Editing HEAVY OBJECT:EX Chapter 1 (section)

===Part 3===

A shrill bell-like noise rang out.

A young Faith Organization soldier frowned as he stuck up from the four-wheel drive truck and aimed the attached machinegun into the grass. The machinegun was covered in a large light, a microphone, and other tools, but the microphone had picked up a waveform unusual for the jungle at night.

He received no reply when calling out over the radio, so it wouldn’t be any of his colleagues shirking their duties for a roll in the hay.

He had followed regulations by calling in a report, followed regulations by having the truck stop, and followed regulations by asking for further investigation, but then something happened.

A loud sound of chirping bugs came from the grass he shined the light on.

However, they would never have a chance to relax if they let that surprise them. The soldiers moved with practiced ease as they used their assault rifles to part the tall grass and check through it.

“Nothing here.”

“Nope, nothing.”

“There are some signs of the grass being disturbed, but it was probably an animal. A gibbon or old world monkey or whatever they’re called was probably eating bugs.”

“They’re called lemurs. You’ll regret it later if you don’t memorize the protected species in the manual. If you accidentally eat one in a bout of outdoorsiness, it’ll cause an international incident.”

The soldier on the roof doubted that could actually happen, but he was more interested in the readings on the devices than in his comrades’ report.

However…

“If there was a local kid, an enemy soldier, a little gray, or whatever else hiding here, they would’ve had to run away pretty quickly and this mic would’ve picked that up.”

“If there weren’t any unusual readings, it means it wasn’t human.”

“You damn geek. You doubt us and then treat the machine like your girlfriend.”

There was a hint of venom mixed into his colleagues’ jocular tone.

Still, the soldier on the roof tilted his head.

He continued tilting it.