56: Chapter 56 Mutant Thunder Eagle

The weather on the wasteland is always like a woman's face—unpredictable.

One second, the sky is cloudless and the sunlight is blinding.

The next second, as the Black Iron's all-terrain tracks grind over a massive Gobi sand dune...

The sky ahead is abruptly shrouded by a layer of black thunderclouds as heavy as lead.

“Rumble—”

Dull thunder rolls within the clouds, and purple-blue electrical arcs, like wildly dancing snakes of electricity, flicker in and out of the thick cloud layer, emitting a heart-palpitating aura of destruction.

Inside the Black Iron's command center.

Luo Yao is staring intently at the holographic tactical radar in front of her.

Suddenly, a large, dense cluster of high-energy heat signatures flashing with blue light appears on the radar screen.

“Conductor! A large-scale cluster of abnormal biological entities has been detected in the airspace ahead!”

Luo Yao's pale, delicate hands fly across the keyboard, immediately enlarging the captured image and projecting it onto the main screen.

“Beep!”

In the image.

Beneath those rolling thunderclouds.

Over a hundred extremely massive mutant raptors are circling.

Their wingspans reach five or six meters, and their feathers exhibit a strange, dark purple metallic luster.

Most terrifyingly, their talons and sharp beaks are surrounded by crackling spherical lightning.

“System bestiary comparison complete!”

“They are Tier 2 social mutant creatures—[Thunder Sculptures]!”

Luo Yao pushes the tactical glasses up the bridge of her nose, her tone somewhat grave.

“Conductor, although these Thunder Sculptures' physical defense isn't high, they can spit high-voltage spherical lightning.”

“If they get close to the train, while they won't be able to penetrate our main armor, the intense electromagnetic pulses will very likely paralyze our rooftop external electronic equipment and communication antennas.”

“We must clear them out before they enter attack range!”

Hearing Luo Yao's report, Lin Xiao narrows his eyes slightly.

He leans back in his large command chair, fiddling with a solid gold lighter in his hand.

“Tier 2 social monsters with built-in EMP effects? Interesting.”

In the past, encountering such an aerial swarm...

Lin Xiao would have ordered without hesitation for the 'Thor' electromagnetic railgun to switch to canister shot mode to clear the field in one blast.

But things are different now.

Although the railgun's power can destroy heaven and earth, every shot consumes a massive amount of the reactor's precious nuclear energy and causes significant wear on the barrel.

More importantly, Lin Xiao now holds a trump card specifically for curing all kinds of defiance.

“Luo Yao, shut down the power to the external anti-air machine gun turrets to prevent them from being fried by the electromagnetic pulses.”

Lin Xiao stands up from his leather seat, casually giving a squeeze to the rounded thigh wrapped in black silk, and then presses the communicator for the Equipment Department.

“Xiao Ai, how is the tuning of the mecha flight thruster modules going?”

“Master Boss! I finished tuning them long ago!”

Xiao Ai's extremely excited, soft voice comes through the communicator, accompanied by the crisp sound of a wrench hitting metal.

“I integrated the high-frequency vector nozzles from the Mechanicus Cult drones we captured last time into the back armor of the Valkyries mechas.”

“As long as the reactor's energy supply can keep up, they can not only jump high now, but also hover for short periods and dogfight in mid-air!”

Hearing Xiao Ai's report, Lin Xiao nods with satisfaction.

The A-rank Mechanical Resonance talent of a genius mechanic is indeed no joke.

“Very good.”

Lin Xiao turns around, his gaze sweeping like a blade over the three top-tier mecha girls already fully geared behind him.

“Valkyries squad, hear my command.”

“This is your first real aerial battle.”

“Shoot down those foul birds in that thundercloud for me—leave not a single one!”

“Understood!”

Su Qingqian, Zhao Xiaotang, and Chen Yuanyuan snap to attention and salute in unison.

The three silver-gray steel battle armors emit a cold yet sexy metallic luster under the overhead eye-protection lights.

In particular, the streamlined mecha design that hugs their graceful figures perfectly blends violence and aesthetics.

“Click!”

Accompanied by the very mechanical sound of gears engaging.

Their full-face tactical helmets slowly lower, and the tactical visors at their eyes light up with a faint blue glow.

“Skylight No. 2, open.”

“Take off!”

At Lin Xiao's command.

The heavy titanium alloy armor plates on the ceiling of the command center slide open to both sides.

“Boom! Boom! Boom!”

Three streaks of blazing blue tail flames instantly erupt from the vector nozzles on the backs of the Valkyries mechas.

