Exploration

Nolan nodded in agreement, "That's a good idea; I hadn't even considered it. Surprisingly, the newcomers this time seem quite intelligent. One is eager to escape using a rope, and the other is eyeing the alien spaceship—maybe he fancies himself as a spaceship pilot?"

His expression turned wry, not just ironic.

"In any case, there's some food here. I need to get some sleep now. Feel free to move around, but... keep it down. Nights can get pretty lively around here."

Nolan turned to lie down, signaling his genuine need for rest. After a full day of running, even the soldiers among them were on the verge of exhaustion.

Royce helped himself to some of Nolan's food, a slightly gooey substance with meat particles, quite savory.

"Dig in!"

Isabelle took a bite, but Varion, eyeing the suspicious meat, decided to pass. Nolan, a scavenger, essentially scavenged materials from the same kind to nourish himself. With no living creatures on the entire planet, the source of his meat was questionable.

Little did they know; there was a sleep-inducing substance in the food. Consuming it meant a forced nap for everyone.

"Why aren't you eating?"

Isabel glanced over, concerned about what would happen next. Replenishing physical strength was crucial, and their brows furrowed slightly.

"I'm not really hungry."

Royce focused on his food, deciding that as long as Varion proved useless, there was no need to protect him.

"Have a bit; you'll need the energy to run," Isabel advised.

Varion shrugged it off, but he wanted to explore the colossal ore-mining ship. It might be even bigger than a flagship, and who knows what treasures it held.

"I want to go out."

The two stared at him, surprised. "Go out?"

"Yes, I'm curious about this ore-mining ship. If I can figure it out, maybe I can help pilot the spaceship for you."

Royce kept Varion close for this very reason, but the connection between ore mining and spaceship piloting puzzled him.

They still hadn't figured out what exactly Varion was after.

From Varion's perspective, regardless of Nolan's longevity, there must be areas he couldn't access. Could it be that all the equipment lacked protection and permission levels?

Impossible.

The current location, once a storage space for ore, likely had no biological activity. A silent struggle played out on Royce's face, but he got up to call others, grabbing Varion's arm in the process.

Varion gestured for quiet, placing a finger on his lips. He then pointed to Nolan and indicated outside. Royce, puzzled, followed Varion's lead. Though unsure of Varion's motives, at least there seemed to be no immediate danger—worth checking out.

He sauntered out while the others dozed off, effortlessly securing the door with a steel plate from the inside. Nolan was unlikely to be sleeping, but with Varion present, escaping would be no simple task.

As they moved through the passage, Royce and Isabel followed, Varion walking casually in the middle. Unlike the others, Varion appeared unruffled, displaying no signs of nervousness.

"Did you not notice?" Royce asked, his brow furrowed with concern.

"Noticed what?" Isabel replied, her face draining of color as realization dawned.

"What you ingested. Though I abstained, I recognized an ingredient in those meats that induces drowsiness. Those meats didn't seem familiar to you?" Varion's tone was matter-of-fact, his words causing Isabel to retch involuntarily.

"Damn," Royce muttered, sharing Isabel's shock at Nolan's unexpected move.

"I'm increasingly convinced that you're not an ordinary person, Varion," Royce remarked, studying him intently.

"Indeed, I'm still a fighter at heart," Varion replied, a playful glint in his eye as he toyed with his knife. Royce and Isabel exchanged skeptical glances, silently questioning whether Varion's bravado was genuine or merely an act.

"Hurry up! But do you even know the way?" Isabel urged, her confusion evident.

Varion flashed a confident smile, producing a pair of sunglasses from his attire and donning them with flair.

Royce and Isabel exchanged puzzled looks as Varion explained, "Don't underestimate these sunglasses; they're equipped with advanced technology. Thanks to Nolan, I can connect to the smart device through them. With the system here, finding our way is a breeze."

"...Friends, welcome to the alien day trip. Please follow the team guide," Isabel remarked dryly, a hint of sarcasm in her tone.

The passages twisted and turned, each path potentially leading to different destinations. Ahead loomed the imposing figure of the ore mining machine, its massive structure dominating the space.

"Huh? This path seems blocked. Did we take a wrong turn?" Royce observed, noting the obstruction ahead.

"Don't worry, watch this," Varion reassured them, stepping forward and touching the surface. Suddenly, a dial resembling a password interface materialized with a bang.

"It's easy," Varion declared confidently, though Royce couldn't help but question his understanding of the alien technology.

As symbols appeared on the dial and the door slid open, Varion grinned triumphantly. "The wonders of technology, my friends. You'll learn to appreciate it."

They stepped into a vast warehouse, a treasure trove of survival in the form of barrels, shelves, and scattered piles—a clear storage space for essential supplies.

"I found something," Varion exclaimed, quick to approach a row of shelves. With precision, he grabbed a small box and tossed it to Isabel.

"Give it a try. This can be eaten; it's likely some kind of carbon-based life meat, what we commonly refer to as canned food," Varion explained, reading their thoughts from their expressions. "Don't worry, it's not human flesh."

Isabel rolled her eyes, the mere mention of human flesh making her stomach churn. Despite the reassurance, they devoured the food. Varion took a bite himself, and Mousse confirmed that it was indeed the reserve canned food equipped on this spaceship—safe for consumption.

"How is it?" Royce nodded, his mouth full as he commented, "Very good, it tastes like a type of fish. Surprisingly comfortable."

"Would you like to hear what I've gathered so far?" Varion asked, pausing their impromptu feast.

The two nodded, their attention focused on him.

"If you observe the cans and the layout here—these shelves, it's evident that the owner of this place isn't highly advanced, at least not on par with the Predators. This is another civilization's creation, and it seems like they've been wiped out."

Isabelle chimed in, "Civilizations capable of mining ore in alien territories have all been eradicated by the Predators. How formidable are they?"

Varion shook his head, "No, no, you might be mistaken. This could be the home planet of these creatures, and the Predator might be the outsiders here."

"You mean the Predator Civilization discovered this place, took over, and transformed it into a planet solely for hunting?"

"That's essentially the idea." The complexity of creating such a setup with advanced technology dawned on Varion as he took a deep breath.

"Let's move on. Perhaps you need to switch up your equipment," he suggested with a grin. Mousse quickly located a section for storing weapons; after all, a place of this magnitude couldn't be without defensive capabilities. The journey through this mysterious realm continued, each discovery unraveling more layers of the enigmatic puzzle they found themselves entangled in.

....

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