On the rugged, scorched desert, the blazing sun beat down mercilessly, with not a cloud in sight. Instead, a howling wind swept through, carrying a storm of yellow sand.

The gritty grains scraped against skin like tiny daggers, while a haze of yellow dust settled over everything, coating it in a murky film that made the world look dirty and blurred. It was an itch in the mind and body that no amount of effort could shake off.

Under this desolate sky, everything bowed in submission, with the yellow sand ruling supreme.

“Ugh! Those damn dogs are still chasing us!!”

In the distance, a gray SUV appeared at the end of Yellow Hill Road.

The vehicle was armored, with thick, blast-proof tires and various gun barrels mounted on the front, back, and roof. But the barrel on the roof looked like already destroyed.

At first, it seemed clumsy and slow, but that thought was quickly overturned as a cloud of dust erupted behind it, signaling its high speed.

In less than two minutes, a slender figure popped up from the roof, and a deafening gunshot echoed across the barren land.

Of course, there were shouts, too.

The girl yelled furiously, clutching a rifle as she fired a few rounds, only to be forced back into the cabin by a hail of bullets.

“Yushi! What the hell are you doing back there?!”

The sound of bullets ricocheted overhead, and the roof of the cabin bulged ominously.

The girl’s sky-blue hair was a messy halo around her head, but there was no time to fix it.

Wiping the sweat from her brow, she shot a fierce glare at the boy crouched behind her.

The one called “Yushi” was equally frazzled.

He was frantically fiddling with a bulky display screen that looked like an old computer, pounding on the keyboard.

“Chill out, OK?! It’s my first time using this hacking software! Even with a guide, I still need to figure it out!”

“Aren’t you a mechanic? How can you not handle such a hacking program?!”

“I still need to understand how it works first! The cracking software I usually use is totally different! Plus, my computer is too old-fashion !”

“Let me try it with you.”A girl beside him gently smoothed his restless shoulders, interrupting the pointless argument.

She tucked her silver hair behind her ear and leaned closer, her emerald-green eyes scanning the machine and the plastic guidebook beside it, murmuring key points.

“I’ll hold them off! Sharon , jsut take a break!”

A rough female voice came from the passenger seat, followed by a long gun barrel extending toward them.

Then a muscular woman leaned out, her purple undercut glinting in the sun.

The sudden opening of the sunroof created a cramped space, and she could only hear the sarcastic remark inside, “How can we possibly take a break at a time like this?!”

But she paid it no mind, steadying her sniper rifle and aiming at the pursuing vehicles behind them.

Facing them were fully armed motorcycles, flanked by a group of gun-toting riders.

They wore tight-fitting outfits, unlike her faux-leather coat, which billowed in the wind.

Above them, two green-painted helicopters circled, having just emptied their magazines and were in the process of reloading.

“They have sniper!”

The motorcycle riders shouted into their intercoms, but her movements were quicker.

As she raised her rifle, she fired directly at the driver of one motorcycle, without hesitation.

“Bang!!”

Even the wind was howling, the bullet flew true, aimed straight at the driver.

But with a dull thud, it lodged itself in the windshield, failing to penetrate further.

A bead of sweat trickled down the driver’s forehead as he managed a cold smirk.

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

But… it was a sniper rifle shot; logically, it should have been powerful enough to deform the bullet. Why…?

“I had a feeling this would happen…”

The woman sighed, a hint of resignation curling her lips.

“…which is why I was reluctant to fire that round…”

“Boom!!”

In a moment of confusion, the bullet suddenly exploded, shattering the sturdy glass into lethal shards, filling the vehicle with fire and smoke.

Within seconds, the entire motorcycle vanished in a brilliant explosion, sending charred debris flying in all directions.

“Ahhh!!!”

The group screamed, the nearby motorcycle riders thrown off balance, their bikes wobbling violently.

Some lost control entirely, crashing into the sandy terrain, flinging their riders out—some left unconscious, others mangled beyond recognition.

At least those wearing helmets fared somewhat better; even if their heads flew off, the helmets remained intact, and they could still be pieced together later.

The motorcycles trailing behind were also affected by the explosion’s shockwave and debris, but quickly regained their composure.

The surviving riders swiftly repositioned, opening fire on the woman and the SUV.

“Ugh, if only I’d brought more armor-piercing rounds and grenades, we wouldn’t have been chased by those dead meat for so long.”

She tossed a grenade and immediately ducked back. Just as the sunroof closed, the helicopters resumed their bullets rains.

The vehicle’s windows were barely holding up, beginning to crack under the pressure.

“I just threw out the second-to-last grenade; we probably won’t last much longer,” the woman warned.

“Who knew that Kreek had a monitor chip implanted in him! Mason’s crew is disgustingly cunning!”

Sharon ’s clenched fists crackled with tension, her weapon beside her freshly loaded with ammo.

“If we had Kreek’s corpse instead of Lin Kai in the car, I would’ve cut him up and tossed him out as a trap! I’d even rip out his organs! I swear!”

