Squad members quickly adjusted states, following Ignis' pace in standard tactical formations.
Morell remained in high-alert states—like phantoms silently patrolling team flanks. Her sensory systems fully activated, scanning every corner.
Though Rebecca and Pilar had stowed heavy bolters and flamers back on backs or mount points, their hands still instinctively pressed on waist-mounted sidearms, ready responding to emergencies anytime.
Sasha and Kiwi continuously monitored surrounding electromagnetic environments. Their neural interfaces ran at high speeds, attempting parsing this unfamiliar world's network structures and data protocols.
However, feedback signals were filled with unrecognizable encodings plus intense background interference—like facing impenetrable high walls composed of chaotic noise, making them temporarily unable penetrating deeper.
They passed through wide passages. Both rock wall sides embedded with steadily-glowing white-light spherical devices, illuminating entire passages bright as daylight—lighting uniform and cold, zero flickering.
Light at passage ends gradually changed—shifting from artificially-lit cold white toward natural, slightly-yellowish skylight.
When they finally exited passages, arriving at cavern outlets—scenes before them made even them—accustomed to Night City's bizarre neon-lit skyscrapers and street bloodshed—feel inexplicably shocked, followed by heavy oppressive sensations.
Cavern outlets were located at recessed portions of massive valleys. Looking ahead, initially-scaled camps displayed before them.
Camp architectural styles aligned seamlessly with cavern interiors—ultimate ruggedness and utilitarianism throughout.
Towering watchtowers stood like steel giants at camp edges. Tower tops mounted defense weapons they'd never seen—oddly-shaped designs.
Those weapons had polygonal barrels plus complex energy focusing arrays. Thick energy conduits wound along tower bodies, flickering ominously in thin air with molten-lava-like dark-red glows.
Some massive vehicles resembling mobile factories or fortresses parked at clearing edges. Their armor thick. Exposed exhaust pipes intermittently emitting low, continuous roars—like slumbering beasts panting.
The entire camp shrouded in orderly yet bone-chillingly cold atmospheres.
However, what made them most uncomfortable were "residents" active within camps.
Most wore red robes similar to Ignis'—varying color shades—different body parts replaced by metal cyberware.
Some only replaced arms or legs, but more underwent large-scale modifications. Chests were thick metal armor. Heads wore various metal masks or hoods, only revealing optical lenses flickering different colored glows.
Their movements were precise, efficient yet lacked natural fluidity ordinary people should have. Communications between them mostly brief, electrical-static-carrying binary languages or low commands. Entire camps permeated with inhuman, cold orderliness.
"This place... why so many..." Rebecca instinctively moved closer to Dorio, quietly saying. Her green optics flashed barely-detectable fear.
These red-robed metal figures made her feel scarier than Night City's vicious gang members—that instinctive rejection stemming from life-form differences.
Pilar also shrank his neck, responding quietly: "I feel like we dropped into robot nests... Are they... still human?"
Falco silently observed camp layouts plus those personnel activity patterns, attempting finding operational modes from this organization.
Sasha and Kiwi showed great interest in technologies and equipment those red-robed figures used yet simultaneously became more vigilant—this world's tech tree obviously completely differed from what they were familiar with.
Ignis seemed accustomed to their reactions. She didn't stop walking, directly leading them to camp edge rows of relatively independent tents constructed from prefab panels.
Ignis stopped before rows of relatively crude metal prefab barracks, turning to face Maine's crew.
Her synthesized gentle voice rang again, yet content carried undeniable seriousness.
"This is your residence for the next three days." She raised one metal arm, gesturing toward barracks behind—movements precise without redundancy.
She paused slightly. Optical lenses on faceplates seemingly swept across every squad member's face, ensuring information reception.
Then she continued, tone's warning implications more explicit: "I must remind you again—this is a planet officially designated as a 'Death World.'
Environments beyond camps are extremely harsh, far exceeding your conventional cognition.
Moreover, within those vast wastelands, unknown dangers possibly lurk unrecorded."
Her voice was steady yet carried heavy weight: "Therefore, please remain peacefully within camp clearly-demarcated safe zones.
Do not attempt venturing deep into deserts out of curiosity, nor randomly touch or investigate any equipment or devices you don't understand."
She finally emphasized: "This both ensures your personal safety plus maintains inviolable order and stability here."
Finished speaking, she slightly nodded, then departed with her servo-skull, leaving Maine's crew standing before tents, exchanging glances.
Massive metal caverns, strangely-styled red-robed modified people, desolate planets called "Death Worlds," Cairo's vague "experimental" purposes... massive information impacts bombarded their brains, making them—just experiencing cross-dimensional transport—feel intense dizziness and bewilderment.
"Boss, what exactly... are we in now?" Rebecca couldn't help looking toward Maine, face full of confusion.
Maine watched Ignis' departing back, surveying this cold, unfamiliar camp filled with inhuman atmospheres, heavily sighing. He shook his head. Rugged face also full of gravity.
"I don't know either, Rebecca." He honestly answered. "But the boss said three days. During these three days, we gotta survive and... not cause trouble."
He pushed open tent doors. Inside were crude yet sufficiently-usable facilities. "Get inside. Rest up. Check equipment. Falco—note recording environmental data. Sasha, Kiwi—try establishing internal communication networks. See if you can find connection vulnerabilities to this world's networks, but be careful. Don't get discovered."
Crew members silently entered tents, temporarily isolating outside doubts and anxieties. But they all knew—these three days wouldn't be easy.
On this unfamiliar planet called a "Death World," they not only faced possibly-existing environmental threats but must adapt to this world composed of metal, gears, cold logic—completely differing from Night City.
And Cairo's true intentions remained like fog shrouding their hearts.
Three chapters first to tide over. Let me grab dinner. Today should have fifteen chapters total.