Chapter 2: The Sudden Ferocity of Apocalypse Paradise
Bullets etched with silver marks rippled through the air, and after a second acceleration, they slammed into an alloy shield.
Clang!
The tank charging at the forefront of the battle line was forced to halt. The bio-active equipment at his calf extended, sinking into the soil, helping him resist knockback.
Although the Reincarnation Paradise side faced over five times their number of enemies, they had no intention of retreating. Turning their backs to the enemy in this situation was the stupidest choice.
Boom!
An explosive detonated within the crowd, blasting several contractors from Reincarnation Paradise into the air. While airborne, various long-range abilities struck them. Two of them suddenly vanished, reappearing behind the battle line. Nearby stood a purple-haired woman with a plump figure, wearing a witch’s pointed hat and holding a thin smoking pipe.
“That… won’t do.”
The purple-haired witch spoke with a deliberate cadence, her words slow.
“Over there… that one… are you planning to just watch?”
The purple-haired witch exhaled a puff of light blue smoke, her gaze shifting to Su Xiao.
Su Xiao hadn’t rushed to the front lines immediately. He was standing near a group of ranged contractors. Hearing the purple-haired witch’s words, he turned his gaze toward her.
“At least let me finish reading the world introduction first.”
Su Xiao glanced at the purple-haired witch before continuing to read the world introduction and mission information.
“What a… ferocious man.”
The purple-haired witch’s lips curled upward. Within Reincarnation Paradise, support-type contractors were rare, let alone a wild support-type like this purple-haired witch.
Su Xiao wasn’t avoiding battle; he was indeed reviewing the world introduction.
[Entering World: Thorn Insect Star (World Conquest Zone)]
World Difficulty: Lv.43～Lv.53 (War World)
World Source: This world cannot provide World Source.
World Introduction: This is the territory of the Insect Race and primitive tribes. Resources are abundant, but dangers lurk everywhere.
Thorn Insect Star: Medium-sized planet. Land area 65.9%, ocean area 22.7%, other 11.4%. Extremely resource-rich. Contains three major Insect Race factions and five totem tribes.
Insect Race: Divided into two main types. One is intelligent beings, possessing civilization. The other is war insects, centered around a mother insect building nests, extremely dangerous.
Totem Tribes: Five large tribes, each specializing in fire, poison, witchcraft, sacrifice, and predation (ultra-high-risk ability).
Affiliated Faction: None.
War Mission: World Core.
Hunting Mission: None (No Violators in this world).
Warning: Do not mention anything about Reincarnation Paradise to beings in this world. If the warning is ignored, execution will be carried out after verification!
Tip: Merit system activated. Killing enemy contractors grants 3–5 Merit points. If the war is won, rewards will be given based on Merit points.
…
[War Mission: World Core (First Ring, Total Two Rings)]
Difficulty Level: Lv.49
Mission Brief: Locate the World Core’s position and obtain it.
Mission Info: The Hunter’s current area does not require searching for the World Core. Subsequent missions pending.
Mission Duration: 30 natural days
Mission Reward: Visible upon winning the World Conquest.
Mission Penalty: Forced execution.
…
Just as Su Xiao finished reading the world introduction, a sense of being locked onto emerged.
A red beam extended from afar, aiming at Su Xiao’s chest. After locking on for no more than 0.5 seconds, the red beam vanished, and an energy bullet shot toward Su Xiao.
Su Xiao was about to sidestep to dodge, but his Instinct’s warning didn’t diminish at all. That meant the incoming energy bullet had tracking capabilities or was imbued with a guaranteed-hit trait.
Su Xiao’s hand rested on his sword hilt.
Clang!
A blade flash swept across Su Xiao’s face. The electrically charged bullet shattered into fragments, arcs of electricity flickering in the air before dissipating moments later.
Su Xiao ignored the enemy sniper. He looked toward the chaotic battlefield ahead. Over a thousand contractors were locked in a melee, various energy fluctuations spreading, and many rare abilities he’d never seen before emerged one after another.
In less than a minute of combat, dozens of contractors had fallen in the chaos. Their cause of death was the same: being focused down and killed by ranged contractors.
Ding, ding, ding…
The sharp clang of metal striking metal rang out. A contractor from Death Paradise, wielding an energy rapier, was relentlessly slashing at a Reincarnation Paradise contractor. Without outside intervention, the two wouldn’t settle the fight anytime soon.
