Steel torrents pioneering a different world

Chapter 127 A Heart for Revenge! Confirmation of the Magic Stone Mine! The Mysterious Griffin (10,000 words, please subscribe)
Military industrial infrastructure construction has always been the most anxious and worrying point for the pioneering troops.

With TNT secured, the construction of basic military industrial production facilities there naturally became an urgent matter.

Li Weiguo carefully checked the production scale, resource requirements, and budget, confirming that they were all reasonable and that Su Mingjin had further prioritized them.

Without the slightest hesitation, he wrote with a flourish.

"Agree to all requests!"

After signing the document, he seemed to see factories rising from the ground in a distant, otherworldly place, where engineers and sappers toiled away, building small but complete military production lines from scratch.

Bullets, shells, repair parts... Within a month at most, they will be able to supply the front-line troops with ammunition "locally produced" from another world! Within three months at most, the construction of basic military industrial units will be completed there.

My mood immediately improved after glancing at the progress of other projects on the screen.

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. If we take things one step at a time, everything will get better.

The construction of the energy station in this other world is currently progressing the fastest.

It is expected that all the basic work will be completed within 25 days, and the system will be commissioned and connected to the grid for power generation. Multiple geothermal power generation units will be built to create a small power plant that can accommodate 10 people, solving the most basic power shortage problem in the base.

There is also a thermal power plant next to the geothermal power plant, and the troops are looking for suitable combustion resources.

Mineral exploration and mining have yielded frequent successes. Although those special ores containing magical powers have lost many of their properties in the modern world, they have also become highly versatile materials.

These scarce materials are being shipped back to China in a steady stream, making the experts in the materials department and the researchers studying new metallic materials extremely happy.

In the other world, the construction of a metal smelting plant is also progressing rapidly.

However, all of this requires more energy support.

If the military cannot find coal and oil resources within the next month, then it will have to prioritize geothermal power plants and wind power generation.

The geothermal resources near this other world are abundant, and wind power is passable, but compared to what humanity plans to build in the future, the amount of electricity generated is negligible.

If we can only rely on these power generation resources, we will either have to wait for nuclear power plants, build thorium-based lava reactors, or expand in the surrounding areas to find more fuel and use traditional power generation methods.

The energy problem must be solved, but among the other projects, the one that Li Weiguo is most concerned about is a port construction project codenamed "New Vladivostok".

Although they haven't found enough energy yet, the pioneering team is already making a fortune.

The exploration of various gold mines, uranium mines, and heavy metal and rare earth mines, worth at least trillions of RMB, is something that Southeast University urgently needs.

Abundant fish resources were discovered in the nearby Long Lake. After more than a month of testing, the military confirmed that the fish resources... no, it should be said that many aspects of agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry, and fisheries in this other world have a higher value than those in the modern world.

The plants and animals in the other world are more delicious, and the vegetables grown there also have this characteristic, growing faster and more appealing.

The other world is an endless treasure.

Among these, marine resources are naturally a key development project for them.

The portal area is 173 kilometers away from the ocean.

Given such a long distance, it's natural that it needs to be well-constructed!
To ensure smooth traffic flow, a major railway and highway artery stretching over 200 kilometers has been laid out.

They will travel directly from the location of the time-space portal base to the deep-water harbor of another world.

It would take about 20 days to build a basic road that can maintain the connection between the Time Gate base and the Savage Tribe area, allowing small vehicles and infantry fighting vehicles to pass through.

If vehicles are to be transported quickly, they have to take a longer route, which will consume a lot of supplies.

Modern military forces possess the capability to move mountains and fill seas, but this requires time.

Although there are many flat sections along the 30-kilometer mountain road, it will still take at least 90 days to complete the entire road.

Transforming roads into modern roads will take even longer!

"Initially, we had to take a longer route to get through, and then complete the construction of the steel bridge, the mountain clearing, and the excavation of the ship mooring area within 90 days... Sigh, I feel like 90 days is still a bit slow!"

Li Weiguo's finger traced the red line representing the future on the screen, his eyes gleaming.

"It's a pity we can't use nuclear bombs to blow up the mountain, otherwise it would be even faster."

"Forget it, you can't rush things. Let's take it one step at a time."

The permafrost in this other world is very sturdy; heavy equipment can pass through as long as the foundation is solidified.

