Chapter 220: The Harvester’s Spoils

Boom!

A massive explosion erupted, sending flames soaring into the sky, forming a small mushroom cloud in the middle of the city.

The Harvester Tank, after having its control systems sabotaged and its internal ammunition detonated by Qin Ming, was finally destroyed.

However, even after an internal explosion of such magnitude, the colossal tank remained largely intact. Its enormous frame was still recognizable, and its exterior armor appeared as impenetrable as ever.

The only visible damage was a large, square-shaped hole on its front, forcibly cut open by Qin Ming to access the interior.

The violent explosion drew countless rebel soldiers to the scene. They arrived just in time to see the wreckage of their once-prized war machine, leaving them frozen in disbelief, staring blankly at the smoldering ruins with faces full of shock.

Meanwhile, in a nearby alleyway, Qin Ming emerged, looking utterly battered and disheveled.

Wiping the soot from his face, he muttered curses under his breath as he staggered forward.

From the moment he had entered the Nightmare Space, this was the first time he'd encountered a boss that had relentlessly chased him down like this.

No—this wasn't just a chase. If the Harvester's main cannon had landed even one direct hit on him, he would've been obliterated instantly!

Still, with every strength comes a weakness. The Harvester Tank's absurd destructive power came at the cost of its massive size.

As long as Qin Ming couldn't get close, the tank was nearly unstoppable. But once he found its blind spots and got in close, it was nothing more than a giant fish on the chopping block.

Unfortunately, his alloy warhorse had paid the price. It had been crushed under the tank's treads during his desperate attempt to leap aboard.

"Looks like I won't be able to use it again in this world. I'll have to wait until the next world to summon it again," Qin Ming grumbled to himself.

Tugging at his torn clothes with a scowl, he started marching forward. But after only a few steps, his body suddenly tensed, and he froze in place.

From the shadows of a nearby alley, the cold barrel of a pistol pressed lightly against his temple.

"Password," came a calm voice from the shadows.

Qin Ming's eye twitched as he turned his head slowly, his face dark.

"The password is: don't ask your boss for a password. And definitely don't point a gun at his head!"

Hearing this, Kasamoto Eri immediately holstered her weapon and stepped out of the shadows with a cheerful grin.

Behind her were three heavily armed companions—none other than the rest of the protagonist team: Fio, Marco, and Tarma.

Seeing Qin Ming's ragged appearance, Kasamoto Eri's eyes narrowed in delight, her smile beaming.

"Boss! I could spot your red belly wrap from hundreds of meters away!"

"For the last time, it's not a belly wrap—it's a vest!"

"Yeah, yeah, same thing. When I saw all that commotion over there, I knew it had to be you. So, how'd it go? Got anything good?"

As Kasamoto Eri happily sidled up to him, Qin Ming said nothing and instead opened his hand slightly.

Resting in his palm was a key—a faintly golden key.

Harvester Tank Loot: Dim Gold Key!

This confirmed it: the Harvester Tank was a monster on par with Captain Hook himself!

Kasamoto Eri raised an eyebrow, clearly impressed. Grinning, she grabbed Qin Ming's arm and tugged him toward the alley.

"This isn't the place to talk. Let's head to the safehouse," she said.

The five of them quickly evaded the soldiers rushing in from all directions and slipped into the sewers, eventually emerging in a residential building.

Once inside, and after carefully confirming their surroundings, they finally relaxed and found places to sit.

As Qin Ming pulled out a fresh set of clothes and began changing, Kasamoto Eri stood nearby and pointed toward him with a mischievous smile.

"Let me formally introduce you all—this is my boss, Hyena, formerly a corporal. And these are my comrades: Fio, Marco, and Tarma."

Just as Kasamoto Eri finished speaking, Qin Ming, now fully dressed and wearing his military uniform, straightened up and corrected her with a stern expression.

"Correction: I'm no longer a corporal. I've been promoted to Major! You may now address me as Major Hyena. Additionally, I'm the temporary commander of the frontline forces. I've come here on a special rescue mission to assist you and coordinate the execution of your plans!"

"Major? Temporary commander?!"

Hearing Qin Ming's words, the group around him was visibly shocked.

A major wasn't too surprising—while young majors were uncommon, they weren't unheard of in the military.

But a frontline temporary commander? That was an entirely different matter. The commander of such a critical location was typically someone of commander or major general rank!

Looking at Qin Ming, who had now changed into a commanding officer's uniform with a military insignia proudly pinned to his chest, Fio and the others quickly stood up and saluted.

Only Kasamoto Eri remained standing casually, her posture completely disrespectful, with no intention of showing deference.

After all, Eri had grown up in an orphanage, then joined the underworld as a teenager, eventually rising to become a gang leader. She wasn't someone who cared for rules and formalities.

She hated all the rigid structures and expectations of authority. Asking her to act respectfully toward her own people? That was absolutely out of the question.

Qin Ming, however, knew her personality all too well. After all, he had spent a full month working closely with her, learning everything about her inside and out.

Not to mention, Qin Ming himself wasn't someone who cared much for formalities or rules.

Ignoring her lack of respect entirely, he turned seriously toward the other three main protagonists and spoke in a low voice.

"I've brought the next phase of the plan. In two days, my Hunting Dog Unit will launch a large-scale assault on the city. The Regular Army's air force will also be supporting the operation. Oh, and Fio—your father was the one who requested the air force deployment."

As he spoke, Qin Ming pulled out a massive brick phone from his pocket and tossed it to Fio.

She scrambled to catch it, nearly dropping it, as Qin Ming waved his hand.

"Get in touch with your father, let him know you're safe, and give him the coordinates for the airstrikes. He mentioned that you're skilled at this sort of thing, so coordinate the airstrike routes with him directly."

Each member of the protagonist squad had their own specialty: Kasamoto Eri was an explosives expert, Marco was a computer expert, Tarma was a vehicle specialist, and Fio excelled in intelligence and reconnaissance.

Planning airstrike routes and pinpointing critical enemy targets were exactly the kinds of things that fell under Fio's area of expertise.

Of course, it didn't hurt that Jamie Fox likely wanted to give his daughter a chance to shine and earn some accolades during the mission.

After all, while the Regular Army's upper management was indeed lackluster, their intelligence agents were highly competent. Qin Ming didn't believe for a second that the higher-ups were completely clueless about the city's layout.

Taking the phone, Fio quickly jogged away to a quieter spot and dialed the headquarters' secure line.

The satellite phone was an incredibly valuable piece of equipment, and with it, Fio soon established communication with her father.

A stern voice immediately came through on the other end of the line—it was Jamie Fox.

"Fio!"

"Ah! Here!"

"You'll be working with Major Hyena for the upcoming urban assault mission. Do a good job, you hear me? Don't let me down, and don't bring shame to the Jamie family name!"

"Yes, sir!"

"Also, what's your opinion of Major Hyena?"

"Uh…?"

(End of Chapter)