Chapter 126 – Tactical Doctrine 2.0
Siblings who get along well sometimes have similar tastes and experiences in genres.
This is a case where genres intersect as the younger sister enjoys the comic books or games her older brother bought.
Artemis and my cultural life is similar to this.
In the early days of the shelter infection outbreak, the days spent day after day trapped in the safe upper area. At the time, I spent my time immersed in movies, comics, and games.
Artemis was always next to me, and thanks to that, she also got to share a lot of her media experiences with me.
This did not end with simply getting the code correct for entertainment. This is because it led to the motif of developing new tactics or equipment.
Since it was something we both knew, there was no need for explanation, so we were able to share opinions immediately.
The scene that is happening right now is the result.
[Put on a headset.]
I put on the headset I was holding in response to Artemis’ warning.
This is a biological laboratory installed outside the shelter. All types of experiments that can cause biological disasters are conducted here.
Cultivation of biochemical weapons, dissection of infectious agents, and various biological experiments.
It is one of the two research institutes we have.
The other is an engineering research lab located in the central area of the shelter, where weapons, equipment, and various types of machinery are developed.
Beyond the transparent tempered glass, a walker is trapped in a 6 square meter laboratory. He can’t see this way. This is because the magic mirror is in effect.
[Shall we begin?]
When I nodded, the magic mirror function was turned off.
I came into Walker’s field of vision, dressed in a researcher’s gown, and ferocity immediately appeared in his eyes.
Pluck!
Walker screamed, but thanks to his headset, I couldn’t hear anything.
I could only faintly feel the vibration caused by hitting the tempered glass with both fists.
Next, the speaker in the laboratory activated and released prepared sound waves. But he doesn’t even blink.
“There’s no response, right?”
I said with disappointment.
What comes out of that speaker is not just noise. Knowledge gained by dissecting the inside of the ears and the auditory cortex of the brain of numerous infectious agents.
Based on that, it is a noise designed to match the frequencies they dislike.
[As expected. Because low-level infectious agents have no concept of pain. Although it is possible to stop activity by being hit in a vital area such as the heart or lungs, there has never been a case where one was incapacitated through pain alone.]
The volume intensity was displayed on the monitor next to it, increasing step by step.
Nevertheless, Walker remains steadfast. He attacked by violently pounding on the tempered glass.
Like Reaper, there is no such thing as giving up because you think it won’t work out. He hit his body until his fists and forehead were torn and blood was flowing.
“Stop it.”
The magic mirror worked again and the walker, who had lost his target, stopped in a daze.
This sonic attack was inspired by the movie Screamers.
In the movie, a killing machine called Screamer moves in various forms and uses saw blades to attack all living things.
At this time, a high-pitched scream is made to neutralize the creature’s fighting power, and we discovered the possibility here.
[It was not a project targeting workers or anything like that in the first place. It may be somewhat effective for higher variants with advanced nervous systems. If it works properly, there are few wide-area suppression weapons as effective as a sonic attack.]
The biggest disadvantage of sonic weapons is that it is difficult to distinguish between friend and foe, but my army is all machines and I just need to protect my eardrums with a closed helmet, so this does not apply.
“Can I take it off now?”
I pointed to the headset.
[Huh. The full-scale experiment will now be conducted externally.]
A blueprint for a new drone appeared on the screen, codenamed ‘Banshee Drone’.
“This?”
[A new type of drone that specializes in sonic attacks. Would you say it was a special product for this experiment rather than developed for actual use?]
It reminded me of the siren-Jericho trumpet that was mounted on German bombers in World War II.
[As I said before, the true targets of sonic weapons are mutants with developed nerves. However, it is too difficult to capture them alive, so the only option is to experiment directly in the field.]
“We have to get pretty close to do the experiment properly, so will there be any drones left?”
Reaper with tremendous leaping power, Dissolver and Lamprey Mother with long-distance attacks, Juggernaut with throwing attacks if necessary, and various other variants.
If you get closer than a certain level, you will be immediately destroyed.
[That’s why it was specially produced. It has a short activity time and cannot be equipped with a machine gun, but it has excellent mobility and detection capabilities.]
Unlike the Scout drone, the Banshee drone moved with four rotors.
[It was the same with Bloodtech, and it was the same with the last Zinoplan. We’ve already experienced the annihilation of the expedition twice. Even though it was a space where movement was restricted, annihilation was annihilation. The problem is that no matter how strong the robots and powerful personal weapons are, there is no answer for special variants that exceed the standard.]
It’s just as she said. You can be wiped out once.
However, if you were wiped out twice, you can be defeated a third time.
Robots with strong specifications, 12.7 mm that can easily defeat even the fearsome juggernaut, aerial support from powerful helicopters, and drone bombing.
So far, we have focused our tactics on increasing defense, firepower, and specifications, and there is a reason for that.
