Volume 2 [696] Slaying Monsters
【696】Slay monsters
Just as the captain was reporting to headquarters by phone, headquarters was in complete chaos. Emergency calls from all sides were pouring in, all reporting attacks by mutants. If it were just a simple mutant attack, they could hold out for a while, but the mutants were mixed with some strange monsters whose combat power was too high. According to the information received by headquarters, almost all units were unable to hold on, but headquarters itself was also in a precarious situation. Where would they find the troops to send reinforcements?
A large area radiated outwards from the headquarters, and tens of thousands of survivors gathered in this large square. To ensure their safety, the headquarters had to expand its defenses outwards, leaving the headquarters' forces depleted. Meanwhile, the sentries on the perimeter reported that a large number of mutants were wandering around and would soon approach the cordon. Sporadic gunfire was even heard in some places, indicating that the mutants were probing the defenses. If a battle broke out, these tens of thousands of survivors would be a huge burden.
The commander in charge of emergency defense in New York City solemnly requested permission from the president to evacuate, but his orders were to remain in place. These survivors might carry viruses or bacteria, and evacuating them could potentially infect people outside New York City. For the sake of the entire world, they could not be evacuated, even at the cost of their lives. However, to combat the mutants, the president had ordered F-22 fighter jets to enter New York airspace, and if necessary, bombers would be deployed for carpet bombing of the hardest-hit areas. No matter how powerful the mutants were, how could they possibly withstand humanity's steel weapons?
Boom! A wall of the TV station building collapsed. The monster had smashed it open. Its two horns were incredibly sharp, piercing two large holes in the concrete wall with a single blow. Then, its head, as hard as steel, smashed the thick wall down. The captain gave the order, and the troops split into two groups. One group guarded the breach to prevent the mutants from storming the TV station building, while the other group surrounded the monster and tried to eliminate it as soon as possible.
At this moment, two Black Hawk helicopters were in position, but the monster crashed through the wall and entered the TV station. The Black Hawk helicopters could only target the mutants outside the building. The 12.7mm aircraft machine guns on the side door began to roar, and the mutants were torn apart like straw. The situation on the entire battlefield changed immediately, except for the situation inside the TV station building. That monster was too difficult to deal with; it was practically invulnerable to bullets and blades.
Before the situation on this side could be resolved, a loud bang was heard from the other side of the television station building, and another monster jumped in. Because they were all so agile, and because a large number of troops were concentrated at the attack point, no one noticed it at all. After entering the building, it was as if it were an empty place, and it slaughtered indiscriminately, causing chaos inside the television station.
The captain personally shouldered the rocket launcher and fired fiercely at the horned monster: "Die!"
The rocket successfully hit the monster's rear, blasting it into a bloody mess. However, it failed to kill the monster, instead fueling its ferocity. It leaped around rapidly, taking the lives of three soldiers in a matter of moments. The others, seeing the monster's ferocity, turned and ran in terror. The captain, unable to reload, had to drop the rocket launcher and flee as well. But the monster was too fast, and the American soldiers ultimately couldn't escape its clutches, each killed by a single blow from its paw. Even with its rear injured, it remained incredibly agile; it was practically invincible.
Boom! Just as the captain was about to be slammed down by the monster, an explosion knocked the monster back. The captain looked up and saw a Chinese man standing in front of him. Wasn't this the man from the two people he had just locked in the room? What was he holding? A tiny, strange gun. Could it be this gun that opened the monster's fire?
The monster, though knocked down, wasn't dead, but it was severely wounded. However, as long as the wound wasn't fatal, it was insignificant to such creatures. So it quickly got up, its flesh and blood soaking through, and lunged again. Boom! Zhao Qiang fired his compressed gun again. He was surprised that the high-powered compressed bullets hadn't killed the monster. Its hide and bones must be incredibly thick; no wonder armor-piercing bullets couldn't penetrate it. It was practically stronger than a tank!
After reloading the compression gun, Zhao Qiang casually fired another shot at the monster. Boom! The monster tumbled and flew backward, crashing into two walls. A cloud of dust billowed around them. The captain took the opportunity to escape to Zhao Qiang's side. He stared curiously at the gun in Zhao Qiang's hand, but didn't say anything. It was a tense moment in the battle, and he didn't dare to disturb Zhao Qiang.
