80: Enhancement Serum Stolen

Southern Golden Buddha Federation, Songka Province front line.

Artillery fire tore through the night sky, and the Government Army's armored units slowly advanced under the cover of New Union-made “Javelin” anti-tank missiles.

“Target locked!” A Golden Buddha Federation special forces soldier lay prone on a vantage point, staring through a thermal imaging scope at the rebel position three hundred meters away.

There, three Serum Warriors moved with eerie speed among the ruins; bullets hitting them only caused a slight pause in their movements.

“Fire!”

Whoosh—!

A missile, trailing fire, streaked across the night sky, precisely hitting the Serum Warrior charging at the front.

In the explosion's flash, the burly figure was thrown five meters by the shockwave, crashing heavily into a concrete wall.

“Kill confirmed!” The observer immediately reported, “Target vital signs gone!”

Not far away, New Harmony Army advisor Colonel Maxim directed via radio: “Remember the tactical points! Although these monsters are incredibly strong, high-power explosions and central nervous system damage are still fatal!”

He brought up real-time data on his tactical tablet: “A hit to the spine with a caliber of 12.7 mm or larger, or a 7.62 mm armor-piercing round to the head, can cause fatal damage!”

Government Army soldiers immediately adjusted their tactics.

Heavy machine gunners on armored vehicles specifically aimed at the Serum Warriors' necks and above, while sniper teams used .50 caliber Barrets, targeting the charging Warriors.

Bang!

An anti-materiel round precisely hit a Serum Warrior's third thoracic vertebra.

His body instantly stiffened, and he fell to the ground like a puppet with cut strings.

“Effective! Repeat, spinal shots are effective!”

At the same time, another squad quietly flanked the enemy.

They held specialized tranquilizer launchers, aiming at a Serum Warrior who had fallen behind.

Whoosh—

A dart loaded with high-concentration tranquilizer pierced the Warrior's neck.

He frantically ripped off the dart, but it was too late.

Within three seconds, his pupils began to dilate, his muscles twitched unnaturally, and he finally crashed to the ground.

“Got one alive!” The squad leader excitedly reported, “Repeat, we have a live sample!”

At the Government Army's forward command post, the captured Serum Warrior was securely locked in a specialized metal chair, his neck and limbs clamped with high-voltage electric shock rings.

Even after being injected with a double dose of tranquilizer, his muscles still spasmed uncontrollably, and dark blue veins writhed beneath his skin.

“Incredible!” New Harmony Army biochemical expert Dr. Davis stared at the monitoring screen, “His basal metabolic rate is four times that of a normal person, but his neurotransmitter levels are abnormally low.

This explains why they don't feel pain.”

“Can we reverse-engineer an antidote?” The Golden Buddha Federation Commander asked eagerly.

Davis shook his head: “This isn't poison, so there's no antidote.

At most, we could reverse-engineer a similar serum, but its stability and other factors cannot be guaranteed yet.”

Just then, the captive suddenly opened his blood-red eyes, a strange smile spreading across his lips.

“You will all die!” His voice was like sandpaper rubbing, “The Rokra people will eventually be independent!”

Before he finished speaking, the monitor suddenly emitted a piercing alarm.

The captive's pupils rapidly constricted, and his skin began to turn unnaturally red.

“Get back! He's going to self-destruct!”

Boom—!

A cloud of smoke, mixed with flesh and chemical reagents, exploded, instantly corroding all equipment within a five-meter radius.

When the smoke cleared, only a melted skeleton remained, and the ground was covered in bubbling acidic liquid.

At the New Harmony Army's temporary command post, Colonel Jackson's face was grim as he stared at the report from the biochemical protection team: “The North Steel People are ruthless enough!”

“Colonel, we need to change our strategy.” Davis handed over a test report, “If all Serum Warriors possess some ability to control their physical ‘overload,’ then we must find the serum itself.”

In the distance, another round of artillery fire illuminated the night sky.

Although the Government Army had temporarily suppressed the Serum Warriors' offensive, everyone knew that this by no means signified victory.

At the Southern Liberation Front's secret command post, Adu De slammed his fist on the table, scattering the markers on the map: “Retreat? If we retreat now, all the territory we've captured will be lost!”

North Steel advisor Alex Maxim's face was grim as he brought up the satellite map.

The Government Army's armored units had formed a pincer attack, and the range of the New Union-made HIMARS rockets covered the entire front line.

