Planet of Sand and Oasis of Iron

Chapter 68: I'm so embarrassed now that you've said that (Defense War Part 68)

It took some effort for Cypher to dig him out of the twisted and deformed body.

He was an enemy just a second ago, but now he's the one being rescued. This feeling is quite strange...

What struck Sefer as somewhat odd was that the protective suit that Anomalocaris wore when it emerged from the body was bulkier and more complex than what an average person would wear when walking outside.

Although the cockpit has been deformed, its internal structure can still be seen, which is completely arranged to match this outfit.

If Cypher hadn't shown mercy, the probability of him leaving the body alive would be 0.

"Oh, after all these years of service, I ended up falling for a new guy. Ugh, it's too cold outside... Can you help me get to the medical vehicle?"

Not far away, Cypher's mobile base was slowly driving over. He asked the base to move to the designated area and park, then continued to drive the body, grabbing the "Anomalocaris" as if it were some kind of cargo.

On the medical vehicle's side, the cargo hold was opened after the fight between the two sides stopped. As the bright lights indicated the entrance for the wounded, Seifer also saw a transport truck speeding towards him from a distance.

Anomalocaris quickly shouted, "That's the car carrying the wounded!"

As if afraid that such a polite mercenary like Cypher would blow up the thing, Cypher continued to walk to the medical vehicle indifferently, stretched out his mechanical arm, and threw the shrimp and his heavy protective suit to the designated location.

Theoretically, he should have been slammed hard onto the deck, but instead he was floating in the air... Is this a gravity lock?
In the communication, the people in the medical car expressed their gratitude one after another - and then Seifer did something that no one expected.

He simply opened the cockpit and jumped down from such a high altitude. The light that burst out when he stepped on the sand was even brighter than that of an ordinary person.

"As the mercenary who defeated you, I should have the right to ask you something while you are receiving treatment...right?"

Anomalocaris was suspended in mid-air, waving his hands with all his might: "Of course, I haven't signed a confidentiality agreement, and no one has paid me for keeping it secret."

——That’s really open-minded.

The various first aid equipment and devices in the medical vehicle have clear colors, and medical staff are busy walking back and forth in the corridors and various cabins.

But everyone's communication was very brief and clear. The wounded sent back were divided into three categories and transported to different cabins by nurses. The most seriously ill ones were already hanging on to their lives in the emergency room, and whether they could survive would be seen later.

Cypher stood beside the floating body of the Anomalocaris, raised his hand and shook it over him, and found that he was not affected by the change in gravity.

"What are you doing, mercenary?"

"Curious... Let's get back to the point. Are you standing guard here to protect the medical vehicle?"

He coughed and replied while the medical staff with the robotic arm dismantled his protective suit, "No, a medical vehicle is a completely neutral unit. No mercenary would be so foolish as to attack it."

"Besides, do you really think the medical vehicle doesn't have self-defense weapons?"

Seifer shook his head and looked away when he saw several doctors taking off their protective suits and the body covered with cuts.

Then he continued to ask: "So there was no one else in the car you came out of?"

"That's a fully automated transport vehicle, used to resupply ammunition to the front lines. I'm responsible for protecting it. Besides, its stealth capabilities are incredible when it's not in use."

Anomalocaris turned his head with great effort, his voice filled with disbelief: "Logically, you shouldn't have been able to spot these two cars. How did you do it?"

"By hard work."

Seifer did not elaborate on the excellent performance of his vehicle, nor did he care about Anomaly's exclamation of "How could such a grown woman be driving the vehicle?" He just thought deeply for a while.

"What kind of ammunition is being transported? Ordinary artillery ammunition, or..."

"Hehehe... a powerful big thing."

Anomaly coughed a few more times: "I, I might need to sleep for a while. Don't touch the ammunition, that's Miss Feldridge..." He snored like thunder.

No, brother, you're going too far by deliberately revealing secrets. Is it because the money hasn't arrived yet? Or is it because you didn't even get a penny in the confidentiality agreement?

Is this the reserve and flexibility of a mercenary? Once I learn it, I will be able to put it to use next time.

After confirming that the guy's life was not in danger, the medical staff transferred him to the ward and suddenly looked at Sefer.

One of the young doctors in a white coat looked him up and down for a long moment, then suddenly asked, "You...are you driving that thing like this?"

"Yeah, is there a problem?"

Of course there are. Everyone has to put on a bunch of anti-gravity stuff before they dare to get on the plane. But you get on the plane dressed like a girl going out for a walk?
Just as the doctors were surrounding Cypher, insisting that they check him for hidden injuries before returning to the battlefield, someone overruled the others and told Cypher that he only needed a simple basic checkup before leaving.

The one who helped Sefer out of this 'well-intentioned' predicament was a girl with short pink hair and a quiet face. She didn't look very tall, but she could easily make other medical staff stand aside.

Everyone was wearing medical uniforms, but no matter how she looked at it, it just looked like... medical uniforms, not pretty dresses.

"Everyone here finds it difficult to let go of someone who might be injured, so they seem very enthusiastic... Please don't be too harsh on them, Miss Red Crossbow."

Seifer, no longer wanting to correct her, sat on the soft chair she had arranged for him and shook his head, saying, "It's okay. But you..."

"My name is Shengnai. I'm the field medic temporarily serving as medical staff on this vehicle. Could you please stand up?"

She said, "Okay?" But the scanner she was holding, which was clearly not for human testing, made Cypher nervous.

She tilted her head slightly, and a feather-like strand of hair that had fallen from her shoulder swayed gently. "Don't be nervous. You're special, so I won't let anyone else touch you. I'm checking you out alone, okay?"

Despite being so meticulous, Sefer had nothing to say. He stood up and opened his hands, letting Shengna scan them. She frowned slightly.

"Even a mechanical body would wear out to varying degrees if it were constantly moving and fighting. Don't you feel your movements becoming less fluid?"

"No, I think it's the same as before, there's no difference."

"Well……"

Shengnai explained seriously that if he continued to fight at such a high intensity, the parts of this body would wear out with time and movement, and in the end he might become completely unable to move.

Then replace it... He couldn't say this directly, so Cipher asked her to give him a maintenance report so that he could fix it himself when he had time.

Then Shengnai turned the detector around, and on the extremely low-resolution screen, the human outline was covered with warning red dots, reminding the two that this body was really not very usable.

"Hmm... never mind. As long as we can finish this battle, that's all that matters. Thanks, Shengnai... Your name doesn't sound like you're from here, does it?"

"I'm here for an internship from the academy's node city. That's why I said it's temporary. By the way, is your car going to the front lines too? Please take me with you!"

Sefer refused without a second thought. Under normal circumstances, he might have welcomed such a kind-hearted person into the car and perhaps helped cure Lin Shenxue's staying up late or jet lag.

But it’s not possible now. Now is the time for battle, and Sefer cannot guarantee that his car can survive safely until the end of the battle.

Shengnai's expression became a little confused. She thought about it and changed her words.

"Then...if I want to visit you in your car and do whatever I can, even if it's not a formal visit, would you allow it?"

Sefer nodded. Who doesn't want to have a medical rescue specialist in his car? But he can't afford it!

After receiving a positive answer, Shengnai's smile was calm and joyful.

(End of this chapter)