The survivors waited in silence while listening to the faint hum of the jamr and the scraping noises above.
They didn’t want to be discovered by the noise... None of them would want that to happen.
At this ti, Kai’s eyes squinted as he focused on the vibrations coming from the walls.
At first, it seed the Swarrs were simply probing. But then, a sharper sound cut through the air...
There was a sizzling hiss, followed by the faint glow of heat.
’What?!’
He didn’t even have to use his skill to know what was happening. His instincts alone could tell him what was going on.
’They’re cutting...’
Sure enough, the Swarrs had deployed thin, heated blades from their appendages.
The insect‑like drones pressed against the barricades, slowly slicing through barbed wire, tal sheets, and wooden planks that they used to cover their windows and other entry spots like ventilation.
Just like that, sparks were everywhere as the blades carved shallow grooves into the defenses. It might take a long ti, but it was definitely happening.
As soon as everyone realized that it was happening, many of the workers couldn’t help but feel worried.
So raised their rifles, but Kai motioned for them to hold.
"Not yet," he whispered. "Wait."
The scraping grew louder. One Swarr clung to a window fra with its blade lting through the tal bars. Another hovered near the basent hatch, carving into the steel very slowly...
Needless to say, fear rippled through the group of workers.
These freed slaves could still rember how they were exploited by the machines... They exchanged nervous glances, clutching their weapons tighter.
As ti passed, even i’s expression hardened as she watched the drones work.
"They’re really trying to breach," Aurora muttered as she readied for a fight.
Kai, however, remained calm...
He knew the jamr couldn’t stop physical intrusion. If the Swarrs succeeded, the shelter would be exposed.
But he was trying to see their limit for now. He even ordered Atom not to act yet.
But then, just as the cuts began to deepen, the sound shifted.
The Swarrs paused...
One by one, they disengaged from the barricades!
"Hmm?" i was confused as she also sensed what was going on outside.
Without warning, they pulled back before rising into the air.
The heated blades retracted, and the drones hovered briefly before darting away into the sky.
The survivors blinked in confusion.
"Why did they leave?" one of the younger survivors whispered.
i frowned. "Maybe they have a ti limit?"
Aurora nodded thoughtfully. "Right... they’re also running on battery. They must reserve enough power for their return trip. Cutting through defenses drains energy fast."
Kai nodded... This was actually what he wanted to know. He wanted to have a clear view of their operating ti.
"They’re persistent, but not limitless. That’s about 15 minutes..."
The group settled slightly, though the tension remained.
They had learned sothing important... They were now aware of how these enemies operate!
Basically, the surveillance drones scanned from above. However, the Swarrs weren’t just doing the sa. They were capable of direct intrusion. Their heated blades could slice through almost any obstruction given enough ti.
Kai couldn’t help but smile as he realized this.
’If they had more power, they could have breached us already... We can’t rely on barricades alone. Their next arrival has to be dealt with.’
"Alright... We’re going to stop the next drones and swarrs..." Kai announced.
"Perfect! Should I move out now? I also want to see whether they could sense my camouflage or not." i replied enthusiastically.
"Yes... Make sure to be close to the secret tunnel." Kai replied.
Just like that, the plan had changed.
Minutes passed as the survivors prepared themselves.
At this ti, they had already activated their Portable Disruptor!
The sound of this device was a bit quieter compared to the Portable Jamr.
"They’re coming..." Kai muttered.
Everyone went silent as they heard this.
As expected, another batch of surveillance drones swept across the sky.
Their sensors scanned the terrain with beams of red light passing through their shelters.
Again, the jamr held, and the drones passed overhead without detection.
But soon after, the familiar erratic buzzing sound returned.
The Swarrs were back!
Kai then turned to his team.
"We already know how they operate," he said firmly.
"It’s ti to stop watching. This ti, we will destroy them all..."
The survivors looked at him and nodded.
Aside from their Survival Clothing Set, they were all equipped with spears and guns. They were confident of winning this!
Ar nodded. "Yes... We can’t just sit here. If they keep probing, eventually they’ll find a way in. I want to raise my level too!"
Aurora smiled since this was also her aim... She needed to level up!
Soon, as the buzzing grew louder once more and confird that the Swarrs had arrived, they finally made their move, giving i a signal to attack!
***
A few monts ago, outside the shelter, i’s figure dissolved into the walls as her camouflage skill activated.
She crouched near the tunnel entrance, waiting...
As the drones swept overhead with their sensors, i remained undetected as they simply passed her! None reacted to her presence.
’Still the sa tech, huh...’ i mused as she confird her guess.
It seed that their detection technology didn’t change even after the event started.
Monts later, the Swarrs descended again...
This ti, i received the signal and shot one of the Swarr!
Bang!
At the sa ti, the main door and the basent hatch swung open, and thirty survivors poured out with their carbines equipped with suppressors!
Just like that, the courtyard erupted in muffled gunfire.
Pfft‑pfft‑pfft!
One after another, the insect‑like drones dropped from the air!
Within minutes, twenty‑nine Swarrs lay broken across the ground. But one managed to escape, as it shot into the sky!
Kai’s eyes followed it and confird the direction it escaped to. "That one will call for backup."
He didn’t mind it at all... Instead, he raised his rifle and warned the others. "Ready for the real battle!"
Sure enough, fifteen minutes later, the ground trembled faintly...
The Hunter Units had arrived.
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