Chapter 7, Step 1
As for my identity, I did not deceive you; I was indeed a merchant.
Outsider, either you continue to wander in the desert
The warriors of the Brotherhood are down to this number, and it is completely impossible for us to have any chance of victory. If we cannot reclaim the oasis, obtaining the stone tablet will be of no use.
As soon as you entered the temple, you were the first to come over here, even pretending to pull over a box to cover it, clearly afraid that we would discover your secret
Do you still claim to be incapable of even tying up a chicken?
First, the star array must be taken over there
I have no need to deceive you
Jiang Xia snorted, playing with the gun in his hand, and said
Jiang Xia raised his head and said to Roger and the group of wasteland warriors behind him
In the ruins enveloped by the sandstorm, Jiang Xia's expression suddenly turned quite unpleasant.
Jiang Xia glanced at the pulse rifle in Rogge's hand; its design closely resembled the standard SCAR assault rifle he was familiar with, and it was also equipped with a grenade launcher
Jiang Xia remained silent, as if deep in thought, with his mind racing.
The bidirectional coordinates of the star array are fixed
But you also said, you are a businessman
Either fight back with us
The wasteland dwellers never speak of friendship; trust is a luxury on this damned land. Everyone talks about interests, so let us speak in terms of interests.
Where we are going is the world you have come to, and your ability to traverse the star array alone proves that you must also be a person of status and influence in your own world
Jiang Xia wiped the revolver in his hand, seemingly returning to a familiar yet long-abandoned life. In a tone filled with complex emotions, he softly replied:
However, where did that fierce hunter robot, which almost wiped out these guys, come from? Who is it being pursued by? Are there others searching for the star array?
I need a tactical scope, a set of standard-level bulletproof vests, preferably with desert camouflage, a few magazines, and also that thing you used before, which appears to be a plasma grenade.
However, I quite like this gun; consider it my reward for saving you. I will keep it, and you have no objections, right
We do not know the civilizational system within, nor do we understand its attitude towards us outsiders
So, let us collaborate, explorer
He took the gun over, examining it thoroughly from side to side, disengaged the safety, and with the crisp sound of the probe resetting, the internal pulse energy was activated, and an indicator light also illuminated on the grip
He hastily shook hands with the old warrior Rog, then pushed aside the box beneath him, revealing the ancient, exquisite, and very familiar pentagonal stone slab that had been concealed beneath it
In this desert, you are much safer than our situation
The information frequency bands captured by the robots are of no use to you; as long as you do not appear ostentatiously within their line of sight, they will not be able to detect you
You can take us along
He is clearly planning to take Jiang Xia to fight desperately
It should not be peaceful there either, and there are dangers, but it is certainly better than staying in this desolate desert, entangled in power struggles with this group of wasteland tough guys
It spared oneself from an aimless search in the desert.
I know that this is very unscientific; it is a relic left by an ancient advanced civilization that came to this world. Through it, one can enter another world, allowing us to completely escape this terrible and wretched homeland
Two days ago, that place was occupied by the robots of the Eternal Life Society
Not in a hurry
One cannot reveal to him that he is merely a pawn pushed out to face death, let alone speak of any identity, background, or influence, for he possesses none at all
Old Jiang was not concerned, quickly changing into his boots, tightening the zipper and laces
The leader of the Wasteland Brotherhood observed this scene and said
You need not worry
We exerted considerable effort to complete it, and it remains in our oasis camp
But this cannot be blamed on Jiang Xia's carelessness
However, since Rog is currently indulging in such self-interpretation, it would be prudent to go along with the flow.
It seems that this Rogge did not deceive; they indeed have a clear objective for coming here
There is no need to mention anything like a response anymore
The place filled with the scent of gunpowder is where a man's romantic homeland lies
To activate this device, a special energy source is required
At this moment, I am weak and outnumbered. If this group of augmented wasteland brutes turns against me, I have no good way to deal with them
First, return to the world you came from before discussing further
I want six
This is all thanks to the previous explorer.
