For Zhu Yuan, today was truly terrible.
Yesterday, an informant tip came in: members of the Mountain Lion Gang were conducting a transaction inside a Hollow. Based on the Hollow data gathered at the transaction site, the Criminal Investigation Special Response Team deployed forces to carry out an arrest operation. The arrest unit totaled more than thirty personnel, fully equipped, and was even supported by Public Security robots.
The operation went smoothly at the start. They successfully infiltrated the area near the transaction point and identified both parties trading inside the Hollow. The Mountain Lion Gang members involved numbered only about half of the arrest team and were clearly unprepared. Once the arrest began, they fell into panic and scattered in flight.
Zhu Yuan directed the officers in relentless pursuit, passing through several Hollow rifts, and they were just about to catch them. But what greeted them head-on was a storm of bullets. Several officers at the front and multiple Public Security robots were cut down on the spot. Qingyi swung her three-section staff in a dazzling arc, deflecting a large number of incoming rounds for Zhu Yuan.
Looking at her injured colleagues groaning on the ground, Zhu Yuan detached a mounted component from her upper arm. Her compact sidearm instantly transformed into a launcher loaded with multiple small Ether missiles. As Zhu Yuan pulled the trigger, the Suppressor: K22 launcher discharged all of its loaded Ether missiles at once. Continuous explosions wiped out and forced back this wave of Mountain Lion Gang thugs. The members of the Criminal Investigation Special Response Team immediately hoisted the wounded onto their backs and withdrew into the ruins of a nearby building.
The Mountain Lion Gang regrouped quickly. Not only did they rally even more members, they also set up heavy machine guns at several nearby high points. Gods knew where these bandits got such hardware. Although the black market had its share of Public Security informants, trading equipment of this caliber was extremely hard to conceal.
Three heavy machine guns pinned down their return fire from three different directions. The bullpup rifles in the officers' hands were completely incapable of fighting back. Any counterfire from any direction would immediately draw suppressive fire in response. Even changing firing positions only granted a few seconds of a firing window before they were suppressed again.
Large-caliber machine-gun rounds shredded the building's outer walls, kicking up clouds of dust. They should be thankful the concrete strength was high enough to hold for a while, but if this dragged on, the heavy machine-gun fire would eventually punch straight through the walls.
"Officer Zhu Yuan!" One officer barely stuck his head out from a breach to look outside. "More of them are closing in!"
Zhu Yuan lowered her body and moved to the wall, peering out through a crack. Mountain Lion Gang members were charging out from the building housing the heavy machine-gun positions. Strange symbols were painted across their bodies, and they gripped massive blades and axes. To counter incoming fire from the officers, some even carried crude homemade shields, though far more of them charged forward without any regard for their own safety.
"More incoming! Prepare to engage!"
Someone shouted. Zhu Yuan recognized the voice as Seth Lowell's—a young, newly recruited officer brimming with passion and courage. He had joined the Public Security Bureau not long ago, full of righteousness and resolve, and during today's pursuit, he had been the one charging at the front and retreating last.
Fortunately, the stairwell was narrow, preventing the enemy from bringing their numerical advantage to bear. The officers formed a defensive line using ballistic shields, and the Mountain Lion Gang was temporarily unable to break through. Due to firing angles, the enemy's heavy firepower also could not provide direct support. Although the Mountain Lion Gang tried several times to relocate one of their machine-gun emplacements to destroy the shield wall below, the moment a gap appeared in their firepower, shooters on the second floor seized the chance to provide cover.
For now, both sides were locked in a stalemate. However, the enemy numbers kept increasing, and they might even be redeploying firepower from the rear. How long they could hold out was still an open question.
The arrest operation could be considered a complete failure. Now they had to find a way to break out.
Worse still, there was no Carrot information for this area on the handheld terminals. Those bait operatives that had been sent out had deliberately let themselves be captured along the way, leading the Criminal Investigation Special Response Team straight into the enemy's nest.
