Chapter 193: Nuclear War! Deathly Silence! Suspicious Heat Source!
"Hey...!"
"This operation's codename is so odd. Anyone who doesn't know might think we're about to battle some kind of ghosts or specters."
After a brief moment of surprise, Jack Wells let out a hearty chuckle.
Since no one knew the exact details of this "Specter Operation," they might as well embrace it. After all, no matter how ferocious the alien creatures they encountered, they wouldn't back down.
They weren't fighting actual ghosts or specters—what was there to fear?
Beside him, Reed nodded in agreement with Jack's sentiment and said, "Maybe this so-called 'Specter' is just a simple codename."
"After all, every member of our ace vanguard team fights like specters—agile, lethal, and swift."
Reed's guess was logical and aligned with what V was thinking. He and Jack didn't believe they'd encounter any "specter" enemy units.
"No matter what, we're heading to that mysterious new battlefield tomorrow. Are you all ready?" V asked the group in a deep voice.
Though he had no idea what kind of world awaited them, V was certain that the ace vanguard team of the Astartes Battle Group would travel to this otherworldly realm through a massive teleportation device called the "Stargate."
This innovative method of teleportation was something V had never imagined.
"Always ready!" Jack and the others responded instantly.
"The Stargate will open tomorrow at noon. I hope this operation proceeds without any accidents or mistakes!" V's tone was stern.
Unlike the previous "Avatar Operation," which involved a synchronized effort of fleets and soldiers, this mission was spearheaded by elite combat units supported by a small number of fighter squadrons and cruisers.
Of course, Li Ang had prepared the massive Infinity battleship and numerous corporate soldiers as backup for V's vanguard team. But ideally, these reinforcements wouldn't be needed.
"My squad can't wait to claim that so-called Specter world! Once the gate opens, we'll secure the territory immediately!" Jack declared fearlessly, smiling.
His vanguard team was equipped with the most advanced weapons, gear, and communication systems provided by the corporation. Even injured soldiers had access to cutting-edge medical support, so there was nothing to worry about.
"Hm."
Seeing Jack, Reed, and the others confirm their readiness, V decided to say no more. He led the three of them to the Astartes Battle Group's base to hold one final rally before the Specter Operation.
A new battle was about to begin!
---
Earth in the "Specter" Multiverse
A dense, ashen-gray haze loomed over the darkened skies like a ghostly shroud. The sun hadn't touched the desolate land for days, leaving it barren and eerily quiet.
Biting winds howled through the deserted city, racing through every street and alley.
Abandoned vehicles cluttered the city center, storefronts were shuttered tight, and countless human corpses lay scattered—all signs of a dead city.
It was clear that this place had suffered some unknown war.
At the edge of this lifeless city, within a dense forest, a twisted "gate" suddenly appeared!
The towering 20-meter structure resembled a silver-plated mirror. This was none other than the "Stargate" activated by Li Ang .
The Stargate's origin point was a highly classified Astartes Battle Group base in Ideal City. Under Li Ang 's official decree, this military base had been renamed the "Base of All Realms."
From now on, all operations in alternate realms would commence here. Every newly discovered multiverse world would be classified as top-secret intelligence by the corporation's information department.
This newly discovered Specter world had been designated as Universe 001—Specter by Li Ang .
As for Pandora, it had been categorized under Universe 000—Cyber World, so it wasn't included in the same classification.
Looking at the realm revealed by the Stargate, Li Ang felt somewhat reassured—it did seem to resemble the Earth he had in mind. But whether it was truly the Specter world remained to be confirmed through further reconnaissance.
"Send the drones," Li Ang ordered from the central command station at the Base of All Realms.
With a single command, the frontline technicians deployed AI drones equipped with live-feed cameras for reconnaissance.
---
The desolate scene of nuclear devastation, the lifeless cities—these sights matched the backdrop of the Specter movie.
Li Ang was increasingly convinced that this was the right place.
"Confirm once more: Are the air analysis reports from the frontline accurate?" Li Ang asked the technical director beside him.
"We're 100% certain!" the director replied confidently.
"Understood." Li Ang nodded thoughtfully.
If the air analysis was correct, it at least proved that the world beyond the Stargate was a parallel Earth's duplicate.
Whether it truly was the Specter Earth, however, required further investigation.
After deliberating his next steps, Li Ang issued new commands:
"Have the vanguard team withdraw back to the Base of All Realms. Engineering crews will remain to fortify the area."
"Also, deploy additional personnel to expand the frontline base construction. And inform the operations department to prepare the RCS-class armored cruisers for deployment through the Stargate."
