Armor-Piercing Munition: Face Me, Carbon-Based Monster!
Chapter 57: Striding Away

Chapter 57: Chapter 57: Striding Away

One of the most important theories on the modern battlefield is the OODA loop theory.

The smooth cycle of observation, orientation, decision, and action ensures that a team consistently holds the advantage in combat.

In this sudden battle, although the City Defense Army was not professional, they had already established an OODA loop from the start, severely suppressing the three unprepared Holy Bloods.

If there were no external assistance, even if Li Shi, with his large shield and others with high mobility, held out for another half minute, in the end, the three Holy Bloods would still be unable to escape their fate.

Fortunately, they were not an isolated unit.

Behind them were Chen Jian and He Shuo.

Deciding to have He Shuo temporarily put down the 12.7mm sniper rifle and instead carry a 201 light machine gun was one of Chen Jian’s wisest decisions.

When the 201 light machine gun, with a rate of fire of 750 rounds per minute, began spitting fire, the terrifying gunfire and the raindrop-like barrage finally broke the advantage the City Defense Army had initially established.

The OODA loop was shattered under the terrifying suppression of the modern machine gun, throwing the untrained City Defense Army into chaos.

The three-section firing line, just organized, was torn apart by a long burst from He Shuo, and the City Defense Army, holding single-shot rifles, fled in panic, seeking cover to hide from the bullets seemingly coming from nowhere.

Taking advantage of the brief firing gap, Xie Liu and Zeng Yi each grabbed a side of Li Shi’s belt and dragged him backward with all their strength.

At this moment, the Holy Blood’s physical advantage finally came to play. Despite carrying the tall and heavy Li Shi, their retreat speed was not slow.

Seeing the three of them slightly distance themselves from the danger zone, Chen Jian hesitated no longer, immediately deploying the weapon rack on his back. He took down the slightly worn PBP201 for launch preparation.

The advantage of the optoelectronic integrated aiming system was fully utilized. He no longer needed to calculate complex deflections, just aligning the system-calculated impact point with the target bombardment point was enough to aim.

The entire deployment process took less than five seconds, and by the sixth second, the first lethal explosive shell from Chen Jian’s hand soared into the air.

A shrill whistling pierced the sky as the shell crashed down with a massive explosion, a ball of fire appearing behind the City Defense Army’s sentry point.

Everyone turned back in fear, perhaps thinking it was the artillery of the Mechanical God Sect firing.

But in fact, Chen Jian was aiming precisely at the Mechanical God Sect’s "artillery position"!

The cultists and priests of the Mechanical God Sect were in disarray, some still holding lit censers in the middle of a simple Mechanical Soul appeasement ritual.

Yet, in the next second, a sweeping shockwave knocked them down, the censer crashing to the ground and scattering a mystical flame.

"Xie Liu! Zeng Yi! Hurry up!"

"Drones, ascend! Watch out for the flanking Holy Bloods!"

"Mark those Blood Sources, they’re high-threat targets!"

"Captain! I don’t have that many brains! Switching drones to intelligent priority mode!"

While shouting responses, He Shuo swiftly swapped out the empty ammo box. The 201’s barrel was already smoking, an indication of his high firing rate.

"Take it easy! Don’t overheat it!"

"I know!"

As He Shuo finished his sentence, Chen Jian’s second, third, and fourth shells had already been fired.

"Boom!"

"Boom! Boom!"

Amidst a series of loud explosions, the Mechanical God Sect’s artillery position descended into utter chaos.

Yet their counterattack finally arrived simultaneously.

"Rat-tat-tat-tat-tat----"

A crackling burst of automatic fire came from the rear positions, with massive scatter rounds whizzing past overhead.

"Damn! They have machine guns too!"

"Not machine guns, they’re synchronized rifles... never mind, prioritize suppression!"

He Shuo shifted his aim for suppression while Chen Jian continued loading shells into the mortar.

Seconds later, the opposing "machine gun position" fell silent, but by then, more and more of the City Defense Army were converging.

The effects of electromagnetic dominance were apparent. If not for promptly cutting off relayed information, Li Shi and the others wouldn’t have had the chance to retreat.

However, the effectiveness of electromagnetic dominance was limited too.

