In the barracks, Kalina looked at the weapons and equipment in surprise. She had witnessed the barracks being constructed, yet in such a short time, it was already stocked with so many weapons.
Was she mistaken, or were these exoskeleton suits?
One of the guns was unfamiliar to her, but the other appeared to be a heavy machine gun. There were even small missiles and C4.
What kind of ammunition depot was this? Could these things really be conjured out of thin air?
In fact, it had cost Gentiane a significant amount of money to build these items. Normally, one would need to build a mine to collect resources for construction.
However, if resources were insufficient, it was possible to pay for them.
The cost of building a barracks in the game multiplied by ten equaled the required amount of money. The weapons and equipment were produced separately, and this set had cost her a full 100,000—a tenth of the money she had saved after graduation. If she couldn't produce some useful results, her mother would likely summon her back to inherit the family business.
The thought of those tedious family responsibilities made her realize how much more interesting and exciting the battlefield, even a simulated one, was.
However, she wasn't a fool. As a commander, she made a point of learning how to protect herself.
"MP5, put on this exoskeleton," Gentiane ordered.
"Okay," MP5 responded.
The exoskeleton was massive, nearly one and a half times the width of a person. Yet when MP5 donned it, she found the armor surprisingly light—lighter than the auxiliary exoskeleton she typically used. It even made handling the heavy machine gun easier, though her weapon module restricted her from using unauthorized weapons.
This, however, wasn't a major issue.
"You don't need to shoot right now,"
Gentiane continued. "Just drive this exoskeleton to the battlefield. All tactical dolls, change into the new equipment."
As the sole commander, Gentiane's orders were absolute. Within minutes, all the tactical dolls had replaced their gear with the new exoskeletons, which, despite their bulk, enhanced their already impressive abilities.
"Kalina, deploy these tactical dolls to the battlefield," Gentiane commanded.
"Yes!" Kalina replied, though her mind was filled with questions. As a logistics officer, her job was to carry out the commander's orders.
The tactical dolls were dispatched to the battlefield.
Whereas before, two planes would have sufficed, this time, six were needed. When Kryuger learned of this, he approved the request without hesitation and observed the situation closely via surveillance. He was curious to see what the new commander could achieve.
But when he saw the mechanical exoskeletons the tactical dolls were wearing, his expression grew serious.
"This is a design I've never seen before," he murmured.
The exoskeletons endowed the dolls with immense power, and the heavy machine guns provided devastating firepower. They were ruthless killing machines, capable of overwhelming any human resistance. Additionally, the assault rifle dolls had been equipped with supercharged long cannons—specialized weapons for armor and construction that would be effective against the large Sangvis units.
These special armaments caused Kryuger to speculate that Gentiane might be a representative of a secret laboratory or a member of a mysterious organization. Otherwise, why would she align herself with Griffin?
Outsiders viewed Griffin as merely a security company, but those in the know were aware of its collaborations with a very special scientific research institution—one with deep military connections. Kryuger made a call on a secure line to contact a researcher who could analyze these new weapons.
For now, he decided to wait and observe. Gentiane's creations were dangerous, but not yet world-shattering.
What puzzled him most was the technology that allowed a super-large vehicle to transform into buildings. He had never encountered such convenient equipment in his life.
Meanwhile, Gentiane reviewed the battle reports, lost in thought.
The performance of the Foehn's armaments was exceptional—so good, in fact, that she doubted such powerful weapons could be obtained so cheaply. And if this technology fell into the wrong hands, could it become a world-ending weapon?
She shook her head, recalling that the Foehn storyline emphasized the importance of resistance and free will. Without those qualities, she couldn't have become its commander.
At the same time, she realized that the internet café must have its own unique mechanism for selecting individuals.
Just like her—though it was her first time visiting, she couldn't stop thinking about the tactical dolls and what would happen if she brought them in. But what would happen? She was genuinely curious.
As Gentiane pondered, Liu Yuan who waited for the arrival of a new day was taking a shower and changing clothes at the internet café, hoping for something good in the monthly refresh.
Buying games had become increasingly expensive—who could afford more than five million at once? Even if it was just the cost of buying the game, certain special games required additional balancing and adjustments for guests. After all, many games had a significant impact on people's vision and spirits, and without proper safeguards, they could easily backfire.
Because of this, Liu Yuan relied on the monthly game sale offers, where games were offered at a special price of 100,000. Although there hadn't been any top-tier games in recent list, there were still a few good ones. For example, Outlast and Titanfall had already generated more income than their purchase price.
According to the café's data, at least one-fifth of patrons spent four hours a day playing Titanfall, and many logged in at peak times.
Peak times referred to those who used the internet for exactly eleven or one hour a day. After all, maximizing usage could add fifty or even a hundred to their bill, a heavy burden for some.
As Liu Yuan made preparations, the main store manager Kisara had decided not to embark on a game journey that night. Instead, she was planning something rebellious.
"Listen to me! The boss gets mysterious on this day every month. After midnight, he goes from mysterious to normal. Do you think the boss is hiding something from us?"
Takashima Yuna asked nervously, "Is... is the boss sick?"
Chelsea frowned. "No way. The store manager is so powerful. The boss must be even more so."
As they conversed, Reze, the newcomer, joked, "Is it his egg-laying period?"
This was a dirty joke that Denji had told her earlier. With no outsiders around, and Liu Yuan absent, only girls were present, and they had no reservations about making such jokes.
Hearing this, Kisara smiled and waved her hand, while Chelsea also wore a knowing expression. Leticia shook her head helplessly. She hadn't expected her network administrator to make such a bold comment, but she understood that it was meant to lighten the mood.
On the other hand, Jibril and Takashima Yuna were visibly taken aback. Takashima Yuna asked nervously, "Egg-laying period? Do boys have that?"
"Huh?"
At this, Kisara, Chelsea, Leticia, and Reze all burst into laughter. Such innocence was rare, and the four exchanged glances.
Though they didn't speak or communicate through TT, they all shared the same thought