Chapter 600.2: Skeleton Corps, On Duty!

Her expression sank and she folded her arms. Her cold glare landed on him. “I only came here with the administrator’s permission.”

Driven back two steps by visible killing intent, Night Ten scratched his head awkwardly and muttered, “I know.”

“Then what are you doing here?” Jiang Xuezhou lifted her chin and snapped, “Do you want me to say it? I don’t care for your junk. Stealing your technology would be worse than staring at a paramecium!”

“I’m sorry.”

“...”

She hadn’t expected him to apologize at all. As soon as she heard it, Jiang Xuezhou froze mid-sentence. She stared at him in shock.

Night Ten’s eyes drifted aside, too embarrassed to meet her gaze.

Because truthfully, it was awkward.

He had only just learned from the mission system that she had come to help. She followed her mentor over from the Academy.

Even back in Dawn City, he had suspected her of being a spy, even snapping at her about coming so late...

Looking back, yeah, those words weren’t very appropriate, at least not coming from him.

Before logging off, he even caught his sister’s eye-roll. After hesitating, he had climbed back out of his pod, deciding to clear things up before logging out.

“I said some really harsh things before. I can’t lie and say I didn’t mean it, because I did think that at the time, I even thought it was some hidden quest or something. But please let me take those words back. Jumping to conclusions without investigation was my mistake, and that’s why it turned into such a mess.”

At that point, his pride stung. It was like admitting defeat, so he muttered more under his breath. “Of course, it’s not all my fault. If you’d just said what you came for at the very start, no sneaky ‘show me around’, and no ‘secret mission’, I wouldn’t have gotten the wrong idea.”

Jiang Xuezhou stared at him for a moment, then suddenly burst out laughing.

Night Ten frowned. “What’re you laughing at? I’m being serious here.”

He thought she would stop, but instead she laughed harder. “Ahahaha! Nothing, nothing! Since you’re finally being honest, I’ll just pretend none of that unpleasantness ever happened.”

She flicked her ponytail back over her shoulder, the haughty tilt of her nose replaced by a faint smirk. “Actually, it was kind of funny. First time I’ve ever been tossed in a station as a spy... though my mentor chewed me out afterward.”

The scolding didn’t matter, what she really regretted was dragging so many others into the mess. Even the mayor of Dawn City had gotten involved.

She decided she would write the Dawn City guards a thank-you letter later.

Seeing her regain her spirit, Night Ten relaxed and grinned his usual goofy grin. “So... anyway, glad we cleared it up. If you’ve got tasks, I mean, troubles or worries, just come find me. I’ll head off now.”

As he turned to go, Jiang Xuezhou instinctively called out, “Wait!”

Night Ten paused, glancing back curiously. “What is it?”

“

Ummm

...” Flustered, she looked to the side, twirling her ponytail. “You know... My mentor and I are here about the Na Fruit problem, right? Since D-class members handle most of the fieldwork, I’ll probably be out a lot. Although I am strong enough to take on 100 or 200 awakeners if I get serious, still, for errands and chores, it would be nice to have help...”

When he gave no reaction, she bit her lip in frustration and blurted out the rest. “S-so... if you’re not busy, would you help me out? Please?”

Oh.

Is that it?

After listening to her stammer forever, Night Ten finally understood and laughed. “Leave it to me! I may not be good at carrying trays or doing chores, but protecting you? No problem. Don’t worry, as long as I’m alive, I won’t let you get the slightest scratch.”

The sudden straight ball stunned her.

In a blink, Jiang Xuezhou’s face turned scarlet like an apple.“Y-you better be ready! I... I won’t go easy when bossing you around... D-don’t forget to write your will!”

She babbled nonsense, then bolted like a startled rabbit.

By the time she came to, she was already in her bathroom, splashing her face with water.

Jiang Xuezhou clenched her fist, wanting to punch herself, but ended up hitting the wall instead.

Aaaaah!

What stupid things did I just say?!

She wished she could crawl into a crack and disappear...

Unlike her regret, Night Ten didn’t care about her scary threats at all.

Please, who could out-trash-talk him?

He could sling worse lines by the dozen, even rhyme them into poetry. Even Ample Time, the smooth-talker, couldn’t beat him in a verbal spar. According to him, the old man would roll his eyes and shut up.

He wasn’t bragging... As a proud League of Legends player, he had never lost a flame battle.

What puzzled him was something else...

Watching her disappear, he pulled out his VM, opened his mission tab, and scratched his head.

“Weird.”

No quest trigger?

Surely being bodyguard to an ‘Academy Special Researcher’ should count as a hidden quest.

He muttered to himself in suspicion. “Did those damn devs forget about me?”

Behind the door crack, Yang Xiaoyang quickly ducked back, mimicking the big brother’s head scratch.

She peeked out after hearing the quarrel and saw something totally confusing.

She didn’t understand a word, but it all seemed impressive somehow...

...

The long night passed. The first rays of light crept up the horizon, lightning up the gray sky.

No matter how thick the ground fog, it couldn’t block the rising sun.

From the horizon, dust clouds parted to reveal armored vehicles.

A steel tide bristling with murderous intent arrived. Grenadiers in skull-crested tanks, charging straight for Brocade Lake Municipality.

Since the war in the Sunset Province ended, the Skeleton Corps had had plenty of downtime. Egged on by the fools on the forums, each squad designed its own emblem, painted on chestplates or their armor.

The Skeleton Corps’ emblem was, of course, a skull.

Naturally, they didn’t spend their downtime messing around.

Their Chimera armored vehicle was co-designed by the Skeleton Corps players and the engineers of Goblin Technology.

It came from lessons against the Army. The New Alliance needed a fast and light vehicle to carry infantry in step with tanks.

Before, their armored infantry rode trucks. They were slow, exposed, and were death traps. Veterans would rather run behind tanks than ride those.

Thus, the Chimera was born.

Based on the Army’s Hyena vehicle, with six wheels and front-mounted power module like the real-world WZ551.

Besides a driver and gunner, six exoskeleton-equipped armored infantry could ride in the back.

The turret carried a 37mm autocannon, the same ammunition as aircraft guns, and a Dove missile launcher.

But despite the interior, veterans preferred riding on top as they were used to riding trucks.

Even just kilometers from battle, no fear showed on their faces, only hungry eagerness.

“I’m ready to rack up 22 kills! Who’s taking bets?”

“Haha, Chimera kills don’t count!”

“

Pfft

, like I need that thing.”

“If the Mutant Humans catch you alive, don’t cry for your daddy.”

“Damn right I will!”

“Shameful!”

“Hahahaha!”

Heart of Steel’s bombardment would begin at 8:00 sharp.

Their 37mm autocannons and rifles were already loaded.

From a turret, Escaping Mole raised his binoculars, gazing at the foggy ruins ahead.

Brocade Lake Municipality lay before them.

He dropped his binoculars, opened his communication channel, and bellowed with excitement.

“Brothers...”

“Up ahead is the Qi Tribe’s lair!”

“A bunch of man-eating beasts feasting and singing, unaware of what’s coming!”

“Let’s show those green pigs whether their teeth and bones are harder, or our treads and guns are stronger!”

𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

Someone cut in off-key, “Boss! We’re in armored cars, there are no treads!”

Ignoring the heckler, Escaping Mole roared on with surging emotions.

“Skeleton Corps, forward!”

“Throw death in their faces!”

Just then, 8:00 arrived.

Cannon fire boomed overhead on cue, and their reply was a chorus of war-cries.

“Kill!”