Chapter 583.2: Brute Force Is The Key!

Even with flares, vision was poor.

Without ground support, pure air raids were limited.

Light Wind guessed their bombing had killed maybe 100 or so Mutant Humans.

Injuries didn’t count as their healing was absurd. If not killed instantly, they would quickly recover.

Still, 100 dead was decent.

More importantly, they had crippled the vehicles, halting the march on Pinecone Ranch.

With their mobility gone, even if most survived, the pressure on their allies would ease greatly.

Mosquito knew that well and their task was complete.

But still... Mission complete and clocking out while looking perfectly alright, that just wasn’t his style.

"Not important! Doesn’t matter if we can’t see, just hose down their general position and we’re good! Brothers, follow me! Gagagaga...!" cackling wildly, Mosquito yanked his stick to the side, swung the nose around, and dove back, spraying the ground with his cannons.

Meanwhile, on the plain below, the Mutant Humans, stunned by his strafing run, finally came to their senses, scattering to evade the aircraft swooping back.

Watching the burning wreckage strewn across the field and the buzzing flies overhead, Kuru, standing on a jeep, ground his teeth nearly to powder.

40 armed trucks!

He had plundered over a dozen caravans to gather them all, and half of it was destroyed in a single strike!

His heart bled. Rage boiling over, he threw back his head and roared, "Kuru! Open fire! Everyone fire! Shoot down those noisy birds!"

Blinded by fury, he gripped the welded gun atop the jeep and sprayed wildly into the sky.

Flames and tracers clawed at the planes, but the muzzle flashes only betrayed his position.

Without warning, the 20mm cannons were faster than sound. Just as he registered the shriek overhead, a burst of rounds slammed into his jeep.

Bullet holes chewed through the hood, clawed up the mud-caked trunk. The driver died instantly. His aide in the back seat followed a heartbeat later.

"Ahhh!"

Blood and flesh burst across the cabin, drenching Kuru in thick weird fluid. His gun was shredded to scrap.

He was flung from the jeep, rolling on the dirt. He staggered up just in time to see his vehicle’s fuel tank explode under strafing fire, blossoming into flames.

Sweat rolled from his brow. His throat bobbed and he realized he had just survived by sheer luck.

He reached instinctively for a severed arm beside him, only to lift his own mangled stump.

Pain surged belatedly through his nerves. His twisted green face contorted further.

Looking around at the carnage, the countless mutant warriors cut down, he could no longer contain his fury.

"AARGGGGGGHH!"

Above, Mosquito pulled up from his run.

Glancing at the fire-speckled plain, surprise flickered across his face. Even with all the strange foes he’d seen, he had to admit. Those green-skin gorillas had guts.

"God damn..."

Firing blindly into the sky?

What, afraid they wouldn’t know where to shoot without their help?

...

Elsewhere, on a hill kilometers away,

Xiao Yue swallowed hard, staring dumbfounded at the blazing plain and the scattering Mutant Humans. At last, he croaked, "... That’s the New Alliance’s planes."

Li Jinrong’s mouth hung open.

He said nothing, eyes locked on the scene.

He had heard rumors. A group called the New Alliance had fought the Army in the northwest. But neither name had meant much to him.

Now he understood.

That roaring firestorm seared into his mind.

An army of Mutant Humans, swaggering moments ago, had been swallowed in fire, survivors fleeing under tracer bullets like terrified beasts.

After a long silence, Xiao Yue turned to him. "... Do we still need to go to that farm?"

It sounded like a foolish question.

Li Jinrong thought for a while, then nodded. "We’ll go."

Of course.

They didn’t have to warn them. Clearly, the farm already knew.

But why were the Mutant Humans marching there at night? And why were New Alliance aircraft waiting overhead?

Everyone knew Pinecone Ranch was Torch Church’s territory, and the Qi Tribe were their allies.

Li Jinrong felt a tingling running down his spine.

Could it be the New Alliance had officially declared war on the Torch Church?

That would be monumental news...

...

Pinecone Ranch.

The Spirit Interference Device had been disabled, but chaos still reigned.

The players, however, had no time for panicked survivors. Some guarded the manor, others followed Night Ten to storm the church that had been built.

"FBI OPEN UP!

Ahem

, I mean, we’re here to help!" With a kick, the half-closed door burst open. Kidney Fighter charged in, rifle pointing everywhere.

Seeing the half-bodied warrior, the priest inside froze in terror. The grenade in his hand dropped to the floor, safety pin still stuck inside.

He knew nothing.

One moment, the people outside went mad, biting everyone.

Now, gunfire roared like fireworks, and the Apostles had vanished. He had no idea what to do but pray.

Spotting him cowering in a corner, Peepo stomped forward, fists as large as excavator buckets slamming down beside him. A savage grin formed on his face. "Where’s the Apostle? The Torch Church’s Apostle, don’t play dumb with me."

"I, I..." The pastor stammered.

"Stop wasting time." Night Ten strode up, jabbing his rifle against the man’s forehead.

"Talk, where’s the basement?"

"I, I’ll take you!" Shaking violently, the pastor led them down.

The basement was pitch-black.

Kidney Fighter reached for his flashlight, but Quit Smoking spotted a switch and flipped it. Incandescent bulbs lit the room.

Awkwardly tucking his flashlight away, Kidney Fighter coughed. "So... Is there really a passage here?"

It looked like a simple study.

Bookshelves, a desk... Everything was spotless.

Night Ten glanced at the pastor, who paled further.

"I, I don’t know, it’s the Apostle’s study, I’ve only been here a few times!"

"Usually, there’s some hidden mechanism..."

Quit Smoking muttered, rummaging under the desk and shelves, but found nothing.

Peepo clicked his tongue, storming forward. "Get out of the way, I got this!"

Quit Smoking eyed him warily.

"And what’s your plan?"

"Heh, simple, brute force, baby!" Laughing, Peepo flexed. Finally, a chance to use his exoskeleton properly.

He swung a fist into the wall.

Bang!

Dust fell and cement cracked, but the wall held. It was completely solid.

All eyes fell on him. Embarrassed, he coughed, tried to scratch his head, then dropped his hands. "Uh... Wrong wall. I’ll try another."

He knew it was dumb, but he had already declared he would finish the task. There was no backing down now.

As he moved to another wall, Night Ten and the others stared in disbelief.

"Fuck... What if you collapse the passage before we even find it?!"

And what if there were traps...?!

But before Night Ten finished, the massive fist struck again.

This time, beneath the cracked plaster, a gap appeared.

Peepo’s eyes lit up. "There’s something behind it!"

He raised his fist for another blow, when noise erupted upstairs.

The players who had been guarding outside instantly roared, "Don’t move! Drop your guns!"

At the same time, two gunshots cracked.

Night Ten rushed out instantly, others close behind.

Moments later, the gunfire ceased.

Voices came over their communication channel.

"Got one... The bastard walked right in through the front door. Lucky me, haha!"

"So their intelligence is behind ours... They didn’t even reach the tunnel yet..."

"Four Apostles!"

"Holy shit! We caught a big fish!"

"Who’s heading back to the manor? Get Old White to shut down that Spirit Interference Device already. This broken signal’s killing me!"

So... Was that it? Did they already clear the mission?

Staring blankly, Peepo stood silent for a long moment before squeezing out a single word. "Fuck!"