“Roar!!”
A beastly roar echoed. A creature resembling a Licker stood among the crowd. It wasn’t a summoned being but the woman who had injected a syringe into her own neck at the start of the battle.
The bio-woman’s body was exposed, revealing bright red muscles. From her vertical pupils, it was clear she hadn’t lost consciousness.
“Let… me… go…”
A female contractor from Holy Light Paradise was gripped in the bio-woman’s claws. The next moment, a tongue covered in fleshy spines licked the female contractor’s face. Amid her screams, half the flesh and blood of her head was stripped away, like ice cream being licked off.
“Sweet soul.”
The bio-woman grinned, revealing a mouthful of sharp teeth. Her massive claws tightened, crushing the Holy Light Paradise female contractor to pieces.
After eliminating one enemy, the bio-woman’s gaze shifted to a burly man. Noticing her look, he instinctively stepped back.
This situation wasn’t unique to the bio-woman. In the melee, Reincarnation Paradise suffered the most casualties. After all, over a thousand were besieging just over two hundred. In real combat, it wasn’t five against one but possibly ten against one, or even a dozen contractors ganging up on a single Reincarnation Paradise contractor.
Strangely, despite heavy losses, Reincarnation Paradise’s side was steadily advancing. The ones retreating were the three-paradise alliance.
Su Xiao scanned the chaotic crowd. If this continued, Reincarnation Paradise’s contractors would be wiped out first, given the overwhelming three-to-one pressure—unless Apocalypse or Holy Light fled mid-battle.
Apocalypse Paradise had previously declared they wouldn’t flee. If a few days had passed, that statement would carry less weight. But they’d just said it not long ago when the melee erupted. Retreating now would be too shameful.
Apocalypse Paradise, always seen as the pushover, was now charging shoulder to shoulder with Death Paradise’s contractors. The ones truly hesitating were the softies from Holy Light Paradise. Perhaps they weren’t used to seeing Reincarnation Paradise’s reckless ferocity, leaving them momentarily unsettled.
Apocalypse Paradise’s sudden ferocity reassured Death Paradise’s contractors. They didn’t expect these miners to kill many enemies; as long as they didn’t flee, that was enough.
“Form a defensive line! Hold them back!”
A roar came from behind the Holy Light Paradise group. It was a man with mechanical arm guards on both arms. Upon closer inspection, those didn’t seem like arm guards but two mechanical arms. Without a doubt, this guy was the leader of Death Paradise’s side.
Hum~
Banishment peeled away from Su Xiao’s sleeve. He prepared to take out the leader-level figure from Death Paradise. Only by doing so could he have a chance to push back the three-paradise alliance.
Su Xiao dashed into the melee in a few steps. The smell of blood filled his nostrils. Shouts and screams were unending. Mud and grass clippings flew everywhere.
As soon as Su Xiao entered the fray, a long blade swung toward him.
Clang!
Su Xiao held Dragon-Slaying Flash horizontally in front of him, blocking the incoming broadsword.
“Heh, wrong move. You can’t block it.”
The one who had actively sought out Su Xiao was a rugged-looking man with a loose, high ponytail. His right eye was a mechanical eye.
A tremendous force transmitted through Dragon-Slaying Flash. Su Xiao’s feet sank into the soil as the force on the blade eased.
The mechanical-eyed man clutched his throat, white light flickering over his body. He seemed to have activated some ability to remove debuffs.
Su Xiao twisted his long blade. The mechanical-eyed man felt a strange force from his hand, nearly causing him to lose his grip on the broadsword.
A blade flash suddenly appeared before the mechanical-eyed man. He instinctively leaned back to dodge, but an opposing pulling force came from his throat. Something had entered his throat, dragging his body toward the blade flash.
Pfft.
Blood sprayed. The mechanical-eyed man’s entire chest was sliced open. The body armor he wore beneath his clothes was as fragile as paper.
The mechanical-eyed man’s Strength and Agility attributes weren’t far off from Su Xiao’s. As for technique, they were on completely different levels.
‘Bone Piercer.’
Before the mechanical-eyed man knew what was happening, Su Xiao had already appeared behind him. Dragon-Slashing Flash pierced through his head.
Su Xiao tilted his long blade diagonally, flinging the mechanical-eyed man’s corpse to the right.
Boom!
Flesh exploded. A war hammer spewing blue flames smashed into the mechanical-eyed man’s corpse.