Chapter 18: Consumables

"Commander, why do you seem to know everything?" BM59, seated in the rear cockpit behind Renault, asked with a hint of curiosity as she examined the intricate array of buttons in the cockpit, so densely packed that it could trigger trypophobia in some individuals.

Though she hadn't ventured out of the factory for long, BM59 could confirm with great certainty that Commander Renault was perhaps the most versatile... commander she had ever encountered since leaving the factory. Or was he a warrior?

Her initial impression of Renault was that of a man skilled in doll repairs. However, during the subsequent battle with those soldiers and what she had heard from M1911, Renault had single-handedly dispatched nearly 500 infected.

Combined with Renault's adept piloting skills displayed now, he was likely the most capable combatant among repairmen and the most proficient commander among the most skilled pilots.

"Well, I know a bit about it. I've learned all this before. Do you recall what I just explained?"

When they had just departed, Renault had briefly briefed BM59 on the helicopter's weapon system.

He might need to utilize the helicopter's weapons soon. Although he could also operate the helicopter's Fire Control System, the upcoming situation would be somewhat different from before.

The assailants targeting the Griffin Base might possess other heavy firepower, and there was a high probability they would encounter helicopters equipped with air-to-air missiles. He wouldn't allow the helicopters to halt until confirming the elimination of all opposing heavy firepower.

"Huh? I remember! I remember!"

"Alright, tell them to brace themselves; it might get a bit bumpy."

At this moment, Helian's location wasn't far from the town they had left earlier. It was approximately a half-hour drive by road or about three minutes by helicopter.

Moving things didn't take long before. If he hadn't gone back to retrieve Simonov, the unfortunate fellow who was almost left behind, it might not have even taken five minutes.

It had to be acknowledged that dolls were highly efficient when given orders.

He just only hoped that Helian and the Griffin personnel at the base could hold out for even ten minutes.

Three minutes passed in the blink of an eye.

In fact, before three minutes had elapsed, Renault had already clearly spotted three helicopters parked on the ground in the distance.

Their appearance was indistinguishable from the one he was piloting.

Evidently, the assailants attacking Griffin didn't view an inconspicuous small stronghold as a threat. The few soldiers they had encountered earlier were less seeking to silence someone and more intent on annihilating any opposition.

After disembarking and conducting a thorough search to confirm the absence of any life forms, they immediately redirected their assault towards the Griffin base.

It was regrettable that they hadn't anticipated encountering someone like Renault, who didn't play by the rules, in such an inconspicuous stronghold.

"Makar, has your stronghold been cleared?"

As Renault's helicopter approached, an unfamiliar voice sounded over the helicopter's communication channel.

BM59 behind Renault and M1 Garand in the helicopter cabin held their breaths nervously—well, dolls didn't actually need to breathe, at least not the lower-level ones.

"Ah, it's been cleared quite easily. Just a few half-broken dolls that have already been blown to pieces." Renault responded calmly, even directly.

"What's the situation there? Do you need assistance?"

While Renault replied, all the figures in the helicopter were extremely tense, fearing that the other party would realize they weren't their colleagues.

"Alright, they're still putting up resistance, but all their T-Dolls have been neutralized, as have the SF Dolls we brought along. These dolls are useless; they were all taken out in just a few minutes."

"Useless indeed."

"Yeah, utterly useless. By the way, why does your voice sound so odd?"

As Renault conversed over the communication channel, he gestured with his other hand towards BM59 behind him and then pointed at the three helicopters parked at the entrance of the underground base.

"Fire."

"What? Fire? What are you talking about? ...Wait a sec-"

Apparently, the helicopter pilot conversing with Renault hadn't expected that the person he was speaking with wasn't actually his colleague.

Unfortunately, he didn't even get a chance to process it. The moment Renault spoke, the rocket launchers on the helicopter's weapon rack began unleashing a barrage of rockets towards the ground.

Boom!

In a matter of seconds, more than thirty rockets struck their targets, reducing the three helicopters to rubble!

"Go check the two remaining containers on both sides." Amidst the wreckage of the three helicopters, two standard containers were positioned, bearing the SF Manufacturing logo.

"Clear! No enemies present!"

M1 Garand and Jaeger, armed with rifles, approached and inspected the containers.

The two containers were empty, their contents—doll and automaton equipment—having evidently been sent into the Griffin base already.

"Alright, check the equipment. Follow the unarmed ones. We're ready to proceed."

Surveying the debris of the three helicopters, Renault released the safety on the AK15 in his hand, circled around a shattered tail section, and raised his weapon towards the remaining survivors.

"Wait..."

Boom!

Several tactical dolls glanced at Renault but remained silent.

They trailed closely behind Renault and entered the blown-open hidden entrance.

The sloping passage continued downward, with an elevator platform situated at the center, diagonally descending. Clearly, the elevator served as the usual means for Griffin personnel to go in and go out.

The passage beneath their feet was likely just an emergency exit.

There ought to be other entrances elsewhere. After all, this passage wasn't wide enough to facilitate supply transport.

"Thank goodness, no stairs." Simonov, trailing behind, muttered under her breath, squinting as she carefully surveyed the distant area.

A considerable number of SF Dolls had amassed in the passage, primarily SF Rippers. Occasionally, a few Vespids with helmets could be spotted, and there were even Guards wielding large shields.

Griffin's dolls were few and far between, and even if present, they appeared to be the type easily identified as dummies.

As they ventured deeper, Griffin's tactical dolls were interspersed among the wreckage strewn along the passage, yet so far, no human corpses had been encountered.

Evidently, both sides employed similar tactics, deploying these unarmored dolls with minimal protection as the vanguard. Whether any living individuals followed behind to assist or flee remained unclear.

Renault could already discern the gunfire emanating from deep within the passage. It wasn't overly intense, but it was apparent that Griffin's forces or their dolls hadn't been completely wiped out yet.