Chapter 148: Indifferent to Life and Death

Chapter 148: Chapter 148: Indifferent to Life and Death

The indifference of those in power was no empty phrase. For their own benefit, they would sacrifice countless lives.

Sometimes, the decisions they handed down would cause countless families to lose their loved ones.

But war is cruel. No one can escape it unscathed.

This battle had raged for a long time, from day into night. There was no telling how many had died.

Yet it showed no signs of ending. The mutant beasts kept pouring out from all directions.

The slightest mistake, and you’d be devoured by those monsters.

Captain Li was starting to feel hopeless. The King wouldn’t make a move, so now it was all up to him.

But what decisive role could he, a mere Personal Guard Captain, play?

Those few large mutant beasts were slow, but they were also indestructible. At this rate, they would just keep moving.

They would eventually leave this desert and reach the city center.

"Damn it, my Mecha is about to be scrapped!" Captain Li’s heart ached as he looked at his long-time partner, now battered and broken.

This was his precious Mecha. Now its fuselage was nearly destroyed, an arm was broken, and its power was almost depleted.

Captain Li was heartbroken. The repairs would cost a fortune in Star Coins.

’It hurt. It really hurt.’

’When is this going to end?’

’I just want to go home, lie down, and play Star Soul.’

"Captain Li, this isn’t working. Shouldn’t we ask the King to intervene?" Beisang’s brow had been furrowed nonstop as he watched the situation unfold.

"The King won’t intervene. We have to solve this ourselves," Captain Li replied, then began looking around. "Where’s General Zhang? Tell him to pick up the pace."

General Zhang was handling one of the large mutant beasts all by himself, and even he couldn’t finish it off.

Everyone was running out of options. Just then, Captain Li found himself missing his soldiers.

They could be a rowdy and seemingly unreliable bunch at times, but they always came through when it mattered.

’If they were here, Lin Jingjing’s sharp mind would have definitely come up with a plan by now.’

Thinking of those five, sleeping so soundly they couldn’t be woken, made Captain Li fume.

’When have they ever slept this soundly before?’

’Or are they just that exhausted?’

As Captain Li was lost in thought, a moment of carelessness was all it took for the massive mutant beast in front of him to swat him out of the sky with its claws.

"ARGH—" Sent flying, Captain Li slammed against his seat, the pain in his back so sharp he couldn’t help but cry out.

The entire Mecha spun a dozen times in the air before crashing heavily into the sand.

Captain Li’s forehead was split open, and fresh blood began to pour out. His head swam, and he saw stars.

The Mecha’s warning system blared: "WARNING, WARNING. MECHA SEVERELY DAMAGED."

"WARNING, WARNING. MECHA SEVERELY DAMAGED."

The mechanical voice rang out again and again. The interior lights turned red, flashing in time with the urgent, synthesized female voice, and a wave of tension washed over him.

Captain Li was still on the floor, unable to get up, as the monsters rushed in and swarmed his Mecha.

Seeing the monsters, Captain Li scrambled to get up, but his feet were pinned. He was trapped, lying there bent backward at an awkward angle.

Captain Li struggled, but he couldn’t break free. The safety harness was too well-made; he couldn’t unbuckle it at all.

He watched as the monsters relentlessly pounded on the Mecha, trying to tear it open and drag him out to be eaten.

Through the static-filled main screen of the Mecha, Captain Li watched their savage expressions and frenzied movements, and he couldn’t help but let out a soft chuckle.

’Looks like this is where it ends,’ he thought. He really didn’t want to die.

He had just spent the last ten years finding a reason to live. He hadn’t even gone back to the Capital Star to see his parents, his older brother, and his sister yet. And now he was going to die here?

’Oh well. If King Yan wants you dead by midnight, you won’t live to see the dawn.’

’But every extra moment counts.’

Watching the frenzied monsters, Captain Li continued to struggle desperately, trying to inch his body free, but the Mecha’s exterior was beginning to give way.

Hearing the sound of metal tearing from outside the Mecha, Captain Li heaved a long sigh.

He manifested a dagger with his spiritual power and began to saw at the safety harness, little by little.

But the material was too tough. Even using all his might, Captain Li only managed to slice open a small tear.

"It’s over. I’m going to die here." Captain Li was on the verge of a breakdown.

At this moment, the honor of the Yang Imperial Family meant nothing. He just wanted to live.

’To hell with it all! The moment I get back, I’m submitting my resignation papers. I’m quitting the Personal Guard Team, everything!’

’I’m going to travel the entire galaxy! I’m going on vacation!’

The Mecha’s hatch was torn open, and the grotesque faces of the monsters appeared before Captain Li. He immediately lashed out at them with his spiritual power.

This went on for half an hour. Finally, the Mecha that had been with him for so long couldn’t take it anymore and powered down completely. More and more monsters began to squeeze inside.

Captain Li’s spiritual power was also slowly draining away. His wasn’t like Lin Jingjing’s, which could be used indefinitely without running out.

If his spiritual power ran out, he would die. ’It seems heaven really wants me, Li Wang, to perish.’

After killing a few more monsters that squeezed in and reached for him, Captain Li gave up. He slumped back, his expression one of weary resignation to his fate.

’Get eaten by monsters now, or pass out from spiritual power exhaustion and then get eaten by monsters... the ending’s the same.’

’One path just means suffering a little longer, the other is a quicker death with less pain.’

"Whatever. It’s just death. In a few hundred years, I’ll be a hero again," Captain Li mumbled. Lying there, he reached for a candy he had stashed nearby and popped it into his mouth.

A sweet flavor spread through his mouth, but Captain Li’s face remained expressionless as he crushed the candy between his teeth and swallowed.

’Damn it all. Of all the times, the one I grab is the chocolate flavor that Yun Yiyou likes!’

’That person is my damn unlucky star.’

He fumbled for another one. He smiled when he saw the wrapper. It was mango-flavored—his favorite.

’Getting to eat my favorite candy before I die... not bad at all.’

Captain Li closed his eyes, ignoring the frantic roars in his ears and the hideously ugly faces he could no longer bear to look at.

He quietly awaited death. Just then, Lin Jingjing’s voice came through the Mecha’s comms channel.

"Captain Li, where are you?"

"We can’t see you."

"Captain Li, can you hear us?"

Lin Jingjing’s voice wasn’t loud, but for Captain Li, who had been calmly awaiting his end, it was a sliver of hope.

His eyes snapped open. He hastily arched his body, reaching out to press the receive button.

"I’m here..." Captain Li responded.

Inside her Mecha, Lin Jingjing’s face lit up when she heard Captain Li’s voice.

"Give us your coordinates! We’re coming to you!" Shi Feng chimed in hurriedly.