The world has turned into Hell's Game, why should I stay human?
Chapter 198 - 197: Explosions Are the Best Music

Chapter 198: Chapter 197: Explosions Are the Best Music

"Fire!"

The reaction of the flatulence bug was fast, but Captain Maria reacted even faster.

Long before Liu Zheng had intervened, she had already instructed her crew to be ready.

At her command, an armor-piercing bullet was immediately fired with a thunderous roar.

The shell, engraved with mysterious patterns, struck the smoking poison liquid directly.

Then, upon collision, instead of being shattered by the armor-piercing bullet, the seemingly fragile poison liquid rapidly dissolved the bullet.

Seeing this, Captain Maria frowned.

With her combat experience, she naturally knew that this was the time to use a high explosive armor-piercing bullet.

The flames generated by the high explosive armor-piercing bullet could burn the poison liquid.

But the explosion from the high explosive armor-piercing bullet could also affect Cheng Xiaomei, nullifying the purpose of the rescue.

The armor-piercing bullet and the poison liquid consumed each other and finally dissipated into nothingness.

However, several strands of remaining poison liquid continued unabated, lunging toward Cheng Xiaomei.

She sighed, not attempting to dodge, but instead looked up at Liu Zheng on the tank.

"Will you take care of my children for me?"

She didn’t speak, but her eyes conveyed her heartfelt question.

Cheng Xiaomei believed that Liu Zheng would understand.

He indeed understood and then firmly shook his head.

He didn’t like taking care of children for others and, moreover, he couldn’t stay in the Metropolis forever.

Such matters should still be handled by their mothers.

At the tips of Liu Zheng’s tentacles, the heart-shaped gem on the Oath Guardian Ring completely shattered.

Simultaneously shattered was his heart.

A red, heart-shaped defensive field unfolded in front of Cheng Xiaomei. The poison liquid hit it without causing a single ripple.

"Snap!"

"Snap!"

"Snap!"

Three more poison liquids shots came simultaneously and were blocked by the defensive field.

It turned out to be the flatulence bug’s attempt at a surefire achievement.

If Liu Zheng couldn’t bear to part with the "Oath Guardian Ring" and chose to shield Cheng Xiaomei with his own body, both of them would have been reduced to yellow ashes by the poison liquid.

Fortunately, facing something that clearly seemed poisonous, he was very cautious.

Two tentacles shot out, circling under Cheng Xiaomei’s armpits and then swiftly retracting.

He was too cautious this time. After four consecutive poison fart shells, the flatulence bug was now too weak to even stand.

"Bang!"

Cheng Xiaomei collided into Liu Zheng’s body, then instinctively hugged him, burying her head in his chest.

It was somewhat hard, but it reassured her immensely.

"Ah! Are you all right?!"

As soon as she opened her eyes, she saw the huge hole in Liu Zheng’s chest and the mashed heart inside.

"It’s nothing, it’ll grow back soon."

Liu Zheng said nonchalantly.

Just a broken heart, ever since he entered this crappy instance, when had he not been torn to shreds multiple times?

"Mhm."

Cheng Xiaomei replied softly, burying her head even deeper.

"Shouldn’t you let Xiao Li go now?"

She said faintly.

"Ahaha, almost forgot."

Liu Zheng pulled the woman’s head out and then held it against his chest as well.

Cheng Xiaomei and Xiao Li’s lifeless eyes met, but her heart felt no fear, only regret.

Pity, her luck wasn’t good enough to hold out until Liu Zheng arrived.

Then again, if her luck were good, how would she have been born in the Old City District?

"Let’s go inside."

Liu Zheng said, carrying one living and one dead person into the tank cabin.

"Hold her and find yourself a place to sit."

He handed Xiao Li to Cheng Xiaomei and said.

"Okay."

Cheng Xiaomei nodded while holding Xiao Li.

"By the way, have they planted anything on you?"

Liu Zheng suddenly asked.

"I don’t think so. I can’t be sure."

Cheng Xiaomei said, slightly bewildered.

"My apologies then. Captain Maria, is there anything that can protect against their tampering?"

"There is, but it’s quite uncomfortable."

Capitan Maria said.

He looked toward Cheng Xiaomei.

"It’s okay, I can manage."

Cheng Xiaomei quickly said.

"Then let’s use it."

Liu Zheng agreed.