While reloading small Ether missiles into the Suppressor: K22, Zhu Yuan forced herself to calm down. As the officer in charge of this operation, she had to find a way out of the current predicament. This outstanding officer had faced many challenges before, but nothing quite like today. The enemy had overwhelming numbers and heavy firepower—more like a paramilitary force than mere criminals.
Normally, situations involving such organizations were handled by the Defense Force. But right now, she had to solve it herself.
The three enemy machine-gun emplacements completely suppressed the second floor's firing capability. If even part of that pressure could be relieved, it would ease the burden below. The K22's small missiles were more than capable of destroying those damned weapons, but leaning out to aim would take time. Although her protective suit had been reinforced with additional armor plates, it was still woefully insufficient against heavy machine-gun fire.
"The enemy's autonomous mech is advancing!" A nearby officer's shout snapped Zhu Yuan out of her thoughts.
She leaned out again and saw a Typhon Heavy Slugger autonomous tactical mech emerge from the street corner. The same strange red patterns painted across the Mountain Lion Gang thugs covered its frame, and its logic core flickered with a murky crimson glow. The mechanical behemoth let out a bizarre roar and charged toward the building where the officers were holed up. Its massive body surged forward on a wheeled bipedal structure, even smashing aside Mountain Lion Gang members in its path without a second thought.
It cannot be allowed to get any closer!
Zhu Yuan immediately raised the Suppressor: K22 to aim, but one of the enemy heavy machine guns spotted her. A dense hail of bullets instantly poured toward her position.
Thankfully, the breach here was small, just enough for the K22 to extend outward for aiming. Even so, large-caliber rounds pulverized the surrounding concrete, filling the air with dust and debris, making precise aiming extremely difficult. Meanwhile, the Typhon continued advancing at high speed. The only good news was that, in its rush to close the distance, it moved in a straight line.
Shrapnel forced another officer to duck back. His helmet was damaged by flying concrete fragments, and seeing his commanding officer still standing, he instinctively reached out to pull her back. Zhu Yuan stood her ground, unmoving. Shards sliced several bloody cuts across her face. With dust obscuring her vision, she focused with all her strength, locked onto the target, and pulled the trigger.
A series of compact, concentrated Ether missiles streaked out, heading straight for the Typhon's logic core. Amid a chain of explosions, the released Ether violently tore through the Typhon's thickest armor and shattered its logic core. The steel giant collapsed with a thunderous crash, crushing several Mountain Lion Gang members beneath it as blood quickly spread across the ground.
Zhu Yuan let out a breath. At least the situation was stabilized—for now. Suddenly, she felt a violent impact on her left arm. First came numbness, then a chilling cold, and finally searing pain. The tremendous force knocked her off her feet, slamming her to the ground.
"Officer! Officer Zhu Yuan!" The nearby officers shouted in panic. Zhu Yuan desperately wanted him to shut up to avoid shaking morale, but she had hit her head in the fall and couldn't get back up right away.
Amid the chaotic cries, someone ran upstairs—light footsteps, but fast. Zhu Yuan felt someone gently lift her head. When she focused her vision, she saw it was her partner, Qingyi.
"Qingyi… how's it holding up downstairs?" she asked immediately.
"Seth is leading from the front. Young, strong, and still full of energy. You, on the other hand, look injured," Qingyi said, checking Zhu Yuan's left arm. "Fortunately, it's only a graze. No direct hit."
"We need to break out. Staying surrounded like this isn't an option," Zhu Yuan struggled to her feet while reloading the K22. "I only have one final salvo left."
"Mm. Supplies are critically low. We can't maintain the line—breaking out is the only path to survival," Qingyi nodded. "What's the plan?"
"We need to disable at least one of their heavy machine guns to create a gap in their firepower. Only then can we break through," Zhu Yuan said, listening to the roaring gunfire as she crawled to another breach to look outside.
"I need some time to aim. One salvo will be enough."
"Understood. I'll draw their attention." Qingyi nodded, spinning her three-section staff in a sharp flourish.
"Senior!" Zhu Yuan immediately tried to stop her, alarmed by the danger of such an action.
