Chapter 7:

“This whole place IS a weapon.”

The words echoed in the dimly lit space around them as the eyes of everyone in the group was draw out towards their surroundings taking in all that they could see.

Stunned silence reigned over the air around them with only the slightly breathe of air coming from everyone in the room but only for it to be broken by sound of Yue Fei’s voice.

“We’re in a freaking workshop a WORKSHOP do you guys know what this means even if we can’t find any proper weapons for us here we can make them ourselves.”

One could almost see the emotional excitement radiating from Yue Fei as he said those words you almost didn’t even need to listen to the tone of his voice to figure that out.

“What difference is that even going to make Yue Fei we’re still outnumbered out there, twenty-one of us and a hundred of those things out there, even if you were to pull that little bug control trick back there, there isn’t any grantee that we’ll make it out.”

Mi Liu said looking Yue Fei in the eyes slouching down on the pavement floor.

“Well do you have a better idea what just wait in here and starve?” Yang Yuhuan barked back but Yue Fei stops her remark with a hand gesture.

“Hey it’s still a chance and if we can make ourselves some better gear to increases that chance then I’m taking it, sure is hell a lot better than sitting on our asses in here starving waiting for the end to our  deaths.”

Yue Yang said as he went to the nearest crate taking a crowbar from the nearest tool set and began to rip its lid open and peered into its contents.

“We’re not going to be able to run any of the equipment here without any power let’s see if there is a backup generator in the back that we can use to run them.”

“I’ll come with you.” Nip Fung and Lee Shin both then started to walk slowly navigating through the darkness towards the back with their flashlights.

“Ok well Fuck it….let’s do it what are we waiting for then, let get to it.” Mi Liu gave a slight sigh before he walked off to another crate one by one slowly everyone in the group began to slowly navigate through the dark searching through the multiple massive storage sleeves.

Yue Fei went to a box on a separate column picking out a crate he opened the lid revealing a completely packed crate filled to the brim of the crate with no gapes in between.

“This is…..oh wait we could-”

Yue Fei then took out a box from within the crate and started to mummer to himself drawing the attention of the others.

“Hey Yue Fei what you got there you found something useful?” Yang Yuhuan asked as she came up behind him.

“Yeah something that could really be a game changer for us.”

“Really what?” Yang Yuhuan hearing that was beginning to get excited.

Yue Fei then tossed her the box he was carrying which she franticly caught with both hands as she didn’t anticipant this, on the box label it read as NuMax SFR2190 Pneumatic Full Round Head Framing Nailer others close by crowded around to see what this so called game changer to their problem.  Once they gazed upon the label half got confused by what they saw others were disappointed by what they saw.

“A nail gun……seriously? This is the game changer item that you were proposing what is this going to do for us in this situation…..what…..we’re going to built ourselves a fort here or something this isn’t fortnite.”

One of the boys near Yang Yuhuan said not even bothering to hide the scorn and disappointment in his voice.

“A Farming Nailer has an effective shooting penetration range of twenty-five (25) yards.” Yue Fei calmly replied with no hint of angry or annoyances in his voice he continued.

“It won’t be much but at least we will be able to you know shoot them from a distance I’m sure you’ll like that fact right Kai?” The boy named Kai shrugged his shoulders at what Yue Fei just said while those next to him got a bit excited and began swarming the crate him was at trying to get one box for themselves.

“Shen Yi you’re not getting one for yourself?” amidst the crowd one boy turned his head to another boy who was at one of the tables already un-boxing a set of items around the table

“Nah I’m good Han Zhuo I’ll stick to what I’m good at.” He said as he unboxed a 40 lbs Oneida Eagle Phoenix Lever-Action Bow and began stringing the bow with a multitude of arrows and arrows head boxes arranged around him on one of the workshop table.

Then suddenly with a loud metallic clank resounding echoing off the walls somewhere in the darkness the lights suddenly came on around banishing the darkness away.

“Alright now we are talking-” Bang~! A loud bang echoed from the interrupting what Yue Yang was saying as everyone’s attention turned towards the steel commercial door.

Then another bang echoed from the other side it was clear to everyone that something was on the other side of the door.

Realizing this fact everyone ran to find a weapon Yue Fei and Yang Yuhuan already had their swords drawn from their sheaths their swords hum echoing in the air. They waited by the door side by side as the rest slowly made their way next to them. Kim-sing came up next to Yue Fei with his two metal bats in hand, Shen Yi further back with his bow drawn and ready with Han Zhuo stood ready next to him.

