novelraw Chapter 198: Cold Crow’s Ambition, [Jackal] Squad Gears Up
Chapter 198: Cold Crow’s Ambition, [Jackal] Squad Gears Up
After Yu Yuan placed the remaining four Swiftstriders into the high-voltage electric cages, the power generation in the Treadmill Generator Room had reached 9.3 kWh per hour.
You have to understand, the maximum power generation of eight treadmills is only 15 kWh per hour, and the full output of a single treadmill is only 1.875 kWh per hour.
This meant the power generation of each of these five treadmills was already approaching its maximum value.
"If I fill all six treadmills with Swiftstriders, the hourly power generation would be around 11 kWh. That's 264 kWh per day. In three days, I could fully charge one energy battery. Hiss..."
Getting an 800 kWh energy battery in just three days was a pretty decent efficiency.
And this was in the wasteland world!
The most important part was there was zero consumption, pure profit.
"No way! The Midnight Hunt event ends in three days. After that, finding perfect workhorses like Swiftstriders will be entirely up to luck. I must stockpile more during these last few runs, so I have reserves in case of any future losses."
Fast, no consumption, no rest.
At this moment, the status of Swiftstriders in Yu Yuan's mind skyrocketed.Checking the time, since he had entered Freedom Tower before 7 AM, it was only 1:30 PM now.
Yu Yuan thought for a moment and couldn't sit still anymore.
He put his equipment back on and called Mie Mie over to finish gearing up.
"Let's go! I can still make another trip to Freedom Tower today, try to catch more Swiftstriders..."
The rare-tier hand crossbow wasn't finished crafting yet. Yu Yuan replenished his crossbow bolts and switched his weapon to that epic-grade steam-powered heavy hammer, then entered the matchmaking for Midnight Hunt once more.
Then, amidst the countdown, he vanished from the shelter.
———————
In a room within the underground area of Johnck Zoo.
Four preachers gathered together.
"Cold Crow, the Rat just appeared again, location is District 15. The appearance time was only 2.6 seconds, even shorter than before. If this continues, it probably won't be long before the spiritual energy on its body completely masks the tracker's signal!" one preacher said with a frown, his expression somewhat urgent.
"Who knows what kind of ritual Saint Moga performed back then, to create such a troublesome creature," another person added, clapping his hands.
"Right! Its ability inherently has a concealment effect, which greatly interferes with the tracker. It was masking the signal all along before. If it hadn't swallowed those spiritual organs this time, causing spiritual instability, we wouldn't have caught its trail."
"Given the current situation, it's clear its control over spirituality is becoming more and more proficient. The duration the tracker signal appears is getting shorter and shorter. Once it completely controls the raging spiritual energy, catching it then will be even more impossible."
Listening to their conversation, Cold Crow, sitting in the middle, slightly raised his hand. The other three immediately stopped talking and looked over.
Cold Crow looked at the one who spoke first.
"Will, any results from the investigation I asked you to do?"
Preacher Will gently shook his head.
"No! I went through the notes Saint Moga left behind, but I couldn't find any information related to the Metamorphosis Period."
He looked at Cold Crow.
"Do you think what Saint Jiu Feng said about the Metamorphosis Period is true? Could it be he just made it up to fool us?"
Hearing this, Cold Crow showed a thoughtful expression, then denied it. "No, Saint Jiu Feng didn't seem like he was lying at the time. Besides, his character wouldn't do such a thing."
"Then, then why was he so vague when talking about the Metamorphosis Period, even saying it's something we shouldn't covet?" Preacher Will showed a puzzled look.
A glimmer of calculation flashed in Cold Crow's eyes.
"There are only two possibilities. One is exactly as he said, that spiritual creatures in the Metamorphosis Period are powerful and dangerous. Knowing too much would invite unnecessary danger."
"Hmph! I don't think so. I saw clearly at the time, Miller's face changed instantly the moment he heard the words 'Metamorphosis Period'."
"He even exchanged glances with the Saint. That didn't look like someone who didn't know the inside story. How come Miller can know without danger, but we would face danger if we knew?" one person said discontentedly.
