Sky-cracking Rider

Mutant attacks on economic zones are rare occurrences.

Usually, as soon as signs emerge, local Ability Users and nearby military forces swiftly eradicate the threat. The residents barely have time to react before the operation concludes crisply.

The emergency news broadcast that Chen Fei and Old David saw was an extraordinarily rare sight.

Unless the local surveillance systems crash for a long time, and the locals are deaf, blind, and feign ignorance, a mutant would not be allowed to devour so much and grow to such a size.

Various conditions combined, the unlikely still happened.

The American Federation's reputation is about to be stunned by the astonishment of its allies.

After all, they were once considered the foremost Sovereignty in the world, oh! Is this it?

Are they too old to chew cornbread now?

The live broadcast on the screen featured flames shooting into the sky, but there seemed to be some invisible barrier blocking the flames outside. It was unclear which type of defensive power was at work, Magic, Special Abilities, or technology.

A barrage of meteor showers whooshed by as several armed helicopters unleashed their full firepower, discharging all their rockets. The cannons suspended beneath the nose of the helicopters never stopped firing, the trails of bullets whipping the invisible barrier repeatedly.

Automatic weapons, large-caliber rifles, individual rocket launchers, mixed with Special Abilities and Magic created a spectacular and earth-shaking scene. Slight aftershocks touched the nearby buildings, which instantly disintegrated into a pile of ruins. Hopefully, everyone inside had evacuated.

The invisible barrier, however, stood like an invincible Great Wall, blocking the attacks of the Ability Users and the armed helicopters.

Boom!~

The multi-legged monster insect didn't just stand there taking hits passively, it suddenly charged, smashing its enveloping invisible defenses against an armed helicopter, sending several Ability Users flying out in parabolic arcs and falling far away, their fate unknown.

Despite its limb being severed by a "Dimensional Slash," it seemed not to impact its mobility significantly.

Old David watched intently, stroking his chin and muttering to himself, "It doesn't look like a mutant, more like a Magical Beast."

Only a Magical Beast could go berserk right under human eyes and cause such immense destruction.

However, the news channel's identification of this creature was not as a Magical Beast but as a mutant, and this was an official certification.

Magical Beasts working in human society usually have tracking devices. Such a massive creature would not easily enter human residential areas unnoticed, nor would it be unregistered.

Hence, determining whether it is a Magical Beast could usually be done with a few keystrokes.

A drone, venturing close to the battlefield, captured live images of an Ability User in standard Single Soldier Tactical Armor seemingly knocked unconscious by the creature's limb and then stuffed into its brutal mandibles. Savage chewing ensued, with bits continually falling off.

At the same time, a chilling voice-over came from outside the frame.

"An Ability User has been captured, oh my, he's being eaten!"

"Oh oh oh, this is huge!"

Old David, slapping the wing of the F-22 "Raptor," exclaimed loudly.

The American Federation's TV stations are so fierce, unabashedly capturing the scene with just a thin mosaic over it, but it still looked terrifying.

"An Ability User just like that, gone."

Chen Fei was stunned.

When he was on a reconnaissance mission for the Blue Star Global United Defense Committee in the Xingdu Kush Mountain Area, his squad's Ability Users didn't seem this weak.

The voice-over continued.

"Just got confirmation, the one eaten is Pedro Card, an 18-year-old Space Series B-Rank Special Ability User. He hadn't even been accepted to a university yet and was interning at a pizza parlor. This is truly a tragedy."

The highly capable news media workers always manage to obtain firsthand information in the shortest time.

Special Ability Users need to make a living too. Even with privileges, fancy cars, beautiful women, and endless money are out of the question. At best, they get an Ability Allowance. With no savings at home, it's inevitable to work. Participating in such combat missions at least earns a substantial bonus to support the family, or to buy a car for themselves.

To be eaten just like that at 18, what a pity to lose such prime years!

"Holy shit!"

Chen Fei could no longer care about his beer, exchanging looks of disbelief with Old David. The dramatic spectacle had just begun, and already the one with the strongest attack had fallen.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

"B-Rank Special Ability, so what? If you lack nerve, going in is just asking for death."

Old David took a sip of his drink and shook his head.

An 18-year-old kid, even with a B-Rank Special Ability, would panic once the fighting started. It's not surprising that he died early.

At this very moment, in front of countless screens and televisions, various piercing screams arose as many viewers were frightened.

