Chapter 4, New Enemies

The third maintenance vessel flew along the surface of the Vik, inspecting the exterior of the hull

However, Commander, what should we do about that thing

Is there still a life signal?" Ma Rufeng asked again

Attention all teams, there are signs of life, there are signs of life!" said Ma Rufeng. The team members began to feel tense, each raising their weapons; some crouched down, while others stood, all fixated on their targets, with only the sound of their heavy breathing filling the air

Attention all teams, there are still survivors on the spacecraft, and we must locate them. Furthermore, if the spacecraft is able to emit a distress signal, it indicates that its optical brain's independent power supply has not been damaged. We need to find the cockpit and retrieve the optical brain's records. Young men, remain vigilant

Can you determine the location

Attention all teams, there is a passage from here to the upper level, continue the search

What has caused this abnormal phenomenon? Ma Rufeng thought nervously, and what made him even more uneasy were the scratches on the hull. As he got closer, these scratches became clearer and more striking. They could not have been caused by a meteorite, as meteorites only leave impact craters and holes on the hull. These scratches appeared more like something had been engraved on it, with deep marks running in various directions, resembling the traces left by a sharp knife on a tree. However, what could possibly leave such terrifying marks on the incredibly hard carbon alloy hull? It seems that this is somehow related to the Vik's loss of control and its intrusion into the meteorite field.

Commander

"Yes, Commander, even if you do not speak, we will proceed in this manner," said the team members as they took off their semi-automatic rifles, with some even racking the bolts, loading their weapons.

"Contact them immediately," said Ma Rufeng, frowning. "How did this fool manage to get here!"

The further one goes, the more evident the traces of destruction become. Damaged pipes lie haphazardly on the floor, and tangled wires resemble a chaotic mess. Soon, a second corpse was discovered, leaning against the wall, still clutching a handgun, while a semi-automatic rifle lay discarded on the ground, devoid of ammunition. ... The third corpse, the fourth corpse ... The number of bodies increased, some of which could not even be called corpses, merely a hand or a part of a body, floating in the weightless environment, a sight too horrific to bear. Everyone remained silent, clearly impacted by the shocking scene before them. ... The number of bodies increased, some of which could not even be called corpses, merely a hand or a part of a body, floating in the weightless environment, a sight too horrific to bear. Everyone remained silent, clearly impacted by the shocking scene before them.

The third rescue team continued their search and soon discovered more scratches on the underside of the spacecraft, which were very dense, as if something had concentrated its efforts here to cause damage

Yes, Commander

Has the hull sustained structural damage? asked Ma Rufeng

Understood, Commander

What on earth is this thing? someone murmured, as the team members quietly gathered around, looking on in astonishment

"It is not possible, Colonel," the scanning officer said regretfully, shaking his head

Report from the Third Rescue Team: We are currently scanning... hetushu.com. Something seems off; there are signs of destruction everywhere... Another team member murmured softly: "God, what could have done this? It looks as if it has been cut through with a welding torch..."

What exactly is it

Red beret, special operations forces, the other party said, "Withdraw immediately, this is an order"

At this moment, the rescue team found the entrance to the passage. From the images sent by the head-mounted camera, it was evident that the gate here was completely sealed. However, its shape was quite strange, appearing to be distorted. The team members cautiously approached and discovered that there were numerous scratches on it, as well as several dents, as if something had been violently crashing against this gate. The heavy gate had actually been shattered open, severely damaged, and somewhat chilling.

"Evacuate." Ma Rufeng gave up; he understood the rules of the red berets and was aware of the privileges of the Special Incident Response Unit

"Execute the order, we have special authorization from General Muhammad, hand over that spacecraft to us," the other party continued.

Understood, Commander. The rescue team members proceeded with doubled caution, searching carefully and meticulously. Ma Rufeng glanced at his watch; an hour had already passed.

"Identify yourself," said Ma Rufeng

Ma Rufeng looked ahead; the smuggling cargo ship that had been pursued by them had already vanished deep within the asteroid field. Finally, Ma Rufeng decided that saving lives was the priority, so he abandoned the chase and issued the order: "Immediately organize a rescue team and board the ship"

The third rescue team came to a halt, conducting a thorough inspection. Soon, the element detector was deployed, emitting a low, working sound

After a while, the report from the second team came through, "We are checking the airlock here, but it also cannot be opened... The backup power supply may have failed as well. Please hold on..." There was a prolonged, anxious silence in the communication.

