Chapter 252: One Shot

A breath later, a dull thunderclap-like boom echoed from deep within the tunnel.

In that instant, the few remaining intact light tubes in their corridor also went out, plunging the surroundings into complete darkness. To Li Mochen and the others' astonishment, the magical energy defense array within this underground base suffered a small-scale collapse, with numerous magic runes losing their intended function.

Stimulated by this, the distant exchange of gunfire grew even more intense, the crack of gunshots like firecrackers, incessantly pounding everyone's eardrums.

Sampson Brut had not concentrated all forty of his combatants in this corridor leading to the outer formation's central hub; he had dispersed at least thirty of them in various directions, partly to secure their rear against encirclement and partly to attempt breakthroughs from other angles. Yet, lacking numerical superiority, they remained on the defensive, even forced to cede ground continuously under the enemy's overwhelming firepower.

It wasn't until Thompson Adams and his team destroyed the main generator room that the situation on several fronts suddenly reversed. Without the cover of the magical energy array, the Dragon Witch Cult personnel could no longer maintain fire suppression. The two sides were now nearly evenly matched.

Wow!

Dainn Stracy exclaimed, then eagerly raised her holy sword, Timos.

They used electrical conversion—that's it. I bet the magic array they're using to resurrect the Calamity Dragon Lady requires a massive amount of magical energy. But here, they can't find enough mana wells.

Mana well—a term specific to the Western magical world, corresponding to 'ley lines' in the East and the Primordial Vault.

Hey, lady, don't use that gloating tone, okay? This is bad! I bet they'll fight desperately.

Howard Eisenhower sighed and activated the magical arrays on his semi-automatic rifle, instantly covering his entire body with at least twelve spells that enhanced the weapon's power and his physical abilities.

As an experienced, battle-hardened magic shooter, he too realized that a life-and-death, brutal struggle was imminent.

The lady over there seems pretty confident, huh?

Antonio's voice came again from around the corner: 'But folks, you only have thirty minutes! At midnight sharp, Her Highness Adrianna will be reborn into the world! I'd be happy to collect your corpses.'

'And that girl named Hazel—you're trying to save her, right? Sampson, you can tell your employer that our Highness will take a liking to her body. This young lady will be reborn in endless agony. Ha~ I think Her Highness Adrianna would be delighted to personally inform him of this news.'

Li Mochen paid no heed. He stood in the center of the corridor, both hands gripping 'Dragon's Might,' aiming at the opposite corner, his gun and himself in a state of readiness. Inside the sword bag on his back, the 'Divine Fortune Purple Gold Pagoda' emitted a faint glow, and the three hundred and sixty 'Star Dou Divine Swords' inserted into the ground rose into the air once more, circling around him.

In his Heavenly Mind state, Li Mochen had no moral scruples and cared nothing for 'righteousness' or such. That Hazel was just a little girl he had met a few times; what emotional bond could there be between them?

Only the Calamity Dragon Lady Adrianna and the vast merits he might gain from this interested him.

Though the Heavenly Mind 'Li Mochen' looked down on everything, he was not foolish. The gunfire to their east was drawing closer, clearly indicating that Major Adams's men were assaulting this way.

He estimated that within five minutes at most, this group opposite them would be caught in a pincer attack.

As Alisa had said, if he could eliminate the enemy with less expenditure of merits, why not?

Report to Commander, the No. 3 shaft combat team has discovered the base armory. Estimated occupation in three minutes—

The enemy in front has withdrawn. The No. 4 shaft combat team has completed the breakthrough operation. As planned, we will release anesthetic gas into the intake vents here.

Perhaps provoked by the progress of the No. 4 shaft team, at that moment, the figure of the Bloodrage Aonzo suddenly burst around the corner. His towering two-meter frame charged toward them like a wild beast, his Viking axes covering half the corridor's space.

Li Mochen ignored him, remaining calm and cold even as Aonzo closed to within seven meters. Only when another black figure flashed from under Aonzo's armpit did Li Mochen suddenly fire.

This time, following Dainn Stracy's advice, he used an 'Advanced Mind Shock Round.' Under the enhancement of spells like Advanced Greater Disjunction, Dragon's Prophecy, Ignore Defense, Annihilation Aura, Death Judgment, Ultimate Arrow Enhancement, and Ultimate Sharpness, a single shot blew the man's head apart.

The power of the Wish spell made it unavoidable. The bullet fired within thirty meters instantly shattered all of the man's defenses.

Shockingly, this 'Calamity Apostle's' head immediately burst into black flames, attempting to heal the wound. But it was futile; after a piercing soul-shriek, his entire body turned to ash and scattered.

Li Mochen's Wish this time was not merely to 'hit' but to 'kill'!

From the moment the shot was fired, it was destined to take this 'Calamity Apostle's' life!

Surprisingly, the merit light on the 'Divine Fortune Purple Gold Pagoda' consumed nearly three-quarters in an instant, but then rapidly recovered, causing the total amount of multicolored energy to increase rather than decrease.

A slight smile curled at the corner of Li Mochen's mouth. At this range, he could still fire a second shot. His next target was a magic hunter aiming a gun ahead.

At the same time, Sampson Brut and the others pulled their triggers, laying down a dense crossfire to cover Aonzo's rear. Except for 'Eye of the Sky' Howard Eisenhower, none sought kills, using only 'Advanced Freezing Rounds,' 'Knockback Rounds,' and other magic bullets that caused delay or interference, to fully impede the several Calamity Apostles emerging from the opposite side.

Meanwhile, Dainn Stracy moved to stand in front of Li Mochen, positioning herself before Aonzo. The holy sword 'Timos' blazed with radiant light, clashing against the pair of Viking axes in a series of piercing clangs, sending sparks flying everywhere.

A paladin's strength is generally far inferior to a berserker of the same rank. Yet Dainn not only held her ground but, after several exchanges, forced Aonzo's massive body back several steps, and the blades of his two 16S-grade Viking axes showed faint cracks.

The second Calamity Apostle to fall in this corridor was a magic shooter. Howard Eisenhower's first bullet blew apart the gun in his hand, and the second shot struck the magic shooter's head precisely.

The latter did not die; the half of his head sheared off by the bullet was slowly regenerating. But for the next three minutes, this Calamity Apostle, the greatest threat to them all, would be unable to join the fight.