With a crash, bricks and stones rolled through the ruins. Then, the captain saw the monster rise again, though its mobility was greatly diminished. After catching its breath, it lunged towards the two men. Zhao Qiang fired again, and boom! The monster's lower body was completely shattered, leaving only its two front hooves and head. But even in this state, it was still alive. Using the strength of its two front hooves, it managed to pull itself up from the rubble and leap again.
Because the two attacks were too close together, Zhao Qiang's compressed gun hadn't finished reloading. So, facing the lunging half-monster, Zhao Qiang had no choice but to fight back. Suddenly, a long sword appeared in his hand, and with a flash of light, he slashed at the lunging monster. Bang! The flying monster was split in two, with one hoof on each side landing on the ground. This time, its head was completely destroyed, making it hard for it to survive. No matter how powerful a monster is, it is not invincible.
The captain witnessed the entire battle. He was shocked that Zhao Qiang had cleaved the monster in two with a single strike, but he was even more shocked that he hadn't seen a single drop of the monster's blood fall from Zhao Qiang's body. He knew that the strike had split the monster apart like a melon, and it was impossible for brain matter and blood not to flow out. But before they could even touch Zhao Qiang's body, they were blocked by an invisible shield.
Zhao Qiang didn't try to look cool; he was way past the age of doing so. After killing the monster, he immediately sheathed his longsword, which was nothing more than a bracelet-like ornament on his wrist. Although he didn't try to look cool, Zhao Qiang was incredibly handsome in the captain's eyes at that moment.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Loud gunshots rang out from another direction inside the television station building. The captain, without even exchanging a few pleasantries with Zhao Qiang, slapped his thigh and exclaimed, "Something's happened over there!"
Zhao Qiang knew, of course, because Yang Shiyun had rushed over, and a monster had broken into the TV station building. How could those ordinary soldiers stop it? Even Yang Shiyun and Zhao Qiang weren't sure if they could defeat it, but they were still much stronger than ordinary soldiers.
Without exchanging a word, the two quickly ran towards the source of the gunfire. There, Yang Shiyun was firing her gun at a monster. However, the monster was enormous, and although Yang Shiyun used her electromagnetic accelerator to pierce its body with bullets, she couldn't kill it. Moreover, the monster was trying to hide its head, making it impossible for Yang Shiyun to attack. Behind her was a group of television station staff, who were forced to retreat repeatedly, with no room left to retreat.
The captain didn't hesitate. Even knowing the rocket might not affect the monster, he still fired one, hoping to at least tie it down for a few seconds. The rocket exploded on the monster, sending smoke and cement fragments flying everywhere. But the captain noticed that they stopped abruptly in front of Zhao Qiang and landed. This surprised him even more; who was this young Chinese man?
The monster shook its head and emerged from the rubble. The rocket attack hadn't posed a threat to its life at all. Zhao Qiang raised his hand and fired a shot. The monster, which had just emerged, rolled backward. The immense pressure and explosion prevented it from moving forward any further. Yang Shiyun and the TV crew members protecting her finally breathed a sigh of relief.
However, the monster was not killed. This monster was much larger than the previous one, which greatly increased its defense. Zhao Qiang's next shot could not cause fatal damage. It became more cunning as it was forced to retreat by the repeated blows, dashing around the corridor to avoid Zhao Qiang's shots and leaping in front of him.
Yang Shiyun shouted, "Let me deal with it!" At this moment, Xiao Wei's system took over the control of Yang Shiyun, and her competitive temper erupted. She saw that Zhao Qiang could easily kill a monster, so she should be able to do it too.
Zhao Qiang roared, "Get out of the way!" He then fired a shot that had just been compressed into a cloud of gas. He shot towards the monster like an arrow. The monster was still disoriented from the explosion of the compressed gas when Zhao Qiang slashed at its neck.
The whistling wind startled the monster awake. Now it realized that the man who had just arrived was not to be underestimated, so it dodged to the side to avoid Zhao Qiang's attack. Zhao Qiang's blade struck the cement wall with a clang, instantly slicing off a piece of cement pillar, leaving the broken piece as smooth as a mirror.
