novelsite Chapter 19: The Butterfly Begins to Flutter Its Wings
Chapter 19: The Butterfly Begins to Flutter Its Wings
With the advancement of technology, border patrols in the southwest have evolved from simple manpower patrols to third-generation anti-climb barbed wire fences, equipped with vibration fiber optic sensors and intelligent alarm systems. Solar-powered warning lights are also installed every 200 meters, along with 2072 high-definition cameras, 37 radar monitoring stations, and drone formations, creating a three-dimensional monitoring network of "aerial drone patrols + ground radar detection + underground acoustic sensing".
Even so, there are still people smuggling themselves across the border, and even non-human-shaped creatures transporting various prohibited items into the country.
At a patrol camp somewhere on the southwestern border, several large trucks quietly drove into the camp today and stopped outside the camp warehouse: "Old Tang, hurry up and arrange for someone to come and receive the goods."
"Hey, Lao Fang, why are you leading the team yourself?!"
Old Tang took the documents from Old Fang with surprise and teased, "What are you transporting that requires your personal involvement?"
"Don't ask me, I don't know either."
Old Fang shook his head, then took out a pack of cigarettes and offered one to Old Tang: "The box is quite heavy, let's get someone to bring a forklift to transport it."
"Go and call the forklift truck team to come and move the goods."
Old Tang said something to the communications soldier beside him, then took a cigarette from Old Tang and started smoking while looking at the document, muttering, "Strange, why does the document only list how many large boxes there are, and nothing else?"
After whispering to each other, the two started chatting about all sorts of things, from big family matters to small matters.
Soon, one after another, huge, fully enclosed boxes, each marked with a number and equipped with an electronic combination lock, began to be transported into the camp's warehouse.
After counting the boxes, Lao Tang signed the document and returned it to Lao Fang: "Would you like to stay for a meal?"
Old Fang took the documents and said goodbye, "I have to rush back to load a new batch of cargo for other camps. Maybe next time."
"it is good."
"..."
Such scenes were simultaneously played out at various key border patrol camps.
Although these camps are scattered in different locations all over the country, they all have one thing in common: difficulty!
It could be that the environment is difficult, the task is difficult, or both the environment and the task are difficult.
In short, in addition to border patrol camps on islands, border patrol camps on land have all received such unidentified boxes.
After this matter was over, the leaders of these camps all received a confidential document at the same time.
"grass!?"
After reading the classified documents, Old Tang couldn't help but exclaim in surprise. He then abruptly stood up and ordered the communications officer, "Assemble! Everyone except patrol personnel and those on duty, assemble at the obstacle course!"
"..."
After a while, under everyone's watchful eyes, Old Tang leisurely arrived at the obstacle course with a mechanical dog painted in a jungle style.
A real mechanical dog!
If you were to give that mechanical dog skin and fur, and make its thick limbs a bit thinner, people might not be able to tell that it is a mechanical dog at all.
Before anyone could speak, Old Tang looked at a soldier and said, "Zeng Shaokai, step forward."
"arrive."
What is your best record in the 400-meter steeplechase?
"Report, 1 minute 48 seconds."
"Warm up first, then compete against it."
"ah!?"
Zeng Shaokai glanced at the mechanical dog and said dejectedly, "Tang Lian, is there no need to compete anymore?"
That thing can't even run fast at a normal pace, and it wants to run the 400-meter obstacle course?!
"Just compete, stop talking nonsense."
Faced with Old Tang's angry glare, Zeng Shaokai could only weakly reply, "Yes."
"..."
Seeing Zeng Shaokai's lack of enthusiasm, Old Tang's lips curled into a slight smile, and he offered a tantalizing reward: "If you can beat it, I'll apply for a third-class merit award for you!"
"real!?"
"With so many people watching, would I lie to you?"
Old Tang retorted to Zeng Shaokai, and then said to the others in the queue, "Who else wants to compete?"
Like Zeng Shaokai, as long as we win, I'll risk all my pride and apply for a third-class merit award for the winner.
"Tang Lian, it's me~"
"..."
"Alright, since everyone is so enthusiastic, let's all take turns competing."
Old Tang nodded, then changed the subject, smiling kindly, "Let's make it clear first, if there's a reward, there's also a punishment."
Whoever loses will have to compete with it in endurance.
"Either it's out of power, or you guys run until you're sick of it, understand?"
"clear!"
"Alright, Zeng Shaokai, take your positions!"
"yes!"
After Zeng Shaokai took his position, Lao Tang suddenly raised his voice slightly and ordered the mechanical dog, "Xiaotian, 400-meter obstacle course, get ready."
"Received, Tang Tou."
To everyone's astonishment, the mechanical dog replied to Old Tang just like a real person, then walked to the starting point of the obstacle course with its head held high and lay down.
"Click~"
After Xiaotian lay down, four pairs of wheels emerged from his elbows and feet, transforming into a mechanical vehicle.
"Gulp~"
Zeng Shaokai glanced at Xiaotian, a sense of unease instantly welling up inside him. He then turned to Old Tang and asked, "Tang Lian, can I back out?"
"Get lost."
Old Tang refused without hesitation, and then began giving orders: "On your marks! Get set! Go!"
"Buzz~"
Just as Zeng Shaokai launched himself into the air, a dark shadow appeared in his field of vision.
Xiaotian smoothly passed through the cross pile in an S-shape, kicking up a large amount of sand and dust.
After getting some distance from the trench, Xiaotian flicked his limbs slightly, and his whole body drew an arc in mid-air, easily crossing the trench.
After landing, Xiaotian paused for a moment, then stirred up a sandstorm that swept for miles.
In the blink of an eye, Xiaotian had already crossed the high wall and the log bridge.
"Heh~"
Zeng Shaokai looked at Xiaotian, who was far ahead, and stopped in despair. Then he and the others looked expectantly at the cloud ladder.
There are two ways to cross the ladder: one is to pass under the ladder by alternating hands, and the other is to run across the ladder while maintaining balance.
Both of these methods are based on human design, so everyone, including Lao Tang, was very curious about how Xiaotian would accomplish it.
"Whoosh~"
Under everyone's watchful eyes, Xiaotian leaped over the railing and jumped into the bottom of the cloud ladder.
"Whoosh~ Click~"
In mid-air, a hidden launch port suddenly opened on Xiaotian's shoulder, and two small grappling hooks shot out towards the railing diagonally above and grabbed it.
Then, while retrieving the rope, swing forward.
Once it reached a certain height, Xiaotian retracted its grappling hook and made it somersault backward and forward in mid-air.
"Thump~"
And just like that, Xiaotian quickly flipped out of the range of the cloud ladder and landed safely and in a normal posture.
As for the top of the cloud ladder, it was even simpler for Xiaotian: he simply wrestled the tires of his four limbs against the railings on both sides of the cloud ladder, and sped over in a flash, as smooth as silk.
"Tang Lian, if you want extra training, just say so. Why beat around the bush like this?"
Zeng Shaokai watched as Xiaotian walked back to Lao Tang's side with its head held high, and said with a wry smile, "With its speed, even if you brought the best in the entire army, you still couldn't outrun it!"
"Hehe~ You used to be so cocky, but now you can't even beat a dog. Let's see how cocky you are now."
Old Tang patted Xiaotian's head with a smile, then announced to everyone: "This is the new equipment that the higher-ups have given us: a multi-functional auxiliary self-discipline dog."
Now, everyone go to the warehouse to collect one.
Today, make sure I memorize all the basic care and functions of a self-disciplined dog, and then we'll work on getting used to each other.
Starting tomorrow, all patrol missions will require the use of disciplined dogs.