The Specter Operation had only just begun.
Li Ang's thoughts were simple: "If you want to do a good job, you must first sharpen your tools."
First, construct a frontline base, then deploy the cruisers that can dominate the airspace of this alternate Earth. Once preparations are in place, launch a decisive attack.
This strategy was almost identical to the tactical setup he used on Pandora. Build communication stations and frontline bases to ensure smooth communication, convenient logistics, and timely reinforcements. Afterward, methodically plan the next combat phase.
"Yes, boss!"
Upon receiving Li Ang's instructions, the personnel in command immediately issued corresponding orders to the frontline vanguard team.
At this moment, V, standing beside Li Ang, couldn't help but ask curiously:
"Boss, do you think the humans in this world triggered the nuclear war due to mutual destruction?"
Normally, the most likely cause of a nuclear war would indeed be human conflict. However, V asked this seemingly straightforward question because of the psychological shadow left by the strange phenomena on Pandora.
If even Pandora's planetary consciousness could "bait and kill" to trap alien civilizations, who could guarantee there wouldn't be other alien beings on this alternate Earth?
"Maybe," Li Ang replied, offering no definitive answer to V, as even he was unsure of this world's truth.
Still, if this alternate Earth were indeed the one from the Nether universe, the nuclear war here might not have been fought against human forces alone.
Perhaps the target was something else—like... Nether soldiers!
Seeing V fall silent, Li Ang returned his focus to issuing a series of detailed orders to personnel on the Stargate frontlines through the central control platform.
---
48 hours and 39 minutes later!
In the operational conference room of the frontline base on the other side of the Stargate:
At this moment, Morgan Blackhand, dressed in a dark company military uniform, stood at the front of the room, speaking with a stern expression:
"Everyone!"
As his voice fell, Morgan used a holographic projector to present images to the dozen elite vanguard members in the room, solemnly explaining the latest developments:
"Our company's engineering team has successfully established a military base at the Stargate frontline, and we are ready to deploy forces for combat missions at any time."
"However, your upcoming task is not to engage in military operations, but to investigate a suspicious location!"
Hearing this, the dozen elite Astartes warriors exchanged curious glances. Among them were senior officers like V, Jack, and Johnny from various battle groups.
This investigation team, assembled with star-level personnel, was organized under Li Ang's direct orders. Naturally, they were intrigued about the nature of their assignment, which warranted the deployment of so many Astartes elites.
"Morgan, quit beating around the bush and just tell us," Johnny Silverhand said, lounging with a smug air, sunglasses in place, and a playful grin aimed at Morgan.
"Fine, I'll get straight to it."
Morgan nodded and continued, "We've identified a suspicious heat source."
"Before I elaborate on the heat source, let me first brief you on the basic situation of this 'New Earth.'"
At this point, Morgan paused intentionally, using a button to display holographic images for everyone to see.
"Yesterday, our RCS-class armored cruiser successfully ascended and deployed a fleet of ornithopters to collect high-altitude images and video intelligence."
"This Earth seems to have fallen into a state of deathly silence after enduring a nuclear war."
Morgan then manipulated the holograms to project maps of major cities like Moscow, London, New York, and Paris.
Through his detailed narration, the team learned that these once-prosperous cities had been subjected to brutal nuclear strikes, completely razed to the ground.
Professional assessments from the technical team deduced that this nuclear war likely occurred around ten years ago.
Moreover, its impact was global, encompassing nearly the entire planet.
"You mean... the humans of this world were completely wiped out by the nuclear war?" Jack Wells asked in astonishment.
"No."
Morgan shook his head. Even under such circumstances, cities and regions not directly targeted by nuclear strikes should still have survivors attempting to rebuild their lives.
But now, with this widespread deathly silence, it was clear that the situation was far from a simple case of nuclear warfare.
There had to be other unknown reasons behind this.
"What's the deal with the heat source you mentioned?" V interjected, eager for more details.
"Through meticulous reconnaissance by our cruiser's drones, we detected substantial heat signatures in the Sana'a region of Yemen."
"Strangely, these signatures vanished completely within seconds!"
When Morgan shared this information, the Astartes warriors' initial reaction was suspicion—wondering if the equipment had malfunctioned or if some magnetic interference was at play.
Under normal circumstances, heat sources wouldn't disappear so abruptly within mere seconds. Even a creature dying on the spot wouldn't lose heat that quickly.
Unless... there were paranormal factors at work!
Otherwise, the most likely explanation for such anomalies would be equipment failure or magnetic interference.
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