Mystery Detective of the Steam World

Chapter 317 Speed ​​of Life and Death

Li Wei didn't know what had happened to Qi Ya, but fortunately, MI7's intelligence gathering speed in Steel City was still very fast.

“A few days ago, Dr. Franco Tester and his granddaughter, Qiya, joined an expedition to investigate the nearby Yellow Leaf Mountain.”

Li Wei sat in the chair, listening to the report coming through the microphone.

"Dr. Franco is so old, why is he going up the mountain? What kind of expedition is it?"

"The specific situation is still unclear. According to the information we have received, it seems that Huangye Mountain has been experiencing frequent earthquakes recently..."

"This has nothing to do with Dr. Franco, he's not a geologist."

"According to incomplete information, it seems that an unidentified signal was detected at the site of the earthquake, so Dr. Franco requested the governor of the Steel City to organize an expedition to investigate."

"……………………"

Grandpa is so old, he shouldn't be running around everywhere.

"What did the governor of Steel City say?"

"They deployed a platoon to protect the expedition team, along with four hound mechs."

According to the Imperial Army's organization, a squad consists of ten men, and a platoon consists of five squads. This means that the Steel City has dispatched fifty soldiers to protect the expedition team, plus the Hound Mechs, which is already considered a significant commitment.

However, it seems that we haven't given it enough importance.

"Why……………"

"You must reach the destination as quickly as possible and find Dr. Franco! Make sure he comes back alive!"

"I'll try my best."

Listening to the old butler's orders over the microphone, Levi was speechless. Dr. Franco was currently extremely important to the Empire, after all, he was the one who led the development of the virus firewall for the Difference Engine. Now that Dr. Franco's expedition team had been attacked, from the Empire's perspective, the first thing to worry about was enemy agents assassinating Dr. Franco.

Although Qi Ya's communication was incomplete due to interference or an attack, Li Wei was certain he heard the word "monster," which was probably why Qi Ya called him. After all, if it were an ordinary enemy, it would be faster to directly request help from the Steel City.

This expedition team, protected by fifty soldiers and four mechs, was still threatened, which means the monster's strength is definitely not weak!
Speed ​​is of the essence in war. MI7, having received the information from Levi, immediately reported it to the Queen. Upon receiving the news, the Queen swiftly issued orders to investigate the situation at all costs and rescue Dr. Franco and his party as soon as possible!
MI7 immediately sprang into action, procuring a reconnaissance boat from the royal arsenal. Livy and Henry, leading thirty hastily assembled steam-powered soldiers, boarded the boat and rushed to their destination as quickly as possible. Simultaneously, they contacted the governor of Steel City via communications, requesting that the troops stationed there assemble immediately and travel by transport boat to Yellowleaf Mountain to rendezvous with Livy and his men.

Searching the mountains at night is generally considered a major taboo, as the entire forest becomes pitch black after dark. However, Levi had once accomplished the feat of finding all the Melician rebels hiding in the mountains in the dead of night. If anyone could find Dr. Franco in the dark mountains, it would only be Levi.

His mission was to find Dr. Franco as soon as possible, protect him, and ideally, evacuate him directly. If evacuation was not possible, he would send out a signal flare to alert others.

The Kingfisher is the Empire's fastest airship. It took Li Wei three or four days to reach the Steel City on the Orient, but he entered the Steel City's territory in less than three hours on the Kingfisher.

"Sir, we have reached the airspace above Huangye Mountain!"

Upon hearing the soldier's report, Li Wei stood up, walked to the porthole, looked down, and gave orders.

"Turn on the searchlights! Lower the altitude!"

Although using [Soul Vision] to search is also an option, Li Wei decided to turn on the searchlight, hoping that if the other party saw him, they would send out a signal flare or light a fire to indicate their presence.

"Click—!"

With Li Wei's command, the searchlights below the airship immediately turned on, quickly shining in all directions. However, in the pitch-black forest, even with the searchlights, it was difficult to see the situation below clearly.

However, Li Wei didn't give up. Instead, he narrowed his eyes and activated [Soul Vision], quickly surveying the mountains below. Logically, even if attacked, the main force shouldn't be scattered. If there were many people, it would be fine; if there were few…

That's hard to say.

Li Wei scanned the area, his heart growing heavier. He saw no fire or signal flares, and his [Soul Vision] detected no gathering of soul lights. Although they had arrived at top speed, if the enemy wasn't afraid of fifty soldiers and four mechs, they had probably already retreated…

Just as Li Wei was sighing helplessly, he suddenly saw several figures of radiant souls not far away!
Those are human beings!

