54: Chapter 54 Spectating

A warm, red-and-white mixture splashed across the metal surface of the machine gun turret. The machine gunner's body went limp, collapsing directly onto the weapon, and he stopped moving entirely.

The meticulously planned ambush erupted suddenly!

The elite security personnel inside the remaining two armored vehicles reacted with lightning speed, living up to their reputation as elite combat forces carefully cultivated by the New Era Corporation.

The moment the gunfire started, the vehicle doors were violently kicked open. The security soldiers, displaying astonishing discipline, quickly dropped to the ground, using the vehicle bodies and roadside debris to establish cover.

The next second, dense tongues of fire from automatic rifles spewed out frantically. A rain of bullets swept toward the high ground where Captain Xia Dong was positioned. Dense clusters of projectiles slammed into the concrete wall, sending out blinding sparks and flying debris, with the popping sounds of impact ringing out incessantly.

From the blind spot on the flank, Night Owl's lethal assault arrived right on schedule.

He dashed out from the darkness of his cover, his form moving so fast it left a blurred afterimage. His modified assault rifle spat out short, precise, and lethal bursts of fire.

After two muffled, suppressed gunshots, two security soldiers who were retreating from the wrecked Vehicle No. 1 and attempting to set up a flank defense fell to the ground, completely incapacitated.

"Detonate!" Iron Weld roared, his finger pressing the remote button.

The sound-and-light stun devices pre-planted at both ends of the intersection detonated instantly!

An intensely blinding white light exploded suddenly, instantly engulfing the entire battlefield, followed immediately by a deafening roar that hammered against everyone's eardrums.

The security soldiers from Vehicle No. 3, who hadn't had time to close their eyes or take precautions, were instantly blinded by the intense light. Their vision turned stark white, and severe tinnitus left them dizzy, disoriented, and momentarily incapacitated.

From the high ground, Sniper Leader You Tong remained absolutely calm. Her sniper rifle fired intermittently, with every shot precisely locking onto a key target.

Within just a few seconds, the New Era squad's firepower nodes and command structure completely collapsed, and their initially orderly defensive Formation plunged into chaos.

The brutal slaughter fully unfolded.

The sharp whistling of bullets, the roar of explosions, the crisp cracking of shattering metal, and the shrill screams of the wounded and the moans of the dying intertwined, composing a bloody death symphony unique to the apocalypse amidst the desolate ruins.

Every New Era security member was clad in specialized polymer protective suits, capable of withstanding strafing from ordinary light weapons and shrapnel impacts, offering defense far superior to the equipment of ordinary survivors.

Yet, under the large-caliber armor-piercing rounds of the Skull Crusher and Sniper Leader You Tong's precise sniping, they remained vulnerable; the protective suits were easily torn and penetrated, failing to protect their vital points.

Even with heavy casualties, this elite squad still displayed strong military discipline. No one fled; they continued to resist stubbornly, desperate to reorganize their defensive line, break through the encirclement, and call for reinforcements.

The battlefield situation changed in an instant. Captain Xia Dong's gaze was piercing as he loudly issued combat orders, his voice cutting through the flying gunfire: "Night Owl! Advance to Vehicle No. 2 and seize the reagent case! Iron Weld! Use close-quarters explosives to breach the door! Sniper Leader You Tong, provide full suppression and clear out all enemies approaching the case!"

Before his voice had even faded, Night Owl had already used the cover of smoke to dash toward the second armored vehicle with lightning speed.

Stray bullets constantly exploded beside him and grazed the walls. Relying on his extreme reaction speed and nimble movement—sidestepping, rolling, and sprinting—all lethal attacks missed him completely.

Two security soldiers intercepted him mid-path, lunging forward. Night Owl did not dodge or retreat; the moment he closed the distance, he drew the poison-coated combat blade from his waist.

A cold glint flashed. The sharp blade precisely sliced open the enemies' carotid arteries, and two fountains of blood sprayed out. The two soldiers didn't even have time to scream before clutching their necks and collapsing with a thud, twitching for a moment before losing all breath.

