The mechanic.

"We have to go find them! Something must have happened!" Ganon took a few puffs of cigarette irritably, and spit on the ground.

A brown-haired soldier named Josh retorted, "If we look for it, we will disappear like them. What's the point of dying for nothing!"

"You mean to leave the leader alone?! You ungrateful bastard!" another impatient young hunter scolded.

"You little piece of shit miss you die yourself!"

"You bastard! I'll kill you bastard today for the commander!"

Seeing that a group of people were about to scold each other and even start fighting, Zhang Xun, who had been silent by the side, suddenly said sharply, "Enough! What kind of infighting is going on at this time!"

The usually taciturn man began to pant after walking less than [-] kilometers, and the gentle and polite mechanic seemed to be possessed by Commander Zhang Shuo for a moment. He exuded a certain awe-inspiring aura, which made the twelve unsuspecting people, including Adam All shocked.The scene was very quiet for a while, only the heavy breathing of the crowd could be heard.A group of soldiers stared at Zhang Xun with eyes that covered their panic with anger, as if they couldn't believe that a weak mechanic dared to teach them a lesson.

Zhang Xun saw that they had calmed down, so he stood up bravely and said, "If we all go to the rescue, it is very likely that not only the people will not be saved, but the whole army will be wiped out in the end. Such a sacrifice is meaningless. We have to send some people back to report situation, remind the headquarters to pay attention to these people from Feathered Snake City. This is very important. Anyone who wants to report back with Josh can explain it at this time."

Zhang Xun's tone is calm and peaceful, almost without emotion, as if completely objective and neutral, but convincing.Ganon cursed in a low voice, and said, "The mechanic is right. Just dying is not an option. Who wants to go back with Josh?"

Apart from the captain, Ganon is the oldest in the team.That's why Josh was left in charge when the team leader took people to investigate the coal mine.When he said this, the hunters were completely silent, looking at each other, and calculating the camp they should choose.

Even though Zhang Xun emphasized the importance of reporting the letter very much, everyone knew that if they chose to go back at this time, if the remaining people survived with the captain, they would be doomed to break with those who chose to stay.After all, mutual trust is the most important thing for hunters.Everyone holds the activation button of the neutralizer in their hands, and only brothers who trust each other can survive in the dangerous outside world.

But what is threatened is life after all.For many, loyalty means nothing if life cannot be preserved.

There is no right or wrong option, just two different paths.Zhang Xun does not believe that moral pressure should be exerted on anyone at this time.Everyone should pay the corresponding price for their choices.

In the end, four people chose to go back with Josh.They didn't find much food, so they took the few wild rabbits they found with them. Zhang Xun also gave them a mechanical bug and a mini machine of his own, and told them to move as soon as they heard the alarm. Location.

The whole preparation and departure process was very quiet.All the arrogance of the previous quarrel was extinguished.The five people silently took what everyone gave them, and left before dawn.

Zhang Xun didn't force Adam to go back with the five people, which surprised Adam a little.

The remaining eight stayed up all night, trying to mark the possible location of the mine on a battered old map of British Columbia.

"Judging from the opponent's weapons and equipment we have seen so far, I am afraid that many of their technologies were brought over by the Titanium senior engineer, and the most advanced Eden technology has not even been widely used. From this point of view, they There is no resistance to technology itself, which is different from us.” Looking at the faint yellow optical fiber emitted by the flashlight, Zhang Xun saw the resolute faces in front of him, “They embrace technology, and may even worship technology. Otherwise, they would not Will voluntarily chop off their hands and feet for such a large-scale transformation. Then why did they buy the Red Lady's weapon?"

All the hunters looked at him blankly, and the youngest hunter asked stupidly, "Yeah, why?"

