Chapter Nineteen: The Undersea Tunnel
The surface of the tunnel was constructed exceptionally well; the heat, temperature, liquid levels, and air quality were all suitable for human survival, with no signs of anomalies.
Fei Girl had already tinkered with alloy materials in the car. With her skillful hands, she transformed them into a lifelike metal sparrow, which soared above the vehicle, buzzing softly as it flew forward.
“What’s this again?” Wu Hua asked curiously.
Fei Girl smiled, “It’s a reconnaissance bird. It uses infrared and ultraviolet sensors to effectively map terrain within a kilometer. The information it gathers is transmitted directly to each of our maps.”
Long Battle Nebula instructed, “Everyone, pay attention to your receiver maps. Remember the terrain well.”
Wu Hua lowered his head and saw that the tunnel’s three-dimensional map had appeared clearly on his receiver, even the markings for streetlights were sharp and distinct.
“Young lady, you’ve done well. You’ve got promise—I believe in you!” Potato patted Fei Girl’s head.
Fei Girl broke out in a sweat, “I’m a girl…”
System voice:
“Attention players, the harbor entrance is now closed. It will reopen after the base is destroyed. The base exit is three hundred kilometers ahead.”
“My god, that’s so far!” Ri Wan, driving, inhaled sharply. “At this rate, we’ll be driving all day. Boss, should we pick up the pace?”
Long Battle Nebula replied coldly, “No acceleration without my command.”
The Mercedes crawled slowly through the tunnel, even slower than walking, trailing at the back of the convoy.
They hadn’t gone far when roaring sounds echoed through the tunnel—somewhere ahead, the reverberations of falling rocks and timbers could be heard. Driving a few more kilometers forward, the sight before them startled everyone.
The tunnel floor was riddled with potholes, littered with potion crystals and metal fragments. Ugly but Dashing said solemnly, “These are blast marks. If I’m not mistaken, they’re from Type-66 anti-personnel directional mines, designed specifically to kill.”
Dear Girl exclaimed in horror, “Are all these potions dropped by players?”
Potato laughed, “Told you—the Dragon City family are always the vanguard, rushing ahead to die.”
Wu Hua suddenly said, “Captain, mechanical units are approaching from behind at ten meters per second.”
“How many?” Long Battle Nebula asked.
Wu Hua nodded, “No less than thirty.”
Everyone was shocked, hastily grabbing their weapons as a swarm of monsters appeared behind the car—half-human-tall mechanical sentinels, arranged neatly in two rows. The front sentinels wielded hydrogen-oxygen flame throwers, shooting sharp, slender blue flames at least a meter long; the rear sentinels oddly held chainsaws, their gears buzzing loudly.
“Damn, they want to roast us first, then slice up the car,” Ugly but Dashing raised his Chicago Typewriter and fired off ten rounds in a burst.
A series of metallic clangs rang out; one sentinel’s chest flashed with electric sparks, and the damage numbers appeared—“−11, −12, −10…”
“This…” Ugly but Dashing was dumbfounded; it was no different from a tickle.
“They’re made of sixteen-element alloy, too highly armored for you to penetrate.” Fei Girl’s keen eye caught it at once.
Long Battle Nebula decisively ordered, “Accelerate! Increase speed by seventy kilometers per hour, push to the front—everyone, hold tight!”
Ri Wan had been waiting for this command, and without hesitation floored the accelerator. The Mercedes shot forward like an arrow.
The players ahead were unaware of the danger behind, crowding the tunnel as engineers worked to clear mines.
Ri Wan barreled in, the car like a mad bull charging into the throng. Chaos erupted, and the players began to curse:
“Damn you, just because you drive a Mercedes you think you’re hot stuff?”
“Which family are you from, acting so arrogant?”
“Let them die, there are plenty of mines ahead.”
…
Ri Wan sneered, “You fools, just wait for the slaughter.”
The Mercedes plowed into the minefield, triggering a series of spectacular explosions, but the car was unfazed—its anti-mine steel plating protected Wu Hua and the others, who only felt a slight tremor, losing not a drop of HP.
