LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 104: Air Support
Amid the inferno, a hulking figure emerged unscathed. The Mutated Lord—its near-impenetrable physique rendered the micro-missiles almost useless. The relentless assault had only managed to peel away its skin, exposing raw, bloody muscle beneath.
"Target: Mutated Lord." "Conventional weapons are ineffective. Call for air support!" The mechanical dog, equipped with advanced AI, quickly assessed the situation and transmitted an urgent distress signal.
Far away in Mansion No. 8 of Tribeca, Ava was carefully tending to her plants, wiping their leaves clean with a tissue. Her communicator buzzed to life in her pocket. Glancing at the screen, she saw a live feed of the Mutated Lord wreaking havoc. Without hesitation, she abandoned her task, tossing the tissue aside, and sprinted to the helipad. Moments later, the Avalon roared to life as she took off, heading down the river toward the area.
This was second nature to Ava by now. At a moment's notice, she would leap into action, rushing to battle whenever her Ant and Spiders called for backup. To her, these intimidating machines weren't just tools of war; they were comrades. "Arriving in two minutes. Make sure you identify targets accurately." Ava's calm voice carried over the communicator to the mechanical units.
"Air support inbound. Focus fire and pin the target within the strike zone. Two-minute countdown." At her command, the Ant and Spiders adjusted their tactics. All firepower concentrated on the Mutated Lord, unleashing a relentless barrage.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Micro-missiles streaked through the air, slamming into the creature in rapid succession. Tungsten-core armor-piercing rounds flew like an endless stream, their impact heating the barrels of the machine guns until they glowed red. The rapid gunfire thundered like a pounding drumbeat, carving small chunks into the Dominator's dense muscles. Although its monstrous body resisted most of the damage, the constant pressure from bullets and explosions gradually began to overwhelm it.
The Mutated Lord's movements slowed. Its once-mighty limbs seemed pinned under the unyielding hail of fire. More and more tungsten rounds embedded themselves into its muscle tissue faster than the creature could expel them. Each missile strike tore open new wounds, and its burly frame was soon riddled with craters, resembling the surface of the moon.
Then, from deep within the blazing warehouse, an earth-shaking roar erupted. "ROAR!!!" The sound was deafening, like a thunderclap. It sent shockwaves rippling through the air, extinguishing flames and scattering burning debris.
Two drivers, stationed 200 meters away in an ammunition truck, cried out in pain as they clutched their ears. Blood seeped through their fingers, and their faces twisted in agony. "Warning: Detected high-energy biological reaction!"
The mechanical dog's alarm blared just as a new figure emerged from the smoldering remains of the warehouse. Standing atop a scorched container was a massive, three-meter-tall creature. Its appearance was eerily similar to Insect, but there was something unsettling in its glowing eyes—something intelligent. The creature scanned its surroundings, its gaze filled with curiosity, like a newborn seeing the world for the first time. But this moment of calm didn't last.
Click! Click! Click!
The air filled with the sound of armor-piercing bullets as the Ant and Spiders opened fire. The hail of rounds struck the creature, tearing into its flesh, but it barely flinched. Its defenses were surprisingly weak, even inferior to the original Lord. However, before anyone could capitalize on this vulnerability, the creature let out another enraged roar. Its body began to writhe and transform. Black fibers slithered out from beneath its skin like wriggling snakes, swiftly covering its entire body. These fibers hardened, forming an exoskeleton-like shell that glistened in the firelight.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The next wave of bullets ricocheted harmlessly off the black armor. While each impact left a small dent, the damage was superficial. Worse, the dents began to vanish as the exoskeleton rapidly regenerated. "Suppressive fire! Keep it pinned!"
Despite the continued barrage, the creature showed no signs of slowing down. Its movements grew more aggressive as it adapted to the relentless assault. With another furious roar, the creature's arms began to morph. The black fibers pulsated as its limbs elongated and flattened, transforming into razor-sharp blades. "ROAR!!!"
The beast crouched low, muscles coiling like a spring. Then, with explosive force, it leapt into the air, soaring like a cannonball. Its landing sent shockwaves through the ground, shaking nearby containers and causing two mechanical spiders to stumble. Before they could recover, the creature struck. Its bladed arms flashed with white light as it swung with devastating speed.
Slash! Slash!
The sound of metal slicing through air filled the battlefield, followed by the metallic groans of machines struggling to hold their ground. Two alloy-steel spiders were sliced cleanly in half as if their tough exteriors were made of soft tofu.
Zzzzzzt!
The cut surfaces sparked with electricity, each edge smooth as glass—a testament to the incredible sharpness of the creature's blade-like arms. The absence of explosions made the scene eerily quiet in comparison, a change Zack had implemented after the last massive zombie wave rendered the spiders' self-destruct mechanism dangerous due to radiation contamination.
"Tungsten-core armor-piercing bullets are ineffective against the target!"
"Recalculating..."
"Chance of breaking through its defenses in melee combat: zero."
"Retreat! Call for missile cover!"
The mechanical dogs, powered by AI, quickly reassessed the situation. Recognizing the futility of continuing the fight, they made the logical choice to pull back. While retreating, they signaled the distant mechanical units to launch micro-missiles, creating a fiery barrier to shield the withdrawal of the remaining Ant and Spiders. This calculated move highlighted the stark difference between Ant and Spiders and human soldiers. Machines never panicked, hesitated, or acted impulsively. They prioritized survival and efficiency above all else, making decisions purely based on data.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Micro-missiles streaked through the sky, detonating just behind the retreating Ant and Spiders. The resulting inferno engulfed the area, flames surging upward in a futile attempt to block the monstrous pursuer.
"ROAR!!!"
The beast emerged unscathed from the wall of fire, its insect-like exoskeleton shedding flames effortlessly. Explosions and heat seemed to do nothing, and its speed was staggering. Its dark form blurred into a shadowy afterimage as it sprinted after the retreating machines.
In moments, it closed the gap, its bladed arms slicing through the remaining two spiders and the mechanical dog in one fluid motion. Sparks erupted as their bodies were torn into jagged metal scraps, scattering lifelessly across the ground. But the creature didn't stop. It kept moving, heading toward the towering cranes and distant buildings where more mechanical units were stationed.
"I've arrived above your location. Mark the bombing target!" Ava's voice came through the communicator as her Avalon roared into view above the area. Flying low along the river, she quickly spotted two primary threats: the battered Mutated Lord and the monstrous, insect-armored beast that had emerged from the carnage.
The moment she saw the latter attacking the mechanical units, Ava didn't hesitate. "Target number two is the priority. All units, avoid the strike zone!"