Ch.188188. Sidra’s Brothers

During the era when the ‘Brothers of Sidra’ were still known as a mercenary group—or more accurately, an exploration team.

They would often lead their entire workforce into the ‘Mausoleum of Moby Dick,’ embarking on large-scale expeditions to gather various resources before returning.

While small, poorly equipped groups frequently died on such missions, the main reason for these large expeditions was that smaller operations typically resulted in financial losses or, rarely, marginal profits that weren’t worth the time and money invested.

However, things began to change once their numbers exceeded ten thousand.

The maximum limit for a single expedition was about 10,000 people, as having too many people made it impossible for everyone to work efficiently when collecting and mining resources.

Consequently, large-scale expeditions became both burdensome and less likely to turn a profit, naturally leading to their discontinuation—

Perhaps it was nostalgia for the old days when the company was stable enough and everyone worked directly in the field?

The chairman of the ‘Brothers of Sidra’ wanted to organize an expedition that he would personally plan and participate in, just like before.

Of course, he wasn’t going to bring the entire company along as in the past.

As a businessman operating on a cosmic scale, he couldn’t move recklessly, and his purpose wasn’t simply driven by nostalgia.

Recently, exploration teams of about 400-500 members had been focusing on quickly moving in to salvage ship parts rather than resources, but the ‘Brothers of Sidra’ wanted to try something different.

They wanted to revive the large-scale expedition business that had been effectively abandoned years ago after being outperformed by multiple smaller exploration teams in terms of profitability.

It was a testament to the chairman’s insight that while few companies could attempt such operations, they still held sufficient profit potential.

Thus, under the leadership of the ‘Brothers of Sidra,’ a massive exploration team of 10,000 members was organized to enter the ‘Mausoleum of Moby Dick.’

Since walking through such a dangerous place would likely result in less than half returning alive, all 10,000 members naturally needed vehicular transport. They purchased a large number of armored trucks—AT(Armored Truck)-09.

This previous-generation model from Nano-Tech’s armored truck brand, officially adopted by the FU (Freedom Union) allied forces, was essentially a truck combined with an IFV.

The IFV (Infantry Fighting Vehicle), or infantry combat vehicle, combined with a truck, naturally featured anti-gravity devices that allowed it to hover, making it less constrained by terrain than tracked vehicles.

It could transport up to 40 fully armed infantry by human standards, and featured both a shield generator and substantial armor plating.

Though slightly outdated, it was equipped with laser cannons and anti-tank missiles, making it perfectly capable of serving as both a shield for infantry and an armored combat vehicle.

Of course, apart from these armored trucks, the ‘Brothers of Sidra’ also used large numbers of conventional trucks for transporting harvested materials—

They also brought numerous modified walkers for mining minerals and precious metals embedded in walls.

These walkers, equipped with plasma drills and plasma cutters mounted on mechanical arms attached to their frames, were reinforced for mining operations, making them even sturdier than many military walkers. In emergencies, they could even “mine” attacking monsters.

It would be no exaggeration to say they brought almost everything possible, except for certain weapons restricted to military groups.

The expedition included 6,000 mechanized infantry for combat, 2,000 vehicle and walker operators, and approximately 2,000 additional workers.

This personnel selection clearly demonstrated the ‘Brothers of Sidra’s’ determination to explore the ‘Mausoleum of Moby Dick’ and pioneer a blue ocean opportunity, despite the massive mobilization required.

※ ※ ※

And so, on the day of departure.

[We’re moving out!]

This massive 10,000-person exploration team proudly departed from the city—Babel—and began moving through the passage, anticipating enormous profits.

Of course, some might scoff at how much money or resources could possibly be obtained from ruins with such a large crew, but those people are the true fools.

Wouldn’t the fact that 10 billion people flocked here in just a few years indicate that the spoils have value?

Even harvesting flesh from the ‘Mausoleum of Moby Dick,’ considered the least profitable activity, is more efficient than most mining operations due to the rare metal ores embedded throughout, and the skin is valuable too.

The metal covering the surface of the ‘Mausoleum of Moby Dick’ is excellent as a building material. It’s believed to have formed when various metals combined at the atomic level within the psychic storm.

Strangely, this metal continuously grows if left alone, like some kind of patina, making it valuable for purchase within the city even if not worth exporting.

The most prized treasures are the internal organs of the ‘Mausoleum of Moby Dick.’

The substance flowing through vein-like structures is close to a gas that, with minimal refinement, can be used as fuel. It can even power various engines in a pinch without major issues.

Somewhere within the ‘Mausoleum of Moby Dick,’ there are spaces where armored weapons, metal vehicles, factory machinery, or ship debris have accumulated—these areas are worth their weight in gold.

While the parts found inside these machines might be worth a fortune to individuals but less impressive for large groups, even a single ship has tremendous value.

Rare engines or shield generators are worth astronomical sums just for their parts, and intact engines occasionally found are comparable in value to modern nuclear reactors.

The armor plating commonly used in ships and armored weapons is equally expensive, and that’s not all.

There are also smaller revenue sources—clumps of precious metals formed from jewelry, or modern appliances in good working condition.

And the native monsters roaming inside—presumably mutated beasts caught in the psychic storm—are also extremely valuable and worth hunting in large numbers.

First, they have exceptional research value.

Beasts mutated by psychic storms are as rare as someone surviving being struck by lightning a hundred times consecutively, and these creatures are living there in large numbers?

And they’ve broken free from hive mind control to achieve independent evolution and form their own ecosystem?

With every condition for high value checked off, research institutions across the universe scramble to produce papers on them, and such rarity attracts wealthy collectors.

Carapaces, hides, bio-weapons, or even complete taxidermy specimens—if the corpse is intact and looks impressive, eccentric beast enthusiasts and collectors with suspicious amounts of money from across the universe will pay a fortune.

Additionally, the corpses themselves are extremely rare materials.

Carapaces, skeletons, or hides become custom equipment for wealthy high-ranking mercenaries or rich individuals seeking protection. The flesh serves as culture media for various biotechnology research and as ingredients for culinary enthusiasts. Other organs and internal parts are used as raw materials for electronic circuits.

It’s a perfect example of something where nothing goes to waste.

Of course, among everything here, only psychic entities have absolutely no value.

Killing them yields nothing, at most just psychic single-shot ammunition…

Come to think of it.

I’ve heard that some psychic single-shot ammunition, when properly processed, can be turned into drugs that affect the mind?