Chapter Fifty-Four: Unsteady Footing

Thus, Zhang Desen discussed the specific steps of their operation with the two others: the primary task was to eliminate the monster, then observe who would come to rescue it. If the rescuers proved to be the Terrans, they would use radar to track them. Since everyone tended to hide indoors at night, there shouldn’t be too much trouble, but previous data suggested the monster was indeed formidable.

Therefore, Zhang Desen planned to attack the monster’s head directly upon encounter, using a pulse weapon, as the head was generally its weak point. He also instructed Li Longfa and Zhao Chengming to prepare combustible materials. This was to avoid leaving traces of the pulse weapon; they needed to burn the monster’s body after killing it, just as they had done with the humanoid creatures before.

Thinking of those humanoid beings, Zhang Desen couldn’t help but worry: after infiltrating the Terran base, would similar humanoid creatures hinder their progress? But he reassured himself—whatever happened, he would meet it head-on. The most important thing was to press forward toward their objective.

After further discussion, Zhang Desen and his team decided to prepare for a direct assault on the Terran base with a large contingent of retainers. To attract the Terrans’ attention and divert their focus, they would need to make a conspicuous move, and transporting seized equipment would require manpower.

Not long after, they received new information: recently, the monster’s appearances had diminished, replaced by frequent sightings of an unidentified disc, especially at night. This suggested the situation might be even more serious. Nonetheless, Zhang Desen and his companions resolved to proceed as planned.

As time passed and dusk fell, the streets grew quiet. People, anticipating the monster’s imminent appearance, hurriedly bought supplies and rushed home. Though legend held the monster only emerged at midnight, no one wished to linger in the streets. Since the monster usually appeared in the city’s western quarter, Zhang Desen decided to set their ambush there, so they could act the moment it appeared.

Of course, it wasn’t yet time to move. According to Zhou Jintang, the steward stationed here, everyone would return home and lock their doors at the first hour after nightfall.

Thus, they would wait until after the first hour to begin their operation. To avoid surprises, Zhang Desen entered the rescue vessel he’d brought, activated the radar system, and checked its connection with the small computer on his left wrist. Everything was in order, and his mind was at ease.

Just as he was about to shut down the radar system and reopen it later, the screen suddenly displayed an unidentified flying object appearing nearby, descending slowly three kilometers west of Dali City. Zhang Desen was startled—they weren’t supposed to appear until midnight. Had they acted ahead of schedule?

Watching the craft descend on the radar screen, Zhang Desen speculated the Terrans might have arrived early to prepare an ambush, rather than moving immediately.

Fortunately, for tonight’s operation, Zhang Desen was already dressed in special forces gear; unlike earlier, when he wore ancient attire to avoid drawing attention, he was now equipped for action. After all, this universe was still in its ancient era, which allowed Zhang Desen to act freely.

The western quarter of Dali was indeed ideal for an ambush, with the Cangshan Mountains stretching north to south. If the Terrans’ craft landed there at dusk, few would venture near, especially given current fears. The Terrans clearly chose their landing site well, though Zhang Desen wondered whether it was closer to Dali City than before.

Regardless of proximity, Zhang Desen worried the Terrans might spot their preparations in advance. He immediately summoned Li Longfa and Zhao Chengming. Both agreed it could be troublesome, but doubted their adversaries would act immediately, since it would take some time to walk the distance—they were likely resting after their early arrival.

Nevertheless, Zhang Desen decided to deploy a drone, reasoning it wouldn’t be easily spotted in the dark. Under cover of night, he launched the unmanned reconnaissance craft from the rescue vessel.

Though they were in Dali City, ancient folk had limited nightlife, and with the monster appearing at midnight almost every evening, the city’s inhabitants were terrified. By the first hour after dusk, everyone hurried home, locked their doors, and prayed the monster would not come for them.

Few dared light lamps, and those who did kept them dim. Thus, the city was shrouded in darkness, which suited the drone’s covert mission—the machine ventured forth under the cover of night.

