Chapter 177: CMC‑400

"Where is the exchanged Gryphon, and what are the main technologies it includes?"

Sui Bian looked at the virtual window displaying the Moon, deep space, and Earth, and asked the system the above question.

The Gryphon is currently docked in Dock No. 2 at Luna Base.

The related technologies include a more efficient fusion engine, a fold‑jump engine, an invisibility coating, Optical Camouflage, etc.

It also includes the equipment and related weapon technologies of the elite Marine, Raider Assault Squad, Bad Bat Cavalry, and Ghost agents from StarCraft II: NuoWa's Secret Operation.

The Gryphon's hangar also houses a heavy siege tank, a strong‑strike Goliath mech, a raider liberator aerial turret, a banshee fighter, and an Iron Crow II support craft.

"Oh? Not bad, as expected of the Gryphon I exchanged for 58,000, it actually includes so much," Sui Bian raised his left eyebrow.

Although this exchange nearly emptied all his "savings," Sui Bian felt it was worth the price.

He recalled how, back then, lacking enough points, he could only watch helplessly as Hyberian and Autumn Breeze Pier passed by…

"Ah," Sui Bian let out a light sigh.

"?"

The red and white queens standing to the left and right of the desk tilted their heads, seemingly pondering why their boss had suddenly fallen into a "sad" mood.

Sui Bian paid no attention to what they were thinking.

Acquiring the Gryphon for Umbrella was not just about obtaining a fold‑jump engine; it instantly elevated Umbrella's technology to the level of the Tarlon Empire.

Moreover, some of Umbrella's existing biotechnologies are beyond what the Tarlon Empire can match.

Realizing this, Sui Bian stopped lounging and opened the computer on his desk.

The holographic device is convenient, but sometimes Sui Bian still prefers to operate via the computer.

Soon, on the glass‑thin computer screen, a dynamic image of the red and white umbrellas merging and separating flashed, then the system desktop exclusive to the company appeared.

Immediately after, Sui Bian retrieved the files related to the company's armed division.

Umbrella, which permeates every industry, has a workforce larger than some small European nations, but its composition is diverse; 70 % are employees without signed confidentiality agreements, such as film department cameramen or a nurse at a general hospital.

However, the company's armed division does not belong to the "miscellaneous" category.

The moment Sui Bian took power, he ordered the red and white queens to conduct a comprehensive screening; the retained security, UBCS, and USS are all guaranteed in loyalty.

Of course, Sui Bian never let the two AIs relax their covert surveillance.

Between 1999 and 2000, with the help of informants, the red queen successively completed military network intrusions against the United States, United Kingdom, France, and other countries.

At this point, Sui Bian could directly have the red queen disguise higher‑order commands, pulling the most elite soldiers directly under Umbrella's banner, such as Jack·Claude.

With Minos Island already on track, delivering "fresh blood" to the company each year, the armed division has no shortage of manpower.

However, this also caused some "minor" trouble.

Although the public is unaware of MTF, USS, and Astate, everyone knows Umbrella possesses a sizable private armed force.

Especially in recent years, as Umbrella firmly secured the top spot, it has faced a flood… a flood of criticism from "professionals."

Statements such as "Umbrella's ambitions are great," "The Ten Sins of Umbrella," and "Nations must beware of being sidelined by Umbrella" have been published.

How to put it, some remarks are indeed spot on, like the points about "great ambition" and "sidelining."

But the so‑called professionals and their statements vanished before gaining public attention, as if they never existed.

At that moment.

Sui Bian also briefly reviewed the company's armed division files.

Currently, excluding informants, USS, and Astate, the combat personnel in Umbrella's armed division number about 70,000.

Armed security makes up the largest proportion, as they are responsible for the safety of research institutes and bases, and Umbrella has branches in major cities of every country.

City branches consist of technical staff, aftercare teams, and a certain number of security personnel, enabling immediate control and elimination of anomalies.

The remaining core of the armed division is the Mobile Task Force, MTF.

To maximize support and combat efficiency, MTF are permanently stationed and live aboard three Cobalt Eagle‑class heavy escort ships.

Each Cobalt Eagle‑class ship carries a regiment‑level MTF.

They are the Olympus Spear of DawnGuardian, the Hope Express of Hope Vessel, and the HammerDown of the Destroyer.

The combined strength of the three regiment‑level MTFs is about 9,500 personnel.

The eleven‑person Caron, and two battalions of HellParatrooper permanently stationed on DawnGuardian.

The 141 unit of 80 personnel permanently stationed on Hope Vessel, and a battalion of the Living Dead permanently stationed on the Destroyer.

Excluding the MTF, each Cobalt Eagle‑class ship also permanently hosts three Astate squads led by OriginalBody.

Close the file.

Sui Bian also reviewed the "latest"—the data on the CMC‑400 powered armor (elite marine) exchanged from the system—and asked Bai Hou:

"Bai Hou, help me analyze the company's newly developed CMC‑400 powered armor."

"Understood," Bai Hou nodded, then turned to face the center of the office and activated the holographic projection for assisted analysis.

Sui Bian shifted his gaze from the computer screen forward.

He saw the TPS, the CMC‑400, and the Thor Hammer III powered armor displayed in order from left to right at the center of the office.

The leftmost TPS is the slimmest and shortest, standing only 1.9 m tall; the centrally placed CMC‑400 is 2.1 m tall; the rightmost Thor Hammer III stands at 2.7 m.

These are the most average dimensions.

The TPS provides roughly a 10 cm boost to the wearer, the CMC‑400 offers a 20 cm boost, and the Thor Hammer III likewise provides a 20 cm boost.

However, the wearers of the TPS and CMC‑400 are ordinary humans, whereas the Thor Hammer III is already a 2.5 m Astate.

After displaying the three powered armors, Bai Hou listed a plethora of data for Sui Bian, presenting them on several small holographic screens.

She said, "Sir, the CMC's cold fusion reactor outperforms the TPS's third‑generation hydrogen cell, but it falls far short of the Thor Hammer III's semi‑permanent fusion reactor; its power cannot sustain an energy shield and requires regular maintenance and replacement."

At this point, Bai Hou voluntarily dissipated the Thor Hammer III hologram, leaving only the TPS and CMC models.

Continuing, she said, "Disregarding power supply factors, the CMC's protective and life‑support systems surpass those of the TPS, but the TPS boasts lightness, flexibility, and agility.

For example, the HellParatrooper's dedicated TPS, using a single‑use heat‑shield plate to breach the atmospheric blackout zone, can perform solo airdrop operations, whereas the CMC model cannot."

The two kinds of power armor each have their pros and cons; they can be understood as the distinction between light and heavy types.

(End of chapter)