Rog explained to Jiangxia
Your shot just now was impressive. Without the assistance of a fire control system, you were still able to shoot through the battery pack of the hunter with a single shot. You are indeed a trained warrior
He felt that it would be better not to disclose his true situation to Roger at this time
He drew the revolver from his waist, turned to the side, shook his head, and made a gesture of "please" towards Rog behind him. The latter showed no intention of resistance and did not reach for the pile of firearms behind him
What do you understand
I also know
Rogge's attitude is sincere, and his manner of speaking and behavior is quite graceful. Ignoring his rough-skinned face, one cannot help but feel a sense of goodwill towards him
Su could not understand what Jiang Xia was saying
He said
He made a gesture, and the group of wasteland warriors behind him immediately sprang into action, packing their gear and preparing to leave
We have thermal camouflage clothing that prevents you from being detected by thermal imaging, while also attracting attention on the periphery
The scale of this sandstorm will severely disrupt the optical tactical information modules of those robots, forcing them to capture targets using methods such as thermal, infrared, and information frequency bands
However, Jiang Xia could tell just by thinking that this guy must be hiding something
One's understanding of the world they come from is no greater than that of this group of Rogues
You previously told Su that you are a businessman
It cannot be told to him either
Rog's expression remained unchanged as he picked up a pulse rifle from behind Jiang Xia, disengaged the safety, and with a hint of regret, said to Jiang Xia
So I would like to ask for your help in taking it back and driving them out of there
After all, when the star array was activated previously, this ruin was illuminated by a blue arc of light
This is quite normal; anyone with a modicum of sense would not confide so deeply in a stranger. However, the current statement at least sounds very feasible.
That world is unfamiliar to us
Let us discuss the matters later
Before he could finish his question, he was interrupted by Jiang Xia.
Many key points were glossed over by him
Do not mention phrases like trust and interests anymore; only children believe in such things. Throughout this journey, I have made clear the situation here and your current predicament.
However, one can infer that something is amiss just by observing his actions
But the problem is
This group of wasteland warriors can be judged by their appearance alone, revealing their ruthless nature; they are all a band of outlaws
He drew out the handgun, swiftly opened the chamber, took out the bullet, reloaded it, and finally returned it to its place with great skill. He tore open his sleeve and used a rag to wipe the gun barrel
The world you see before you is utterly devoid of hope
That shot just now was merely a case of a blind cat stumbling upon a dead mouse
You cannot accomplish this alone
Old Roger moved his wrist and said to Jiang Xia
Jiang Xia's eyes turned, and then he broke into a smile, extending his hand to Roger, saying
However, what is contained within is actual ammunition
In my world, I am merely a scholar, frail in body, lacking in vitality, and having just recovered from a serious illness, utterly powerless.
Like scanning, record the patterns of this stone tablet from top to bottom
All we need is for you to infiltrate the camp and disable the defensive artillery there; we will take care of the rest
With a grand gesture, Rog said to Su, who somewhat reluctantly removed his long boots, revealing his mechanical prosthetics, and then handed the odorless shoes to Jiang Xia
This is a question that compels Jiangxia to reflect
He said, while waving the revolver in his hand, said:
Rog waved his hand, and the old warrior with a bearded face leaned in to listen; the sound of peeling outside the temple had diminished significantly, indicating that the sandstorm was about to pass.
As long as one is not blind, it is clear to see
Jiang Xia's straightforward rejection clearly indicated that this was not the situation he wished to see; this Roger is indeed a clever person, and all the previous groundwork was laid for this moment.
It is alright, we do not need you to fight.
