A Core Ship From The Start
Chapter 1442 - 978 Salvation Army

Chapter 1442: Chapter 978 Salvation Army

I have to admit, the appearance of these mutants is truly bizarre.

Duanmu Huai had seen green mutants before, but never black ones. The other night, under the flickering flames, he caught only a fleeting glimpse and didn’t see much. Now, under the sunlight—well, Duanmu Huai had to admit, these creatures looked very much like demons.

They were burly, each boasting at least eight-pack abs, but that wasn’t the most striking part—it was their heads. That’s right, as a Judge, Duanmu Huai had instinctively scanned their skulls the moment he saw them. He found that their skulls had undergone mutations. Not only had their teeth become sharp like those of a shark, but even their skulls had twisted and warped, elongating and expanding like a buffalo’s, giving them a truly terrifying appearance.

Well, at the very least, they didn’t meet the Tribunal’s standards for human cranial proportions.

And that led to only one conclusion!

"Die, alien hybrid!"

Duanmu Huai tightened his right hand, crushing the skull of the mutant in front of him, then charged out of the ruins toward another mutant. The latter, seeing its companion killed, wasn’t frightened by Duanmu Huai in the least. Instead, it emitted a beast-like roar, snatched up a lamppost on the spot, and lunged straight at him!

Hmm...

Seeing the mutant charging toward him, Duanmu Huai frowned slightly. He’d already activated his Fearful Aura the moment he appeared. Logically, this mutant shouldn’t be immune to fear. So, what was going on?

With this thought, Duanmu Huai pulled up his system for a quick glance.

[Player activates Fearful Aura]

[Target is subjected to Fearful Aura]

[Target Immune]

Mental Immunity? Mutants have this kind of ability? Come to think of it, he indeed hadn’t encountered mentally fragile mutants before...

In that split second, as Duanmu Huai examined the system logs, the mutant on the other side had already swung the lamppost down on him. The heavy post, made of robust materials, struck Duanmu Huai’s Power Armor with a loud "thud"—and promptly snapped in two.

Give me a break. Duanmu Huai’s armor could withstand nuclear explosions. Unless that lamppost was blessed personally by the God of Electricity, Edison, breaking through his defenses was pure wishful thinking!

"I can’t even check my system logs in peace!"

Fury flared in Duanmu Huai’s heart as he turned wrath into action. He grabbed the broken lamppost with his hand, yanked it forcefully—it was ripped straight from the mutant’s hands. Then, before the mutant could react, Duanmu Huai swung the lamppost back with immense force, smashing the mutant into the nearby wall, leaving nothing but a splattered mess.

Meanwhile, not far off, a shadow concealed behind a window in the ruins nervously watched this scene unfold. When the shadow saw Duanmu Huai seize the mutant’s lamppost and crush it like a bug, an audible gasp escaped them.

What kind of monster is this?

How on earth could such a creature exist?!

Frightened, the shadow dared not linger any longer. They turned to flee, but just as they began to move, a silver flash zipped past. A scream tore through the air, and the next moment, it was as if some invisible force grabbed the shadow, yanking them out of the window and slamming them onto the ground below.

"Aaaahhh!!"

The sudden impact and pain wrung a scream from the shadow’s lips. When they opened their eyes again, they found themselves lying on the cold cement ground, their entire body burning with pain. At the same time, a massive shadow loomed over them.

"So, it’s this one, huh? Nice work, Ogis."

Staring down at the collapsed figure before him, Duanmu Huai let out a cold chuckle. He had suspected something was off from the start, which was why he ordered Ogis to split up and act separately—Duanmu Huai would distract the mutants, while Ogis searched for their hidden commander.

Now it seemed Ogis had indeed found their target.

Duanmu Huai stepped forward, grabbed the man’s head, and lifted him into the air. Judging by his appearance, the man seemed like an ordinary wasteland drifter, clad in a tattered, patch-ridden coat, his face unshaven, looking much like Aiden or Joel’s typical attire.

"Alright, tell me everything you know."

Duanmu Huai squeezed lightly, his fingers pressing into the man’s skin—whether his skull would crack wasn’t a concern of his.

"Who are you? What’s with these mutants? What exactly are you trying to do?"

"S-spare me..."

In the wasteland era, loyalty was a rare commodity, and this man was no exception. Especially with Duanmu Huai’s fingers threatening to crush his skull, fear overtook him, and he began spilling everything.

"I-I’m from the Salvation Army..."

"Salvation Army? What the hell is that?"

At the mention of the name, Duanmu Huai scoffed, prompting the man to hurriedly explain their origins.

In brief, the Salvation Army was one of the survivor factions in this world, though far more powerful than ordinary survivor settlements. The General of the Salvation Army owned an underground shelter facility, through which he recruited and expanded his forces. Most impressively, the Salvation Army boasted a formidable mutant army—mutants with immense strength, no fear, robust regeneration abilities, a certain level of intelligence, and only one downside: a big appetite. They were practically the perfect warriors.