"Turn immediately! Bearing 096!"

Li Wei's spirits lifted immediately, and he gave the order. With his command, the Kingfisher swiftly turned, its searchlights shining in the direction Li Wei had indicated. Li Wei went to the French windows, staring at the ghostly figures below. A moment later, the airship slowly descended, and everyone saw several soldiers in military uniforms frantically waving at them from the trees below!

Seeing this, Li Wei breathed a sigh of relief.

"Come on, let's go down and take a look!"

"Boom!"

The drop pod crashed heavily to the ground via zipline. Levi stepped out and saw five or six soldiers standing not far in front of him, guns in hand, their bodies covered in wounds and blood—clearly, they had been through a major battle. But Levi didn't see Dr. Franco or Qi Ya…

Upon seeing Li Wei emerge, the soldiers quickly stood at attention, and the leading soldier saluted Li Wei.

"Report! Maurice, platoon leader of the third platoon of the fifth battalion of the 13th Army Corps in Bismarck, reporting for duty!"

"Are you the soldiers escorting Dr. Franco?"

"Yes, sir!"

"Henry, get a few people to bandage them up. You, come here and explain the situation to me!"

Levi gestured to Henry, then pointed to the least wounded platoon leader, Maurice, indicating that he should report to him.

Where did Dr. Franco and his granddaughter go?

"Sir, they've been captured by a monster!"

"monster?"

Upon hearing this, Li Wei frowned.

"Tell me from the beginning, explain it to me clearly in every detail!"

"Yes, sir!"

Soon, Platoon Leader Morris began explaining the situation to Levi. They had received orders from the Governor of Steel City to protect Dr. Franco's expedition team as they ventured into the depths of Yellow Leaf Mountain. The soldiers couldn't explain the specifics, only saying they'd seen Dr. Franco with an instrument, seemingly searching for something. They then proceeded in the direction Dr. Franco had indicated, and no one knew exactly what was going on.

Then, led by Dr. Franco, the group arrived at the entrance of a cave.

but……………

"That cave is a monster's lair! Not only that, our guide is also a traitor who has sided with the monster!"

At this point, the platoon leader was also indignant. Since they were going into the mountains, they should have brought a guide who was familiar with the area. Before they went into the mountains, they also found a local who was familiar with the area to guide them.

Unexpectedly, the other party was actually colluding with those monsters. After Dr. Franco mentioned going deep into Yellow Leaf Mountain, the guide claimed to have a shortcut and led the group into a cave. However, once they reached the depths of the cave, the guide disappeared, and then they were attacked by a group of monsters!
"Those monsters were terrifying. They looked like giant beetles, almost as tall as a person, and they even had wings. And..."

"go on."

"Yes, sir. You might doubt my sanity, but those monsters can even manipulate lightning and ice!"

"Hmm? Lightning and ice?"

"Yes, sir! They can unleash lightning from their hands, turning people into charred corpses! They also spew out white, frigid air; I saw my brother frozen into a statue with my own eyes!"

"Um…………………"

This sounds so familiar, like I've heard it somewhere before.

"Go on, then what?"

"Yes, sir. Fortunately, these monsters aren't invulnerable. Although we lost some men at the beginning, we quickly fought back and, along with Dr. Franco and the others, swiftly retreated from the cave. Then, under the cover of the mechs, we tried to escape as fast as possible, but there were so many of those monsters, and they could fly. We couldn't escape at all. The mechs covering us were also destroyed by those monsters. Later, I saw Miss Qiya being grabbed by a monster, and then Dr. Franco was also grabbed. Those monsters just carried them away... The rest of us fought our way back until you arrived just now, and they left... If it had been any later, I'm afraid we would have..."

Why are these monsters capturing Dr. Franco?

"Um……………"

Upon hearing this, Li Wei narrowed his eyes and began to think carefully.

Why does this description feel so familiar? It's like it's from somewhere... Oh, right! That canned head!

Thinking of this, Li Wei suddenly clapped his hands. That can-headed guy had said that the alien demon that captured him could fly and manipulate lightning. Isn't this the thing?
It's like finding a needle in a haystack; Levi couldn't find them in Caesarblanca, but unexpectedly found their lair here!
Wait a minute, they captured Dr. Franco and Kia, are they planning to stuff their brains into cans too?

Do you remember where that cave was?

"Of course, sir, it's just halfway up the mountain over there. We just ran down from there."

"Very good, Henry! Leave two men to take the wounded onto the airship, the rest of you follow me, quick! You lead the way!"

"Yes, sir!"

(End of this chapter)