“It's not a retreat; it's a strategic transfer.” Alex's voice was cold, “The Nova United States has already deciphered the Serum Warriors' weaknesses; continuing to fight head-on will only needlessly deplete our elite forces.”

“Then what do you propose we do?” Adu De roared, his eyes bloodshot, “Without Serum Warriors, we can't even hold out for three days!”

Alex was silent for a moment, then suddenly walked towards the safe in the corner.

After entering the password, the heavy metal door slowly opened.

Adu De was stunned.

Inside, two thousand dark red serums were neatly arranged, each radiating a cold gleam.

“This is?”

“All the ‘Alligator’ serum in stock, the latest model.” Alex's voice was low, “Bringing them all out at once will be enough for you to hold out for two weeks.”

Adu De stared intently at the test tubes, his Adam's apple bobbing: “Why are you only bringing them out now?”

“The Nova United States wants our technology.” He sneered, “But they will never get it.”

Adu De instantly understood: “You're evacuating?”

“Temporary strategic adjustment.” Alex closed the safe, “The serum production line has already been moved, but it needs time to restart.

These two thousand serums are for you to buy time.”

Silence fell in the tent.

Finally, Adu De grabbed the communicator: “Attention all unit Commanders, execute the ‘Iron Wall’ defense plan.”

He turned to Alex, his gaze resolute: “Two weeks.

I'll give you two weeks.”

Alex nodded slightly and turned to walk towards the armored vehicle parked outside the tent.

Before the door closed, he took one last look at this battlefield that was about to become a meat grinder.

He knew that once these two thousand serums were used up, there would be no living Warriors left here.

SIA Golden Summit Holy City safe house, Robert Wu stared at the satellite images on the screen, his fingertips tapping rhythmically on the table.

The melted corpse brought back from the southern front three days ago was currently emitting a pungent acidic smell on the analysis table in the adjacent laboratory.

“Found the source.” Technical director Kelson pushed up his glasses and slid a report in front of Robert, “Based on the serum residue analysis, producing this level of biological agent requires a specific protein synthesis environment.”

Robert took the report, his gaze scanning the obscure biochemical terms: “Speak human, Kelson.”

“Simply put, there are only three places in the entire Golden Buddha Federation's south that possess such production conditions.” Kelson brought up the satellite map, and red dots flickered on the map, “And here,” he zoomed in on a coordinate in the Northern Mountains of Songka Province, “this so-called ‘rubber processing plant’ is the best choice.”

The screen switched, showing a thermal image of the factory.

In stark contrast to the high-temperature vulcanization workshops around it, several buildings in the central area maintained a precise constant temperature of 22 degrees Celsius.

"Standard deployment for Gruut special forces," Robert said, pointing to the outer patrol routes. "They rotate every two hours, with a hidden post in the southeast watchtower." He turned to the communications officer. "Contact Starlight Command; we need Delta's assistance."

Golden Buddha Federation Bay, USS "Milwaukee" Amphibious Assault Ship.

Colonel Harper slapped the mission brief onto the tactical table: "The target is clear: The North Steel People's Serum factory. Priorities: samples, equipment, personnel."

Delta team members sat around the tactical room, with a 3D model of the factory displayed on the tactical sand table. Sniper McCarthy squinted: "This place's defenses are almost tighter than the Roman Palace."

"Because it hides something more dangerous than a nuclear bomb," Harper said, pulling up a frontline video. In the footage, a Serum Warrior single-handedly overturned an armored vehicle. "According to intelligence, the North Steel People may have evacuated core researchers, but the production line should still be operating."

Demolitions expert Williams pointed to the building's structural diagram: "There are no underground facilities; all critical equipment is on the ground level. I recommend breaching from the west side; the ventilation system there leads directly to the main laboratory."

"Operation plan approved," Harper said, checking his watch. "Action in 24 hours. Codename: 'Snake Hunt'."

Songka Province Mountains, North Steel Serum Factory. 2:10 AM, pouring rain.

Delta Team A, using the sound of the rain as cover, cut through the factory's outer barbed wire. McCarthy reported in a low voice over the comms channel: "Southeast watchtower, two guards, currently dozing off."

"Clear them," Harper ordered.

After two almost simultaneous "thuds," McCarthy confirmed: "Targets cleared."

Team B quickly set up breaching charges, and the cutter tore a perfect circular hole in the ventilation duct. Six team members filed in. Under night vision, the laboratory door at the end of the corridor gleamed coldly.

"Guard spotted," team leader McNeill raised his fist, signaling the team to stop. "Four armed personnel, CK-12, Gruut standard issue."

