91: Golden-ringed hornet

Before the battle, to expand the dense forest space, Lu Yang first cleared hundreds of meters of open ground around the Xinhuo Train.

Then he deployed the multi-functional expansion platforms.

After the Wu Mazi incident, Lu Yang modified the interior of two of the multi-functional expansion platforms.

He built several small combat bunkers.

Each combat bunker could accommodate eight to ten people, and inside, two machine guns and multiple small firing ports were arranged.

The top of the small bunker had a machine cannon firing port where one person could stand.

Coupled with the Jiaolong Assault Rifles and Harvester Individual Grenade Launchers held by others.

The firepower was far more ferocious than imagined.

After all the Train Police Officers had entered their designated combat positions, Lu Yang deployed the multi-functional expansion platform for the PLZ Vehicle-Mounted Self-Propelled Howitzer.

Using the PLZ Vehicle-Mounted Self-Propelled Howitzer to shell flying Golden Ringed Hornets felt a bit like using an anti-aircraft gun to swat mosquitoes.

However, Lu Yang had his own purpose in deploying the PLZ Vehicle-Mounted Self-Propelled Howitzer.

He wanted to clear a portion of the battlefield before the official start of the war, otherwise, those towering giant trees would greatly affect the trajectory and effectiveness of the bullets.

Leading to a result he could not accept.

That was—wasting bullets.

“Boom, boom—”

It was Lu Yang's first time witnessing the firing of a PLZ Vehicle-Mounted Self-Propelled Howitzer firsthand.

But he had to admit, it was truly magnificent!

When he was on Blue Star, he deeply agreed with a saying:

Range is justice, and caliber is truth.

Now, with the 155mm PLZ Vehicle-Mounted Self-Propelled Howitzer shells launched, in the face of absolute truth, the explosive sparks were even more beautiful than the fireworks filling the sky during the New Year.

It made him incredibly excited.

At the same time, taking this opportunity, Lu Yang also specifically tested the burst firing rate of the PLZ Vehicle-Mounted Self-Propelled Howitzer.

“Boom, boom,”

“Boom, boom—”

Automated loading and firing, the thunder-like cannon fire rang out one after another.

Lu Yang had Xiao Xin record it; four consecutive shots took a total of 13.8 seconds.

Which was 1.2 seconds faster than the theoretical firing rate.

However, this would cause the muzzle to overheat quickly.

Multiple continuous shots would affect the service life of the barrel.

After testing the maximum continuous firing, Lu Yang systematically tested the time it took to load new ammunition.

With the assistance of several loaders, it took 25 seconds to reload four new shells.

Which was 5 seconds faster than fully automatic loading.

All data met the expected targets.

On the other side, in the shell impact zone, eight consecutively fired tier 4 155mm howitzer shells had already turned the area for hundreds of meters into a sea of fire.

The shattered branches of trees, torn apart by the shell's shockwave and shrapnel, became the best fuel.

The high temperature of several thousand degrees forced the surviving Golden Ringed Hornets to fly around like headless flies.

A small portion even flew towards the Xinhuo Train.

The Xinhuo Train was parked two kilometers away from the explosion site.

Silently waiting for the Golden Ringed Hornets driven over by the high temperature.

In reality, tier 3 and 4 Golden Ringed Hornets were not very afraid of ordinary flames; the changes in world rules made it difficult for ordinary flames to cause them fatal harm.

Even tier 1 and 2 mutated Golden Ringed Hornets could endure for a long time in raging fires.

Only dying from dehydration when the water in their bodies was roasted dry.

But biological instinct still made them instinctively dislike such flames.

However, the power of tier 4 howitzer shells was still considerable; Golden Ringed Hornets at the central impact point, even those of tier 4, found it difficult to withstand.

After eight howitzer shells, at least seventy or eighty were directly killed by the explosion.

But the price was not cheap either.

One tier 4 howitzer shell required 20 units of tier 3 copper ore; eight shells required 160 units of tier 3 copper ore, which translates to 16,000 units of tier 1 copper ore.

