Cerberus Headquarters: Examination and The Future

Calmly gazing at the newly-emerged armored trucks, Duke was somewhat amazed by its menacing appearance and immediately fell in love. It was rare for him to take interest in something, even more uncommon for it to be a truck.

But there was just something intriguing about the armored truck. The way it dwelled before him. There was also its threatening aesthetics while being clad in black metal. It was unique in his eyes. If possible. He would probably buy a fleet of these armored trucks from the doomsday mall.

Though obviously, he must not. The armored trucks were for the transportation of troops and supplies. It wasn't a reconnaissance vehicle, nor was it an attack vehicle. It was a transportation truck for logistics. 

Nothing more, nothing less. 

So Duke had to stop himself from being too enamored by it.

"I need to calm down... It's just a truck." He took a deep breath and soothed his wildly beating heart. It would be embarrassing if the Sentinels heard that their Director fell in love with a truck. 

'I-It just looks thick and sharp...' He shook his head and stopped his thoughts from continuing. He understood that they would be problematic. And he needed to check the truck's description before judging it by its appearance. He must scrutinize its capabilities. 

After calming his raging thoughts of love towards the armored trucks, Duke noticed the materializing digital notifications before his perception. He calmly glances at it with a stern expression forming on his face. 

➤| H10 Armored Truck(Military): The Heavy 10 Armored Truck is a 8x8 heavy high-mobility truck produced by the Cerberus. It is a heavy tactical vehicle that is rapidly deployable and is designed to operate in any climatic conditions. The truck is heavily armored with reinforced metal plating and mounted by level-10 bulletproof glass. The armored truck is issued with an adjustable container capable of resisting over 120mm rounds of APFSD ammunition. It has a top speed of 120 kilometers per hour. Following it is an operating range of 500 kilometers. The truck can carry a worthy load of 7 tons and has an operational limit of 32 people. (LOCKED) |

Reading the description of the H10 Armored Truck plastered on a digital display in front of him. Duke was astonished by the capabilities of the armored truck. It was built like a tank yet was somewhat swift and mobile. 

It could carry several heavy cargos, and the number of people it could transport wasn't to be underestimated. Its operating range was far and wide. And it could operate in any terrain or climatic conditions. It was one hell of a monster truck.

Not only was its appearance incredibly menacing, but its capabilities were also beast-like. Duke would have bought a lot of H10 Armored Trucks. Sadly, though, it was far from possible. The intriguing vehicle was locked away from him. It was something he couldn't purchase.

"I would have bought it if I could. But I sadly couldn't." Duke muttered to himself with disappointment prevalent on his face. The vehicles he could buy in the Doomsday Mall were modest at best. It was the Vanguard and the so-called Construction Mech.

The Construction Mech appeared to be related to the only other classification of things he could purchase in the Doomsday Mall. And this was Utility. These were things that weren't correlated to the military of Cerberus. Practically, civilian technology, buildings, or supplies. 

He was also interested in it. If not for the fact he was preoccupied with the H10 Armored Truck. Now, he had carefully thought about it. Was he reading it right? Construction Mech? As in the infamous mech of science fiction? Those giant moving robots?

"A Construction Mech... A giant robot that someone could control. Like those movies and comics." Duke couldn't help but mumble like a child. What kind of men didn't dream of operating a mech? Anyone with a dream wants to drive a mech with their very hands. 

'I'm not gonna lie. Just the thought of the mech reminds me of old memories.' While having such a thought, one might notice a tear escaping the grasp of Duke's sapphire-like eyes. But it soon disappeared and was replaced by an aloof expression. 

The Director was facing a severe problem. He must check the effectiveness of the Construction Mech. However, how to operate it was a question that kept appearing inside his head. That's right. Who in the hell knew how to drive a mech? In the current Cerberus, there weren't many.

Sentinels were just soldiers, so there should be others, right?

Duke himself was even more ignorant of how things worked in Cerberus. 

With this in mind, he decided to check the Construction Mech later. And he also needed to increase or upgrade the Protocol to unlock more things in the Doomsday Mall. But to do that. He must gain source points, which can only be earned through termination or salvation.

He was deep in thought since he was already facing financial problems before even being bankrupt by the Doomsday Mall. Perhaps he should increase the numbers of the Sentinels and have them hunt the surrounding aberrants for him. This was an adequate strategy.

"A good idea, to be honest," Duke muttered with determination slowly emerging on his face. It wasn't dangerous since it was only hunting the stragglers of aberrant hordes. But he needed to be sufficiently prepared to not lose any Sentinels under his command.

'I haven't even fully stepped into the Cerberus Headquarters. And I'm already thinking too far into the future.' He shook his head and thought to himself. He hadn't entirely investigated the Cerberus Headquarters. So before starting anything, it was better to inspect the headquarters first. 

"This is my new home for a long time in the future. I'll have to get to know its nook and crannies." Duke uttered with a smile and entered the Central Pentagon Transportation Tower, where the Sentinels went through towards the second floor of the headquarters. 

