After connecting to the cabin, the huge hatch opened, and a bone-chilling wind blew in. Since they could feel the wind, it meant that the starship had entered the atmosphere.
At this moment, there were six people standing in the cabin, each of them covered in thick armor. This armor was not unfamiliar to Ding Meng, as the Prototype was made of a similar material. This was the biotechnology of the frogmen, but the gray armor was very cumbersome, and the synchronization rate was very low. As for its functions, it was completely incomparable to the Prototype.
Lian Bin was already standing at the hatch. "Everyone, we will airdrop you to a safe area. Someone will pick you up. Before we depart, I only have a few words for you. First, obey the orders of the people on the ground. Second, if you find anything good, hand it over immediately. Third, once there are results, we will not mistreat you. If anyone is unwilling to follow the rules, the consequences will be very serious. I will only say this once, let's go!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the six of them rushed out of the hatch in groups of two. The flight devices on the soles of their armor spewed out crystal flames, and they slowly descended from the sky.
The technology of the Iron Mane Kingdom and the Frogmen Kingdom was undoubtedly a little behind. Ding Meng inspected the armor and found that it seemed like it could only be used for flight. Putting aside the fact that it was shabby, the energy source was pitifully low. It seemed like it could only be used for this flight. In other words, Ding Meng could only fly down from the starship and could not fly up from the ground.
As they descended, the situation on the ground gradually became clearer. The surface was a classic rainforest swamp. The forest stretched as far as the eye could see, but the vegetation was exceptionally tall. Giant trees rose from the ground, their canopies covering the sky. Even the leaves were as tall as a person, and it was impossible to tell whether they were grass or trees.
This place reminded Ding Meng of Pandora's V4 Poison Hazard Star, but there was no poison here. There was only thin, cold air and a continuous drizzle. The curtain of rain formed a cold mist, making the sky and earth gray.
Suddenly, a strong light flashed in the cold fog. The frequency of the light was very low, about once a minute. It was easy to miss if one was not careful. Ding Meng and the Bat Queen immediately turned around and flew towards the light source.
This was what Lian Bin had told them beforehand. Wherever there was light, there would be a signal tower. When they landed near the signal tower, there would naturally be someone to receive them.
When they were really close, Ding Meng finally saw the true form of the signal tower. This simple steel tower was actually embedded in the trunk of a tree. Only the energy sphere at the tip of the tower was exposed. The sphere was half covered by a few thick leaves. This signal tower was quite hidden. It could only be discovered by flying units in the air when it was activated. If it was turned off, it would be extremely difficult for starships in the sky to detect it.
Ding Meng and the Bat Queen landed in the middle of a wet, muddy ground. As soon as the engine was turned off, a large group of human soldiers with spears emerged from the grass in all directions. These people were wearing the same tattered uniform, but there was no logo on their clothes.
As soon as Ding Meng and the Bat Queen landed, a group of spears and cannons quickly surrounded them. The leader, a bearded man, was already shouting, "Take off your armor, put your hands behind your head, and walk out slowly. If you do not cooperate, we will use force."
Ding Meng and the Bat Queen could only do as they were told because these were all details that had been explained in advance. However, this threat was almost non-existent to Ding Meng. Not to mention that these warrior-class soldiers were not very strong, after staying on the starship for eight months, Ding Meng's seventh origin point had already recovered. As long as he was in a good mood, he could kill this group of people in front of him with one finger.
After taking off his armor, the naked Ding Meng did not attract any attention. Instead, the Bat Queen, who was only wearing a light gauze, attracted everyone's attention. It could not be helped. Such a beauty appearing in such a dangerous environment, as long as one was an animal, they would be jealous.
"Where did you come from?" the big man asked.
Ding Meng said calmly, "Commander Lian sent us here."
"It's a newcomer!" The big man sighed in relief and waved his hand lightly. Everyone immediately put down their weapons.
At this time, Little Rascal spoke up. "Ding Meng, this planet doesn't seem to have any communication signal. Maybe it's because of the outer nebula and the strong electromagnetic field in the atmosphere. I detected that the ion and quantum signals can't be transmitted."
Ding Meng also noticed that the big man was not wearing a wristband. Instead, there was a wireless communicator hanging from his chest. It looked like a very old walkie-talkie.
Sure enough, the big man took off the walkie-talkie and whispered a few words before coming up. "Name!"
Ding Meng did not care. His identity could only be found in the Empire's military database. There was no way this place could establish a connection with the Norse Empire. "Ding Meng!"
As soon as he answered, the Bat Queen also took the initiative to speak. "Su Xia!"
The big man obviously had not heard of these two names. This was also the first time Ding Meng heard the Bat Queen's name.
"Take off your mask!" the big man ordered again.
Su Xia said coldly, "Sorry, I don't have a habit of doing that."
The big man was a little dissatisfied. "No one is allowed to hide their true face here."