The powerful thrust sends the three girls hurtling into the gray sky like three interceptor missiles!

The wind howls in their ears.

The three mechas quickly adjust their posture in mid-air, forming a standard inverted 'V' combat formation as they pierce straight into the rolling thunderclouds.

“Hostile targets detected, fire control radar locked.”

“Prepare to engage!”

As the squad leader, Su Qingqian's cool voice transmits through the squad channel.

The mutant Thunder Sculptures circling in the air also discover these three uninvited guests.

“Screech—!!!”

Accompanied by an extremely sharp, eardrum-piercing eagle cry.

A dozen of the largest Thunder Sculptures take the lead in launching an attack.

They open their massive, barb-filled beaks.

“Crack!”

Over a dozen spheres of high-voltage lightning, flashing with blinding blue light, hurtle toward the three girls like cannonballs.

These spherical lightnings are not only extremely hot, but once they explode, they generate a strong electromagnetic pulse.

“Scatter! Free fire!”

Su Qingqian calmly issues the command.

The miniature vector nozzles on her back instantly blast out a strong current of air.

Piloting 'Valkyrie-Zero', she performs an extremely elegant sideways roll in mid-air, easily dodging a spherical lightning that brushes past her.

“Schwing—”

The high-frequency vibration blade on the outside of her right arm instantly ejects.

A cold light flashes in Su Qingqian's eyes as the ice-type energy within her body flows through the mecha's energy conduits, frantically pouring into the blade.

“Glacial... Storm!”

She doesn't choose close-quarters combat.

Instead, she violently swings the vibration blade, which is already encased in extreme frost, while in mid-air.

A crescent-shaped frost sword qi, over ten meters long and composed of pure ice crystals and high-frequency sword energy, erupts from the blade!

This sword qi pulls an extremely cold white trail through the air, slashing directly toward the three Thunder Sculptures pouncing toward her.

“Crack... Crack...”

There is no suspense at all.

The moment those three Thunder Sculptures come into contact with the frost sword qi, they don't even have time to scream.

Their proud metallic feathers and the lightning surrounding their bodies are instantly frozen by absolute zero.

They turn into three exquisite, giant ice sculptures and fall straight from the sky, crashing onto the Gobi desert below and shattering into countless shimmering fragments.

On the other side.

As the long-range fire support, Chen Yuanyuan performs with even more ease.

After being strengthened by the Basic Gene Fluid, her originally somewhat timid personality has undergone a world-shaking change.

At this moment, piloting 'Valkyrie-Unit 2', she is hovering in the air a few hundred meters away from the main battlefield.

Her sweet and soft little face, now under the tactical helmet, actually shows a hint of yandere-like excitement.

“Little birds... taste my art!”

Chen Yuanyuan giggles.

The two miniature missile pods on the mecha's shoulders, specially modified by Xiao Ai, instantly flip open.

“Infrared radar lock complete.”

“Swarm missiles... fire!”

“Swoosh swoosh swoosh swoosh swoosh swoosh!!!”

Accompanied by an extremely dense sound of breaking air.

A full twenty-four cigar-sized high-explosive micro-missiles trail long white wakes, like a swarm of deadly bees flying across the sky.

They trace strange and beautiful arcs in mid-air, accurately drilling into the center of the Thunder Sculpture formation.

“Boom rumble rumble rumble rumble—!!!”

A series of deafening explosions erupt in the air.

The Thunder Sculptures' defense was low to begin with; they couldn't possibly withstand this baptism of highly concentrated TNT.

In an instant.

A rain of blood and gore, composed of shattered bird feathers, purple blood, and severed limbs, falls from the sky!

With just one wave of fire coverage.

Chen Yuanyuan has directly cleared out nearly thirty Thunder Sculptures.

However.

If one were to say who is the most eye-catching in this aerial battle.

It is definitely not the elegant Su Qingqian, nor the long-range carpet-bombing Chen Yuanyuan.

But that 'Valkyrie-Unit 1', like a violent demon god.

Zhao Xiaotang.

“Hahaha! Die for me!”

Zhao Xiaotang's wild, tyrannical laughter echoes through the communication channel.

She doesn't use any long-range weapons at all.

She pushes her back thrusters to the limit.

Like a silver-gray meteor, she tanks the hits from two spherical lightnings and brutally slams into a group of Thunder Sculptures.

“Bang!”

The spherical lightning explodes on her heavy armor, and violent electricity rages across the mecha's surface.

But the TC4 titanium alloy armor, strengthened by the Insect King crystal, along with the mecha's internal insulation layer, perfectly blocks all damage.