Zhang Desen and his companions watched the screen intently. Since someone had to supervise the preparations, Zhao Chengming left to oversee their subordinates, while Zhang Desen and Li Longfa continued monitoring the feed. The drone’s camera showed only darkness, so Zhang Desen activated the night vision device.

No sooner had he done so than he noticed several huge figures approaching the western city wall. Zhang Desen and Li Longfa exchanged a glance, realizing the enemy had acted early, and there was no time left for their original preparations—they’d have to change plans.

Zhang Desen sent Li Longfa to notify Zhao Chengming: all personnel were to cease action and remain on high alert within the merchant hall. Zhang Desen himself continued to watch the screen, handing a communicator to Li Longfa for ease of contact. Li Longfa, having familiarized himself with the device during their journey to Yunnan, knew how to operate it.

Back in the rescue vessel, Zhang Desen switched the drone to infrared imaging. With this change, he saw that behind the massive figures followed a strange object—a cube, large enough for two or three people. It seemed likely to be a smaller craft deployed from the larger ship, for it had no visible wheels or supports. The figures preceding it didn’t resemble the monsters in the records, but looked more like the large, wild-man-like humanoids Zhang Desen had fought before.

Realizing this, Zhang Desen guessed the Terrans were altering their tactics, since the people of Dali were now thoroughly frightened by the previous monster. Their concealment was increasingly sophisticated, necessitating new methods of detection. Yet Zhang Desen couldn’t fathom the purpose of the small cube-like craft trailing behind.

Soon, as the massive figures neared the city wall, the small craft suddenly rose into the air, hovering higher than the wall itself. Then, for reasons unknown, Zhang Desen observed the soldiers guarding the western gate begin to sway unsteadily, then collapse, unable to stand no matter how they struggled.

While Zhang Desen puzzled over this, he heard shouts from within the merchant hall—people complained they couldn’t stand, their footsteps grew chaotic, followed by sounds of bodies hitting the ground. Through the communicator came Li Longfa’s voice:

“Desen... I don’t know... what’s happening... everyone can’t stand, me too... I’m about to fall... what should we do...?”

Just as Zhang Desen heard this, he realized he himself was losing his balance, swaying before collapsing to the floor.

From these sensations, Zhang Desen quickly deduced that the craft had released some kind of electromagnetic signal, disrupting the normal function of their inner ears and causing the current symptoms. The inner ear played a crucial role in human balance—when it malfunctioned, people naturally lost their equilibrium.

Within the inner ear, the primary organs governing balance were the semicircular canals and two sac-like structures before them. The canals lay in three mutually perpendicular planes. When the head’s position changed in three-dimensional space, the tissues within these canals immediately transmitted this information to the brain’s central nervous system.

The two sac-like structures specifically sensed the head’s position when stationary, as well as the state of linear movements—forward, backward, up, and down.

The central nervous system received a variety of information from these inner ear organs during movement, enabling it to respond promptly and correct any actions that might disrupt balance, allowing the body to remain steady and avoid instability.

Having realized this, Zhang Desen knew immediate action was required; otherwise, everyone would be completely helpless, at the mercy of their adversaries.

Though unable to stand, Zhang Desen remained calm—immobility did not mean inability to think or move his limbs; it was only standing upright that proved impossible. Lying on the ground, he resolutely activated the signal-blocking device he carried.

Soon, Zhang Desen managed to stand again; the signal-blocker had successfully shielded him from the disruptive signal. Unfortunately, the portable device could only protect himself and a small surrounding area—not the entire group. Others outside remained unable to stand.

Luckily, both the vessel Zhang Desen had traveled in and the rescue pod he now used were equipped with powerful onboard signal blockers. These devices had sufficient strength to affect larger areas.

Without hesitation, Zhang Desen activated the rescue pod’s onboard blocker and gradually expanded its range. As he increased its power to cover the entire merchant hall and prepared to extend it to the whole city, he suddenly stopped himself—it would be too conspicuous, risking exposure. Better to simply enable his own people to stand and support him.

Thus, Zhang Desen refrained from increasing the signal shield’s range further.