Chapter 212: Dumbfounded, Huh? I Can Fly

The mutant camp quickly began preparations for battle.

This action naturally caused all sorts of unease among the mutants in the camp. The main group feeling this way was the local northern mutants who had been recently absorbed; this was indeed their first time being surrounded and targeted for annihilation by a Level 2 Sanctuary.

To them, even a Level 5 Sanctuary was a behemoth on a normal day, let alone a Level 2.

And it wasn’t just one Level 2 Sanctuary. The Level 3, 4, and 5 Sanctuaries that had split off from it were also taking part in the operation.

Barring any miracles, the camp was doomed.

Because of this, many of the local mutants were planning to leave.

But due to various factors, they simply couldn’t get away.

The mutants from the Steel Brotherhood, on the other hand, didn’t seem too fazed.

For them, while such an event wasn’t exactly commonplace, they had experienced it many times before.

So they responded in an orderly and methodical manner.

Cummings, whose combat power in the camp was second only to Kemp’s, was assigned to protect Qi Suian.

Kemp couldn’t leave. He had to hold down the fort and ensure the success of this breakout attempt.

The main plan was to provide cover.

That’s right. It wasn’t a head-on clash or a surprise attack.

It was to sacrifice the majority of the mutants to ensure that Qi Suian and the elite mutants of the Steel Brotherhood could retreat safely.

Therefore, the local mutants wanting to leave was actually the correct impulse.

If they joined the breakout, they would just become cannon fodder. It was a situation with a slim-to-none chance of survival.

Of course, their chances of survival were probably not much better if they tried to leave on their own. By now, the Pure-bloods’ encirclement was already complete.

If they had left yesterday, they might have lived. Now, it was all down to luck.

After all, they couldn’t rely on their own strength.

"What’s the situation?" Qi Suian asked casually.

In reality, he could see everything clearly through his reconnaissance network. The Pure-bloods had completed their encirclement and were beginning to tighten it.

The battle would erupt in half an hour at most.

"Just as you predicted, the encirclement is complete. The situation isn’t optimistic. We’ve spotted the enemy, and they’re closing in," Cummings said truthfully, not trying to deceive Qi Suian.

"Alright then. You just worry about yourself later. I’m going out for a little slaughter," Qi Suian said, having gotten his answer.

’The mutant camp will indeed be cashed in by me, but that doesn’t mean all the mutants will die.’

’With a variable like me in the mix, I shouldn’t show my hand before the act is over.’

"That’s... not a good idea. Our plan is to break out." Cummings hesitated. "If you take action, it will affect the breakout’s progress."

"I can fly," Qi Suian stated calmly.

’A bunch of people running on the ground are actually telling me, someone who can fly, that I’ll affect the breakout.’

He could just fly straight up one or two thousand meters, and the Pure-bloods wouldn’t be able to touch him.

For no other reason than the fact that Pure-blood technology didn’t include missiles.

Even though he hadn’t slaughtered his way up from Level 5 to Level 1, he still had a very clear understanding of the Pure-bloods’ technology.

In reality, they only had two types: combat armor and gene-enhancement potions.

As for energy weapons and bionic armor, both were essentially extensions of combat armor, not independent systems.

Everything else was supported by the Sanctuaries formed by the Fire Seeds.

So there was no need to worry about the enemy posing a threat to Qi Suian.

The idea that being able to fly made him a moving target didn’t hold up either. Why would his flight speed be any slower than his ground speed?

If you thought that way, then weren’t people on the ground also moving targets?

Just because there were obstacles on the ground to hide behind? An attack that could hit the high-speed flying Tai Sui God one or two thousand meters in the air wasn’t something any old obstacle on the ground would be qualified to block.

"But..." Faced with a Qi Suian who refused to play by the rules, Cummings was at a loss for words.

Some mutants could fly, but they couldn’t get that high, and their movements were clumsy.

The combat armor was modeled after the Fire Seed Armor and also lacked flight capabilities.

The reason was simple. Fire Seed Armor was basically designed for heavy knights who used cold weapons, with the standard configuration being a horse, a suit of armor, and a large melee weapon.

They were great for charging, but asking them to fly was a bit too much.

Since it was a copy, the combat armor also ended up without the ability to fly.

This was mainly because they had skipped the fundamentals and copied an advanced design. Even if they wanted to develop their own, they still needed a foundation to build on.

A tall building rises from level ground, but the Pure-bloods’ technology was more like a castle in the air.

It looked impressive, but it wasn’t solid.

It was only good enough to bully mutants. If they were up against the nations of the previous Cold Winter World, they wouldn’t necessarily be a match.

A complete national power could even drive the Cold Energy Monsters out of the Ancestral Court. If not for Qi Suian’s later involvement, the Cold Energy Monsters would have had no chance of making a comeback.

"There are no buts. You guys break out on your own. I’ll catch up," Qi Suian interrupted Cummings.

’Not to mention, after this battle, I’ll get another module slot.’

’With one more module, I might be able to raise my Slaughter Knife against a Level 3 Sanctuary.’

