Alternative 1.8
"Wanli. Is the situation favorable to process the remains scattered inside this delivery area?" although he's happy, Chen Fan did not let the credits scattered around him blind his way of thinking. After all, money and blood always stay next to each another wherever a person go.
What he believed to, is only those daring, smart, and well-prepared worth taking up this pile of credits lying on the floor.
[Toot!]
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[The scan results did not report any monsters around us. Although the report says this location is safe for now, please practice vigilance during the processing period for complete safety]
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[Through other anonymous data, they stated that the puppeteers usually left the nest to hunt, and will return to replace their body and parts in case of any damage]
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[Best solution stated in the report is to eliminate the puppeteer thoroughly to remove the threat of them coming back]
"Let's see, if there's only a single nest in this entire Qixiang District, added with the three miners reported from my scanner, my time to mine the resources here might be around ten to fifteen minutes window." Chen Fan calculated the possibility of the puppeteer coming back.
With some proven fact regarding their habit and what to look out for, Chen Fan hastened up to work. By putting aside his worry whether the Rank 2 Processing Cube will attract their attention or not, Chen Fan is more worried about how many puppeteers will come back from getting attacked by the three fellow miners.
[Toot!]
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[Two Cultist Crystal Shards is collected]
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[Please take note! Something is moving at high speed towards the Delivery Area. Primary suspicion deduces that the moving target is under attack. The second reason is the target possessed the same Wanli Support System, allowing him/her to notice the existence of the material here]
Wanli read the two deductions but remained in wait for Chen Fan's following choice.
"We will leave. Let's stay nearby for a night and monitor the changes." Chen Fan decided to leave safely and avoiding confrontation with whatever that closing to him at high speed. While he's confident that he can escape from this thing, he's trying to make sure that this mining trip is a productive one.
Because only on his total amount of spendings alone, Chen Fan used 40 credits in three days. That might be just two digits worth, but Chen Fan knows that to earn one credit at where he's now, risking his life is a must.
If that figure is what he's going to spend each time after he returned to the Yubo Space Continent, Chen Fan is going to end up with no savings in case he actually decided to skip one of the mining operations.
While it gave him a sense of wealth, Chen Fan is still a single man against the pressure brought by this sense of wealth. Unless he decided to give up what he'd gotten three days ago, it is impossible for him to stop or even think about it.
Because there are multiple high-rise apartments erected all around the grocery store, Chen Fan selected one of the homes without a problem. He planted a deployable movement detector on the corridor before entering the house, and only after Wanli's confirmation Chen Fan dares to prepare one of the ration boxes.
Today, his menu is Prince-style Chicken with some pasta and a bowl of radish soup. Although the dish prepared inside is simple, it was preserved and enhanced by quality Alternative Cellular Consumable products inside. Furthermore, the ration that can fill his stomach and all required nutrients for twelve hours without having his seconds cannot be found elsewhere except the one distributed.
"Eh? It's actually a human. Wanli, any report from this person?" Chen Fan is surprised by that male miner. While he looks normal from the outside, his movement is somewhat exceeded what a human can handle. Only from the run alone reaches more than 50km/h in speed.
[No handheld device reading from this person. His running pattern is 28% similar to a Cultist Stonecrawler, especially on the back limbs. Wanli suspected the possibility of this male is under the puppeteer control is very likely]
"Controlled by a puppeteer? No wonder this guy gave no reading. Judging from his recklessness, the probability of him under the puppeteer control is high. Even the most experienced miner will practice caution when they're exploring the location marked with resources." Chen Fan deduces that this person is a goner for now unless proofed.
The target entered the Delivery Area without obstruction and remained inside for the entire night. Because Wanli is capable of supporting Chen Fan while he rests, the monitoring process did not terminate until he was woken up by the alarm.
[Target is leaving the Delivery Area. Wanli is 100% sure he's the new shell of a Cultist Puppeteer. Please refrain from returning to the Delivery Area in case of unusual mutation case]
Wanli's report is made in concern of her user. As this was the first concerning report, the best decision to make in this situation is to return to the Launching Zone and reported what they found.
"I have a different opinion. Wanli, search our surrounding. If there are no changes in our surrounding, we will return to the Delivery Area for one round of inspection. If there is an increase of number in Cultist Stonecrawler, we'll retreat immediately to the Guilin's Hongtou Mountain!"
Chen Fan decision is firm. The decision to retreat from this area is proper, but that means he'll give up the right to possess the materials. For him to be forced to leave the wealth and run on his second mining operation, it surely gives a wound to his heart.
[Wanli will follow the user's decision. Please practice a threat level of 10 during exploration. Processing Cube will enter primary processing mode. My user, please make sure that you're capable of moving packaging of ten kilograms during an emergency]
After Wanli provides him with the arrangement and agreeing to his request, Chen Fan did not delay. He quickly moves into the grocery store repeatedly and goes into the Delivery Area.
Nothing changed.
The Puppeteer stayed here for the entire night, but nothing changed? Even the mark left by him due to the Processing Cube operating at high speed remained unchecked.
[My user! Wanli is afraid that this is a trap! Please leave this location immediately!]
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[TOOOT! TOOOT!]
Wanli's alarm echoed in his head, urging Chen Fan to leave this store quickly! But his movement was a little too late! School of Cultist Stonecrawlers surrounded the grocery store and shut all the exits. Except for going through the door back to the grocery store, it is impossible for him to escape.
[Should Wanli releases the distress signal?]
Wanli asked. By putting on the distress signal, help will come from the Guilin Launching Zone, but that means he'll give up half of his material as the rescue fee.
"No!" Chen Fan answered. He took out a small box on the bottom of his backpack and entered a six-digit password to unlock it. When the book-like casing opened, two empty magazines with a total of forty-six bullets are arranged nicely inside.
On the casing's inner cover is a piece of paper with words written on it.
"Twenty-three Lightning Bolt Ammunitions"
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"Twenty-three Messiah Nails"
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"Once opened, I will assume that you agree to be contracted with my team for a week. Come and try, I assure you that our team is far better than fighting as a Solo Miner."
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"Captain Lee Yeon Sook"
"Haih... I thought I can do it for more than five operations before needed to use this box. Never did I think that I'll be forced to use it on my second operation." Chen Fan laments while his hand fit the two magazines. With the Processing Cube no longer needed to stay quiet, Chen Fan placed the material for processing and charged outside the grocery store.
"I'll deliver death to all of you and turn your remains into material!" Chen Fan pointed the rifle towards the nearest Cultist Stonecrawler and fired his first Lightning Bolt ammunition.
"Bzz... Feng... Bam!" a big explosion shattered the Cultist Stonecrawler into pieces. Following from that shock, Chen Fan took his sidearm and fired at the struggling puppeteer. Once it was confirmed dead by Wanli, Chen Fan pointed his aim at the next monster.
"Gedak!"
"Gedak!"
"Gedak!"
The Cultist Stonecrawlers run around as they tried to catch Chen Fan unaware, but unfortunately, the monsters failed to understand why Chen Fan, a normal human, can dodge their attack without difficulties.
[One attack from left. The right Stonecrawler is trying to attack the lower side]
Chen Fan turned slightly and fired his second Lightning Bolt Ammunition. His sidearm was an automatic, giving him continuous firing ability towards the right target.
Still, it was impossible for him to finish this fight without any injuries. By the time he ended this scuffle, Chen Fan is injured on his right shoulder, left thigh, backbone, and a few scratches all over his body.
"Gedak..."
"Damn monster. After clearing twelve Cultist Stonecrawlers in one battle, you're still unwilling to let me rest." Chen Fan said as he checked his firearm's condition.