The monster could tell Zhao Qiang was incredibly skilled just from the sound of his sword, so it wisely chose to evade him, ignoring Zhao Qiang and focusing its attention on the ordinary humans. How could Zhao Qiang let it succeed? The sword whistled as it chased after it, and the two fought inside the television station building. Yang Shiyun wanted to help, but her strength was simply too weak. The other American soldiers were dumbfounded. Fortunately, the captain kicked them a few times, which helped him evacuate the civilians from the scene.
This monster was enormous, but its agility was only slightly greater than the previous one. Zhao Qiang slashed at it ten times in a row, each strike missing its mark. This was a devastating blow to Zhao Qiang, but to the captain and the others, it appeared that Zhao Qiang was relentlessly forcing the monster into a corner. Zhao Qiang's swordplay was fierce and unmatched.
To outsiders, Zhao Qiang seemed incredibly successful, but only he knew the hardships he endured. His physical strength depended entirely on energy, but his energy intake had been insufficient for the past two days. In addition, after several battles, he worried that his remaining energy would not be enough to sustain him. To make matters worse, the monster was extremely fast, making it impossible for Zhao Qiang to catch its shadow. The two of them darted around the TV station building, and the battle reached a stalemate.
The security guards were dumbfounded. They had really intended to teach Zhao Qiang a lesson, but now, seeing Zhao Qiang's strength, they broke out in a cold sweat. Luckily, they hadn't attacked him, or they wouldn't even know how they died. In their eyes, the monster was invincible. If Zhao Qiang hadn't held it back, everyone in the TV station would probably be dead by now.
The mutants outside continued their relentless attack, but without the monsters inside to assist them, they were merely targets for the soldiers to practice shooting. Machine guns poured ammunition outwards, and with the help of two Black Hawk helicopters, the mutants were forced into a retreat, and the American soldiers successfully recaptured the outer lines.
Zhao Qiang was getting impatient. Dragging it out any longer would do him no good. There was no other way; it seemed he had to resort to drastic measures. If he had known this monster was so difficult to deal with, he should have used a killing move right from the start.
Zhao Qiang released a large amount of energy, which invisibly surrounded the running monster in front of him. Then, Zhao Qiang suddenly contracted the energy, and the monster was immediately controlled. It struggled fiercely, but to outsiders, it looked like it was just posing in mid-air. The situation was very strange. Zhao Qiang then slashed down from above.
(Thanks to Ziling for the 100-coin reward, and thanks to Lao Mao for the urging votes for more updates)
Volume 2 [697] Becoming a Hero
[697] Become a Hero
If you use energy to control an object, and the object is inanimate, then not much energy is needed. But if the object is alive and struggling, the energy Zhao Qiang needs to expend is enormous. However, he had to eliminate the monster no matter what, and Zhao Qiang couldn't care less about the energy he gained or lost at this moment. After successfully binding the monster in one move, he swung his sword with lightning speed, aided by his energy. *Thud*, the monster's massive head was severed, and a stream of dark red blood spurted out, staining the wall beyond recognition.
The captain and the others were left behind. When they caught up, they saw the monster's huge body crash to the ground. The scene was extremely shocking. A huge cloud of dust rose up around them, but when the dust reached Zhao Qiang, it suddenly parted to the left and right, making Zhao Qiang look even more imposing. In the eyes of the Americans, he was the most handsome man of all. Several female reporters from the TV station screamed and were almost ready to pounce on Zhao Qiang and molest him.
The captain approached Zhao Qiang with utmost respect, saying, "My dear Chinese friend, you saved us all."
Zhao Qiang smiled and casually put away his long sword. The captain's eyes widened as he stared at Zhao Qiang looking around. A gleaming sword had vanished right before his eyes, which was utterly unbelievable.
"Captain, I think you should reinforce the defenses of the television station building and report the situation here to headquarters," Zhao Qiang said to the captain. What happened here was excellent evidence, and it might be the prelude to a mutant attack on humans.
The captain's face was grave: "Chinese friends, I have already reported to headquarters, but headquarters is under heavy attack from the mutants and they have no time to attend to us here."
Zhao Qiang thought to himself, "Has it begun? It seems that New York really can no longer be preserved. As the mutants intensify their slaughter of survivors, New York will eventually be razed to the ground by humans with nuclear bombs. Otherwise, how can the virus be eliminated?"
