"Everyone, get ready! Counterattack!"
Seeing Karel immediately order his men to attack, a flash of anger crossed Saul's eyes as he shouted to those around him.
The Aldecaldos raised their weapons and poured fire toward the mass of Wraiths ahead.
Facing enemies several times their number, no one dared relax. Even their modified combat vehicles and their stashed rocket launchers were brought out.
At the very moment the firefight began, dozens of Wraiths were torn apart by gunfire. Several riderless motorcycles and modified vehicles spun out of control on the slope, crashing and flipping into other vehicles.
For now, the Aldecaldos held the high ground and could still fend off the Wraiths' assault, but it would not last.
Some Wraiths were already driving around both flanks. Once they broke into the Aldecaldos' camp, it would turn into chaotic close-quarters combat.
And that was exactly what the Wraiths wanted.
"Saul, I'm going to support the flank!"
Panam spotted a group of Wraiths about to break through and immediately shouted. Without waiting for a response, she rushed over.
Saul tried to stop her, but Panam was already gone, and the pressure from the front pinned him in place.
"Damn it!"
Whoosh—Bang—
A sharp, nearly imperceptible sound cut through the battlefield, almost drowned out by the chaos.
The next moment, a Wraith speeding toward the camp had his head blown apart. Blood and brain matter splattered across the windshield. The vehicle lost control, veered off, and flipped on the slope, becoming cover for the Aldecaldos instead.
Boom!
A vehicle's fuel tank was hit and exploded. It flipped several times in the air before crashing directly into the Aldecaldos' defensive line.
"Shit!"
Saul's pupils shrank.
"Move! Move! Mitch, get over there and reinforce!"
Mitch turned immediately. Seeing the flames rising, he knew things had gone bad and quickly led a squad over.
In that brief window, a group of Wraiths had already broken through.
"Hahaha, die, you Aldecaldos bastards!"
One of them laughed wildly and raised his rifle, opening fire toward Mitch.
Bang!
A sharp gunshot rang out, accompanied by a streak of blue light. The Wraith's head exploded into a cloud of blood.
Mitch flinched.
He did not recall anyone on their side carrying something with that kind of power. And that shot… it looked like an electromagnetic weapon.
No one in their family would spend that kind of money on an Electromagnetic Sniper Rifle.
The cost alone was ridiculous, not to mention maintenance. And out here in the Badlands, there were not many situations where such a weapon was practical. Kinetic weapons were far more useful.
Mitch immediately looked toward the source of the shot, then froze.
On a distant ridge, black silhouettes were closing in, surrounding them. Without that shot and flash, they would have remained completely hidden in the night.
"Who the hell are they…"
Scorpion followed his gaze.
"Forget that. Tell Saul. If things go bad, we pull out."
"Right. I'll tell him now."
Mitch snapped out of it and ran back.
Meanwhile, Karel sat in his vehicle, humming lightly as he waited for the outcome. As for joining the fight himself, he had no intention of taking that risk. That was what his men were for.
"Boss, looks like we'll take down the Aldecaldos soon."
Kochi grinned obsequiously.
"Mm. Get ready. We'll be welcoming our good friend Saul shortly."
Karel closed his eyes, calm and composed.
At that moment, a blinding white light suddenly flooded the battlefield.
Both sides froze and looked up.
A massive transport aircraft hovered overhead.
"What the hell is that?!"
Karel finally lost his composure and leaned out of the vehicle.
Whoosh—
The transport's hatch opened, and a figure dropped from the sky at incredible speed.
Thud—Boom—
The impact shook the ground, sending dust billowing outward.
Bang!
A metal hatch blasted free from the impact point and slammed into the ground in front of Karel.
He stared at the metal door embedded in the earth, heart pounding. Realizing something was very wrong, he turned to order Kochi to retreat.
But Kochi was already gone, driving off in another vehicle.
"Damn that bastard!"
Karel cursed and yanked open the door, preparing to flee.
A yellow beam dropped from the sky with pinpoint accuracy, striking Kochi's fleeing vehicle. Flames erupted in the distance.
Karel swallowed hard.
"What… what the hell is that…"
"Damn, it actually got stuck. That's a bad review, Mudor. This drop pod needs work. If it jams at this height, anything higher would wreck it."
Jackie stepped out, rubbing his wrist as he spoke over comms, then looked around.
"It's… it's PROJECT!"
Some of the Wraiths immediately recognized the insignia on Jackie and turned pale, trying to run. They were cut down instantly by security robots advancing from the perimeter.
Inside the transport, Rebecca lowered her scope. She had been the one who took out Kochi.
Boom!
Jackie slammed his fist into the ground. A massive crater formed, and the entire battlefield fell silent.
"From now on, this area is under PROJECT Corporation control. No one moves. If you do, you lose your head."
Jackie swept his gaze across the crowd.
Panam, prompted by a signal from Truth, a nearby PROJECT security robot, lowered her weapon and moved over to Mitch and Scorpion.
"What do we do?"
Panam asked quietly.
"No idea. Let's wait and see… I'm not looking to fight those metal monsters."
Saul also chose to remain silent.
Anyone who would try to fight head-on in a situation like this was either insane or powerful.
And he was neither.