What?" Ma Rufeng was taken aback

Attention, attention! Fire, fire! The shouts rose and fell, interspersed with the rhythmic roar of semi-automatic rifles. The flashes of gunfire flickered in the corridor, illuminating the tense and somewhat convulsed faces of the team members

The quantum wave disturbance is about to conclude, and the mass has been determined; the tonnage will not be less than that of the Leagis class

Quantum wave disappearance! Ma Rufeng looked up at the screen, where a spaceship appeared among the asteroid field, right behind them. The spaceship was enveloped in a blue glow, and the quantum leap field was disappearing behind it. Ma Rufeng breathed a sigh of relief; he could see clearly that it was another Rayagas-class warship, bearing the insignia of the New Alliance. However, he soon found it strange—how did another Rayagas from the New Alliance appear here?

The Lancelot continuously emitted signals, attempting to establish contact with the unfamiliar spacecraft; however, the only response they received was the monotonous distress signal from the automated beacon hetushucom.com. The Lancelot cautiously approached the spacecraft, and soon, a three-dimensional image reappeared on the screen. The dark hull of the ship was visible; it was a medium-sized cargo vessel with a displacement of five million tons, featuring a bulging belly, a pointed bow, and six conventional propulsion engines at the rear. Such vessels are commonly seen in commercial shipping lanes, typically transporting essential supplies such as food and fresh water. The Lancelot slowly scanned the hull, and a line of text gradually appeared on the side of the ship.

Finally, the rescue team arrived at the top level, which was still in complete disarray

Yes, Colonel

The alarm has been lifted. The light brain issued the command. The Lancelot, like a giant beast, emitted a hissing sound, and before it lay the mysterious spacecraft

Indeed, under the chaotic sweep of the searchlights, Ma Rufeng saw the charred bullet holes on the wall, remnants left by a semi-automatic rifle. This type of semi-automatic rifle is standard issue for the military, and a considerable number have also found their way onto the black market, becoming sought-after personal defense weapons. The further he walked, the more bullet holes appeared, densely packed, not only on the walls but also on the floor and ceiling, as if a fierce battle had taken place. However, there were only bullet holes; nothing else was found, and all the bullet holes were directed in one direction, as if the people here were shooting while retreating. The further he walked, the more bullet holes appeared, densely packed, not only on the walls but also on the floor and ceiling, as if a fierce battle had taken place. However, there were only bullet holes; nothing else was found, and all the bullet holes were directed in one direction, as if the people here were shooting while retreating. What exactly were they shooting at? Ma Rufeng pondered, growing increasingly tense.

Ma Rufeng watched as sparks flew from the laser striking the hull of the ship. This task was not so easy; it took considerable effort to barely create a hole in the hard hull, which was continuously expanding. What could possibly cause such terrifying scratches on a cargo spaceship? Ma Rufeng's mind raced as he searched his memory for any possible weapons, but after thinking for a long time, he still could not identify any human weapon capable of leaving such strange marks.

The Lancelot approached the Vick, opened its protective shield, and enveloped the entire cargo ship within it to prevent impacts from meteoroids. Then, three small maintenance vessels departed from the Lancelot and slowly approached the Vick.

Yes, Commander

Finally, the opening was enlarged, and the laser drill retracted. Soon, rescue team members dressed in protective suits appeared around the entrance, peering inside while their powerful helmet lights illuminated the dark interior. After confirming that there was nothing amiss, the rescuers began to enter one by one.

"Colonel, the first team is reporting," the voice of the rescue team came through the communicator, somewhat buzzing due to the protective helmet. "The interface won't open. We tried all frequencies; it is estimated that the power to the airlock has been lost."

