Steel torrents pioneering a different world

Chapter 182 The Ghostly Attack of Bose-Einstein Condensates (Please Subscribe)

“Report…Report!”

Everyone looked over and saw that it was Wang Hu, who was following Deng Dakang.

"Comrade Wang Hu, what's the matter?"

"Um, report, I think I know what this thing is!"

Everyone looked at Wang Hu in surprise.

"That thing looks like a Bose-Einstein condensate weapon!"

"Bose-Einstein condensate? A weapon?" A particle physicist, who had been frowning, thought for a moment when he heard this, then his eyes gradually lit up.

"What is a Bose-Einstein condensate weapon?" Commander Man was completely baffled!
"Um, I saw a movie where these things looked a lot like them! The only difference was that their appearance was visible to the naked eye, not through special glasses or partial illumination."

The group exchanged bewildered glances, and when they looked at Wang Hu again, their faces held a mixture of unreliable trust and distrust.

Before Deng Dakang could say anything more, the frowning particle physicist suddenly raised his hand: "Gentlemen, this young comrade is absolutely right! This thing really does possess many of the characteristics of Bose-Einstein condensates!"

"Professor Qian, could you elaborate?"

"Professor Qian, please speak quickly! Something's wrong with this thing. Those elves are running this way; it seems like they're leading those guys here!"

Upon hearing the intelligence report, Professor Qian no longer hesitated and quickly said, "That young comrade is absolutely right. These things are indeed very similar. They have an ultra-low temperature condensation form and can switch back and forth between the virtual and the real, and they have almost no weight."

As he spoke, he had someone play a recording of the elf's counterattack, but the ghost, despite being hit, appeared to be alive even after the wound was pierced.

"Look at this, everyone! After being attacked, the ghost quickly reforms. Its special state of condensation not only gives it immense power, but also the ability to ignore physical armor defenses!"

"The low-temperature phenomenon of these ghosts contacting living organisms is actually quantum tunneling infection, and their trajectory violates the second law of thermodynamics, all of which are characteristics of Bose-Einstein condensates. In addition, when the opponent attacked, it left frozen marks on the treetops, and the frozen treetops probably had broken internal molecular bonds. Besides this, the opponent's splitting into infinitely self-similar iterations also conforms to many characteristics of Bose-Einstein condensates!"

The conference room fell silent as Professor Qian rattled off a barrage of technical terms.

Even professors like Deng Dakang, who specialize in biology and microbiology, felt as if they were listening to gibberish.

My mind is buzzing, my head is blank.

If he was like this, one can only imagine how rough and uncultured the brigade commander and others were.

In the end, it was Su Mingjin who raised her hand to interrupt Professor Qian's increasingly enthusiastic popular science talk. She tapped the table with her index finger, and the tapping sound brought everyone's attention back.

“Professor Qian, thank you for your explanation. But we're not in class right now, and time is of the essence.” Su Mingjin spoke quickly. “Please tell everyone directly what the weaknesses of this thing are? And how can we effectively destroy them?”

Professor Qian's cheeks flushed slightly as he was interrupted, and he realized that he had lost his composure.

He quickly cleared his throat and adjusted his glasses: "Sorry, I got a little excited. If my deduction is correct, this kind of condensed matter structure is most vulnerable to two things: strong magnetic field interference and strong microwave pulses."

“Strong magnetic fields can cause their structures to collapse instantly, while strong microwaves can disrupt their quantum-locked state from the inside. In addition, high temperatures can also have some effect. For example, thermite weapons, the high temperature and magnetic turbulence generated at the moment of explosion, can theoretically kill them effectively! But... whether they can be completely killed by the interference of magical particles, I can’t say for sure!”

"A strong magnetic field environment!" A person in charge of logistics had his eyes light up. "I remember we transported a large pulse ground-penetrating radar from the modern world to explore mineral veins in this other world!"

"That thing is for detection, not a weapon!" someone immediately retorted. "The power is simply not enough. To convert it into a super high-power directed energy weapon, it would take at least a day or two! By the way, don't we have pulse weapons for anti-drone use? Those also have strong electromagnetic interference capabilities, we can give them a try."

