Chapter 576.2: Money Is Literally On Fire

Seizing the moment, Dog Good Names raised his rifle and fired two shots into the balcony.

Blood sprayed from the man’s belly and shoulder. Without a word, he toppled backward.

Dog Good Names’s eyes widened in surprise, then he spat with glee. “

Peh

! That’s what you get for showing off!”

But Ample Time’s warning rang out. “Don’t relax! That guy was just a puppet!”

Dog Good Names snapped, “What the fuck?!”

"Open fire!" Ample Time gripped his rifle tightly, aiming straight at the hulking brute sitting atop the pile of corpses.

The mound of flesh had already risen to its feet, stomping heavily as it charged toward the players standing at the hall’s entrance.

Ratatatata...

Muzzle flashes erupted, brass casings clattering to the floor.

Falling Feather squeezed the trigger without hesitation, sending streaks of orange-yellow tracers streaming toward the charging monster.

𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

But to his shock, the bullets sank into the thing’s mass like rounds into gelatin, not even stirring a ripple across its wall-like body.

"What the fuck?! What the hell is this thing?!"

Even as concentrated fire pounded into its massive head, the mountain of flesh showed no reaction. The kinetic force was completely absorbed.

Even under the barrage of ten rifles, the creature did not falter, its windmill-sized hand sweeping toward the group at the door, whipping up a gust in the vast hall.

"Yiwu!"

As it closed in, a Little Feather in a K-10 Iron Wall exoskeleton dashed forward with its blade drawn.

Rushing forward, the blade stabbed into the left chest of the creature.

But instead of blood, only fat met the steel. There was no heart inside.

"Fuck!"

A short cry burst through the communication channel.

Like a freight train, the beast barely paused before smashing the exoskeleton-clad Little Feather aside before barreling on toward the group.

Luckily, Little Feather’s sub-body had bought precious seconds, letting the others dodge the sweeping palm.

Raising an arm to shield himself from flying shards of tile, Ample Time yanked a firebomb from his exoskeleton and hurled it at Goliath.

Flames engulfed the monster’s body instantly.

But against its enormity, the blaze was no more than a flickering lighter flame. It was harmless.

Well, it wasn’t like he had expected firebombs to finish it off...

Taking advantage of its pained roar, Ample Time barked, "Teams 3 and 4, pull out of the building now!"

"Drone team, prepare to fire!"

"Old White! We need you here!"

"Night Ten! Are you ready yet?! If not, drop it, we’re pulling out!"

Night Ten hadn’t gone inside. He had stayed with the coachman at the slaves’ quarters, replacing Falling Feather to rescue the six-year-old girl.

Falling Feather had to command the Little Feathers, and they were strongest when close to him.

Even after waiting for some time, no reply came from Night Ten.

Instead, Old White’s voice answered through wind and static. "... Hold on! We’re on our way, almost there!"

At the same moment, a shrill broadcast ripped across the estate, that dry, shrieking laughter echoing above the manor.

"Hahaha..."

"This is pointless."

"You won’t escape!"

"Stay here forever!"

Goliath roared, smashing through the front wall of the villa, its twisted face bellowing at the players who tumbled into the courtyard.

"Roar!"

Leaves and dust blasted into the air. From the front yard, Teams 3 and 4 opened fire, while Team 2 in the flowerbeds and Team 1 circling from the rear joined in.

For the first time, Goliath faltered, its roar tinged with pain.

It wasn’t invincible. Injury meant it could still feel pain.

Then, two streaks of fire dropped from the sky, slamming into its shoulders.

Explosions consumed it, its deafening roar cut short as flames and shrapnel tore flesh.

The air reeked of charred meat.

As the smoke cleared, a mangled lump of gore stood at the ruined doorway, completely unrecognizable. Charred chunks littered the scorched stone.

Falling Feather swallowed hard, staring at the burning steps.

"Did we... kill it?"

Not quite.

Its bloated torso still heaved. Even torn apart by missiles, it clung to life.

And worse, wormlike strands sprouted from its wounds, twisting and knitting flesh at visible speed.

Its regeneration was obscenely overpowered, even for Mutant Humans.

Its legs started to grow out again and it suddenly began retreating.

Seeing this, Ample Time yelled, "Gale, two more shots!"

A calm voice replied. "Copy."

Two more missiles streaked down, one plunging straight into its healing wound. Meat tendrils writhed, trying to eject the warhead.

It was shame it was too late.

The explosion ripped it apart again, consuming it in fire.

No matter how fast it healed, it was still carbon-based. If two missiles weren’t enough, four would do.

This time, it was enough to take the beast down.

The behemoth collapsed, motionless at last.

Black sludge oozed from ruptures across its body, thick like oil, both blood and fat.

The battle was over, but no one cheered.

They all knew they stood in the very heart of Pinecone Ranch, surrounded by at least three battalions.

They had torn Zhao Tiangan’s manor to shreds with gunfire and blood. No explanation could clear it up.

As for Luo Feihui, the only one who might have smoothed it over, was dead.

"Something’s off..." Ample Time swept the garden with his rifle. "Isn’t it too quiet?"

From the main gate to the manor, there had been at least two checkpoints, over 100 soldiers.

The fight had lasted minutes, yet no patrols or sentries had responded.

He checked the VM’s thermal feed. The corpse glowed at the center, their heat signatures bright at the front.

Further out, clusters of dots gathered near the estate, readying to strike.

He expected as much.

However, even further away, the red dots still moved on their regular routes.

Sudden realization struck him.

"Gale! Fire everything!"

"Everything?"

The word slipped out, but Gale understood instantly, unloading the drone’s last four Dove missiles.

The next moment, the missiles curved midair, turning toward the entrance of the manor.

Seeing the fiery arcs bend, Ample Time balked. He roared into the communication channel, "Into the manor!"

He dove through the doorway just as the explosions burst behind him, the blast wave flinging him inside, helmet slamming a pillar.

He was lucky.

Two players, a step too slow, were engulfed in the inferno, killed by support fire from their side.

Gale’s voice crackled in their minds, "Drone’s been hijacked... sorry! My..."

"This isn’t on you... We’re up against an expert."

Ample Time steadied himself, rising on his rifle.

He recalled the last clash with the Torch Church in the eastern side of Clearspring City. They might be few in number, but they were elite and disciplined. Without home advantage and Mosquito’s air support, they would have lost.

Above, flames burst as the Seagull drone, worth 3,000,000 CR, triggered its failsafe and self-destructed.

That was 3,000,000 CR!

Funds were literally burning.

Tracer fire laced the sky, an anti-air net glowed over the settlement.

Staring into the skies, Ample Time muttered, "Old White... What’s your status?"

Gunfire and wind howled through static. "We’re being driven off by anti airguns! Can’t reach the center, you’ll have to hold on!"

At the window, Falling Feather cried out nervously, "Something’s moving outside! Shit, there’s a lot of them!"

Almost at once, Old White’s warning blared.

"Massive hostiles moving toward you! Be careful, something’s wrong with them!"

"Prepare for battle!"

Ample Time pressed against the window, rifle braced on the sill, signaling Teams 1 and 2 upstairs to prepare for battle.

The defense was set.

Breathing hard, he asked through clenched teeth, "Rough count, how many of them are there?"

Old White’s voice was grim. "Hard to say from here... but if I’m not mistaken, at least 10,000!"

Ample Time froze.

"10,000?!"

Common sense screamed Old White was mistaken, but the reply was firm.

"Yes. That’s a conservative estimate... the whole settlement is converging on your position!"

"???"

What the fuck?!