Once the roads are completed, the port will also begin construction, at which point the massive shipping capacity will completely revitalize the entire land reclamation plan!
Everything is moving in a positive direction, in an orderly manner, and full of a sense of power.

It wasn't until Li Weiguo came across the records of the interrogation of the female elf that things changed.

Looking at the elven captive who was eating and drinking very little and whose bodily functions had ceased.

Li Weiguo felt as if a tiny thorn was stuck in his heart.

The presence of the female elf captive constantly reminded him that humanity's understanding of this world was far from sufficient.

"Since we were able to deal with them once, we can certainly do it many more times in the future. We still need to increase our development efforts and strive to enhance our firepower delivery capabilities. When the enemy comes, we will crush them with overwhelming force!"

After confirming the follow-up to these matters, Li Weiguo then took out the unprocessed documents and reviewed the various compiled survey logs. He also reiterated the importance of finding energy sources.

If the pioneering team can solve the energy problem, the supply of materials transported from the modern world to the other world will be greatly reduced, and the self-sustaining ability of the advance team will be fully formed.

At that time, their headache will be how to use the transportation of otherworldly resources as a cover, rather than providing various forms of cover for the vehicles transporting supplies back and forth.
-

Inside an ordinary-looking minibus in the modern world.

The air conditioning in the car was on full blast, keeping out the heat from outside.

The carriage had been completely crammed with sophisticated instruments and screens that flashed indicator lights.

Wearing a light white dress, Zhong Mengyao opened the car door, carrying a large plastic bag containing milk tea and various cold drinks.

There are Snow King and Luckin Coffee.

"Come on, come on, here's something to cool you down!"

"Wow! Long live Sister Yao! My iced lemonade!" A crew-cut young man, who was staring intently at the screen, shouted without turning his head, stretching out only one hand.

Zhong Mengyao precisely placed the iced drink into his hand, then distributed it to the others, finally keeping a coconut latte for herself.

She found an empty seat, slumped back as if boneless, and let out a long sigh.

"He's still not awake?" she asked.

"Awake? He's sleeping like a log." Xiao Wang, who was in charge of monitoring vital signs, pointed to the heart rate graph on the screen, which was as stable as a straight line. "It's been fifteen hours. His heart rate and breathing are very stable. I wonder if he's having any good dreams!"

Zhong Mengyao poked open the cup lid with a straw and took a big gulp. The cool coconut milk mixed with the slight bitterness of the coffee slid down her throat, finally dispelling some of the stuffiness brought from outside.

"It seems they really are on some special mission."

She swiped open her tablet, which displayed a timeline of actions targeting numerous objectives.

Yesterday afternoon, he sent himself that cryptic message: "I'm going to take a good rest these few days, and I'm going out to the club to train with firearms."

Lin Li sent himself a message, then returned to the hotel, hung up a "Do Not Disturb" sign, and has not been seen outside since.

Given Lin Li's special status, his level of "protection" has been quietly upgraded. This minibus, packed with top-of-the-line equipment, is the latest configuration.

zizi...

The straw made a scraping sound against the bottom of the cup, and Zhong Mengyao shook the cup in dissatisfaction.

"What's going on? Is Snow King cutting corners this badly these days? It was gone in just two bites!"

Hearing this, Lao Zhang, who was in charge of communications, chuckled: "Sister Yao, how about I order you some takeout, like a bucket?"

"Get lost, I'm on a diet!" Zhong Mengyao rolled her eyes at him irritably and threw the empty cup precisely into the trash bag.

She glanced at the monitor again, and after confirming that Lin Li was still lying motionless on the bed, she got up and said, "Alright, you guys keep an eye on things. I'm going to report on my work and take a nap."

"okay!"

Fifteen minutes later, Li Weiguo received a message from Zhong Mengyao about Lin Li.

Seeing that the other person was asleep, and having given a hint, Li Weiguo took out a cigarette.

After thinking for a moment, he gave the members of the transport team who were about to deliver supplies to the other world a new task: to see if there were any unusual changes in the other world, or if they had not found any strangers!

"What caused the other party to fall into a deep sleep? Was that burly man who spoke nonsense earlier his companion? Or was he an alter ego?"

Li Weiguo had no key clues and couldn't figure it out, so he could only guess.

