Dark Moon Era

Chapter 186: Personality (2.5 in 1)

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Even though he did not believe a word Aber said, Tang Ling had to go with the underground mission and had no reason to say “no” under such circumstances. Besides, the Underground race madly slaughtered humans, so the warriors’ lives were on the line and it agitated Tang Ling.

He was rational, not cold-blooded.

He knew the Agnes family would eventually end the farce, but he had to play along with them first, just so they could put on a show. Therefore, even though reluctance was rooted strongly deep in his heart accompanied a tinge of worry, Tang Ling had to stay quiet.

Amir brought back seven tactical movement disks for each and every one in the Fierce Dragon Squad.

As the instructor, Yang Kong had the duty to brief all the New Moon Warriors of the First Reserved Camp about the usage of the disks.

However, he did not seem to have the mood to do so. Others might assume that he was worried about Fei Long, but in his mind, he was actually thinking about stopping Tang Ling from joining the underground mission.

If he were to stop Tang Ling, what kind of excuse should he use?

Then again, should he? Judging from the situation, no one was particularly targeting Tang Ling yet. Everything that Aber did was indeed a show, but was there a scheme behind it? Yang Kong failed to come to a conclusion at that moment. If there was, what would it be then?

The tactical movement disk? That was the only thing that Yang Kong could relate to.

However, the disks were taken off the Purple Moon Warriors after Aber gave the command. Yang Kong also inspected them and found nothing unusual as the New Moon Warriors got actual disks.

If there really was something brewing in the dark, there must be a traitor among the Fierce Dragon Squad who would make it happen. However, all seven of them were close friends. Could there be a traitor among them? Yang Kong would never believe that because he saw himself in them. They reminded him of when he was still an orphan with Fei Long and Thuja.

I guess I should stay put...

Every move that he made would be under surveillance from now on. If he were to find some special excuse to exclude Tang Ling from the mission, it would do the exact opposite and push Tang Ling nearer to the edge.

Everything had to wait for this farce of the century to be over.

Tang Ling must leave Safety Sector No. 17. If that’s the case, it’s a gamble. I must tell the castellan the secret and hope he can protect Tang Ling like how he protected Fei Long.

Yang Kong remained as he was even after he made the decision in his mind. He stepped up and started to brief everyone about the usage of the disks.

The tactical movement disk consisted of four parts. The first part was the central core. A microchip was installed there for voice recognition and voice control. After receiving the command, the microchip would analyze it and then control the string roller and the smart buckle to react accordingly.

The second part was the string roller. It was the most precious part of the entire disk because it housed the string which was 2,500 meters long. The string was extremely thin and nearly invisible.

“The string is made with rank I material, or more precisely, a special rank I material. It is different from common metal and composite metal, so it is a high tenacity composite metal and plastic string. Its main material is actually organic as it is a type of spider web extracted from a species of spider only in the Purple Moon Era, namely the spindle spider. Using a special recipe, other composite materials are added to form the string.

“Its tenacity can sustain five tons of drag force and withstand slashes of more than a thousand times from a grade C weapon, or more than a hundred times from a grade B weapon. There are no spindle spiders in the safety sector or the area around it, so it’s considered an important military resource. Every disk is bought from an outside source. Remember, if you are to use it, take care of it for every single one of them is considered a treasure.”

Yang Kong was professional and dutiful in his job. His explanation of the tactical movement disk was very detailed.

The third part would be the smart buckle. The smart buckle was made with grade B material. Its tenacity was proven, and inside the buckle was another microchip used to receive commands from the central core.

Its function was to ensure mobility. For example, when the user moved forward by 2,000 meters, which was almost at the maximum distance of 2,500 meters, the user could give the buckle a simple ‘unlock’ command and the buckle would release itself from the original waypoint. The string roller would then automatically reel the buckle back. In simpler words, the tactical movement disk relied on the smart buckle to maintain its mobility at all times. When used properly, the distance would be just a reference.

The fourth and final part would be the energy core of the disk. The so-called energy core was actually the battery of the old civilization, but the energy storage level was unlike its predecessor’s.

