The next morning, more than twenty freshmen gathered outside the hotel wearing black and red battle armor, each carrying weapons that had an exaggerated appearance on their backs. They all wore powerful pistols and nine differently shaped metal bombs at their waists, fully armed and exuding a murderous aura.
The student that had been injured by the grenade explosion was still recovering in the infirmary, and it was estimated that they would need to rest for a week.
Before long, several modified off-road vehicles, all lacking a roof, arrived for each assigned squad to collect them, and they effortlessly leaped aboard one by one. Given the battle armor and the two-meter-long weapons they carried, there was simply no way they could all fit into a vehicle with a roof.
Standing on the off-road vehicle and holding his heavy shield, Xia Youhui suddenly remarked, "Hey Ah Chu, why does it seem like your armor looks better than ours?"
Chen Chu's reinforced armor, enhanced to level 8, felt noticeably more profound compared to his classmates’, giving an overall sense of heaviness. Both Liu Feng and Bai Mu also noticed the difference once Xia Youhui pointed it out, their eyes revealing a sense of puzzlement.
In the face of this question, Chen Chu smiled faintly. "Because I sprayed a layer of matte film on my armor. How’s that, doesn't it look much cooler than yours?"
Addressing the slight color variation in the battle armor with an answer involving spray painting was simple enough; to make it more convincing, Chen Chu had gotten up early and actually went to the logistics department to request a bottle of matte spray paint.
"Damn, bro, you're a genius! Why didn't I think of that?" Liu Feng exclaimed with exuberant, gleaming eyes. "After today's mission, I'm going to get a spray paint can and change my armor's color to gold. Haha!"
Bai Mu, also enthusiastic, chimed in, "Gold is too tacky, I think silver would look cooler."
An excited Xia Youhui interjected, "No, no, your approach is too conventional. I think adding a pair of metal wings on the back would be even cooler."
...Seriously, aren't your imaginations getting a bit out of hand? Chen Chu couldn't help but feel that the upcoming trials might take an unexpected turn.
A few minutes later, Chen Chu and the other three met up with the armored squad.
Today's patrol area extended further, approaching the outskirts. As the tanks and armored vehicles rumbled down the dilapidated streets, surrounded by old houses in the urban area, the sparse pedestrians and motorcycles on the road quickly made way.
Not a single high-quality car could be seen, giving Chen Chu a sense of backwardness reminiscent of a third-world country. It was a stark contrast to the prosperity of East Xia.
On both sides of the road, the Kyrola civilians watched in awe as the armored squad passed by. This situation made Chen Chu feel like they were the antagonists, swaggering into the backward Kyrola with their guns and cannons.
Ahem! That's impossible! We are federal special forces here to suppress the Demon Cult.
Chen Chu's eyes were slightly closed, appearing to rest, but in reality, he had entered the Insightful Eye Realm, using his sixth sense to perceive his surroundings. As long as hostile gazes fell upon him, he could sense them immediately.
No enemies appeared in this entire area, however. Just then, Zhang Hong in the front tank received an order.
"All vehicles, attention! Squad 5 is under heavy enemy ambush and siege. We are to provide immediate support."
With the announcement over the radio, the lead tank thundered as it turned around. Its speed instantly skyrocketed to 130 kilometers[1] per hour, kicking up billowing smoke and dust on the already dilapidated road.
Chen Chu and the other three also perked up, suddenly standing, as the presence of enemies implied potential gains. The area patrolled by Squad 5 was adjacent to where Chen Chu and his group were stationed; in less than ten minutes, they could already see flames burning in the distance, accompanied by explosions and gunfire.
Here, they were already on the outskirts, and were moving into a village that had been relocated and was now deserted. Over two hundred rebel soldiers had trapped Squad 5 at the street intersection, utilizing buildings and traps. Two tanks had lost their mobility, and several armored vehicles were overturned by explosions.
One of the accompanying freshmen lay motionless on the ground, another was severely injured and being helped by several soldiers into an armored vehicle, and the last two were nowhere to be seen.