However, he had too many tasks, so he quickly stopped daydreaming and focused on logistics coordination and working with various departments.
-

Another world, a zone of extinct volcanoes.

The dormant volcano, which erupted violently a few days ago due to magical induction, has now returned to its deathly silence, as if the previous apocalypse had never happened.

The magma layer, which was once thousands of degrees Celsius, has been completely cooled and solidified on the surface by the harsh cold of this other world.

Volcanic ash mixed with fresh snow covered this lifeless land with a new layer of silver frost.

"Attention all personnel, we have arrived at the designated location."

Li Jingze's calm voice rang out on all the vehicles' communication channels.

In the sky, several unmanned reconnaissance aircraft had already circled several times, their high-resolution cameras repeatedly scanning every inch of land, but they found no suspicious traces.

"All units, construct defensive lines immediately according to the pre-determined plan and taking advantage of the terrain!"

The rear hatch of the infantry fighting vehicle slammed open, and fully armed soldiers filed out in quick succession. Their movements were swift and precise, and the cold air rushed into the compartment, instantly dispelling the remaining warmth.

They quickly dispersed and unloaded boxes of equipment.

"Class One, wired drones ready!"

"Second Squad, release the mechanical wolves, with a warning range of 800 meters!"

The cable-connected mechanical dog moved silently along its four long metal legs, pushing the perimeter outwards.

More than ten special drones equipped with magic detection devices were also launched into the air to conduct a thorough screening of the surrounding magical fluctuations.

Inside the command vehicle, the magic energy spectrum on the screen was completely stable, without any abnormal spikes.

"Report to command: No magical fluctuations detected in the vicinity."

"Received." Li Jingze's tone remained unwavering. "The reconnaissance battalion is conducting its infiltration and search as planned. The engineering company is commencing operations. I need to see the basic structure of the camp within two hours."

not far away.

Ming Yufei parked his special vehicle steadily in a flat, low-lying area before jumping out of the driver's seat.

"Give me a hand!" Not far away, a comrade was struggling to lift a heavy supply box.

"coming!"

Mingyu strode quickly to the equipment box and skillfully put on a military exoskeleton.

With a soft hum of a motor, the heavy equipment seemed to lose its weight.

"Hey, look at you, so pathetic. Without this iron will, you'd be useless, wouldn't you?" his comrade joked.

"Get lost! If you're so capable, then don't use it."

Ming Yufei easily lifted the 100-kilogram supply box and steadily walked towards the center of the camp. "Big Head, I think when you have time, you should ask the camp commander to replace your entire body with mechanical gear, so you'll never fall down."

"Screw you!"

The scene of hundreds of people working at the same time was extremely spectacular. Modular barracks, automatically deploying defensive fortifications, power lines connecting to the grid... everything was done in an orderly manner, with frighteningly high efficiency.

In less than three hours, a temporary military camp, exuding the power of modern industry, sprang up from the ground.

When it was lunchtime, the soldiers in the mess hall had already set up the large pots.

In the biting cold wind, the caramelized braised pork, the oily stir-fried potatoes, eggplant, and green peppers, and the spicy salmon, a specialty of the Changhu region, with their domineering aroma of both fragrance and spiciness, mixed with the sweet fragrance of cola chicken wings, instantly dispelled the soldiers' fatigue.

A sumptuous meal was precisely delivered to various high-altitude outposts via drones.

After a long day of work, Ming Yufei, whose arms were a little sore, found a sheltered spot to sit down with his shotgun on his back.

He picked up a piece of crispy on the outside and tender on the inside spicy fish and put it in his mouth. The spicy warmth slid down his throat. Looking at his comrades who were still operating drilling equipment to explore for minerals in the distance, he felt extremely at ease.

Just as they finished eating and drinking and were about to lean against the rock wall for a nap to recover their strength, Jiang Ruixuan, a new recruit in the platoon, sneakily approached them.

"Class monitor!" Jiang Ruixuan smiled ingratiatingly, took out a pack of unopened Xiao Su cigarettes from his pocket, and eagerly handed it to Ming Yufei.

Ming Yufei didn't even lift his eyelids, but gestured to the side with his lip.

"Oh, oh!" Jiang Ruixuan finally realized what was happening, and quickly tore open the packaging, handing one to each of the other veterans in the class.