A tier 1 mining spot could only yield five or six thousand units.

If one were to truly calculate it, it would be purely a loss before even starting operations.

Fortunately, the tier 3 timber collection point was close at hand.

As long as these troublesome guys were dealt with, they could go logging.

A tier 3 timber collection point could yield five or six thousand units of tier 3 wood.

This alone could make up half of the wood shortage for building the [Magic Net Core Blueprint (Red)].

Compared to future earnings, Lu Yang gritted his teeth and felt that this expenditure was acceptable.

— — — —

Buzz, buzz, buzz—

A tier 4 Golden Ringed Hornet flapped its wings and flew out, peeking from the gaps between the trees.

Just as the figure of the steel long dragon in front was reflected in its compound coppery red eyes, with a whoosh, a huge crossbow bolt shot out from not far away at an extremely fast speed.

It struck its abdomen with lightning speed, pinning it to a towering giant tree, several people wide, behind it.

Black-green blood profusely seeped from the wound.

Corroding the tree and the ground with sizzling sounds.

Severely wounded, the vitality in the Golden Ringed Hornet's eyes faded at a visible rate.

It struggled a few times.

As a result, it exerted too much force inadvertently, and its front and back halves directly tore apart.

The front half with the head dropped to the ground with a thud, rolling several meters.

This was completely game over.

It couldn't even linger on.

Leaving behind a blueprint glowing with blue light.

With a whoosh, it was sucked back onto the Xinhuo Train by the Train Magnet.

[Stinger Launcher Blueprint]

[Quality: Blue Grade]

[Construction Cost: 50 units of tier 2 Iron Mine]

[Construction Effect: Can obtain a launcher that can fire hundreds of steel venomous stingers at once. (Coverage: 0-300 meters within a 45-degree fan-shaped area directly in front.)]

Looking at this unexpected surprise in his hand, Lu Yang couldn't help but be speechless.

In fact, even though the Stinger Launcher was only a blue-quality blueprint, its attack power was quite strong.

Especially its accompanying toxicity.

According to the detailed description in the blueprint, the stingers fired from the launcher were similar to the tail stingers of the Golden Ringed Hornet.

35 centimeters long.

One sting would be enough to poison even prey much larger than a Golden Ringed Hornet to death.

If hit head-on by the Stinger Launcher, with hundreds of venomous stingers, as long as it was a carbon-based life form, given the dosage of the venomous stingers' poison, Lu Yang didn't believe any hit target could survive.

Even super-large mutated beasts would struggle.

However, the price was too unfriendly, wasn't it?!

The tier 1 basic model required 50 units of tier 2 Iron Mine, tier 2 100 units of tier 2 Iron Mine, tier 3 150 units of tier 2 Iron Mine, tier 4 200 units of tier 2 Iron Mine, and tier 5 250 units of tier 2 Iron Mine.

If it was to be effective against tier 4 and 5 enemies, one shot would cost 2000 units of tier 1 Iron Mine to 2500 units of tier 1 Iron Mine.

It was so expensive that Lu Yang simply didn't want to speak.

So after learning this blueprint, Lu Yang didn't pay any more attention to it.

Given the current situation of the Xinhuo Train, only weapons like the Repeating Ballista, which were cheap and effective, were the most popular.

For example, killing a tier 4 Golden Ringed Hornet just now only cost one crossbow bolt, priced at 20 units of tier 1 Iron Mine and 40 units of tier 1 wood.

Compared to howitzer shells that cost thousands at every turn, it was incredibly cheap.

Of course, if Lu Yang could only choose between the Repeating Ballista and the PLZ Vehicle-Mounted Self-Propelled Howitzer, he would definitely choose the PLZ Vehicle-Mounted Self-Propelled Howitzer without hesitation.

After all, caliber and range are justice and truth.

Lu Yang was a 'good person' and couldn't go against his inner sense of justice, so he could only choose 'truth' more often.

It was simply too difficult!!! (((o(*ﾟ▽ﾟ*)o)))