"Then bring them over!" Su Mingjin decided decisively. "Order the logistics department to bring over any usable equipment! Modify what can be modified as soon as possible, and send what can't be modified to the front lines. Maybe it can play a disruptive role!"

"Yes!"

"Gentlemen, let's brainstorm, what other ideas are there?"

"In terms of electromagnetics, we can try creating a simple Faraday cage environment! Use a high-voltage power grid to isolate key areas. Even if we can't eliminate them temporarily, we can at least prevent them from getting close!"

"Bose-Einstein condensates are very sensitive to electromagnetic fields, so we can directly mass-produce iron filings and seal them off..."

"There are plenty of materials available at the mine for making thermite bombs. We can urgently produce a batch of thermite grenades and incendiary bombs with added iron to enhance the frontline troops' offensive capabilities!"

"can!"

"Ceramic mixed with iron filings..."

With everyone contributing their ideas, seemingly far-fetched yet scientifically feasible solutions were quickly put together, finally easing the oppressive atmosphere in the meeting room somewhat.

Deng Dakang's gaze inadvertently swept across the corner, only to find that Wang Hu had been frowning, looking as if he wanted to say something but couldn't.

A thought struck him, and he asked, "Wang Hu, just say what you have to say. Don't hold back. Any idea you have could save your life right now."

When his name was called, Wang Hu jolted and stood up straight. Meeting the gazes of the group of bigwigs, he nervously swallowed before stammering, "Um... Reporting to the leaders, in the movie I watched... even if these guys are destroyed, they will regroup before long."

He paused, his voice trembling slightly with nervousness, but the words he uttered were crystal clear.

"If... if they really are ghosts formed from Bose-Einstein condensates, then they likely also have... also have a core source, like a resurrection point. Only by finding and destroying that source can we truly and completely eliminate them!"

"Respawn point?"

These three words were like a bucket of ice water, instantly extinguishing the flame of hope that had just been ignited in the conference room.

The crowd, who had just been engaged in a heated discussion, fell silent, their faces filled with solemnity.

Commander Man frowned deeply!
All the methods they painstakingly devised, from strong magnetic fields to the thermite mixed with iron powder, turned out to be merely temporary fixes.
Those weird creatures can actually come back to life after being defeated?
How can we fight like this!
A chill ran down everyone's spine, and the atmosphere in the conference room instantly plummeted to freezing point.

"We can't find the enemy's energy gathering point in a short time, hmm, the respawn point, right?"

"We can only test them one by one! But the other world is so vast, and the magic they released spreads so rapidly. Right now, the energy fluctuations in the forest area are relatively large, but there haven't been any obvious changes in the areas we control!"

"President Su, how about we go for it? Maozi Technology, simple, direct, and efficient, let's just try our luck!"

Looking at the forests covering the southern region, Su Mingjin sighed softly, as if a piece of her own flesh had been cut off.

"What wonderful land... It was originally a great place for us to grow vegetables and farm."

Unfortunately, afterward, Su Mingjin raised her head, the regret in her eyes vanished, replaced by decisiveness.

"Authorized attack".

Since we couldn't pinpoint the exact location of the spring, we simply scoured all the places that might have been springs!
The order was given, and the rocket force began its operation.

Drones and other equipment began to quickly withdraw to avoid being caught in the crossfire.

The coordinates are the same coordinates that Deng Dakang just pointed out!
Soon, a dazzling light appeared on the screen.

The mini-sun exploded again, but this time with extraordinary high temperatures and a powerful shockwave...

A 50,000-ton yield, with destructive power exceeding 100 million degrees Celsius, instantly turned an area spanning several kilometers into glass!
Everyone was staring intently at the energy curve.

The curve that had been stubbornly climbing suddenly plummeted as if it had been kicked down from the sky!

Although it did not completely return to zero, the downward trend was far stronger than before, and in the end only a slight fluctuation remained, like an earthworm slowly crawling on its last legs.

"Ha, it's a success?"

"Haha, a few more rounds! Let's see if your magic is harder, or our truth is harder!"

