Chapter-111
"Bang!"
Merlin hit the tunnel wall heavily, sparks flashing across his suit as he crashed to the ground. Despite the impact, he kept his grip on the electric whip, holding it tightly.
"Bang!"
Merlin quickly regained his footing, leaning back into a low stance that rooted him like a nail to the ground. Beneath his mask, his face was flushed with effort, and his teeth clenched.
"Insect bastard, you're strong!" he snarled.
"But brute force alone won't cut it!"
Activating the hydraulic boosters in his suit, Merlin's arm torque surged dramatically.
"Bang!"
The ground beneath him cracked from the sudden burst of power, and the Alien Queen, despite her immense strength, was pulled off balance. She stumbled forward, crashing hard onto the ground.
"Wow, I didn't expect Merlin to be so… violent," Natasha muttered, unable to hide her surprise.
The Punisher and others, who had been preparing to assist, paused momentarily at the sight.
Merlin tightened the electric whip around the Alien Queen's neck, pulling it taut before swinging it with full force.
"Bang!"
A flash of light illuminated the tunnel as the Queen's strong, sinewy leg was severed.
"Roar!!!"
The Alien Queen's agonized scream echoed through the tunnel. Missing an arm and now a leg, half her body was incapacitated. She rolled on the ground, green acidic blood splattering in all directions.
"Crack!"
Merlin delivered another whip strike to the Queen's head, leaving a deep, charred scar.
Arcee didn't wait for a second chance, firing an electromagnetic cannon that hit the Queen squarely.
"Boom!"
The Queen's massive frame jerked violently before falling still, her health bar metaphorically drained. The tunnel descended into silence.
"Whoosh! Whoosh!"
Moments later, two bright lights swept through the tunnel as Iron Man and Rhodes arrived.
In the dark cave, Deadpool's voice suddenly broke the silence.
"Oh my God, I'm pregnant again! My babies! Why don't they ever come back to see me?!"
His bizarre soliloquy drew mixed reactions from the group.
"Is he… talking to himself?" Merlin asked, a bewildered expression hidden beneath his mask.
"It looks like this guy is an elite alien host," Stark remarked, scanning the scene with his searchlight. It illuminated the mucus-coated webbing enveloping Deadpool's naked body.
"Uuuhhh…" Deadpool groaned dramatically, his voice plaintive and despairing, like a damsel in distress.
Without a word, the Punisher stepped forward, pulling out a ballistic knife. With surgical precision, he sliced into Deadpool's abdomen. A yellow alien embryo, writhing in mucus, spilled out.
"Snap!"
Before it could react, Karmi reached over and crushed its neck with a single squeeze. The embryo went limp immediately.
"No! My child!" Deadpool wailed, stretching his arms in mock despair.
Merlin and the others collectively facepalmed.
"This guy is way too into it," Rhodes muttered. "Honestly, leaving him here might be for the best."
Stark squinted at Deadpool. "I feel like I've seen this guy before…"
Recognizing him, Stark added dryly, "Ah, you're the red-suit weirdo with the holes. No one else is that confident."
Deadpool said nothing, instead burying his head in mock shame.
Suddenly, an alert flashed before the team's eyes:
[Mother: Alien Queen Defeated][Alien Nest Will Be Destroyed]
[Mission Ending in 30 Minutes – Please Conclude All Battles]
"What? It's over already?" someone groaned.
Players looked dismayed, still deep in combat with infected bodies.
Soon, the buzzing of helicopters filled the air. Armed helicopters with ultraviolet searchlights flew overhead, their purple beams sweeping through the city. Under the harsh lights, infected bodies evaporated into black mist, disappearing entirely.
Troops descended swiftly, armed with silver weapons and UV lights. They began clearing out the remaining nests.
"Damn, no wonder it's ending early," one player muttered.
"Looks like the military stepped in this time."
"Well, at least I snagged a skill chip," another said with relief.
The next day, the R-Star Offline Platform made a highly anticipated announcement that thrilled all players:
[R-Star Offline Platform Update Completed]
New Features:
Skill Chips and Bionic Individuals introduced.
Career Panel Opens:
Police: Requires loading a Guard Chip with skills like on-site deduction, fighting, firearms handling, negotiation, etc.
Agent: Requires an Agent Chip with skills such as makeup, computer expertise, assassination, etc.
Fighter: Requires the appropriate Fighter Chip.
Special Occupation: Mechanic: Needs a Weapon Chip, granting skills in firearm construction, computer proficiency, and access to space-based cannons.
Special Occupation: Pharmacist: Requires a Biochemical Chip containing healing potion formulas, cryogen formulas, lizard potion formulas, and more.
Special Occupation: Planner: Requires a Memory Chip, which provides hacking skills, route generation, and satellite detection capabilities.
Vehicle Update:
New Vehicles: Avenger Fortress, Sky Evil, Crazy Flame, Orca Nuclear Submarine, Khanjali Tank, Hydra, Chernobog, Hunter, Savage, Troop Helicopter, and more.
Guild and Club Forums Open:
Players can now register directly on the platform.
New Faction Introduced:
Transformers
Dynamic Updates:
Occupations and vehicles will continue to evolve and strengthen over time.
[Ranking for the Current Game Announced]
1st Place: Holy Light Tribunal · Knight
2nd Place: Hellfire Lucifer
3rd Place: Harry Osborne
[Rewards Distribution Notice]:
Rewards will be issued in one week. Winners must visit the designated locations after receiving the notification.
The top two spots were claimed by guild members, showcasing the dominance of large guilds. Harry Osborne secured third place, relying on support from the Khanjali Transformers and a company-sponsored team.
For lone players to achieve high rankings in these large-scale games, they need extreme dedication, exceptional luck, or late-game breakthroughs like biological enhancements or armor upgrades to break the guild monopoly.
"Phew… this game update is like an earthquake for the entire Eagle Kingdom!" Stark muttered, breaking the silence after reading the announcement.
Unlike the cheering crowds outside, Uncle Punishment and the others wore solemn expressions, sensing an approaching storm.
"This update has pulled back the curtain, exposing the platform fully to the world," Stark added.
Everyone wondered how Eagle Nation (Yingjiang) would respond. Considering their usual dominance and greed, a peaceful resolution seemed unlikely.
However, the recent incidents had shaken their confidence, leaving them hesitant to act rashly.
Stark, deep in thought, suddenly received a message:
[Technician Tony Stark, would you like to accept the business of Individual Armors?]
The words struck a chord. Stark hesitated, reflecting on the recent tragedies. His dream of creating a Steel Legion to maintain world peace now seemed more urgent than ever, but the weight of these events left him conflicted.
While others digested the platform update, Merlin's attention was on another piece of news:
[New Game Unlocked: "Death Stranding"]