440: Commander Cang's call

“This... can this thing really resist that kind of infection?”

He Dong couldn’t help but take a step forward, his tone filled with disbelief.

The descriptions of the infection in the data were still swirling in his mind; that bizarre power that could even distort rules didn't seem like something a few pieces of equipment could stop.

Oliver patted the battle armor of a Soldier next to him, and the heavy battle armor emitted a dull thud.

“Of course, these are all anti-infection equipment specially issued by the military, and each piece has been inspected. Take this battle armor, for example...”

His finger traced a faintly glowing coating on the surface of the battle armor.

“Special energy circuits are embedded inside, which can form an independent rule barrier. When a Soldier wears it, as long as the battle armor is not damaged and the body does not directly contact the infected, no matter how much that bizarre rule messes with him, the infection cannot get in.”

Li Yang’s gaze fell on the serrated long saber in the Soldier’s hand; the dark purple light flowing on the blade now seemed to have a few more layers of mystery.

“What about these weapons? Since causing damage triggers infection, why use such close-range weapons?”

“Defense alone is not enough; the infection must be eliminated to eradicate it.”

Oliver picked up a spare long saber weapon nearby and weighed it twice.

“To eradicate the infection, there must be a way to ‘terminate’ it. These weapons are all injected with a special ‘purification factor’—infected individuals killed by them will have the infection rules in their bodies neutralized instantly, turning them into ordinary remains. Let alone touching the corpses, even if the remains are dismantled for research, there’s no need to worry about being reinfected.”

He paused, then waved the long saber in his hand.

“You might find their appearance strange, but in fact, every pattern is an energy guiding groove, ensuring that the purification factor is fully released at the moment of killing. Compared to long-range weapons, the energy conduction of these close-range weapons is more stable, and the purification effect is more thorough.”

He Dong leaned in to look at the patterns on the blade, then reached out and tapped the battle armor next to him. The cool metallic touch slightly relaxed his taut nerves.

“So, as long as we’re properly equipped and use the right weapons, we can avoid those damned infection rules?”

“Exactly.”

Oliver returned the weapon to the Soldier, then said.

“Ultimately, there’s only one core method—thoroughly clear out all infected individuals, cut off the source, and naturally, no new infected will emerge.”

Oliver’s tone became a bit more serious, and his knuckles gently tapped on the table.

“But the key is speed. We must eliminate them completely before the infection spreads throughout the entire Galaxy. Once that thing occupies every planet and every corner of the Galaxy, it will be as difficult as ascending to heaven to clear it out, and by then, this mission... can only be declared a failure.”

As Li Yang listened, the stone hanging in his heart finally settled a bit.

He raised a hand to wipe his face, and his shoulders and back, which had been tense from anxiety, slowly relaxed.

“It’s good to have a concrete solution. Just now, looking at those documents, I felt this infection was so sinister it made my scalp tingle. If there were no countermeasures, I really wouldn’t know how to deal with it.”

No sooner had he spoken than Li Yang’s smart device suddenly issued a call request. A prominent communication request popped up on the screen, labeled with the three characters “Army Commander Cang.”

Seeing the name, he didn't bother to greet Oliver and directly chose to accept the call.

The light screen suddenly expanded, and Army Commander Cang’s face appeared in the light and shadow, with his usual sternness between his brows, but a hint of imperceptible gravity hidden in his eyes.

Seeing this, the surrounding Soldiers straightened their backs in unison, saluted, and shouted in unison.

“Good day, Army Commander!”

Their voices echoed around, carrying the solemnity unique to Soldiers.

Army Commander Cang’s gaze swept over everyone, finally landing on Li Yang, and a complex smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

“It looks like you’ve arrived, Li Yang... Half an hour earlier than I expected.”

Li Yang returned the salute, but a trace of doubt arose in his heart, and he asked tentatively.

“Army Commander Cang, are you implying... there are other arrangements?”

Army Commander Cang didn’t answer directly, but instead let out a soft snort, his tone clearly expressing dissatisfaction.

“I really don’t know what those people in the military are thinking, sending only two divisions like yours to handle such an infection incident.”

At these words, Li Yang and Oliver both froze simultaneously, instinctively exchanging glances, both seeing surprise in each other’s eyes.

They subtly leaned in to listen, waiting for what came next.

“According to the Empire’s past regulations...”

Army Commander Cang’s voice deepened slightly, and on the light screen, his fingers unconsciously tapped on the table.

“Once an infection involving the rule level appears, at least a full army should be dispatched to hold the line. Although the scope of this infection is indeed small, no matter how small, it’s still a rule-level hidden danger. Sending only two divisions... is far too risky.”

“An army?”

Li Yang and Oliver exclaimed in unison, their faces full of shock.

They were not shocked by how massive an army’s strength was—after all, the imperial military was flourishing, and while mobilizing an army was not easy, it was not unimaginable.

What truly startled them was the latter half of the sentence: a mission that should have been handled by an army was only assigned to two divisions.

This disparity was like trying to tie up a wild beast with a thin string, so preposterous it sent chills down their spines.

The surroundings instantly fell silent, with only Army Commander Cang’s tightly furrowed brows on the light screen silently conveying the unusual nature of the matter.

Li Yang clenched his fist, suddenly feeling that this mission might be even more troublesome than they had anticipated.

“Then, Army Commander Cang, what should we do now?”

Li Yang’s brows were tightly furrowed, with a hint of imperceptible worry in his tone.

To be honest, judging solely from the available information, this infection involving rule power was too bizarre. He truly felt uncertain and lacked confidence in resolving it securely.

Army Commander Cang’s figure on the light screen paused, his gaze sweeping over the grave faces of Li Yang and the others, and his tone deepened.

“Before your mission was issued, I reported it to the military, stating directly that letting only two divisions handle it was too risky. But the higher-ups gave a reply, the specific reasons for which I cannot disclose—you only need to remember that if you truly reach a point where you are helpless, there’s no need to persist; immediately abandon the mission and withdraw from Gongjing No. 48 Galaxy.”

He paused, his eyes sharpening a bit, as if emphasizing a certain bottom line.

“The higher-ups will handle the aftermath, so you don’t need to have any concerns. I can only say this much. You all... please be extra careful and do your best.”

Before he finished speaking, the light screen dimmed, and the communication was actively cut off by Army Commander Cang.

“If you can’t handle it, leave... the higher-ups will take care of it...”

Li Yang murmured, repeating these two sentences, his fingertips unconsciously rubbing together.

Since the higher-ups had the ability to handle the aftermath, why did they only send two divisions to take such a risk? The strangeness of it deepened the cloud of doubt in his heart.

He looked up at Oliver beside him. Their eyes met, and both saw the same confusion in the other’s eyes—behind this, there was clearly a hidden truth they didn’t know.