“Hey, sis, don’t be so scary OK?”

Yushi turned to look at Sharon , only to be met with a fierce reprimand.

“Get that shit working already! Or I’ll chop you up and throw you out too!!”

“Sharon .”

Another girl called out to them. Beneath her golden hair lay a face marked by silver lines, a clear sign of cybernetic implants. “Now’s not the time to bicker; focus.”

“Sysus Sanst… Who want to talk to you guys!”

Sharon wanted to say more, but after a pause, she could only sigh, grabbing her weapon and crawling back up to the sunroof.

“Hmph, what did I say back then…”

The muscular woman snickered, but was silenced by a warning pat from the blonde girl.

“Alright, everyone, calm down. This is actually all my fault.”

The driver finally spoke. His rugged neck turned slightly, and his half-masked face commanded an air of calm.

The mask wasn’t just a simple cloth covering; it was a mechanical implant fused with his body. A short tube extended from where his eye should be, with a glass-like material glowing ominously red.

His physique was extraordinary, with arms as thick as an ordinary person’s thigh. His hands were entirely mechanical, with the left arm’s structure extending into the shoulder.

The sun atop the hill cast a radiant glow upon him, making his arm shimmer with an icy blue light.

“If your failed captain didn’t get shot, and that damn bullet hitting close to my nerve, we wouldn’t be in such a dire situation…”

The driver’s voice carried a hint of guilt, but due to his naturally deep tone, it was hard for anyone to discern, making him sound even more stern.

However, this self-blame did ease some of the tension in the vehicle, All eyes remained fixed on Yushi, hoping he could indeed conjure something up.

“I’m gonna deal with them.”

Sharon opened the sunroof with a scowl, but as she leaned out, enemy fire rained down, barely missing her hair.

“F**k!!”

She gritted her teeth, quickly retracting, slamming the sunroof shut and plopping back into her seat, her legs shaking from anxiety.

“I was almost dealed… Yushi! What the hell are you all doing!!”

“Almost done! I’ve infiltrated those two ‘Dragonflies’!”

Yushi suddenly interrupted her word, his fingers flying over the keyboard.

“Well done, I can see the entire structure clearly… Wait, it looks like it’s about to launch something.”

“Launch what? Another rotating machine gun?”

The muscular woman shot a calming glance at the driver, turning to ask Yushi. But before he could respond, the communication from the “Dragonfly” helicopters was intercepted and broadcasted inside the vehicle.

“Due to the stubbornness of the thieves, and considering the criminal gang is approaching the Free State, we hereby authorize the use of EB-213. Ground forces, maintain your distance. Repeat, due to the stubbornness of the thieves…”

“It’s… it’s guided missiles, thicker than your arm!”

Yushi’s mouth twitched as he abruptly turned to the muscular woman.

“The enemy is about to launch guided missiles. The Mason’s EB-213, due to its unstable chemical properties, it can only be temporarily loaded. But it’s incredibly powerful; once launched, the explosion radius will be twenty meters.”

The silver-haired girl warned the group.

“F**k their moms!! Are they out of their minds?!” Sharon couldn’t hold it in any longer, banging on the door in anger.

“Yo yo! Don’t hit the car! Don’t drag us down with you when you want to throw your life away,!!”

The blonde girl rushed over to grab her, preventing her from making things worse.

“You should say, don’t they want the chip? Sharon .” The muscular woman chuckled darkly.

“Calm down! The missiles are guided…”

Yushi was sweating profusely, his eyes glued to the screen, the sound of his typing drowning out the gunfire outside.

“That makes it even worse ahhhh!!!!… Jin Xiuqin!! You pressed against my thigh!!”

Sharon ’s head popped out from the blonde girl’s embrace, lashing out furiously.

“If it has guidance function, then it means the trajectory can be altered…”

The driver’s deep voice cut through the chaos again. Due to his injury, he had been quietly grunting in pain.

But with the noise from all around, hardly anyone could hear him. He had only just injected himself with a calming agent and felt better.

“Just like Captain Questan, your foresight is commendable,” the silver-haired girl said with a slight smile, offering praise.

“Let’s save the flattery for after we survive. Miss Delena,” the muscular woman muttered, pulling out another grenade, rolling down the window, and tossing it out before quickly shutting it again.

“Boom!!” The grenade’s explosion shook the vehicles.

“This is the last grenade. Oh, and the only high-explosive.” she added.

Yushi stared at the screen, which had turned an ominous green, swallowing hard as he pinched his furrowed brow. His jaw clenched, allowing his canine teeth to slide against his lower lip.

Finally, he narrowed his eyes, nervously warning, “The enemy’s missile is being loaded…”

Sharon pressed her face against the window, peering outside.

Ignoring the bullets whizzing past, she looked up to see the two Dragonflies in the distance, their hatches opening, revealing missiles slowly extending from within.

“Holy Sysus shit!!”