Han Shui City wasn’t that large. As soon as the gunshots rang out, even if the situation was unclear, the City Defense Army should have mobilized!

The outlook was grim. Chen Jian moved the 201 mortar before He Shuo and, dropping the last two shells, said:

"You fire, I need to drive!"

"Got it!"

He Shuo operated the machine gun with his right hand, adjusting the mortar deflection using his left, a display of chaotic yet orderly multitasking.

Chen Jian left him, activating his exoskeleton to combat mode and sprinting to where he parked his vehicle.

He dared not slow down at all. Though carrying over 45kg of gear, with the exoskeleton’s assistance, he reached there in just 4 minutes.

Thereafter, he hastily started the vehicle, flooring the accelerator, and raced down the shattered road.

From the drone’s perspective, the three of Li Shi had retreated over two hundred meters from the outer sentry of Han Shui City; a further retreat of 100 meters would see them rendezvous with the covering He Shuo.

However, the pursuers among the City Defense Army held tight, numerous thermal signals encircled in a semicircle. If not hastened, the fast-moving Holy Bloods might outflank the squad!

Chen Jian’s breath was rapid, and his heart rate unknowingly sped up.

With adrenaline rushing, his mind became increasingly clear.

A few hundred meters, the vehicle dashed through in a split second.

At the moment of parking, he had already climbed onto the vehicle’s automatic grenade position.

The next second, grenades launched!

"Poof!"

"Bang bang bang bang bang----"

With a firing rate of 350 rounds per minute, the automatic grenade launcher unleashed more than a dozen grenades in mere seconds, raining down and shredding the City Defense Army’s frontline to pieces.

The City Defense Army ground to a halt, prompting Chen Jian to issue a command:

"He Shuo, watch the flanks!"

"Take out the advancing Holy Blood first!"

"Understood!"

He Shuo once again redirected his aim, just in time to spot a Holy Blood who had snuck within 200 meters, attempting to climb an overpass using a tall tree.

A bullet barrage showed no mercy. After a long burst, the Holy Blood, leaping through the air, was struck down like a massive bird, disintegrating in mid-air, with a severed arm spinning onto the overpass.

This horrifying scene terrified the approaching Holy Blood, who hesitated for a moment but ultimately succumbed to fear, turning to flee without looking back as tracer rounds were directed at him.

Chen Jian breathed a sigh of relief, his trigger speed slowing slightly.

Half a minute later, the heavily injured Li Shi was finally dragged back. Chen Jian directed Xie Liu and Zeng Yi to load him onto the vehicle, then ordered:

"Zeng Yi, drive! Xie Liu, provide first aid! He Shuo, mind the automatic grenades, give me the machine gun!"

"I can’t drive! I’ll cover you instead!"

Zeng Yi immediately objected, prompting Chen Jian to angrily curse:

"Then damn well learn on the spot! Driving slowly is still faster than walking!"

"Holding the rear now? Are you seeking death?"

"Get in the damn vehicle! Floor the accelerator!"

Upon the command, Zeng Yi doubted no longer.

Chen Jian reattached the 201 mortar to the rack and raised He Shuo’s machine gun for standing fire.

The performance of his exoskeleton was pushed to the limit. Even in such a "terrifying" firing stance, he maintained stability.

Rushing to the frontline, the Mechanical God Sect’s Church Protection Army was driven back under the overpass, and simultaneously, with a belated cannon boom, a large shell fell less than 50 meters before Chen Jian.

"Boom!"

The opposing artillery finally fired.

Although the accuracy lacked, the intimidation was undeniable!

"He Shuo! Ignore the artillery! They can’t hit us!"

"Suppress the front line first!"

"Understood!"

"Bang bang bang bang bang----"

Another round of explosions came as 35mm grenades filled with CL-20 explosives generated a massive shockwave. Following the shockwave, the already overburdened overpass finally collapsed with a thunderous crash.

Dust rose everywhere.

Chen Jian took off, bolting without a second’s hesitation.

The vehicle sped while he sprinted.

With He Shuo’s precise and efficient suppression, the group easily departed right under the City Defense Army’s noses in Han Shui City.

At this moment, a single question lingered in everyone’s minds.

What on earth is going on with these people in Han Shui City?!