Now let's activate the star array, and I will take you there
However, a minor issue has arisen at this point
You do not need to be capable, nor am I asking you to go to your death
You said to me, you are a scholar
On the contrary, there was a trace of joy in his heart
This fellow's pair of boots is quite good, walking in the desert could not be more convenient, mechanical prosthetics should not have foot odor, right
Jiang Xia felt a sudden jolt in her heart and calmly retorted
Rog looked back at the temple and said
It was he who informed us of the existence of the star formation, and it was he who gave us hope
You recognize it, and you know what it can do
The thin and dark young man was very obedient to orders; he merely shot a glance at Jiang Xia before turning around to continue tending to his companion's injuries
Then consider it as us hiring you
"The gun can be given to you, but you must help!"
Rog paused for a moment, glanced at the attentive Jiang Xia, and emphasized his words:
I had prepared in advance, executing everything meticulously, but unexpectedly, this old soldier saw right through it. Anyone in this situation would feel displeased
One can tell from this process that there was prior preparation
I do not trust you, and you do not trust me either
They carefully placed it into the iron box that had been prepared in advance and secured it onto a tracked motorcycle
But I also hope
It is not me boasting, but my world is far better than your wasteland
The kind that sells death
appears very cooperative
The frail man with unevenly cut hair raised his head, as if he had made a resolution, and his gaze became clearer and sharper.
He spoke frankly to Roger:
Soon, several wasteland warriors approached, using intricate tools resembling jacks to pry the stone slab from the ground
He pointed to Su, who was standing to the side, and as his finger moved downward, he said
Rogge let out a laugh, ignoring the dark muzzle of the gun in Jiang Xia's hand, and simply lay on the ground, extending his left hand, from which a blue ray emanated from the palm of his cybernetic hand
As for stealth
There, help us build a new home
Jiangxia did not obstruct this process
Where do you see that I have been trained
I am fond of weapons, but in reality, I cherish peace even more
Alright
Such a great commotion
Since this group of people has come for the star formation and has made ample preparations, it is highly likely that they also have a way to activate it
Before we embarked on this journey, it was already determined that it was stored in the ruins of this fortress before the great battle. Even without your unexpected factor, we would still be able to find it
The reward you desire, as long as we can provide it, is yours to request
Jiang Xia frowned slightly, sensing that something was amiss. He responded briefly, and then he heard Roger leisurely say:
I will not force you, but given the current situation, cooperation is beneficial for both of us
Rog waved his hand dismissively and said to Jiang Xia:
We are merely acquaintances, and there is no talk of any friendship. Only by revealing our true intentions to each other can we continue to cooperate.
Although I know that the life of every star sea explorer is complex, I am still very curious about what exactly you do
The weapons can be returned to you, and I can also assist, but as for infiltration, I will have to decline. I have not learned stealth, nor am I a soldier
The old warrior scrutinized Jiang Xia from head to toe, and he emphasized his tone as he said
You do have an eye for quality; this gun is a keepsake left to me by my grandfather. Although it is a firearm, it has long been out of step with this damned era
However, at the muzzle, instead of a firing cap for launching projectiles, there is a probe shape resembling a ray gun, and the design of that grenade launcher is also quite unique
The most important thing is that there is not a single chip in your body
At this moment, with matters coming to a head and having encountered someone with whom to communicate, Jiang Xia pondered for a moment and decided to no longer conceal the truth
He looked at Jiang Xia, extending one hand towards him, one hand holding a gun, the other hand empty
Here, apart from chaos and despair, you will find nothing of significance. You are also weak and powerless, and this star array requires specific energy to activate.
I do not know how to start it in your world, but over here, it requires a specific frequency battery pack to be discharged in series, and that is quite a large unit
Very well, helping each other is a good thing. We have reached an agreement, let's proceed with it.
I can cooperate and also offer assistance, but we must first speak frankly and openly!
The descent of the celestial phenomenon is not surprising, as it has attracted this group of wasteland warriors, especially since they are here in search of the star array.
This level of firepower is still insufficient
I will make every effort to send you back to your world, considering it a repayment for the help you just provided us