Chapter 266: The Shocking Development

"Oh, about that—"

Brandon cut himself short.

The sound of another engine came from the northern approach.

It was different from the Guardians and Vanguards already moving around the transport yard. Heavier and slower, with such weight behind it that several MDC soldiers nearby stopped what they were doing and looked toward the entrance.

Federick turned as well.

Another Golden Eagle army formation appeared along the road.

Guardian APCs moved ahead and along the sides while several Vanguards followed farther back. Infantry occupied the spaces between them, keeping the road open around something much larger moving through the middle of the formation.

Federick could not tell what it was at first glance.

The vehicle was too large to be another Guardian and shaped nothing like the Vanguards he had already seen. Its broad chassis carried folded mechanical sections along both sides, while several pieces of equipment were locked against the upper hull.

It looked less like a fighting vehicle and more like someone had taken part of a construction yard and placed it on wheels.

Several MDC soldiers gathered near the edge of the transport yard. The civilians who had not yet left the surrounding buildings stopped as well.

Even some Golden Eagle soldiers already unloading equipment turned toward the incoming formation.

Federick stared.

"Co—Commander Brandon, what the hell is that?"

"Setting up our camp, Major."

Brandon’s communicator rang.

"Trailblazer South One to Southern Command. We’ve arrived."

"Good to hear from you, Trailblazer South One."

Brandon watched the formation enter the transport yard.

"Bring it in. Let’s show these people what the Golden Eagle Army is."

"Understood, Southern Command."

The escort began spreading apart after entering the yard.

Two Guardians moved toward one side while the Vanguards slowed near the outer vehicle lanes. Infantry followed their assigned vehicles, leaving the center open for the massive machine behind them.

The Pioneer Construction Vehicle rolled forward, and in doing so, attracted more people who stopped to watch.

One of the MDC soldiers carrying boxes lowered them onto the pavement.

"Where did this thing come from?"

Nobody beside him could give an answer.

The PCV continued until one of the Golden Eagle Engineers guiding it raised an arm. It stopped near the wider open section of the transport yard.

Several soldiers immediately began clearing everyone farther away from it.

"Keep this area open!"

"Move the trucks!"

"Everyone outside the marked section!"

Federick looked toward Brandon.

"Commander Brandon, are you—are you trying to build something here?"

"More or less. This is how the Golden Eagle army operates, major."

Brandon looked toward the PCV. The machine remained still for several seconds until the sound of its engine changed.

Several sections along the lower chassis unlocked.

The wheels shifted from their normal position as heavy supports extended beneath the vehicle. Metal struck pavement one after another while the massive frame slowly lowered its weight onto them.

Federick’s eyes widened.

"What the..."

More mechanisms moved along the sides.

Panels folded outward. Stabilizing arms extended farther from the hull before settling against the ground. Parts that had looked like ordinary armored sections separated and revealed equipment underneath.

The PCV was no longer simply parked. It was planting itself into the transport yard.

One of the supports pressed so hard against the old pavement that cracks spread around its base.

Golden Eagle Engineers remained outside the deployment area, watching the process while several others checked the nearby buildings and open spaces.

Brandon’s System interface changed at the same time.

A boundary formed around the deployed PCV.

It spread away from the vehicle, crossing the transport yard and reaching into the surrounding area before settling into its new placement territory.

The old transport yard could now become more than somewhere Southern Command borrowed from the MDC.

Federick could not see any of the System-related process. All he saw was the enormous machine unfolding itself into something that looked increasingly... permanent.

The deployment finished with another heavy mechanical sound. The PCV settled into its stationary configuration.

Several Golden Eagle Engineers moved in right after. Some headed toward the warehouses. Others brought surveying equipment toward the wider sections of the yard.

A few began marking parts of the pavement.

"What are they working on?" Federick muttered.

He first thought these Engineers were repairing materials and structure around the area. However, their surveying equipment said otherwise.

Was it to find some ore minerals? But the ores weren’t in this yard, but on the western side.

Before Federick could ask more, one of the MDC soldiers near the transport-yard entrance hurried toward them.

"Major."

"What is it?"

"We have visitors asking for Commander Brandon."

Federick frowned.

"Who?"

"Guys from the MEA and the ICD."

"Those troublemakers again?!"

Federick turned toward the entrance. Brandon followed.

Two small groups arrived outside the newly established Golden Eagle position.

The first consisted mostly of civilian officials accompanied by several MDC personnel. One of them carried a folder under his arm while another spoke with the soldiers controlling entry into the yard.

The second group looked different.

Several wore work clothes beneath old protective coats, while two others carried document cases and what looked like rolled industrial plans.

Neither group was paying much attention to the soldiers stopping them. They were looking past them—at the PCV.

One of the industrial representatives stopped speaking. His attention remained fixed on the deployed construction vehicle and the Engineers already working around it.

The municipal officials were not much different. They watched the Guardians entering and leaving the yard, then the soldiers unloading supplies from the nearby warehouses.

"Are you sure that person is here?" an older man asked.

"Sir, I just asked the soldiers."

"I know, but I want to be sure. We can’t take every word at face value."

"But sir, that man is over there..."

The younger official pointed toward Brandon.

The older man followed his finger.

Brandon was still standing beside Federick near the deployed PCV.

"That’s him?"

"Yes. Commander Joseph Brandon."

The older man narrowed his eyes.

"He looks younger than I expected."

"Sir..."

"What?"

"You said that last night too. Didn’t we meet him last night?"

The man ignored him and adjusted the folder under his arm.

The industrial group reached the entrance at almost the same time.

One of them, a middle-aged woman wearing an old protective coat over work clothes, barely looked toward Brandon.

Her attention remained on the PCV.

"What kind of construction machine is that?"

The man beside her shook his head.

"I have no idea, madam."

"Search the archives later. It might be one of those super advanced technologies we haven’t seen yet."

"I will try my best."

She looked toward the Engineers spreading around the yard.

"This surveying equipment looks novel as well. Don’t forget to look it up later too."

Federick watched both groups approach.

"Commander Brandon, I’ll take care of this for you."

"What’s the problem with them, major?"

"They sort of push most of their problems onto us. I don’t want them doing that to you too."