Chapter 503: Danger from the Starry Sky

Chapter 503: Chapter 26: Danger from the Starry Sky

BUZZ!

The call disconnected. Lu Chao stood where he was, his gaze somewhat solemn as he looked out the window.

The Starry Sky Trial, the genius trial-takers from the Klar Civilization…

Piece after piece of information settled in his heart, leaving him feeling alarmed. He suspected that his inexplicable premonition of danger was related to this. After all, according to Ji Lixian, the Biotechnology Company had significant ties with the forces of the Klar Civilization.

Moreover, there was what Ji Lixian had said: “The Five Major Enterprises plan to intervene in the war and march north together for a crusade…”

Lu Chao frowned, keenly sensing something amiss. The Five Major Enterprises had always been at odds with the Alliance Country despite their superficial harmony. For them to suddenly join forces now was highly unusual no matter how he looked at it.

And the only explanation was this so-called Starry Sky Trial.

As these thoughts flashed through his mind, that obscure sense of danger lingered in his heart, refusing to dissipate.

“Yooo~”

By the window, Ghost Element seemed to sense his heavy heart and let out a low croon. The Spiritual Link brought the human and beast closer together. Combined with their recent experiences, they were already comrades-in-arms and true partners.

“I’m fine.” Lu Chao snapped back to reality and rubbed its head.

A faint bustle occasionally drifted in from outside the window, and Mountain City, as seen from his vantage point, now displayed more signs of lively, everyday human life.

Whatever this Starry Sky Trial actually was, it didn’t matter. All he needed to do was grow stronger step by step. With this thought, Lu Chao cast aside his distractions and quietly suppressed that vague sense of danger. His cultivation had to continue. No matter how the situation unfolded, true strength was what ultimately mattered.

Northern Territory wasteland.

A wind as sharp as a knife scraped across the barren land. The gray sky and the brown earth merged into an endless expanse. Occasionally, a few Mutant Beasts would dart through the ruins, vanishing in the blink of an eye.

At this very moment, deep beneath this desolation, lay an underground base. Heavy alloy doors isolated it completely from the outside world. Heavily armed Rebel squads patrolled the brightly lit corridors, while experts and scholars in long white lab coats hurried by, clutching various data and reports.

RUSTLE…

Amidst faint sounds, through the transparent glass windows of a laboratory, a figure could be seen lying on an operating table. Dozens of cables and nutrient tubes were connected to the body, and biomechanical augmentation lines crisscrossed its skin, occasionally flashing with a faint charging glow. The experts in charge of the modification wore protective suits and black goggles as they operated precision instruments, implanting new bionic organs into the subject.

This scene was merely a microcosm. More and more laboratories extended into the distance, densely packed like a subterranean hive, spanning several base levels and encompassing nearly a hundred experimental rooms.

The Rebel leader stood in the suspended command center in the middle of it all, watching the surveillance footage on the light screens. A black mask obscured most of his face, revealing only a pair of profound eyes that betrayed no emotion.

“Chief Engineer Lanle, what is the current efficiency of the augmentation?”

“Leader.” The white man in the long lab coat, Lanle, who had been standing by behind him the whole time, quickly bowed at the question and handed over the data report in his hands. “This is the latest status of the augmentation modification project.

“Based on our current data projections, we can successfully modify twenty-three percent of the base’s ordinary soldiers, granting them strength comparable to sub-professional-level fighters.

“This is an increase of six percentage points from our previous seventeen percent.”

Lanle felt a bit apprehensive, a fawning smile on his face.

The Rebel leader took the report, his gaze sweeping over the data before stopping at that specific number.

“Twenty-three percent? Not bad.”

He nodded, and both Lanle and the experimental experts behind him breathed a sigh of relief.

But quickly after, the leader asked, his tone still indifferent, “When can we reach thirty percent?”

Lanle’s smile froze. The experts behind him exchanged furtive glances, their faces turning pale.

Thirty percent. They knew better than anyone what that number meant.

While biomechanical augmentation didn’t require high innate talent, it wasn’t suitable for everyone. Constitution, willpower, genetic compatibility… each factor had to undergo strict screening. Thirty percent meant that one out of every three people could successfully undergo the modification. This was undoubtedly a pipe dream; at the very least, it was incredibly difficult to achieve with the current technology on Earth Star.

“This…” Lanle opened his mouth, wanting to explain that this would be extremely difficult to accomplish and that what he had achieved was already the theoretical limit. However, meeting the leader’s apathetic eyes, he swallowed the words that were on the tip of his tongue.

“Leader, give me another half a year,” he said, biting his lip and bracing himself.

“Half a year?” The leader’s voice was low, laced with a trace of chilliness.

The surrounding lab personnel all changed expressions slightly, lowering their heads and not daring to make a sound. They knew perfectly well that what the leader hated most was bargaining.

“You have three months at most.” The leader shook his head.

Lanle’s face turned pale, cold sweat sliding down his forehead. Three months was a nearly impossible task, but he didn’t dare to argue. The armies of the Alliance Country were already on the verge of advancing into the Northern Territory wasteland. With pressure mounting simultaneously from the north, south, east, and west fronts, the Rebels were steadily retreating. Even the Five Major Enterprises were planning to form a coalition army to join the war against them.

“If you need anything, ask for it as soon as possible,” the leader’s voice rang out again, possessing a rare hint of patience. “Whether it is personnel or materials, you will receive full cooperation. I only want results.”

“Yes!” Lanle gritted his teeth and nodded, eventually leading his subordinates away at a brisk pace.

The command center grew quiet once more, leaving only the leader and a few trusted Law Enforcement Officers who looked as if they wanted to say something but hesitated.

“Speak.”

“Leader…” Gritting his teeth, one of the confidants reported in a low voice, “Suo Hui has been confirmed dead.”