Nip Fung and Lee Shin then came rushing from where they had disappeared from carrying several objects in their hands to which they passed to several of the boys closest to them.

Nip Fung himself held onto a Camillus Crash Tactical 22" Breaching Tool a tactical tool that is a hammer, axe blade, pry bar, and cutting claw coming up to the front line group.

“Is that a Black Apocalypse Jungle Hunter Machete?” Kim-sing asked Lee Shin coming up next to him who was holding a blade whose overall length was 25" from what Yue Fei can tell crafted of one solid piece of cold, rock-hard stainless steel, this full-tang beast measures in at a whopping 25" overall. The razor sharp blade features cut-out designs, heavy sawback serrations, and a durable baked-on black finish. A nylon sheath completes the package from which Kim-sing removed the blade from when Lee Shin handed the weapon to him discarding the metals bats in his hands.

He began swing the blade slightly in front of him in a motion as if testing the weapon before nodding to himself and focused his attention back on the door as the bang stopped suddenly.

Silence enveloped the air they waited and waited but nothing happened they didn’t move nor did they make a sound in fact they almost forgot to breathe for a second they couldn’t hear anything other than the sound of their own heart beats in their chest in this silence.

The spell cast upon them was finally broken when Yue Fei breathe out slightly then everyone lese around him did the same as if they were waiting for permission from someone not even there with them before they could breathe again. He then turned to Lee Shin who noticed his gaze and turned his eyes to face him.

Yue Fei then gestured with his chin towards the doorway at Lee Shin after a few seconds of hesitation Lee Shin nodded and processed towards the doorway.

Slowly tiptoeing towards the door Lee Shin then unbuckled the locks on another nylon sheath holding a Machete blade in the sheath slowing pulling it out and holding it in front of him the Machete had an angled blade, and an ergonomic textured rubber grip.

Yue Fei recognized it as a Gerber Bear Grylls Parang Machete in Lee Shin’s other hand he recognized another such blade.

A Camillus M-13 Machete, a Kukri-like design is top-heavy for greater impact force. The skeletonized blade reduces overall weight and increases flexibility. From the description on the box that he remembers reading from before it was a 13" full-tang stainless steel blade with gut hook and titanium-bonded finish with a Glass-filled nylon handle with lanyard hole and it included a molded sheath.

He turned his head around looking for something along the doorway seeing nothing he then placed his ear on the cold steel trying to listen to the outside noise. He couldn’t hear anything else he sighed out of relief before he turned his head towards the other.

“I think we’re clear for now.” At those words everyone else relaxed and loosened their guard.

“The light most have drawn those things out there their attention we should probably turn them off just to be safe.” Nip Fung said as he turned to head to the light switches but was stopped by Yue Yang before he could take other step.

“No point they already know that we’re in here so it wouldn’t even matter and once we start using the tools and machines the noise will just drawn them too us anyway let’s just get to work and have at least one person on guard while the rest work and rotate out.”

“Good idea get working I’ll take the first watch.” Yue Fei said gesturing the rest to do what they must.

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“Are you sure about that Yue Fei I could take the first shift if you want?” Kim-sing asked Yue Fei.

“Yeah I’m sure hey you sure acting pretty chummy like this for some time now where’s that high and mighty I am better than everyone attitude?” Yue Fei glanced at Kim-sing

“Oh shut up have it your way you crazy bastard.” Kim-sing snorted before turning away to the supply sleeve columns while murmuring to himself “Everyone just seems to think that of me don’t they?”

Once Yue Fei sent Yang Yuhuan away he stood before the doorway as they other began their work for the next hour or so since everyone was working none stop, the occasional banging echoed upon the doorframe due to the amount of noise produced by the tools several times the creatures outside tried to get in yet it seemed as though they couldn’t break down the door frame.

This helped eased the stress on the Exploration Team greatly though they couldn’t understand how or why the creatures couldn’t break down the doorframe they were nonetheless gratefully about that, but they still didn’t dare to slack off on the guard duty as they keep one member to stand guard at the door.

As they continued to work for an untold amount of time has passed they have. Bang~! It echoed in the air amidst the air within the storage room Yue Fei could hear it clearly even among the sea of noise within the workshop the roar of the power tools at work, the bang of a hammer upon metal the roar of the water jet cutter and plasma cutter. Yue Fei ignored it and keep working at his table with several others with him such as Kai, Mi Liu, Nip Fung and Lee Shin helping him on his project. It has been some time since he was relieved of the guard duty and he has been working on his little project ever since, he lost track of how much has passed he was feeling a bit hunger so he decided to take a quick break.

