New Game+

Chapter 277 - A Discussion With Planteds

ANNOUNCEMENT:

Please reread chapters 273 and 276 as they have been changed. Certain plot points were changed drastically. (About the last half of 273 was changed and 276 had lots of added stuff) Details as to why explained in Authors thoughts.

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The Saudi HQ sent Exoskeleton scouts to search the skies for any drones. They had a powerful cloaking system and were nimbler and silent compared to the usual Caliphate Exoskeleton.

"HQ, the skies are clear. We've tried several signal channels and modes of detection, but we can't find anything out here."

"It's the WGP! Of course, you won't be able to find anything. Each of you should use a different scan mode and search the skies! We find that Drone we could track where that ship is!" The man answered back.

"Can you believe this? I don't think there's anything in these skies?" The soldier complained to his teammates.

"Shut up and do your job. It's the WGP we're talking about!"

"If it's an Elite, I'd be all afraid. But intel states this isn't one!"

"They still have the techs to outdo ours! And be quiet! Who knows? They could probably hear us!"

"Here us? Impossible."

"Haven't you read the reports? The Dawn Soldiers of Australia has such increased hearing that they could hear a flying bullet!"

"Are suits have more techs than a bullet."

"Well, whatever. I don't want to argue with you, but our life is on the line of your ranting! So just shut up and do your job!" The other soldier chastised.

Then there was silence.

"Good." The soldier thought to himself but suddenly felt that there was something in his chest.

A large metallic blade has pierced through his chest and was accessing the server and the soldier's Exoskeleton's comm device.

"You were right. We can hear you. You should have been quieter when telling those other guys off." A malicious voice whispered.

The soldier had died, and his suit fell into the sea.

But the strange thing was that their deaths should have been reported to HQ. But it wasn't.

The Fleet Admiral and the WGP Commanders had activated their Signal Steal techs. With it, they hijacked the signal of the Caliphate soldiers upon killing them.

The signal, comm channels, and even the pilot's lifeline reports were now their own suit.

The WGP Commanders and the Fleet Admiral took advantage at the scouting parties' movements.

Each scout was moving on to a different location and was in charge of a respective area to search.

Though there were numerous scouts in the dead of night, and as these Exoskeletons were searching for something in the air, the WGP was able to ambush the scattered soldiers easily. And in doing so, they were able to merge with the group without raising suspicion immediately.

"It's easier than expected." One of the Commanders smiled.

"Thank General Vender for that. If he didn't create this chaos and made the group search for drones, we wouldn't have it this easy. They were specifically looking for drones and employed all their techs to search for an imaginary signal. This makes our entry easier." The Admiral answered.

"How did he do that? What exactly did he say? I just wish we heard what he's been shouting on about." One of the Commanders couldn't help but mutter.

"We know that it will have to be something in the line of his suit being controlled. That's how he got them to search for it. But I think whoever is helping him inside took a hint from his words and is helping Vender create this situation." Another Commander assessed.

"Quit talking. We start now. Initiate fake attacks." The Fleet Admiral finally ordered.

BOOM!

Several explosions occurred in the area causing all the scouts to panic and withdraw at once immediately.

HQ received several reports, and they communicated with the scouts.

But all they could were howling pain and shouts of alarms that they were attacked.

And so, the scouts were ordered to retreat as a team.

Within that retreat, the WGP was able to merge with the group and succeed in hiding swiftly.

With the reports of the attack, HQ notified to capture the Planted immediately.

The defensive and playful arrangements were now rushing as the soldiers exerted more effort in capturing Lowengren.

Seeing the reactions of his enemies, Lowengren finally allowed the attacks to land him.

Within his suit, he released the specialized cubes that he had won from Lennox. The CubeCube that he had used not only could discharge electricity; it had the power to absorb and convert it.

The electro-spores struck him in succession. This sight horrified the enemy Exoskeletons as they couldn't understand how Lowengren, who had been able to evade the attacks constantly, would somehow stop moving and caused several charged attacks to strike him.