At that moment, the mechanical sentinels caught up. The hydrogen-oxygen flames, reaching three thousand degrees, were utterly unbearable; the crowd descended into chaos. Many players suffered burns for around “−1400” damage, and the chainsaws followed, slicing many people clean in half.
“Hold the line, hold the line, stand your ground!” Dragon City’s commander shouted.
But these players couldn’t possibly hold; the sixteen-element alloy was no ordinary material—without immense damage output, it couldn’t be worn down. Many rushed in, hacking wildly, even spellcasters casting ice and fire, yet the sentinels’ formation remained unbroken.
The long tunnel had become a living hell—amid the sea of flames, flesh and blood flew, explosions blended with screams, red damage numbers filled the eye, and streaks of white light shot skyward.
Ai Girl couldn’t bear to look, “So tragic.”
Fei Girl was stunned, “These people just joined the mission, and now their deaths are so senseless. For eight hundred credit points, they dropped a whole level.”
A new reporter hoisted a camera, filming frantically, while Dear Girl narrated with emotion, “Dear audience, Star Dream City’s Qimen Company broadcaster is reporting live from the mission that will decide the fate of the Federation. Before you is the submarine tunnel, where many Dragon City players have been burned and sliced to death by mechanical soldiers. The scene is truly unbearable. It’s estimated the Dragon City family lost over a thousand people in one blow. Now, let’s interview a Qimen Company mission player, Mr. Potato, for his thoughts on this mission.”
“Heh-heh!”
“May I ask what ‘heh-heh’ means?”
“Heh-heh!”
“What does it mean, exactly?”
“Heh-heh!”
“Damn, are you an idiot?”
“Dragon City family was the idiot first, heh-heh!”
…
With a loud crash, the camera hit the ground.
In the intelligent office building of Qimen Company in Star Dream City, Mr. Iron and Tianna were watching the broadcast screen intently.
“Old Long’s experience is impressive; he chose the right person this time. Tianna, good job,” Mr. Iron praised.
These two seemed relaxed, but Wu Hua and the others dared not let their guard down. The mission had barely begun and was already so difficult, who knew what further challenges lay ahead.
“Have you spotted anyone from Blue Company?” Long Battle Nebula asked.
Wu Hua shook his head, “They’re still ahead, probably at the front.”
Long Battle Nebula said, “Ri Wan, pick up the pace, catch up to them—we can’t let them go first.”
“Okay, watch me.” Ri Wan floored the accelerator again, reaching a speed of 170 kilometers per hour.
The noise faded into the distance, and finally a bright spot appeared at the tunnel’s end—the natural exit.
The sight at the exit stunned them once again: a massive spherical cavern, with a metal bridge spanning the cliffs. Below was a bottomless abyss, pitch black, and overhead was equally dark, nothing visible.
The bridge stretched beyond sight, brightly lit but exuding an icy chill.
“There’s almost certainly an ambush,” Su2o said gravely.
Long Battle Nebula ordered, “Metal specialist, scout ahead.”
Fei Girl quickly got to work; the snow spike vehicle appeared again before Wu Hua’s eyes, carrying a cargo of poison spikes as it slid onto the bridge. Everyone watched Fei Girl’s remote screen. The bridge was at least two kilometers long, with the road splitting at the far end into three tunnel entrances—each crowded with rhinoceroses, no fewer than a hundred, their horns particularly sharp.
“How can there be living creatures in this tunnel?” Ai Girl asked.
Long Battle Nebula frowned, “I suspect Blue Company has already passed through. These monsters were likely drawn out by them.”
Ri Wan said, “If those rhinos rush onto the bridge, then…”
Long Battle Nebula nodded solemnly.
Potato’s eyes darted, “I think we’d better not rush ahead.”
Dear Girl asked, “Why?”
Potato grinned slyly, “There are plenty of vanguard players—let them scout the way.”
Wu Hua couldn’t help but laugh inwardly; Potato’s schemes were shameless, but he liked them.