Manager, give me a membership card too!

Listening to the voices coming from the distorted faces of men, women, and children, David felt his breathing become labored, and he instinctively clutched his chest, as if there was something there that could bring him some peace of mind.

Suddenly, the sound of shattering glass brought David back to his senses. The painter, whose face had changed drastically, turned around and saw that the glass facade of the department store in front of him had already been chipped into pieces by the sharp teeth and claws of those giant insects.

These windows are about to give way!

Even though duct tape had been applied beforehand, its adhesive strength slowed the glass's shattering. However, the sheer number of giant insects was overwhelming, and they continued to multiply as if they were endless.

Before long, these damned bugs will break through the last barrier and get into the supermarket. And then, he and his son will have no chance of survival!

As a father, he absolutely could not allow such a thing to happen.

Bending down to pick up the crowbar he had previously dropped, David the Screamer charged into the crowd of fanatics, swinging his weapon and beginning to hack and slash. At this moment, he had abandoned all restraint and reason, determined to protect his son Billy's slim chance of survival at all costs.

Seeing him like this, the other members of the rational faction also raised their weapons and joined in.

Strangers, friends, neighbors—familiar or unfamiliar faces were twisted, deformed, and damaged under David's crowbar. David did not hesitate; even though these people were his friends of over a decade, he still decisively raised the crowbar in his hand and smashed it hard against those stiff faces.

"They regard the messenger of the abyss as their prince, who is called 'Abadon' or 'Apolon,' meaning 'destroyer of all things.'"

The fanatics neither resisted nor attacked, but simply chanted the holy words with blissful smiles, letting David hack and slash at them in his frenzy. Their dark eyes were fixed on the man in the crowd, and their smiles became even more twisted.

Only when David's strength was finally exhausted, and he could barely hold onto the crowbar, did the fanatics slowly twist their bodies to look at the man, and chant in the voice of the prophetess Carmody:

"The first disaster has already begun; wait, David Drake, there are two more disasters to come."

At the same time, with a crisp ringing sound, the glass curtain wall of the department store... shattered.

It was a gap about the size of a millstone, forcefully smashed open by these giant insects with their sharp teeth, claws, and pincers. As soon as this breach appeared, a dense swarm of giant insects, like a dark cloud, rushed in through the hole, charging towards everyone in the supermarket, including the fanatics.

Seeing the defense line breached, Ollie, who was in charge of long-range firepower, no longer cared about conserving ammunition. He fired two shots, blasting two giant insects that were trying to approach David. While skillfully changing his magazine, he called to his other companions to move closer to David's location.

With the cover of several companions armed with melee weapons, Ollie reached David's side and grabbed his arm.

"David! There are too many bugs! We can't stay in the shopping hall! We must retreat to the warehouse; there are iron gates there to defend ourselves!"

Exhausted, David looked at the giant insects crawling on the fanatics and injecting something with their stingers, and without hesitation, he ran towards the warehouse door at the back of the supermarket.

From the very beginning, in order to prevent the fanatics led by Ms. Carmody from taking any extreme actions, David and the others had already discussed a plan before taking action.

They were tasked with drawing the attention of the fanatics, keeping Carmody and the others focused on the front half of the supermarket. Meanwhile, the elderly, women, and children, including Irian and Amanda, would reach the supermarket warehouse entrance. If anything changed, they would quickly retreat into the warehouse's supply depot, using its large iron gate for subsequent defense.

Although they didn't know why the giant insects were attacking the fanatics who summoned them, even the corpses on the ground, David and the others managed to escape unharmed back to the warehouse entrance at the back of the supermarket while the giant insects were attacking the motionless fanatics.

David and his group yanked Amanda and the others, who were stunned by the sudden turn of events, and rushed into the supermarket's supply warehouse. They took one last look at the hideous giant insects that had slaughtered the fanatics and were now swarming towards them, and slowly closed the warehouse's steel doors.

They used the L-shaped crowbar, which had previously reaped countless lives, to reinforce the iron gate's defenses by inserting it into the doorknob. David and the other men worked together to push the spare metal shelves in front of the iron gate, blocking the glass on the warehouse door. They then used several wooden sticks to prop up the door, patching up the last remaining gap.

After doing all this, David and the other men who had witnessed the horrific scene in the first half of the supermarket collapsed to the ground like deflated balloons. They looked at each other and simultaneously revealed a relieved smile of relief at having survived a disaster.

The other women, not bothering to ask what had happened, why there were gunshots, or the terrifying giant insects, took out the water and food they had prepared beforehand and offered them to the men.

"Thank you."