Hearing this, Cold Crow nodded slightly.
"Then that leaves only the last possibility..." At this point, a sharp gleam flashed in his eyes.
"Mutant creatures in the Metamorphosis Period are extremely precious... far beyond our imagination..."
"Precious enough to allow us to possess things we couldn't touch before, even to overturn..."
"Cold Crow, you..."
The other three, seeing the sharp gleam in Cold Crow's eyes, were slightly startled in their hearts. They then exchanged glances, all seeing a flame named "ambition" in each other's eyes.
After a few seconds of silence, Will pursed his lips and looked at Cold Crow.
"Cold Crow, what do you want to do? We'll listen to you. I've long been unhappy with that guy Miller. Now he controls Nightingale, and even Black Shield, according to Hogg, he's starting to reach his hand in there too..."
"Exactly! Before, out of respect for Saint Jiu Feng, we turned a blind eye. Now his student, a mere scavenger, his status is almost on par with ours..."
"Right, this time we managed to repel the Thug Prison attack, wasn't it all thanks to the methods Saint Moga left behind..."
Cold Crow listened to the three of them talking one after another, a trace of coldness also flashing in the depths of his eyes.
"Jiu Feng, don't blame me. I didn't want this either, but you never seemed to treat us as your own people. Since that's the case, don't blame us!"
In another room in the underground area.
Saint Jiu Feng's chest was half-exposed, revealing the milk chain on his chest, his mouth still wearing that faint, ambiguous smile that seemed both righteous and wicked.
The room door opened, and Miller walked in.
"Saint, after the Rat appeared just now, Will indeed went to find Cold Crow."
"Very good! Then let's hope they bring me some pleasant surprises!"
——————————
Meanwhile, somewhere in the Northern Wilderness.
This was a canyon, with dry, rocky valley walls on both sides, not a hint of green in sight.
At the foot of the mountain was a road less than ten meters wide.
Alpha stood on the cliff edge, looking in the direction of Fuel Town in the distance, his gaze deep and steady.
He glanced at the sun overhead and the dark clouds drifting from afar.
"The weather has been getting more and more unstable lately."
Fang walked over, still holding a notebook in her hand.
"Don't worry! We've done all the preparations we needed to over the past two days. We've also made ample preparations for the firepower of the Fuel Town supply transport convoy. There definitely won't be any problems."
Alpha checked his watch and said softly, "Calculating the time, the Fuel Town transport convoy should be arriving near our location soon. Tell everyone to get ready!"
"After we pull off this job..." Before he could finish his sentence, Eagle Eye's voice came through his earpiece.
"Alpha, target sighted. Five supply trucks, five pickup combat vehicles, one heavy pathfinder vehicle."
"Good! Proceed according to plan. Acknowledge!"
"Trap, copy... Shadow, copy... Eagle Eye, copy..."
As the Jackal team members acknowledged one by one, they also saw the dust kicked up by the convoy's passage in the distance across the wilderness.
It was then that Alpha noticed Fang's expression looked off.
"Fang, what's wrong? Did you notice something?"
Alpha frowned. He knew Fang too well. As the intelligence officer, Fang's advice had to be heeded.
However, Fang showed a puzzled look.
"I don't know, it's just a bit strange. According to the intelligence I gathered, the armed escort convoy for Burning Fortress's supply transport never has fewer than ten vehicles. This time, there are only six..."
Alpha also showed a thoughtful expression, glancing again at the dust rising in the distance.
He spoke to everyone through the walkie-talkie, "Everyone, be alert. Everyone, be alert. During combat, pay attention to the surroundings. Report any situation immediately..." But before he could finish his sentence.
"Alpha, another convoy has appeared behind us. Three combat vehicles in total. Their target also seems to be the transport convoy."
Eagle Eye's voice sounded again.
What!
Alpha and Fang, hearing this, abruptly looked in the other direction of the canyon. Sure enough, three combat vehicles were approaching.
Alpha's mind raced. He picked up the walkie-talkie.
"Everyone..."