Translator: AnubisTL
Chen Jiang wiped the sweat from his brow, took a deep breath, and glanced up at the window in the warehouse ceiling. With a final heave, he pried open the last wooden crate, inspected it thoroughly, and, finding nothing amiss, tossed it into his space bracelet.
He slowly straightened up, clenching his fists and massaging his aching lower back. Though physically exhausted, his expression radiated satisfaction as he surveyed the now-empty warehouse.
After a night of relentless labor, they had moved every single wooden crate from the warehouse, leaving not a single one behind.
Normally, this process wouldn't have taken nearly three hours.
But for safety's sake, they had pried open each crate as they loaded it into their space bracelets, meticulously inspecting its contents. Only after confirming that each crate contained nothing but energy blocks did they proceed with storage.
After all, since human players had already infiltrated the city, and the city gates were so heavily guarded, it meant the mechanical race within the city had likely already clashed with the human race.
In this situation, they had to be cautious. The mechanical race might have concealed tracking devices or even booby traps within these wooden crates.
But as it turned out, the mechanical race hadn't done so.
Although most crates were empty, they still pried open every single one. After all, a single tracking device hidden in just one crate would be enough.
The extra time spent was worth it. Throughout history, countless heroes and legends had fallen victim to seemingly insignificant details overlooked in their haste.
Caution was never a bad thing.
"Let's go," Chen Jiang said casually from his perch on the elevated platform, glancing at the phantom gate shimmering horizontally before him. "No need. Let's rest first. These petty skirmishes are boring. If we're going to play, let's play big."
With that, he leaped straight into the phantom gate.
Behind him, Scar Dog and Li Hao exchanged a glance before following without hesitation, diving into the gate as well.
As their figures vanished, the phantom gate slowly dissipated.
The warehouse fell into complete silence, save for the droning hum of the massive ceiling fan that had been spinning tirelessly all night.
The steel frame stood completely empty.
The entire warehouse seemed to mourn the loss of its beloved, shrouded in an aura of desolation.
"Tsk."
Scar Dog, having successfully reached the underground cavern, switched on his flashlight and scanned the surroundings. He nodded in satisfaction. "Not bad at all. The ancestor was right: 'You reap what you sow.'"
The cavern was pitch-black, devoid of any natural light. The only illumination came from their flashlights.
In truth, the white light emitted by Li Hao's map manifestation also provided decent illumination. However, using this innate ability continuously drained his mental energy, making it impractical for constant use, especially when used solely for lighting.
"Let's take inventory," Chen Jiang said, panting slightly after a grueling night. Without pausing, he immediately resumed his work.
Scar Dog and Li Hao, sensing the urgency, quickly joined him.
After about half an hour, they finished counting.
The number was staggering:
32,000 energy blocks.
A full 32,000 energy blocks.
"32,000 energy blocks," Chen Jiang repeated, his voice filled with awe.
Scar Dog gazed into the distance, his expression wistful. "Do you think we could just keep opening phantom gates until we reach Blue Star and return there?"
"What do you think?" Chen Jiang replied, panting slightly as he sat on a wooden crate. He pulled a water bottle from his chest pocket, tilted his head back, and gulped it down before speaking. "Even adding three zeros wouldn't be enough. Besides, do you think you can find Blue Star's coordinates in the vastness of space?"
"And what's the point of going back? There's no one left on Blue Star."
"To claim it, of course!" A flicker of anticipation flashed in Scar Dog's eyes. "If Blue Star is completely uninhabited, that means it's unclaimed territory now. First come, first served."
"Don't you want your own planet, Brother Jiang?"
Chen Jiang remained expressionless for a moment before giving a slight nod. "My vision was too narrow."
"Alright, enough nonsense. Let's rest for a few hours and prepare for work."
"Got it."
Scar Dog pulled a cigarette from his chest pocket, lit it, and plopped down unceremoniously onto the damp ground, leaning against the damp rock wall. He gazed at the swirling smoke before him and asked, "So, what's the plan?"
"What's the next step?"
"Capture the people, build the factory, then slaughter the city."
"Sounds a bit simple and brutal."
"In the wilderness, the more complex the plan, the more unexpected variables will arise."
"Makes sense."
Scar Dog nodded slightly, said nothing more, and slowly closed his eyes.
After all, it had been a tiring day.
Approximately six hours later, Chen Jiang slowly opened his eyes. He glanced at Li Hao, who was sleeping soundly beside him, then looked down at the wristwatch on his arm. It was past noon.
He hadn't fallen into a deep sleep.
Even in this seemingly safe underground cavern, he couldn't bring himself to relax completely. He'd been living like this for months, and it had become a habit.
Once he upgraded the turret's caliber to three thousand meters, he planned to sleep in a sleeping bag inside the cannon barrel at night.
As Chen Jiang woke, Scar Dog also stirred awake.
Without a word, Scar Dog splashed some underground river grass from the nearby pool onto his face, then took a revitalized breath. "Brother Jiang."
"Mm-hmm," Chen Jiang nodded slightly. At that moment, Li Hao also began to stir awake.
After a hasty wash, the group didn't linger. They piled most of the energy blocks here, taking only a few with them, activated the phantom gate, and departed.
In truth, Chen Jiang's space bracelet could have easily accommodated all the energy blocks. But there was no need, and leaving them here posed no problem. Besides, his space bracelet would soon be filled with other loot, so he needed to reserve space.
How can a robber plunder a city without emptying his pockets first?
They had a clear understanding of their role.
Soon, Chen Jiang and his companions openly appeared on a pedestrian street above ground, making no attempt to hide. They stood there calmly, their mechanical race appearances indistinguishable from humans.
Only those with status, power, or wealth could afford to install mechanical organs with special functions. The common folk, lacking such enhancements, remained indistinguishable from humans.
Thus, their presence on the street attracted no attention. Most people here, regardless of race, lacked mechanical augmentations.
The lower classes always outnumbered the elite.
(End of the Chapter)
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