"Get to the point, don't give me that nonsense." Ming Yufei took the cigarette and tucked it behind his ear.

"Hehe, um... class monitor," Jiang Ruixuan rubbed his hands together and lowered his voice, "those hundreds of skeletons were gone before we even really got to fight them, it wasn't enough. Next time... could I ask to use some heavy equipment?"

"You're a special vehicle driver, part-time engineer. Just drive your vehicle and carry your bricks. Why are you always thinking about messing with skeletons?" Ming Yufei glanced at him, leaned against the cold rock, and squinted as the cold wind blew.

Jiang Ruixuan chuckled and didn't refute.

"Are you so desperate for merit?" Ming Yufei's lips curled into a smirk, a smile that carried a hint of knowing-it-all mockery.

Jiang Ruixuan grinned and nodded quite openly this time: "Squad leader, I've heard about your feat of taking down that lava dragon with the transport team last time!"

He gave a thumbs-up, his face full of admiration: "That's awesome! A real man!"

Upon hearing this, Ming Yufei's smile froze instantly, and his heart felt as if it had been lightly but firmly struck, causing an indescribable ache.

ox?
What's so great about you!

If he had taken that extra step back then, his name, Ming Yufei, would have been on the commendation order for the second-class merit! Instead, he ended up with a meaningless collective third-class merit.

If I had been injured, even just bruised, I would have dared to dream of a first-class merit award as long as the mission was accomplished!
The moment this thought popped into Ming Yufei's head, it felt like a bucket of ice water had been poured over him.

"Squad leader, you are my role model! I dream of being like you!" Jiang Ruixuan was still talking non-stop.

"Alright, alright, stop flattering me." Ming Yufei waved his hand impatiently. "Next time we encounter undead, I'll let you fire first! Go and rest, we'll be busy this afternoon."

Jiang Ruixuan was overjoyed and shoved the remaining half pack of cigarettes into Ming Yufei's arms: "Squad leader, it's a deal! You absolutely have to let me go!"

Ming Yufei put the cigarette in his pocket and ignored him.

As Jiang Ruixuan's footsteps faded into the distance, Ming Yufei, who had been feigning sleep, slowly opened his eyes.

He took the cigarette off his ear and lit it silently.

The thought of that gleaming second-class merit medal slipping through my fingers, and later, when I go back to my old unit and drink and brag with my comrades, they'll tell tales of their heroic deeds, while I can only say, "I was there too," is incredibly disheartening...

pain!
The pain is excruciating, like my heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys are all being twisted together!

He exhaled a puff of smoke, which instantly dissipated in the cold wind.

Ming Yufei simply straightened up and stood up.

"Squad leader? Aren't you going to sleep?" asked the comrade next to him.

Ming Yufei tossed the pack of Xiaosu cigarettes over: "You guys split it! I couldn't sleep at noon, so I'm stretching up!"

After saying that, he walked toward the simple drilling platform that was making a buzzing sound not far away, hoping that good news would ease his frustration.

As soon as I got closer, I saw an engineer wearing a helmet gesturing wildly in front of a freshly extracted rock core, his excitement as if he had won the lottery.

"Did you find some treasure?" Ming Yufei asked casually.

"Hey!" The engineer waved his hand eagerly, handing over what he was holding like a treasure. "Squad Leader Ming, come and see this!"

It was a completely black rock with a smooth, mirror-like surface. Under the searchlight, tiny red dots seemed to be moving inside.

It really is obsidian mixed with magic stones!
Moreover, it is a mineral deposit with extremely high purity and containing magical elements!
Others in the unit estimated that the rating would rise again.

Ming Yufei gave a thumbs up: "Awesome, congratulations! You guys keep busy! I'm going to get some fresh air."

He carried his helmet and climbed a high slope next to the camp, the cold wind stinging his cheeks. Looking at the gray sky and earth around him, the anger that had been building up inside him because of missing out on the second-class merit award was impossible to suppress.

Just as I was getting impatient, a hole was torn in the thick clouds, and a long-awaited ray of sunlight shone down.

The sunlight in this other world wasn't intense, but it still made Ming Yufei, who was used to dim light, subconsciously squint.

The light swept across the distant extinct volcano and past an inconspicuous crevice in the mountain.

"Ok?"

Ming Yufei's gaze swept over unintentionally, but suddenly froze.

