Chapter 162: The Assault
Mad Max: Fury Road World
At midday, the blazing sun scorched the barren desert wasteland.
"So this is your base?"
Mia—still adjusting from the disorientation of dimensional travel—pulled her sunglasses up onto her head and asked Jake, who stood with his arms crossed beside her.
"That's right."
The two stood at the highest point of a rocky mountain peak. This was the location Jake always chose when entering or leaving this world. Besides creating an air of mystery befitting his priest persona, it was also strategically safe—if any danger arose, he could simply leap off the mountain and initiate dimensional travel. No one could threaten him here.
Furthermore, every time he returned, he could survey the base's development at a single glance.
For example, right now with just a quick scan, he clearly saw two humanoid robots carrying enormous boulders that no ordinary human could possibly lift.
One look at the sheer size revealed their weight—definitely no less than twenty tons each!
Mia followed Jake's gaze curiously.
Instantly, she exclaimed in amazement, "You have robots here?!"
Functional robots existed only in science fiction and human imagination. Although modern society had manufactured various mechanical assistants, their capabilities were extremely limited, and their appearance was far from human-like—they couldn't truly be called humanoid robots.
Soon, several robots carrying massive stones arrived at a construction site in the distance.
To Jake and Mia's surprise, the robots didn't stack the stones themselves. Instead, they simply placed them on the ground and turned to leave, continuing their material transport duties.
Just then, a human worker appeared.
A tall, lean young man, followed closely by a different type of robot!
Walking closer to the stones, the man bent down, positioning the robot in front of the boulder, then made a lifting motion with both hands as if hoisting something heavy from the ground.
The robot behind him precisely mimicked his movements, also attempting to lift the stone—but clearly lacked sufficient strength. It only managed to raise half of the massive boulder, leaving the other half firmly pressed into the sand, creating a deep crater.
Then another worker appeared, also followed by a motion-capture robot, assuming the same position.
The two men gritted their teeth and made synchronized lifting motions, while the two robots mimicking their actions lifted the stone with combined mechanical strength!
CREAK—
The robots' joints trembled under the strain, but thankfully, the boulder was finally raised successfully.
Finally, under the precise control of the two human operators, the stones were carefully positioned in place.
Observing this operation, Jake nodded with approval—surprised that these former War Boys possessed such precision and attention to detail.
Remote-controlled robots certainly couldn't handle delicate construction tasks; they could only perform crude material transport. Most of the robots Jake had purchased were standard remote-controlled models—that was the mainstream technology available.
As for robots capable of accurately mimicking human movements in real-time, those had appeared in the movie Real Steel—specifically exemplified by the robot Atom.
These were entertainment-oriented robots designed for boxing matches. He hadn't purchased many at the time, considering them bonus acquisitions, but now they were proving invaluable for construction work.
During the few minutes Jake and Mia spent observing and discussing the operation, the two guards stationed at this approach had spotted them.
They bowed respectfully to Jake, placing their right hands over their hearts in a gesture of loyalty.
"Where is Furiosa?" Jake asked directly.
"The Imperator is overseeing the council chamber construction. She should be at the main construction site right now," one of them replied.
"Good," Jake nodded. "Have her come find me when she's available." He then departed with Mia.
In a recently excavated cave storage area, Jake had secured all the Batman equipment.
The Batpod motorcycle, vehicle components, and spare parts—including equipment from the Bat aircraft.
Unexpectedly, Bruce had been generous this time, providing two complete sets of gear.
In the Red Queen's control room, Jake saw the completely renovated AI chamber. The entire space had been modified and reinforced with the advanced alloy materials Jake had brought back from other dimensions. Opening the door felt like stepping back into the Hive from Resident Evil.
He wondered how the Red Queen had managed to convince Furiosa to use their limited construction materials to upgrade her personal chamber.
To his considerable surprise, Immortal Joe's five former wives—now his attendants—were also present in the room.
They sat in a neat row on the polished steel floor, with snacks and preserved fruit laid out before them. In front of them, the Red Queen was projecting what appeared to be a television series!
While watching, the five women chatted happily among themselves!
What the hell was this harem-like atmosphere?
Not only did Jake find this scene bizarre, wondering if he'd somehow made a mistake in his absence, but Mia beside him was already glaring at him with murderous intent!
"Ahem," Jake coughed twice deliberately, his right fist clenched, startling the five women who'd been engrossed in their entertainment.
The Red Queen definitely knew Jake had returned—and with a woman, no less—but she hadn't warned them. This was undoubtedly the work of that mischievous AI.
"Father..."
"Father..."
"..."
The five women immediately stood, their loose white garments revealing glimpses of skin with every movement.
Mia snorted coldly, saying nothing, but releasing her arm from Jake's and standing apart with her arms crossed defensively.
Standing in a nervous line, the five former wives lowered their heads, not daring to speak.
Jake had explicitly ordered that no unauthorized personnel were allowed in the Red Queen's control room!
"You're dismissed," Jake said simply, waving them away.
The five women, as if granted a reprieve from execution, quickly departed without daring to raise their eyes.
After the others left, Jake asked the Red Queen, "Why did you let them in here?"
In a flash of light, a young girl's holographic avatar appeared before Jake like a ghost materializing. "I can't leave this room, and I wanted company to study human behavior."
An AI wanting social interaction and entertainment?
But considering the Red Queen's emotional development was roughly equivalent to a seven or eight-year-old child, it was quite possible she experienced something akin to loneliness.
If Jake wanted to press the issue, this manipulative little AI could undoubtedly produce a whole list of justifications, so he let the matter drop after a few pointed words.
He first connected the portable Red Queen unit to the main server, allowing them to synchronize data and experiences, then carefully explained the five women's identities and background to Mia.
However, Catwoman's eyes still showed clear distrust, though thankfully her attitude only remained slightly cold rather than hostile.
Mia was genuinely amazed upon properly meeting the advanced AI. She quickly set aside her jealousy and began chatting enthusiastically with the Red Queen about technology and capabilities.
Just then, Furiosa arrived.
In the relatively short time since they'd last met, this commander of the war party—the true operational head of the base—had grown her golden hair even longer, styling it into a practical single ponytail.
"Father," she said formally, placing her right hand over her heart and bowing respectfully to Jake.
"You've returned, Furiosa," Jake began, about to inquire about the base's construction progress.
But she spoke first, her expression grave. "A hostile force—a combined army from Gas Town and the Bullet Farm that we previously scattered—is advancing directly toward our base!"
"How many?" Jake asked, his face immediately turning serious.
Furiosa delivered the information that made the tactical situation critical: "They've enslaved approximately ten thousand of the War Boys and workers we previously freed and dismissed!"
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