Earth Era

Part 40

"The facility for detaining raiders is located 20 kilometers west of the Air Defense Zone, at what used to be a hydroelectric power station. However, as the river dried up, it gradually fell into disuse.

After capturing a raider alive, the United Government converted the site into a prison specifically for holding them, for scientific research purposes.

Qin Feng, Xiaoya, and Zhong Yuanjie drove across the dam, where the road was narrow, only allowing two cars to pass side by side.

Qin Feng was too scared to look down, every bump in the road made him jump.

"With this kind of reaction, how do you expect to become a qualified pilot?" Zhong Yuanjie joked.

"So far, all my training scores have been failing," Qin Feng replied.

After crossing the dam, they encountered a guard post and a long barrier. Two guards stood beside the guard post, and Xiaoya presented their Air Defense Zone credentials. The guards nodded after checking. "You may proceed."

"Thank you," Xiaoya said.

The barrier lifted slowly, and they drove through.

Ahead was a mountain, and about a hundred meters away, there was a huge cave guarded by many soldiers.

Xiaoya parked the car nearby, and the three got out.

"Is the hydroelectric power station inside this cave?" Zhong Yuanjie asked.

Xiaoya nodded. "Where else would it be?"

"I thought it would be on the water," Zhong Yuanjie said.

"Now it's no longer a hydroelectric power station, but a prison," Qin Feng remarked.

As they approached the cave entrance, they were stopped by a guard. "Credentials."

"We just showed them," Qin Feng said.

"For double security, we need to check again," the guard replied.

Xiaoya presented their credentials again, and after checking, the guard asked, "From the Air Defense Zone?"

They nodded.

"What's your purpose here?" the guard asked.

"To see the raiders," Xiaoya replied.

The guard nodded and returned their credentials. He waved towards the cave entrance and shouted, "Let these three through!"

Receiving no response, he turned to them and said, "You can go in."

After thanking the guard, the three walked in. Inside, they found many soldiers hiding in the shadows, unseen from the outside.

"I wonder how many guns are aimed at us around here," Zhong Yuanjie whispered.

Neither Qin Feng nor Xiaoya replied.

"I think there must be at least a hundred!" Zhong Yuanjie continued.

They walked cautiously for a while until they reached an elevator with only two buttons, one for going up and one for going down. They entered the elevator, and Xiaoya pressed the "down" button. The elevator doors closed slowly.

Only then did the three relax.

"What's with all the secrecy? Do they expect someone to break in?" Qin Feng asked.

"They just said it's for precaution," Xiaoya replied.

"Why didn't you tell us before we came? At least we could have been mentally prepared. It's not a good feeling to have a hundred guns pointed at your head," Zhong Yuanjie complained.

Xiaoya rolled her eyes. "It's my first time here too! How would I know!"

The elevator stopped, and the three cautiously stepped out, feeling like thieves.

Outside, it was empty, with no one in sight.

"Did we come to the wrong place?" Zhong Yuanjie asked. "Shouldn't we have gone up in the elevator earlier?"

Xiaoya frowned. "It shouldn't be. Going up would lead to the mountain peak. It must be going down."

Qin Feng nodded towards someone approaching from afar. "Let's just ask. We're not sneaking in, so what's there to fear?"

The person wore a white coat, glasses, and appeared to be in his thirties, holding a file and seemed like a doctor.

He looked up and saw the three, walking over. "What are you here for?"

For some reason, the three felt slightly nervous. They glanced at each other, and Xiaoya presented their credentials. "We're from the Air Defense Zone, here to visit the captured raider."

"Oh, over there," he pointed before walking away.

The three breathed a sigh of relief simultaneously. Zhong Yuanjie glanced at Qin Feng. "Didn't you say there's nothing to fear? Why are you nervous?"

"I'm not nervous. It's you," Qin Feng retorted.

"I'm not nervous either, it's her..." Zhong Yuanjie stopped when he saw Xiaoya's expression.

"This is probably the effect of the unknown. It's normal to feel nervous," Xiaoya explained.

"What's the effect of the unknown?" Qin Feng asked.

"It's the fear of unknown things, an instinctive reaction, like when you go to the hospital, knowing nothing's wrong, but still feeling nervous," Xiaoya elaborated.

"Oh," the two nodded in understanding. Qin Feng murmured, "But why haven't I heard of this effect before..."

"It's a term I came up with," Xiaoya said.

"Uh..."

Following the direction the man had indicated, they found a large door guarded by two soldiers.

"Excuse me, where is the cell for the captured raiders?" Xiaoya asked.

"Right in there," the guard replied.

The three were relieved. Xiaoya continued, "Can we go in?"

"Credentials," the guard requested.

Xiaoya handed over their credentials, and after inspecting them, the guard said, "You may." He then opened the door.

Inside looked exactly like they imagined a prison would, but there were no cells or inmates, only a huge and spacious square hall.

The hall was cluttered with various instruments and equipment, with cables strewn about haphazardly on the ground. The instruments were placed without any order, just scattered around. It was evident that there was no one taking care of this place, or there were more important matters to attend to.

Clearly, the more important matter was the raider in the center of the hall. It wasn't confined to a cage but suspended in mid-air. Thick chains, as thick as adult thighs, pierced its shoulders, and several tubes were inserted into its chest, back, abdomen, and legs, flowing with an unknown liquid...

The raider hung there motionless. There were many workers and researchers bustling around it, with armed guards patrolling nearby.

"Is it dead?" Xiaoya asked.

"I don't know. Let's go and see," Qin Feng replied.

Approaching, they found it still alive. This was a defensive type of raider, its head moving, eyes shifting, perhaps pondering something.

It was their first time observing a living raider from such close proximity, and they were somewhat apprehensive. Whenever it moved slightly, they would step back.

"It's really ugly," Xiaoya remarked.

"Is it?" Qin Feng observed with interest. "I actually think it's quite handsome, like a mech warrior."