Chapter 225 : Exploration Plan for Level 0.5 Mobile Cities

Chapter 225: Exploration Plan for Level 0.5 Mobile Cities

Lin Mei told Li Ye that the carapace of the Arachnid Demons was extremely tough and bore an unnaturally matte black sheen capable of absorbing most light, perfectly concealing them in the dark. Each of their eight barbed legs was as thick as a century-old oak, with joints covered by layers of dense, porous scales.

Every Arachnid Demon possessed immense combat power, defense, reaction speed, and agility. Moreover, they were capable of producing a variety of special spider silk.

Their species were also numerous—countless, in fact.

Not only that, the Arachnid Demons possessed extraordinarily strong burrowing abilities.

“They loathe light intensely, so they only dwell underground,” Lin Mei added.

Li Ye thought for a moment before speaking again.

“Do the Arachnid Demons have a social structure?”

“Yes,” Lin Mei replied. “The Arachnid Demons have established an underground kingdom in the Polar Continent. They possess a hierarchy much like that of a nation—kings, ministers, nobles, generals, and commoners.”

“How large is their population then? And how vast is this underground kingdom?” Li Ye asked again.

Lin Mei shook her head.

“At present, we do not know.”

The Titan Throne had only noticed the Arachnid Demon Civilization within the past few years.

Although the Polar Continent housed several monstrous civilizations, none were as peculiar as the Arachnid Demons.

After extensive research, the Titan Royalty discovered that the silk produced by the Arachnid Demons was of great value.

To obtain this resource, they attempted to communicate with the Arachnid Demons and even tried to recruit them as workers.

However, the Arachnid Demons proved extremely conservative and stubborn, rejecting their offer outright.

It was precisely during this contact that the Titan Throne learned of the vast underground kingdom the Arachnid Demons had established beneath the Polar Continent.

According to the investigators, this underground kingdom was not a traditional city, but rather a sprawling network of countless interconnected tunnels, caverns, and subterranean fortresses.

“We couldn’t figure out how deep their kingdom goes, or how many tunnels, caverns, and cities lie beneath.”

Lin Mei murmured this softly.

“The investigation began because the Imperial Council believes the Arachnid Demon Civilization could pose a highly dangerous threat.”

For such monstrous civilizations, the Titan Throne usually had only two choices—

Either control them, or erase them.

“Just imagine—if we could control the Arachnid Demon Civilization, we’d have a constant, renewable supply of all kinds of special spider silk.” Oleg’s eyes shone brightly as he spoke.

Hearing this, Li Ye’s eyes also lit up.

Regarding the Arachnid Demon Civilization, the Titan Throne had already drawn up an action plan.

The first step of that plan was to determine the scale of the underground kingdom.

Li Ye quickly realized a crucial issue.

“Professor Lin, how does the Titan Throne intend to explore the Arachnid Demons’ underground kingdom?”

“Through Mobile Cities,” Lin Mei answered.

Li Ye shook his head repeatedly.

“The underground kingdom’s passages are mainly connected by narrow tunnels. With the size of a Mobile City, it’s impossible to enter.”

To his surprise, a rare smile appeared on Lin Mei’s face.

“Who said it can’t?”

She soon revealed the answer—

The Level 0.5 Mobile City.

A Level 0.5 Mobile City was only the size of a truck. Once equipped with Level 3 Climbing Components, Level 3 Cannons, Level 3 Heavy Machine Guns, and combat personnel outfitted with Level 3 Armaments, they could be deployed to explore the Arachnid Demons’ underground kingdom.

As a world-class organization, the Titan Throne possessed the technology to manufacture Mobile Cities.

However, Lin Mei regretted that the number of Level 0.5 Mobile Cities available for exploration was quite limited.

Moreover, since the Titan Throne maintained multiple research bases across the Polar Continent, after distribution, even fewer would reach the Ice Dome Research Base.

“Professor Lin, I reckon we’ll only get around ten units at most,” Oleg estimated.

“I fear even fewer,” Lin Mei replied wistfully.

After a brief pause, she looked at Li Ye with deep intent.

“That’s precisely why we need to recruit external personnel.”

“I’m afraid you’ll be disappointed, Professor Lin,” Li Ye replied apologetically. “Our Tomorrow Alliance doesn’t possess any Level 0.5 Mobile Cities, nor do we have many climbing-type vehicles, so it’ll be difficult to help.”

But as he spoke, he suddenly realized something—and stopped mid-sentence.

What he said was true, but the Tomorrow did have a fully developed Special Forces Unit.

At this point, that unit was already at full Level 3 configuration.

With the Jetpacks and Climbing Anchor Claws combination, they could move freely among the tunnels, caverns, and underground cities of the Arachnid Demons’ kingdom—and even engage them in battle!