Iron Weld followed closely behind Night Owl, enduring the suppressing fire of scattered stray bullets as he quickly pressed against the side of the second armored vehicle.

His movements were skillful and efficient. He quickly took a directional breaching charge from his pack, firmly attached it to the core position of the door lock and hinges, secured the fuse, and then roared: "Fall back!!"

The moment his words finished, he violently rolled to the side to retreat. "Bang—!!"

The muffled sound of the directional explosion erupted suddenly. The immense force blew the side door of the armored vehicle, causing it to twist, deform, and collapse inward. The thick steel plate cracked with jagged fissures, and billowing smoke instantly flooded the inside and outside of the vehicle compartment.

Night Owl flashed forward, using the aftermath of the explosion to be the first to charge into the narrow compartment.

Inside the vehicle remained only three surviving security guards and the researcher who was clutching the cooler box for dear life.

In the cramped space, a gunfight broke out instantly. The crisp clanging of bullets striking the metal walls of the compartment was piercingly loud, and sparks flew everywhere.

Night Owl switched between his dual weapons, using his assault rifle to clear the enemies in front and his large-caliber pistol to finish off the remaining foes. Combined with his tricky and compact tactical maneuvering, he moved agilely within the small compartment.

Within seconds, the three resisting security guards all fell to the ground, no longer showing signs of life.

The surviving researcher was already pale with terror, trembling violently, hugging the silver cooler box tightly as he desperately curled up and backed away. His eyes were filled with extreme fear and despair, and his teeth chattered incessantly.

Night Owl did not hesitate for a moment, making no wasted movements as he raised his hand and fired a single shot, precisely striking the target's fatal point.

Intense pain swept through his entire body instantly. The researcher let out a shrill scream, his legs went limp, and he fell heavily to the ground. His tense arms lost all strength, and the precious silver cooler box slipped from his grasp and rolled away.

Night Owl stepped forward and steadily scooped up the case with one hand.

The case was not large, but it felt unusually cold and heavy in his hand. The surface of the case was engraved with the high-end encrypted lock patterns exclusive to New Era Biotechnology, and the cold metal texture carried the weight of top-secret information.

"Target acquired. Evolution reagent case confirmed!" Night Owl suppressed the excitement in his heart, his low report transmitting through the headset.

"All units, retreat! Withdraw along the predetermined underground tunnel route! Sniper Leader You Tong, provide rear-guard cover!" Captain Xia Dong made a decisive decision and issued the withdrawal order.

The entire Blood Fiend Squad, full of tacit understanding, immediately pulled away and retreated from the battlefield.

Night Owl, holding the core case, leaped out of the wrecked armored vehicle side-by-side with Iron Weld. Stepping over the ruins and rubble, they sprinted at full speed toward the entrance of the abandoned underground utility maintenance tunnel not far away—the evacuation route they had scouted in advance.

The moment the gunfire ceased, Captain Xia Dong immediately shouldered his heavy machine gun. Ignoring the several new bullet marks and varying degrees of abrasions on his protective suit, and letting the wounds seep blood, he turned and strode after his teammates.

From the high ground, Sniper Leader You Tong, having discovered that no more enemies were appearing, calmly put away her gun and disassembled her equipment. Her form blended lightly into the shadows of the high-rise building; she quickly descended along a pre-set zipline and quietly pursued the retreating squad.

The entire ruin of a battlefield was filled with smoke, wrecked vehicles were smoldering, corpses lay everywhere, and it was a scene of utter devastation.

In the depths of the shadows of an intact high-rise building in the distance, Li Changqing stood quietly, taking in this completely different kind of slaughter.

There were no mysterious and brilliant Spell lights, nor any intricate and complex Formation battles.

What existed were only cold, technological firearms, precise and extreme tactical coordination, seamless teamwork, and the most naked, bloody, and cruel resource slaughter of the apocalypse.

Watching the blasted armored vehicles, the corpses scattered everywhere, and the dark red blood soaking into the rubble, Li Changqing's eyes gleamed with a flash of light. Waves rose in his heart, giving him an intuitive understanding of the survival environment of this world.