Suppressed cheers erupted in the command room.

"Should the magical energy fluctuations in the most active areas have been completely dispelled?" someone asked excitedly.

"Let's use the drones to surround and take a look!"

"Yes!"

Soon, good news came from over there.

Drones hovering dozens of kilometers away transmitted the devastation there.

Highly vitrified, subjected to high-temperature burning, resulting in extensive damage.

But what's surprising is that there are also ghosts among them!

The energy that was about to be depleted is now slowly rising.

It's about the speed at which an old lady climbs stairs.

Although it was slow, this terrible discovery left everyone looking rather grim.

"Wasn't it completely destroyed?"

"Damn! It's not an energy node?"

"Any other points?"

"A few more rounds?"

"Is the entire forest the source of this magic? If it continues to be released, this area won't be habitable for a while."

Deng Dakang frowned and sighed, "According to the prisoner Annie, this magic won't stop until it exhausts its last bit of energy or kills us all. We've probably given it a major bloodletting, but we haven't completely destroyed it!"

A single nuclear bomb did not completely destroy the elves' forbidden magic; it only significantly delayed its progress.

However, the delay was enough time for humanity to make detailed preparations!
"Gentlemen, although the Weapon of Truth did not completely destroy the enemy, it has given us a lot of time. Let's speed up our analysis and gather intelligence!"

"it is good!"

The command center then made adjustments despite the difficulties.

For example, adjusting special attack equipment specifically designed to deal with condensed ghosts, and deploying units equipped with strong magnetic force.

The logistics department is also urgently contacting the industrial production center in the rear to quickly gather a batch of magnets, iron filings, and key materials for making Faraday cages.

All units of the army were in action, and Gong Pengfei, who was shouldering a heavy responsibility, once again held a latest battlefield video and pushed open the door where the prisoner Annies was being held.

Annie, who had been called back, sat in a chair and instinctively flinched when she heard the door open.

Gong Pengfei tried his best to keep his face from looking too cold.

He then placed a tablet in front of her, tapped the screen with his fingertip, and started playing a video.

"Ms. Annies, is this the Nightmare of the Ruins?"

On the screen, the twisted humanoid figures made of translucent energy were indiscriminately attacking all living things in the forest, including even a small group of elven ranger warriors fleeing in disarray.

Annies's face turned deathly pale instantly. She instinctively hugged her arms and nodded vigorously: "Yes...it's the terrifying nightmare!"

Gong Pengfei paused the image and zoomed in on the most grotesque face. The face still vaguely resembled an elf, but the features were distorted, and only empty resentment remained in the eyes.

Do you recognize this... Nightmare?

Annies's pupils contracted sharply when her gaze fell on that face.

She bit her lip, as if summoning great courage, before leaning closer to examine it more closely.

After a moment, she nodded, her voice barely audible: "Lady Tiaret... Lady Tiaret of New Erigian! Your Excellency, Priest! He has become a sacrificial offering?"

"Oh? High Priest? New Arigian City?" Gong Pengfei raised an eyebrow slightly, his tone revealing neither joy nor anger. "How did he become like this?"

"I... I can only tell you this much, otherwise it would be a leak!" Annie seemed to remember something, suddenly shrank back, and shook her head repeatedly.

Gong Pengfei didn't press her; instead, he pushed a steaming cup of milk tea in front of her.

“Ms. Annies, don’t be alarmed.” He said gently, “Look at what the once noble Lady Tiaret has become. A horrible ghost that hates all living beings, even slaughtering her own kind.”

"It has become the enemy of all living beings in the forest."

Annie held the warm cup, but her fingertips were icy cold, and her eyes were full of struggle.

Gong Pengfei saw this and, having gained a better understanding of the situation, continued to gradually increase his bets.

"You say forbidden magic is dangerous, always something that hurts the enemy a thousand while damaging yourself eight hundred. Ms. Anise, during their attack on us, we were forced to launch some counterattacks, and then we discovered that these magics had been revived and were now attacking the elves frantically! Do you think this magic is still under your control?"