In the shadows deep within the mountain crevice, something reflected a light—not the blinding brilliance of minerals, but a faint, fleeting flash of red.

Red light? What's that? Could it be something even rarer than magic essence ore?

As soon as the thought crossed his mind, Ming Yufei's heart skipped a beat, and the frustration he had just felt vanished instantly.

An opportunity! On a whim, he turned around and was about to go down the slope to call for help and check the situation.

Suddenly, a loose stone beneath his feet came loose, and he cried out in surprise as he instantly lost his balance.

"I rely on!"

Ming Yufei flailing his arms and legs, rolling down the not-so-steep slope like a gourd. His last thought was that the back of his head made solid contact with a sharp-edged rock, and then everything went black, and he fell completely still.

Upon hearing the commotion, the surrounding soldiers immediately swarmed over.

"Squad leader!" Jiang Ruixuan's cry was the most piercing, almost on the verge of tears.

"Medic! Quick! Medic!"

The military doctor, carrying a medicine box, jogged over, pried open Ming Yufei's eyelids to take a look, and then touched the back of his head before finally letting out a sigh of relief.

"It's nothing, it's not a big problem, he just fainted from the impact."

"Are you really alright? I hope the class monitor didn't get hurt." Jiang Ruixuan asked with concern.

"You're stupid, but even your squad leader isn't stupid." The medic rolled his eyes at him. "Everyone spread out a bit, don't crowd around him, let him catch his breath."

After a flurry of activity, Ming Yufei slowly woke up in just a few minutes.

He felt a buzzing in the back of his head, as if he had been hit on the head with a club, and his eyes were still somewhat glazed. The excitement he had felt when he saw the red light, and his ambition to achieve great things, were all forgotten after this fall.

"Squad leader, you're awake? How are you feeling?" Jiang Ruixuan's large face came closer.

"I...what's wrong with me?"

"You rolled down the slope and got a small cut on your head, but it's nothing serious," the medic joked. "It's not even considered a combat injury. When you get back, you'll have to report it as an accidental fall, and you won't even get any compensation."

The surrounding comrades burst into laughter, and the tense atmosphere immediately eased.

Just then, a loud "boom" came from not far away.

It was the explosives soldiers exploring for mineral resources who detonated the explosives, using the most direct method to open up the mountain and take samples.

Immediately afterwards, cheers erupted from afar.

"A mine has been found! It's high-purity magic red ore!"

"We've struck it rich! This mine is huge!"

Upon hearing this, the last vestiges of confusion in Ming Yufei's mind dissipated. He rubbed his aching head and suddenly understood.

Oh, so it turns out they discovered a magic stone mine.

The red light I just saw was probably the reflection from that thing.

He completely forgot about it, only feeling frustrated about falling down.

No one knew that the explosion had just completely collapsed the entrance to the mountain crevice that was emitting red light, burying all traces.

Unbeknownst to anyone, deep within that pile of freshly turned rubble, a head-sized gem, its surface covered in fine red scales and now entirely crimson from absorbing excessive magic, was greedily drawing upon the magical elements released into the air after the explosion.

The red light on the stone flickered, like a breathing heart.

The explosion buried the glowing stone beneath the ore, obscuring Ming Yufei's view as he attempted to explore. They had survived the most dangerous moment!
-

Another world, in the far north, 150 kilometers from the time portal base.

The wind and snow were like knives, making it impossible to open one's eyes.

A "cat car" painted in snow camouflage and fitted with thick steel plates was bumping and speeding across the snowfield. This four-wheeled special operations vehicle was borrowed by Lin Li from the logistics department.

The cat car is powerful and has a high chassis. It has been modified to drive in snow, making it perfect for rampaging through such a terrible place.

In the driver's seat, Lin Li's face was hidden under a cold-weather mask, with only his eyes showing, his gaze colder than the wind and snow outside the window.

He came for revenge and to seek thrills.

The thought of revenge was like an ice spike stuck in his brain, constantly reminding him of the humiliating experience he had just over a month ago.

A little over a month ago, he arrived in the far north for the first time, and then, in a daze, he was captured by that damned undead leader. He was then dragged like a dead dog to the ice crystal altar, feeling the cold blades cutting through his skin and muscles...

That sense of powerlessness, humiliation, and pain—every time I recall it, the very essence in my blood boils.