"Maybe the Red Lady has some information that we don't know. Maybe the Red Lady just wanted to do business with Feather Serpent City from the beginning, and we are just her means to raise the price. But they bypassed The United States must not have come so far away for weapons. Now we know that they may have a stronghold in the mine. Feather Serpent City is clearly in Central America, but they have to run so far to set up a stronghold. I have two One is that they are experimenting with some kind of weapon of mass destruction, and they don’t want to affect their own refugee country.” After Zhang Xun finished speaking, he took a sip of the hot water he had just boiled with the gas stove in the kitchen, his face pale. dignified.

"What about the other one?" Ganon asked impatiently, "Don't hesitate, finish it all at once!"

Zhang Xun glanced at Adam, and said in a deep voice, "Another possibility is that they have some kind of deal with Eden. The goal is Paradise Lost."

A Bulgarian hunter drew a cross on his chest, and prayed to God mutteringly...

"No matter what it is, how can we rescue the captain and the others? We don't even have many guns now. Can your robot do something?" Ganon said, staring at Adam.

Adam smiled politely and friendly, "All of Eden's technology is mine. I can do a lot of things. As long as you guys let me into their base."

But Zhang Xun hesitated, "I'm not sure it's a good idea. If they have a cooperative relationship with Eden, it's hard to say whether they came for Adam. In that case, we are giving them what they want for nothing. before."

"If that's the case, it's even easier." Adam spread his hands indifferently, "You can directly use me as a bargaining chip to exchange hostages with them."

Zhang Xun stared at Adam, "Don't even think about it."

"Then I have my way of disabling all their machinery."

"No!" Zhang Xun said categorically, "I respect you enough for not forcing you to leave with Josh and those people, but if you say one more word, I will put you on standby right now."

Adam had no choice but to shut his mouth resentfully.

Cannon next to him still sneered and muttered in a low voice, "Oh my god, it's as fierce as my guy..."

In the end, the eight people discussed and decided to sneak into the mountains to find where their plane was parked before dawn.Such a big plane needs a wide platform, so it shouldn't be hard to find.

However, three hours later, it was broad daylight, but they still did not find the shadow of the tarmac.The shrubs here are denser than elsewhere, and among the vines and leaves, you can occasionally see an abandoned coal truck crooked beside the mountain wall, and the inside has been occupied by plants.Not far past the coal wagon, they found a thin track among the wormwood and ferns, which was obviously the track that the coal wagon had walked before.They proceeded carefully along the track, and finally found a mine entrance on a straight up and down mountain wall.

The original decayed wooden frame was replaced by new alloy steel bars, and the plants at the entrance of the hole were also cleaned up, obviously someone had entered and exited.It's just that there is only the sound of wind and birdsong in the forest at this time, and there is no one.

After confirming that there was no one in private, they got out from the forest and walked to the mine.A cold wind, as if blowing from a tomb, immediately chilled everyone's heart, and the thick invisible battle suit couldn't block it.Caves always give people such a cold feeling, like the open mouth of a mountain, waiting for ignorant bugs to fly in.

At this moment, Zhang Xun saw the shallow mark left on the stone beside the cave entrance.

James' mark.

"He really came here... probably because he was taken away." Zhang Xun broke his heart and knelt down to check the notch.

And Adam stood at the entrance of the cave, tilting his head slightly, as if he was listening to something.

If this is really the entrance, then James, the leader and others are most likely to be here.Cannon had already started walking into the hole first.The rest quickly followed suit.

Except for some traces of people at the entrance at the beginning, those traces gradually disappeared when they got inside.The mine tunnel supported by crumbling rotten wood is low and narrow, and some places even have to bend over to pass, and some places have branch roads extending in unknown directions.As you go deeper, the natural light disappears completely. Once the light from the flashlight disappears, the darkness that stretches out your hands will completely swallow them up.In the limited aperture, rocks squeezed from all directions, like the lungs of monsters, ready to digest them into dross at any time.