"Zhu Yuan, do not worry. I am an Intelligent Construct," Qingyi closed her eyes and let out a soft sigh. "This is simply my duty. There is no need for panic. My frame is steel and reinforced fiber—far beyond fragile flesh."
Zhu Yuan knew this very well. Senior Qingyi was an artificial intelligence created by the White Star Institute. Yet after such a long time working together, emotions had inevitably formed. No matter how often Qingyi referred to herself as a Intelligent Construct, as a machine, the thought of her sacrificing herself still made Zhu Yuan's chest ache. Even steel and reinforced bone could not withstand sustained fire from heavy-caliber machine guns—let alone whatever additional firepower the enemy might still be hiding.
"There is no need for concern. I have survived countless battles. I will find a way out this time as well," Qingyi said with confidence as she stepped toward the building's window.
"Qingyi!"
The shout was far slower than her movement. The small Intelligent Construct leapt straight down from the building. Her long staff moved like a dragon, arcs of electricity trailing after it, instantly dropping a Mountain Lion Gang brute. Blades and axes came crashing in from all sides. Qingyi ducked low and swept her staff horizontally, sending another wave of enemies tumbling. Years of relentless training showed their results—Qingyi's staff thrust left and right in rapid succession, beating back the gang's lackeys so fiercely that none could close in on her.
Her sudden burst of activity quickly drew the attention of heavy weapons. A heavy machine gun's firing line swept toward her, tracer rounds carving a roaring streak of light through the air. Qingyi had already noticed it. The corner of her mouth lifted as she lowered her stance and charged forward—deliberately rushing toward where the bandits were most densely packed. With a flick of her wrist, the long staff split into a three-section staff. Gripping both ends, she closed in for short-range strikes, gambling that they would not dare fire into their own people.
But these bandits did not care about their own. The machine gun fired regardless. Qingyi's sensors flared with warning, yet she accepted it—drawing the enemy's attention was still worth the cost. Her short staffs shot out together, blocking a brute's cleaving axe and blade. She followed with a kick to his knee. The Intelligent Construct's immense strength shattered the joint outright, collapsing his stance and forcing him to his knees. Electricity surged through both batons as she hammered him down, hair standing on end, foam spilling from his mouth as he collapsed unconscious.
Several sharp whistles tore past her ears. The nanofiber strands she used for heat dissipation were shredded, scattering loose. She looked up—of the three heavy machine guns, one had already been suppressed by covering fire from other Public Security officers. Zhu Yuan stood with her weapon raised, calculating. In a few seconds, she would land a precise hit. That left only one remaining gun trained on Qingyi.
The Intelligent Construct rolled aside, evading the firing line. She crossed her legs and kicked out, knocking one bandit flat, then flowed into a kip-up that carried her onto his torso. The electrified batons came down again in a rapid barrage, dropping him instantly.
An explosion rang out. Zhu Yuan had succeeded—the firepower gap was open. But the stream of bullets chasing Qingyi drew ever closer.
A heavy impact slammed into her right shoulder. The force knocked her off balance, sending her rolling instinctively to evade. Through the chaos, she saw Seth Lowell. The young Cat Thiren was full of courage and drive—he should not die here.
Do not look so sorrowful. I am only a machine, designed to reduce human casualties. I am no different from the Public Security robots at your side.
Qingyi pushed herself back up. Her right arm no longer responded—something structural or a sensor array had clearly been destroyed by the gunfire. It did not matter. She was an Intelligent Construct. She did not bleed. She did not feel pain. Her judgment remained intact.
The enemy gunner seemed to have gone all in. Seeing Qingyi stand again, the firing line followed her relentlessly. The small Intelligent Construct weaved through the crowd, now swinging the three-section staff with only one hand—its power significantly reduced.
"Move! Covering fire!" Qingyi heard Zhu Yuan shout. Are they withdrawing?
Qingyi spun, using the momentum to lash out with the three-section staff—but this time, the electrified strike failed to bring the enemy down. The man was far larger and stronger than the rest, his helmet and pauldrons adorned with brass spikes, his skin flushed red. The electric shock had no effect. He seized one end of the staff, raising a massive axe in his other hand, ready to bring it down.
