118: Clash of forces

The Ω-shaped tire tracks on the ice were slowly covered by snow, until not a trace remained. The hope's stealth system was still active; the vehicle's temperature was as cold as the outside, making its surface appear to melt into the ice, causing the entire vehicle to vanish on the ice plain.

Chen Wang sat in the driver's seat, his fingers lightly tapping the steering wheel. The dashboard showed 62% energy remaining, external charging was off, and all other unused systems were shut down. He didn't look at anyone else, only at the map in front of him.

"Radar is silent," Lin Wei whispered from the engineering bay. "The engines of the three broken trucks are still running, and the sound traps are normal. They should think we ran east."

Su Ling stood beneath the turret, dismantling the electromagnetic sniper rifle's battery to cool it down. She said nothing, placing the battery into an insulated box with practiced ease. The thermal signals on the monitor had already left the camp ruins, heading in two different directions.

Su Wan emerged from the medical pod, holding a clipboard. She input the data into the main console: "Everyone is fine, heartbeats are normal, no one is stressed."

Amy Chen had been watching the kindling system's radar screen. She pulled up the scout plane's flight path and compared it with previous data, her finger stopping at a point. "They bypassed this area," she said. "There's a strong magnetic field, very deep, over two hundred meters. The Empire's planes dare not enter."

Chen Wang nodded: "That means the main force isn't nearby. The leaflets were just to scare us, not to take action."

"They want us to be afraid," Amy sneered. "Hand over the kindling system? What a joke. They wouldn't even know how to use it, let alone replicate it."

"But our position has been exposed," Lin Wei said. "The energy fluctuations just now were too great; even with power cut, the residual signal could allow them to track us for ten minutes."

"Ten minutes is enough," Chen Wang said, activating the navigation's power-saving mode. "The path we need to take isn't on the map."

The hope glided slowly forward, its tracks pressing against the frosted ice with almost no sound. The stealth system kept the vehicle well hidden, even absorbing vibrations. All interior lights were off, with only the blue light of the kindling system floating ahead, displaying the route and surrounding conditions.

"Where next?" Su Ling asked.

"Towards the relay station," Chen Wang said. "But we won't go in; we'll circle around to the back and observe."

"They'll send people back to investigate that symbol," Amy said, looking at the radar. "Ω, in the military, means 'no discussion.' They won't let this go."

"Then let them investigate," Chen Wang said calmly. "But we can't wait here."

Lin Wei suddenly looked up: "The stealth system consumes too much power; it might automatically downgrade if it runs for over four hours."

"How much longer can it last?"

"At this rate, five hours and thirty-seven minutes."

"That's enough," Chen Wang said, changing direction. "Maintain speed, neither fast nor stopped."

Su Ling reassembled the sniper rifle, reinserted the battery, and checked its charge. She walked to the main console and glanced at the camera: "The wind and snow are getting heavier; visibility outside is at most fifty meters."

"The same applies to us," Amy said. "But they have satellite assistance; they can find us without relying on sight."

"Satellites will be affected by the magnetic field," Lin Wei said. "That area doesn't just affect planes; signals will also be weak. As long as we stick to the edge, their positioning will be inaccurate."

"Then stick to the edge," Chen Wang ordered.

The hope continued forward, its body tilting slightly with the undulations of the ice. The kindling system displayed a warning: a crack eight hundred meters ahead, fifteen meters wide, with a flowing ice river beneath.

"Can't cross it," Lin Wei frowned. "A tracked vehicle can't jump that far."

"No need to jump," Chen Wang said, opening the left wing support parameters. "Extend the supports, build a bridge."

"The supports almost couldn't hold during the last test..."

"This time, titanium alloy reinforcement was added," Chen Wang said, already pressing the activation button. "Prepare to extend."

The mechanical arm extended from the left, slowly unfolding the folded support frame. Metal clicked into place. The support spanned the crack, landing steadily on the ice opposite.

"Weight capacity is fine," the kindling system prompted.

The hope slowly drove onto the support, its tracks pressing against the metal with a slight vibration. After the entire vehicle crossed, the support retracted, folding back into the vehicle body.

"Smoother than last time," Lin Wei sighed in relief. "It didn't get stuck."

"The material was changed," Chen Wang said. "We used the high-purity titanium Amy brought."

Amy smiled: "Worth it."

Su Wan suddenly spoke: "I just discovered something. Before those ice wolves ran off, one had a leg injury, but it ran as fast as the others. This isn't naturally possible."

"It's genetic modification," Amy's expression changed. "And it's done in batches. The Empire is already creating biological weapons."

"Then we need to hide even better," Su Ling gripped her gun. "Once discovered, it might not just be scout planes that come."

"So we need to trick them," Chen Wang said, looking at Amy. "Do you remember how to activate the intercepted intelligence chip?"

"One pulse every 0.8 seconds, with a specific frequency," Amy nodded. "I can mimic sending it."

"Send it once," Chen Wang said. "Just before we leave."

"Send it now?"

"Yes. Let them think we're still repairing equipment."

Amy quickly operated, connecting to the kindling system's communication module. A few seconds later, a short signal was sent to the public channel.

"Sent," she said.

"Shut down all external connections," Chen Wang ordered. "No one is allowed to power on anything next."

The hope went completely dark, with only the navigation system running at its lowest. The interior was pitch black, with only the blue light of the kindling system illuminating their faces.

Time passed, bit by bit.

Lin Wei stared at the power consumption curve, occasionally adjusting the stealth power. Su Ling leaned against the wall, her hand always on her gun. Su Wan checked the first aid medicine again and put it back in place. Amy repeatedly checked the radar, confirming no one was following.

Three hours later, the kindling system popped up a new message: movement in the air, five scout planes flying back to the Northern Base.

"They're gone," Lin Wei said.

"Not gone," Amy shook her head. "They're going back to report. There will be new actions soon."

"We bought ourselves time," Chen Wang said, looking at the wind and snow ahead. "Enough time to get close to the relay station."

The hope continued forward, its tracks pressing into the snow, leaving a shallow imprint. The wind and snow obscured the horizon; nothing could be seen in the distance.

Amy suddenly sat up straight: "Wait, the radar has changed."

Chen Wang immediately brought up the screen.

A small heat source was rapidly approaching from the camp ruins.

"Not a plane," Lin Wei analyzed. "Too small, and the speed isn't right."

"It's from the ground," Su Ling stood up. "Someone has returned."

"Only one person," Amy magnified the signal. "Walking, with light equipment."

Chen Wang was silent for a few seconds, then ordered: "Slow down, shut down the main engine, switch to backup power."

The hope slowly came to a stop, its body sinking slightly, completely motionless. All systems were on standby; even breathing could be heard.

Outside, the wind and snow howled.

The heat source was still approaching.

One thousand meters.

Eight hundred meters.

Six hundred meters.

Amy whispered: "They really sent someone back."

Chen Wang placed one hand on the start button, raising the other to signal everyone to be quiet.

The heat source stopped at the edge of the camp.

On the screen, the person squatted down, as if examining the tracks on the ground.

Then he stood up and took out a device to scan.

Amy whispered: "That's a military signal detector."

Chen Wang stared at the screen, his gaze falling on the person's feet.

There, the Ω-shaped tire tracks, covered by snow, were slowly revealing themselves as the wind died down and the snow lessened.

The person looked up, gazing into the distant wind and snow.

His eyes seemed to pierce through the wind and snow, staring directly at where the hope was hidden.

Chen Wang's fingers slowly tightened.