Probably in order to liven up the somewhat tense atmosphere, Adam said in a relaxed tone: "I heard that mining was a very dangerous occupation a long time ago, especially coal mines. If you are not careful, the mine will explode, and even the corpses will be buried in it." There are countless miners who can’t be found. Even in the walls around us, there may be the bones of miners from hundreds of years ago.” Adam paused, as if waiting for everyone to digest what he said, and then continued. The horror facts mentioned here, "The mine is the most suitable place to tell ghost stories. Almost all mines have ghost stories. Some people have heard or seen dead miners in it, as if they didn't know that they were dead. Digging the rock tirelessly. Sometimes you walk in the pit and you hear a whimper. If someone calls your name, don't look back."

As if echoing his words, a long and strange sound came from the distant and deep darkness.It seemed that someone or an animal was moaning in pain. The sound shook the surrounding rocks, and the hairs of those who heard it stood on end.

Everyone stopped involuntarily.

"What the hell is that..." The young hunter swallowed, his eyes widened with fear.

"There really aren't ghosts..."

"Don't talk nonsense! In what age do you still believe in ghosts?"

"I don't think it's impossible for 'ghosts' to exist. The point is to see how you define it." Adam finished adding fuel to the fire, and seeing Zhang Xun's uneasy expression, he quickly added, "But the sound just now didn't sound like a ghost." The sound that a person can make..."

Totally no consolation of any help...

"I mean, it might be the sound of the machine. A type of auto-suit designed by Eden makes a sound like this when it is activated."

But at this moment, a strange red light suddenly appeared in the front.A strange sound of mechanical operation gradually became clear, and it was approaching at an extremely fast speed.

"Lights out! Run back!" Cannon yelled.

The crowd didn't care about anything, they turned off the flashlights and ran wildly.But there is no light, and there is a thick darkness in front of him. How can he know which direction to run?Zhang Xunzheng was stiff and unable to move because of the fear of the dark, and suddenly his wrist felt cold.Adam grabbed his wrist with a mechanical hand and pulled him forward.

Those hunters who have been professionally trained can walk swiftly even in the dark.But Zhang Xun couldn't do it anymore. He ran deep and shallow, stumbling and stumbling.But the scalp-numbing sound of metal rubbing behind him was rapidly approaching.

Suddenly, Adam broke the rules and pulled him into a fork in the road.He pressed Zhang Xun against the stone wall, covered Zhang Xun's mouth tightly with his left hand, leaned into his ear and whispered, "Hush..."

Zhang Xun's heart was beating like a drum, and he was sweating coldly.He tried hard to control the sound of his breathing, because even the sound of breathing seemed too loud.

The tingling sound of metal rubbing was getting closer and closer.In the darkness, Zhang Xun saw an ominous red light begin to glow around the corner, and then... a curved tentacle stretched out, curled up and swayed, and the tip still emitted that uncomfortable light.

WTF? !

That's not a tentacle... It's some kind of sensing device spliced ​​together by joints of alloys.It waved the red light flexibly and softly in the air, as if trying to see or hear something.Immediately afterwards, more mechanical bodies were exposed, some of which looked like giant dogs without heads, but with too many legs.Those legs occasionally collided in the process of moving quickly, which produced that harsh metal friction sound.There are several similar long "tentacles" growing around it, waving in the air non-stop, like super long earthworms, it looks a little disgusting...

Its shape, flashing red lights, and those too many centipede-like shaking legs seem to be able to create some kind of subtle oppression on the human spirit.A kind of disgust and fear that arises from the bottom of my heart.Zhang Xun realized that this feeling was not because he was too sensitive, nor was it an illusion.It was intentionally designed...

Fear is the strongest and most invincible instinct of human beings.Whoever controls fear can control everyone.

Because Zhang Xun and Adam were too quiet, the machine didn't seem to detect them, so it continued to search forward.Only then did Adam lean into Zhang Xun's ear and whisper, "Look, this is Eden's version of the pet dog. Isn't it cute?"

"..." Which eye of yours sees it's cuteness? !

The author has something to say: Thanks to the little angels who irrigate the nutrient solution~~~: 39 bottles if you don’t like spicy food; 10 bottles in 2; [-] bottles of myvanillaworld;