"Qingyi—mission fulfilled," the Intelligent Construct smiled as she leapt toward him, intending to entangle his arms with the staff and buy just a little more time.
But someone moved before she could.
"Senior Qingyi!!"
That idiot—why did Seth Lowell charge in?!
The white-furred Cat Thiren slammed his shield into the brute's attack, while the electric baton in his other hand discharged a high-voltage current that dropped the giant to the ground.
"Idiot! Why didn't you retreat while you had the chance?!" Qingyi shouted, furious at her foolish junior.
Seth raised his shield, sheltering the small Intelligent Construct behind it. Machine gun rounds hammered into the shield, throwing up showers of sparks.
"How could I run and leave you behind? Failing to catch the criminal is already humiliating enough. If I abandoned a comrade too, how could I face my brother? He'd never stop mocking me."
The impact of the machine gun fire made the young officer's limbs tremble violently. He was clearly on the verge of collapse.
Qingyi turned her head. Zhu Yuan—her wounds roughly bandaged—was charging out with the others. The Suppressor: K22 in her hands shifted into its triple-barrel compact shotgun mode, blasting Ether buckshot at the approaching bandits. Each shot carried devastating stopping power, knocking down anyone who tried to advance. The other officers coordinated closely, alternating cover as they moved in.
You fools… I could have been sacrificed. I am just a machine. At worst, the Institute could rebuild me from backup data…
The officers were exhausted and low on supplies. Their remaining ammunition was quickly spent. They threw aside their rifles and drew batons, grappling with the bandits at close range. Public Security robots surged to the front, using their steel bodies to shield their comrades from incoming bullets and blades.
"Fall back! This is our chance!" Qingyi shouted toward Zhu Yuan. Why is she being so reckless, forgetting the bigger picture?
"Senior Qingyi, get up… please…" Seth's voice was shaking. "I—I can't hold much longer…"
The shield in his hands had begun to deform. His limbs were nearly drained of all strength. The young officer was holding on by sheer will, seconds away from collapse.
Qingyi struggled to rise—only then did she realize that one of her legs had already been shattered.
"Kid, go. I can't stand anymore. Go back to the White Star Institute. They'll build another one."
"Senior, what are you saying? Even if they rebuild one, it wouldn't be you," Seth gritted his teeth. The shield felt as heavy as a thousand pounds in his hands.
Suddenly, the weight lessened. The machine gun firing at him stopped. Seth cautiously peeked out.
The enemy's heavy machine gun had fallen silent—but several attackers rushed him instead. He tried to move, but his body was too exhausted to respond.
Is this the end?
My career as a Public Security officer was short… but without regret.
He watched the charging bandits, their snarling grins growing clearer.
Ah… ah.
Two sharp cracks rang out. Two bandits' heads burst like watermelons, their bodies collapsing instantly.
The shots had come from behind them.
Seth was stunned. Did the enemy turn on each other?
"Looks like the timing is just right."
A massive giant clad head to toe in green armor burst out from a nearby building. Lightning crackled around his fists as a single strike reduced a thug to a cloud of blood mist. Two figures in combat suits followed behind him, rifles barking as they laid down covering fire for the officers.
From another direction, a white-haired girl in yellow-and-black combat gear cut into the fray, her blade wreathed in flame. She tore through the crowd alone, felling four or five enemies in an instant. Someone tried to ambush her from behind—but a flash of lightning followed. A girl in black-and-green combat gear intercepted the strike, the strange, buzzing blade in her hand ripping the attacker cleanly in half, blood spraying everywhere.
Seth stared blankly. Where had these people come from? The confidentiality level of their operation should have prevented any leaks to allied units.
Judging by their equipment… could they be Defense Force operatives on a nearby mission?But did the Defense Force even have gear like this?
"Senior!"
"I can see…" Qingyi forced herself upright. "But I fear these newcomers may not be friendly."
===BREAK===
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