Nodding to Amanda, who was holding her son Billy, the painter David Drake took the bottle of mineral water she offered, gulped down several mouthfuls, and then poured the rest over his head, trying to cool down his overworked brain.

"Mr. Drake, what exactly happened up ahead? Why do you all look so panicked?"

“We…” David hesitated, glancing at his son. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but a muffled thud came from the door behind him, along with the sound of the warehouse door glass shattering.

Several men who were resting suddenly jumped up from the ground. Ollie and the others hurriedly steadied the wooden planks blocking the warehouse door and the metal shelves, while David went to the glass in the middle of the door, trying to observe what was happening outside through the gaps in the metal shelves.

Upon seeing this, David felt his heart stop for a moment, because he was utterly unable to describe the sight before him. If he had to come up with a specific word, only two words could come to mind: ...

Blasphemy!

What a twisted and evil existence it was! David didn't even know if he could describe it as a 'creature'. Looking at that towering figure standing silently in the thin mist, he finally understood why those giant insects were attacking those fanatics.

In order to collect 'materials'.

Collect materials called 'Humans'.

The 'hands' are made of hands, the 'feet' are made of feet, the 'body' is made of torso, and the head has a signature 'happy' smile on its face.

Compared to this enormous and blasphemous monster, the countless giant insects that filled the entire warehouse seemed less unbearable.

Unable to bear the sight, David turned away from his throbbing head and forced his brain to forget the horrific scene he had just witnessed. Unfortunately, no matter how hard he tried, the image was already deeply ingrained in his mind, impossible to erase.

"Boom!"

Another dull thud followed, and the warehouse door shook violently. Feeling the overwhelming, terrifying force, the remaining survivors in the supermarket had no choice but to continuously reinforce the door's defenses.

Time ticked by, the dull pounding continuing for a very long time. Just when David and the others thought the monster would hold out until the gate was breached, the sound, like the tolling of death, suddenly stopped. In its place came a low, humming sound.

The men who were desperately holding the door shut exchanged strange glances, but in the end, David Drake, who was standing in the middle, was responsible for observing the situation outside.

Although he was extremely reluctant to see that twisted and grotesque creature again, he had to find a way to obtain more information in order for his group to survive longer.

David Drake peered through the broken glass of the warehouse door again, squinting with one eye at the outside world.

After this period of 'invasion,' the fog in the supermarket shopping hall became even thicker. However, David's attention was not on the eerie fog at the moment, but on something more important.

Those giant insects retreated?!

In David's eyes, the ugly giant insects that had been piled up in the shopping hall now spread their thin wings, flapped them, and flew into the air, then surged out of the supermarket through the holes they had opened.

In addition, the tall figure that attacked the warehouse door was now walking heavily toward the supermarket entrance, seemingly wanting to go outside the supermarket as well.

What are these monsters doing? Why don't they continue attacking us?

Just as David was filled with doubt, a voice that felt extremely familiar to him slowly came over.

"Da da da da da da da da!!!"

Chapter 382 Battle, then victory, as it should be.

Chapter 382 Battle, then victory, as it should be.

The heavy armored vehicles drove smoothly through the desolate streets of Bridgeville. The houses that should have been full of life and people were now pitch black, not a soul in sight. Only pairs of cold and savage eyes silently watched the intruders.

[Firework sounds detected; suspected human survivor.]

[Mission changed; prioritize rescuing survivors.]

As the information on the vehicle's terminal was refreshed, the armored vehicle, which was patrolling the town of Bridgeville, suddenly changed direction and headed towards the town's central square.

[Large number of hostile life forms detected. Combat preparation underway. Connecting with pilot's mind signal...]

[Life detector detected a signal from a surviving human... Status: Critical! Access verified, all weapons unlocked.]

[Mission begins...]

As the last line of characters was refreshed on the armored vehicle's main control computer, the previously only computer screen emitted a soft glow inside the illuminated vehicle compartment. Along with this light, a crimson gaze also appeared.

It was a burly giant, about two and a half meters tall, covered in sturdy alloy armor. The Chaldea symbol was etched on the thick breastplate, which was as thick as a city wall.

Those crimson gazes emanated from the steel giant's helmet visor.

As the armored vehicle gradually slowed down, the steel giant, which had been slightly bowing its head, slowly straightened its chest and connected with the distant will.

At the same time, a deafening buzzing sound resounded throughout the heavens and earth. The giant insects that had been entrenched in the town square of Bridgeville had obviously also noticed these uninvited guests and howled as they rushed toward these troublemakers.

