AutoTerra: Operating Systems
Chapter 24: The Mysterious Portal
“What?”
“Oh, no...”
All the remaining Mutant Frogs immediately attacked the three of them who were in their respective positions, Arni behind one of the trees, Grim at the edge of the swamp forest, and Astan in his raw water.
“Everything, retreat!”
Astan gave a warning. He threw the last five grenades at once into the position the Mutant Frogs were in. Before the explosion, Arni rushes off using Invisible and hides behind a boulder, Grim also jumps away towards the bushes, and Astan dives.
A terrible explosion occurred. All of the Mutant Frogs in the forest there were destroyed instantly, resulting in several fallen trees, small tremors, and waves in the swamp water.
It's all over. The Alpha has died and there will be no more new Mutant Frogs coming, the remaining Mutant Frogs are also easily destroyed. Because when in Amuk Mode, their Health Status declined drastically.
Behind the rock, Arni several times up and down his breath, panting while stroking the chest, feeling the rush of adrenaline rushing from the heart to all the pulse. Astan also came out of the swamps, set his breath, and looked so exhausted because he gave the most stamina to fight.
Grim too, trying to regulate his breathing when his body was still feeling very tense due to the great fight earlier. However, his blue eyes found something not far in front of him.
“Hey, come!” Grim nongol from behind the bushes. “I found something back here!”
When everything had gathered at Grim's place now, precisely behind a large bush, they found a kind of small-sized portal with black energy power mixed with yellow.
The portal was very suspicious, Astan and Grim who were used to hunting were the first time they saw this type of portal.
“What is this portal?” ask Grim confused. “Dungeon, huh?”
Astan shakes. “Seems not. Dungeon has a portal size much larger than this.”
A notification pops up on each of their systems.
[Object : Unknown]
[Program Code failed to be detected.].
[Identified :]
[- Improving Health Status 10%]
[-Increase Attacks 5%]
[- Improving Defense 10%]
[- Stabilizing Built-in Capability]
[Advanced Identification: Allegedly Artificial Program]
Their system panel disappeared immediately.
“It...” Arni is quite confused by the system statement.
From the brief information the system provided, Astan knew the conclusion. His hands clenched tightly, starting to feel anger.
“Eh?”
Grim is shocked when Astan takes his Shotgun. Shotgun was instant cock, directly shot towards the portal. However, the portal had already disappeared.
“Chairman..?”
“Astan, what's up?”
Astan's breathing is irregular because it restrains anger. He was annoyed by the presence of the portal. Surely its existence has existed even since Arni and Astan reached this forest.
“Definitely... that portal that makes Level D missions feel Level C and B missions,” hiss Astan accompanied by a sharp gaze.
...~*~*~*~...
A dimly lit room dominated by black appears to show the presence of a hologram monitor line in front of three people watching. The monitors showed footage from various locations, including the location in the Darzia swamp forest where there was a massive fight between three small-rank hunters against hundreds of mutant frogs.
One man, sitting alone in a chair, watching the monitor through his pink irises, was so serious about watching the events and observing one of the most important people among the three hunters.
“That's Instant Pradipta Cornell?” ask the other guy.
The man who asked was standing beside the back of the chair, had a tall posture, long silver hair, and dark skin. The clothes he was wearing were white robes.
“Indeed looks quite convincing,” he said again, “And we also get one more interesting material, namely the man in the red jacket.”
“Nyaahah…. Ja…. Both are interesting, but not the other girl. It looks sad. Load for one Squad.”
One more woman standing next to the other. It had red hair tied up in a messy height, porcelain white skin, and wore an open black jacket that displayed its brown t-shirt.
“We don't need the girl, Extasia. The man in the red jacket is an unexpected treasure, but the most we prioritize is this Astan.”
“Yes…. He looks very convincing, Ro.” Extasia. “As per initial plan.”
The dark-skinned man named Ro started asking the man sitting on the chair, “What do you think, Gideon? Do we need to move directly?”
“Not now.” Gideon's eyes were still focused on the monitor. “Effects that occur in the body Astan still not fully react. We still need to wait for the right moment. If in a hurry, the results will not match expectations.”
“Aaaahhh…. It's gonna get boring. Hihihi..” Extasia shook her hand. “She and her two comrades seemed once overwhelmed by defeating such lowly monsters. Are we overdoing it putting the Effect Portal in there? Supposedly, enough of him alone can defeat the boss monster.”
“Portal Effect it's too much,” response Ro relaxed.
“That's to test how fast Astan is for us, and also whether that fellow called Grim has the same chance as Astan,” Gideon said, starting typing some code on another monitor. “It was the right decision. Next, what more news do we get besides the surveillance on Astan Pradipta Cornell?”
Ro grabbed a tab that was on the front desk of the hologram monitor barrage, starting to read the information there.
“Said, one of the military units of the Ribelo II Orbit Force Group, Y13 Aturna Battalion, will send a team to search for experimental evidence items that now involve the BioEmerald.” Biological Technology Organization
“Again?” Extasia raises next to the astonished eyebrows. “They have not sent three teams, but the ends failed too? They are the same as entering into a predator cage if they are still desperate to get there. Fucking Feron party also..could not remove traces of experiments to be unknown to the government.”.
“Stupid you, Extasia. Feron and BioEmerald continue to keep their assets there because the plan will also be brought back the results to the headquarters on Planet Ribelo. But, the hunt for the results of his experiments messed up one ship. So it ends like this, right?” clear Ro flat.
“Then, what should we do?” ask Ro to Gideon. “If you want to go there take the assets before the first team from Battalion, the risk is too big.”
“We do not need to waste energy to prevent the military team from taking experimental data.”
Extasia looked at Gideon's astonishment. “Certainly, left like that? BioEmerald leader to hunt later.”
“We leave the trial and important data to the other team,” replied Gideon, “Our plan now remains focused on Instant. And find out also the information about the Grim. Now, you can go.”
Ro slightly bowed, being polite. “Then, we excuse you, Gideon.”
“Heh, whatever,” said Extasia coldly while turning around with both hands supporting the back of the head.
Ro and Extasia started walking away leaving Gideon alone in the room.
When left alone, Gideon repeated the previous recording, closely watching each incident. Moments later, he grabbed the phone on the table, started contacting someone.
“Halo. Stick to the initial plan. Send the latest information about Astan until I make my next decision. Oh, and find out also the information about the man named Grimaelo Adrael Novan. Okay?”
After the call was interrupted, Gideon began to struggle with his own thoughts. For now, they are still unable to make any movement until there is a gap of opportunities to start the plan that they have carefully arranged.
...~*~*~*~...