"Tanks, prepare for a frontal assault and neutralize the enemy's high ground firepower! Armored units, spread out! Flank from two directions and encircle them. Heavy machine guns, don't hold back on the firepower. Suppress them and get some breathing room!
"Be cautious, there are several cultivators reported among the rebels. Don't get too close."
Zhang Hong rapidly issued commands to the armored squad, and then his voice came through Chen Chu and the others’ earpieces.
"Little Chen, Squad 5 has been ambushed. One of your classmates had died on the spot, while another is critically injured and currently being treated. The other two had moved into the eastern part of the village in pursuit of three cultists. Their current status is unknown. I suggest you go support them first."
"What, someone died!" All four freshmen’s expressions shifted, showing signs of concern. Although they were aware of the inherent dangers of this trial, they hadn't expected someone to die so soon, especially since there were supposed to be teachers or military experts accompanying them.
But now wasn't the time to dwell on such thoughts. Chen Chu said in a solemn tone, "No need, I can go support them by myself. You three coordinate with Second Lieutenant Zhang's team and make sure to annihilate this rebel group. If there are any Third Heavenly Realm cultivators among the rebels, surround them and delay their movements."
They had already witnessed Chen Chu's strength over the past two days. Three cultivators at the Second Heavenly Realm were not to be feared; even if he encountered someone at the Third Heavenly Realm, he could still come out unscathed.
Xia Youhui and the others nodded solemnly, saying, "Leave it to us."
With their strength, once they charged into the crowd under Zhang Hong's suppressive fire, it would be a massacre. Even though they already tended to use lethal force, their classmate’s death still filled them with a strong desire to kill.
In a flash, Chen Chu leaped down from the vehicle, his speed erupting to its fullest. In an instant, he transformed into a blur, disappearing from sight; within moments, he had dashed over a hundred meters away.
Liu Feng exclaimed, "Damn, Chen Chu is incredibly fast."
"That's right, my brother is really something," Xia Youhui said proudly. He then jumped down from the vehicle, his body exuding a heavy and powerful aura as he wielded his heavy shield.
Seeing this, Liu Feng and Bai Mu didn't hesitate either. The three of them teamed up, taking advantage of the heavy firepower cover from the squad's tanks and armored vehicles and utilizing the terrain to their advantage to charge in from the side.
While still a hundred meters away, three metal bombs whistled through the air, accurately landing behind several rebel positions.
In an instant, explosions erupted, accompanied by cries of agony.
As true martial artists whose physiques were ten times that of an ordinary person, throwing bombs was a trivial matter for Xia Youhui and the others that didn't require any special training.
The two tanks roared, and their shells accurately brought down two two-story buildings, burying several heavily armed rebels underneath.
With the howling wind in his ears and the scenery rapidly receding on both sides, Chen Chu's figure dashed like the wind, weaving through the dilapidated buildings. Along the way, he spotted three cultist bodies. Following the traces of the battle, he quickly found the last two classmates.
In front of an elementary school building, Li Meng swung his two-meter-long heavy hammer wildly, forcing two more cultists to retreat continuously as he smashed down upon them.
The heavy hammer, weighing over a hundred kilograms, smashed into the wall, instantly creating a large hole. As dust filled the air, Li Meng swung the hammer again, turning a chair thrown by the enemy into pieces. He looked extremely formidable, overpowering the two late-stage Second Heavenly Realm cultivators.
On the nearby field lay three bodies, their faces indistinguishable. Further away, the last student leaned against the wall in a corner, gasping weakly for breath as he tried to deal with a large hole in his thigh.
Chen Chu dropped from the wall, and his metal combat boots landed on the ground with a heavy thud. The injured classmate's face immediately changed color. "Sniper on the roof!"
The instant he spoke out, Chen Chu's figure had already flashed and reappeared several meters away. At the same time, he faintly heard a suppressed sound, followed by a loud bang from where he had just been, a small crater the size of a human head forming from the impact force.
Three shots were fired in rapid succession, but Chen Chu managed to dodge them beforehand. Only his ghost-like figure could be seen as he rushed into the building’s stairwell.
1. The original novel uses “eighty miles;” this was converted to kilometers for standardization ☜