READ NOVEL ONLINE Chapter 55 - Artemis Technology
Chapter 55 – Artemis Technology
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There was a saying that the first button had to be fastened correctly.
In today’s society, this saying is often used as an aphorism, and it wasn’t hard to understand its meaning even if you took it literally.
As everyone knows, if you fasten the first button wrong when putting on clothes, especially a dress shirt, it can cause a lot of trouble.
You waste time, and you can’t just leave it as it is.
In the end, if you fasten the first button wrong, it means you’ll inevitably have to go back and redo the whole process from the beginning.
That’s why the first button is so important.
That’s why people seek out renowned teachers or take their classes before starting something new. Though slightly different, ceremonies like ship launches or building groundbreakings are somewhat similar.
Now, back to the matter at hand.
How much could a person’s skill improve if an expert in their field closely assisted someone who played games for ten hours a day?
The answer could be seen through Harmony and Yoo Jin.
───Tatata!
“Two enemies turned left, teacher.”
“There’s a booby trap over there, so it shouldn’t be a big problem.”
Boom!
From the spare passage, fragments, flames, a loud noise, and screams mixed together as the explosion went off, and a notification about additional experience points popped up on the UI.
Even seeing that, they didn’t care and focused straight ahead.
The light and noise continuously bursting from the muzzle reverberated through the dead city like a drum.
The scene went back to several tens of minutes ago in-game.
Artemis Technology was a company that actually existed when I was in the ruined New York in the past.
The story could get long, but to explain it as briefly as possible, it was a company located in upper New York that developed advanced technology and military robots.
Of course, the New York mentioned here wasn’t the New York people generally think of but was specifically called upstate New York – in other words, the significantly decayed northern part of New York State.
Some background explanation might be needed.
When the US heavy industry collapsed, creating the Rust Belt, upstate New York couldn’t avoid the winds of decline. However, since around 2010, New York State implemented the Tech Valley policy, giving the area new vitality.
In short, they attracted high-tech companies to the cheap land of the fallen region and provided support funds, focusing investments on semiconductor-related ventures for regional revitalization.
That’s where Artemis Technology came in.
This company wasn’t one that developed better semiconductors like other companies but was more of a user of such technology.
They could request a specialized control device for complex killing machines from a nearby semiconductor company within 30 minutes and didn’t need to fly far for meetings and consortia.
Naturally, as they repeatedly cooperated and discussed, the company grew, and Artemis extended its reach in all directions, even to the extent that their unmanned and drone technology flowed into the US military.
They were even somewhat involved in ICARUS technology, so their stature needed no further explanation.
But when the pandemic apocalypse struck, everything, of course, fell apart.
The death toll rose so high that there were fewer soldiers than equipment in the military. People became refugees, rioters, or corpses.
In such a situation, Artemis couldn’t remain unscathed.
The company’s executives, who couldn’t even agree among themselves, hired their own PMCs to grab what was left, leading to chaos.
The total network was hit by cracking, counter-cracking, and various other attacks, resulting in a complete breakdown.
Naturally, their drones weren’t intact either. To put it bluntly, it was like an aviary where all the doors were opened simultaneously.
Nearby people faced only tragedy.
The higher-ups were almost annihilated, and the remaining PMCs took over the drones, turning them into their own private armies, creating their own kingdoms.
The already lawless upstate New York transformed into a dangerous area one should never enter.
“…That’s roughly the situation, do you get it?”
“I don’t get it….”
“Why not?”
Why not LOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
Please explain more simply, professor. Aren’t you afraid of lecture evaluations?
After military and humanities, now it’s geography professor LOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
Why is the in-game setting so detailed LOLLLLLLL
Why does your tone exactly resemble my college professor, damn
Oh, my old habits showed again. I shouldn’t do this.
Anyway, it was a pre-mission briefing that I unexpectedly gave at the mission entrance, but it was a relief that Harmony listened patiently.
I wondered if she thought I suddenly got fired up about something strange… But just knowing roughly what’s going on can be helpful.
Besides, this was a process I experienced in the past. Back then, I was in Harmony’s position… So in a way, this was a replay of the past.
It kind of reminded me of the “Back in my day~” feeling.
I shouldn’t do that.
“…That was a slip of the tongue. Anyway, let’s start the mission. I think we dragged it out too long.”
“Okay!”
The weather wasn’t very good.
Though it was about 9 a.m., the sky was overcast with clouds. Unlike reality, it was the middle of winter here, so it looked like it could snow at any moment.