After telling the others where he was going he left the table.

He then headed towards the back where a table was set behind the rows of workshop tables and on that small table were the last remains of the food pile that they have left he then took a piece no bigger than a cracker bar of bread from the pile and chewed on it slowing and then waterfall one mouthful of one of the last four water bottles that they still had.

And that was a meal he couldn’t take anymore than that as they still needed to conserve food after all thus after that “Meal” he then processed to head back to his table.

“Hey Yue how is that Exoskeleton Suit coming along?” the voice belonging to Yue Yang asked Yue Fei as he passed by him after he pulled it out what he want of the crate he was examining.

“It’s going well since everyone is helping out with its going well we should be able to the full set for everyone in a day or two….wait….how long have we been in here now?”

“I….I don’t know I lost track a day maybe.” Yue Yang upon hearing that question couldn’t help but scratch his head awkwardly.

Lifting his eyes of Yue Yang Yue Fei eyes trailed off looking back at the table where he was working at where he left the group the object in question of their topic was there around the table several dozen full body Exoskeleton suits with a mixture of white and grey. Which were being worked on by the team at the table such as Kai who working on a laptop with wire plugged into the backside of several suits while the rest being Mi Liu, Nip Fung and Lee Shin and several others boys were welding and piecing together various suits.

The rest who were not crowd Yue Fei’s table were all on another table where Shen Yi and Han Zhuo were working at, with several other projects of their own with the rest of the other members of the Exploration Party. The only ones Yue Fei could see not present on either table was Yang Yuhuan who was stationed as the Guard at the Doorway and Kim-sing who was crafting something using the plasma cutter.

Looking towards where Yue Yang was working at on the table Yue Fei could make out the dismantled shell of a Stihl Ms 271 Chainsaw. Now looking back at what was in Yue Yang’s hands Yue Fei couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow at him.

“A fifty-nine (59)" bar inch bar what are you? Oh wait are you serious?” Yue Fei could help but smirk slightly at the realization as he turned back towards the table as he could make out the silhouette of a massive sword handle.

“What do you think?” Yue Yang returned him a smirk before heading off back processing on with his little project.

Walking back to his table Yue Fei came up behind Kai who was typing away at the laptop keyboard the sounds of the keyboard echoing in the air with each tap.

“Hey Kai how is it coming along no problem in the software right?”

Kai finally turned his eyes away from the screen the black patches under his and redness in his eyes hinting at the sheer amount of time he has spent facing that screen.

“Yeah the Hal Exoskeleton Suit and the Human Universal Load Carrier or HULC as you like to call it seems to be running just fine so far I mean it was a bitch trying to hot wire the different battery packs together but now the suit should be able to run over 72 hours plus the sensor system seems to be running just fine reprogramming that to work in sync was also a killer man I need break.”

“Yeah take a break I’ll finish up the rest.” Kai took up on Yue Fei’s offer as he himself headed off to the back where the food was as Yue Fei took the seat in front of the computer looking over to the suit next to him with Mi Liu, Nip Fung and Lee Shin still working on it.

When they first discovered the Exo-Suits everyone immediately jumped on the idea to make power armor then along with the discovery of Cobalt Steel which further motivated them to make the suit as Cobalt Steel is a type of advanced synthetic industrial material that has the consistency of plastic but the tensile strength of a steel alloy that was developed to replace titanium. Though in its original state Cobalt Steel is a type of heavy versatile liquid metal compound capable of being combined into several alloys and molded into a number of forms. Depending upon the composition of the alloy, Cobalt Steel iron could be rendered into solid plates, a laminate, wire, mesh, or micronized particles, even foam, or a transparent film. It was said that armor forged of Cobalt could withstand blunt force and repeated directed impacted fire for a limited time period, though the force of the impact still transferred in part to the wearer in the documentations records of Cobalt Steel.

The suit now in question is vastly different to the original template to the original design of the two as the two have been welded together with a few additions to it with the lower body portion being far bulkier than its upper body.

