Chapter 523 - 358: Artillery Barrage

Chapter 523: Chapter 358: Artillery Barrage

The attacks seemed to follow no logic, spanning vast distances.

The target might be spotted near an abandoned sewage pipe deep in the West Ninth District, and then just moments later, a new alert would blare from the edge of the East Sixth District, kilometers away.

He was like a ghost, an erratic shadow who played by no rules. Just as the encirclement was about to close, he would always slip away in the most incredible fashion. Then he would reappear in another unexpected location, leaving a few cold bodies in his wake.

"Damn rat..." Schiller cursed under his breath, his voice cold as ice.

A few strands of hair had fallen across the temples of his meticulously combed, perfect hairstyle, making him look slightly disheveled. The complete loss of control made him extremely uncomfortable, even angry.

He had thought this was a game of cat and mouse, and he relished the thrill of watching his prey struggle in despair. But now, not only was the mouse impossibly slippery, it even dared to turn and bite the cat. He felt his authority had been challenged.

But Schiller was not a hunter who gave up easily.

After a brief loss of composure, he took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. His fingers flew across the control panel, pulling up detailed data streams and on-site feedback from every conflict.

"He isn’t running around randomly. He’s probing, trying to stretch our forces thin..." A sharp glint flashed in Schiller’s eyes as he muttered to himself.

"The timing between each attack, the choice of location... it seems chaotic, but it’s all designed to draw our attention away from certain key nodes... We just haven’t found them yet."

Schiller slowly turned, his face once again plastered with that cultured, fake smile. Only, a sinister glint flickered in the depths of his eyes.

"It seems that simple containment isn’t enough. This rat is more cunning than I thought... and more interesting."

He walked to the communications console and picked up the handset himself. His voice crackled over the line to all units involved in the operation. "All units, listen up. Adjust search formation. Areas A and C, tighten the perimeter. Areas D and E, feign a retreat. Funnel all pressure toward the abandoned industrial zone in Sector F-7."

His tone was steady, his commands clear, as if he were conducting a symphony, not a bloody manhunt.

"Also, move the Heavy Hammer Squad to the perimeter of Sector F-7 and have them stand by."

The Heavy Hammer Squad was an elite force secretly cultivated by the Dome Corporation. Its members were all Martial Artists who had undergone a brutal selection process and enhancement modifications. Equipped with custom-made power armor, they specialized in dealing with difficult, extraordinary targets.

Deploying them meant Schiller had lost his patience and was ready to play his trump card.

「Meanwhile, in Sector F-7, at the abandoned industrial smelter.」

The massive, rusted steel framework resembled the skeleton of an ancient beast, casting grotesque shadows in the dim light.

Wu Liangchen moved like a phantom, weaving between broken pipes and derelict machinery. His footsteps were so light they were nearly silent.

He knew he was being herded, guided like a sheep by a sheepdog toward a specific location.

The opposing commander was clearly a veteran, his tactics masterful. No matter how hard Wu Liangchen tried to maneuver, the commander always managed to apply pressure at just the right moment, sealing off any viable escape routes and leaving only this one "path to survival" that led into the factory district.

But instead of fear, Wu Liangchen felt invigorated.

He loved the feeling of a challenge. It made his blood pump.

Finding a suitable spot, he stopped to rest and replenish his energy before opening his attribute panel.

[Name: Wu Liangchen] [Age: 19]

[Life Fire: 112 Wisps]

[Root of Magic (lv4)]

[Glimpse Divinity (17%)]

’There isn’t much to see on the Martial Arts side; they’re almost all maxed out. My Life Fire is also growing at a decent pace. The biggest surprise is my martial progress—it’s jumped by over ten percent in just a few days.’

’It seems combat really is the best catalyst for a Martial Artist.’

’Of course, that’s assuming you manage to stay alive.’

Just as Wu Liangchen was gnawing on an energy bar, the sudden sound of approaching footsteps put him on alert.

Without a moment’s hesitation, Wu Liangchen shot out from the shadows like an arrow loosed from a bow!

He quickly saw that it was a five-man patrol squad on a search pattern.

Wu Liangchen charged straight at them.

The five soldiers saw only a blur. A terrifying force slammed into them, and before they could even react, a sharp pain shot through their necks. Then, their consciousness faded into eternal darkness.

After dispatching the squad with clean efficiency, Wu Liangchen was about to press deeper when an intense feeling of danger suddenly assaulted him from behind and to the side!

Acting on pure instinct, he kicked off the ground, his body drifting away like a falling leaf.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Three thick energy beams slammed into the spot where he had just been standing. The intense heat instantly melted the thick steel plate, leaving three ghastly holes. A pungent, scorched smell filled the air.

Then, the sound of heavy footsteps followed.

Three massive figures slowly emerged from the shadows.

Heavy Hammer Squad!

They were completely encased in heavy, dark-green power armor. The surface of the armor was covered in scratches and battle scars. Thick hydraulic lines connected the joints, emitting a soft HISS.

Each one stood over eight feet tall, like a walking steel fortress. They brandished menacing heavy energy weapons, and a brutal-looking hammer emblem was branded onto their chest plates.