1232 Level-one Alarm!
The sky gradually darkened, and the surface temperature of Mars also dropped.
Celestial Trade’s rover left with the “centipede’s body”; the rover that got flipped around was left there.
Two Devil Worms crawled out from underground and they used their sickle-like teeth to touch the rover. They then realized that it was inedible and returned into the ground.
The two people who didn’t dare to breathe inside the vehicle looked at each other and saw the same fear.
The entire car was flipped over with its four wheels pointed up.
Unfastening the seat belt across their chest, the two fell from their seats onto the ceiling.
w.a.n.g Qiang had a hard time turning himself over. After he managed to throw this body around, he reached to the interface of the rover and pressed a few b.u.t.tons. James crawled cautiously to the window and peeked out.
“Are they gone?” While w.a.n.g Qiang operated the interface, he grunted and said, “d.a.m.n, it’s so hard to operate this…got it!”
The console’s system restarted and the blue light particles converged on the holographic screen. Rows of dazzling lines floated in front of w.a.n.g Qiang’s eyes and the glaring light made him blink a few times.
“It’s gone, but I’m not sure if they will come back.” James took a deep breath and moved his eyes away from the window. Then he leaned against the wall of the cabin and put his hands around his head. “d.a.m.n, what’s with those bugs outside?”
Everything happened so unexpectedly.
Almost without warning, the entire rover was knocked over by the “centipede”. His forehead was still bruised by the coffee cup that was sent flying.
“Who knows. Maybe we have been messing around this place too much and disturbed their sleep? Or the little guy we sent down made them mad,” While concentrating on the holographic screen, w.a.n.g Qiang grunted. “Thank G.o.d. Their teeth are still not sharp enough… The cha.s.sis has been bent, but no damage to the fuel tank or the engine. The air conditioning system is normal, and the oxygen content here is sufficient… Fresh water and food can last us two weeks; the situation is very optimistic. However, the antenna on the roof is broken.”
“Can you turn the rover over?” James asked.
“You are joking, man.” w.a.n.g Qiang laughed and turned off the holographic screen, he then just lied flat on the ceiling.
In order to offer protection from sandstorms, and at the same also include life, research, communications and other facilities, the tonnage of the rover was naturally high.
Under normal circ.u.mstances, the rover not much lighter than an armored vehicle would be impossible to flip over. But once the rover was indeed knocked over, it would be a difficult task to get it back on its wheels.
“Let me think about it. We might need a crane, or a superhuman.” w.a.n.g Qiang shook his head, pressed the b.u.t.ton next to the window, lowered the alloy folding window, and leaned back on the wall inside the cabin, “I feel neither situation is very reliable right now.”
“Are we abandoned?” James gulped as he forced out these words.
“No way, just wait for the rescue team. Celestial Trade has never left anybody.”
w.a.n.g Qiang was absolutely convinced.
What’s more, even if it was not for them, the headquarters would still never abandon them for the alien relics in Mine 071.
The instant w.a.n.g Qiang saw the bugs, he once again confirmed the idea that everyone rejected.
Below Mine 071 was not a natural igneous vein.
It was the remains of Martians!
…
Celestial Trade s.p.a.ce Defense Force headquarters activated the level-one alarm.
It was the first time this has happened since the establishment of the s.p.a.ce Defense Force.
Armed in 30 seconds and converged in 30 seconds.
The Marine Corp soldiers in kinetic skeletons jogged through the suspension ladder, gathered on the track connecting the Seagull-cla.s.s transport s.h.i.+p and the port, and entered the lifts in batches. Under the effect of electromagnetic propulsion, the lifts followed the track and moved to the transport s.h.i.+p.
In just ten minutes, a thousand Marines were ready for deployment and entered the hibernation chamber. The mechanical arm connected to the bridge of Seagull withdrew and all crew members entered battle position. The captain was inside the command center, waiting for the order to set sail.
Outside the headquarters of Celestial Trade, there were intensive footsteps moving toward the conference room.
“What happened?” The commander of Celestial Trade s.p.a.ce Defense Force quickly caught up to Kelvin’s footsteps and followed him as he lowered his voice and asked, “My soldiers are ready, but where is our enemy?”
“Our colony was attacked.” Kelvin did not slow down as he responded while also lowering his voice.
The commander subconsciously said.
“The UA?”
“No, the situation is worse,” Kelvin replied with deep concerns in his eyes, “It’s aliens.”
The meeting began, and almost all the top executives of the Celestial Trade s.p.a.ce Department and the s.p.a.ce Defense Department gathered here.
The seat at head of the table was empty; it belonged to Jiang Chen. Because he was on the surface, he had to video conference in.
Kelvin placed a doc.u.ment on the table, looked at officers and executives around the table and quickly articulated.
“Long story short, our Mars colony was attacked by unknown creatures, suspected to be prehistoric species, for unknown reasons. A Marine Corps soldier died in battle, a rover car rolled over near Mine 071 with two Future Mining employees...o...b..ard. The Marine Corps soldiers were forced to withdraw because they were not aware of the number of enemy units.”
“Based on the remains of unidentified creatures brought back by the frontline soldiers, the biotech researchers at the colony completed a dissection. We temporarily named this creature–”
“Devil Worm,” Jiang Chen interrupted Kelvin’s words and responded to the eyes that were focused on him. Then he said calmly, “Number X-1101 project, confidentiality cla.s.s-S. The specific details cannot be explained. In short, we used a special detection equipment and observed the ruins of Mine 071.”
“It is now confirmed that Devil Worms are a species of large arthropods that were active in the Mars mantle to the crust area 3.7 billion years ago. They are carnivores, and the reasons for its survival till now are unknown. It is suspected that it may be related to a prehistoric civilization.”
As Jiang Chen finished this sentence, he was met with the shocked responses of all the executives and officers. While they looked astonished, there were concerns and disbeliefs shared around the table.
Including Kelvin who was personally involved in Project 071, everyone was stunned by the facts Jiang Chen gave.
Species from 3.7 billion years ago?
How can it be!
G.o.d knows how they lived for so long.
“Everyone.”
Jiang Chen’s voice silenced all the chatters in the room.
Scanning everyone present, he ordered in a calm and unquestionable tone.
“Now the security of the entire colony is threatened, and the existence of Devil Worms has seriously hampered our ‘Tiangong City Plan’.”
“The war has begun.”
“I ask you to immediately develop an operational plan to reinforce our colony.”
“Suppress those bugs at all costs!”