Chapter 9: Evil God
The wasteland dawn was just breaking, a pale sliver of light spreading across the horizon.
The distant mountains’ outlines flickered faintly in the gray haze.
Beneath the imposing iron curtain of steel walls, the outskirts of [Eisenburg] were as quiet as ever.
Yet, in the towering lookout post, a seasoned sentinel, peering through high-precision binoculars, caught signs of unrest at the territory’s edge—
Several groups of armed raiders, skulking like ravenous hyenas, were using the faint morning light and lingering fog as cover, converging swiftly on the fortress’s weaker flanks from multiple directions…
Their gear was haphazard, but their numbers were substantial, and their movements showed clear coordination and discipline.
It was unthinkable that these scavengers, who usually preyed only on lone drifters or small caravans, would dare bare their claws at the slumbering beast that was [Eisenburg].
Yet, no alarm sounded within the fortress.
For Seraphina was already standing on the top floor of the command tower.
“Your Majesty! Over thirty armed personnel spotted in the northwest, and two more groups are massing in the southeast!”
The urgent report crackled through the communicator.
She stood before the command room’s massive sand table, her silver hair tied neatly into a high ponytail, revealing her slender, snow-white neck.
More strikingly, Seraphina was clad in sleek, black heavy combat armor, the Eisenburg crest—a menacing iron fortress—emblazoned on her chest.
At her waist hung her ever-present energy pistol.
The family crest etched on its grip gleamed coldly under the overhead lights.
“Numbers? Equipment?” Her voice was calm, as if the enemy assault was merely today’s weather forecast.
“Approximately eighty in total, armed with a mix of light and heavy firearms and modified war vehicles.”
“Suspected to be a mercenary band from the [Golden Wanderers] alliance!”
“A pack of uncivilized vermin…” Seraphina rose from her chair, striding to the command room’s window, her heterochromatic eyes gazing indifferently at the ant-like specks moving below.
Without turning, her voice carried a chilling intent:
“Evelyn.”
“Here, Your Majesty!” The silver-armored adjutant snapped to attention, asking, “Shall we deploy artillery…?”
“No need.” Seraphina’s tone held a trace of annoyance. “Just a swarm of reckless flies.”
She turned, her piercing gaze sweeping over the officers in the room.
“They think they’re something because they ambushed a pathetic little valley?”
“Order the First Armored Battalion to assemble, fully equipped. I’ll lead them myself.”
“Since these vermin dare disturb my peace…”
“Let them stay on this land forever.”
The adjutant and officers bowed in unison: “Yes, Your Majesty!”
Fifteen minutes later, [Eisenburg]’s steel gates groaned open with a grating screech.
A massive armored command vehicle roared out first, its engine bellowing.
Its heavily modified black chassis was studded with menacing rivets and weld scars, the heavy machine gun on its roof rattling its ammo belt with a crisp chime.
Following in tight formation were dozens of equally formidable war vehicles…
Wheels and treads crushed the hard ground, kicking up gravel with a thunderous rumble that shook the earth.
Seraphina herself drove the command vehicle, her cold gaze fixed through the bulletproof glass on the enemy shapes growing clearer ahead.
The raiders’ ramshackle vehicles, patched with scrap metal for armor, looked like a pack of stray dogs crawling out of a junkyard.
“First Squad, flank left and smash them.”
“Second Squad, swing right and cut off their retreat.”
Her voice over the communicator was chillingly sharp:
“Remember—”
“Not a single one lives.”
The war vehicles fanned out smoothly across the foggy wasteland, splitting into two groups.
At five hundred meters, the raiders finally noticed the steel torrent bearing down.
They hadn’t expected [Eisenburg]’s response to be so swift and ruthless, deploying an entire armored battalion…
Panicked, they swerved to avoid a head-on clash, but it was too late.
Seraphina floored the accelerator, her command vehicle screaming forward like a missile into the enemy ranks.
One hand on the wheel, she drew her energy pistol with the other, lowering the window…
Bang—!
The first shot shattered the wasteland’s silence.
A blue-white energy bolt lanced from the muzzle, piercing a raider vehicle’s fuel tank with deadly precision.
A fireball erupted skyward, debris raining down like shrapnel.
Then, a smaller enemy vehicle was rammed aside, flipping through the air, its occupants flung out…
“Open fire. Free targeting!”
Boom—!
Boom! Boom—!
The main cannons of the heavy vehicles roared in unison.
Shells streaked like meteors, blooming into deadly flowers among the raiders’ ranks.
Dirt and flesh flew together, screams and curses filling the air.
Seraphina’s command vehicle tore through the battlefield’s heart, her driving skill breathtaking…
The seemingly cumbersome armored vehicle danced nimbly through a hail of bullets, fluid as water.
One raider leaned out a window, aiming a rocket launcher at her vehicle.
Before he could fire, a precise energy bolt vaporized his head…
“That damned lunatic!” a scar-faced raider leader roared, spraying her vehicle with a heavy machine gun.
Seraphina smirked, yanking the wheel to skid past the bullet storm.
Thud—
She let an enemy vehicle serve as a speed bump, then flung open her door, leaping out into the high-speed chaos.
Her black-armored figure was graceful yet lethal in midair, silver hair streaming like a war banner.
She landed with a kick to the scar-faced leader’s hood, crushing it and halting the vehicle.
As she hit the ground, three shots rang out—
Three raiders slumped, fused to their leather seats, chests seared through, smoking…
Scar-face, terrified, raised his gun to fire.
But Seraphina was faster!
Her armored hand smashed through the windshield, shards and metal slicing into him as he howled, his pistol falling to the floor mat.
Her left hand seized his wrist, yanking him from the passenger seat; her right pressed the energy pistol to his temple.
“P-please… spare me… I-I have kids!” Scar-face begged, blood streaming down his face.
“Kids?”
Seraphina tilted her head, a playful glint in her heterochromatic eyes, as if watching an amusing performance.
Her voice was soft as a feather, yet chilling: “That’s unfortunate.”
“Un-unfortunate…?”
“They’re about to be orphans.”
Bang—!
The energy bolt melted through Scar-face’s skull.
His body collapsed lifelessly, vitality snuffed out.
The battle ended in less than ten minutes.
No suspense.
All eighty-plus raiders were dead, not a scratch on the armored battalion…
Their corpses littered the wasteland, blood soaking the parched earth.
Wrecked vehicles burned, black smoke billowing skyward.
Seraphina stood amid the carnage, her black armor splattered with enemy blood.
Yet her expression was calm as still water, as if she’d merely crushed a few ants.
She wiped a streak of blood from her cheek with the back of her hand, leaving a vivid red smear on her pale skin.
“Clear the battlefield. Collect all valuable equipment,” she ordered her men.
“Burn the bodies on-site. Don’t let them pollute our land.”