Woo—woo—woo—
Piercing alarm sounds exploded throughout the repository without warning! Red emergency lights spun and flashed madly, illuminating everyone's faces in flickering light and shadow!
"Internal security alert triggered!" Falco shouted. "Something's been activated!"
Clang-clang-clang—crash!
Heavy metal collision sounds came from shadows around the repository and the entrance they'd entered through.
Hidden armor panels thundered down, instantly sealing all exits!
Simultaneously, multiple protective panels on walls slid open, revealing more automated weapon stations. Thick gun barrels rapidly extended, red targeting laser beams swimming through the air like venomous snakes, locking onto every moving target!
"Full defense system activated! We're locked in!" Dorio roared, first seeking the nearest server cabinet for cover.
Boom-boom-boom-boom! Boom! Boom!
Deafening gunfire and explosions instantly swallowed the entire space!
Multiple times fiercer than firepower encountered in passages!
Bullet storms and explosive shockwaves riddled fragile server cabinets with holes. Melted storage components and shattered circuit boards scattered everywhere! Ricochets madly bounced between metal walls, emitting shrill whistles!
"Combat servitors! Return fire! Prioritize destroying those automated weapon stations!" Maine returned fire from behind a heavy metal junction cabinet while roaring orders. Bullets continuously struck cover, sparking brilliant flashes.
Two combat servitors immediately demonstrated their combat efficiency.
They rapidly calculated trajectories, precisely striking wall weapon firing ports with heavy machine guns and grenade launchers.
One weapon station was directly hit by a grenade and blown to scrap metal; another was completely destroyed by sustained heavy machine gun fire.
But the piercing alarm didn't cease—more threats were emerging.
Clang-clang-clang—crash!
An intact wall section on one side of the repository suddenly slid back entirely, revealing a hidden chamber behind.
Accompanied by heavy, orderly hydraulic drive sounds, an entire squad of more advanced Militech combat robots marched out in formation!
They had more streamlined combat armor, wielding multi-barrel rotary machine guns, arm-mounted micro-missile launchers, crimson optical sensors coldly scanning, rapidly locking onto intruders.
The lead robot was obviously larger, shoulders equipped with conspicuous command node antennae.
"Unauthorized intrusion detected. Executing extermination protocol. Eliminate all targets." The lead robot emitted a cold synthesized voice.
Dense barrages instantly covered them! Rotary machine guns spat deadly fire tongues, forming crossfire networks!
"Find heavy cover! Don't expose yourselves in open areas!" Maine hoarsely shouted, voice nearly drowned by deafening gunfire.
Combat instantly reached white-hot intensity.
Human shouts, machines' cold synthesized voices, deafening gunfire, explosions, bullets striking metal's piercing noise mixed into a death symphony.
Dorio's heavy firepower roared madly, trying to suppress robot advance.
Rebecca and Pilar used damaged cabinets as cover for flexible shooting, but robot armor was obviously more advanced than previous "hellhounds"—their light weapon attacks barely effective.
One robot locked onto Sasha and Falco, who were desperately trying to crack data. Its arm-mounted launcher fired a micro-missile!
"Watch out!" Maine cried out.
At the critical moment, a combat servitor abruptly maneuvered laterally, using its broad armored body to physically block in front of Sasha!
BOOM!
The missile violently exploded. Flames and high-velocity fragments instantly engulfed the combat servitor. Its frontal heavy armor was blown open with a horrific breach, internal structures exposed, electrical sparks madly flashing, one mechanical arm twisted and broken.
But it still stubbornly maintained standing posture. Its damaged weapon systems still fired back.
"Sasha! Falco! How much longer?!" Maine shouted anxiously while using precise shots to attack a robot's optical sensors.
"It's resisting! This AI... it's using the facility's security systems to stop us! We need more time!" Sasha's voice carried trembling, but her fingers operated on the interface device so fast they almost left afterimages.
The other intact combat servitor displayed astonishing combat efficiency.
