Deep within the wasteland workshop, indicator lights on the main console flickered steadily, illuminating Osiris' metallic body as he stood motionless.
His crimson optical lenses smoothly scanned the interwoven multi-dimensional data streams before him, his processing core simultaneously running several high-priority tasks: continuously analyzing the massive information acquired from the Mikoshi, optimizing the complex parameters of the dimensional teleporter, and reviewing the preliminary equipment improvement plans drafted for the Wraiths unit.
According to the preliminary cooperation framework established with Militech, an elite advance team from NUSA, codenamed "Wraiths," had arrived as planned in the outer areas of the Wasteland Town and begun establishing an initial defensive perimeter.
With the intervention of this external force, Osiris' sensor network deployed around the Wasteland Town automatically increased its scanning frequency and surveillance level to ensure absolute control over the movements in the surrounding environment.
Just as he was efficiently allocating computing resources and simultaneously advancing these tasks, a communication request came through the newly established secure link into the workshop's main control system—the source was precisely the Wraiths advance team that had just deployed.
"Wasteland Town Command Center, this is Wraiths Advance Reconnaissance Team. We have detected unidentified armed engagement approximately five kilometers to the southeast. One party is a six-person team, with refined tactical movements, suspected corporate elites; the other party numbers about fifteen, with mixed equipment, identified as local mercenaries. The engagement area is moving towards the Wasteland Town. Request instructions."
The voice on the communication channel was calm and professional, with a typical military unit reporting style.
Almost at the same moment, another encrypted message from Morris arrived at Osiris' processing core.
Her intelligence was even more precise: "Master, the identities of both parties in the engagement have been confirmed. The pursued party is using Kang Tao standard equipment, and their encrypted signal characteristics point to Kang Tao CN (China) Headquarters. The pursuing party consists of hired local armed personnel, and the fund flow can be traced to Kang Tao NC (North America) Branch."
The two streams of intelligence corroborated each other, quickly completing the information puzzle in Osiris' processing core.
His crimson optical lenses flickered slightly, and multiple operations were simultaneously initiated in an instant.
The overhead view from surveillance satellites and real-time data streams from ground sensors were simultaneously retrieved, forming a three-dimensional perception of the battlefield.
Although the image was slightly blurred due to electronic countermeasures in the combat area, the overall situation was clear enough.
Despite being at a definite numerical disadvantage, the six-person team displayed extremely high tactical proficiency.
They flexibly utilized scattered cover in the Badlands, returned fire with precise short bursts, and maintained the integrity of their formation and movement through skilled alternating cover.
After processing by image enhancement algorithms, the facial features of several members were highlighted—distinct East Asian profiles.
At the same time, Osiris' consciousness silently immersed itself in the electromagnetic spectrum of the battlefield.
The fragile communication encryption of the warring parties was no match for him; invisible data channels were easily established.
Communication streams from both factions were instantly intercepted, decrypted, and converted into clear dialogue content, flowing directly into his processing core.
From data capture and signal decryption to intelligence analysis, this entire complex information processing flow was completed simultaneously in an instant, supported by his far-beyond-era technological capabilities.
The pursued party was precisely the six-person team composed of East Asian faces.
Their internal communication channel, though concise, revealed a high degree of discipline and clear tactical objectives.
"Team Leader Li, the people hired by NC are biting hard! At least twice our number!" A slightly urgent young voice sounded amidst the gunfire.
"Received. Keep moving, use abandoned vehicles and terrain for cover, and alternately retreat towards the B-3 pre-set ambush point." The responding voice was steady and decisive, it was commander Li Wei. "Their goal is to prevent us from approaching the Wasteland Town, and even attempt to capture us. Remember the core mission: reach the destination, state our identity and intentions. Avoid unnecessary entanglement."
"Understood! But their suppressive fire is too fierce, our right flank is pinned!"
"The NC Branch really went all out this time. They're afraid we'll establish direct contact with the Wasteland Town forces and destabilize their position in North America."
"That's why we must arrive. Even if it's just to convey goodwill and establish initial contact, it's better than being stifled in the cradle by their despicable methods."
While communicating efficiently, they performed rapid tactical maneuvers.
In pairs, one group provided precise short-burst suppression fire on the pursuers' positions, while the other quickly retreated to new cover, then roles swapped, the entire process was smooth and orderly.
Their Kang Tao standard rifles spat steady tongues of flame amidst the dust of the Badlands, each shot highly efficient, demonstrating the users' superb marksmanship and calm psychological composure.
In contrast, the other party's communication channel was filled with chaos and agitation.
These hired armed personnel, relying on their numerical superiority, attempted to suppress their opponents with fierce firepower, but lacked effective coordination.
"Damn it! These guys from CN are as slippery as eels! Don't let them get away! The employer said, dead or alive, they absolutely cannot be allowed to touch the edge of the Wasteland Town!" A hoarse voice roared on the channel.
"boss, their shooting is very accurate, and their coordination is too good, not like ordinary corporate security!"
"Nonsense! Otherwise, would those bastards sitting in air-conditioned rooms pay so much? All of you, cheer up! Take this job, and we'll be able to live it up for a while!"
Their attack methods were cruder, relying on numerical superiority for suppressive fire, bullets spraying like water towards areas where the Kang Tao team might be hiding, sending gravel flying and dust swirling.
However, this lack of precision often proved counterproductive, instead exposing their positions, allowing members of Li Wei's team to seize opportunities for counterattacks, with mercenaries occasionally being precisely hit while peeking out to shoot, falling with screams, further exacerbating the attackers' confusion.
Osiris instantly parsed these communication contents.
The information was clear: there were sharp divisions within Kang Tao. Its Kang Tao CN (China) Headquarters dispatched special envoys aiming for friendly contact, while its Kang Tao NC (North America) Branch did not hesitate to use violent means to obstruct them.
His crimson optical lenses slightly adjusted their focus.
Kang Tao... this corporate giant originating from the East, touched a dusty tag in his database, creating a faint connection with memories of that land before his transmigration.
Although rational analysis indicated that the East of this world was not the same concept as his homeland in memory, a certain underlying tendency stemming from cultural roots was still assigned a non-zero weight in his logical core.
More importantly, Kang Tao CN's expressed intention of "friendly exchange," compared to Arasaka's extreme dominance and Militech's pure exchange of interests, seemed more... reasonable in its mode of behavior.
Emotional variables needed strict control, but "preference" based on efficiency and long-term cooperation potential could be a legitimate parameter in decision-making.
"Maintain surveillance, do not intervene for now. I will handle this matter." He issued the command to the Wraiths advance team via an encrypted channel.
"Received."
The instruction was then passed to the most suitable executor: "Morris, deploy. Objective: rescue the pursued Kang Tao CN team, ensure their safe arrival at the Wasteland Town. Necessary force is authorized to clear obstacles."
"Instruction confirmed." Morris' response was without delay, cold and efficient.
The next moment, a blurred figure shot out from a shadow in the outer reaches of the Wasteland Town, its speed so great that it left only a fleeting, distorted trajectory in the air, like a bullet piercing the atmosphere, heading directly towards the engagement point several kilometers away.