Wu Paulo snorted coldly. “So what? Didn’t you say no one can get in? If we need to take it, we take it, damn it! Once summer arrives, I will leave this place. Who cares about anyone else’s fate!”
Kikuchi Kohei explained, “True Man, while ordinary research teams indeed cannot enter at this time—lacking both equipment and the physical capability of the personnel—that does not mean military forces cannot. If this draws international attention, some nations might dispatch troops to intervene.”
Wu Paulo asked, “How could the military get in?”
Kikuchi Kohei replied, “The main methods would be airdrops and airborne insertion. In an emergency, they could parachute special forces and light armoured vehicles here. There are also bombers capable of all-weather precision strikes, not to mention long-range missiles.”
“Bloody hell,” Wu Paulo muttered, somewhat frustrated.
He had thought he was now the undisputed emperor of Antarctica, yet it turned out national militaries could arrive whenever they wished.
However, the likelihood of any military delivering aviation fuel to a research team was extremely low. In the end, the helicopters would still have to be grounded.
Just then, another idea occurred to him, and he blurted out, “If open seizure is not possible, covert acquisition should be acceptable, right? Which country currently has the most researchers, supplies, and equipment in Antarctica? Tell me, and I will directly take control of them all. Not only will they provide fuel and supplies, but they can also help me search!”
Kikuchi Kohei answered instinctively, “If you ask which has the largest research team, it would undoubtedly be the American one. They have several stations in Antarctica, and the largest, McMurdo Station, maintains over two hundred permanent winter personnel. There is certainly a vast amount of equipment and supplies there.”
“Over two hundred people?”
Wu Paulo suddenly felt daunted. “That is far too many. Even hypnotic suggestion would be impossible to apply to all of them. Is there no station with fewer people?”
For Wu Paulo, psychic suggestion consumed spiritual energy. The last time he had influenced the several dozen personnel at Showa Station, it had already cost him a considerable amount. To influence two hundred more would likely deplete nearly all his remaining energy. If danger arose, what then? He had only a few pills left in reserve, and replenishment was a serious problem.
Unaware of his concerns, Kikuchi Kohei, eager to solve the issue, replied respectfully, “True Man, the other American sites have at most a few dozen personnel each. Their supply reserves cannot compare to McMurdo Station. McMurdo is not only the largest Antarctic research station but also the logistics base for all American operations in Antarctica, so it holds enormous quantities of equipment and supplies. They probably have far more than three or five helicopters, and fuel is certainly plentiful.”
Hearing this, Wu Paulo felt tempted once again.
If he could bring that station under his control, the sheer volume of supplies and equipment would likely multiply the search speed several times over.
That would greatly increase his own chances of exploring Antarctica.
Although it might exhaust a large amount of spiritual energy and leave him in a dangerous depleted state, there were no enemies in Antarctica. What did he have to fear?
Moreover, controlling another two hundred people would give him nearly three hundred at his command, plus abundant modern equipment. Surely nothing in Antarctica could threaten him.
With that thought, he decided to take the risk.
He immediately asked Kikuchi Kohei, “Where is this McMurdo Station you mentioned? How far is it from here?”
Kikuchi Kohei replied, “The straight-line distance is roughly thirteen hundred kilometres. By vehicle, one would have to take a large detour, nearly three thousand kilometres.”
Wu Paulo nearly spat blood. “Damn it, that far?!”
