Chapter 778: Occupying the Cyberk Park (12)

The core refinery of the Saiboke Yuanqu.

Vulkan walked through the entrance passage of the refinery area, which was heavily guarded by Salamanders warriors.

The air was filled with the characteristic ionized scent of high-concentration elemental energy, mixed with the smell of cooled molten metal and... a hint of an indescribable "living" aura.

Company Commander Huokan had been waiting here for a long time; his dragon-scale Storm Shield still bore scorch marks and dents from the battle.

Seeing Vulkan, he immediately saluted.

"Father, the refinery area is fully under control. The Nengliang Kuai Chucunku is secure, and all defense nodes are under surveillance."

Vulkan nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping across this area, which was eerily silent.

His sight finally landed on those massive Storage Tanks.

Inside the tanks, those humanoid creatures composed of various elements—captives of the Elemental Race—were "looking" at him right now.

The eyes they formed contracted and expanded.

Their entire bodies exhibited a high-frequency, restless fluctuation within the Storage Tanks.

"This giant! He is a head taller than the people around him! He is here!"

"What is wrong with his eyes? Human eyes shouldn't look like that."

"He stopped! He is looking at us!"

"Will they release us? Just like in the ancient legends..."

"No! That's not right! In his eyes... there is no pity! Only... evaluation?"

Vulkan approached a Storage Tank, his massive figure almost shrouding the tank body.

His reddish pupils carefully scrutinized the violently fluctuating elemental life form inside the tank.

He could feel the powerful energy contained within that liquid, as well as the chaotic and intense emotional fluctuations transmitted by the life form itself.

Recalling the extra cost spent this time to attack this Cyberk Alien park, Vulkan spoke to Huokan.

"Huokan,"

Vulkan's voice broke the Silence of the refinery area.

"Are these... the raw materials that the Cyberk use to refine energy?"

"Yes, Father."

Huokan stepped forward, pointing to the Storage Tanks and the extraction equipment connected by complex pipes in the distance.

"According to preliminary scans and captured logs, the Cyberk Alien call them the 'Elemental Race'. They seem to be able to absorb and convert a certain high-energy state substance directly from the environment or specific force fields.

The Cyberk capture them, using this... 'catalytic force field' to promote the birth of new individuals, and then conduct screening and energy extraction until they are exhausted."

Vulkan listened in Silence, his gaze falling back onto the violently fluctuating elemental life form in the tank.

That life form sensed the weight of his gaze and fluctuated even more intensely, almost hitting the tank wall.

"He is listening! That powerful warrior is reporting to him!"

"Reporting what? About us?"

"Quick... release us! We can negotiate! We can..."

"No! His expression... hasn't changed!"

"How is the efficiency?"

Vulkan asked in a flat tone.

"Very high, Father."

Huokan answered just as directly.

"Its energy conversion efficiency and purity can be put to our use.

Moreover, according to database fragment information, their 'catalytic force field' also has a promoting effect on the formation of certain rare minerals.

The construction speed of the Cyberk in this place far exceeds expectations, which is likely related to this."

Vulkan nodded slowly, his massive palm unconsciously rubbing the handle of his Power Hammer.

Value... there is indeed value.

These alien life forms are efficient energy sources and potential resource catalysts.

Just then, inside one of the slightly larger Storage Tanks, which seemed to be located in the center, the fluctuations of that member of the Elemental Race suddenly became extremely intense and rhythmic.

Ripples resembling high-frequency vibrations even appeared on the surface of its transparent body.

It struggled to lift its front limbs, which resembled "arms," and slammed them heavily against the thick, transparent tank wall!

Thump! Thump! Thump!

The dull knocking sound was exceptionally abrupt in the silent refinery area, immediately attracting the attention of Vulkan and Huokan.

Immediately following, an extremely strained, broken voice came intermittently from that tank, forcibly imitating the pronunciation of human language.

"Stop... stop! Gi... giant! Nego... tiation! Nego... tiation!"

Vulkan's reddish pupils suddenly locked onto the tank that was making the sound, a trace of pure surprise flashing in his eyes.

Huokan also subconsciously tightened his grip on his weapon, vigilantly watching that abnormal elemental body.

This Elemental Race Elder had exhausted a great amount of strength, and its fluctuations calmed slightly, but the light in its eyes remained locked on Vulkan, continuing to struggle to organize words with that broken voice.

"I... understand... a little... your... language... have... contacted..."

Its voice carried an indescribable urgency and plea.

"Stop... extraction! Release... us! Nego... tiation! Conditions... we... have value! Huge... value!"

Seeing the Elder's reaction, the other members of the Elemental Race in the Storage Tanks also shouted in the Elemental Race language.

"Communication! Must communicate! This is the only chance!"

"He heard! He is looking over!"

"Quick! Propose conditions! Prove our value!"

Vulkan's massive figure slowly approached that special Storage Tank, looking down from above at the Elder violently fluctuating inside the tank.

His voice was low, every word incomparably clear, carrying an unquestionable majesty.

"Negotiation? Alien. What qualifications do you have to negotiate with Humans?"

This sentence was like a basin of ice water, instantly extinguishing the fire of hope the Elder had just ignited.

The Elder's fluctuations became frantic again; it desperately struck the tank wall, the shattering sound carrying despair.

"Have! We... have! Knowledge! Energy... control! Catalyze... minerals! Help... you! Oppose... Cyberk! Common... enemy!"

It struggled to express itself, trying to grasp any possible bargaining chip.

It even pointed toward those complex pipes and force field generators.

"This... we can... make it better! More efficient! Far surpass... Cyberk!"

Vulkan listened quietly, his face devoid of any expression, only his glowing red pupils staring at the Alien before him.

When the Elder finished speaking, he fell into Silence for a moment; that Silence pressed down upon the consciousness of every member of the Elemental Race.

Then, Vulkan spoke, his voice devoid of a shred of emotion.

"You, the Elemental race, viewed Humans as inferior life forms, viewed Humans as competitors for resources."

"Before you were captured by the Cyberk, what did you do to the Humans here? Slaughter? Enslavement? Converting them into 'nutrients' for your energy fields?"

The Elder's fluctuations instantly stagnated!

Its transparent body seemed to solidify, the light flickering in its compound eyes dimming and brightening violently, revealing a panic and disbelief at having the truth exposed.

It tried to refute, but the broken language only emitted "cluck-cluck" static noises.