Using this momentum.

Zhao Xiaotang makes a domineering leap and straddles the back of a Thunder Sculpture leader over seven meters long.

“Screech!!!”

The Thunder Sculpture leader lets out a terrified scream, rolling its body desperately in an attempt to throw off the heavy steel monster on its back.

“Want to shake me off? In your dreams!”

Zhao Xiaotang's long legs, encased in mecha, tightly grip the Thunder Sculpture's neck.

Those terrifying legs, a combination of hydraulic amplification and the physical strength of a Tier 2 mutant.

With just a little force.

“Crack!”

The Thunder Sculpture leader's extremely hard neck bone lets out an overburdened snap.

Immediately after.

Zhao Xiaotang raises a steel fist larger than a sandbag.

She doesn't even activate her vibration blade, using only the most primitive, pure physical strength to smash the Thunder Sculpture leader's head, punch after punch!

“Thud!”

“Thud!”

“Thud!”

Every punch is accompanied by a scalp-numbing sound of bone cracking.

The Thunder Sculpture leader's hard skull is like paper under Zhao Xiaotang's iron fist.

In just three punches.

That massive bird head is brutally smashed into mush!

The headless giant eagle, out of control, carries this violent Valkyrie as it falls straight toward the ground.

Just a second before impact.

Zhao Xiaotang restarts her thrusters and soars into the sky with incredible style to find her next unlucky prey.

Violence!

Pure, extreme aesthetic of violence!

...

Inside the Black Iron's command center.

Lin Xiao watches the one-sided, magnificent slaughter in the sky through the holographic screen and nods with great satisfaction.

“Not bad. Mobility, firepower, and defense have all met expectations.”

This Valkyries squad, personally forged by him.

Now, on this wasteland, they have finally bared their fangs—fangs enough to make any enemy tremble with fear.

Ten minutes later.

The sky, which was originally densely packed with Thunder Sculptures, has been completely cleared.

Not even a single intact bird feather remains.

“Conductor, airspace cleared.”

Su Qingqian's cool voice comes through.

“Well done. Bring the spoils and come back.”

Lin Xiao presses the retrieval button.

The three mechas, carrying a very rich bounty—over a hundred Tier 2 Thunder Sculpture cores emitting purple electrical light—land steadily back on the roof of the Black Iron.

With these cores.

They can not only be used to strengthen radar and communication equipment, but also allow Luo Yao or Xiao Ai to attempt the development of their own electromagnetic pulse weapons.

“Continue forward.”

Lin Xiao sits back in his command chair, his eyes fixed on the scarlet beacon on the radar map that is getting closer and closer.

“It's time to go and meet the various monsters and demons of this wasteland.”

...

The Black Iron's massive, heavy tracks ruthlessly crush the withered bones and weathered rocks along the way.

After several hours of full-speed advancement.

The giant beacon flashing with scarlet light on the system map finally reveals its mysterious and grand veil in reality.

Lin Xiao stands before the panoramic floor-to-ceiling window of the Conductor's exclusive ecological villa carriage, a Cuban cigar in his mouth, looking down at the land ahead from his vantage point.

As far as the eye can see.

It is an incredibly exaggerated natural crustal rift stretching across the desolate Gobi!

It looks as if an ancient god had swung a world-ending axe and brutally hacked a bottomless scar into the surface of this planet.

The rift is several kilometers wide, and its length is endless, stretching beyond the horizon.

And above that deep canyon.

A semi-transparent energy barrier emitting a faint golden glow is draped over it.

That is not a natural phenomenon.

It is the manifestation of the laws brought to this world by the heavenly dao system!

[Ding!]

[Detected that the train has entered the outskirts of the large-scale cross-regional transit station—Storm Canyon.]

[This area has been designated as an 'Absolute Safe Zone' by the heavenly dao system.]

[Safe Zone Law in effect: Within this area, any survivors, Conductors, and mutant creatures are forcibly disarmed; lethal physical and ability damage cannot be dealt to others.]

[Violators will be directly obliterated by the heavenly dao system!]

[We wish you a pleasant transaction.]

Hearing the cold notification ringing in his mind.

Lin Xiao exhales a thick cloud of smoke, a faint, non-committal sneer curling at the corner of his mouth.

“Unable to cause lethal damage, huh?”

“This heavenly dao system really knows how to play with balance.”

“First, it uses the insect tide as a Great Purge to filter out the weak, and then it creates a safe zone like this to let the surviving 'gu' insects gather to trade and exchange what they have.”