The Hal Exoskeleton Suit and the Human Universal Load Carrier or HULC were both Exo-Suit designed to support and expand the physical capabilities of its users. Though the two were mostly created for the same reason but also different proposes in mind, the Hal Exoskeleton Suit officially known as the Hybrid Assistive Limb also known as HAL is a powered exoskeleton suit developed by Japan's Tsukuba University and the robotics company Cyberdyne. It is designed to support and expand the physical capabilities of its users, particularly people with physical disabilities. When a person attempts to move their body, nerve signals are sent from the brain to the muscles through the motor neurons, moving the musculoskeletal system. When this happens, small biosignals can be detected on the surface of the skin. The HAL suit registers these signals through a sensor attached to the skin of the wearer. Based on the signals obtained, the power unit moves the joint to support and amplify the wearer's motion.

While as the Human Universal Load Carrier or HULC, is an un-tethered, hydraulic-powered anthropomorphic exoskeleton developed by Professor H. Kazerooni and his team at Ekso Bionics for the military soldiers of America. It was intended to help soldiers in combat carry a load of up to 200 pounds at a top speed of 10 miles per hour for extended periods of time of 72 hours battery powered with a rechargeable power supply. This enabled the soldiers to carry fewer batteries during extended missions. The sensors were primarily in the foot pads which then relay information to an onboard microcomputer that moves the hydraulic system to amplify and enhance the wearer's movement. The flexibility of the system allows soldiers to run, walk, kneel, crawl, and even go into low squats. There was no joystick or control mechanism, instead purely runs by sensors as it would detect movement and, using an onboard micro-computer, make the suit move in time with the body. The system's titanium structure and hydraulic power augments the soldier's ability, strength and performance, its modularity also allows it components to be switched and replaced with ease.

It was no easy task to combining the two different system and jail-breaking the battery packs together it’s task like this that Yue Fei wished that Huo An was here as he had the more experience in this matter than him.

“Let’s just hope and pray that these bad boys will work their magic when we bust out of here yeah.” Yue Fei quietly murmured to himself.

“It will Yue Fei it will…..have a little hope in our work here just because you didn’t work on them yourself entirely it won’t fail have a little faith in us here.” Mi Liu raised his head from what he was doing looking at Yue Fei.

“I do not doubt you guys but one can hope right well whatever lets finish this up.” As such Yue Fei and the group went back to work on the suits.

And work on they did after an unknown amount of time of working they’ve lost all sense of time spending each and every second that they had to working their science projects the sunlight coming and going from the outside beaming through the roof glass ceiling. They even forgot about the guard duty as they became engrossed in their work, then finally that soon came to an end as they ran their food supply dry they have reached the time limit of how long they can remain inside. As such on the next first light they set aside everything else and were in the process of donning on their power suit and trying their new weapons for the first time.

“Hey now Fei easy with that thing don’t point that thing in my direction you pyromaniac.”

“Relax bro it’s not going to burn you my fingers not even on the trigger ok chill out.”

Amidst the crowd of the Exploration Team maybe of the boys who finished donning on their power suit if they weren’t helping each other’s don their suit were trying out their new toys that they have forged for themselves, such was the action of  one such boy who finished donning his suit.

Strapped to the back of the suit of the boy named Fei was a massive gas canister with the Letters TF along with an insignia of a flame with it, it was a XL18 Flamethrower but the gun attached to the holes that Fei was holding in his hands resembled somewhat of the Boring Company Flamethrower albeit it slightly different in appearance there were clear sighs that it was modified over the original blueprint of the Boring Company Flamethrower Gun.

Strapped to his hip hanging off by it handle was another such flame thrower a XM42 Modular along with a long blade, next to him Shen Yi was helping Han Zhuo suit up while Han Zhou was looking down the scope of a TenPoint Nitro X ACUdraw PRO Crossbow which was much larger with several extra components that was clearly not present there before.

Yue Fei was in the middle of helping Yang Yuhuan suit up when Yue Yang walked up behind them carrying something in right hand. Yue Fei while still helping Yang Yuhuan looked over towards the item in Yue Yang’s hands. The Stihl Ms 271 Chainsaw was gone modified into a two-meter long chainsword with a meter long handle the cutting chain also seemed to have enlarged teeth along the chain. Yue Yang was swinging the massive chainsword around slightly with one hand in such a refined manner like it he has handled such a weapon many times before. How Yue Yang despite his muscular frame was even lifting that with one arm was a mystery to Yue Fei but he didn’t have the energy or the mindset to think on the matter.

“Dude really Yue Yang you going a little too extreme right now a chainsword…..a chainsword….. really you Warhammer 40k fan boy you.”

“Shut up you rich boy don’t talk to me about my hobby wh-w……what~, what the hell~! Dude you’re ragging on me for being extreme look at you!”

