Hunter of Mysterious Creature-Chapter 405 - 46: Task Force 67_2

This young man who looks less than thirty years old is Ding Chao, the leader of the 67th Field Operations Team and one of six deputy ministers of the Field Operations Department.

"The command center gave strict orders, with the highest priority in the mission to ensure the integrity of the production line at Factory 105, followed by finding missing people and searching for traces of anomalies... I can’t just have a tank crash through the factory walls, can I?" Ding Chao said helplessly, "But I got you some equipment, including the exoskeleton you wanted."

Ding Chao unzipped two large bags, revealing four sets of full carbon fiber exoskeletons, each weighing just over six kilograms, motors included, making them the lightest model in the military-grade category. Additionally, there were three CQB version assault rifles and a shotgun that could switch between semi-automatic and fully automatic modes with a drum magazine. All weapons came equipped with thermal imaging and low-light sights—combined with the night vision devices on the exoskeleton helmets, at least the visibility issue was resolved.

"To be honest, even the ’Red-haired Witch’ went missing inside the factory... I have a really bad feeling about this." Yin Xiang said while putting on the power exoskeleton, "Can’t the Investigation Bureau send some people ahead of us?"

The people Yin Xiang referred to were naturally the temporary investigators who had signed ’indenture contracts’—even though he had cursed the Celestial City Management Committee and Anomaly Investigation Bureau when he was a temporary investigator, he found that as his identity and status changed, so did his perspective on things...

Although this approach was inhumane, in situations where lives were used to blaze trails, it was better to let these temporary investigators—most of whom were convicts sentenced to death or life imprisonment or debtors who owed the Federation government a lot of money and couldn’t repay it—go first rather than risking the trained field agents and regular investigators. For them, using their lives to gain valuable intelligence might be the most meaningful thing in their life.

Yin Xiang didn’t want to admit this, feeling a sense of shame in his thoughts... But despite the shame, he didn’t think there was anything wrong with his reasoning.

If those temporary investigators survived the mission, the Federation Government would reward them as promised beforehand, and even pardon their sentences—something Yin Xiang personally experienced; at least, the Federation Government wouldn’t renege on matters like this.

"The Investigation Bureau is too far from here." Ding Chao was busy organizing the equipment, without even taking the time to look up, "Moreover, there’s a significant shortage of temporary investigators... Most of the prisoners in the major prisons in Shuzhou who were willing to sign the contract have already done so, leaving only those who would rather face execution than become temporary investigators... Speaking of which, you used to be a temporary investigator, right? Why did you sign that contract? You didn’t commit a major crime that would warrant a death penalty; at most, you would have served a few years in prison."

"Not a few years, it was going to be twenty-seven years." Yin Xiang said, "Besides owing money, there was fraud, tax evasion, insurance fraud, forgery of official seals, etc. With all those offenses combined, I would have had to spend at least half of my life in prison. At that time, I didn’t have a concept of the dangers involved in being a temporary investigator. I thought I’d give it a try; maybe I could regain my freedom and pay off my debts, so I signed up."

"Well, you really did win... You are quite something to manage to get yourself into so much trouble." Ding Chao glanced at Yin Xiang, surprised.

"Would you believe me if I said I was taking the fall for someone else?" Yin Xiang said with displeasure.

"Sure, why not." Ding Chao replied naturally, "Did the person you took the fall for promise you some benefits or have something on you?"

"No... It was just me being foolish at the time." Yin Xiang waved his hand, "Actually, it’s not entirely taking the blame; I did have some involvement in those things... Ah, the past is past, no point in talking about it; it was all the consequences I deserved."

"You’re now an operative in the Celestial City Mysterious Creature Research Institute Field Department, don’t be so down." Ding Chao said, handing an assembled assault rifle to Yin Xiang, "Since you managed to survive and become permanent, even if your skills aren’t up to par, your luck certainly is. Believe in yourself; you completed the previous tasks, and you’ll definitely complete this one too."

"Leader, are you trying to comfort me?" Yin Xiang said, a bit speechless, "Why does it sound so odd?"

"Uh..." Ding Chao scratched his head, "I’m not very good with words, so don’t mind me... By the way, Ling Xiao and Jiang Yu, are you both ready?"

"I-I don’t need this thing..." Jiang Yu pointed to the last set of exoskeletons in the bag, "Can I not wear it?"

"Well, you are a Hunter... Your physical abilities are certainly better than that device, so you don’t have to wear it." Ding Chao nodded, "This thing might even hold you back."

On the other side, Ling Xiao obediently put on the exoskeleton—in part due to its motion sensors and smart chip, this model of exoskeleton could be operated easily without prior training. Aside from a few actions that pushed the limits of human flexibility, the exoskeleton was like a garment, providing support and power assistance while minimizing its own presence.

As a trade-off, the software accounted for more than two-thirds of the cost, making the entire exoskeleton several times more expensive than the electromechanical types worn by the soldiers nearby.

"Let’s move, I’ll take the lead." Ding Chao gave his left arm a light shake, and a foldable transparent shield popped out from the concealed slot on his forearm.

...

The 67th Field Operations Team was formed twelve days ago, and aside from Ding Chao, Yin Xiang, Ling Xiao, and Jiang Yu, the rest had no real task experience—of course, this refers to their experience since becoming field operatives. In fact, the 67th team was already among the more elite groups within the field department.

Otherwise, Ling Xiao and Jiang Yu wouldn’t have been assigned to this team.

In addition to these four, out of the twelve other members, eight were active soldiers from the army, three were former full-time Investigation Bureau investigators, and the oldest member, although a civilian before employment, was a recon scout retired from a special forces unit, with skills and tactics not inferior to others in the team.

At this moment, these sixteen field operatives, armed to the teeth, cautiously approached Building No. 1 of Factory 105 under numerous watchful eyes and cameras.

"No response from the memetic detection equipment." An operative carrying a large metal box said quietly, "At this distance, based on the range and penetration capabilities of this model, we can basically conclude there are no anomalies inside Building No. 1."

"Don’t be careless, the anomaly might be able to conceal its memetic waves." Ding Chao reminded, "Master the equipment manual, but don’t treat the manual as gospel."

Ding Chao paused, adding, "This is something a senior taught me when I first joined."

"What happened to that senior?" Yin Xiang asked softly.

"He died, during the last operation to lure and kill Chimera 17." Ding Chao sighed, "I hope everyone is as cautious as possible... I don’t want anybody paying the price of life for carelessness."