Chapter 182 – Show-Off
This sparked a lot of discussion, especially among the pioneers on the outskirts, who were still clueless about what was happening.
“Has a genetic monster appeared ahead?”
“Most likely, but how did a genetic monster end up at our graduation party? Isn’t it supposed to be restricted to pioneers only?”
“Could it be that some pioneers took that kind of divine medicine?” someone speculated.
“That’s quite likely!”
“Oh my God, why would they take it?” the person didn’t understand.
“Who knows! Hurry up and leave! Zero told us to get out of here quickly!”
“Why does it have to be the second-batch pioneers leaving? Do they look down on us?”
“It’s probably for our safety.”
“More people means more power. With so many of us, wouldn’t it be easier to handle? Even if we each had a bullet, we could turn it into a sieve!” This person was excited and eager to try.
“Exactly!” someone agreed. “I don’t want to leave; I want to stay! This is my first achievement as I step into society. Why should it go to the first-batch pioneers?”
“I say you two are crazy. Didn’t Zero say not to shoot? Why are you still babbling here? You stay if you want; I’m going!”
…
…
With the second-batch pioneers evacuating, the number of people was halved, and the training ground became much more open.
The remaining pioneers were all experienced first-batch ones.
The monster had grown to an enormous size, consuming everything within its reach—scattered food, chair legs, table legs…
Its size was now twice as large as before.
The pioneers took out their weapons, most of which were short knives and daggers, though some, like Tu Ran, wielded long swords and curved blades.
Everyone leaped into action, moving forward one after another, showcasing their full range of skills against the monster.
Fists flew, kicks landed, blades flashed, and sparks flew.
It was a display of skill.
A display that had quietly evolved from a fight to the death.
A chance to show off in front of former classmates.
During their training, monthly assessments were arranged for various abilities. Instructors would score each person based on their performance, ranking them accordingly, and there was a system of rewards and punishments that made strengths and weaknesses glaringly obvious.
But since graduation from the five-year training program, they had gone their separate ways and rarely had the opportunity to reunite.
Of course, the only times they gathered were for collective meetings after leaving the Threshold, but those meetings were mostly about listening to the commanding officer’s task assignments and casualty reports. Once the meeting ended, they all went back to their own lives.
They had never had an opportunity like today to come together and deal with a genetic monster.
And this genetic monster was no pushover; it wouldn’t just die from a single blow. It was a challenging opponent.
It was enough for them to see the abilities of their former classmates.
It was also enough to prove their own current capabilities.
Above them, a drone hovered steadily in the air.
It carried a camera that transmitted a clear, unblemished view of the scene below to a large screen in a conference room.
Seated in front of the screen were the second-batch pioneers who had been evacuated.
Each face was fixed intently on the intense footage, not missing a detail.
Zero’s voice echoed in the conference room.
“According to the commanding officer’s request, the footage has been transmitted back.”
“The commanding officer hopes that you will watch carefully and deeply understand the strength of the enemies you will face in the future.”
“Additionally, the commanding officer also mentioned that whether it’s an alien species within the Threshold or the latest genetic monsters, they can appear in any situation and at any time. You should remain vigilant at all times and not be caught off guard like today.”
The faces of the crowd instantly became a mix of colors.
Indeed, if it hadn’t been for the senior pioneers today, they didn’t know how many more people would have been injured.
But who would have thought that a genetic monster would show up at their graduation party?
On the massive screen, pioneers with increasingly agile skills cornered the monster, making it impossible for it to move.
These pioneers, being among the surviving fifty percent, were already quite formidable, and after a year of training, their abilities were no longer what they used to be.
The sparks from the blades cutting into the monster dazzled those watching the screen, causing an exclamation of awe in the conference room.
Unfortunately, the monster’s skin was as tough as the hardest copper and iron walls, leaving no trace of a wound despite the relentless onslaught of blades and weapons.
“This isn’t working; we should try using firearms,” a male pioneer shouted.
A portion of the crowd nodded in agreement.
Indeed, this genetic monster was like a stone without seams. How long would it take to cut a seam with a knife?
“Everyone, move aside. I’ll give it a try with a gun!” another burly male pioneer raised an oversized handgun.
As he brandished the weapon, a small buzz erupted in front of the screen.
“That’s an Erest 700 handgun! The largest handgun in the Federation!”
“Reportedly, its bullets have the power of a main heavy machine gun! It uses A5 Group’s specially developed oversized bullets.”
“I’ve used it once!” an excited, chubby boy slapped the table, “The instructor let me try this handgun once. I fired a single shot, and the recoil nearly wrecked my arm! This guy is a beast!”
The girl with the ponytail next to him asked, “When did this happen? Why didn’t the instructor let us try it?”
“Exactly,” someone else agreed.
The chubby boy scratched his head, “The instructors tailored training for each of us based on our individual situations. If you haven’t used this, you must have used others. I’m heavier and stronger, so this type of high-recoil gun suited me better, which is why the instructor had me practice with it.”
The crowd then turned their attention back to the screen.
Inside the footage, the pioneers who had been clustered around the genetic monster immediately scattered, clearing a path for the man with the handgun.
“Bang!” A thunderous gunshot rang out.
The bullet shot through the monster’s rough skin, penetrating its flesh.
As everyone watched with anticipation, the giant bullet entered the monster’s body, its rear end also hidden within the flesh.
Just as everyone thought it would be successful, the bullet surprisingly rebounded out of the monster’s flesh.
Everyone’s pupils dilated as they watched the bullet follow its original trajectory, heading back toward the man who had fired it.
Tu Ran, who had been watching from the back of the crowd, had somehow moved next to the burly man.
The instant the bullet was about to hit him, she lunged forward.
Both of them fell to the ground.
“Bang!” The bullet hit a wall hundreds of meters away.
“They dodged it!”
The crowd in front of the screen cheered, holding their breath in excitement.
Tu Ran got up from the ground and dusted herself off.
The man, momentarily stunned, stood up in a daze and looked at Tu Ran. “Thank you.”
“Don’t mention it,” Tu Ran said coolly, turning her gaze back to the monster.
