Chapter 106: Whether One Is Human Matters Little

After identifying himself as a scientist, Zhou Shu began examining the corpse.

Although this wasn’t the real world and he couldn’t detect source energy, the Predator was still a treasure trove, especially with its plasma shoulder cannon and wrist-mounted computer.

Despite the Predator’s advanced technology, it always went out hunting armed with melee weapons. Though the materials were incredibly formidable, they lacked the flashiness of high-tech gadgets.

The plasma shoulder cannon was a powerful thermal weapon fixed to the Predator’s shoulder. It locked on targets automatically via infrared sensors in the mask, and its power could be adjusted.

In rapid-fire mode, its power was lower but the firing rate was high—perfect for dealing with large groups of enemies or heavily armored troops. It could also store energy to fire a devastating “shell.”

These “shells” were comet-shaped plasma energy balls.

Just moments ago, Zhou Shu had nearly been blown away; a plasma orb flew past his head, singeing off half his hair.

Though the Predator was dead, its weapons still had value. Detaching the shoulder cannon allowed it to be used as a plasma pistol.

This battle clearly showed that human firearms were becoming ineffective—fighting both aliens and Predators was a struggle, and the alien queen was yet to come. So he needed this weapon.

Since it was his first encounter with such creatures, he avoided close combat, preferring to test their limits with ranged weapons before considering melee.

Like firing a calibration shot before artillery barrage—testing the waters first.

If effective, unleash the full cannon barrage!

If not, retreat.

He not only wanted the weapon but was eager to acquire the technology behind it. After all, the “super soldier” already possessed two similar support weapons, and upgrading to these would be a game-changer.

However, after searching, he found only the Predator he killed carried the shoulder cannon; the other one, collapsed by the wall, had none.

He wasn’t concerned, as this scenario was no longer following the movie plot.

In the official storyline, neither Predator had shoulder cannons at first; the weapons were in human hands until the humans were nearly wiped out, after which the Predators reclaimed the cannons to fight the aliens together.

The female guide, who happened to kill an alien, was recognized by the Predators, branded with a corrosion mark, becoming a “psychic Predator,” and fought alongside them.

In the end, she and the Predators defeated the alien queen, but the Predators were nearly dead. Then a massive spaceship appeared; the Predator elder acknowledged her corrosion mark and gave her a telescoping spear as a keepsake.

Finally, the Predators who had killed many departed on the ship.

So Zhou Shu’s situation was certainly diverging from the original plot. The shoulder cannon attack from the Predator earlier was likely a “training obstacle” set by the hunting system.

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The absence of the shoulder cannon wasn’t a problem; the wrist-mounted microcomputer was equally valuable.

Mounted on the Predator’s left arm, this micro wrist computer was complex. It controlled most of the thermal weapons and high-tech gear, including spectrum scanning and cloaking systems, and could perform biological analyses.

It also featured a laser holographic projector to assist the Predator in analyzing and displaying information.

But Zhou Shu felt its most impressive feature wasn’t the auxiliary functions—human technology in the real world could replicate similar things, even rough laser holograms were in experimental stages.

Its true power lay in its “explosive capability.” Compared to the explosive power of a certain planet’s mobile phone, this device’s blast was earth-shattering!

When the Predator was defeated, overwhelmed by enemies, or failed its rite of passage, allowing aliens to amass large armies, it would detonate the device.

The blast radius varied—from erasing an area the size of a spaceship to destroying a district spanning over 300 streets, and in extreme cases, annihilating an entire planet!

This was practically a game-breaking cheat!

Zhou Shu wanted to acquire this technology, but the gap between human and alien tech was not only technical but cognitive, making it difficult to learn.

Moreover, there was no scientific equipment here, and he wasn’t a game protagonist who could craft tools with bare hands.

Fortunately, the hunting system had fully analyzed his personality. To keep him training diligently and pushing toward becoming a super soldier, it had to offer rewards.

What kind of rewards did Zhou Shu like?

Obviously, all kinds of cutting-edge technology.

Thus, within its logical framework, the hunting system devised a new reward mechanism specifically for Zhou Shu.

Whenever he completed training goals and gained attributes and abilities, moving closer to becoming a super soldier, it would grant victory rewards after each successful mission.

These rewards were classic technologies featured within the virtual battlefield.

While Zhou Shu scavenged equipment here, the elderly man who had stumbled near the door was helped up by a young couple. They glanced toward Zhou Shu, then at the dark external passage, ultimately deciding to stay put.

After all, compared to the monsters roaming outside, this place seemed safer.

They had fled here frightened by the creatures outside.

Though there was a “humanoid monster” here, it had just killed two “real monsters” and even spoke English, claiming to be a scientist.

Who would believe that?

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Effortlessly killing two monsters—how could that be a scientist?

Yet, considering everything, Zhou Shu seemed unlikely to harm them, so whether he was truly “human” or a “scientist” was less important.

They cautiously approached. Seeing Zhou Shu examining the corpse, the woman thought about how to start the conversation.

She told the others to stay calm, then took out from her backpack the items they had retrieved from the stone coffin. Standing two meters away, she quietly asked, “Sir, are you looking for this?”

Zhou Shu turned and saw the other two shoulder cannons from the movie.

“Yes, thank you.”

He politely took them, scanning the three with his “abnormal sense.” Finding no issues—they were human, with no alien or monster influence.

The three shoulder cannons varied in design and size. Zhou Shu held them, pondering how to use them as pistols. The three people, seeing he was approachable, gathered closer.

They exchanged silent glances before the woman curiously asked, “Sir, how did you… I mean, how did you find this place?”

She didn’t dare ask directly how he managed to kill two monsters—after all, Zhou Shu himself appeared monstrous. If she asked the wrong thing and he decided to silence them, it would be tragic.

They were definitely the first group to arrive here, with no leaked information, so ordinary people couldn’t come. Asking this question might yield useful information.

Zhou Shu fiddled with the plasma shoulder cannon. Hearing this, he thought of a question and put down the weapon, turning to ask, “Do you know if there’s a Norwegian research station nearby?”

“Yes, that’s the closest Antarctic research station to here. Did you come from there?” the woman replied.

Compared to the elderly billionaire and the male expert studying pyramids, the explorer woman knew more about these matters.

“Yes. Terrible things happened there too,” Zhou Shu answered.

He also thought to himself: the timeline and geography were really all scrambled.