Shadow Slave

Chapter 877: Disconnected

Sunny and his soldiers entered the fortified settlement, happy to hide from the blizzard behind its thick walls. There, they saw teams of Awakened soldiers walking between buildings as they patrolled the territory. All of them looked tense and tired.

Master Verne led them deeper into the complex, giving a wide berth to the central dome-like structure. His gait was steady and confident.

"I have around a hundred Awakened under my command, as well as close to a thousand mundane soldiers. There are about five hundred scientists and civilian staff members under our protection. Things were going fine until recently... but, as you can imagine, all of us can't wait to get away from the ocean."

Sunny raised an eyebrow.

"...Were going fine?"

Verne grimaced.

"Yes. Several Gates manifested nearby, but our garrison and defenses were more than enough to keep the Nightmare Creatures away. However... there have already been instances of people succumbing to the Spell within the walls. We suffered a few casualties because of that."

He lingered for a moment, and then asked:

"How is the situation outside?"

Sunny shrugged.

"Pretty bleak, but more or less under control. Don't worry... we scouted a good path through the mountains on the way here. Leading a convoy back shouldn't be impossible. There is just one problem..."

Verne stopped and looked at him with a somber expression.

communications? You lost contact with Army

Sunny blinked.

too? You're cut off from the

remained silent for a second,

ceased around forty-three minutes ago. We have failed to establish a new

the Rhino lacked the ability to pierce through the growing interference field enveloping Antarctica. However, a facility like LO49 should have had an immensely powerful communication array. If even they could not connect to

very

the consequences of not being in contact with Army Command were troublesome. They were supposed to check in with Master Jet and

Sunny glanced at Verne.

weird. Uh, no offense, but... a remote research facility in the middle of nowhere, suddenly losing contact with the outside world as we approach it... it's all a bit

tall Ascended smiled with the corner

However, let me assure you, the research being conducted in this installation is perfectly safe. I am not much of a scientist myself, but what they do here is purely theoretical. There are no practical experiments being conducted at the premises, so there's

face, found it sufficiently sincere, and

you say so. The old man you mentioned is the VIP I am

Verne nodded.

He is a bit eccentric, but means well... most of the time. I was about to introduce you to

Sunny sighed.

But we should probably solve the communication problem before

cut off from Army Command was similar to losing his sight. Without the information about what

were currently able to establish a connection with the outside world, but there were other ways to achieve what he wanted. They were Awakened, after all, and Awakened were free to travel between

hundreds or thousands of kilometers separated him and his cohort from Army Command and the other cohorts of the First Irregular Company, out there in the Dream Realm, that distance did not matter. As long

at Verne and asked a very

the status in

Verne hesitated.

green forty-three