Dimensional Codex System: I'm really not a cultist!

Chapter 822: Chapter 821: The Mysterious Person of Unknown Origin

”What is this?”

Looking at the Little Fire Dragon that jumped into his arms, the Super Warrior couldn’t help but ask. Meanwhile, Fang Zheng stroked the Little Fire Dragon’s head and waved his hand.

”Oh, it’s nothing. This is my little pet. You naughty little guy, how did you get up here?”

”Chirp! Chirp!”

The Little Fire Dragon clearly didn’t care about Fang Zheng’s dissatisfaction. Instead, it excitedly nuzzled his cheek, letting out a joyful cry. However, Fang Zheng understood the Little Fire Dragon’s intent—this little guy wanted to play with him, so it sneaked onto the spaceship intending to play hide and seek. At that time, Fang Zheng was so engrossed in thoughts of a new world that he didn’t notice. Besides, the Little Fire Dragon wasn’t any threat and wouldn’t encounter danger, so his Prophecy skill didn’t activate, allowing it to slip in like this!

”You little troublemaker...”

Pinching the Little Fire Dragon’s face, Fang Zheng was momentarily at a loss for words.

”So naughty!”

After giving the Little Fire Dragon a good rub, Fang Zheng stopped and began discussing with the Super Warrior what to do next.

”It seems we must take out that Gravity Well, otherwise, even if the spaceship is repaired, it won’t be able to fly out... or should we wait until our spaceship is repaired and then deal with the Gravity Well?”

”Let’s split up.”

At this moment, the AI suggested.

”There are still many Star Alliance Fleets outside; wasting too much time could be dangerous. The Chief Officer and I will destroy the Gravity Well, and you stay here to work on the ship’s repairs.”

”Alright, that works too.”

Fang Zheng wasn’t foolish. He noticed from the AI’s tone that the other party seemed intent on keeping their distance, so he shrugged his shoulders and said nothing more.

”Iona, send them down, and keep in touch if there’s anything.”

Soon after, the teleportation Light Beam flashed, and the Chief Officer disappeared from the deck. Not until the Chief Officer left did Fang Zheng turn to look at Iona.

”Iona, how much time is needed for complete repairs?”

”Since the armor repair systems have all been destroyed, it might take 48 hours or even longer with just self-recovery... Of course, if I could get a supply of nanomaterials, it might speed up the repair process.”

”Nanomaterials... speaking of which, in this world’s civilization... do any of those Aliens or human ships have similar things?”

”Yes.”

Upon hearing Fang Zheng’s inquiry, Iona nodded.

”Those Alien civilization ships have nanomaterial aggregates that can be used.”

”Alright.”

Upon obtaining Iona’s confirmation, Fang Zheng summoned the Pitch Black Greatsword, resting it on his shoulder.

”Let’s go, time for a... um, resource collection!”

Meanwhile, the Chief Officer and his AI also left the spaceship, heading in another direction. On the way, the Chief Officer couldn’t help but ask.

”Cortana, why are we splitting up?”

”I’m sorry, Chief Officer, but I just feel... those people seem off.”

”Is there a problem?”

”Yes...”

At this point, Cortana’s voice turned serious.

”They claim to be ordinary civilians, but the technology they use is far beyond our imagination. In fact, before you awoke, Chief Officer, I sensed someone trying to invade and take over the entire spaceship system. When I tried to stop it, I was easily bypassed, and even my permissions and actions were completely locked down...”

”Bypassed you?”

Hearing Cortana’s words, the Chief Officer was slightly surprised. Although he wasn’t particularly knowledgeable in this field, he knew that Cortana was the UNSC’s highest-level AI. For her to be easily bypassed and even countered, what kind of technological level was this?

”Moreover... the spaceship they are on is very peculiar.”

While speaking, Cortana displayed an image of the Annihilation Level.

”There’s no way to access their system, but from visual inspection, this spaceship is about 340 meters long, even larger than the Star Alliance’s CRS class, yet it only has three crew members, with just one responsible for operating the whole ship. Even the Star Alliance can’t achieve this level of automation!”

”Isn’t it a cargo ship?”

The Chief Officer didn’t mind much because the UNSC had larger cargo ships also operated by AI and one or two people for long-distance transportation. If that’s the case, then it’s not unusual.

”This spaceship’s design doesn’t look like a cargo ship. I’ve never seen anything similar in any civilian ship records. And not only that, even among warships, there’s nothing similar. And... the technology they use... Chief Officer, did you notice? When they activated their shield, they ordered to initiate the ’Klein Field,’ but transforming a Klein Field into a shield is only theoretical at the UNSC, and no one can achieve it! Even the Star Alliance doesn’t possess this technology.”

”So what are you implying?”

Upon hearing this, the Chief Officer’s voice didn’t change at all. He paused, looked at the fallen wreckage of the Star Alliance Warship, then took large steps toward it.

”I mean, these people are unidentified and possess technology beyond UNSC. They can’t simply be ordinary passersby, as they claim.”

”Are they rebels?”

”Although that possibility can’t be ruled out, I think it’s unlikely. Data shows rebels don’t possess similar skills, but I suspect they might be related to the Forerunners.”

”Oh? How so?”

The Chief Officer reached out, picking up a battle rifle from the ruins, then quickly reloaded while scanning the surroundings. At the same time, Cortana’s voice rang in his ear.

”Because this planet, from what we’ve seen, obviously has Forerunner characteristics. And previously, the Dawn-class drifted for four years without any reaction before being captured by this planet’s gravity well. But after they arrived, the planet suddenly activated. Moreover, from the Star Alliance Warship data I intercepted earlier, they’ve been loitering outside this planet for years...”

”So, they want to come in, but can’t...”

While the Chief Officer and Cortana conversed, an Alien resembling a Gnoll suddenly yelled, swinging a shield as it charged from around a corner. The Chief Officer quickly struck its shield with a butt stroke, instantly shattering its shield. In the next moment, he landed another strike, knocking the Gnoll to the ground.

”Exactly, but after those people arrived, this planet was activated. I suspect they came for this planet, and saving us was just incidental... After all, there are no civilian transport routes here. How did they get here? Not only that, Chief Officer, I’ve discovered something astonishing...”

As she spoke, Cortana’s tone grew more serious.

”Based on this Star Alliance Warship’s combat records, it previously engaged that spaceship and was instantly destroyed... This is far beyond the UNSC’s current firepower levels, and even the rebels couldn’t achieve that!”

This time, Cortana sounded quite firm; it made sense.

Even with Super Warriors, the UNSC could contend with the Star Alliance in ground combat. But in space battles, their warships were no match for the Star Alliance in terms of firepower, shields, and maneuverability. Initially, UNSC ships couldn’t even break through the Star Alliance’s shields, only managing damage through their main cannons.

Conversely, since human ships mostly depend on armor resistance, the Star Alliance could land their shots accurately. If the UNSC could match the Star Alliance on the ground, in space they were outmatched significantly...

It was precisely because of this that Cortana concluded the spaceship definitely didn’t belong to the UNSC, or even to humans!

”In any case, we must leave here.”

While speaking, the Chief Officer forcefully pulled on the magazine. Opposite him, with a deep growl, a towering Ghost Face Beast slowly emerged.

”We’ll discuss the rest after this.”