Three armored vehicles were driving in a row in the desolate wilderness. The distinctive emblem of the Gray Fox was shining on the side armor of each vehicle. The dry plain wind whipped up sand and dust, and the last silhouette of the city behind the convoy was getting further and further away until it finally disappeared.
There were no signs of human habitation around the lonely caravan. As far as the eye could see, there were only rugged rocks and bumpy wastelands. The sky, which was dyed greyish-yellow by sand and dust, hung low in all directions, connecting with the equally grey earth. It almost gave people the illusion that the whole world had turned into a mass of yellow sand. The convoy was now driving on a road that was theoretically an interstate highway, but the road was now only vaguely recognizable by the cement residue on the side of the road. The power of nature had easily erased the traces of civilization that once existed here, and the solid cement road was no different from the surrounding gravel wilderness after more than 60 years of weathering.
This was the mercenary team that was about to go to the ruins of the north. Nolan personally led them from Black Street all the way to the Gray River, and Hao Ren was also with them. The convoy had set off yesterday afternoon and had been traveling for nearly 20 hours without stopping. The city ruins that had just disappeared into the horizon was the last urban area of the Rift Valley City. It was said that there would be no more city ruins until they reached the Gray River. For the next two or three days, this desolate wilderness would be the only scenery on the road.
Hao Ren, Nolan, and the others sat together in the second armored vehicle. These vehicles had spacious interior spaces and seemed to have been specially modified for transporting personnel. The vehicle in the middle was the most well-protected one: Gray Fox's clients were in it.
Two expressionless men sat at the back of the carriage, wearing uniforms that were different from the mercenaries. It was said that they were researchers from the White River Merchant Guild. The other two high-level bodyguards from the White River Merchant Guild sat on both sides. They were responsible for protecting the researchers and monitoring the work of the Grey Fox mercenaries. Nolan's task was to escort the four people safely to the Northern Ring Tower and at least let one of the researchers come back alive.
That was the original text of the commission sent by the White River Consortium.
The four 'clients' hardly talked to the mercenaries. They only occasionally whispered to themselves and tried to avoid being overheard. It was pointless to pay attention to these people. So Hao Ren turned his head to look at the screen embedded in the carriage. The screen showed the situation outside the armored vehicle, but the scenery outside was just the same wasteland. Ulyanov muttered in a low voice, "Even the Rangers can't survive in this godforsaken place."
"Relax, we are now in the safest place in the world." Nolan sat on the opposite side of the carriage with her hands behind her head. She narrowed her eyes slightly and put her feet on the steel handrail in front of her in an unsightly manner. "We can't meet any humans here. The only danger is the highly toxic soil and water."
Carl hugged his large rifle and shrank in the corner of the carriage. He sniffed when he heard Nolan's words.
Hao Ren looked at the four members of the White River Consortium sitting at the end of the carriage and sat down next to Nolan. "Do you know what they are going to do?"
"I don't know," Nolan said with a lack of interest. "I don't ask about my clients when I do business. This is the secret of my survival. Don't know what you shouldn't know. "
She paused and noticed that the curiosity on Hao Ren's face had not subsided. She shrugged and lowered her voice. "They are probably going for the Master Computer. The pre-war Nanomachine Swarm control program and the next-generation Nanomachine Swarm blueprints that were not transferred from the control center in time are said to be hidden in the depths of the Northern Ring Tower. Any force that can get their hands on them will be rich. Those guys who went to the north these years are basically going for those things. "
"Pre-war technology …" Hao Ren muttered in a low voice. "Can it really be used …"
"Why are you going there?" Nolan raised an eyelid. "I heard that you buried your wife in the wilderness outside Black Street this morning. It seems that you are not going to the north to die."
Hao Ren's mouth twitched helplessly. "My mental state has always been normal, okay? I am going to the Northern Ring Tower just to confirm something. Anyway, I have no conflict of interest with you. I just want to hitch a ride with you. "
Nolan suddenly opened her eyes and looked at Hao Ren seriously. "To tell you the truth, I have always felt that there is something wrong with you. I have felt so since the first time I met you."