Su Xia's voice became even colder. "I'm ugly. I'm afraid I'll scare everyone!"
None of the people present believed this. A woman with such a figure couldn't have a bad face.
"If you don't want to take it off, I'll help you!" the big man said as he stepped forward and reached out to touch her face.
However, as soon as he reached out, Su Xia waved her arm gently. The big man felt an irresistible force bouncing off her hand. He was immediately knocked back five meters before he could steady himself.
There was a series of clattering sounds. Everyone raised their guns again and aimed at Su Xia.
Su Xia said coldly, "I already said that I'm afraid of scaring everyone."
The big man stared at her and his expression became serious. After a long time, he waved his hand and said, "Put your weapons away!"
He obviously had a good eye. The newcomers this time were not professionals in non-combat fields. At the very least, the woman in front of him was someone he could not afford to offend. Her casual wave of her hand indicated that she was at least at the War Venerable level.
"Newcomers, come with me!" The big man waved at Ding Meng and Su Xia.
A hundred meters away from the signal tower, there was a big tree with lush foliage. There was a hole at the bottom of the tree. The hole was covered by all kinds of vines and leaves. The inside of the hole had been modified into a small wooden house. Even from Ding Meng's point of view, the hiding level of this stronghold was quite high. If one did not use their telekinesis vision, it would be difficult to find this house without getting close.
The facilities in the house were also very simple. The main thing was a simple fire pit set up in the middle. There were some daily necessities and weapon boxes piled up around it. There was a small control panel and a portable medical device in the corner. The control panel must be connected to the signal tower. However, the appearance of the medical device here made Ding Meng curious. Could there be enemies here?
Everyone sat down in a circle around the fire pit. In the middle of the fire pit was a fiery red crystal that was releasing energy to provide warmth for everyone.
The big man pulled out two sets of uniforms from the daily necessities and threw them over. "You two, put them on first!"
For Ding Meng and Su Xia, the uniforms were not used to keep them warm. They were probably used to distinguish between friend and foe.
Of course, it was good to have a set of clothes to wear. Little Rascal calculated that Ding Meng had not worn clothes for three or four years. His appearance was a little bad. Su Xia, on the other hand, looked a lot better after putting on the imperial military uniform. At least she did not attract as much attention as before.
After the big man sat down, he slowly said, "Gentlemen, I am the person in charge of this place, Lan Cheng. We are now at the edge of the safe zone. Before there is a harvest or an order, we are not allowed to leave our post. We are also not allowed to return to the shelter. We can only move around in the nearby areas or go to the mole area..."
Ding Meng and Su Xia listened quietly. Neither of them asked a question. There were many dangers in this harsh environment. You would know what you were supposed to know sooner or later. You would not know what you were not supposed to know.
Without a doubt, Lan Cheng was very satisfied with the attitude of these two people. He continued to explain, "I have to remind the two of you that there are many forces entrenched in this place. It's best if we don't get into a conflict easily because no one will be able to take advantage of the situation. It will only make those rats happy.
Ding Meng finally asked, "Which faction do we belong to?"
Lan Cheng said, "If anyone asks, just say that we belong to the Fifth Lord."
Ding Meng asked, "What do you need us to do?"
Lan Cheng smiled bitterly. "As you can see, we are a group of rough men. Things like collecting and mining naturally require the help of two professionals."
As he said this, he glanced at Su Xia. Judging from Su Xia's strength, this woman was not a statistician, gatherer, or machinist. She was most likely a hired thug.
However, a hired thug was not a bad thing. Lan Cheng was the strongest person in this stronghold. He was a high-level warrior. Even if he encountered a slightly stronger enemy, he would not be able to enter the mole area.
"This group of people is a reconnaissance team, right?" Su Xia finally spoke.
Lan Cheng blushed a little. He did not expect the cold beauty to have such sharp eyes. She could see through his group with just one glance.
"Actually, that is not important!"
Lan Cheng tried his best to explain. "We are all stationed here for the same purpose. That is to find good places and good things."
"What good things do you get from finding good things?" Ding Meng asked with interest.
Lan Cheng immediately puffed out his chest. "The Fifth Lord has decreed that as long as there is a new item, the discoverer can get half of it. If there is an important discovery, you can ask for anything. As long as the conditions permit, the Fifth Lord will do it for you."
"Then, captain, have you found anything good?" Su Xia stared at him.
Su Xia's bat mask had an advantage. It gave people a mysterious sense of beauty, but it also made people feel a little creepy. Once she stared at you, you would feel uncomfortable.
Lan Cheng felt a little guilty under her stare. "So far, we have found a batch of Rough Diamond stones."
"A batch?
How many? "Ding Meng was even more curious.
Lan Cheng said proudly, "A lot. A total of 400 grams."
Damn, you can actually say "a batch" in grams. Ding Meng's eyelids drooped. "Yes, a lot!"