He paused for a moment, then posed the most crucial question.

"Tell me, how many of your kind will it kill... Okay, do you think that after these things have wiped us out, they might turn around... and go for a stroll in New Erigian?"

These words struck Annes like a heavy hammer.

Gong Pengfei leaned back in his chair, observing her reaction with leisurely composure.

“Ms. Annies, you are a kind elf. You dislike bloodshed and killing, but you have no resistance to sweets and cute little animals.”

"Kind-hearted people like you wouldn't want to see the beautiful new city of Erigian turn into a ghost town where only wandering souls reside, would you?"

That last sentence completely shattered Annie's psychological defenses.

Her eyes reddened, and she could no longer hold back her tears.

"I said……"

……

A dozen minutes later, at the command post.

Gong Pengfei appeared on the big screen, reporting the hot intelligence he had just obtained.

"...The Nightmare of Return to Nothingness is born through a ritual of sacrificing life and blood. Conventional physical destruction is ineffective; they can indeed resurrect using energy arrays!"

"According to Annies, our analysis suggests that as long as we keep destroying the entire spellcasting array, at least destroying the array's core, we can stop the enemy's attack!"

"Besides this, we can also destroy the ghost's form multiple times to allow it to regenerate on its own, and then observe where these things respawn from. Generally, the respawn point is most likely the location of the array's core."

The meeting room fell silent. Hearing that there were more methods, many people breathed a sigh of relief.

"At least we have another way to find those weird guys."

"Is this some kind of 'spot the difference' game?"

"You should call it whack-a-mole!"

"Haha, yes, it's still a super-enhanced version of whack-a-mole, but this time the mole will bite people to death."

With a smile, Su Mingjin interrupted the discussion and cut straight to the point: "Gentlemen, the mission needs to be adjusted. How long will it take for the special equipment we had the rear design and adjust to reach the front lines? How are the preparations at the front going?"

The logistics manager immediately replied, "Reporting to General Su, it will take at least seven hours to transport it. Preparations at the front are complete!"

Seven hours.

"We still have enough time! The energy fluctuations are gathering at a slower pace, so we still have some time." Su Mingjin rubbed her temples. "Have the elven envoys received any important information?"

"Professor Yu Qiwen is questioning us!"

Su Mingjin frowned slightly: "Are you confident? Those elf messengers probably won't confess in such a short time, right?"

"President Su, according to Professor Yu Qiwen, they are collaborating with AI experts this time and are preparing to use new technologies."

Upon hearing this, Su Mingjin nodded: "Notify us immediately when there are results. How are the other units preparing?"

"Ready at all the time!"

……

A few kilometers away from the command center, three temporary houses made from shipping containers form a unique prison.

Compared to the impregnable elven prison at the rear headquarters, this place appears exceptionally simple, even somewhat shabby.

The three elf messengers were separated and imprisoned in cell walls with soundproofing and insulation, preventing them from communicating through shouting or similar means.

The cold handcuffs and the buzzing anti-magic device in the corner were their only roommates.

The anti-magic device flickered with a faint blue light, firmly pinning down any possibility of the spirit going berserk.

Apart from the regularly delivered water and a few bland fruits, there was nothing else in the room.

The overhead cameras and microphones record their every subtle expression and every silent breath.

The three elven messengers, led by Celine, were prepared to die the moment they set foot on human territory.

After the three elven messengers arrived at the human camp, negotiations failed, and they were released only to be captured again. Their attitude towards humans was now solely hatred; nothing else mattered. Traditional interrogation methods are ineffective against elves with unwavering resolve and deep-seated hatred.

However, Professor Yu Qiwen's team is not going to follow the usual path.

There's a saying that goes, "Technology changes power," and face-swapping technology has officially entered the scene.

This is the ninth hour the elves have been imprisoned.

In the distance between the three detention cells, in the command room filled with equipment, Professor Yu Qiwen was staring at the information flashing on the screen.

"Professor, all behavioral models and voice data of the target have been completed," a young technician reported, a hint of excitement on his face.

"Have the motion capture suits been matched?" Yu Qiwen pushed up his glasses.

