BIOLOGICAL SUPERCOMPUTER SYSTEM

Chapter 930  Northern Gate battle (1)

A line of olive drab troop carriers, their paint dulled by years of service, sat idling with hatches propped open.

Soldiers clad in camo that seemed to almost melt into the concrete loading area bustled about with efficiency.

One group, faces grim under their helmets, wrestled a massive, tarp-covered crate onto the back of a flatbed, the winch straining with a metallic shriek.

Another soldier, a young woman, double-checked the straps securing a stack of metal containers on another truck, her hand brushing away a stray wisp of hair escaping her tightly-bunned ponytail.

The air crackled with a low hum of activity, the only sounds breaking the tense silence, the rhythmic shouts of commands and the metallic clang of equipment.

Erik walked toward the convoy, acting natural and focused.

"MOVE! GO, GO, GO!" Erik climbed up, hauling himself into the soldier filled truck.

The vehicle rumbled out of the base and sped towards the northern gate. Erik sat apart from the other soldiers, keeping his head down.

Conversations buzzed around him, but he didn't join in.

He was going to kill those soldiers in the future and talking to them would only make things more complicated.

But he observed them in case he needed to change identities.

Besides, once at the gate, he needed to learn the soldiers' patrols and security protocols, as they would be for sure helpful information for the resistance's plans.

To ask this information, rather than snooping around, was many times better.

However, even if Erik had no intention of being friendly with the other soldiers, there was still something he had to do. With discretion, at that.

Erik used his biological supercomputer to hack into the truck driver's phone.

Once he gained access, Erik composed a message to June, explaining the situation. He could have called, but he needed to pay attention now so, he avoided doing anything that would break his focus.

In that message, Erik detailed that Sergeant Markham's squad was being deployed to the northern gate in response to a rebel attack on the eastern gate.

June and Erik exchanged several messages.

…

"You need to avoid attacking the northern gate until I'm there. As soon as I'm going to get new information about the place layout, the guard shifts, the defenses, and the weak points, I will take another identity and leave."

"The Northern Gate is not our next target, master. The target is a small team of blackguards stationed on the south gate."

Erik read June's reply and almost nodded.

<Fuck… I must be careful. >

Luckily, June told him the northern gate was not their true target. Erik didn't contact the rebels for some time now, so he wasn't that informed about the overall situation. Then he wrote a reply.

"Understood. I will stay with the forces moving to the northern gate to gain insight into their capabilities. This may prove useful when Fischer attacks the northern gate. If we breach it, we will have a lot of opportunities to wreak havoc."

But then Erik sent another message to June as the truck bounced along the uneven road.

"Is there any news about the clones? The first batch should have hatched by now."

June's reply came soon. "The first batch has, Master. They look identical to you."

Erik sighed. Identical clones would make things awkward.

Still, the Chimaeric Demons would be powerful soldiers once they matured. Tomorrow, a new batch of clones is going to hatch, and so will the others during the following days.

As the military truck rumbled towards the northern gate, Erik focused on his biological supercomputer, analyzing the surrounding soldiers.

Most were low-level fighters with few neural links, but there were others who were not weak at all.

However, two stood out: a sergeant in the front and another dressed as an officer in the back.

Any confrontation with these soldiers would be hazardous for the rebels.

Erik felt the truck slow down and turn towards the gate.

He saw the walls had been damaged by the recent rebel assault and the ongoing thaid attack didn't make things better.

Soldiers were stationed around the perimeter, firing at targets Erik could not see from his position.

The gate itself was an imposing metal structure rising high above the city walls. It was currently closed, and the barrier was active.

Erik spotted guard towers dotting the walls, manned by soldiers observing the area outside.

The truck rumbled to a stop in front of the gate. Erik left the vehicle with the soldiers and listened as Sergeant Markham detailed their squad's duties.

He was still connected to the truck driver's phone.

"Davies, Cooper, join the guards patrolling this side of the gate. Richards, Parker—you're on the towers. Make sure to kill as many fuckers as possible and keep your eyes open for any thaid trying to sneak past." Markham turned to Erik.

"Fink, Check the perimeter for breaches and report back in 10 minutes. After that, we will send you where you are needed."

Erik sent June a quick message through the biological supercomputer.

"June, I have been assigned to scout the perimeter. I will let you know about any breaches or weaknesses."

"Understood, Master. Proceed with caution and report back if you encounter any problems."

"Don't worry. These soldiers are no match for me, and no one suspects I'm not the real Fink."

"Do not underestimate them, master."

Erik closed the connection and burned the truck driver's phone. Just to piss him off.

Since the sergeant divided the soldiers into groups and assigned them positions around the gate, everyone started doing their job, but since Fink had a melee brain crystal power it was likely he was going to end up on the other side of the gate once his first duty was done.

Erik then began searching around the perimeter of the Northern Gate. He wasn't the only one, but that was an important job, because thaids could have slipped up somehow.

He kept his guard up as he walked, but despite being a spy, he was doing his duty faithfully so as not to attract attention.

All seemed silent as he made his way around the inner wall, checking for any breaches or weak spots.

The wall towered high above, lined with lights to illuminate any intruders, which, in this case, were thaids.

The battle outside must have been very chaotic judging by the sounds outside. Artillery and explosions from brain crystal powers could be heard at kilometers.

Before long, Erik returned to Sergeant Markham.

"The perimeter is safe, Sergeant," Erik said. "I saw no signs of damage or breaches along the wall. I briefly talked to the other soldiers, who confirmed it."

"Good work, soldier," Sergeant Markham said. Then the man paused. "More people have been tasked with joining the front lines. It looks like the thaids are pushing really hard. You will join them. Do not return without at least a hundred kills. Is it clear?"

"Yes, Sergeant." Erik joined the soldiers, who got the same orders and got out of the gate.

The scene before him could only be described as utterly insane carnage.

Artillery shells rained down from the walls, exploding among clusters of thaids.

Brain crystal rifles fired without pause, their mana-powered bullets tearing into the snarling creatures charging the wall.

Erik brought up his mana sword and joined the soldiers, engaging a pack of hulking beasts.

Their undersized brains held little more than instinctual rage, though.

Erik slashed at one, severing two of its clawed arms.

Another swiped at him, but he rolled past and took off its leg with a sweeping attack.

He could kill those things easily, but he couldn't over perform the original Ben Fink. But was not that simple.

The thaids kept coming—waves of them throwing themselves at the city's defenses.

Erik fought mechanically, conserving his energy. The creatures were many, but individually weak, at least for him.

The other soldiers, including the blackguards, weren't having that great of a time.

Erik faced them with efficient, almost lazy swings of his swords. A bear-like thaid burst through the melee, knocking soldiers aside.

It fixed its glowing eyes on Erik and charged. As it reared up on its hind legs to maul him, Erik plunged his swords into its mouth and up into its brain. The creature shuddered and collapsed.

Erik pulled his swords free and dove back into the fray.

Their numbers, a seemingly endless swarm moments ago, were a suffocating press around the soldiers now.

Each fallen thaid was replaced by two more chitinous carapaces, blood-soaked fur, mandibles snapping and claws outstretched were around them.

Blood splattered against the soldiers' military armor. Sweat beaded on their brows, stinging his eyes as they fought.

Erik steeled himself for the long battle ahead. Though carnage surrounded him, cool calculation guided his every action.