As Zheng went through the familiar dreamy state, he carefully experienced this feeling. He felt like he sensed something every time he went through the process, but this feeling disappeared in an instant and left him with just a rough idea.
When Zheng woke up, he was standing in a noisy lobby. People in military uniforms were walking everywhere. He stood in the centre of the lobby. It was as though these people intentionally left the area empty.
The first thing he did was looking at the floor. To his surprise, there were no newbies. The notification sounded in his mind.
“Team Southern Flame and team Forest had already entered the Starship Troopers world. Killing a normal member awards 2000 points and a rank C reward. Killing an unlocked member awards 7000 points and a rank B reward. Deduct one point for each member from team China killed. Plus, one point for killing a member of the opposing teams. The final score multiplied by 2000 will be awarded as points to each remaining member.”
Zheng looked at the others after hearing it. The other six people obviously heard the notifications too. Kampa asked. “How can there be two other teams?”
Zheng shook his head. “I am not sure about this situation. The leader authority doesn’t mention a limit to the number of teams. Perhaps if the world permits it, God can pull all ten teams into a movie world!”
Xuan said calmly. “Instead of these questions, we should discuss where the two teams could come from. Based on just their meanings, Southern Flame is highly likely around South Africa. But there are several possible locations for team Forest. Based on land size and forest coverage, I think they are from Brazil. So team Forest should be South America.”
Gando said. “Both locations aren’t too developed. No wonder we are the strongest team.”
Xuan glanced at him. “This isn’t how you should think. A country’s strength is about the country. Can you say you are confident at fighting the locals in a forest? In a world with enhancements and becoming stronger nonstop, people from developed countries are not necessarily stronger. In fact, those who unlocked the genetic constraint, or has the potential to unlock it are the ones that can survive in this world.” Xuan looked at his watch.
Zheng and the others followed and looked at theirs. Wiping the other teams in a team battle didn’t mean they could be safe. The main mission didn’t necessarily require them to kill the other teams. Sometimes, it might be an unrelated mission.
“Survive twenty days. Rewards 1 point for every 100 warrior bugs killed. Rewards 1 point for every 10 hopper bugs killed. Rewards 10 points for every plasma bug killed. Rewards 100 points for every tanker bug killed.” Zheng read it out then thought for a moment. “Why isn’t there points for control bugs? Could it be?”
Everyone said with excitement at the same time. “Bonus mission?”
Zheng nodded. “That’s definitely it! A bonus mission! It will be a pity if we don’t complete such an obvious bonus mission. The question is, this is difficult sci-fi war film, why do we only have seven people? Does God consider the difficulty to be low?”
Xuan said. “The difficulty can be low or high. Based on our environment, we should be in space right now, probably inside a starship. If we can coerce the pilot and staffs to drive the starship off then hide the coordinates of this ship, twenty days would pass by in the blink of an eye. Or we can just break a leg and spend our time in the starship in safety. There won’t be a need to fight the Arachnids with our lives. Remember our current identity is troops of the mobile infantry.”
The others nodded. God would usually give them an identity based on where they appear. They might have to forge one on their own if they appeared in an empty warehouse but since this was a crowded lobby, the situation was similar to Resident Evil.
Zheng exhaled and said. “The usual rule. We will choose whether to live through these twenty days in safety and take the 1000 points, which will avoid the fight against the other two teams. Or enter the bug filled planet and farm points in the battlefield. We might also have to fight the other teams that will either end in a huge sum of rewards or death. Let’s vote.”
Kampa and Gando were the first to reply. Kampa said. “Of course enter the planet.”
Gando said in panic. “Of course break our own legs and stay.”
They looked each other in the eyes. Gando carefully moved his eyes away and laughed like usual.
WangXia immediately said. “I think Xuan is right that danger equals rewards. We are going encounter dangers as long as we are still alive. Why not just take the challenge and grow stronger? I choose to enter.”
Lan nodded and giggled. “I also choose to enter. There are no newbies to drag us back this time. We can focus on the battle. Plus, everyone is so stronger. There shouldn’t be any problems.”