The old battery stored energy using chemical substances and produce electrical energy. Meanwhile, the battery used in the disk stored the purple energy from the Universal Source Rock. Its main material was a combination of high-quality jade debris and a type of unusual coal that mutated in the Purple Moon Era according to a certain ratio aspect.

After the assembly, it must be put within 50 meters of the Universal Source Rock to absorb its energy for 100 days before completion.

Under normal usage, the energy storage in the disk would be enough for 48 hours of high-mobility and high-intensity battle. The battery was connected to the little arm in the string roller. The string roller required a powerful energy source to generate mobility and perform actions like retracting.

That was the explanation of the tactical movement disk. After understanding its structure and theory, using it would not be much trouble.

“Now, register your voice into the disk to activate the voice control. It will then aid you in battle,” said Yang Kong.

As he started to demonstrate, everyone else followed by picking up their own disk, opening the outer cover and pressing the red button to register their voices.

After the voice registration, it would be ready for use and all they needed to do was equip it to start the underground mission.

However, Yang Kong did not send them off right away. He said loudly, “The tactical movement disk is very important and since all of you received a last-minute order, you might not get used to the disk’s movement. Therefore, it’s better for all of you to have a quick practice here before going into the mission.”

Yang Kong’s words were irrefutable. The reason he said that was simple—he could not be at ease about the matter. He said he wanted the New Moon Warriors to get used to the tactical movement disk before deployment, but actually, he was checking the disks for problems.

Aber stood in the rain, seeming to look over the battlefield and watching the battle while waiting for the New Moon Warriors to be ready. However, his eyes were glancing over the area where the New Moon Warriors gathered and practiced.

The New Moon Warriors looked a little scattered. It was their first time using the tactical movement disk anyway, so it was natural that some of them were clumsy on the first try. Their formation was actually a mess.

Nonetheless, the New Moon Warriors were geniuses selected by the safety sector. All they took was a minute and many of them started to get used to the movements.

Tang Ling did not stand out while trying the disk, but when he put the disk on for the first time, he knew the equipment was specially built for him and his Precise Instinct! His survival rate surged by at least 50% with the disk on.

“There won’t be a problem with the disk,” Aber whispered with his head down as a faint grin appeared on his face. No one heard what he said or saw the microexpression.

Aber’s heart raced when he saw the First Reserved Camp’s New Moon Warriors finish testing out the tactical movement disks and fall into line for deployment.

He had been planning for this for a long time and was very close to reaping the fruit.

The favorite child of the era would be him, Aber Agnes.

******

What a resentful crevice!

Standing beside it would disgust a person from the core and the feeling could not be suppressed.

“Purple Moon, First unit, Second unit, descend!” Aber was the commanding officer of the whole operation. They fought from the iron belt all the way to the crevice and he really did a good job at leading the troops.

He beautifully led the troops to defeat a dozen rampaging Undergrounds along the way, providing some extra help to the elite warriors, and they also made it to the crevice within the stipulated time, right before the next wave of Undergrounds sprung out from the crevice.

Had he not been a traitor, he would have eventually been a great commander or even a marshal. Unfortunately, not everyone could resist the temptation of a shortcut.

Without further ado, Aber led the vanguard Purple Moon units down the crevice. According to the intelligence from down under, the second of the three tactical passages had completely fallen.

The Underground race seemed to have halted their reinforcements, but actually, they were regrouping outside the second tactical passage in preparation to concentrate their force to break through the surface defense line, ultimately taking down the Hope Barrier.

Therefore, two units of Purple Moon Warriors were sent down to the second tactical passage. They were tasked to occupy the place before the enemy troops could finish gathering, hence disrupting the enemy’s formation and plan.

After the first and third passages were contained, reinforcements would be sent over to the second passage, and when necessary, the elite warriors would also be sent down as extra reinforcement.