"Perfect match for you! You can also communicate online anytime according to the script."

Yu Qiwen nodded, took a deep breath, then stood up and said to the two people waiting beside him, "Come on, do my makeup."

The two immediately surrounded them, holding in their hands a set of exquisitely tailored elven clothing.

Yu Qiwen, a scholar who was over fifty years old and thin, was forced into this close-fitting outfit, and his expression was extremely awkward.

"This is the first time in my life I've worn women's clothing."

He muttered to himself as he let someone put a dark green wig on his head.

"Professor, please don't look so sad."

A soldier in charge of makeup suppressed a laugh as he quickly applied powder puffs to the man's face, soon creating a pale, elfin-looking makeup.

Looking at his own incongruous reflection in the mirror, Yu Qiwen's eye twitched: "The women's clothes are so ugly! I'll only dress as a woman this once, and whoever wants to dress up can do it next time!"

"Professor, perhaps your offline makeup is a bit...unusual. But please have basic confidence in the technological achievements of our AI department!" The technician pointed to the camera in front of him. "The show is about to begin! Professor, please hurry up and do the homophony test."

Yu Qiwen took a few deep breaths and then sat down in front of the computer screen.

The screen in front of him split in two.

On the left is a live feed of his comical cross-dressing elf cosplay.

The image on the right is rendered in real time by AI.

The power of technology is on full display at this moment.

His face, which had become somewhat stiff from years of hunching over a desk, softened and became more feminine under the flow of data…

On the computer screen, his jawline narrowed, his cheekbones were subtly adjusted, and his scholarly eyes were reshaped into the almond shape unique to elves, cool and proud.

In just a few seconds, the face on the right screen became identical to that of the captured female elf named Ilana in the database.

"Professor, clear your throat and test your voice. We need to confirm the resonance of your voices one last time!" the technician prompted.

Yu Qiwen coughed twice and tentatively asked, "Are you... all alright?"

His own voice was deep and hoarse, but what came out of the speaker was an ethereal and clear female voice, even mimicking the unique tone that belonged to an elf.

"Wow," Yu Qiwen was stunned, "this technique is truly unbelievable."

"Professor, the scenario is ready! Please change locations!"

"Understood! Get ready!" Yu Qiwen went directly to the location he had designated.

The technician snapped his fingers, and the whole team waited for the final act to begin.

Soon, the image of Celine's cell was displayed on their computer screens.

She was sitting against the wall with her eyes closed, seemingly indifferent to everything around her.

"Professor, get into position."

Upon hearing this, Yu Qiwen, who was on the other side, took a deep breath and adopted a more feminine posture.

He was a very important key figure in this meticulously planned "fellow villagers meeting" event.

On the other side, inside the prison where Celine was held, the air was stagnant.

Celine was restrained, her feet were shackled, and she was strapped to the interrogation table. Apart from the buzzing of the anti-magic device, she could hear almost nothing else.

At this moment, she had her eyes closed, her expression almost one of sacred tranquility.

It's almost time.

The Nightmare of Return to Nothingness, that great yet cruel bloody forbidden magic, must be blooming on human land right now, turning all flesh and soul into nourishment for nothingness, right?

My life is about to return to the embrace of the Mother Goddess!

It's worth it to exchange my death for the lamentations of human civilization.

Suddenly, the door was opened.

The iron gate was opened, and with a cold wind, Gong Pengfei and Tang Huanzhu appeared.

This time, Yu Qiwen, whom she wished she could kill and who had repeatedly broken her psychological defenses, did not appear here.

"Hello, Ms. Celine!"

The elf Celine gave a cold laugh, then turned her head away in silent protest.

“Ms. Celine, I think you must be very curious as to why, after so much time has passed, you and we haven’t been killed by those ghosts, have we?” Gong Pengfei spoke in very broken Elvish.

Celine glanced at the other person, then sneered, "It was only a matter of time!"

"Really?" Gong Pengfei laughed, then put on a serious face.

Tang Huanzhu, standing next to him, began to open the box in his hand, revealing the special equipment inside—a projector.