As he continuously strengthens his body through source matter, Lin Li, who possesses boundless energy, has almost nowhere to vent it.

In the real world, at the firing range, the spent shell casings he fired could pile up into a small mountain. His strength, speed, and reaction time are constantly pushing new limits.

Lin Li, who was growing stronger and stronger, could no longer be suppressed. Rather than going crazy from being cooped up in the base, he decided to take the initiative and seek out the undead boss for some excitement.

That's why he came here alone.

He uses energy clones, so he's not afraid that the death of his clones will affect him.

The cat-shaped car plowed two deep ruts in the snow, and the outline of the icy blue mountain peak in my memory was faintly visible in the wind and snow.

Just then, the surrounding blizzard intensified without warning, and visibility plummeted to less than five meters. The wind howled sharply, like countless vengeful spirits wailing in our ears.

coming.

Instead of slowing down, Lin Li pressed the accelerator even harder.

Almost simultaneously, a sense of crisis surged from the end of his spine to the top of his head. His body's instinctive reaction was far faster than his brain's thought.

He jerked the steering wheel sharply with his left hand!

The cat-shaped car let out a groan of despair, and its body swung wildly to the right.

boom!
An ice spear shimmering with a ghostly blue light grazed his original spot and slammed into the bulletproof glass in front of the cat car.

The glass, strong enough to withstand large-caliber rifle bullets, seemed to be injected with some kind of structurally disintegrating force the moment it came into contact with the tip of the ice spear. Spiderweb-like cracks spread rapidly, and then it shattered with a "crash"!
The pale blue light dimmed after shattering the glass.

However, the ice spear still had momentum, carrying shards of glass and ice, and rammed heavily into the steel plate of the control panel.

"nail!"

The spearhead trembled violently, no more than thirty centimeters from Lin Li's neck.

The icy cold air mixed with wind and snow instantly filled the entire cab.

Lin Li's heart felt as if it had been squeezed by an invisible hand.

Immediately, a surge of excitement exploded in my chest.

Yes, that's the feeling!

It's that feeling of almost losing your life!
He loved that adrenaline rush!

Without the slightest hesitation, Lin Li gripped the steering wheel firmly with his left hand, letting the cat-shaped car charge through the snow, while his right hand pressed the window lift button.

The icy air rushed through the breathing mask like a knife.

He didn't care at all, and grabbed a pre-prepared squad automatic weapon from the passenger seat.

The ammunition belt was full of special incendiary bombs prepared specifically for these monstrous things.

"Dude, times have changed!"

Lin Li let out a low growl, placed the heavy machine gun on the car window with one hand, aimed it at the direction from which the ice spears were fired, and pulled the trigger directly.

Da da da da da!
The raging flames tore through the white snowstorm, the muzzle flashes turning the surrounding snow a vibrant orange-red. Hot spent cartridge cases clattered and spewed from the ejection port, steaming in the frigid carriage.

Bright tracer bullets, like vengeful swords, pierced precisely into the depths of the blizzard.

In the wind and snow, a withered human silhouette was illuminated by the firelight, and astonishment appeared in its pair of dark blue eyes.

He was then hit by armor-piercing incendiary rounds, and his body exploded like a block of ice!
However, the wind and snow did not stop; instead, they became even more violent.

Even while searching with the isolation measures in place, Lin Li's line of sight became almost invisible.
-

Command Center in another world.

"A super-large magic essence vein has been discovered in the extinct volcano zone!"

The news was like a bomb, instantly detonating the entire command center.

"Haha, I guessed right! How much are the reserves there?"

"Li Jingze's report states that preliminary exploration indicates a minimum yield of tens of thousands of tons!"

"Holy crap, tens of thousands of tons! Now we finally have a supply of explosive stabilizers!"

The amount of magic stone needed is not large. Only a few dozen grams are needed to produce 100 kilograms of TNT to stabilize any potential chemical reactions. Tens of thousands of tons would be enough for a long time.

Amidst the barely suppressed jubilation, Wu Shengli, the newly arrived head of the biological research group, pushed up his glasses, revealing eyes that shone with an alarming intensity.

"I really look forward to seeing weapons made from otherworldly ammunition attack otherworldly creatures."

Su Mingjin wore a rare relaxed smile. She raised her hand and pressed it down, signaling everyone to calm down.

