Warhammer: The Time Traveler

Chapter 277 S.A. Wellstan (Fourteenth Update)
Valerie released Sianwistan, and a slight, uniquely felt sense of nervous fatigue washed over her, but it was quickly calmed down by the system.

The surface of the Iron Guard prototype she was piloting was still radiating a faint heat from the spot where the psionic shock had struck.

The machine's data recorder faithfully recorded the overload data of that instant, the detailed parameters of the armor's ability to withstand the attack, and valuable information about the application of the S.A.S. system in actual combat.

Jack let out a sigh of relief, and his bodyguard walked over. "Damn, that scared me! What's wrong with that kid? He suddenly exploded?"

Sheriff Atkins, his face ashen, walked to the pile of ashes and carefully brushed away the residue with his tactical boots.

“It’s an unguided psionicist who awakened out of control under extreme emotions.” His voice was low, with obvious lingering fear. “The bottom of the hive city is indeed a breeding ground for such dangers.”

Although this is only a low-level psionicist, and he has only recently awakened, he is already capable of causing such destruction.

He looked up and glanced around at his still-shaken teammates, then added in a serious tone, "A truly powerful psionicist is said to be able to crush your Iron Guard into a metal ball with just a glance."

The one we've encountered today is, at best, a baby who has just learned to crawl.

Rebecca curled her lip: "Tch, I thought he was so tough, but he was gone with one shot."

Even so, she was startled just now and almost aimed the plasma cannon at that spot, but luckily Mann reacted faster.

Falco reported: "Scans show no signs of life in the lobby; threat eliminated."

Mower slid silently down a high pipe, shook his head silently, indicating that he had not found anything else unusual.

The battle seems to be truly over.

The team members began clearing the battlefield, while the bailiffs were busy taking care of the wounded and waiting for the medical team sent by their superiors.

Sheriff Atkins began directing his men to collect evidence of cult activities. Although the altar was destroyed, some of the scattered items and symbols around it might still be of research value.

Mann walked over to Valerie's bodyguard and asked through the external loudspeaker, "Valerie, how is the machine?"

"The armor sustained minor damage, but the system is functioning normally. The combat data from the S.A.S. system has been recorded," Valerie reported concisely.

Mann nodded, then looked at Jack: "Jack, where's your mech?"

"Everything's fine, it's just a bit of a shame I didn't get a chance to show off my skills just now." Jack's voice still carried a hint of eagerness.

Mann ignored Jack's teasing. While signaling his team to retreat from the blood-soaked and acrid hall in tactical formation, he quickly compiled the battle data in his mind.

Two Iron Guard prototypes led the way with heavy steps, while bailiffs carefully escorted the wounded on stretchers, following closely behind.

When they stepped back into the rusty giant freight elevator, and the heavy gates slowly closed behind them, temporarily isolating them from the suffocating darkness and filth of the bottom nest, Mann finally reported to Chen Yu, who was far away in Neksam, through an encrypted communication link.

The elevator began to rise, emitting a familiar creaking sound and a sharp whistling sound as metal rubbed against metal.

In the dim, flickering light, Mann calmly spoke: "Sage, the mission is complete. The target cult stronghold has been eliminated, and an out-of-control psychic was encountered and dealt with during the process."

The combat test data of the Iron Guard prototype and our new equipment have been collected.

Our personnel suffered no casualties, but the bailiff team assisting in the operation sustained four casualties, two of whom were seriously injured.

He didn't describe the details of the battle in detail, believing that the accompanying machine records and battlefield scan data would explain everything.

Soon, Chen Yu's steady synthesized voice rang out in the communication channel, without the slightest delay, as if he had been waiting on the other end of the line: "Received. Data uploaded. Return with all valuable physical samples."

The instructions were concise and clear, revealing no emotional fluctuations, only a focus on results and data.

After the communication ended, a brief silence fell inside the elevator, with only the noise of the machinery filling the space.

Rebecca leaned against the cold wall of the compartment, patted her now-cooled plasma bombardment, and wore a satisfied expression.

Pira, on the other hand, gestured excitedly, describing to a lightly injured bailiff the scene of promethium flames engulfing the enemy. Dorio quietly moved her wrists, feeling the power surging through her flesh and blood.

Valerie and Jack remained in the Iron Guard's cockpit. The external loudspeakers were silent, but the internal systems were presumably processing and analyzing massive amounts of combat data.

Mann's gaze swept over his team members, over the two imposing Iron Guards that still appeared majestic in the confined space, and finally landed on the unconscious bailiff on the stretcher.

Overall, this practical test was a great success.

The performance of the new equipment was validated almost perfectly: Rebecca's plasma bombardment demonstrated devastating area-of-effect damage; Pira's promethium flamethrower efficiently purified clusters of soft targets; and his own incendiary weapon eliminated the psionic threat in a bizarre and deadly manner.

Dorio's bio-enhanced abilities, combined with the Explosive Gauntlets, gave her an overwhelming advantage in close combat.

The Iron Guard prototype performed reliably in conventional engagements, like a mobile steel fortress. Valerie, in a moment of crisis, combined her Sinwistan's neural acceleration with the Iron Guard's neural connection system, unleashing a reaction speed comparable to that of an Astahu monk, further demonstrating the immense tactical value of this technological approach.

However, the problems were also fully exposed.

They lack effective early warning mechanisms for supernatural threats such as psychic powers, and their response relies entirely on on-the-spot individual reactions and forceful destruction, without any systematic means of protection or countermeasures.

The casualties of the bailiff squad serve as a stark reminder that when facing a completely unknown enemy, any lack of intelligence or momentary negligence can cost lives.

The elevator continued to ascend, the creaking sound of metal rubbing against metal echoing in the shaft.

The surrounding environment gradually brightened, and the ventilation system began to deliver relatively fresh air, fading away the suffocating feeling of the bottom nest, a mixture of rust, blood, and decay.

Mann leaned against the cold wall of the compartment, the armor clashing against the metal with a dull thud.

This mission made him see many things clearly.

This hive world is far more complex than he imagined, not just in terms of gangs and mutants, but also in terms of beings beyond the ordinary, like the psyker he just encountered.

And this is only the situation at the bottom level of a nest city.

Thinking of the real threats in the galaxy that Chen Yu occasionally mentioned, Mann realized that their previous fight in that city was like children's brawl.

Their team is being completely transformed by the technology of the Mechanic Church.

From weaponry to body structure, everything is evolving in a non-human direction.

Mann could sense that this change was not just in appearance, but also in mindset.

They are gradually adapting to Chen Yu's logic of prioritizing efficiency and rationality.

Future missions will certainly encounter more unexpected situations like today, or even worse.

However, Mann did not regret it.

His experience in Night City taught him that in this cruel world, it's either become stronger or die.

The elevator suddenly vibrated slightly, and the light above became even brighter.

Mann straightened up and stretched his left arm.

In any case, they have embarked on this path and must continue on it.

Every battle, regardless of victory or defeat, is an opportunity to accumulate experience for the next, more difficult battle.

In this dangerous universe, this is the law of survival.

(End of this chapter)