The whole operation might sound easy, but the key was the timing. They had to beat the enemy from occupying the second passage. Those who understood the cruelty of the battlefield could already foresee the bloody scene in the second passage. It would be a slaughter fest down there! Everyone had a heavy feeling about it.

Aber’s speed in executing the plan brought out his traits as a great commanding officer to full display. Purple Moon Warrior after Purple Moon Warrior descended down the crevice.

Tang Ling watched the scene and chuckled coldly in his heart.

What bullshit intelligence? Where did he get them from? It’s all a show that plays along with your plan, Aber.

Even without reading the script, Tang Ling knew that during the most critical moment, Aber would break through the second passage and dive deep into the enemy’s forces. He would then contain the situation single-handedly by taking down the enemy’s leader, and while he bathed in the glorious color of heroism, the farce would come to an end.

Aber’s reputation would then rise to a new high.

Such an outcome would be the best ending to the farce that made the most sense. It would also shape the Agnes family as the new hero. Their reputation would surge higher than Worf’s so that when they robbed Worf of his power over the administration of the safety sector, they could expel him with valid reasons.

No outsider would be allowed in their rule! Even though Worf would eventually be a puppet castellan, he would still be a thorn in their flesh.

No one taught Tang Ling how to analyze and calculate the situation, yet it was like a natural ability of his, like his Precise Instinct.

‘Maybe in the memories that I lost, someone taught me how to judge the situation.’ Tang Ling would fantasize about that at times, but it felt ridiculous. He would have been four years old or younger when he learned all these tactics and analysis. What was that? A joke? A toddler learning all these?

The rain continued pouring down though it was much calmer than the storm earlier.

After the first and second units of the Purple Moon Warriors descended into the crevice and vanished from sight, the other Purple Moon Warriors jumped in too. Their mission was to defend the first and third passages and quickly clean up lingering enemies before the rendezvous with the first and second units.

As for the First Reserved Camp, their mission would be defending Sector R. If the enemy managed to break through the passages, the First Reserved Camp, as a single unit, would have to eliminate those who escaped.

They would be the last to descend into the crevice as reinforcement.

“Andrew, I’ll give you the map of Sector R. Show it to every leader of the squadrons. Spread them out across the sector according to the real-time situation and form a defense line. The Summit Squad is the strongest in First Reserved Camp, so I hereby order your squad to stay in the first passage, where it is the most vulnerable. Remember, this is war. The distribution of squadrons must be done properly. Remember to judge the situation before making any decisions. I hope you won’t get your personal feelings mixed into your judgment. Anyone who goes against my orders and affect the situation will be sent to court-martial after all this is over.” Aber was being all righteous as he even deliberately emphasized personal feelings. He even assigned the Summit Squad to stay in the furthest and most dangerous line.

Tang Ling really did not sense any bias in Aber’s orders.

It was true that the battle would mainly take place in the second passage, but looking at it from a different perspective, the defense line set behind the second passage would be the least dangerous and easiest to defend.

The Purple Moon Warriors would concentrate on fighting in the second passage, so what were the odds of the Underground race escaping their grasp?

On the other hand, based on the map that everyone saw before deployment, the first passage was the widest among all tactical passages. It consisted of a single main passage and seven other smaller paths, meaning that there were seven exits from there to Sector R.

Judging from the terrain, the first passage should have the most warriors stationed there during normal times, but since there were limited Purple Moon Warriors in Safety Sector No. 17, the best of the elite warriors were stationed there instead, and the numbers of elite warriors would be equal to the Purple Moon Warriors in the other passages.

These elite warriors were equipped with the most advanced firearms and were excellent in close-range combat. Although they were not as powerful as Purple Moon Warriors, they were on a different level compared to normal warriors. They were also known as the warriors closest to the Purple Moon Warriors.

However, one could also imagine that the numbers of the elite warriors were limited. They were stationed underground for most of the time and were considered the invisible force of the Hope Barrier. They barely returned to the surface throughout a whole year, and from a certain perspective, they were the true heroes of the Hope Barrier despite still lacking numbers.

Adding up all the details, the first passage would be the most vulnerable place due to a lack of manpower.

