through the armor to her palms, making her mind even more focused.

"keep going."

As she calmly issued the command, the warriors of the Glory Legion responded in unison.

They quickened their pace.

The heavy magnetic boots left deep marks on the grass and soil, occasionally splashing up tiny mud droplets.

Their neat formation, resembling an ancient heavy infantry unit, etched a stark and resolute mark on this tranquil natural landscape.

Before long, they reached the edge of the forest.

A straight highway emerges from the forest, like a gray-white dragon, winding its way into the distance.

The road surface is still smooth, and the roadside sound barriers and guardrails are still there, only covered with the marks of time.

Lei Ruoya stared at the empty road, her eyes revealing a cold, sharp glint.

The radar on her helmet screen quickly spotted a service area less than 400 meters away.

The outline of the buildings gradually became clear in the field of vision. Several square rest buildings still stood beside the road, but their facades were gradually eroded by vines and moss, as if they had been silently swallowed up by the years.

"Target ahead, 400 meters." Her voice was clearly transmitted to the ears of every soldier in the Glory Legion through the communication channel.

Seven figures then stepped forward, their steps heavy and firm in the boundless silence, approaching the service area that seemed to have frozen time.

The heavy thud of boots echoed along the edge of the empty highway.

A moment later, Lei Ruoya and her group of seven arrived at the service area that had been eroded by time.

The buildings are clearly visible, and although the lettering on the signs is faded due to wind and rain, traces of English can still be made.

The moment those long-lost letters came into view, Lei Ruoya was slightly dazed.

Since the founding of the empire, the official language has long been unified into Mandarin and Chinese characters.

The existence of letters was like a fleeting shadow in a history book to the Imperial Legion, but now, they are vividly engraved on the signpost before them:

"Welcome to Portage la Prairie"

"Winnipeg 40km East"

These familiar yet distant place names stirred up an indescribable feeling in her heart.

She slowly exhaled, and spoke in a solemn tone:
"This is old Canada, in southern Manitoba. The town in front of you is Portichelopreri."

"."

The warriors of the Glory Legion nodded silently.

The warriors, clad in heavy armor, appeared in this service area like a group of steel behemoths from the future, gazing at the remains of a past world.

Lei Ruoya's gaze shifted, immediately regaining its coldness. She raised her hand and gave the order:

"Four people disperse and maintain perimeter fire coverage, while the rest enter the building to search."

"As ordered."

A resounding response echoed through the helmet's communication system.

The four honor warriors immediately spread out, their magnetic boots tapping rhythmically on the concrete as they deployed a defensive perimeter around the service area.

The remaining two followed Lei Ruoya and headed straight into the depths of the building.

The motel and the gas station stood side by side, their faded signs swaying in the wind.

After assigning tasks, the two soldiers saluted and headed towards the hotel, while she turned alone towards the entrance of the convenience store.

The moment the glass door was pushed open, the air changed abruptly.

Despite the helmet being equipped with an air purification and filtration system, Lei Ruoya still felt a nauseating odor suddenly assault her senses.

That was the smell of death, thick, sticky, and mixed with the stench of decay.

Om-!
As the door opened, a swarm of flies burst forth from inside the convenience store, their wings beating wildly, like a black fog.

The vibrations of countless wings converged into an irritating buzzing sound, instantly making the air heavy and stagnant.

Lei Ruoya's expression remained unchanged, only her brows grew colder. She had witnessed mountains of corpses and seas of blood on countless battlefields; such scenes were far from enough to stir her emotions.

However, the presence of flies silently reveals a fact: this land is not as peaceful and harmless as it appears, but rather hides a truth of decay and bloodshed.

Inside the convenience store, the dim lights had long been turned off, and the shelves on both sides were almost empty.

Occasionally, scattered packaging bags rustled in the airflow, like the whispers of ghosts. The ground was covered with a thick layer of dust, yet in some places, there were clear drag marks and solidified dark imprints.

Following the shocking marks, she slowly walked towards the back of the shelf.

Boom, boom.

The dull thud of the magnetic boots on the floor, intertwined with the heartbeat monitor inside the helmet, created an oppressive and suffocating atmosphere.

Finally, the image abruptly jumped into view.

It was a corpse.

Male, about 1.8 meters tall, clothes tattered, face unrecognizable.

The eye sockets were empty like dark abysses; the eyes had been gouged out, leaving only bloody, mangled holes.

His abdomen was as if it had been forcibly torn apart by a sharp weapon, his body cavity was completely open, and his dried internal organs were scattered on the ground, as if they had been deliberately abandoned.

The congealed blood on the ground was dark brown and emitted a pungent odor.

What made Lei Ruoya even more uneasy was the warning message that popped up on the helmet screen, indicating that there was a large amount of semen remaining on the surface of the corpse.

Her gaze suddenly turned cold.

The air seemed to freeze instantly, and a silent, eerie atmosphere filled the convenience store.

The swarming flies became increasingly glaring in her vision, as if mocking human fragility and the collapse of civilization.

