Chapter 74 Under the Ice [UEP-008] (Updated 1010, please subscribe!)
Polar Scientific Research Station [Montegas] UEP-Temporary Station Base
The cold wind blows across this white, endless ice field.
Looking down from the sky, this building transformed from a polar research station looks like the only drop of ink on a blank piece of paper.

A group of figures in black uniforms slowly walked out of the temporary base.
They are fully armed, equipped with a lightweight powered exoskeleton with a cold-resistant module, which can instantly collect and analyze information about the surrounding environment, and a highly integrated tactical helmet.
The translucent reinforced resin mask blocks the cold wind, and the hot air exhaled does not leave a trace of fog in the mask that has been specially processed, maintaining a clear field of vision.

Also accompanying it were several mechanical engineering equipment carried by the polar transport platform.

The reason why they appear in such a harsh and extreme environment at the northernmost end of the planet is that
This is because a few days ago, a monitoring satellite in the geosynchronous orbit accidentally captured a mysterious signal when passing through the Arctic orbit.
It was a chaotic signal mixed with noisy noises and strange low hums, and it was impossible to distinguish its specific meaning.

But if we analyze and think rationally, we will find a horrible fact:

Because no one would have nothing better to do than to use high-power long-wave radar to continuously send such seemingly worthless and disordered signals into outer space at the most extreme and harshest geographical location on the planet.

You know, apart from some scientific research stations and local ecological animals, there is nothing valuable in the Arctic.

So, there is only one explanation:

It turns out that either the Adventists hidden in the Earth are calling on aliens, or the aliens are calling on their companions.

A technician who was responsible for monitoring the satellite status and checking the cruise log was shocked when he found this unusual record.

Countless classic movie plots flashed in my mind, aliens invaded the earth, human traitors, and the Virgin spy.

“At first, people didn’t care…”

He also realized that this was a great opportunity for him to soar to fame, so he immediately contacted the highest leader he could reach, his immediate superior.

In less than 24 hours, the technician on duty was taken into a small dark room.

A long secret conversation took place and a thick confidentiality agreement was signed.

Turning back to the Arctic, this UEP anomaly exploration team codenamed "Arctic Fox" is heading towards the target location.

Inside the tactical helmet, a holographic projection route is clearly displayed, as well as a three-dimensional environment map that is constantly being enlarged.

The active phased array radar in the airborne transport platform continuously shares and updates the scanned tactical information to each team member's terminal in real time.

〈2457 meters remaining to target location〉

……

On the desolate white plain, there is only endless loneliness blowing towards me.

Perhaps I was a little bored by this quiet journey,
Witt Valenta, the "assaulter" and chatterbox in the team, began to chat with his companions through the private channel.

"Guys, this mission is so boring..."

"I recently met an online friend who introduced and recommended a very interesting large-scale RPG open world game to me..."

"Why aren't you talking? Don't you like it?"

Perhaps being annoyed by Vit Valenta's nagging, another team member, Kari Wool, couldn't help but speak up.
"Wert! I really want to sew up your mouth that never stops talking with a needle! You will die if you don't talk, right?"

"I really should not have saved you during our last operation in the Amazon rainforest. Instead, I should have used an RPG to send you and that damned python to see God together!"

As if a sore spot had been touched, a trace of embarrassment flashed across Witt Valenta's face, but he still curled his lips.
"Who the hell could have thought that the python would suddenly jump out of the pond, and it was so long... It almost bit me..."

"Vette, when you complained about not being selected for the Spartan Transformation Program, I wanted to say that sometimes you should look for the reasons in yourself."

Faced with many of his companions pointing their criticisms at him, Witt Valentine felt uneasy and immediately changed the subject.

"Perhaps we should pay more attention to the team led by Dennis. It is said that the PS-12 satellite over there detected an unknown heat source in Area 14 of Antarctica. The situation is similar to ours, so they were sent to Antarctica for survey. I wish them good luck."

"After all, it's impossible for them to really encounter alien ruins or something, right..." The captain, Henry Thomas, who had been silent all this time, spoke up at this moment.
"Alright, stop arguing. We are almost at our destination. I don't want the same unexpected situation to happen again in our team. Everyone, be alert!"

As the captain of the team, Henry Thomas' words naturally carried great weight, and soon there was no more chatter in the communication channel.

The two-kilometer journey was not too far, and they soon arrived at their destination.
But what is puzzling is that there is nothing here, only hard ice and piled snow.

The airborne transport platform behind him also slowly moved to the calculated position under the control of the operator.
"Om-"

The sound of fine mechanical bites resounded in the space where the cold wind was howling. Everyone looked at the operating drilling equipment with burning eyes and some nervousness.
〈Current drilling depth: 12.4 meters〉

〈No cavity structure detected〉

〈Current drilling depth: 39.7 meters〉

〈Current drilling depth: ……〉

As the detection drill continued to move downwards, but all the way was smooth and without any abnormalities,

"Click——"

A sharp cracking sound began to sound, becoming sharper and sharper.
At this moment, a scarlet warning pop-up window popped up on the holographic interface in front of everyone:
〈Warning! Warning! Warning!〉

<The ice layer is collapsing! The platform has lost its fulcrum. Please leave the collapsed area immediately...>

"Shet!"

Witt Valenta looked at the cracked ice surface all around him, and felt numb all over.
But before they left the area marked by the intelligent program, the ground beneath their feet collapsed.
The ice shattered, and a bottomless rift suddenly appeared, "swallowing" millions of dollars' worth of cutting-edge equipment along with some members of the Arctic Foxes into the abyss.

……

Time passed slowly, and when Witt Valenta opened his eyes again, he was already covered by an ice-blue world, but he soon became excited.

"Gift Crab! Thank God! I'm alive! I'm alive!"

Pushing away the broken ice that was pressing on him, Witt Valenta raised his head and looked into the deep crevice, shrugging helplessly.

"It seems that we can only wait patiently for rescue."

Then, he began to check the exoskeleton armor on his body.
Fortunately, the life support equipment and constant temperature system were not damaged by the fall, and the most important communication module was not destroyed.

After confirming that his current situation was fine, Witt Valenta kept trying to contact his companions above while curiously strolling in this vast underground cave.
Perhaps it was fate that caused Witt Valenta to slip on the smooth ice and fall into a deep and winding ice cave.

After the bumpy and shaky journey, Witt, who was slumped on the ground, shook his dizzy head.

But when he focused his attention again, he found a hideous, huge, strange mechanical head less than 1 meter away from him.
"Ah ah ah ah ah ah ah--"

Frightened and tumbling backwards, after a moment, Witt Valenta confirmed a fact.
The alien monster in front of him, which looked like it was dead, seemed to be frozen in ice and unable to move.

This made him bolder again, and he walked forward and knocked.
"Click——"

The shattering sound in his ears made Witt Valenta break out in a cold sweat, but after careful analysis, he found that it came from a pile of ice buried by rubble behind him.
He was already unhappy and kicked the ice.
"Bang-"

“Ohhhh, hiss—”

Although the leg armor was made of alloy, Vit Valenta still felt a tingling sensation.
But he soon realized that something was wrong, and immediately squatted down and dug through the rubble.
Instead, he saw a red, white and blue shield embedded in the ice, with the familiar star in the center.

"watt?!"

(End of this chapter)