Chapter 189: Flagship

Soon after.

On the west side of Minos Island, a newly built large starport.

The Lion Griffin hovered above its dedicated dock; after all personnel boarded, it rose slowly, unfolded its wings while activating Optical Camouflage, and finally sped toward Europe in a north‑west direction.

Five months ago, after the Lion Griffin completed its modifications at Luna Base on the far side of the Moon, Sui Bian retired the original dedicated shuttle and made the Lion Griffin his flagship.

Moreover, the Lion Griffin's crew consists of elites from the company's various departments.

Inside the Lion Griffin's hull.

In the equipment room beside the hangar, there are five rows of platforms, thirty in total, each equipped with a robotic arm.

The platforms can quickly outfit Le'ang and the Dark Angels, who wear nano‑suits, with OriginalBody and Thor Hammer III Power Armor.

Although only four Dark Angels are assigned to escort duties so far, eight quasi‑Dark Angels have already undergone G‑gland implantation surgeries and are now receiving comprehensive training at the Mother Nest.

It won't be long before the number of Dark Angels keeps increasing.

Thus the thirty platforms may seem a bit of a "waste," but the Dark Angels will eventually make full use of each one.

At this moment.

Le'ang, clad in a nano‑suit, and four Dark (Black) Angels stand on the platforms as technicians operate the robotic arms to don their power armor.

The Dark Angels' Thor Hammer III paint scheme is primarily black with a few specks of dark green, and the light emitted from the helmets' eye slots is a pale red.

As for Le'ang's OriginalBody Power Armor, its overall style resembles a medieval European knight, painted in alternating black and silver.

Meanwhile, Sui Bian, also in the equipment room, has changed into a black suit; on his left and right stand the two twin‑like artificial intelligences.

"Sir, we have five minutes until arrival," the Red Queen reminded.

"Hmm," Sui Bian replied lightly. "How are those Ghost trainees?"

"They have already put on the HES and are now heading to the hangar," the White Queen answered.

"Is that so? I didn't expect them to be that fast," Sui Bian chuckled.

During the conversation, Le'ang and the four Dark Angels finished donning their gear.

Next, the robotic arm will deliver four spear‑type explosive arrow guns to the Dark Angels' hands, after which they will grip the guns and step down from the platform.

Le'ang, however, is a bit slower on this side.

The robotic arm sends two 1.0 caliber explosive arrow pistols to the outer armor on Le'ang's left and right thighs.

The moment the arm releases, the two pistols "click‑click" and easily attach to the outer armor.

Immediately after, the arm affixes a medieval‑style "greatsword" to the back of the power armor.

A close look reveals a slot in the sword's hilt, apparently designed to connect with the palm of Le'ang's gauntlet.

In fact, this greatsword, which Le'ang calls the "Lion King," is a custom‑made power sword commissioned by Sui Bian's company for Le'ang.

Made from the Iron Blood clan's metal and equipped with an ultra‑precise energy stance generator, the OriginalBody Power Armor directly powers the Lion King when Le'ang grasps the hilt.

After all, Sui Bian once told the OriginalBodies that he would give each a divine weapon as a coming‑of‑age gift.

Although Rog's Storm Fang and Le'ang's Lion King cannot compare with the Spear of Fear, Flame Sword, or Crimson Claw, they are equally costly, one‑of‑a‑kind exclusive weapons.

Until Sui Bian finds enough divine weapons, these exclusive arms will suffice for Le'ang, Rog, and the others for a while.

After the weapons are mounted, Le'ang steps down, leading the four Dark Angels and Sui Bian out of the equipment room.

Afterwards, the group proceeds to the hangar.

The Lion Griffin's hangar is relatively spacious, housing just over twenty various carrier aircraft, while ground crew continue their maintenance and inspection duties.

A squad of Ghost trainees clad in gray‑white combat suits are assisting each other in calibrating gear, or inspecting the "sniper rifle" in their hands that carries a large suppressor.

Among them is the much taller NuoWa.

These Ghost trainees have lived on Minos Island for nearly eight months.

During this time they received personal instruction from Sui Bian, and can now wield their Spiritual Energy, though not yet at will.

At the same time, Le'ang and the Dark Angels personally supervise the training, giving them physiques stronger than ordinary humans and combat proficiency that meets standards.

The previously mentioned "HES" stands for Hostile Environment Suit, and the sniper rifle equipped with a large suppressor is the Ghosts' exclusive C‑10 sniper rifle.

These two pieces of equipment are auxiliary technologies that Sui Bian traded for the Lion Griffin.

Made of nano‑fibers, the HES can markedly boost the Ghosts' strength and agility, and also helps them control their Spiritual Energy.

Although it does not inflict lethal damage on the wearer like the Thor Hammer nano‑suit, only the Ghosts can fully maximize the HES's value.

At this point.

When the Ghosts see Sui Bian approach, they cease adjusting their gear and together address him, "Sir."

Sui Bian never set any naming requirement for the Ghosts, and since they were already of considerable age when he adopted them, out of embarrassment or other reasons they do not call him "Father."

But Sui Bian not only educates and guides the Ghosts with words; he constantly uses Spiritual Energy to subtly influence these children.

Even without calling him "Father," the Ghosts have long regarded Sui Bian as the person they respect most.

"Children." Walking up to NuoWa and the Ghosts, Sui Bian said with a faint smile:

"Since last year's Christmas, you haven't left Minos Island. You've mastered most of the theoretical knowledge; what remains is the practical test…

Don't be nervous; today I'm bringing you here to witness anomalous phenomena. After all, you've only seen them in files, so relax and treat this as a field trip."

"Yes, Sir!" the Ghosts, including NuoWa, were excited.

Next.

Approaching the destination, the Lion Griffin lowers its altitude, folds its wings, and hovers just above the lake's surface.

It opens the right‑side hangar doors and lowers a retractable ramp, allowing Sui Bian's party to exit directly onto the lake's east shore.

Then the group traverses dense forest, skirts a rock wall, passes a fissure too narrow for Le'ang and the Dark Angels, and finally reaches a garden directly beneath the lake.

Entering.

Sui Bian sees several technicians, cooperating with over a dozen 141 units, carefully approaching the female Kelerune deer, preparing to use a titanium‑fiber capture net to restrain it.

"Hwee!"

The Keliunie female deer, however, refuses to cooperate, aiming its antler crown at a technician, raising its front hoof, appearing ready to make an attacking move.

But before it can make a substantive attack…

"Hui…!" the Keliunie female deer unexpectedly lets out a mournful howl.

"Thump!" then collapses unconscious on the grass.

(End of chapter)