First, the high infection rate, which was the biggest threat to the Korean military in the early stages of the infection war, is not a problem for our military.
Moreover, no matter how tough the infectious agent is, it is ultimately a creature made of blood and flesh.
A sturdy robot that can withstand the teeth and claws of the majority of walkers, and a high-power firearm that can kill the Juggernaut class.
I believed that if I had these, I would be able to get through the battlefield without any major problems. In fact, even before Bloodtech, my expedition and robot exploration team were doing well.
However, after experiencing two annihilations and discovering a dangerous new mutant species, the existing tactical doctrine had to be changed.
Asymmetrical power was developed while maintaining the necessary level of defense and firepower.
It is the so-called tactical doctrine 2.0.
The sonic attack is a penetrating attack that is applied in the form of a surface that has nothing to do with the size or hard shell.
We don’t know if it will work for giant vampire sea anemones and limb colonies, but we are researching several other levels of countermeasures.
[Appropriate strength, neither too strong nor too weak. I need to figure out the right intensity to constantly harass.]
“Your voice somehow sounds exciting?”
Artemis’ voice was tinged with sadistic joy.
[I? What are you talking about?]
She smiled with dignity like a noble lady.
[It’s all for the advancement of science. In this case, should we call it applied science? Defeat vicious monsters and restore peace to Earth! I don’t mix personal feelings with scientific research.]
“You must be young.”
* * *
The next place I visited was the engineering research center in the central area of Shelter. It was to see the new robot being developed here.
Security robot.
A bodyguard that protects the shelter, captures resources, data, and experiments from the outside, and sacrifices its life to protect me during expeditions.
He is the ideal soldier himself. There are currently two types of versions.
Early version of the Eternal Sentinel series.
Most of them are made of metal, so they have the highest durability and are convenient to produce and maintain.
However, it is too heavy, and its operating time is also short. It moves slowly, and most of the parts are made of metal, so even if you jump from only 2 or 3 stories high, the hydraulic machine will be immediately destroyed.
Since there are many restrictions on maneuver, it is used for security inside the shelter.
The next version is the Marauder series.
Except for the main frame, everything else was replaced with reinforced plastic and ceramic composite materials.
Thanks to this, durability was sacrificed somewhat, but much lighter and more flexible movement was secured. Fuel efficiency is improved, operating time is long, and you can jump or climb to a considerable height.
Naturally, it is used for external exploration.
And finally, the third model to follow the Marauder is about to be born.
Growling.
A few bubbles rose from the glass tube in front of me. What is contained in the translucent liquid is a security robot.
However, its appearance is very different from previous models.
The wide upper body frame that was reminiscent of a breastplate has now been reduced to less than half.
The empty space is filled with several dark, thumb-thick wires wrapped around it. It is a bundle of artificial muscles.
The hydraulics, which were falling apart every time they were hit by the juggernaut, were replaced with a unique material that was half organic and half inorganic.
The skeleton of the limbs was also fully formed, and it was made up of alloy materials up to the tips of the fingers.
However, the muscles are still only filled up to the elbow.
Five mechanical hands resembling long-nose pliers moved actively. The muscle fibers were woven one by one, as if embroidering.
Muscle tissue that has a dark and cloudy appearance but appears very strong. For some reason it looks familiar.
“I feel like I’ve seen these lumps of flesh somewhere.”
Hehe.]
Artemis laughed quietly as she looked at me tilting her head.
Pajik. Pajik.
A blue electric light flashed from a machine that looked like a soldering iron, and it seemed to correspond to the ‘knotting’ process of tying together the woven muscle tissue.
After the electric light flashed, the muscle fibers twisted and connected like wires.
I groaned as I looked at the catalog of this new robot on my PDA.
“Infectious agent.”
[That’s the correct answer.]
The biological tissue used in this robot is not just artificial muscles obtained from Genoplan.
The muscle tissue of the Reapers, which are mutant infectious agents, was also partially applied. It was not transplanted from their flesh, but woven by imitating the structure of their muscles.
This was the reason why the dark skin characteristic of infected organisms was revealed in the robot’s muscles.
[You don’t have to worry unnecessarily. Because it’s completely safe. You have to use everything you can.]
Although it is a cliché that always leads to an accident in these types of movies and novels, it is only fiction.
She will be safe as long as she is safe. Artemis has never done anything to harm me.
The catalog of the new robot included a photo of Reaper’s entire body, dissected in detail.
‘Crrrrn!’
I remember the look in Reaper’s eyes as he followed me in the hallway of Ginoplan and mocked me.
“In the end, it became an ingredient?”
For some reason, I laughed.
[Everything that doesn’t kill us makes us stronger.]
Before we knew it, the muscles had been assembled up to the wrist of the new robot.
The machine never rests.
A technological singularity that once raised people’s awareness.
It was functioning as a bridge to narrow the significant gap between infectious agents and humanity.