The Lightning Cube absorbed the incoming electric attacks. Right before there were only a few attacks left, Lowengren closed the Cube, allowing the electric sports to strike the entire robot.

A single spore could not kill a man. But the number of attacks that was shot would add to the current charge. Yet because Lowengren was able to absorb a bulk of the attack, he managed to survive the shocks. The remaining attacks were meant to show that his body had taken damage.

Lowengren pretended to collapse at the attacks.

"Quick! Save him!" One of the soldiers nearby shouted.

Several rushed forward and quickly used their tools to dismantle the unmoving Exoskeleton of Lowengren.

"Medic! Call the medics!" The soldier shouted, and a Medic had already arrived.

The Medic tore open Lowengren's helmet and could see his burnt face.

"Who is he?" The soldier asked the Medic through a specialized line that no one else could hear.

"Do you recognize him?"

"No. I don't recognize this planted. His face got burnt up. It's that bad." The Planted Medic replied.

"Let's go. We'll report this to Fudge. He has been in Contact with Pioneer Flantter." The soldier addressed.

"This man needs immediate medical attention! Let's move!" The Medic immediately rushed off.

"Make way! Get that soldier inside!" A nearby Sargent ordered immediately.

Lowengren was quickly brought inside, and the soldiers outside began to form ranks and were slowly sent out to attack the region where the attack was made.

The Caliphate region had the most diverse forms of Exoskeleton in the world. With the Sandstorm technology and how they could harness large amounts of sand to create metal, they were the foremost metal providers. And with it, they employed various types and kinds of Exoskeletons, and their soldiers were trained to master a minimum of three types of Exoskeletons.

The soldiers quickly were outfitted to use Jet-Propelled Exoskeletons and began to aid in the recent attack.

The WGP was on-route back to the base as was ordered by HQ. Of course, they were using this opportunity to vanish inside the base and succeed in their infiltration.

"I can't believe that we are actually able to infiltrate this place without being noticed!" A Commander laughed.

All of them suddenly received an alert.

"It's finally happening. The attack on the Kraken…" One of the Commanders mentioned.

"Relax. My mother and two Emperors are there. They will not lose. Focus on our mission. Vender has done remarkably. Let us not make his works outdo our success. We have to find out why Intrik plans to betray us."

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Explosions rang out to the west, and several alerts and warnings were broadcasted.

"Contact has been made on the North-East sectors—squadrons F5 to H1, outfit for flight-capable suits according to highest specialties. Expect heavy fire on the enemy. We have located the enemy sub! Scout squadrons are to report to your corresponding teams and outfit according to your Sargent's assignments." The Broadcast spoke.

"What?!" A Commander was confused.

"North-East? That can't be our vessel! We are positioned to the south!"

"That could be either Africa or Egypt… Is this a coincidence?"

"Probably. Either that or General Vender wasn't so honest. Still… This does not harm us in any way but can only increase our chances."

"Why so?"

"If this is General Vender's team, then they will take the blame for the attack of the alleged WGP." Magantae explained.

Meanwhile, back inside the hospital chambers, several doctors were busy treating the electrocuted body of Lowengren.

"It's amazing that you managed to survive." One of the doctors said as he treated Lowengren. The Doctor then began to check on Lowengren's pulse and then moved to check on the heart.

But as he listened, there were no sounds.

"Doctor. I have that inverted heart condition. My heart is on the left." Lowengren explained as he secretly controlled his heart to stop beating.

"Oh! I see… Well them…"

"Doctor… I need to see the Commander. I have more things to announce!" Lowengren stopped the Doctor, who was about to check on his heart.

A Sargent suddenly entered the room and pulled the Doctor aside.

"We have orders to take this soldier."

"He is in dire need of-"

"I'm alright, Doctor. If I don't report, even you might die." Lowengren tried to stand up.

"The Commander is on his way. Doctors, please stabilize his condition first and focus on healing his immediate wounds."

The Doctor sighed.

"His life is not in any imminent danger, but he has several burned wounds. I'll just inject the anesthesia and be on my way."

When the Doctor left, the Sargent moved closer.

