Translator: AnubisTL
The x-series was a line of single-soldier weapons developed by the Galactic Federation Weapons Research Institute.
While their firepower couldn't match that of orbital cannons, within the realm of single-soldier weapons, the x-series essentially represented the pinnacle of technology.
Of course, offensive items were a separate category. These unconventional tools couldn't be statistically compared within the standard classification system.
The x-series weapons were ranked by serial number according to their destructive power.
For example, the "x-18 Water-Soluble Plasma Cannon" and the "x-15 Cosmic Ray" were both single-soldier weapons in the x-series. Since the Cosmic Ray was ranked x-15 and the Water-Soluble Plasma Cannon was ranked x-18, the Cosmic Ray was three tiers higher in the x-series hierarchy.
According to his understanding, the "x-15 Cosmic Ray" simulated cosmic rays using various forms of energy to create an attack. The starlight-like beam instantly vaporized any enemy it touched, including buildings.
Those struck by the starlight rays age rapidly and irreversibly. A robust man in his early twenties, if hit by these rays, might have less than a year to live, his body deteriorating at an alarming rate.
Ninety percent of those affected develop cancerous mutations, ensuring a painful death.
The galactic federation sells the x-15 Cosmic Ray to planetary federation governments for 25 million star coins per unit, including three specialized energy cartridges.
Each energy cartridge costs 5 million star coins.
A single cartridge can only fire once.
One shot, and 5 million star coins vanish.
On the black market, the price easily multiplies tenfold.
In other words, the ray that just streaked across the night sky was worth 50 million star coins.
"See that?" Wang Jili said, gazing wistfully at the fading starlight trail. "That one job you pulled off was enough to fire this weapon. And it's not just about money. Even if you had ten times the funds, your status alone wouldn't be enough to authorize such a strike."
"I have to admit, these smugglers are loaded."
"Seeing this makes me want to join them. It's way more profitable than my company. I'm seriously considering switching careers."
"Fifty million star coins per shot, and they fire without hesitation. It's painful to watch."
"Li Shangyin!!!"
Standing atop a magnetic levitation car, Jin Yishan glared ferociously at the approaching group. He spat out each word with venomous precision: "You have some nerve!"
Caught completely off guard, half of his men had been vaporized by the cosmic ray. Had the beam been even slightly wider, it would have incinerated him as well.
"Fine, fine, fine."
Without hesitation, he shouldered the x-18 Water-Soluble Plasma Cannon and aimed it at Li Shangyin. If he were facing any other faction, there might have been room for negotiation. But seeing Li Shangyin, he knew this was a fight to the death.
When two smuggling factions clash, there's rarely any option but to fight to the bitter end.
At the same time, he roared into the communicator, "Old Six, is the Star Plasma Cannon ready? Aim at these coordinates and fire! If I die, the Albatross is yours, but you can't touch my woman. Help me kill her!"
The coordinates he gave were those of Li Shangyin's group.
The two factions were too close; the Star Plasma Cannon's blast would inevitably engulf him as well.
But he couldn't afford to worry about that now.
When two smuggling factions clashed, it came down to who was more ruthless. Either they both died, or the other side did.
The next moment—
A deep blue light erupted from the muzzle of his x-18 Water-Soluble Plasma Cannon, streaking directly toward Li Shangyin's group. He showed no hesitation, charging the weapon to its maximum 100% power!
"..."
Seeing the deep blue light, Li Shangyin's lips twitched uncontrollably. He couldn't help but curse through gritted teeth, "Didn't they say the x-18 Water-Soluble Plasma Cannon was absolutely forbidden from the black market? How did Jin Yishan get his hands on one?"
At that moment, Li Shangyin couldn't afford to dwell on such matters. With a pang of regret, he removed the necklace from his neck—a three-star item he had acquired at great expense. After crushing it, he roared into the intercom:
"Are the parameters adjusted? The enemy can't escape now! Deploy my Poria Neutron Cannon and blast that bastard to hell!"
"This time, it's either him or me!"
"Damn it! If we win, we'll all feast like kings! A million star coins and ten women for each of you!"
"Fire!"
As the necklace shattered in his hand, a tiny, luminous sword materialized in the air, enveloping him and his men in a protective barrier that effortlessly deflected the x-18 Water-Soluble Plasma Cannon's attack.
But before he could react—
He suddenly spotted a blinding white projectile streaking across the sky, interspersed with black neutron particles, hurtling directly toward him.
"Fuck!!!"
Li Shangyin roared in fury, "Run! Scatter, you bastards, scatter!"
He recognized it: the C-12 Stellar Plasma Cannon. A single shot from this weapon could obliterate a third of Ash City without breaking a sweat. He never imagined the enemy would smuggle one in.
Damn it! He'd thoroughly investigated their smuggled firepower—this thing wasn't on the list!
"Hah!"
"Now you want to run?"
