Chapter 177: The Elite Troops Trained by Bullet!
"What... what's going on?"
"Sand? Sand?"
The survivors on the various Streets of Iwato Station watched in shock as the Sand rapidly spun around them.
No matter how the Kabane outside lunged, they would be sent flying by the powerful Centrifugal Force the moment they touched the surface of the Sand Layer, giving the people inside an unparalleled sense of security.
'Ah, it's a Deity!'
"Has the Lord Deity finally descended to save us Mortals? Are the Sand and Wind the God of Shukaku from Nara?"
Just as they were crying tears of joy, their fleeing footsteps unwittingly stopped, which drew someone's dissatisfaction.
"Idiots, all of you run! Run towards the Station to the east!"
Crocodile, who had Manifestation into Sand and was hidden within the large Sandstorm, reformed his upper Body in the air. He was seen with a smoking Cigar in his mouth, shouting loudly towards the entire City.
It was unclear how he managed to shout while keeping the Cigar from falling out of his mouth. This could probably be considered a Skill, right?
"The Lord Deity is angry!"
"Quick, quick, listen to the command of the God of Shukaku! We are saved! We can live!"
Tens of thousands of men, women, and children were instantly startled awake by the angry shout and quickly converged towards the east. With the protection of the spinning Sand Layer, they didn't need to worry about the Kabane along the way, which made their expressions increasingly excited and their belief that a Deity had descended even stronger.
There was no helping it; this was a Nation with many gods and ghosts, and the events happening before them were indeed too fantastical.
At this moment.
If one were to look down at the entire Iwato Station from above, they would see a faint yellow Sandstorm covering the entire City. This was, of course, caused by Crocodile using his Ability.
Although his Logia System Sand-Sand Fruit had not yet undergone Awakening, these so-called 'Stations' weren't that large anyway; they were just ordinary ancient cities.
With his current Strength, covering a small City was not a problem.
"Tsk, what a troublesome Mission~~"
Crocodile looked down with annoyance at the crowd below, who were running desperately like Ants. Before coming, Senior Director Addison had requested that their Army ensure the safety of as many Citizens as possible, citing the reason that 'Population is Labor Force'.
He was now an Army Lieutenant General and naturally had to stand on the World Government's Stance on Interests. He also understood that what the other party said made a lot of sense.
The subsequent Development of this World would definitely require these Natives to work hard for their Homeland Construction. Otherwise, if everyone died, wouldn't they have to bring people from the Homeland?
Too much loss!
"Stop advancing!"
"Maintain vigilance!"
"Stop advancing!"
"Maintain vigilance!"
The Black-Clad Soldiers from the Army Headquarters on the World Government's Homeland spread out along the Railway on both sides after exiting the Station.
They first cleared out the Kabane along the way, then stopped on the Officers' orders, sealing off the periphery of the main Built-up Area from the east side, and aiming their Muzzles at the City enveloped by the Sandstorm.
Soon, various shouts, some filled with ecstatic surprise, others with fear and unease, reached their ears from far to near. Following closely, Citizens surrounded by yellow Sand rushed out.
Among them were Young People who were City Guard Soldiers, still holding Steam Guns that had turned into sticks because the High-Pressure Boiler Behind the Waist had run out of Steam.
There were also Young Mothers holding young Children, their faces pale and breathless, yet still gritting their teeth and running. And there were Adult Sons sweating profusely, carrying their elderly Fathers and desperately moving their Legs.
"Ah, it's the Troops!"
"Hahahaha, could it be that the Lords of the Shogunate haven't given up on us and have Sent Troops to save us?"
"Idiots, look at their Black Uniforms, they must be from the Hunter Guard!"
"That's not right, I heard someone say before that the Hunter Guard led the Kabane into the City!"
Some Young People who still had some energy left ran and shouted excitedly at the Black Army in the distance, fully venting their emotions from Surviving a Calamity.
First, a Deity descended, and then Troops came to meet them. How could they not be happy?
"Huh?!"
However, strange things began to happen. When they were about thirty to forty meters away from the first Column of Army Soldiers, the Sand Layer that had been silently protecting them began to prevent them from moving forward, causing the Citizens to panic.
"Idiots, stand still or sit down and rest! If you dare to move again, I'll throw you back!"
Crocodile's voice rang out again. Although his tone was full of impatience and his Attitude wasn't good, these surviving Citizens didn't feel anything was wrong.
Instead, they breathed a sigh of relief with joyful expressions, indicating that the Lord Deity had not abandoned them. Meanwhile, Crocodile issued Orders to his Troops from the air.
"First Column, enter the Urban Area by Team. Free Fire is permitted. Deprive all Kabane of their Mobility. Clean it up thoroughly!"
"Yes!"
Upon receiving the Order, the Infantry Soldiers, grouped in teams of five, first put on the Tactical Goggles around their Necks. Then, following a Formation of two in front, one in the middle, and two in the back, they advanced rapidly, holding their Heavy Assault Rifles.
They walked past the Survivors who were forcibly isolated by the Sandstorm, paying no attention or concern to the complex gazes of surprise, gratitude, and worship in the latter's eyes.
Because within their line of sight, Living Dead with purplish-black skin, jet-black eye whites, and Gunfire Flashes in their Pupils and Hearts were chasing after the subsequent Citizens.
"Ho uh----"
"Roar!!"
"Ha ah----"
Their numbers were vast, especially many. For a moment, the air was filled with the unclear roars of these Kabane, but immediately, as the first Soldier pulled the Trigger, the even louder and denser Gunshot brutally suppressed everything.
[Da da da da da]
All the Army Warriors in the first Column began intense continuous Shooting. Bright Gunfire Flashes constantly erupted from their Muzzles. Bullets with a Caliber of seven millimeters formed a Firepower Net in the air, instantly knocking down the foremost Kabane and then continuing to 'bite' the Kabane behind them.
The Power of these Bullets was extremely terrifying. As long as they 'bit' the Body of a Kabane, a large Bloody Wound would definitely appear at that Position.
If the Limbs were hit, the Limbs would break. If the Neck was hit, the Neck would snap. If the Face was hit, it would instantly turn into a burst Watermelon.
This was the terrifying Firepower of the Heavy Assault Rifle against the Human Body. However, the Effective Range of this Gun was a bit short, but its Penetration Power at close range was very Strong.
These were the Firearms carefully selected by the Army Headquarters based on the Characteristics of the Kabane.
However, the price of Strong Firepower was Strong Recoil and a higher weight than Standard Rifles, but this didn't have much impact on these Soldiers from the Sea Star Mainland.
From the current Effect, they were indeed satisfied. Although the surging Kabane were like a surging Black Tide, they crashed against the invisible Cliff under the alternating Shooting of the three Firing Lines.
The Soldiers didn't need to aim at the glowing Heart; they only needed to hit the Legs or Brain to stop their Operation. Gradually, they actually began to push back.
The front row was responsible for giving every fallen Kabane an extra shot to blow off its Head, while the people behind provided Fire Support.
It must be said that this batch of Army trained personally by Bullet showed a bit of the Elite temperament, but their numbers were too small, only five thousand in total.
Crocodile only brought one thousand of these five thousand people this time.
The majority of the Army remaining on the Homeland actually hadn't changed much. In terms of Psychological Quality during Combat alone, they were even inferior to the Hunters Soldier who engaged in Melee Combat year-round with the Kabane.
(End of this chapter)