Chapter 31: Face-to-Face Meeting
Following the plan in the chat, everyone immediately hurried toward the church in the south of the city.
Lin Huai had already turned off her light screen. She placed all her Yang energy crystals into her vehicle’s crystal slots to charge the onboard weapons. Then, she activated the large cannon on her roof and the defensive ring of firepower around her car.
Watching the heavy truck and the ten Level 2 vehicles speeding after her, Lin Huai slammed on the gas pedal and simultaneously fired backward.
However, the streets were crowded with other players. Because her firepower net and golden light cannon had a wide blast radius, Lin Huai didn’t dare to use them freely, afraid of hurting innocent bystanders.
Instead, she continuously drifted her hearse through narrow alleys, relying on her driving skills to create distance between herself and her pursuers.
After a lot of effort, she finally reached the plaza. The street suddenly widened, and the area was filled with Level 2 vehicle players from Zone 444 who had just arrived for the meetup.
Now that she was here, Lin Huai no longer held back. She fired her golden light cannon, unleashing three consecutive blasts.
The deafening roar of the cannon and the resulting explosions echoed through the town, drawing everyone’s attention.
The Level 3 heavy truck that had been hot on Lin Huai’s heels took a direct hit. Its cab and cargo bed were blown completely in half. Several Level 2 vehicles driving right behind it flipped over, violently throwing their drivers out onto the street.
Some were killed instantly, meeting a gruesome end as they transformed into undead monsters. Others were lucky enough to survive because their airbags deployed, but they were still seriously injured.
A modified Sabertooth armored vehicle with a roof-mounted laser gun sped over, screeching to a halt next to Lin Huai’s red hearse.
A tough-looking man with a buzz cut rolled down his window. His forearm muscles flexed tightly as he gripped the steering wheel. He gave Lin Huai a nod and said, “I am Dragon Emerging from the Sea.”
Lin Huai nodded back, opened her door, and stepped out into the rain. “I’m Bone Ashes Mixed with Rice.”
At that moment, the other players from the chat group gathered around, eagerly introducing themselves one by one.
A petite young girl skipped over cheerfully. “Big sister! I’m Milk Tea Seven Parts Sugar! My real surname is Tang, so everyone can just call me Sweetie.”
A young man with a stylishly parted haircut waved and ran over. “Wow, Boss Bone Ash, your car is incredible! I’m AAA Building Materials Brother Wang!”
Next to him stood a beautiful woman with her lovely chestnut curls tied up. She raised an eyebrow at him. “You’re actually that young? With a username like that, I thought you were some greasy, middle-aged uncle with a beer belly.”
AAA Building Materials Brother Wang wasn’t angry at all; instead, he grinned playfully. “Hehe, the name is pretty misleading, isn’t it? I bet none of you expected me to be this handsome!”
“I actually have a Ph.D. in Architectural and Materials Engineering. I spend all my time researching rebar and construction supplies, which is why I go by AAA Building Materials Brother Wang…”
He looked at her closely. “And which one are you? Jiangzhehu Young Lady?”
The beauty let out a huff. “I’m Jiangzhehu Inheritor. Don’t call me ‘Young Lady’!”
“Oh, alright. I got it, Young Lady.”
Even though Lin Huai hadn’t added Flash Delivery Yellow Knight to her elite chat group, all Three Knight Brothers were present. Right now, the three delivery drivers were busy kneeling on the wet ground, dramatically swearing a blood oath of brotherhood, completely forgetting to greet Lin Huai.
Lin Huai rubbed her temples, feeling a headache coming on. Did these people even realize the situation they were in? The enemies who had just been chasing her weren’t all dead yet. Couldn’t they take this a little more seriously?
She shook her head helplessly. Gripping her submachine gun, she walked forward alone to finish off the surviving enemies one by one.
Only Dragon Emerging from the Sea followed her. The man was quiet, but true to his military background, he was incredibly reliable. He was the only one to step up and help her secure the area.
Lin Huai wasn’t a great shot and couldn’t aim very accurately, so she just sprayed bullets with her submachine gun. Since she had plenty of ammunition, she could afford to be a little reckless.
Dragon Emerging from the Sea was completely different. His style ensured that every single bullet found its mark. Holding a simple pistol, he took down the enemies one by one with precise headshots. His movements were clean, decisive, and highly professional.
By the time the two of them finished clearing the enemies and dragged the bodies back toward the hearse, they noticed that the others had stopped chatting. The group stood silently in the plaza, watching them with varying degrees of fear and shock on their faces.
Jiangzhehu Inheritor was the first to break the silence. “When we fight the team battle later… are we going to have to kill people like this too?”
Lin Huai raised her hand, commanding the green jade coffin to float down from the car roof and rest on the ground. She and Dragon Emerging from the Sea tossed the dead bodies inside. Then, she turned to look at the players who had eagerly rushed over to join the fight.
“Those who have the courage to kill can follow me,” she said clearly. “Those who don’t, stay here and wait for the final results of the zone merge!”
She softened her tone slightly. “Of course, refusing to kill doesn’t mean you won’t survive this game; it just means your path will be much harder. We were all ordinary people before this. I understand that you still hold onto human laws and morals, and it is completely normal to hesitate to take a life. I won’t think any less of you, and I certainly don’t think you’re cowards.”
“I only have one piece of advice for you: if you want to live, you have to fight with everything you have!”
“For those who want to follow me today—even if you’ve never killed anyone before, it doesn’t matter. As long as you want to become stronger, we can grow together!”
As soon as she finished speaking, Dragon Emerging from the Sea was the first to step forward.
“Before entering this game, I was an active-duty special forces soldier,” he stated firmly. “My vehicle, the Sabertooth, is Level 3 and has heavy armor. I can lead the vanguard assault.”
AAA Building Materials Brother Wang hesitated for a brief moment, then raised his hand high. “Count me in! I drive a Level 3 heavy truck. The cargo bed is packed with equipment that can repair damaged vehicles. I can act as mobile support!”
A round-faced girl looked down, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment. “Um… I’m Cute and Sparkling. My vehicle is a mobile food truck, kind of like the ones used for outdoor banquets back home… I feel a bit useless for a fight…”
Lin Huai gave her a reassuring smile. “That’s perfectly fine. You can stay back here with Sweetie and handle our logistics and food supply.”
She then turned her attention back to the whole group. “Every time zones merge, conflict is unavoidable. Peace is impossible. If you don’t kill them, they will come to kill you.”
“From what I know, the number-one player in Sector 587, ‘If You Don’t Submit, Fight,’ is not a good man. He has no moral bottom line, and he rules his zone with an iron fist. If we don’t eliminate him today, the players of Zone 444 will suffer endlessly.”
Just as she was speaking, several Level 1 vehicles suddenly drove into the plaza.
Leading the small convoy were a refined-looking young man wearing glasses and a tall, well-built woman standing nearly 180 centimeters tall.
As soon as they stepped out of their cars, they walked straight toward Lin Huai.
The young man spoke politely and carefully. “You must be the server-wide number one, Bone Ashes Mixed with Rice, correct?”
Lin Huai nodded. “And you are?”
The man extended a hand and offered a slight bow. “Hello. My username is Peace and Violence, from Sector 587.”
The tall woman spoke next, her voice loud and hearty. “I’m If You’re Bad, Practice More. Also from Sector 587.”
Before Lin Huai could respond, AAA Building Materials Brother Wang eagerly blurted out, “Are you guys here to surrender?”
Peace and Violence nodded. “You could say that. We are all players who couldn’t stand ‘If You Don’t Submit, Fight’ and dared to rebel against him.”