"Gentlemen, Battalion Commander Li Jingze is leading his men to establish an outpost camp on the spot. The mining team will be arriving soon..."

Before she could finish speaking, a communications soldier strode in, stood at attention, and saluted.

"Reporting to General Su, the encrypted information from headquarters and the approval document from Commander Li are also here."

Su Mingjin took the encrypted terminal, unlocked it with her fingerprint, and the file content appeared on the screen.

She scanned the lines one by one, and her tense lips finally relaxed completely.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I have good news," she said, turning off the screen and looking around at everyone. "All the supplies we requested, including heavy engineering equipment and a new batch of special ammunition, have been approved by headquarters and will be shipped immediately."

"Haha, great!" Brigade Commander Man slapped his thigh. "The artillery battalion can finally get new shells. We won't have to be so stingy anymore!"

Commander Fu, standing nearby, grinned and said, "Now we can use it freely. It'll be a good opportunity to loosen up those blind alien creatures."

Amidst the laughter of the crowd, Su Mingjin's expression grew even more serious.

"Besides supplies, Commander Li has another top priority order."

She paused, and the command room immediately fell silent.

"Headquarters has instructed us to intensify monitoring of any unusual environmental conditions in all mission areas and to search with all our might for the presence of a target codenamed 'Target Number 1,' as well as any traces of suspicious individuals."

"Target Number 1?" Brigade Commander Man and Brigade Commander Fu exchanged a glance and tacitly chose to remain silent.

"What specific information?" Commander Man asked directly. "Is it a living organism? An object? Or some kind of phenomenon?"

“All I know is that target number one is humanoid, very similar to the person who opened the time portal before,” the communications officer said, shaking his head. “What I can tell you is that its priority is above all else.”

This news was like a bucket of cold water, extinguishing the enthusiastic atmosphere that many people had just been experiencing, and an invisible pressure enveloped everyone's hearts.

Su Mingjin didn't give everyone much time to process what she was saying. She walked to the huge sand table, picked up the control stick, and pointed to the extinct volcano area.

"No matter what the 'Number One Target' is, we cannot stop moving forward."

"With ample logistics and a strong force, this is the time for us to make our mark. Now, department heads, please stay behind for a short meeting to reorganize tonight's duty schedule and tomorrow's follow-up action plan."

Her voice was calm and powerful, dispelling the unease in everyone's hearts and reigniting their fighting spirit.

Everyone knew that as the exploration deepened, they would face far more than just minerals and resources.

There are other unknown entities in this world; those quirky and unpredictable beings are simply hiding.

They will definitely show their fangs in the future.

Upon arriving at the conference room, everyone reported their findings in turn.

The daily routine of the pioneering team's command was tedious and repetitive.

These tedious and repetitive reports and meetings determine exactly how much of the mission the frontline troops need to accomplish, the level of danger of the mission, and so on...

After the meeting ended and some details about what happened that night were discussed, Su Mingjin's gaze swept over everyone, and her voice returned to its usual calm.

"Gentlemen, is there any other news to report?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Wu Shengli, the leader of the biological research group, stood up.

"Report to General Su! Our life sciences team has completely disassembled the griffin! We discovered quite a few clues and have some hypotheses along the way."

His shout drew everyone's attention.

Commander Man immediately asked, "Professor Wu, please speak in a way we can understand. What important discovery have you made?"

"This is a griffin! After disassembling the griffin and its saddle, we found that the griffin's saddle is not very suitable for elves to use, but is more suitable for us humans to control!"

"What? What do you mean?"

“Elves have very sensitive ears. Strong winds, accompanied by noise, can cause elves to lose their senses. We didn’t find any isolation devices on the griffin’s saddle, but we found this.”

Wu Shengli strode to the front of the stage, skillfully brought up the projector, and an image appeared.

It was a long whistle, made of iron, and completely different in style from the jewelry and weapons made by elves.

“We extracted some specimens from inside the whistle for research and found that the owner of the whistle was probably completely different from the elf, and the griffin knight was very likely human.”

Everyone's eyes lit up when they saw this: "You mean the griffin is being controlled by humans!"

Wu Shengli nodded: "Yes, this means we can try to tame the griffin."

He continued pressing the button, and a detailed three-dimensional anatomical diagram of a griffin appeared on the screen.