It was a gloomy feeling that suited the dead city well.
Pulling the charging handle, the noise shattered against the buildings. Ahead, the research wing with tightly closed facilities greeted us.
Though abandoned, the lights were on, and there were occasional ominous noises from inside. It meant there were people stationed inside.
“Isn’t this a reconnaissance mission…?”
“If we clear out all the things stationed inside and get the information, that’s reconnaissance.”
Brain… overwhelming brain….
From ancient times, the term for someone who mastered both intellect and martial prowess was used only for those who possessed both.
Is this the so-called Yamato Nadeshiko of Japan (Not)
Seeing as she’s both a professor and strong in combat, Yoo Jin must be a physics professor.
Bullshit LOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
Today’s loadout was similar to before.
The firearm was the HK337, suitable for all-around response. The ammunition was .300 AAC Blackout. Considering the nature of urban combat, with rarely any engagement beyond 400 meters, it had been working well so far.
Lately, I was thinking of trying out the MK47 Mutant, but if the machine gun tech tree was unlocked, I planned to switch to the MG338. The gun that came with my body was also that one.
Anyway, my body could withstand the recoil of a minigun, so if there had been a 12.7mm automatic rifle, I would have used it.
It’s a pointless thought.
[ISO: It’s already chaotic. Even though it’s a simple reconnaissance mission, I have to worry about the operator’s life, it’s driving me crazy.］
[ISO: As always, if you destroy everything and come back, it’ll be good. There’s still a lot of areas you’ll have to roam around.］
[ISO: For this mission, due to the threat of aerial interception, instead of helicopter support, we’ll designate a separate extraction route. If you significantly reduce the enemy, we’ll send a subway.］
[ISO: Good luck.］
Though the entrance was tightly closed, a cleanly broken spot on the high collapsed wall nearby suggested we could go up there.
Harmony climbed up with a grunt, and I followed next, pulling up my weight and gear totaling around 260kg with just arm strength.
Over the wall, we went inside.
Enemies were immediately visible.
Teacher, why aren’t you using the portable EMP jammer you got as a hardcore special reward?
“Using things like that makes people weak….”
“What!?”
LOL Harmony got so startled LOL
That’s a voice of someone hearing something they shouldn’t LOL
Even if an iron fell on your foot, you wouldn’t react like that LOLLLLLLLLLLLL
This is a true educator LOL
Even saying that, I would obviously use it if things got dire.
I already knew how terrible the combination of Artemis’ company and EMP was – mainly against their drones – and how it drastically lowered the difficulty.
I took a position, aiming at the patrolling enemies.
“The UGV in front is a Warhound class. It’s armed with a 5.56mm chaingun and 40mm grenade launcher. Do you have tracer rounds?”
“Uh… I’ve loaded one every five rounds in all magazines.”
“Shoot the grenade cartridge and the supply part, and the enemies will love it.”
After sharing the weak spots, I requested Harmony to take the first shot.
Harmony carefully held her breath. Meanwhile, I aimed at the driver and engineers beside her. Artemis PMC guys usually operated in groups of three, including a machine.
After a brief silence, flames erupted from Harmony’s muzzle.
The grenade cartridge was sturdy, and its impact point was narrow, so it didn’t explode with the first shot.
Meanwhile, I had already taken down two enemies.
Harmony kept pulling the trigger, shooting at the enemy’s grenade reloading part, and I could see the tracer rounds’ trajectory cutting through the gloomy weather via the LPVO scope.
While I was putting a bullet in the last enemy’s neck, more enemies began pouring out from the building.
At that moment.
───BOOM!
“It exploded!”
As if announcing the start of the mission, a Warhound UGV exploded into colorful flames, scattering steel fragments in all directions, dealing damage to some nearby enemies.
Following the motto of erasing all enemies before they could take cover, I aimed at them and pulled the
trigger, starting a thrilling shooting time.
Though enemies were falling one by one, they fell faster than expected.
Was this due to Harmony’s improved skills?
“Reloading!”
“Got it.”
It was good to control the rate of ammo consumption.
When fighting with two people, you had to consider such small details. A situation where both were reloading simultaneously meant no suppressive fire and could give the enemy the upper hand.
As Harmony swapped magazines, I repeated the same process. Before we knew it, the front yard of the headquarters had been swept clean.
White snow was falling from the sky.
“…It’s snowing.”
“We won’t see it for a while once we enter the building. Let’s go in.”
“Got it.”
The mission had just begun.
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