"I'm also a Planted. Who are you under?"

"Presider Pridgeon," Lowengren answered with the only Pioneer he knew by name.

"Do you have anything to report?"

"If we succeed in acquiring that sub, we have basic foundations that could push us to become Presiders! They have something called the Lost Primordial's techs. I couldn't say it earlier because they might have the means to hear me! But I know the exact location of the sub!"

"You do? How?"

"How do you think?" Lowengren gambled. This was a point where he had no plans. He had to use his lies to redirect the person to come to a conclusion.

"If this fails, I'll have to cover it up with more lies!" Lowengren thought to himself. He could claim that he was some Planted with a specific task from Pridgeon and that the Planted he was talking to did not have the authority. But whatever comes next would depend on the Planted Sargent's answers.

"You mean… What?!"

"What else?"

"But how? Right!… The Exoskeleton!" The Sargent realized.

"Exactly!" Lowengren nodded vigorously.

"My Exoskeleton had that!"

"You mean, Presider Pridgeon gave it to you? Or was it Arbiter Madelyn?" The Planted asked.

Lowengren recalled who Madelyn was. Richie gave her a gold coin that Lennox created, which allowed them to spy on Madelyn while she was on Earth. Of course, after Richie met with her again and kissed her during China's battle, the coin was secretly swapped with another, which Richie had imbued some of his own cells.

"Madelyn. She gave me the techs that she acquired. Of course, I can't tell you what. But I have it! Techs that only Arbiters have!" Lowengren explained.

"Why would Arbiter grant you this technology?" Another Planted entered the room. This was the Planted who contacted General Joab Barak.

Lowengren had already seen his Id while he was walking.

Lowengren glanced around the room as if he was suspicious of people listening in to their conversation.

"Erm… Planted Maver." Lowengren called the name he saw on the ID.

"No need for the secrecy. We are alone here. So tell me. How do you have Arbiter Madelyn's techs? Something that not even Pioneers have!" The Planted called Maver asked.

"I am her boy toy!" Lowengren answered without faltering.

The Planteds wore strange expressions as they heard this.

"Boy toy?"

"Haven't you noticed?! I look like that gamer! That one who died in Australia!" Lowengren pointed to his face.

"No wonder you look familiar! You look like Lowengren!"

"Yes. Anyway, If I die, you will suffer her wrath. If she finds out that I told you, you will all die." Lowengren warned everyone.

The group became quiet. The Planteds had often gossiped in envy of Arbiter Madelyn's lustful desires that even made her go after several famed figures in the EAA.

"Alright. You have proven to be someone who is Planted. Where is the WGP's sub?"

"There are two of them. The second one, the one you are attacking now, is still a diversion. The real one is located on the Southern area. It's strong, so you don't have to worry about blasting it to smithereens. Launch pseudo weapons of mass destruction against it. Make it look like you're aiming for the second sub and alter the course of the rocket at the last second to attack it! It will then reveal itself!" Lowengren declared.

The Planteds were silent, but then they began to smile.

"You aren't going to wait for Pioneer Flantter?"

"I am with Madelyn, after all. I'll tell you a secret. Presider Pridgeon has already found the Lost Primordial! He has promised Madelyn to make her a Presider at the very least! With my contributions… or our contributions, we could be one those who skipped a rank! From Planted… To Presider!" Lowengren laughed.

"Good! Then we will follow your lead!"

"Oh! Right before I forget! These WGP outcasts have someone called General Vender! He went in here earlier to assume a disguise. He should now be in this base as we speak! Kill anyone in the main power plant that might be acting suspicious! This will be our ace! If things turn sour, you can put on any mask and pretend to be that person!"

"Oh? What about my voice?"

"This General Vender has the ability to change his voice. It won't matter. These guys aren't Elites, but they're not weak! They might have spies among us! I don't know what happened after they sent me after all…" Lowengren shook his head.

"General Vender, eh? Alright. I'll make preparations.. It's time for our attack! Boys, let's aim to be Presiders!" The Planted called Maver laughed.