Donna pushed aside the staring female reporters, overjoyed. Even her hunger seemed less pronounced. She went to Zhao Qiang's side, proudly taking his hand and glancing deliberately at her colleagues. Although they usually ostracized her, this time they were sure they couldn't steal her thunder.
"Zhao Qiang, come on, let's go to my dorm and rest for a bit. Anyway, it's like this outside. You might as well stay here instead of going somewhere else. There are lots of beautiful women in our TV station. Maybe you'll have some unexpected gains!" Donna used the excuse of beautiful women to persuade Zhao Qiang to stay, which made Yang Shiyun even more unhappy. However, she had to listen to Zhao Qiang, so whether she stayed or left depended on his decision.
Zhao Qiang pondered for a moment: "We'd like to visit a university campus."
The captain stopped Zhao Qiang, saying, "My dear Chinese friend, what's so interesting about a university campus? I've heard that schools everywhere have been attacked by mutants and may have been completely destroyed by now. You've made the right decision to stay with our TV station. Someone, arrange the best dormitory for Mr. Zhao. You guys, help Mr. Zhao make his bed and fold his blankets. Make sure Mr. Zhao is satisfied." The captain gave orders to the female reporters who were standing by watching. At this moment, the captain was the master of the TV station. Even high-ranking officials like the station director had to listen to him, or else they would be court-martialed.
With the captain's order, several female reporters who had been admiring Donna stepped forward to snatch Zhao Qiang. Donna stepped in front of Zhao Qiang and said, "Zhao Qiang is my friend. I'll take care of him here. You all go about your business."
Yang Shiyun stomped her foot angrily and left. Zhao Qiang asked, "Where are you going?"
Yang Shiyun said, "I brought Lina here to see how you are. I won't be leaving anytime soon, as it would be dangerous for Lina to stay outside."
Zhao Qiang scratched the back of his head. Why are women so jealous? New York is in such a state, the world might be destroyed. Can't we just live in peace? Anyway, I'm strong enough, I'm not afraid of you all coming at me at once.
Donna excitedly took Zhao Qiang back to her dormitory. Before even closing the door, she grabbed Zhao Qiang and rolled him onto the bed, kissing him without warning. Faced with such a beautiful foreign woman, Zhao Qiang's immunity was too low. He reached forward and grabbed her large breasts, which were no less impressive than Hu Qian's. They were incredibly bouncy and felt even better than Hu Qian's. More importantly, the foreign beauty was much more visually stimulating.
Donna frantically pulled down Zhao Qiang's pants. Zhao Qiang suddenly realized what he was doing. Yang Shiyun would definitely be angry if she saw this when she came back. So Zhao Qiang pushed Donna away and said, "Wake up, what are you doing?"
Donna said with a smile, "I'm not going to molest you, am I? What, am I not pretty enough?"
Zhao Qiang said, "Of course not."
Donna said, "Do you think that American girls are too open and don't like my style?"
Zhao Qiang said, "Of course not."
Donna asked, "So you prefer virgins?"
Zhao Qiang chuckled: "Nobody wants to pick up something that someone else has used, right?"
Donna smiled and said, "Then you're in luck. I'm a virgin."
Zhao Qiang was somewhat surprised: "Really? You're not that old."
Donna opened up to Zhao Qiang: "You can verify for yourself whether it's true or not."
Zhao Qiang quickly stepped back: "Don't tempt me. We can't talk about romance at a time like this."
Donna sat pitifully in Zhao Qiang's lap. She placed Zhao Qiang's hand on her full breasts, then guided him to slowly rub them. "Zhao Qiang, I don't want to do this, but I have to. Maybe this way you won't abandon me. I don't want to become food for those monsters. I don't want to die. You have to take me away from New York."
Zhao Qiang chuckled: "Aren't you afraid of losing money? Maybe I don't even have that ability."
Donna said, "No, I believe in your abilities, you will definitely protect me."
Zhao Qiang rubbed his nose and said, "I'll do my best." He then pushed Donna to the other side. Zhao Qiang had already seen through his senses that Yang Shiyun was bringing Lina over. Sure enough, the next second, two girls appeared at Donna's door. Yang Shiyun walked in with a pale face and sat down with Lina on either side of her, staring intently at Donna. Donna felt embarrassed by their stares and stood up, saying, "I'll go out and see if there's anything to eat."