Wu Shengli pointed to the brain section in the anatomical diagram, his tone tinged with a hint of smugness.

"The complexity of the griffin's brain structure far exceeds our expectations. Its temporal lobe can process complex vocalizations, and its prefrontal cortex has highly developed spatial awareness. Most importantly, we have reason to suspect that it possesses an extremely strong learning ability!"

Brigade Commander Fu raised an eyebrow: "Learning ability? You mean, it can learn from us?"

“That’s right!” Wu Shengli emphasized. “It may have been observing us all along, learning our tactics, and even trying to understand how our weapons work. This isn’t just a wild beast; it’s a thinking enemy! And they each have their own masters!”

A slight commotion broke out in the command room.

Beasts with immense strength are troublesome enough, but beasts that can learn and think pose a completely different level of danger.

If griffins are highly intelligent, then are other super creatures in this world equally intelligent?
Giants, elves, dwarves, dragons, and griffins all revealed their extraordinary nature, and who knows how many strange and wonderful creatures this world has!

"Their respective masters?"

"Yes, their respective masters! Based on the previous saddle manufacturing process and the various supplies carried by the griffin saddle, we have confirmed that the griffin's master is not an elf, but it may be due to magic that the griffin is helping the elves fight against us!"

"Ladies and gentlemen, my analysis of social sciences is not very sound. Let me just tell you about our findings."

Wu Shengli swiped his finger across the projection screen, and the image switched to the griffin's throat.

"This is the griffin's most terrifying weapon. A special frequency-vibration cavity can instantly convert airflow into directional ultrasonic waves covering a range of 0.1 to 100 kHz. After being catalyzed by magical particles, these ultrasonic waves are suspected of being able to generate powerful shockwaves!"

He paused, looked at the two brigade commanders with puzzled expressions, and then used a more colloquial way of putting it.

"Two brigade commanders, let me put it this way. If this thing roars at a squad of infantry at a distance of 30 meters, the sound can make them bleed from all seven orifices and lose their fighting ability."

"Zhao Chong's squadron was lucky before. It's estimated that the elf who captured the griffin was afraid of us having mechanical weapons and didn't dare to attack us at close range. If the other side had launched a sneak attack, the unit would definitely have suffered heavy casualties."

The crowd's faces turned serious: "Then when we encounter them in the future, we should take the initiative and be the first to attack."

Wu Shengli did not respond, but continued, "The other party's special frequency vibration cavity is very powerful. I have applied to replicate the structure of that organ."

"If we could produce this special weapon, and turn it to its maximum power, we could definitely create a directional audio vibration cannon! It could easily kill people invisibly!"

"Hiss—" one of the staff officers gasped.

“This is just the appetizer.” Wu Shengli’s interest was even higher. He pointed to the griffin’s feathers, “Its barbs are arranged in a hook-and-loop pattern, a natural Z-shaped weave, with performance comparable to our best bulletproof fibers. These feather materials are also very good materials for research and imitation.”

"I estimate that it won't be long before a brand new bulletproof vest made of griffin feathers appears."

"Besides this, there's the griffin's pectoral muscles!" The scene shifts again. "We discovered that griffins contain a high-energy myoglobin that stores more than twenty times the oxygen of humans."

"This is also the key to the griffin's sonic attack. If we can crack its enhancement mechanism, we can apply it to the equipment of special forces. If we can fully absorb and digest it, and then put it into humans, human soldiers can carry a 50-kilometer cross-country run as easily as taking a walk after a meal!"

Finally, he pointed to the stark white bones.

"The honeycomb-like hollow structure of the griffin has a density only 40% that of mammals of similar size, but its compressive strength is approaching that of titanium alloy! This type of structure can be used for some of the support materials of our reconnaissance drones, and for various lightweight supports, to reduce empty weight and increase payload!"

"So precious?"

“Yes, griffins are full of biological treasures that can be absorbed and learned from!” Wu Shengli proudly pushed up his glasses.

Amidst gasps of amazement, Su Mingjin remained calm throughout. She waited until everyone had processed the information before speaking slowly, her words bringing everyone's excitement back to reality.

"Team Leader Wu, these findings are astonishing. But how can you prove that the elves don't seem to be the knights controlling the griffins, and why humans are the knights of these griffins?"

(End of this chapter)