"Also, Merlin Kemir, a Seventh Rank Wind Mage, and her husband, Hugh Kemir, an Eighth Rank War Professional, both fell. Evans Turner, a Fifth Rank Earth Mage suffered serious injuries…"

The announcer listed the names of the casualties, in just that brief battle, the local Ability Users had lost a third of their personnel.

The most promising young man, Space Series B-Rank Special Ability User Pedro Card, was eaten on the spot.

The couple that was flung out and killed on impact left behind two kids, who hadn't even finished elementary school, wiping out a perfectly middle-class family just like that.

Davide Sid, with certain deep military connections, asserted confidently, "Wait for it, the Federation's Sky Knights should be making their move soon."

The National Treasure Artifact remains unsummoned, if not now, then when?

As if confirming Old David's words, the off-screen narrator's voice piped up again.

"Latest news from the Red Rock State capital, the two Sky Knights stationed at Barkley Air Force Base have taken to the skies in their Crystal Jets, 'Starbreaker' and 'Viking', and are soon to reach the battlefield."

The narrator was clearly struggling to suppress his excitement. Such scenes of Crystal Jets in battle were rare sights, seldom witnessed by ordinary folk.

It was foreseeable that the viewership would break historical records from this moment on.

Glancing at Chen Fei, whose mouth was agape, Old David couldn't help feeling proud as he said, "Keep your eyes wide open and watch carefully; the battle technique of the Sky Knights is nothing like you'd imagine."

"What's happened now?"

The news video's narrator suddenly exclaimed.

A silvery white mist emerged out of nowhere within the invisible barrier enveloping the giant body of the multi-legged monster insect, followed by a bright, dazzling light erupting without warning at the next second, almost filling the entire camera frame.

The brilliance lasted only a moment before it and the multi-legged monster insect disappeared without a trace.

"Where's the mutant?"

The narrator sounded utterly bewildered.

"Gone?"

Old David was also taken aback; he had not anticipated this turn of events.

The multi-legged monster insect had simply vanished, a creature of such enormous size just disappeared without a trace, bizarre beyond belief.

"It's gone!"

Chen Fei was just as dumbfounded —

He had only seen the beginning and hadn't foreseen the ending of this live broadcast news segment.

System: Ding! Survive! Energy Points +2000!

"Holy crap!"

Chen Fei felt an inexplicable tingling on his scalp, and his hair stood on end.

What did the Dog System mean by this sudden alert?

No, not right!

This was a warning!

Sometimes the tasks of the Dog System could serve as critical intelligence.

Seeing Chen Fei's sudden change in expression, Old David asked in confusion, "What's wrong?"

"Big trouble! Sound the alarm, evacuate unrelated personnel from the airport immediately, prepare the ammunition, arm up, it's time to fight!"

Chen Fei was waving his arms wildly, shouting without any coherence.

"What? What's going on?"

Old David was confused, watching Chen Fei gesticulating wildly.

"It might be that insect; it's probably heading our way."

His mind raced like lightning, Chen Fei quickly surmised a possibility.

The Dog System wouldn't sound an alarm without a reason. In the recent news footage, a Space Series B-rank supernatural power user had been killed without resistance. Thus, he, a Metallic B-rank supernatural power user, probably wasn't in a much better position and, facing off against the gigantic insect, his chances of escape were slim.

He immediately jumped onto the wing of an F-22 'Raptor' jet, taking control of the aircraft at once. He activated the F119-PW-100 low bypass ratio augmented turbofan inside, blasting a powerful stream of air behind, propelling the jet forward on the ground, though not yet flying.

He didn't even bother picking up the dishes and beer cans scattered all over the wing.

Chen Fei, still without a clear explanation, yelled at the still dazed Old David, "Prepare for battle, immediately! I need ammunition! Old David, go to my dorm and take the bird's nest!"

No time to waste, it was like trying to get ducks to perch, no, more like pushing rookies into the fray.

Waiting on the ground to die was not an option.

If he had to die, he would go down fighting.

Even if he was ready to fight to the bitter end, Chen Fei did not forget to ask Old David to take good care of his 'Little Bird'.

"Oh! Okay, got it!"

Long retired and no longer the vigilant 'Eagle King' of old, Old David finally realized the seriousness as the 'Raptor' glided toward the hangar gates.

Without further ado, he decided to trust Chen Fei and begin taking action.

Instantly pulling out his mobile phone, Old David started issuing commands.

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