novelraw Chapter 794 - 431: Gentle Creekside Fire, Iron Horses on Frozen Rivers
Chapter 794 - 431: Gentle Creekside Fire, Iron Horses on Frozen Rivers
"It's almost time."
In the armored vehicle, Lu Feng in the passenger seat flicked his cigarette butt out the window and picked up the walkie-talkie: "All units advance, commence the sweep—"
Amidst the rain and fog, pairs of ferocious, crimson eyes lit up.
In the sharp, clanging friction sounds, those steel giants half-squatting on the ground, bathed in rain, slowly stood up, their heavy exoskeletons covered with bullet marks, pitch black except for a Coastal Industry emblem, pale like a bone.
At the instant the signal flare, vibrant like fire, rose into the sky, giant shields like iron walls lifted and pushed forward fiercely, charging forward like iron steeds galloping through a nightmare!
"Drop your weapons, surrender, no killing—"
Amidst the roar and gunshots, a sharp noise filled with static burst out from the giant speaker outside Pan Mountain Village, repeating ceaselessly.
But simultaneously, countless drones had already launched out from the control vehicle like a swarm of bees, rushing into the fortress, their cameras arrogantly scanning, sweeping over each threatening target, marking, pinpointing, transmitting.
Instantly, in the head-screen of the exoskeleton, images from the cameras revealed silhouettes hidden within the fortress, threatening targets holding weapons were highlighted in red.
There wasn't even a need to burst into the encirclement, through the walls filled with cracks, the arm of the heavy power armor raised, anchor-type armor-piercing guns loaded, targeted, trigger pulled.
Immediately, in the infrared scanning view, the glowing metal rod had already pierced through the wall, into bodies, nailing the pierced figures to the wall.
The screams were unceasing.
The Withering advance and slaughter had only just begun!
Under the detection and targeting of the vanguard drones, it was like having Heavenly Eye open, pushing forward relentlessly.
The transmission and relaying of signals, the calculations and analysis of high-threat identification, the coupling and conversion between different protocols, exoskeleton aiming assistance and attack warnings, coordination and bombardment of grenade and rocket launchers…
Everything worked tightly together, seamlessly.
In the Federation Military Department's procurement, a single squad would require a forty-one million joint combat system, yet the terrifying effect brought by Mechanical Descent had already been fully completed, far exceeding expectations.
Even completely mixed parts, different manufacturers' chips, and diverse motherboard specifications, including hundreds and thousands of different protocols, validations, and interactions between different systems, were all disregarded.
As soon as the prototype ran through a process under Mechanical Descent's assistance, it would fully integrate, as if it was born that way. Afterward, mass production and periodic server maintenance would suffice.
Everything now, for all Coastal members, was more like a game rather than combat, even simpler than an FPS game.
No need to worry about hit points, composite armor could ignore ordinary bullets, the alloy giant shield in hand could even withstand close-range explosions and armor-piercing shells.
It even had wall-penetrating and auto-aim features.
In the past, those trench fighters struggling to survive, where had they ever had such sinful treatment? Pressing a button while sitting in armor, and their wages were in hand?
It even included special combat allowances, weather subsidies, and double overtime pay!
One by one, they were like mad dogs let loose from cages, crashing and rushing, reckless and fearless, unless the system indicated insufficient power or severe damage, they were completely unfazed.
And their opponents on the other side, doomed for bad luck, could only cry, scream, and wait for death.
Without even seeing a person, shot through the walls as they were obliterated into shreds.
Resistance was merely futile.
But no one dared to drop their weapons, nor did anyone want to give up resisting. It's not that they didn't trust Coastal's character but rather that they understood Coastal's tactics too well...
According to Coastal's rules, currently in Pan Mountain Village, aside from stored food and goods in the dungeon, everyone was deemed deserving of death, even dying was not an option.
If the other side used the technology they toyed with goods and toys, just half of that on them, they would rather die cleanly!
The screams and cries now were just another continuation of what they had done countless times before, no one would waver for tears, nor would anyone hesitate for begging.
Death!
The combat members loyally executed Ji Jue's orders—any traitors cooperating with the Water Ghost, any settlements treating people as commodities, and any gangs treating people as non-human, all only faced death!
Rebels died!
Non-rebels were hung up to die!
First was He Fang Town, then Tian Ning, followed by Mountain Gate; after a week of heads rolling in the wilderness, as they killed all the way to Taiyin River, a week had passed.
A whole week, a week of slaughter!
In these seven days, more people died in the wilderness of Hai Province than in the previous five or six years combined during Water Ghost's raids!
He Fang Town, once one of the largest settlements in the wilderness, had been completely dismantled into ruins.
The rain had fallen for seven days, yet not even seven days of downpour could wash away the blood in the ruins, the leader hanged from the wind turbine was already rotten, but no one dared to take him down.
Even occasionally when someone saw the strange silhouette swaying in the wind while passing nearby, they would lower their head like they've seen a ghost, pretending not to see.