CHAPTER 1070: CHAPTER 79: DESPAIR AND BETRAYAL

Protector Shi made another move, using plasma to cut an opening in the metal barrier, then repeated the technique to flip out, and quickly sealed the gap afterwards.

Along the way he had already damaged several pressure-enhancing devices and surveillance equipment, ensuring he could reach here without being directly pinpointed. However, this behavior itself would alert people to "something" traveling along the pipeline to this location.

Protector Shi was even prepared for an ambush the moment he left the pipeline.

But unexpectedly, there was no one at the designated exit point.

Not even his own people were here.

There should have been a group of Six Dragons Sect’s defenders here.

"Didn’t notice me? That shouldn’t be possible; Chaldea’s defenses shouldn’t be so lax." After considering for a moment, Protector Shi quickly made his way to the Six Dragons Sect’s small outpost.

It was unexpectedly a patrol post and resting room for the Chaldea city defense team.

Protector Shi directly input the door password and entered inside.

Then, he was startled.

There were seven or eight people inside. Half he recognized. Although he hadn’t seen the other half before, judging by their alert postures, they were most likely members of the Six Dragons Sect.

He said, "Banner Master Nimo, it’s me, Protector Shi."

"Protector?" Banner Master Nimo had met Protector Shi several times and barely recognized him based on impression. If Protector Shi only said "it’s me," he might have probed further.

"Yes." Protector Shi looked around, saying, "All our people?"

"The scenery is irrecoverable." Banner Master Nimo nodded.

"Six Dragons Chariot... wasn’t this set scrapped?" Protector Shi shook his head, "What’s going on?"

"The recognition method we used earlier happened to be within the range of the Martial God’s broadcast. Someone has uploaded the broadcast record online." Banner Master Nimo laughed bitterly, "This only leaves that one intepreter phrase, known by fewer people."

They feared someone might use the enemy recognition secret key of the Six Dragons Sect to fish them out.

They had lost contact with the Six Dragons Sect’s higher-ups for many days now. Apart from Protector Shi, almost no one in the local Six Dragons Sect knew their identities. Moreover, no one suspected them at the moment; rashly contacting others might expose them, so Protector Shi’s original plan was to get them to accumulate and stay hidden until the Twelve Martial Gods’ influence wanes, then interact with them.

If not for the appearance of the Hunter, an enemy capable of identifying Six Dragons Sect members through inner strength personality profiling, Protector Shi wouldn’t be ready to use his First Heavenly Layer prosthetic body.

Protector Shi said, "I plan to take action soon, activate my body. Will you help me?"

Protector Nimo was stunned: "You haven’t acted yet?"

Protector Shi froze too: "What? I have acted? What did I do? What information did you hear?"

The eight Six Dragons Sect martial artists covertly infiltrating Chaldea’s city defense team looked at each other, unsure where to start.

Banner Master Nimo said, "Earlier, there was a strong EMP in the industrial area, injuring some people. After restoring order, the defense team members from several locations compared system records, confirming the EMP occurrence roughly near the place locally named ’Location A’... with a margin of about a hundred meters. The upper-levels at Chaldea haven’t given further commands, haven’t asked us to support, nor explained the incident. We’re discussing whether it’s a sect brother, should we give a hand."

Protector Shi only felt absurd. The locally named "Location A" was precisely where the upper half of his First Heavenly Layer prosthetic body was stored. Along with the torso, it was kept there. Additionally, there were extra head armor fittings to ensure the brain could be instantly transferred to external armor if needed.

"Something has changed?" Banner Master Nimo cautiously inquired.

Protector Shi thought for a moment, and said, "Have you usually been to Location A? Could it be that someone detected anything?"

"Probably not. According to the sect’s rules, we pretend there’s nothing there."

Protector Shi felt a whirl. Moments later, he asked, "How long ago was that?"

"A quarter of an hour..."

It’s over.

Protector Shi knew very well the purpose of storing the upper half of the prosthetic body at Location A was to quickly replace it under urgent conditions. A quarter of an hour was sufficient for someone coming prepared to initiate that body.

If this matter was done by the Hunter...

The Hunter surely has already switched to a complete First Heavenly Layer prosthetic—the entire prosthetic. Even if used as a weapon, the body stored there was very strong. If he went there now, he’d likely be instantly killed.

"Bring two people with me to Location B. We might still make it." Protector Shi said, "You can continue to hide, or flee for your lives. As long as sect’s secrets aren’t exposed, you have flexibility. Save yourselves."

He’s lost all hope.

..................

When Tila Lee woke up, she discovered all control over her body had been severed. Her cranial cavity was opened, and the motherboard was completely removed.

Without this, a person cannot control their prosthetic body. Although legends say inner strength reaching the mechanical realm can gather one’s mind to directly output signals driving the body, even then it’s only "able to move," the movement effect akin to a rehabilitating disabled person, with martial prowess not even one-tenth of normal. She also lost all avenues for external signaling, only the prosthetic eye directly connected to the visual center could passively receive information.

Even these eyes couldn’t move or focus.

Tila Lee recalled what had just happened.

Just after Jue Jue found something new, that Six Dragons Sect hunter suddenly pulled out an EMP generator from behind. The EMP surge shielded all signals while simultaneously burning several signal transceiver devices on the spot.

Then...

Then...

A chill arose in Tila Lee’s heart.

The hunter suddenly turned hostile, knocking them all down like a whirlwind. While controlling the opponents, he used his direct inner strength to forcibly disable everyone’s firewall and externally operated their prosthetics, pulling out the motherboards.

——Terrifying... too terrifying!

——The prosthetic she used specs-wise was a bit worse than mine!

——And about the curse, what was it, why... why was it so terrifying?

——Must inform the lord, these people have issues, they... they...

Tila Lee carefully observed her surroundings and her heart sank.

All squad leaders were knocked down, placed here without exception.

Beside her, Asgard asked Jeanne, "Do you really intend this?"