Chapter 348
Skullface kept his eyes fixed on the monitor. The mines located beneath the main base were vast, extending deep into the earth. Man-made shafts blended with natural caves and tunnels, creating a complex underground labyrinth.
The deeper the tunnels extended into the earth, the more dangerous they became. In those depths lived enormous, human-sized insect-like creatures. Generally, these creatures stayed hidden deep underground, not bothering humans. As long as you didn’t venture too far down, the chances of encountering those insectoids could be significantly minimized.
However, locating mana crystals nestled within the rocky formations was no easy task, as they lay deeper underground. The deeper one ventured, the more frequently these crystals could be found. Yet, diving into those depths also raised the risk of encountering insectoids that emerged from the darkness to defend their territory. The further down you went, the greater the likelihood of facing an attack from those creatures.
Sure enough, Skullface had no concern for the lives of the captured survivors, sending them as deep into the ground as possible to extract as many mana resources as he could. However, since dead captives were of no use to him, every group of survivors toiling in the tunnels was accompanied by several of his people. Their task was not only to prevent the captives from escaping but also to kill the huge insects when they emerged from the depths to attack the miners.
Gathering as many mana consumables as possible was essential for running his operations. The main base, located underground above the mines, housed several powerful fabricators capable of producing everything from bullets of various calibers to combat helicopters. However, the production of different equipment required a variety of resources.
For example, creating a single combat helicopter required a substantial number of microcircuits, among other resources. While a microchip could be crafted by combining various common materials obtained through mining, a much easier approach to gathering microcircuits was simply to find them in the city.
This was why the members of the secondary bases established by Skullface and Kato were directed to keep a portion of the resources they collected in the city while transporting the remainder back to the main base. The leaders of the organization dispatched helicopters to the secondary bases for this purpose on a regular basis.
So if the morphus destroyed all the secondary bases, gathering rare resources like microchips would become significantly harder. However, that was something Skullface could think about later. The secondary bases could be rebuilt, but if the main one fell, all would be lost. For that reason, he needed to make sure the morphus was dealt with once and for all. By the time the freak arrived at the main base, they needed to be ready for him.
Although the main base depended on the secondary ones for resources, that didn’t mean it didn’t have its own reserves. Storage facilities within the main base held various supplies set aside for a rainy day. And today was that day. He intended to use all those reserve resources and mana to bring the idea he had been mulling over for the past few minutes to life.
The original Los Demonios had mastered a method for creating various types of cybernetic foot soldiers. At the main base, Skullface and Kato had been working toward this goal as well. However, they were still far from reaching the same level of progress as the original organization.
The majority of the survivors captured and brought to the main base were forced to toil in the mines, extracting mana consumables embedded in rock formations, as well as basic ores, such as silicon and copper that could be later processed and eventually used to produce advanced items like microcircuits. However, those survivors who truly pissed off the leaders of the organization fell victim to much darker schemes. Instead of being sent to toil in the mines, they were subjected to cruel experiments designed to create obedient cyborg soldiers.
Of all resources, mana was by far the rarest and most valuable. Unlike any other resource, mana served not only as fuel for spells and various machines and vehicles but also as a form of currency. Producing a single item, whether it be equipment, a weapon, or a vehicle, demanded a diverse array of resources. The more advanced the product, the greater the quantity and rarity of the required materials.
However, here at the main base, Skullface and Kato had constructed a unique device, a magical vending machine of sorts known simply as the Store, where various items, equipment, and even vehicles could be purchased using mana. But the prices were steep, making it more prudent to gather the necessary resources for crafting the items rather than squandering mana on their purchase.
However, when time was limited or particular circumstances hindered them from crafting an item, it was really great that they had the option to purchase it instead. This was why Skullface was so determined to collect as much mana as possible, sending the captured survivors deeper and deeper into the ground, putting them all at great risk of being frequently attacked by the enormous underground insects.
So, it was time to put all the rare resources they had collected over time, as well as the mana consumables, to good use. Skullface glanced at Kato and replied to his earlier question, “We’re going to create our own morphus. Only it will be cybernetic.”
Kato arched an eyebrow. “You mean you plan to turn one of the captives into a cyborg? But we haven’t exactly perfected the process yet. All our previous attempts to create a successful cybernetic foot soldier have been met with varying degrees of failure.”
“I know. But we’re closer than ever to successfully creating a cyborg soldier. We should be able to achieve our goal this time.” Skullface gestured toward the monitors, pointing at the man he had been observing, Ryan. “Use him. I don’t like the defiance in his eyes. He appears braver than the others, and that could spell trouble later if we don’t address it right now. So I’m going to have one of the mechs bring him to the tech lab. You’ll be heading there as well. I want you to personally oversee every step of the process to make sure it all goes smoothly.”
Kato nodded eagerly. “Got it.”
“Don’t hesitate to utilize as many resources as you need,” Skullface continued. “The same applies to mana. Now isn’t the time to be concerned about waste. This is our final opportunity. If we fail again, we’ll all be dead. Use every ounce of our reserve resources and mana if you need to. Just make sure we finally replicate the success of the original Los Demonios. If you can’t find the items or resources you need, buy them through the Store. Do everything in your power to transform Ryan into a cybernetic monstrosity capable of taking down the morphus. It’s high time we developed a tool that can deal with that freak once and for all.”