The rescue team withdrew. Ten minutes later, another Leyagas approached, and Ma Rufeng saw them carefully lifting out a container, which was evidently the object that had attacked them. Then, without delay, the Leyagas quickly vanished, and the entire cargo spaceship was destroyed. Ma Rufeng watched the exploding cargo spaceship, his brows furrowing even tighter. Then, without delay, the Leyagas quickly vanished, and the entire cargo spaceship was destroyed. Ma Rufeng watched the exploding cargo spaceship, his brows furrowing even tighter

Execute the command, there may still be survivors. After entering the ship, continue the search

"Yes, the signal is very weak," the scanning officer replied, "but we can be certain that there are still survivors."

Is it ... ...

"Lancelot, cease all searches immediately, repeat, cease immediately." The unfamiliar Reyagis warship transmitted the message.

Oh my! someone murmured

Yes, Colonel, it has always been there, just very faintly

Commander, the second rescue team is in position

Remain vigilant and make your way to the cockpit," Ma Rufen ordered, hoping that the records stored in the ship's computer could unravel this mystery. He added, "Do not fire indiscriminately; there are still survivors on board.

All the repair vessels gathered at the belly of the Vik, gently positioning themselves and extending their laser drills to cut into the hull

Unable to make contact, after a while, the messenger reported, "Colonel, we have received an urgent distress signal, which was sent automatically"

Ma Rufeng suddenly sensed a threat, a vague feeling, a very unsettling feeling; the Vik was certainly encountering something unusual

The search continued. The team finally reached the living area, where a dark corridor lay before them. The hatches, one after another, were tightly closed, silent as a grave. After a while, new discoveries emerged.

Colonel, the results are in. The hull has been damaged, and it has completely depressurized.

They may have worn protective suits, and perhaps there are pressurized chambers as well, Ma Rufeng pondered

The Lancelot, under immense reverse braking, emitted a piercing noise and gradually came to a stop

"Commander, should we continue the search?" asked the rescue team member

"Um... this is really strange..." reported the second group, "We checked the outside of the airlock and observed all the lifeboats. It seems that the crew did not escape; not a single lifeboat is missing..."

"I suggest you best take the guns off your shoulders," said Ma Rufeng

Are there any signs of life now?" Ma Rufeng turned to look at the scanner officer

Soon, the second maintenance vessel approached the temporary docking interface

The first maintenance vessel approached the docking interface, and after a brief adjustment of its posture, it accurately attached to the docking interface

Wait a moment, there are scratches appearing here again

Report, the life signal is moving closer, two hundred meters, one hundred and fifty meters, one hundred meters... the speed is quite fast

"It was as if an explosion had occurred." Someone muttered, though it was unclear who. Ma Rufeng knew that this could not have been caused by an explosion within the ship. Typically, when a serious accident occurs inside a spacecraft, the monitoring AI would immediately seal off the entire compartment and, if necessary, spray a powder fire suppressant. However, there were no signs of such actions here

"Is it possible to detect any signs of life inside the hull?" Ma Rufeng turned around and asked.

The Vik was... Maru Feng looked at it and softly read it aloud. It was an utterly ordinary cargo spaceship. However, it had unexpectedly appeared in the perilous Sea of Death, amidst the asteroid field. Clearly, there was some malfunction with its quantum engine, causing a deviation in the quantum channel.

Finally, the crew member was discovered. Ma Rufeng thought, however, where are the other crew members? A team member dragged the corpse, and his face turned over. Although it was somewhat unrecognizable, the expression of terror remained vividly alive, with eyes bulging out of their sockets, mouth wide open, and muscles rigid. His chest had been brutally torn open, the blood had already congealed, appearing black, and below his waist, only a thin layer of skin was connecting, making a crisp sound with a slight movement, splitting into two segments

Rescue team, please note that you are in the bottom cargo hold. Gradually search your way upwards; the cockpit is above the cargo hold. Find a way to approach there

"Major, the rescue team is ready and awaiting your orders." Ma Rufeng collected his thoughts, touched his forehead, and said: "Depart. Rescue team, be aware that there may be unknown dangers; please remain vigilant."