Jin Yishan watched Li Shangyin flee into the distance, his laughter booming with satisfaction. "Run? Where do you think you're going? Try running—I dare you!"
But then—
He suddenly noticed a satellite hurtling toward Ash City from the distant horizon. The satellite flashed a violent crimson light, and dozens of red laser columns shot directly toward him!
"..."
Jin Yishan's face went deathly pale. Without hesitation, he activated every item he could, abandoning his men as he turned and fled.
Damn it!
How did Li Shangyin get his hands on something like this?!
Those corrupt parasites in the Planetary Federation Government should all be dragged out and shot!
"Hmm."
Wang Jili parked his magnetic levitation car mid-air, his expressionless gaze fixed on the distant scene. "Impressive."
"A C-12 Stellar Plasma Cannon and a C-11 Poria Neutron Cannon."
"Do you know how much these two things cost combined?"
"Enough to buy your life ten or twenty thousand times over."
The X-series was a line of unconventional weapons developed by the Galactic Federation Weapons Research Institute for individual combat.
The C-series, also developed by the Galactic Federation Weapons Research Institute, was a series of artillery weapons designed for ground warfare, not space combat.
The C-12 Stellar Plasma Cannon used planetary core material as its raw material. A single shot could effortlessly collapse a third of a city into molten lava.
Official price: 130 million star coins.
The C-11 Poria Neutron Cannon was more complex to operate. Its original design concept was for attacking ground warfare fortifications, boasting extreme penetration power and rapid firing speed. Dozens of crimson laser columns could melt through virtually any ground-based defensive structure.
Using it to kill a person was like shooting a mosquito with a rocket.
Official price: 150 million star coins.
Yes, these were the official prices. As for how much they would cost on the black market, just double the price.
If Hu Biao were still a salaried worker earning 100,000 star coins a year, it would take him roughly several thousand years to earn back the cost of these two shots.
By the time the Albatross and the Li Clan Merchant Guild began their full-scale bombardment of Ash City, using it as their battlefield, the city was already seventy or eighty percent destroyed.
As for Ash City's Law Enforcement Bureau?
Don't be ridiculous. No planetary federal government would equip a subsidiary city's Law Enforcement Bureau with something like a C-11 Poria Neutron Cannon. Even an X-18 Water-Soluble Plasma Cannon would be utterly impossible.
The Law Enforcement Bureau's firepower was typically limited to heavy machine guns and sniper rifles—perfectly adequate for dealing with petty criminals, but utterly useless against a chaotic faction like this. They might as well be trying to scratch an itch with a feather.
From the beginning until now, not a single Law Enforcement Bureau officer had been seen.
Whether they had been wiped out in the initial chaos or were simply hiding somewhere, the fact remained: they were nowhere to be found.
"...Seer," The Capturer stood on the rooftop of the television station, his expressionless gaze fixed on the scene below. After a long silence, he finally activated the Seer's communication channel and spoke slowly, deliberately: "Are you certain your intelligence is correct? That Jiang Cheng Company would launch a terrorist attack in Ash City on Orange Red Star at 4:00 PM today?"
"Hmm? What's wrong?"
The Seer, his mouth full of sandwich, mumbled indistinctly as he opened his diary. "Let me double-check... 'Jiang D. Ash Bad'... No discrepancies here."
"My diary clearly states that the Jiang Cheng Company will launch a terrorist attack on Ash City on Orange Red Star at 4:00 PM today."
"Wait, could it be 4:00 AM? Let me check my codebook... Hmm, I've verified it. There's no mistake—it's definitely 4:00 PM, which means 16:00 today."
"Logically, there shouldn't be any errors."
"What's going wrong? Is the event itself incorrect?"
"That can't be right. My diary has been accurate every time so far. It's never been wrong."
"No, the event isn't wrong."
The Capturer, his face expressionless, gazed into the distance at the searing light erupting from the detonated C-12 Stellar Plasma Cannon and the shockwave rushing toward him. He stood motionless, letting the shockwave whip his trench coat into a frenzy.
"To be precise, the event is correct. Ash City is indeed about to be destroyed."
"But the perpetrators and timing are off."
"The Jiang Cheng Company hasn't even shown up yet."
"Instead, Ash City is being completely annihilated by the Albatross and the Li Clan Merchant Guild—two Chaotic Factions."
"I'm utterly confused now."
"I'm starting to suspect you're a fake Seer. I think I should send you to military court."
A flicker of confusion crossed the Seer's eyes. After swallowing his sandwich, he tentatively spoke.
"Do you think it's possible..."
"That Ash City was indeed destroyed tonight by the Albatross and the Li Clan Merchant Guild, then swiftly rebuilt by the Federation after dawn, only to be destroyed again by the Jiang Cheng Company at 4 PM?"
"What do you think?"
"I think you're out of your mind. Get ready for a cease and desist letter."
(End of the Chapter)