Aethercross-Real Game，The Borderland of Reality and Fantasy

Chapter 19: A Fight to the Bitter End

In the Fifth Gene Squad's defensive formation, Hank forcefully implanted a colossal alloy weapon into the earth. Emily was right on his heels, rapidly integrating his heavy battle armor with the metallic device before them. Meanwhile, two other squad members struggled to haul in enormous equipment boxes, connecting them into the system.

Luca, the squad's sniper, took a brief glance at the Swarm Master emerging from the mutated beetle and discreetly withdrew from the front lines of the defense.

Once all the equipment was fully connected and synchronized, a rotating multi-barreled cannon emerged from the device, its barrels pointing at the advancing ant horde. Hank, with his hands firmly on the control levers, initiated the spinning of the barrels. This was a weapon of extraordinary power: 25mm caliber, eight-barreled rotation, capable of a staggering 6800 rounds per second. Hank, encased in his armor, muscles taut and bulging, unleashed a ferocious roar as the cannon roared to life, unleashing a relentless barrage of fire. This was the epitome of warfare for a heavy armored gene warrior.

In this perilous moment, the gene warriors, seasoned and skilled, showcased their tactical acumen. The remaining eight heavy-armored soldiers opted for similar weaponry, positioning themselves strategically to weave a lethal web of intersecting fire.

In the armory, every soldier, including Raimondo, rallied to the cause, weapons blazing.

The once unstoppable ant swarm was now effectively suppressed.

In the midst of the chaos, a startling scene unfolded: dozens of mutant giant ants were hurled into the air. Colonel Reynolds, now without his right hand, broke free from the swarm and stood tall. With a fierce swing of his arm shield, its razor-sharp edge reaped a deadly toll on the surrounding mutant giants, scattering severed limbs and carapaces.

A cold snort followed, as the figure of the bone-spiked mutant awakened beside the Swarm Master vanished, leaving a blur of afterimages as it lunged towards Colonel Reynolds.

Engaged in battle with the swarm, the Colonel sensed imminent danger and swung his arm in defense. A metallic clang resounded as the bone-spiked mutant brushed past him, leaving a deep gash along the Colonel's right side, blood seeping out. He had parried the first vicious strike but was unable to dodge the second as they crossed paths.

The bone-spiked mutant refrained from further assault, instead allowing the swarm to besiege the Colonel. It circled him, waiting for an opening, then struck again, leaving another wound on the Colonel's battle-scarred armor.

Repeatedly, over a dozen times, the Colonel's dark silver armor was now heavily scarred, bearing the marks of fierce battle.

The raspy laughter echoed once more, as the Swarm Overlord's voice rang out with mockery: "It's downright hilarious that your so-called high-tech armor, the pride of your city-states, can't even withstand the bone spurs growing from us, the discarded scum of the wastelands.

You city-state elites, basking in the finest resources and inheriting the zenith of the previous era's technology, have built towering walls to keep us, the dregs of the wastelands, out, leaving us to fend for ourselves.