If Tang Ling did not know about the scheme behind the Agnes family beforehand, he would have been moved by how righteous Aber was. However, when he thought of the best elite warriors who were stationed in the first passage throughout the year, a boiling rage rumbled in his heart.

The Agnes family supposedly would not be overly concerned about this underground battle, so would the elite warriors be sacrificed?

The Purple Moon Warriors had shifts in their defense duty but not the elite warriors. There were almost no shifts for them to return to the surface, so they were stuck in the dark underground all year long. Furthermore, what they might receive after a long wait may not be a heroic welcome but being sacrificed without a reason.

It was saddening.

At that moment, with a righteous and solemn look, Aber jumped into the crevice. According to the operation briefing, he would head towards the second passage and lead the Purple Moon Warriors stationed there himself to complete the most dangerous mission.

What a great person he is! The Agnes family got all the most dangerous tasks and isn’t afraid of dying. How great is that? They are as great as dogshit! The thought rumbled in Tang Ling’s mind.

On the other hand, Andrew was like his cousin. He held the map of Sector R like it was the royal decree. He rolled open the map with the same expression as Aber.

What a bunch of actors! Tang Ling viewed the Agnes family as a bunch of dangerous psychopaths who had dual personalities, one being an actor and the other being an anti-social sociopath. If they were not blessed with high intellect, they would have become serial killers.

Speaking from a psychological point of view, the anti-social sociopath personality and the strong urge to act plus a little tinge of violence would form the basic mentality of a highly dangerous criminal.

Tang Ling was not paying attention to Andrew’s shitty distribution because he was thinking about all the psychology stuff that had nothing to do with the war.

He was worried about what Safety Sector No. 17 would become in their hands.

They disregarded human lives, lacked empathy and sympathy, plus had a highly dangerous mentality. Safety Sector No.17 would surely become a living hell in their hands, would it not?

“Fierce Dragon Squad, the seven of you are stationed here.” Andrew circled a spot on the map.

The circled spot was not the easiest area but was definitely not the most dangerous either. It was at the intersection point that was connected to the second and third passages.

Since the terrain was an intersection, it was by far the easier point to defend. The worst that could happen was enemies flanking the whole squad from both sides, exhausting them or even causing them to fail. However, it was also not the most dangerous because it did not specify which passage were they defending. It was just a backup position since there were other squads in the area defending the passages.

It was fair. Andrew’s decision showed no trace of bias or favoritism, at least, from how the others looked at it. He also did not give the Fierce Dragon Squad an easy defense point just to avoid suspicion of him being harsh on them.

Although the Fierce Dragon Squad took up the last few spots on the ranking and would raise brows with their strength, there were a total of seven of them. There was also Yu and Orston who possessed family talents, and Amir was also known for his outstanding talents, so they were actually not that weak.

He also did not put them in a difficult defense point just to take revenge on Tang Ling.

Was it not fair enough? Andrew was as good as Aber at giving commands. At least, what he did in the distribution of the defense points made a strong case as he had thought it over carefully and the people were convinced.

Even Tang Ling had to admit after a glance at the map that Andrew made the smartest choice. If he were in Andrew’s shoes, he might not be able to come up with a better solution than this in the time given.

Everything seemed flawless. At least, there was nothing targeting him in particular. So, was it all a show without schemes?

Anxiety continued to burn Tang Ling, but it was not because of the feeling of danger. He could not quite put it into words.

Andrew then stood up and looked at everyone. “That’s all for my defense point distribution. Leaders, do you have any more questions?”

The First Reserved Camp displayed the highest quality of geniuses as they fell in line neatly and replied in a single voice, “No.”

“Good, we are only given five minutes to arrange and set up the defense points. Three minutes have passed, and time is everything on the battlefield. Move out!”

Andrew then led the Summit Squad into the crevice.

Tang Ling also tidied up his equipment. He did not care whether it was all just a show, but he was happy to kill a few Undergrounds to lessen the sacrifice, at least before Aber finished his greatest show of the century.

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