Qin Zheng stood on the right side of the team, in a relatively safe position.
As agreed, these mercenaries only needed to scout the path; they weren't expected to engage in direct combat.
Qin Zheng had no desire to step forward and perform. He quietly observed the battlefield.
Two Shieldmounts advanced, their fists coming together in front to form a wall of alloy steel with their massive blast shields, blocking the front of the team.
"Bang! Bang!"
The two Shieldmount Mk III mechas crouched down, their blast shield walls slamming into the ground with a loud crash.
QJ3-01 (Red·Commander): "Free to attack, I've marked the targets to be spared on the map."
As the words fell, two life signals were marked on the radar map.
The shooting units of the two Qianji Mk III mechas began to operate, pouring out armor-piercing rounds.
Under the cover of the Shieldmounts, the mere hundred or so Sawtooth Bugs were quickly cleared out.
The two marked ones were deliberately left alive, frantically gnawing at the Shieldmount's blast shield, but to little effect.
Cangjie SC4-01 stepped forward and said:
"PS-01, can you help me?"
Qin Zheng maneuvered PS-01 to Cangjie SC4-01's side, curiously asking:
"What do you need me to do?"
Cangjie SC4-01: "Help me restrain the Sawtooth Bug. I need to extract a biological sample from a live one."
Qin Zheng understood the request; indeed, it was better for him to handle this task.
Other mechas were specialized command-type operational mechas and might not be equipped with such customized commands for capturing live targets.
But for him, it was simple. He controlled PS-01 to move forward slowly, simultaneously reaching back with his right hand to draw the Ship-Cleaving Blade.
For the second time, Qin Zheng's Ship-Cleaving Blade was unsheathed. In the Shieldmount cockpit not far ahead, the MT-02 pilot instinctively shrank back.
He didn't even use any sword technique, relying solely on his precise control over himself and the mecha, striking directly at one of the Sawtooth Bugs.
Luo Qingning, following behind him, was startled, thinking Qin Zheng would kill the bug!
However, she quickly realized that the strike had precisely sliced open the Sawtooth Bug's mouth without killing it.
The five-meter-long Ship-Cleaving Blade, in Qin Zheng's hands, was as controlled as a needle in embroidery!
Qin Zheng twirled the blade, switching to a reverse grip, the tip pointing downward, pinning the lower jaw of the other Sawtooth Bug to the ground.
No matter how the bug struggled, it couldn't escape the blade's tip.
In just two moves, Qin Zheng had precisely restrained the two Sawtooth Bugs.
Cangjie SC4-01 and the two Shieldmount mechas watched the entire process up close. MT3-01, who hadn't spoken before, couldn't help but exclaim:
"Great swordsmanship."
Suppressing her shock, Luo Qingning stepped forward to collect biological samples.
Cangjie SC4-01's nimble hands retrieved an extractor and reagent bottle from the mecha's external backpack, kneeling on the spot to conduct the experiment.
She placed the extracted sample into the reagent bottle and quickly obtained the result:
"Special Gene Activation Rate 12%."
Cangjie SC4-01: "I've collected the data here. Let's move on to the next location."
QJ3-01 (Red·Commander): "Return to the original formation. Let's continue searching for the next wave of Sawtooth Bugs."
The others didn't know what data Luo Qingning had obtained, but they all returned to their positions in the team and set off to explore the vicinity.
The task was like this, continuously collecting data until Luo Qingning was satisfied.
Fortunately, her target was only the Sawtooth Bugs. With the help of the detection radar, they soon discovered another group of Sawtooth Bugs.
This time, the swarm was smaller, with only over 70 bugs.
The Commander didn't even arrange for the Shieldmounts to assume a defensive posture, directly assigning Qin Zheng to capture live targets. The two Qianji Mk III mechas, relying on their powerful firepower, took down most of the swarm before they could charge.
Qin Zheng repeated his previous tactics, injuring the last two Sawtooth Bugs for Luo Qingning to experiment on.
"Special Gene Activation Rate 10%."
Cangjie SC4-01: "Based on these two comparisons, we need to proceed in this direction to find new swarms."
Qin Zheng, having watched her complete the experiments twice, had some guesses about this woman's intentions. She seemed to be seeking samples with a higher Special Gene Activation Rate.
So after finding this 10% sample, she immediately requested to head back towards the 12% direction.
Although he noticed some issues, Qin Zheng didn't voice them. As a mercenary, knowing less was sometimes better.
As they advanced, they cleared small Sawtooth Bug swarms in their path.
The Commander controlled the intensity of the battle, choosing to bypass slightly larger swarms rather than engage head-on.
For smaller swarms, they immediately moved to clear them out, with Qin Zheng controlling the remaining bugs and Luo Qingning extracting biological samples.
With gradually improving coordination, about an hour later, Luo Qingning's extracted samples showed a Special Gene Activation Rate of 35%.
Cangjie SC4-01: "Continue, still in this direction."
Sabertooth Tiger HS2-01: "Sorry to interrupt, but if we keep going, we'll be leaving the 100-kilometer range of the airfield and entering the Danger Zone."
The Commander maneuvered the red Qianji Mk III beside Cangjie, discussing through the team channel, quickly reaching a consensus.
QJ3-01 (Red·Commander): "Let's continue. The biological samples aren't enough yet. However, for safety, we'll have the Bluebird Transport Ship on standby. If a Bug Tide occurs, Bluebird will take off promptly to pick us up."
Sabertooth Tiger HS2-01: "You actually have permission for full-range deployment/pickup?"
QJ3-01 (Red·Commander): "Not full-range, but the permission is quite extensive. As long as we're within 300 kilometers of the airfield, we can freely deploy/pick up."
Sabertooth Tiger HS2-01: "Alright, everyone stay alert. From here on, the path won't be easy!"
QJ3-01 (Red·Commander): "Yes, maintain formation, let's move out."
Next, Zhu Fugui, leading the way, deliberately controlled the Sabertooth Tiger, slowing down.
Qin Zheng nodded silently within the team; this cautious fat man was indeed a wise choice for scouting.
The team maneuvered their mechas, advancing slowly. The density of Zerg increased, and soon they encountered a swarm hidden underground.
However, this time, the radar showed a large creature underground, with a biological signal stronger than the surrounding bugs. The Commander decisively chose to bypass it.
Thus, with intermittent stops, the team reached a point 270 kilometers from the airfield after more than three hours.