Soon, the projector was turned on.

laugh--

A screen of light was projected onto the wall.

Gong Pengfei's voice rang out: "Ms. Celine! You should be very curious about what your people's efforts to buy you in the end resulted in."

The images on the light screen began to flow.

At first, it was a forest that Celine knew very well, quiet and deep.

Seeing all this, Celine's heart skipped a beat; it was a feeling of longing.

Soon, a thin mist began to spread, and an ominous aura began to appear.

When the translucent, distorted figure appeared in the woods, Celine's breathing quickened.

The ghosts of the Ruins of Desolation, those terrifying, murderous monsters...

In her expectant gaze, she saw a scene of despair.

The ghosts passed through the trees, through the rocks, and then... through the bodies of her fellow beings.

She saw a lithe elven warrior charging through the horde of ghosts, arrows piercing the void in vain, his life force drained in an instant, leaving him a withered, cold shell as he fell.

One after another.

Familiar faces wither away in silent despair.

Celine's body trembled, tears welled in her eyes, and then a fanatical, twisted smile bloomed on her face.

"Hahaha... Hahahaha! Do you see that, humans! This is your future! You will soon become fertilizer for the forest, just like them!" Her laughter echoed in the small space, filled with a splendid and strangely exhilarating pleasure.

Gong Pengfei remained silent for a moment, waiting for Celine to finish her tantrum.

“Isn’t it spectacular? We admit that the power of this magic exceeded our expectations.”

Gong Pengfei pressed the button, and the screen suddenly switched.

The viewpoint was elevated to an altitude of 10,000 meters, overlooking the land shrouded in gray fog.

The next second, a small sun suddenly appeared on the horizon.

There was no sound, only a pure, pristine white expanse.

Celine's laughter stopped abruptly, and her pupils shrank to pinpoints.

As the light faded, large swathes of the forest for which she had given her life, the land that had nurtured countless lives, were erased from the map.

A huge, smooth sinkhole, as if formed by burning glass, replaced everything there.

Fear, like a cold hand, gripped her heart.

what is that?
Is it divine punishment?
This was the first time she had seen these things with her own eyes.

It's truly... spectacular and terrifying!
"What...what have you done?!" she screamed at Gong Pengfei, her calm facade shattered.

"We simply pressed the switch," Gong Pengfei said calmly. "Lady Celine, we have always held goodwill toward the nobility. Unfortunately, you elves always try to make things look so ugly. In comparison, our fellow members of the Yun clan are much more pragmatic."

Tang Huanzhu, who was standing next to her, smiled and pressed a button, and then the projected light screen switched again.

The image shows an iron house.

A group of elves sat together, chatting and laughing. They were dressed in clean clothes, had rosy complexions, and some were even leisurely weaving flower wreaths.

It was those captured members of the Yun clan!

"Traitor! Damn traitor!" Celine's eyes were bloodshot as she frantically lunged at the wall, the handcuffs and shackles clanging loudly against the metal chair as she struggled. "They all deserve to die! They all deserve to die!"

She was like a wild beast trapped in a cage, futilely venting her anger and despair.

“Lady Celine, you want to be our enemies, while the Cloud Clan has chosen to be our friends. We have always been generous to our friends!”

“When we head to New Erigian City, we will treat them differently as well,” Gong Pengfei’s voice rang out again.

Just as Celine was struggling and on the verge of emotional collapse, Tang Huanzhu pressed the controllable projection screen again.

The third change occurred.

This time, the footage is no longer a cold battlefield recording, but rather a very luxurious prison.

An elven woman, her back to the camera, sat in a corner, her figure slender, laughing as she watched some strange scenes that Celine did not understand.

"Ilana, a friend is here to see you!"

Upon noticing the sound, the female elf slowly turned around.

When Celine saw that face clearly, her blood seemed to freeze instantly.

It was a face she remembered vividly—slender, beautiful, and possessing the ethereal grace unique to the Yun clan.

That figure, the one who had defeated her, Celine, on the training field, was a descendant of Lani of the Yun clan whom she greatly admired.

