Chapter 659: Spoils of War
Though the fallen invisible hunter was gravely wounded, it had not completely lost its life force.
Its head, covered by a bizarre mask, turned slightly, letting out a low and agonizing roar. Fangs were exposed from the jaw not covered by the mask, and dark blood seeped from multiple wounds.
With its remaining intact arm, it struggled to reach a complex device on its wrist. Its fingertips trembled as they fumbled over a glowing rune—clearly the activation interface for some kind of self-destruct sequence.
"Do not approach!" Maine sharply halted Tsu'tey and several soldiers who were about to step forward. "It is attempting to activate a self-destruct device!"
In this hair-raising moment, Neytiri, who had maintained her vigilance, sharply caught the deadly movement.
Without hesitation, she drew her bow and loosed an arrow. The sharp shaft tore through the air and flawlessly pierced the hunter's neck!
The hunter's movements jerked to a violent halt, and a final, suffocating gurgle escaped its throat.
However, in the very moment before its life faded, the eye slits of its mask suddenly flared with a piercing red light. A tiny beam shot out from the side of the mask, rapidly projecting a string of complex, flashing alien symbols into the air.
The symbols lasted for a mere two seconds before abruptly vanishing. At the same time, the light on its wrist device completely dimmed.
"Vital signs are gone," Falco confirmed, his eyes locked onto the scanner, then added, "But in its final moments, it successfully transmitted an encrypted signal."
Neytiri slowly lowered her Ikran. Looking at the motionless body, she calmly stowed her bow. "It wanted to die with its secrets, but at least we stopped it from destroying everything here."
Maine reported to Ryo over the encrypted channel: "Target confirmed deceased. It successfully transmitted an unknown signal just before death, but the self-destruct sequence was stopped in time by Neytiri. The corpse and equipment remain largely intact."
Only after safety was confirmed did the joint team cautiously gather around again. Staring at this entirely lifeless alien form, everyone fell silent, their hearts heavy with complex emotions.
Colonel Quaritch monitored the scene remotely via comms, his voice carrying obvious urgency: "Good job! Transport that thing's corpse and all its gear back to base immediately! We must figure out exactly where it came from!"
Eytukan, arriving at the scene, was far more concerned with the sacrifices of his clan. He looked sorrowfully at the bodies of his fallen hunters, then turned to the alien hunter's corpse, his tone heavy: "We paid for this outcome with the blood of our warriors. May Eywa soothe the souls of the departed."
Tsu'tey walked up to the alien corpse and kicked the stiffening body to vent his anger, but a warning glare from Maine stopped him from going further.
He spat fiercely: "It got off too easy!"
With the battle concluded, the distribution of the spoils immediately became the new issue.
The RDA insisted on taking the entire corpse and equipment for research, while the Na'vi believed it was the result of their joint battle. Given the heavy casualties they suffered, they felt they had the right to understand the truth behind this threat.
Just as the dispute began to surface, Ryo's directive was promptly relayed through Maine: "The Seekers will take charge of the preliminary analysis and custody of the target. We will share all non-core research findings with both parties. This is the most efficient method and will prevent further conflict."
Considering the role the expedition team played in brokering the truce, providing critical intelligence, and offering tactical support—coupled with the sheer power they had displayed—this compromise was ultimately and grudgingly accepted by both sides.
After all, everyone clearly understood that without the intervention of the Seekers, they would likely still be slaughtering each other, or being picked off one by one by that invisible hunter.
The alien hunter's corpse and its remaining gear were carefully sealed and transported back to the Trailblazer by Maine's squad.
With the common enemy gone, the fragile peace by the river valley once again teetered on the brink of collapse. The Na'vi and RDA forces pulled away from each other, the previously suppressed hatred and wariness rising back to the surface.
Eytukan looked in Quaritch's direction and spoke in a deep rumble: "Sky People, the debts between us are not yet settled. But today... we thank you for fighting by our side."
This was the greatest degree of conciliation he could muster.
Colonel Quaritch grunted, his tone remaining stiff: "Likewise, blue—Eytukan. Remember, this truce is only temporary. Until we sort out this mess, don't come looking for trouble."
The joint operation had ended, and the fragile pact forged from a shared threat dissipated as swiftly as the morning mist on Pandora once the objective was achieved.
The lingering smell of gunpowder had not fully faded from the air, but what thickened even more was the resurgent mistrust and historical grievances.
Nevertheless, this experience of standing shoulder-to-shoulder against an unknown, formidable enemy left a mark on both sides that could not be easily ignored.
They had mutually witnessed a cruelty and power that transcended racial boundaries, realizing that in the shadows of this vast, mysterious forest, the lurking threats went far beyond just each other.
The Omaticaya clan silently gathered the remains of their warriors. Supporting their wounded companions, they once again set foot on the migration path toward the Sacred Mountains.
The atmosphere within the column grew even heavier. The sorrow of losing their home was still raw, and now new blood and sacrifices had been added to it.
But within this pure grief, there was now a blend of solemnity from brutal combat and a much deeper vigilance toward their unknown surroundings.
They still viewed the Sky People as invaders, but now, it seemed an even more bizarre and incomprehensible entity needed to be added to that list of invaders.
The RDA forces also closed ranks. Escorting their wounded onto the transports, they began the journey back to Hell's Gate.
Colonel Quaritch stood in place, taking a long, profound look toward the jungle where the Na'vi had disappeared, before shifting his gaze to the quietly parked Trailblazer mobile base.
He had won a precious, interference-free period to regroup, temporarily freeing him from the worry of large-scale Na'vi harassment. Yet, at the same time, the boundaries of his awareness had been forcibly widened. He had come into contact with a broader, more unsettling cosmic picture: humanity was not alone, and they were not necessarily always the hunters.
As for Ryo inside the Trailblazer, this sudden third-party interference had disrupted the steady pace of his overarching layout to some extent, but it had also brought an unexpectedly rich reward.
Not only had he successfully used the crisis to temporarily de-escalate the imminent, full-scale conflict between the Na'vi and the RDA—buying him more time and a stable external environment for his long-term plans—but more importantly, he had acquired an incredibly precious gift.
A nearly intact, highly advanced extraterrestrial biological specimen.