He arrived in front of an elevator and coolly entered. He could see a holographic screen of buttons signifying different floors. It was his first time interacting with holographic technology. And it was a strange experience. He chose the second-floor button, and the elevator activated.

The metallic doors slid closed, and the elevator was soon pulled upward. It took mere seconds for Duke to arrive at the second floor, and the elevator doors slid open. He arrived at the second floor of the headquarters, and its appearance was familiar.

"It seems that the second floor is the half-barracks and dormitory of the Cerberus Headquarters. It contains a large canteen, a gym, a military training area, and a massive dorm. It is somewhat impressive to fit all of these inside a complex." Duke nodded to himself while looking at the map.

It was a holographic map portraying the information about the second floor. From it, Duke understood that the second floor could settle two hundred people without a problem. It might also be why there was a 200 limit on the units he could summon from the Doomsday Mall. 

If he wanted to increase the unit limit. He might have to construct a barrack outside the headquarters. But this was for later since he felt the complex building system of the Doomsday Base Building Protocol. Judging from the units, vehicles, and supplies. 

Building wasn't as undemanding as he'd like it to be.

Duke continued with his adventure and chose the third floor within the holographic screen of the elevator. Immediately, he was pulled to the third floor, where another essential part of the headquarters dwelled. And this was none other than the warehouse department. 

"The ammunition, armament, and supply warehouse of the Cerberus Headquarters. It's somewhat spacious and has a clear divide of the ammunition, armaments, and supplies. It is an interesting place but disappointingly empty. I guess I shouldn't expect it to be filled."

"*Sigh...* Why am I disappointed? I can buy the supplies." Duke sighed and continued on with his adventure. It was useless to be trapped in such thoughts when the solution to such things was as simple as purchasing supplies from the Doomsday Mall. 

Without hesitation with his movements, he left the empty warehouse on the third floor. There was no need to stay in this silent and desolate area. He must continue his inspection and enter the fourth floor of the Cerberus Headquarters. He pressed onto the fourth floor and went upward.

Duke arrived at the fourth floor of the Cerberus Headquarters. It was the research and manufacturing sector of the headquarters. It was a place where weapons, vehicles, and technologies were researched. It was also where it was manufactured into its current form. 

For now, the sector was empty of any workers, researchers, or scientists. But sooner or later, it wouldn't be empty anymore. He will make sure of it. The Cerberus will gain the capability to produce anything the Doomsday Mall has, and he will be freed from the mercy of source points.

'This is a good and simple goal.' Duke quietly thought before heading onward with the small-scale inspection of the Cerberus Headquarters. There was no need to stay on the fourth floor, and he must continue to the final floor of the headquarters. 

He entered the elevator and pressed the holographic button of the final floor dwelling at the very top of the Cerberus Headquarters. The metallic doors slid close, and the elevator was once again pulled upward into the headquarters. Almost immediately, the elevator door opened.

Duke had arrived at the highest floor of the Cerberus Headquarters. The sector of the headquarters stood at the very top. The Strategic Command. It was a gigantic circular room with a futuristic round table settling at its center. 

When he first entered the room, he was confused about its capabilities. He wondered if the round table was for the meeting of high-echelons. Perhaps it was more interesting than a meeting table of Cerberus Higher-Ups. And he was right about its intriguing design.

It wasn't just a mere meeting table of the high-echelons.

The round table was a high-holographic displayer capable of creating a detailed holographic map of a 100-kilometer radius with the headquarters at its center. It was competent in gathering information through summoned units or vehicles, making it capable of updating in real time.

How the hell did Duke discover such a piece of vital information? Well, an instructional or manual book lying atop the table explaining every machine dwelling in the Strategic Command. There were advanced radio systems, high-detection radar systems, information relay centers, and dozens of computers. 

A vast server was also running deep within the headquarters. And it resided beside the reactor cores. Duke didn't know where these were, but these were vital components of the headquarters. He'll have to check their existence in the future.

In any case, as he examined the Strategic Command, he noticed a luxurious office beside it. He raised an eyebrow and swiftly understood what it was. The office was none other than the Director's Office. In simpler terms, Duke's personal office. 

The Director's Office was brimming with expensive furniture and fascinating technologies. It also had a good view of the outside where the vast wasteland shrouded in darkness could be seen. Just from looking at it, he couldn't help but imagine a thriving city.

For now, it was nothing more than a dream of a young director. But who knows what could happen in the future. 

"Since I have completed my inspection. It's time to call for the Sentinels." Duke noticed a simple button on the table and pressed it. The button was connected to a microphone. He could give announcements through it. Without any hesitation or delay, he uttered his call.

"All Sentinels... Gather in my office on the top floor of the headquarters. I will be starting the promotion ceremony." 

The reason why he had called for them was because of the next step in his current plan. He must promote the current Sentinels into squad leaders since he wanted to expand the numbers of the Sentinels. It will be expensive, but it will be worth it.

"It's time to build an army," Duke muttered with a smile forming on his face.