“Ilana…” Celine’s voice was extremely dry, almost as if it were being squeezed out of her throat.

Meanwhile, inside the temporary command center.

Professor Yu Qiwen was striking the same pose as Ilana.

The technician waved his hand, signaling not to get distracted!
Yu Qiwen took a deep breath before speaking softly in a tone that was a mixture of exhaustion, surprise, and a touch of vulnerability.

Under the watchful eyes of the technicians, Ilana's lips moved, and her ethereal yet familiar voice clearly reached Celine's ears.

"Cerine...you...how did you get here too?"
-
at the same time.

The forward command post, located near the special forces base in the southern forest belt.

After the elves launched their attack, the initial tension subsided, and the atmosphere shifted slightly.

The special forces soldiers have extremely high psychological resilience. Once they confirmed that the enemy would not attack for the time being, they began to relax.

Fully armed, some were wiping their weapons, the clanging of metal ringing out crisply and rhythmically; others were lazily sleeping; and still others were on duty, saluting and watching their surroundings, on guard against any potential enemy attacks.

The butcher was currently using an oilcloth to slowly and meticulously maintain a tactical dagger.

A communications officer, wearing military boots, strode in, carrying a tactical tablet.

"Butcher Squadron, new mission."

The butcher immediately stood up: "Please speak."

"New orders from command: depart for a new mission once equipment and supplies are in place. The mission objective is to conduct a reverse search along the route taken by the three elf messengers to find possible magical anchor points or specific magical items."

A team member who was loading bullets into a magazine stopped.

"Find something? What kind of thing? Something that glows or smokes? You need to give me a reference point, right?"

The communications officer swiped open the tablet, brought up a map, and marked a winding route with a red line.

That was the general route the elves took from the southern forests to the human settlements.

"There were no specific, nor any delicate objects. The think tank analyzed the magic cast by the elves, and then considered that the ghosts that might attack could be attracted by a magical beacon, or perhaps..."

The communications officer's expression was somewhat strange.

"Of course, it could also be some biological tissue, such as hair or dandruff."

The entire lounge fell silent for a moment.

The veteran soldier who had just asked the question under the Butcher's command pushed a bright yellow bullet into the magazine.

"You want our team to go out into the vast forest and find a few strands of elf hair?" he grinned. "Shouldn't we also get a magnifying glass and tweezers?"

The butcher's brow furrowed: "Destroy it once you find it?"

"Yes, the previous battle briefing said that the ghosts released by the forbidden magic might follow the elves and attack us..." The communications officer quickly and simply explained the matter of the forbidden magic.

Hearing this, the Butcher frowned: "Is it possible that there was no beacon at all? And those three elves were the bait, the beacon themselves?"

The communications officer nodded: "This is another guess from the think tank. The troops have already arranged for people to send the three elves into the forest. Your squadron's mission is to eliminate all impossibilities. You must confirm and search for any devices or possible media left along the route; no clue can be overlooked."

"Understood!" The butcher saluted again. "We're professionals at clearing out the remnants and cleaning up the battlefield."

"Then let's prepare to depart immediately," the vice-captain replied.

"Hey, no rush." ​​The communications officer waved his hand. "There's another batch of new equipment on its way, specially allocated for this mission. They said it's protective gear for everyone, and it should come in very handy."

The butcher raised an eyebrow: "Protective equipment? What good stuff is that?"

"It's supposedly a device that can interfere with those condensed ghosts. After we entered the forest, besides the traditional forest enemies, there were some..."

As the communicator recounted the ghost story, the expressions of the Butcher Special Forces members gradually turned serious.

"A dangerous and difficult mission, but the higher-ups still really favor us." The old man laughed, revealing a set of white teeth. "Exciting!"

The butcher clapped his hands, attracting everyone's attention.

"Gentlemen, did you all hear that? Our superiors value us, and our country is watching us! Gentlemen, get your gear ready. This mission is extremely dangerous, but also very interesting. I hope you all come back safely for a drink!"

He glanced at his teammates, then slowly raised his hand.

Everyone saluted each other!

Everyone knows that a tough battle is about to begin!

(End of this chapter)