Although even if Cheng Xiaomei hadn’t agreed, he would have agreed anyway, but volunteering is always better than being forced.

"Good. Kasichen, free up an ammo box."

Captain Maria commanded.

The loader immediately freed up an ammo box and then moved it in front of Cheng Xiaomei.

"Climb in."

Captain Maria said.

Cheng Xiaomei glanced at Liu Zheng, who nodded.

So she gritted her teeth and walked into the ammo box with Xiao Li.

The ammo box was not small, but it was unlikely to fit one and a half people.

The loader reached out and pressed down on the shoulders of Cheng Xiaomei and Xiao Li, whose bodies softened like rubber and were then fully packed into the box.

The loader then closed the ammo box, took off the Gold Star Medal from his chest, and pressed it into the lock of the box where a red pentagram imprint was then stamped on it.

The loader nodded at Liu Zheng and returned to his post.

"Sealing complete, we can release them once we’re out."

Captain Maria said.

"Alright."

It’s uncomfortable, but safety comes first.

Liu Zheng also returned to his post, looking through his periscope.

In his filtered view, the heart-shaped Defensive Field still stood unbroken.

Poison needle, poison thorn, Poison Liquid, air bombs — various attacks were all blocked by the Defensive Field.

Aside from being incredibly costly, this exquisite defensive performance was nearly perfect.

However, its mission was ending there.

The rescue operation was complete, and now, those pests needed protection.

But today, no one could save them.

Red veins and muscles swelled up, beginning to tear Liu Zheng’s skin.

Blood and Flesh Rebirth kept healing the tears, which kept reopening, creating a peculiar balance.

This was a sign that his rage was nearing its peak.

It was about to happen, not because he wasn’t angry enough.

But because he controlled the burst of rage with strong will and Spiritual Attribute.

Liu Zheng had a premonition that the real need for ignition would come once they reached the nest.

As for now, it was time to vent some anger on these little pests.

"Kasichen, switch the machine gun to Instant Bombs."

Captain Maria looked into the distance as she ordered.

Although the calling of the insects had ceased abruptly, it hadn’t been without effect.

The sounds of insects came from all directions, some even revealing their shapes.

The loader immediately executed Captain Maria’s order and then signaled to her.

"Comrade Commander, the Defensive Field can now be removed."

She told Liu Zheng.

The Defensive Field had just protected them, but now it was actually an obstacle in their path.

"Alright."

The red heart-shaped field shattered at the sound, a noise like glass breaking, which momentarily pressed down the insects’ buzzing but was quickly overcome by an even more explosive sound.

"Fire!"

Captain Maria’s hair floated as if in the wind, like the mane of a lion.

Her command was like a sledgehammer, heavily inspiring the crew members to fulfill their duties.

The driver pressed the accelerator, and the tank advanced methodically.

The loader quickly loaded a High Explosive Armor-Piercing Bullet, the gunner locked the target and pulled the trigger.

And Liu Zheng, he manned the anti-aircraft gun, aimed at the vaguely visible insect figures in the treetops, and forcefully pressed the button.

Bullets with white-tipped ends, eager to leave the barrel, joyously lunged towards their prey.

"BOOM!"

"boom!" "boom!" "boom!"

...

After a thunderous roar, there were countless smaller but still loud explosions, beautifully distinct yet harmonious.

It was like a massive ensemble concert, but all the instruments were percussion.

Not only was it an auditory spectacle but visually as well.

Numerous red flames lit up first, the glow of tracers burning inside the Instant Bombs.

Following closely, continuous bursts of light like little white flowers blossomed, the explosives ignited by the tracers flowering.

Green, gray, black, brown, red, white colors were thrown out by the shockwaves of the explosions, raining down a multicolored drizzle from the sky.

Among them were remnants of trees and pieces of insects.

It rained from above, and also as if fountains sprang up from the ground.

Even though the High Explosive Bombs exploded in mid-air, the massive shockwaves still lifted the entire groundlayer.

The dark brown humus layer and yellow subsoil were thrown into the air, revealing the grayish-white weathered rock layer beneath.

However, inside the large crater created by the High Explosive Bombs, a dense layer of foam covered the horde of insects, allowing them to escape virtually unscathed.

A black insect, with four white spots and two red spots on its back, resembling a cicada, lay among the insects, its abdomen continuously secreting foam.