The First Order

These Qing Consortium troops took their positions behind the heavy machine guns mounted on top of the armored vehicles. When Qing Zhen gave the order, the heavy machine guns started spitting out a barrage of thunderous fire. Countless bullets within their sight range could be seen interweaving like a net of fire as it forcefully subjected the Experimentals to a terrifying metal storm!

Spent shell casings were spat out continuously in great numbers from the top of the armored vehicles. In just half a minute, the ground around these armored vehicles turned a yellowish hue as the roads got filled with empty bullet shells.

The Experimentals that were unafraid of bullets were swept up by this metal storm, and their tough bodies were penetrated by the bullets. The force at which the bullets hit them even sent them flying into the air. But before they could hit the ground, an even greater torrent of bullets raked over them again until they became mincemeat.

There used to be a lot of houses over there. But when the metal storm hit, the rows of walled structures got utterly destroyed and pulverized into a fine powder.

The housing structures collapsed like a mountain from the intense hail of bullets.

Some of the Experimentals had taken shelter behind the houses, but none of them could have expected that this torrent of bullets could even bring down buildings.

Ren Xiaosu did not continue fleeing anymore. He just watched this violent and bloody scene play out before him. This was probably why humanity once controlled the world. The grand civilization could even create weapons so terrifying that the supernatural would fear them.

The roaring armored vehicles were the true ferocious beasts, while the bullets were like a sea of arrows whose might was even greater than a tsunami.

Only the Qing Consortium had these heavy machine guns in their arsenal. The entire structure of the gun was like a heavy iron case, and this heavy machine gun earned the nickname of the “Mountain Obliterator,” meaning that it could even be used to destroy a mountain.

At this moment, Ren Xiaosu noticed that the interior of the armored vehicles seemed to have several metal pipes linking out to the main gun structure. Each of the armored vehicles were actually equipped with cooling equipment to prevent the heavy machine guns from overheating.

Qing Zhen stood in the middle of the road and quietly watched as the Experimentals slowly retreated in the face of human civilization’s firearms. The fearless Experimentals were finally starting to feel afraid.

All of a sudden, someone discovered an Experimental standing upright atop a building in the distance staring at them. However, Qing Zhen looked right back at it undaunted.

Luo Lan said to Ren Xiaosu with a laugh, “See that! Half of the forces here are my old troops from Stronghold 113. Aren’t they amazing!”

Ren Xiaosu did not reply. So this Qing Zhen had already assembled all of Luo Lan’s troops that had gone missing during the earthquake? These two brothers must have still been keeping in contact all this while. Otherwise, Luo Lan wouldn’t have become fearless the moment he saw the ginkgo leaf logo.

The Experimentals began retreating. Qing Zhen said coldly, “Don’t pursue them.”

Everyone understood that if they maintained their positions and kept fighting, their heavy machine guns would definitely be more powerful. But the moment they started going after the enemy and headed into urban warfare, there wouldn’t be enough people to fight just based on the numbers that the Qing Consortium had here.

Moreover, this stronghold was also under the control of the Li Consortium. There was absolutely no reason why the Qing Consortium would want to help the Li Consortium clear out the Experimentals from this place. It was better to leave this headache of a mess to the Li Consortium themselves.

The Qing Consortium previously controlled 21 strongholds, but ever since the earthquake in the Jing Mountains, only 19 remained. Under these circumstances, the Qing Consortium’s people couldn’t wish more for the other organizations to lose a few of their strongholds as well. It would only be fair.

When the Experimentals retreated deep into the city, Luo Lan plopped onto the ground. “Hurry up and get me some water.”

Several soldiers carried a few buckets of clean water out of the armored vehicles before handing out some cups to the refugee-like people who’d fought together with Luo Lan.

Qing Zhen looked at him and said with a laugh, “I told you to leave this place earlier, yet you insisted on getting your hands on the Li Consortium’s research results first. It’s not worth getting pinned with the blame for that stuff.”

“You don’t know this”— Luo Lan took a sip of the water—”but the Li Consortium has discovered a way to connect directly to the neurons in your brain. In the future, they won’t need to program the nanomachines anymore. The human brain itself will act as the interface of the program. This is a very important technology. Just think about how scary nanomachines will be if they can execute complex operations.”

Qing Zhen laughed and said, “There are a lot of important technologies in this world, but this isn’t what we need. Without the breakthrough we require in the field of nanorobotics, it’s practically useless to get our hands on this technology.”

“But we can sell it to the other organizations.” Luo Lan said angrily while pointing at Yang Xiaojin, “Just look, their Yang Consortium is also thinking of getting their hands on this tech, so why not we just sell it to them?”

Qing Zhen’s gaze shifted to Ren Xiaosu and Yang Xiaojin. He said to Ren Xiaosu, “You saved my brother before, so I promised you a favor.”

“That favor has already been returned.” Luo Lan hurriedly said, “I’ve already returned it for you!”

Ren Xiaosu was not happy to hear that. “But I’ve saved so many soldiers again this time.”

Luo Lan was also unhappy to hear that. “It was Xu Xianchu who saved us. What has it got to do with you?”

Ren Xiaosu was speechless. He realized he could not refute that.

Suddenly, Luo Lan said startled, “Eh, where’s Xu Xianchu? Wasn’t his shadow clone around a moment ago?”

Yang Xiaojin said calmly, “He’s afraid you all will arrest him, so he’s already fled.”

Ren Xiaosu echoed, “That’s right, he’s already fled.”

Qing Zhen said to those around him, “Xu Xianchu is no longer wanted starting from today. Our Qing Consortium and him are even now.” Qing Zhen then looked at Yang Xiaojin and asked, “Why have the Saboteurs made me a target?”

“Shouldn’t you know all about the nuclear test site you set up?” Yang Xiaojin said coldly.

Ren Xiaosu thought to himself, ‘Girl, they have so many people on their side right now. Should you really be arguing with them at a time like this?’

As a result, Qing Zhen laughed and said, “Not even the Board of our Qing Consortium knows about the site, yet you all actually found out about it? So just for that, I have to die?”

Yang Xiaojin looked at him calmly. “You’re trying to control something that humans can’t control. The world has already been destroyed once because of it. You’re playing with fire.”

Qing Zhen shook his head. “Was that the fault of nuclear technology? It was the fault of humanity. You don’t even know how beautiful that blue glow inside a nuclear reactor is. It’s literally a gift from the world.”

“Humanity should never have even tried controlling a power that could destroy themselves,” Yang Xiaojin said stubbornly.

“Should we not eat just because we fear choking?” Qing Zhen said earnestly, “If we have a nuclear reactor, do you know how much energy we can save?”

Then Qing Zhen had someone bring over some lighting equipment. “This is our radioluminescent light. If there are no accidents, it can retain its brightness for as long as 20 years without any external help. This is the power of nuclear technology.”

“What if nuclear technology is used for war again?” Yang Xiaojin asked calmly.

Qing Zhen laughed. “It can also be used to end wars. Actually, we won’t be able to come to an agreement on this no matter what. Facing the Experimentals today, we’re brothers in arms. But I’ll still welcome the Saboteurs anytime after today. Let’s not hold back or show mercy to each other.”

He then took a hard drive from Tang Zhou and threw it to Yang Xiaojin. “This is the thing your Yang Consortium is after. Have you ever thought what it’ll be like if you all can link your nanotech, which is still only being used in the medical field, with neurotech and commission it for military use? Are you saying the Yang Consortium is not trying to get its hands on this technology for war?”