When Li Ye mentioned that his Special Forces could participate, Lin Mei’s expression lit up with delight.

“The Tomorrow Alliance’s Special Forces are equipped this well?” she exclaimed in amazement. “Impressive—you even invested resources specifically to build such an elite unit.”

Li Ye merely scratched his head.

It wasn’t intentional; he just couldn’t resist when the design blueprints for Special Forces equipment kept arriving one after another.

“Then it’s settled,” Lin Mei said. “The exploration plan will commence soon—go back and make your preparations.”

Before leaving, Li Ye requested detailed data on the underground kingdom’s caverns, tunnels, and cities, as well as information on the Arachnid Demons.

This would allow him to input the data into the City Simulation Training Pod, letting his Special Forces train in advance.

Before he departed, Lin Mei reminded him of one more thing.

The reward promised to the Tomorrow Alliance had already been reported for approval—

The Level 3 City Structure Blueprint and a series of specialized books would be delivered once the mission was completed.

“Understood. Thank you, Professor,” Li Ye said, shaking her hand.

Furthermore, he learned another unexpected piece of news from her.

The Level 4 Airborne Mobile Island “Sky-roaming Island” was heading to his area—the Tundra Zone.

It had been dispatched by the higher authorities.

The Sky-roaming Island would deploy a Level 3 Engineering-type Mobile City there to commence the Underground City Construction Project.

To ensure the Tundra Zone’s safety and maintain control, it would also deploy a Level 3 Mobile City Combat Cluster.

When Lin Mei inadvertently mentioned the name of the cluster’s commander, Li Ye was momentarily stunned—

It was Heath.

The thought of reuniting with Heath in the Tundra Zone filled him with excitement.

In addition, the Sky-roaming Island carried several independent human Mobile Cities.

They had come to the Polar Continent seeking development opportunities.

After bidding farewell to Lin Mei and Oleg, Li Ye and Whiteman took a helicopter back to the Tomorrow.

Upon arriving on deck, Li Ye gathered his companions and Lin Wu to relay all the information.

“That’s the situation—Zhou Xing’s Engineer is being conscripted to help construct the Underground City.”

Zhou Xing couldn’t contain his excitement upon hearing it.

“Really? That’s fantastic!”

He had always been passionate about engineering and construction.

While they spoke, Li Ye also handed the collected data on the Arachnid Demons and the underground kingdom to Lin Wu, instructing him to upload it into the simulation training pod to construct the training scenario so the Special Forces could begin training as soon as possible.

“The Arachnid Demon Civilization’s underground kingdom, huh?” Lin Wu said thoughtfully. “I must admit, I’m quite looking forward to exploring it myself.”

With that, he sped away in his electric wheelchair.

After exchanging glances, Li Ye continued his discussion with his teammates.

“A Level 3 City Structure Blueprint? Then doesn’t that mean we’re getting closer to Level 4?” Fang Yong said in delight.

For members of the Mobile City Alliance, when one Mobile City ascended to Level 4, it meant all cities rose together.

“Even so, we still have to gather eight thousand units of various Level 3 resources and City Crystals.” Li Ye spoke hesitantly. “Especially the latter—those are truly not easy to come by.”

What the four of them were most concerned about were the Monstrous Civilizations arriving via the ocean routes.

“Why have all the Level 3 Monstrous Civilizations from the Southern Continent moved to the Polar Continent?” Fang Yong asked in astonishment.

“That’s not surprising. The monsters on the Wasteland are much like humans—they have the instinct to seek advantage and avoid harm,” Yang Zheng replied. “And it’s not just the Level 3 ones. There must be Level 1 and Level 2 Monstrous Civilizations among them as well.”

According to their plan, the Engineer would be assigned exclusively to the construction of the Underground City, while the Special Forces would be dispatched to assist in exploring the Underground Kingdom.

Meanwhile, the Tomorrow, Iron Whale, Peacemaker, and Starshine would be responsible for facing any Monstrous Civilizations that might land in the Tundra Zone.

As for the Dawn, it would focus solely on external resource mining.

At the mention of a city war, the expressions of the four turned grim.

This time, it would be a combination of icefield operations, naval warfare, and aerial battles.

“In fact, we’re not fighting alone. The Three Major Human Organizations will also deploy a Mobile City Combat Cluster in the Tundra Zone,” Li Ye reminded them. “And you all know the commander—it’s Archbishop Heath.”

“Really?” Fang Yong said in delight.

“Archbishop Heath is a good man. Being able to fight alongside him will be wonderful,” Yang Zheng said sincerely.

Li Ye nodded and waved his hand.

“That’s roughly the situation. Everyone, make your preparations.”

In the time that followed, he convened the War Committee to begin discussing wartime preparations.