Lei Ruoya stared silently at the corpse, her fingertips slowly tightening on the hilt of her sword. Even with her cold heart, she knew that this scene meant some terrible truth.

"It seems that Earth 19 is not as peaceful as it appears on the surface."

She murmured softly, her tone carrying an undeniable chill.

The helmet's internal communication system suddenly flickered, and two Honor Warriors heading to the hotel gave a deep report:

"Commander, something unusual has been discovered in the hotel; there is a strange corpse here."

"I see."

This service area has already unveiled the first layer of its cold facade to them.

Lei Ruoya stared at the gruesome corpse for several seconds, her eyes cold, then raised her hand and pressed the buckle on her waist, taking out a military-grade sample extractor from the pouch on her lower back.

Tap!

The sharp needle popped out with a low mechanical hum.

She bent down and crouched down, inserting the probe into the deceased's dried tissue.

The instrument immediately emitted a low "beep" sound, and the display screen flashed, confirming that a complete biological sample had been collected.

Lei Ruoya put away the extractor and placed it into the storage box in one smooth motion. Then she stood up and took one last look at the convenience store.

The situation here is worse than they imagined.

She thought to herself silently, then turned and left.

The miniature radar on the upper left corner of the helmet flashed continuously, and the blue identification signal clearly marked the location of the two Glory Warriors.

They were in a room on the second floor of the hotel, near the outside.

Lei Ruoya quickened her pace, her magnetic boots treading on the hard concrete floor. A moment later, she reached the hotel's stairwell.

The air inside the hotel was just as stale, but even more stifling than in the convenience store.

The corridor was dimly lit, with peeling and mottled walls, faded carpets and collapsed wooden furniture scattered everywhere, and a damp, musty smell mixed with the stench of blood filled the narrow space.

Upon reaching the second floor, a Glory Warrior stood at the end of the corridor, guarding a half-open door.

The muzzle of his bolter was lowered, but he could raise it at any time to enter combat mode.

Upon seeing Lei Ruoya, he immediately stood at attention and reported in a deep voice:
"Commander, there are two corpses inside the room."

Lei Ruoya nodded and pushed open the door to enter.

The scene that came into view made the air suddenly heavy.

Inside the room, light filtered through the tattered curtains, casting dappled patterns, with dust particles floating in the beams of light.

On the bed, two already decomposed corpses were tightly bound to the bed frame, their limbs firmly fixed with rusty iron chains.

The flesh had long since dried up and shriveled, and the exposed bones were clearly visible.

However, what is most horrifying is not their manner of death, but the way they died.

These people were not killed directly, but starved to death.

Those withered wrists, worn smooth by the chains from prolonged struggle, had deep grooves worn into them; their lips were completely cracked, and their teeth were exposed.

Lei Ruoya slowly approached, her eyes like icy blades, coldly sweeping over the already withered face.

Her gaze was fixed on the faces of the two corpses.

Despite its severe decay, several dark red marks, resembling blisters, are still clearly visible at the junction of the cheekbone and forehead.

These protrusions are subtly arranged in the shape of a cross.

?

Lei Ruoya's brows furrowed suddenly.

"Rhomboid herpes".

This was not natural lividity, but more like a pathological condition. She stared at the strange marks, and an intuition surged through her like ice water.

'plague.'

She silently recited it in her heart.

"Earth in 2019 is probably experiencing a plague."

She turned around abruptly, her gaze falling on the Honor Warrior accompanying her.

"Extract the sample, immediately."

"As ordered!"

The soldier immediately stepped forward, took out the sample extractor, and bent down to operate it.

The mechanical hum resumed as sharp probes pierced the decaying skin and pus, extracting tissue and bodily fluids.

After the display screen flashes to confirm, the sample is sealed in a protective container.

At this moment——

Snapped!Snapped!
The sudden sound of gunfire shattered the silence!

It was a short, sharp cracking sound coming from the direction of the town outside the hotel. The glass in the window rattled instantly from the vibration, as if warning of some lurking danger.

This made Lei Ruoya's face even more stern.

"go!"

Her command was firm and decisive.

The three immediately left the room, the sound of their magnetic boots hitting the floor like war drums, each step echoing in the corridor.

They rushed out of the hotel and quickly rejoined the four honor warriors guarding the outside. The team immediately regrouped, and the bolt pistols and chainsaw swords were all unlocked, the weapon systems emitting a cold, audible start-up sound.

The helmet's radar markers refreshed rapidly, and the sound waves coming from the direction of the town streets echoed on the data, showing the precise point of origin.

Lei Ruoya coldly ordered: "Form up and prepare fire."

Six warriors of the Glory Legion instantly formed a scattering formation, their steel armor gleaming in the dim light. The chilling atmosphere in the air suddenly intensified, as if the entire world was making way for them.

Lei Ruoya walked at the front, holding a power sword. The blade trembled slightly in its sheath, as if it were eagerly awaiting the battle.

Their figures rushed straight towards the direction of the gunfire.
(End of this chapter)