After saying this, Qi Suian left immediately.

Cummings wanted to stop him, but he couldn’t. He could only watch helplessly as Qi Suian walked away.

Powerless, he turned to find Kemp.

After all, Kemp was the Sixth Elder of the Steel Brotherhood. Since he held a higher position, he should have a solution.

When he explained the situation, Kemp’s brows furrowed deeply. He was so worried his hair was about to turn white.

’How could he drop the ball at such a critical moment? We agreed to retreat together, but Qi Suian just ignored the safe formation I created for him.’

"Find him. Find a way to bring him back," Kemp said after holding it in for a good three minutes.

"Jack can fly, and he’s very fast." The helplessness on Cummings’ face was palpable. "So it’s impossible to find him right now."

"And he flies high. Even if you shout, he might not be able to hear you."

The Wasteland World had limited communication technology. The Pure-bloods were a little better off. As for the mutants, besides those like Kemp and Cummings who had long-range communication tech, the rest basically communicated by shouting.

They had no way of contacting Qi Suian at all.

"Then what do we do? We can’t just watch him go to his death." Kemp’s expression grew increasingly grim. "He hasn’t given us the Steel Armor technology yet."

"If he dies just like that, it will be a huge loss for the Steel Brotherhood!"

Kemp didn’t care if Qi Suian lived or died, but he cared about the ’Steel Armor technology’.

The entire Steel Brotherhood had paid such a high price, all for this technology.

They hadn’t gotten their hands on it yet. If Qi Suian died, the Steel Brotherhood absolutely could not bear that loss.

Putting other things aside, just considering the elite mutants and the Elder who were sent here, it would be extremely difficult for their southern faction to recover from this setback.

"I know, but Kemp, it’s no use telling me all this."

"Jack’s Steel Armor is comparable to a Level 3 Fire Seed Armor. What makes you think I could stop him?" What could Cummings possibly do?

If Qi Suian just flew away, he would be completely unable to catch him.

After thinking it over, Kemp finally sighed. "Then let’s change the plan. Sacrifice the northern mutants and preserve our elites."

"Break out and return to the south with everything we’ve got."

Since they had lost control of Qi Suian, their only option was to settle for the next best thing and save themselves.

The northern mutants’ combat discipline was no match for their own elites. For the sake of the Steel Brotherhood, they had no choice but to sacrifice them.

It was a cruel thing to do, but for Kemp, it was the best solution.

Otherwise, they would truly have to abandon everything.

"That’s... not a good idea. After all, Jack might not necessarily die."

"His Steel Armor’s defense and mobility make it highly likely he’ll survive."

"Once he realizes what we’re doing, he might get other ideas," Cummings hesitated again.

"At a time like this, we don’t need to worry about him! If he really cared about us, he wouldn’t have acted on his own after you and I repeatedly instructed him otherwise," Kemp said furiously.

It was precisely because Qi Suian refused to play by the rules—and at such a critical moment—that his plan had been thrown into such disarray.

「 」

"I hear a local northern mutant helped these mongrels crack the combat armor’s encryption?" Clayton’s expression was full of contempt.

He was the Second Elder of the Level 2 Sanctuary, Prince Storm Sanctuary. Ordinarily, no mutant would ever dare to provoke them at Prince Storm.

If these mutants hadn’t gone too far this time, his Sanctuary wouldn’t have had to take the lead.

The Grand Elder controlled the Second-level Fire Armor: Prince Storm, so he naturally couldn’t come to the front lines. Therefore, it was he, the Second Elder, who had mobilized the entire force this time.

All the Pure-blooded Warriors who came here were led by the Second Elders of their respective Sanctuaries.

The situation was the same as with the Prince Storm Sanctuary; the Grand Elders possessed the Fire Seed Armor and could not leave their Sanctuaries carelessly.

The reason was simple: it wasn’t just mutants who would destroy a Sanctuary. Other Sanctuaries, run by fellow Pure-bloods, would do the same.

Especially with the current resource crisis, it was entirely possible for one to pose as mutants to launch an attack, plundering resources to supplement their own Sanctuary’s shortfall.

In fact, of the large number of Level 4 and Level 5 Sanctuaries that had been destroyed, some were the work of Pure-blood Sanctuaries, not just mutant camps.

The relationship between Sanctuaries was anything but friendly.

"That’s right. This mutant is too dangerous. He must be killed as soon as possible," a Second Elder from a Level 3 Sanctuary chimed in.

"Dangerous? I think you all are just too useless. A mere mutant—how strong can he possibly be?" Clayton was completely unconvinced. "This is the North, not the territory of those southern cowards."

"Here, mutants can only be slaves!"

Clayton’s voice was forceful and resonant as he spoke.

But just as the words left his mouth, a black shadow flashed by, and Clayton’s figure vanished.

A chorus of shouts erupted: "ENEMY ATTACK!!!"

If you find any errors (non-standard content, ads redirect, broken links, etc..), Please let us know so we can fix it as soon as possible.