Walking up to Yue Yang’s side Kim-sing fully suited up was in the middle of examining a long sword in his hands from the looks of the design the blade was based on the Ming Dynasty Dandao or the Miao Dao Blade, but with several other elements aspects of other swords incorporated into the saber. However the sight that Yue Fei like Yue Yang found shocking and caused him to cry out in a similar manner like him was not that but - “What’s with all the damn swords?!” Yue Fei cried out loud causing most the group to look towards Kim-sing overlapping Kim-sing’s body the Exoskeleton Suit was covered up in swords from both of the shoulder Pauldrons of the suit to the boots were swords of all shape and sizes. Dumbfounded by the abnormal sight Yue Fei could not find any words to say as he just continued to blankly stare at the abominable sight in front of him.

“What? Having a few extra swords might come in handy.” Kim-sing calmly said still examining the blade in his hand ignoring the looks everyone else was giving him. “Yes but not that much I mean who needs that much. You’re really playing the whole “Sword Saint” title a little bit too much now.”

“Ha~ (sighing), whatever I’m not about to explain anything to you guys just get off my ass.” Kim-sing sighed before turning his attention back to the sword in his hand.

“Ok Yue Fei thanks I got the rest.” The sound of Yang Yuhuan’s voice broke Yue Fei out of his thoughts as he turned his attention back on Yang Yuhuan.

“Oh ok……yeah you’re all set.” Yue Fei steeped away from her overlooking himself for one final check.

“Yeah thanks again Yue Fei.”  Yang Yuhuan replied as she turned around to face him. “So-” she then began “Are you ready?”

“As ready as I’ll ever be…….ok let’s do this.” He then reached on a switch for the large pack at his waist as it flicked on and loudly hummed its life song sucking in the air around it in a loud thrumming sound revealing its true nature it was an air compressor.

Then he switched on the Exoskeleton Suit itself via a button on his vambrace as its hybrid battery pack clicked into life as the suit’s power units light indicators on the upper and lower body shone onto life indicating the suit was activated. Then after the light indicators were fully lit and the armor plating began to shift and cover several important areas on Yue Fei’s body. Areas such as the thighs, arms, shoulder and chest within seconds now Yue Fei was now enveloped in his new suit overlapping his body. He then began testing his new suit by lifting his legs up slowly one by one and then lightly hopped into the air, though he miscalculated his strength as well as the suit as he went higher than what he intended and nearly hit his head upon the glass ceiling landing smoothly upon the ground.

“Ok that was unexpected.” Yue Fei nearly felt his heart jump out of his chest because he didn’t expect such a reaction from the suit.

“Hey Yue Fei you okay what did you just do back there?” Kim-sing walked up to him tired though a bit shock at the “stunt” that Yue Fei just pulled.

“I….I didn’t the suit reacted way more than what I had imagined it would…..but it seems to be manageable other than that it seems to be running just fine just need to get use to it I guess.” Yue Fei then turned to face the entire group behind him “Alright people time to lock and load link up on radio frequency channel one.” he said out loud while drawing out his sword from his sheath in his right hand his sword deactivated while his left hand playing with the MOTOROLA RMM2050 walkie talkie attached to his left breast.

“Roger!” they all replied at his words one by one they each turned on their suit as the room echoed under the humming of their suits powering up along as they tweaked at their own walkie talkie of the same type to Yue Fei’s strapped to their chest along with a last round check of their gear.

“Wei your coms got static you’re not on channel one.”

“Got it” the boy called Wei that was informed of this issue immediately tweaked at his walkie talkie till he was able to get it right.

All the while other types of small commotions can be heard here as the group began retrieving their weapons from their suit straps beginning final checks on their weapons and gear as they slowly gathered in front of the doorway ship. All the while whispering words of encouragement to each other they then turned to face the doorway standing behind Yue Fei. Yue Fei turned to face each of them one by one as each respond with a slight nod though the signs of hunger and exhaustion were clear as day on their faces but there was no sign of fear on their faces.

Encased in their new power armor, concentrated dense cobalt steel armor and new proper weapons, they are practically unstoppable at least that is what they told themselves on the inside.

“Alright let’s go.” Yue Fei said as he nodded his head towards Mi Liu that slight gesture was more than enough to tell him what to do, so he turned back around and pushed on the switch and the door ramp slowing as the light on the horizon shone into the dark room basking the group in its warm light as they shroud forward to it.