Though the name sounded grand, the entire War Committee consisted of only fifty people—previously, there had been only twenty.

While Whiteman was still around, Li Ye intended to ask him to properly establish the departments of Command, Operations, Logistics Management, Administration, Intelligence, and Technical Support, and to expand the personnel to around two hundred members.

During this period, Fang Yong, Zhou Xing, and Yang Zheng would also be brought into the committee.

Although the Engineer lacked combat capability, Li Ye still intended to reserve a seat for Zhou Xing.

According to his directives, members of the War Committee were to calculate the manpower, combat resources, and vehicle quantities required for a single war—along with the needed steel, fuel, and food supplies—and compile a detailed list to submit to him.

The standard enemy unit was defined as a complete Level 3 Monstrous Civilization.

The members listened attentively yet nervously as Li Ye gave instructions, taking careful notes.

After the meeting was adjourned, Li Ye was about to return to his quarters for rest when a noise suddenly echoed from above.

He looked up to see the clouds in the sky begin to move unnaturally, as if stirred by an invisible hand.

At first, only a few wisps of cloud drifted out of place, but soon the entire sky trembled violently like a torn curtain. With a deep, resonant hum, a massive airborne island appeared, blotting out the sun.

Li Ye was startled.

“So this is the Sky-roaming Island? It arrived far faster than I expected!”

As the Sky-roaming Island activated its magnetic propulsion system, the Mobile City Combat Cluster affiliated with the Apocalypse Sect began arriving one after another across the ocean.

Its configuration was as follows:

One Level 3 Assault-type City.

Two Level 1 Assault-type Cities.

One Level 1 Defensive-type City.

One Level 1 Fire-support-type City.

Unquestionably, all the Level 1 Mobile Cities were fully equipped with Level 3 configurations.

During their transport aboard the Sky-roaming Island, the entire city cluster had already undergone waterborne retrofitting.

To Li Ye’s surprise, the Level 3 Assault-type City turned out to be none other than the Saint.

“So the Apocalypse Sect reallocated its internal resources and upgraded it from Level 2 to Level 3?”

He boarded a Black Hawk Helicopter and landed on the deck of the Saint.

When Heath saw Li Ye, he too was surprised.

“I didn’t expect the Tomorrow Alliance to come here as well.”

At that moment, a young girl came running hurriedly with documents in her hands, handing them to Heath.

Seeing this, Li Ye raised his brows slightly.

“Is she your new aide? What happened to the old one? Was he promoted?”

At those words, Heath froze slightly, a trace of sorrow flashing in his eyes.

“He’s gone.”

“Oh…”

Li Ye paused for a moment but chose not to press further.

While the two spoke, another Mobile City descended via magnetic propulsion.

It was none other than the Titan Throne’s Level 3 Engineer-type City “Natural V7”.

“It’s beginning construction of the Underground City now,” Heath said succinctly.

The Lord of Natural V7 told Zhou Xing that building an Underground City in the polar regions would be rather special, requiring corresponding engineering equipment.

To that end, he provided the Engineer with a Level 3 Plasma Drilling Tower for opening underground space, as well as a full set of Level 3 Polar Engineering Vehicles—

A Polar Geological Radar Vehicle, capable of scanning ice thickness, bedrock structures, and potential cavities using penetrating radar and seismic waves.

A Plasma Ice Drilling Vehicle, capable of rapidly melting and piercing through hundreds of meters of ice to open vertical shafts.

A Modular Tunnel Boring Machine, designed to carve out main tunnels through ice and bedrock.

An Under-ice Multifunctional Mechanical Arm Engineering Vehicle, comparable in capability to a small engineering-type Mobile City.

An Air Maintenance Vehicle equipped with a full oxygen system to supply breathable air during under-ice operations.

And a Micro Power Station Vehicle, providing temporary electricity for construction areas.

As before in the Basin Region, all of this equipment was only loaned—they would have to return it after use.

Looking at the engineering devices and construction vehicles before him, Zhou Xing’s eyes gleamed with excitement.

Through further discussion, Li Ye learned that humanity planned to build twelve Underground Cities in the region.

Each Underground City would be fully self-sufficient and capable of housing ten thousand inhabitants.

Later, another Level 3 Engineer-type City would also arrive at the Tundra Zone aboard the Sky-roaming Island.

“Twelve? They’re really building that many all at once?” Li Ye exclaimed.

The Lord explained patiently.

According to reconnaissance from the Ice Dome Research Base, the Tundra Zone was still relatively secluded within the Polar Continent.

Meanwhile, the Arachnid Demon Civilization had only constructed two or three tunnels, caverns, or Underground Cities beneath it—if there were any more, the two sides’ settlements might end up so close that humans and Arachnid Demons would practically become neighbors.