Chapter 17: The Test of Real Combat

City 003.

The metropolis before the Great Nirvana has now become a playground for monsters. It is one of the most densely populated and dangerous areas for high-level monsters in Asia.

Boom! Boom!

Accompanied by the thunderous clash of steel against the ground, a black metallic beast strode along the highway into City 003.

In its mechanical hand, it held a nearly rectangular “iron box.”

This was the [Ripper] rifle, encased in a protective shell, rendering its original form unrecognizable. The reinforced casing ensures the rifle cannot be easily destroyed amid fierce combat.

The rifle was originally designed for the [Boxer] mech. In a world devoid of extraordinary power, even well-trained soldiers could not withstand the immense recoil of the [Ripper]; mechanical assistance was essential.

The appearance of the mech drew the attention of numerous monsters. Yet, lacking any scent of life, most monsters hesitated, uncertain whether this strange entity was friend or foe.

Jiangnan Base City, inside the workshop.

Before a monitor, Jiang Chen watched the screen intently, displaying the first-person perspective of the [Boxer] mech.

To get this [Boxer], equipped with a miniature server, out of the base city, Jiang Chen had gone to considerable lengths, even enlisting the help of the war god Lu Gang.

It was impossible to hide this from the military; after all, the base city was under their strictest control. Jiang Chen was certain the military, like himself, was closely monitoring the [Boxer]'s performance.

“Master, should we begin live combat testing?” Jarvis’s voice sounded.

Jiang Chen nodded and ordered, “Disconnect communications. Let your subroutine make its own decisions from here.”

“Preset command: Hunt down a lord-level monster and bring back the corpse. If unable to complete, ensure self-preservation and withdraw from City 003.” Jarvis repeated the embedded subroutine’s preset instructions. After a brief pause, he continued, “Network interface has been closed. The subroutine will autonomously proceed.”

The screen’s image showed little change; the [Boxer] paused imperceptibly, then continued deeper into City 003.

Jiang Chen noticed that the [Boxer] avoided ruins and corners where enemies might hide, sticking to the main road. With its size and weight, stealth was futile; it was wiser to abandon concealment and focus on preventing ambushes.

After venturing deep into the city, one monster, unable to restrain itself, let out a low growl.

It was a pack of wolf-like monsters, led by a warlord-level Silver Moon Wolf.

On its command, the pack dispersed, lurking in buildings flanking the [Boxer]’s path.

At the warlord level, monsters’ intelligence rivals that of humans; orchestrating pack ambushes is routine.

The [Boxer] failed to detect the wolves’ movements, hidden as they were behind abandoned structures. So long as they kept quiet, their presence was difficult to sense.

Boom!

The [Boxer] stomped heavily, causing a loud crash.

Suddenly, two dark shadows leapt from either side, lunging for the [Boxer]’s head.

Sensors on both flanks detected the attack. Through high-definition cameras, it identified the attackers as two elite beast-soldier-level Grayback Wolves.

Coordinating their assault from opposite directions, even opponents stronger than them would struggle to react.

Controlled by Jarvis’s sub-intelligence, the [Boxer] calmly sidestepped, raised its rifle, and fired a precise shot, hitting the left Grayback Wolf in the head.

Life drained rapidly from the wolf, its airborne body going limp and crashing to the ground.

Without confirming its kill, the [Boxer] immediately spun around and fired again, dispatching the second Grayback Wolf that had reached its front.

The entire sequence was completed within seconds, showcasing the [Boxer]'s rapid reflexes and exceptional agility.

The attack from the two Grayback Wolves stalled the [Boxer]'s advance, and more than fifty Grayback Wolves emerged from the buildings, surrounding it.

In smaller counties, a warlord-level monster could gather hundreds, even thousands, of beast-soldiers.

But in City 003, where lord-level monsters abound, an ordinary warlord-level monster was lucky to command dozens of subordinates.

Encircled by the pack, the [Boxer] wasted no time, raising its rifle and firing ahead.

Each shot was a single round, yet the [Boxer] fired at a rate rivaling a machine gun.

More astonishing was the hit accuracy at such speed.

Within a volley, blood beaded on the heads of over a dozen Grayback Wolves as they collapsed into corpses.

Even those quick to react suffered critical wounds to their bodies and limbs.

This was an enhanced model capable of killing warlord-level monsters in one shot; even non-vital hits were too much for mere beast-soldier Grayback Wolves. If not dead, they lost most of their fighting strength.

Yet, wolves never cared for casualties when hunting.

The wolves behind and to the sides surged forward, biting and clawing.

The [Boxer] made few defensive moves, merely adjusting its stance, meeting the wolves with its toughest armor.

Clang!

Fangs and claws, strong enough to tear ordinary steel, struck the [Boxer]'s armor, throwing sparks but leaving no visible marks.

One overly aggressive Grayback Wolf even snapped a fang.

The [Boxer]'s shell, forged from ‘A3-3221 alloy’—capable of withstanding advanced war gods and even planetary-level attacks—utterly ignored the beast-soldiers’ assault.

Even vulnerable sensors and cameras were concealed within armor gaps, making them difficult targets.

Buzz!

As motors whirred to life, the [Boxer]’s power module ramped up, launching a counterattack.