Mo Chen moved like a blur, his speed surpassing the sound barrier, leaving afterimages behind him. With one swift motion, he leaped onto the side of a building and sprinted vertically up the wall. In the blink of an eye, he reached the rooftop, performing an agile flip to land atop it.
He scanned the scene.
The Ark was in utter chaos: thick smoke rose from various locations, blanketing the once orderly city.
Mo Chen's gaze swept across the horizon until it landed on a bustling street under siege. He recognized the figures locked in fierce combat with the Raptures—it was Rapi and her group!
They were surrounded.
The scene was hundreds of meters away, but he didn't hesitate. He stood on the railing, then launched himself into the air like a bullet. Hurtling downwards, he plummeted toward the Rapture forces like a meteor.
At that moment, Rapi and her squad were locked in a desperate fight against the Raptures. The battle was intense, as they were up against a Lord-class Rapture: Armstrong. Not only was its firepower devastating, but it was also equipped with an energy shield that even Anis's grenade launcher couldn't penetrate.
"Damn it! Why now, of all times?"
Anis was fuming. She wanted nothing more than to obliterate all the Raptures standing in their way.
She had everything planned!
The hotel was booked. She had painstakingly set the stage for the perfect romantic evening, waiting for the commander to take the bait. A candlelit dinner with wine—enhanced with a little something extra—was ready. She'd even prepared her "decisive victory" attire!
But now, her plans were ruined.
And it wasn't Rapi, Neon, or Marian who had derailed her scheme—it was the damn Raptures!
Her frustration boiled over.
That hotel reservation had cost her months of saved allowance! She'd splurged on a five-star hotel, sparing no expense.
But now, none of that mattered.
The battle was turning increasingly dire.
Three Lord-class Raptures blocked their path: Armstrong, Overlord Tailbone, and Doctor.
Armstrong was equipped with a shield generator, thick armor, and heavy artillery. Overlord Tailbone had a device capable of interfering with the Nikkes' targeting systems, causing their shots to scatter. And Doctor deployed nanobots to repair injured Raptures, making it a particularly troublesome opponent despite its lack of offensive power.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
Bullets and grenades struck the shield, creating bursts of sparks and flames.
The trio's attacks were entirely absorbed by Armstrong's shield.
To break through, they needed to flank and target the Rapture's back, but the sheer number of surrounding Raptures made that impossible. They also had to stay alert for the sniper Raptures hiding in the shadows. Despite their low level, their sniper shots were devastating, capable of piercing through Nikke bodies.
"Boom! Boom!"
Two grenades exploded against the shield, creating massive fireballs.
When the smoke cleared, the shield remained unscathed.
Both grenades had been nullified by Armstrong's defenses.
Anis retreated behind cover to reload.
"Damn it!" she hissed through gritted teeth.
That Rapture was like a boulder stuck in the latrine: foul and immovable. As long as it remained, they couldn't lift their heads under the relentless enemy fire.
Suddenly, a sharp whistle cut through the air above them.
Everyone froze in surprise.
"Ah! It's the commander! The commander is here!"
From her position behind cover, Marian spotted something. Her eyes lit up, and she immediately dashed out into the open.
Anis was horrified and shouted to stop her.
"Idiot, get back here!"
She reached out, trying to grab Marian, but was too late.
In the blink of an eye, she had already left the safety of the barricade, fully exposed to the swarm of Raptures.
This was bad!
Amid the rubble and chaos, Rapi's heart tightened as she saw the situation unfolding. Without hesitation, she moved to rescue Marian.
Even though Marian's virus-infected body had become far more resilient, immune to ordinary gunfire and explosives, it had its limits. Surviving the concentrated firepower of so many Raptures was far beyond those limits.
As she was about to meet her end under the barrage of the Raptures' gunfire, a deafening explosion erupted. It was like a massive bomb detonating within the ranks of the Raptures, scattering their mangled bodies like leaves in a storm.
When the dust settled, a familiar figure emerged, cradling Marian in his arms.
It was Mo Chen.
"Commander—!"
"Master—!"
Anis and Neon shouted with joy, their faces lighting up as they abandoned the safety of their cover and rushed toward him.
Even Rapi, though usually composed, sighed in relief at the sight.
But the brief respite didn't last.
With a thunderous crash, debris was flung aside, and a hulking shadow rose behind Mo Chen from the wreckage. It was the massive, armored form of Armstrong, the Lord-class Rapture that had caused them so much trouble.
Armstrong's twin cannons locked onto Mo Chen's back, glowing ominously as they charged up for a devastating shot.
"Watch out—!"
Rapi screamed in alarm, raising her rifle and firing at the towering enemy, while dashing toward Mo Chen in a desperate attempt to shield him.
However, her bullets were useless, bouncing harmlessly off the energy shield.
At that moment, the Lord-class Rapture's cannons fully charged, the blazing energy building at the barrels signaling imminent destruction.
Yet Mo Chen remained unmoved, as though he hadn't even noticed the danger behind him. Without even turning to look, he casually raised his arm, aimed his boltgun backward, and fired.
"Boom—!"
The muffled blast from the gun sent a high-velocity bullet spiraling into Armstrong's energy shield.
"Crash—!"
Like shattering glass, the once-impenetrable barrier fragmented into pieces, dissipating into the air.
Armstrong's shield, designed to withstand concentrated firepower from even elite Nikkes, crumbled like tissue paper against the enhanced armor-piercing capabilities of Mo Chen's weapon.
The grenade-like bullet didn't stop there—it continued through the broken shield, spiraling straight into Armstrong's armored body.
"Boom—!"
A second explosion followed, rocking the street. Armstrong staggered under the impact, its massive frame tilting precariously from the force.
Mo Chen didn't give it a chance to recover.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
With practiced precision, he fired a rapid series of bullets, each one striking Armstrong's exposed weak points.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
Each successive explosion tore further into the Rapture's armor, exposing its vulnerable core. Finally, with a deafening roar, Armstrong's core detonated, unleashing a fiery blast that engulfed the entire area.
The resulting fireball rose high into the air, accompanied by a shockwave that tore through the surrounding rubble like a tidal wave.
When the dust finally settled, Mo Chen stood tall amidst the devastation, shielding those behind him from the brunt of the blast.
Anis, ever quick to seize an opportunity, rushed over with a delighted cry. Seeing Marian still cradled in Mo Chen's arms, her eyes gleamed with mischief. She threw herself toward him, wrapping herself around his free arm and securing a spot by his side.
"Commander, you're amazing! I was so worried about you!" she exclaimed, her voice dripping with sweetness.
"If you hadn't shown up when you did, we would've been full of holes by now," she added with a dramatic pout.
"Master!"
Neon leaped forward as well, but seeing that both of Mo Chen's arms were already occupied with no space left, she simply threw herself into his embrace without hesitation. Of course, she didn't forget to complain.
"The holes in a honeycomb are hexagonal. Even if it's hit by a Rapture, there's no way it would end up looking like that."
Anis: "?"
Neon: "Unless the Rapture was using a hex wrench."
Anis: "Would it kill you not to make jokes?"
She regretted it. If she had known earlier, she should have been the one in the Commander's arms. Neon was too cunning.
Mo Chen, naturally, had no idea what Anis was thinking. Seeing her this cheerful, he couldn't help but feel moved as well.
However, this was not the time to be sentimental, because he had started distributing the spoils!
He pulled out everything he had gotten from the earlier draw.