Zero nodded in agreement. He didn’t even say a word. Xuan said calmly. “I think we should enter the planet. Since there are no newbies, this will be a battle between the elites. I think there’s also the possibility of getting along with the other teams peacefully. Zheng, you remember what you told me about team India’s leader? When two teams encounter each other, they will inspect each other’s powers. If the two teams are similar, then they will exchange information. If these two teams are similar in power, we might be able to exchange some rules on magic.”
Zheng shook his head slightly. Sometimes he just didn’t know how to deal with Xuan. Like when Xuan found knowledge beyond his understanding, the enthusiasm that emerged was nothing like a genetically modified person without feelings. His fanaticism toward the rules on magic were almost pathological. If Xuan wasn’t staying conscious, he might have gone back to The Mummy and continued his search.
Zheng said. “Ok, six to one. We are going to the bug planet for a ride. I will assign our roles. Kampa is the gunner as usual. Based on the movie, bugs have strong close combat capabilities. They can tear a person apart as soon as they got close enough. Their numbers can be described as a sea of bugs. God also tend to increase the difficulty on top of the movie. So Kampa needs to clear the bugs in a large area. Kill as much as you can. They are all points.”
“Zero’s targets are the hoppers and the larger bugs. The gauss sniper rifle is suitable against these large bugs. WangXia is responsible for blasting the holes on the ground and large swarms of bugs. Lan keep the scan inside the ground below us and other teams that might close in on us. Xuan and I are the only ones that can pilot the Sky Sticks. You will use the Sky Stick to support the others and protect Lan’s safety. Lastly, Gando…”
Gando interrupted in panic. “Wait. Wait. Just break my leg and leave me in this starship. Hoho. You can fight without any burden and don’t have to protect a newbie. Haha.”
Zheng laughed and grabbed his shoulder. “No need to. We won’t protect the ‘newbie’. Hoho. Remember to follow our pace. As a newbie without protection, you are a goner if you fall into the sea of bugs.”
Before Gando could reply, Xuan adjusted his glasses and said. “This starship isn’t necessarily safe unless it’s the one where the female main character is in. You also have to pray that the current date isn’t during the second attack by the federation. The highest rate of fatality is actually on starships. We have the power to fight the bugs but if this starship gets blasted by plasma bursts, your power won’t be able to help you. Understand?”
Gando stared at Xuan then recalled the movie. After some time, he nodded quietly. Zheng said. “Gando’s role is to attack any bugs that come close to us and help Kampa spray down bugs in range. When a large number of bugs surround us, you have to attract them and use the electrical attack. Any questions?”
No one had questions. Gando opened his mouth but didn’t say anything in the end and just nodded.
Just then, they heard the broadcast. “Platoon 4 please gather at lobby number 3. Repeat. Platoon 4 please gather at lobby number 3. Squats will be assigned. Landing in Klendathu in fourteen hours.”
They knew the movie had officially started. People began walking near them. The team quickly squeezed out from the crowd together and followed everyone leaving the room.
“As expected. We are not in the same Platoon as the main character. The movie mentioned Juan Rico is a private in Platoon 6.” Xuan said as they walked. “Klendathu is the first invasion in the movie. The planet is the bug’s homeworld. Due to the number of bugs and their strengths far exceeded the federation’s expectations, over a hundred thousand people died in the battle. Hope Platoon 4 didn’t get wiped in the movie.”
“Don’t worry.” Zheng said lightly. “We have been getting stronger. Just be careful and we won’t fail. I won’t let anyone die in this movie. We will all go back alive!”
They followed along with the crowd. Lobby number 3 was near.
Starship Troopers was a sci-fi war film depicting a future world. Aside from human and technology, there were the Arachnids that evolve their bodies for strength. They could shoot their eggs through space onto other planets. A species that were unknown to humans. Yet, humans mistaken them as a weak species.
The Arachnids attacked Earth with meteorite and destroyed a city, then followed up with multiple meteorite attacks. Thus, the federation declared war on the Arachnids . In the movie, the human’s first attack was sending a large number of starships to the Arachnids homeworld. However, they underestimated the strength of the Arachnids and caused a lot of casualties. Over a hundred thousand troops were killed. That was the Klendathu invasion, the point in time that team China entered this world.
Zheng looked through the glass windows at space. Stars were twinkling and a yellow planet was not far away. That was the planet they were going to enter, Klendathu!
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