Yang Shiyun glared at Zhao Qiang and said, "You can't associate with her."
Zhao Qiang said, "I didn't either. She took the initiative."
Yang Shiyun said, "Then let's not stay here, let's go to school."
Zhao Qiang said, "I'm afraid the situation at the school might be worse than here. Let's grab something to eat and then go check it out."
Yang Shiyun nodded. She understood better than anyone that Zhao Qiang had suffered a great loss of energy when he killed the last monster, and it was not advisable for him to rush out now. She hoped that Donna could bring back enough food, otherwise Zhao Qiang's physical recovery would stop.
The window revealed a starry night sky, and the roar of airplanes grew louder as they approached, followed by the faint sounds of battle. It was clear that fighting was continuing elsewhere. The fact that the US government had deployed F-22s and bombers indicated that the situation was dire and beyond the control of ground forces.
A series of footsteps sounded outside, and then the captain led the way into the room, followed by four female reporters carrying food. Each of them secretly flirted with Zhao Qiang. Zhao Qiang had just demonstrated such strength, and in this apocalyptic situation, who wouldn't want to survive? The monster that the army couldn't deal with was killed by Zhao Qiang, so everyone wanted to get close to him.
"Mr. Zhao, please have dinner," the captain said.
Zhao Qiang glanced at the food; it wasn't even enough to fill a tooth gap. However, based on his observation, he deduced that the TV station was already running out of food, and this was probably what everyone had saved from their meager resources. With transportation blocked by the mutants and the battle raging, even airdrops of supplies had been suspended, and the situation was likely to worsen in the future.
Zhao Qiang casually picked up a piece of bread and a glass of juice and started eating, while asking the captain, "Tell me about the current situation."
The captain said, "The mutants attacking the TV station were repelled, but we also suffered heavy losses. Several parts of the building were damaged, and we are running out of ammunition."
Zhao Qiang considered for a moment: "I'll go out and take a look in a bit. The TV station can't stay any longer."
The captain said, "But the orders I received..."
Zhao Qiang interrupted the captain: "Orders are rigid, but people are flexible. Do you want to watch hundreds of people here stay and wait to die?"
The captain said, "I'll need to consult headquarters when the time comes."
Zhao Qiang said, "Whatever you want."
The captain continued, "However, communications to headquarters have been cut off. According to information from other units, headquarters suffered the most intense attack just now, and a large number of mutants may have entered the shelters. As a result, headquarters has probably retreated."
Zhao Qiang asked, "Captain, what's the food situation here?"
The captain shook his head: "There's no more food left."
Zhao Qiang asked, "Didn't you contact outside troops via satellite to request an airdrop?"
The captain said, "I heard that the airdrop helicopters were attacked by monsters, so the airdrop operation has been suspended."
Zhao Qiang said, "Alright, you can go now. I need to rest."
The captain dared not linger any longer and gently closed the door for Zhao Qiang. Zhao Qiang finished his food in a few bites, then opened the window and said, "Wei, you stay here. I'll be right back."
Wei, also known as Yang Shiyun, said, "Brother, where are you going? It's dangerous outside."
Zhao Qiang said, "We must find a way to deal with the mutated virus as soon as possible, otherwise the disaster will really spread beyond New York City. I need to go to the school to check the situation."
Yang Shiyun nodded: "Okay, take care. There's still a piece of bread here, you can eat it."
Zhao Qiang waved his hand: "It makes no difference whether I eat this little bit of energy or not. I'll bring back other food. Wait for me."
Zhao Qiang activated the anti-gravity device and flew low over New York, observing the situation along the way. The situation had deteriorated beyond repair, but Zhao Qiang was relieved that Yang Shiyun's university laboratory had not fallen. He didn't know if it was because the military had strengthened the defenses here, or if the mutants hadn't paid attention to it. In any case, the equipment was still in the hands of the military. Zhao Qiang surveyed the terrain around the university and decided to bring the group of soldiers from the TV station to hold the fort and use the equipment here to conduct research on the virus, hoping to find a cure as soon as possible and end this great chaos.
Volume 2 [698] Submitting