While using heavy machine guns for suppressive fire, it conducted precise strikes with the grenade launcher.
One grenade exploded beneath a robot's feet, blowing its chassis open; another directly hit the commander robot's head sensor cluster, completely destroying it.
Having lost the command node, remaining robots' coordinated movements showed perceptible lag and confusion.
"Good opportunity! Focus fire on that damaged unit!" Maine seized this fleeting chance.
All remaining team firepower immediately concentrated, finally turning a hindered robot into smoking, sparking scrap metal.
But remaining robots still steadily advanced with powerful firepower and armor. Rotary machine guns' sustained fire kept the squad barely able to raise their heads.
"This won't work! Ammo consumption too fast!" Dorio loaded a new drum magazine, shouting loudly. "Their numbers don't match ours!"
Just then, that severely damaged combat servitor suddenly emitted a different, low, ominous humming.
Its chest power core seemed to begin overload operation, emitting blinding red light.
"Warning: Core power severely damaged. Executing final protection protocol." Its cold synthesized voice rang out again.
Under everyone's astonished gaze, this severely damaged combat servitor suddenly charged from its cover, directly rushing toward the robot formation's densest area at near-decisive speed!
Its charge trajectory was unexpected—most robot fire fell behind it!
Next second!
BOOOOM!!!!!!!!!
Deafening explosion shook the entire repository!
Strong shockwaves violently threw robots near the blast center away, brutally smashing into walls, instantly shattering into pieces, parts scattering everywhere!
Automated weapon stations within the explosion's radius also smoked and ceased firing.
It chose self-destruct attack!
As smoke slightly cleared, the robot squad had suffered devastating losses—only two or three units with missing limbs and severely deformed bodies still struggled to move.
"Now! Finish them! Leave none!" Maine was first to recover from extreme shock, hoarsely roaring.
Surviving squad members concentrated all remaining firepower, rapidly and thoroughly clearing these remnant enemies.
The repository temporarily returned to silence, only cable short-circuit crackling, flames hissing, and that stubborn rotating red alarm light still flashing.
The air thickened with pungent gunpowder, molten metal, and ozone smells.
"Everyone... report status." Maine gasped for breath, surveying the chaotic scene around.
"Fine."
"Graze, doesn't affect operations."
"Threats temporarily eliminated." The last intact combat servitor reported. Its armor was also covered with shocking bullet marks and dents.
Maine looked at the wreckage of the combat servitor that chose self-destruction to cover them, exhaling a breath of turbid air with lingering fear.
"Fuck... gotta make the boss pay us more for this..." He once again profoundly realized that without these two loyal combat servitors, they would have absolutely been completely wiped out here today.
"Sasha! Falco! How's the situation?!"
"Done!" Sasha finally raised her head, face showing deep fatigue and a trace of unfaded fright. "Core data backup encrypted downloaded and remote upload complete! Deep isolation zone's physical door lockdown also lifted! We can attempt entry now!"
"Pilar! Dorio! Maintain vigilance! Prepare to advance to deep isolation zone! Quick! Who knows if this damn place's defense systems will come for another round!" Maine decisively ordered, gaze falling on that now-unlocked, even heavier isolation door.
Squad members rapidly organized equipment. Under the last combat servitor's escort, they cautiously approached that door leading to their true objective.
Throughout the process, they seemed to feel an invisible, cold gaze from behind the door—malice from digital depths quietly permeating.
"Passage cleared, entry possible." The combat servitor reported after scanning.
"Good! Let's go! Maintain maximum vigilance!" Maine took a deep breath, first stepping into the deep passage.
The squad entered the new area with tension and anticipation, leaving behind the still-blaring, chaotic repository.
Their mission achieved critical progress, but they were about to face a digital existence from an old era filled with unknown malice. Every step was like walking along a cliff's edge.
At the remote other end, Cairo watched successfully received core data streams, face showing barely concealed, nearly greedy satisfied smile.
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