209: Chapter 209 The Beginning of the Exploration

The next morning.

A team wearing hazmat suits assembled on the platform.

The advance team heading to the other side of the Rosen Bridge consisted of 40 people. There were no researchers; they were all elite special forces soldiers from various countries. Their goal this time was to explore the planet and collect as many biological samples as possible.

With the hazmat suits combined with heavy life-support systems and sampling equipment, the group looked somewhat bloated.

Including weapons, everyone's load exceeded forty kilograms. This would be a heavy burden for an ordinary person, but for these rigorously trained soldiers, it was no difficult task.

After a final inspection, people began to set off one after another via a fire ladder newly extended into the Rosen Bridge.

In this advance team, the number of people sent by the Central Continent was the same as other countries, also eight. Among the eight, the highest-ranking officer was Army Major Li Zhenbang, code-named "Mount Tai." Li Zhenbang was nearly forty years old and had extensive experience in overseas joint operations and combat in extreme environments, known for being steady and decisive.

Sending him this time was enough to show the trust the higher-ups had in him.

Li Zhenbang was in no hurry to enter. Instead, he watched the situation of the others from the side. By now, more than ten people had entered the black barrier. Facing this extraordinary situation, most people on the fire ladder cautiously touched the barrier with their hands to feel for danger before daring to reach in.

Then, after waving a few times, they boldly leaned their bodies through until they disappeared entirely. This level of caution, almost comical, seemed perfectly reasonable at this moment.

However, because no danger signals were sent back, those behind quickened their pace. After ten minutes, the last soldier in the advance team merged into the black barrier.

While passing through the barrier, Li Zhenbang felt as if the world had been muted. All sounds from Earth—the whistling sea breeze, the discussions of the experts behind him—stopped abruptly. Simultaneously, his vision went black, as if he had been deprived of all his senses.

This state lasted only a brief moment. When Li Zhenbang regained his senses, his feet were firmly planted on the ground, and what met his eyes was a blue-purple world.

He had arrived on this unknown planet...

Li Zhenbang scanned the planet with his gaze. Because he had watched the videos sent back by the landing vehicle many times, he wasn't overly surprised by the surroundings.

The advance team began making simple deployments and building defensive works centered around the Rosen Bridge, setting up guard posts and clearing a safe area.

After finishing these tasks, Li Zhenbang met with the officers from the other countries.

Seeing that everyone was present,

Lieutenant Myron Harris from the Americas said, "Everyone, as planned, some will stay behind here while the rest will split into four groups and head out in five different directions. Any abnormalities must be reported via the communicator."

"No problem..."

The senior officers from the other three countries expressed their agreement; this had been part of the plan all along.

Li Zhenbang had no objections. Although they were all members of the same advance team, for well-known reasons, the foundation of trust between them was extremely thin. Splitting up and each taking responsibility for one direction would both increase exploration efficiency and avoid unnecessary friction over command rights and resource allocation in the early stages; this served the current interests of all parties.

Otherwise, it wouldn't be good to have someone shoot an arrow into your back.

"If there's danger, give a timely warning, and I will rush over as quickly as possible," Li Zhenbang added in a low voice, looking at the other four officers.

Everyone nodded slightly in tacit understanding. After discussing the directions they would cover for a few more moments, they each returned to their respective teams.

The Central Continent was responsible for the East, the Americas for the West, the Russian State for the North, and France and England for the South. After arranging the personnel to stay behind, the four groups set off in their assigned directions.

Li Zhenbang led five team members in a standard tactical formation and began advancing toward the East.

As time passed, the scenery before them gradually changed, but they encountered no danger. Li Zhenbang's group was quite productive, obtaining many plant samples.

In the team, a young soldier's originally tense expression relaxed slightly...

—

In front of the Wormhole leading from Titan to Andi Star, Lin Fang's team was also prepared to enter, but the difference was that things here were slightly more aggressive.

A highly sealed isolation chamber was connected to the Wormhole entrance, and in the middle of this transparent isolation chamber lay a naked man.

The man had dark skin, a typical Bantu African. Soon, the man's eyelids flickered.

Kalim Rooney was jolted awake by a brief but bone-deep pain. Kalim couldn't help but touch the back of his neck; it seemed the pain had come from there. What had they done to him?

But immediately, Alimu discovered the environment he was in. Alimu found himself stripped of his clothes, surrounded by transparent glass. He could clearly see the figures in white coats outside and some machines he couldn't understand.

What terrified Alimu even more was the deep blue opening behind him, looking like a monster's giant mouth about to swallow him whole...

Kalim rushed to the glass wall, pounding on it forcefully: "Let me out! Let me out!"

The man's shouting and pounding received no response; the white figures outside simply observed coldly.

"Don't be nervous, just relax," Alimu suddenly heard a voice. Looking outside, Alimu found that the person who had just spoken was a young man with black hair and black eyes.

The young man was also wearing a white coat, but unlike the people next to him, he looked a bit easier to talk to.

Alimu said with a look of nervousness, "Where is this? What have you done to me?"

"You don't need to know,"

Lin Fang's expression was indifferent. "You just need to cooperate with us. If things go smoothly, you'll be out of here soon."

As he spoke, the first layer of the opening behind the Black man was opened.

Alimu began to cry imploringly, kneeling and bowing repeatedly, "I want to go home, let me leave, please? I beg you, I beg you!"

"Mr. Rooney, I remember you committed a capital offense. We bailed you out of the police station and let you live here with good food and drink."

Lin Fang said in surprise, "Why the sudden desire to leave?"

"Sob—" Alimu cried even more humbly, "I was wrong, I know I was wrong. Please, let me go."

The elderly man beside Lin Fang smiled upon hearing this, then said in a chilling tone, "Alimu, don't forget, our company signed a formal contract with you. We didn't force you."

"Now it's time for you to fulfill it."

The person speaking was one of the scientists Lin Fang had brought back from Switzerland, named Yodelion, who specialized in biological virology.