Hao Ren smiled. "What's wrong with me?"
"You are too optimistic, too calm, too indifferent." Nolan turned her head. "At first, I thought it was because of your mental disorder, but now it seems that is not the case. You remind me of the kind of people who were born and raised in the era of peace. But that kind of people can't keep this mentality as long as you in this scorched land. "
Hearing Nolan's words, Hao Ren also casually said, "You look young, but you have a good eye for people."
"Young …" Nolan repeated softly while looking up at the monitor in the car. Then she pressed the intercom next to her and called the soldier in the driver's seat. "Kim, have we crossed the old Highway 17?"
The soldier in the driver's seat reported, "Just a few minutes ago."
"Well, you take a rest. Let the car switch to autopilot. We don't need a driver for the next two days."
"Roger that, boss."
Although Black Street and Zero City were the closest human settlements to the ruins in the north, there was still a long way to go from there to the Northern Ring Tower. This forbidden zone was absolutely insurmountable for ordinary people. Even professional mercenaries needed the support of modern equipment and the best physical and mental state to deal with it. In the next two days and one night, the convoy continued to approach the ruins of the north under the guidance of the autopilot system. As they gradually approached their destination, everyone became nervous. These people that Nolan had brought out were the bravest and most loyal of the Gray Fox troops, but when they arrived here, they still began to feel uneasy.
"Being killed by the Nanomachine Swarm is a terrible thing," Ulyanov said to Hao Ren on the fourth day of the journey. "The process of death feels very long, and it usually starts from the internal organs. When the body is dissolved, it will be accompanied by an extreme burning illusion and a sense of tearing. The greater pressure is psychological. You will clearly feel that you are becoming some kind of heterogeneous material. And this feeling will be repeated for a few minutes. "
Hao Ren was looking at the scene outside the car. Ulyanov's words made him feel strange. "You are shaking the morale of the army by saying this here."
Ulyanov laughed hoarsely. His laughter seemed to be mischievous. "I just want to remind some people not to be interested in the seemingly sleeping Nanomachine Swarm. They may suddenly come to life."
Two researchers from the White River Consortium looked up at them with dissatisfaction in their eyes.
At this time, the driver's voice suddenly came from the car's speaker. "Gray River! It's Gray River in front! Boss, we are at Gray River! "
The name "Gray River" was like a cardiac stimulant that woke up the depressed mercenaries. Everyone raised their heads and clenched the weapons in their hands. A mixed feeling of uneasiness and excitement spread from their bodies. Nolan immediately picked up her equipment bag and stood up. "Everyone, bring the electromagnetic hibernation device and follow me!"
The armored car stopped in the wilderness, and the mercenaries jumped out of the car. Before getting up, Ulyanov stuffed a palm-sized device shaped like an old-fashioned radio into Hao Ren's arms. "Take this, your electromagnetic hibernation device."
Hao Ren took the strange device, and then the people behind him urged him to jump out of the car.
An endless barren land stretched out in front of him, and a hundred meters away from him, he saw the leading armored vehicle parked next to a wide "river". On the riverbank, he could see a continuous, neat metallic luster.
Hao Ren ran with the mercenaries. He was surprised to see the scene in front of him. "This is … the Gray River?"
All he saw was an endless grayish-white, viscous, and strange liquid surging in front of him. Its texture was like asphalt, and its color was like white bones. The liquid surged at an extremely slow speed, almost like a slow-motion movie film. The slowly undulating, viscous, grayish-white 'river' gave off an endless sense of eeriness. On the edge of the Gray River, which looked like a black-and-white movie, there was a layer of what looked like armor covering the rocks on the riverbank. It was like a naturally grown riverbank, blocking the dangerous' river 'in the riverbed.
This was the Gray River.
(I have something to do today, so I updated in advance. = I'm still busy for the whole day.)
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