There is a quantum wave disturbance, Colonel, with a significant mass, located behind us, estimated to be a warship

"Attention all teams, have you all brought your weapons?" Ma Rufeng inquired

"Look! Here!" a team member exclaimed. The others gathered around. Ma Rufeng also looked closely at the screen. It was a person, a dead person! He was not wearing protective gear, only ordinary clothes. Due to the temperature and pressure, he had completely frozen into a solid block, floating in the corridor, strangely contorted, eerie.

"Bring in the head-mounted camera signals from the rescue team," commanded Ma Rufeng. Soon, numerous segmented images appeared on the three-dimensional screen.

"Sir, that is the cargo hold"

"Yes, Commander." The team members advanced slowly, essentially floating within the ship due to the absence of artificial gravity, making their movement quite sluggish. Amidst the chaotic scene, some cargo could be seen pushed against the floor, with some items already scattered, seemingly suffering from severe damage. Soon, in the darkness, the rescue team found a hatch. For some unknown reason, the hatch had not been fully lowered, as if an emergency had occurred and the people inside did not have time to lower the isolation hatch. The rescue team members slowly squeezed through the bottom of the hatch into the second compartment, which took considerable time due to their cumbersome protective suits. This was the aft cargo hold, and due to the darkness, no valuable clues were discovered; only scattered cargo remained, along with some liquid pooling on the floor, which had already congealed.

Commander, what should we do now

Execute the command, evacuate! Ma Rufeng frowned and said.

All hands, attention! Condition One!

It was motionless. Ma Rufeng looked again, and the shadow was already lying on the ground, without any movement

Inside, it was pitch black, seemingly devoid of any electricity. All the team members looked around, and the images were shaking everywhere.

We have eliminated that thing

All groups, please note: from the position of the third group, open the hull from the outside and force your way in

"Major, should we forcibly open the airlock?" The buzzing voice of the first team came again

Look, a team member's spotlight is fixed on the wall, "gun hole"

Preliminary inspections have already identified more than fifty instances

Report, the identity of the other party has been identified. The signal emitted by the automatic responder indicates that it is a medium-sized commercial spacecraft: the Vickers, registered in the Maria system, with Captain Vick at the helm

Open fire, open fire

"Sir, should we board the ship?" the communications officer continued to inquire. "Preliminary scans indicate that there are still signs of life inside, and there may be survivors."

Ma Rufeng hesitated for a moment. It was evident that danger had emerged, and the most terrifying aspect was that they did not know what this danger was, where it was located, or whether it would manifest. Ma Rufeng was very inclined to abandon this search; he had already developed a sense of foreboding, as the shadow of something began to surface. He could not be certain that this thing still existed. Since that heroic battle of humanity, this entity had been buried deep within the fearful memories of humankind. Ma Rufeng was very inclined to abandon this search; he had already developed a sense of foreboding, as the shadow of something began to surface. He could not be certain that this thing still existed. Since that heroic battle of humanity, this entity had been buried deep within the fearful memories of humankind.

Report, there is no oxygen here, it is close to a vacuum

Which location is it now

"What part of the spaceship is that?" Ma Rufeng asked as he turned around.

Battleship? Ma Rufeng felt a bit of sweat forming; at this critical moment, another battleship had unexpectedly appeared!

Report: Quantum wave disturbances detected

Ma Rufeng took a gentle breath and made up his mind

The officer reported, "The vital signs have begun to move. They are approaching the rescue team."

This ... ... "Ma Rufen hesitated.

Understood, Commander

50 meters, 40 meters, attention small group, we are getting close! Suddenly, a shadow appeared in the corridor, that thing was enormous, indistinguishable in the darkness, but it was definitely not human. It was rapidly crawling along the corridor, charging towards the rescue team members

"Nothing has been discovered yet, Colonel"

Seeking help? Ma Rufeng pondered, feeling that the situation was becoming increasingly strange and complicated

"Wait a moment," Ma Rufeng said, feeling that the situation was more serious than he had imagined. "What is the status of the third group?"

"Colonel, the situation is not looking good..." transmitted the somewhat gloomy voice of the third rescue team, "The damage here is quite severe. I cannot guarantee anything, but it seems that the hull has been compromised, and the sealed compartments here should be damaged."

This scar immediately evokes the kind of marks left on the outside of a ship, as if a sharp cutting machine had severed it in half.