Harper ordered over the communicator: "Eliminate them silently."

Four team members simultaneously threw their daggers, accurately hitting the guards' throats. Before the bodies fell, the Delta team had already stormed into the main laboratory.

The sight before them made even these battle-hardened special forces soldiers gasp.

Hundreds of dark red serum test tubes were neatly arranged in explosion-proof cabinets, and the centrifuge in the center was still running, emitting a low hum. Even more chilling were the three cultivation pods in the corner, containing humanoid creatures floating within, connected by dozens of tubes.

"My God!" Medical Officer Ryan leaned closer to observe. "These are... human experiments?"

"Forget them; priority mission," Harper snapped. "Ryan, collect samples; Williams, download data; everyone else, maintain vigilance."

Ryan quickly opened the cryo-preservation box and carefully took out three serum test tubes. Just as he was about to take the fourth, an alarm suddenly blared throughout the factory.

"Security system triggered!" Williams shouted, his fingers flying across the keyboard. "They're remotely activating the data destruction protocol!"

Harper made an immediate decision: "Abandon data, take existing samples! Team B, prepare the extraction route!"

Suddenly, a warning came over the communicator from Team C's sniper: "Unknown armed personnel approaching! Repeat, twelve fully armed... wait, they're wearing Titan uniforms?"

"What?" Harper rushed to the window. Through the rain, he saw a squad of soldiers in Titan Industries uniforms advancing towards the factory at an astonishing speed. "Everyone, attention! Unknown armed intervention, prepare for engagement!"

The first bullet shattered the laboratory's tempered glass. McCarthy had just set up his sniper rifle when he was shot in the shoulder, his bulletproof vest directly pierced.

"7.62mm armor-piercing rounds!" He reported, gritting his teeth. "This isn't the kind of firepower ordinary security personnel would have!"

Gunfire erupted instantly. Even more shocking to the Delta team was that these "Titan mercenaries" displayed superhuman combat abilities—one of them single-handedly fired an anti-materiel rifle continuously, while another directly scaled a concrete wall.

Williams detonated a pre-set smoke grenade, and thick smoke instantly filled the corridor. "Team A, follow me!" He led the team towards the emergency exit but encountered three enemies at the corner.

In the close-quarters firefight, Ryan was hit in the abdomen by a bullet. He gritted his teeth and returned fire. After taking down one enemy, he saw that the wound exposed as the enemy fell was not flesh and blood but a metallic-looking bionic organ.

"Colonel!" Ryan shouted into the communicator. "The enemies are not Titan's armed forces; they are modified humans! Suspected bionic technology secretly developed by the North Steel People, as reported by the Silver Shield Alliance!"

Harper made an immediate decision: "Abandon secondary objectives, full breakout! Team B, smoke cover!"

After losing two team members and five seriously wounded, the Delta team finally broke out of the factory. All they took were three serum samples and a few photos Ryan had taken at the cost of his life. Those photos clearly showed mechanical parts exposed on the fallen "Titan mercenaries."

USS "Milwaukee" medical bay, Robert Wu stared at Ryan's photos, his face as grim as water: "The North Steel People have not only developed enhanced serums but are also developing bionic Warriors?"

"What's worse, they deliberately disguised themselves as Titan personnel," Harper said, bandaging the wound on his shoulder. "They want the Nova United States to blame Titan. I even suspect that these technologies might have been stolen from Titan."

Technical Director Kelson hurried in: "The sample analysis results are out. These three serums are different from the data previously obtained from prisoners; they have higher purity and better stability."

Robert suddenly stood up: "You mean the North Steel People have iterated their technology? Is it Titan?"

"Unlikely," Kelson shook his head, stating his opinion. "From our analysis of Titan's Warriors, Titan has no need to waste time on this kind of enhanced serum technology."

"I'm more inclined to believe that the North Steel People might have secretly purchased some equipment from Titan using uranium ore or something else as leverage and then reverse-engineered it. It's just that their technology isn't up to par, and they accidentally created this unstable product."

The room fell silent; everyone realized what this meant.

"Report to the Roman Palace immediately," Robert grabbed the encrypted communicator. "Also, notify the Third Fleet; we need to increase our deployment in Golden Buddha Federation Bay."

"And, have the Roman Palace find a way to contact Titan to get information on what they traded with the North Steel People."

He took one last look at the photos. In the pictures, the North Steel special forces disguised as Titan mercenaries, their cold mechanical arms glinted in the moonlight. This arms race had entered a new, dangerous phase.