This was a scene capable of driving an ordinary person to the brink of madness. Countless grotesque and filthy insects, their shapes twisted and monstrous, filled the entire sky like dark clouds, obscuring every corner of sight. Their method of attack was also extremely simple and brutal; to put it in the most direct visual terms, it was as if 'the sky had collapsed.'

The 'sky', nearly two meters thick, poured down from mid-air like water spilled from a bucket, 'washing' the armored vehicles parked at the entrance of the town square.

The giant insects, with their sturdy, blade-like legs and terrifying stinging spines, charged towards the armored vehicle one after another, crashing straight into the roof of the armored vehicle like bullets, producing a series of dull thuds.

This near-suicidal attack was not without effect. Although the giant insects' claws and teeth could not penetrate the armored vehicle's alloy shell, their bodily fluids seemed to possess unusual corrosiveness. In just a few seconds, wave after wave of giant insects splattered dark green liquid all around the armored vehicle, which then pooled into a small puddle at the bottom.

As wisps of acrid smoke drifted away, the paint on the armored vehicle's exterior visibly blackened and dried, accompanied by a series of ominous sounds. The concrete ground softened like melting ice cream, slowly enveloping the armored vehicle's tracks.

If these giant insects continue to attack, this armored vehicle will probably be swallowed by the earth in less than a minute, just like the One Ring that disappeared in Mount Doom.

Fortunately, the call to fight back has begun.

The first thing to happen is the ice that obliterates all life.

Several rows of dark holes appeared around the armored vehicle, from which countless metal balls the size of marbles shot out, forming a spreading semi-circle that covered a large area of ​​open ground.

As the green indicator lights on these metal spheres turned crimson, the next second, terrifying bursts of freezing air, close to absolute zero, emanated out, turning the area within a dozen meters of the armored vehicle into a deathly silence. Even the omnipresent thick fog turned into glistening ice crystals that fell to the ground, not to mention the ferocious giant insects charging towards the armored vehicle.

The once dense swarm of insects, resembling a dark cloud, was reduced by nearly half under this sudden attack, with the majority of the remaining insects thrown into brief chaos. However, before the swarm could regroup and launch another attack, several bursts of intense heat, like the breath of a dragon, erupted from the front of the armored vehicle, instantly engulfing the remaining insects.

The shrill screams and wails echoed all around, and countless giant insects, still crackling, fell from the sky like rain, densely covering the ground, and a pungent, acrid smell began to fill the air.

After being hit by both ice and fire, the swarm of insects that had once covered the entire sky like dark clouds is now reduced to a small, lonely bunch, hovering anxiously outside the glass curtain wall of the department store, a far cry from their previous unstoppable appearance.

Perhaps to civilians with few weapons, these monsters are death reapers, an unstoppable disaster. But once they encounter specialized combat units, the situation might change slightly.

'Thump~' 'Thump~' 'Thump~' 'Thump~'

A tall, imposing figure emerged from behind the armored vehicle with heavy strides, each step his metal-booted foot took stirring up a cloud of fine ice shards. His aura, his presence, was like a majestic mountain pressing forward with unstoppable force.

Seemingly sensing some threat, the remaining swarm of giant insects roared and launched a final charge. However, the burly figure didn't even bother to turn his head to look at these lowly bandits. He raised the gun, which was much larger than conventional weapons, and casually pulled the trigger.

A flash of fire appeared in the burly figure's gun as it unleashed a torrent of scorching death upon the wicked and filthy enemy. It was a 25.4mm caliber bullet that, propelled by its primer, reached its destination almost instantly before bursting into a ball of expanding flame.

"boom!"

The blazing fireballs devoured everything around them, turning the fools who tried to attack the burly figure into wisps of dust drifting in the wind. Meanwhile, the burly figure who had fired at the giant insects calmly trod over the still-pungent, acrid wreckage, advancing step by step toward his objective.

Suddenly, the burly figure who had been steadily advancing stopped in his tracks. It wasn't that he had reached his destination, but rather that an uninvited guest was standing squarely in his way.

It was a monster even taller than him, about the height of two three-story buildings. But what was most impressive were the 'parts' that made up this monster—the remains and torsos of humans.

A 'hand' made of hands, a 'foot' made of feet, a 'body' made of torso, and a filthy, insane 'face' pieced together from countless heads.

Looking at the twisted monster blocking his way, the giant silently raised his hand, which was gripping the giant gun, and slowly pulled the trigger.

A precise and efficient triple volley—three roaring warheads arrived at their destination almost instantly. As they billowed up clouds of smoke and flames, the grotesque monster was torn apart into a twitching mess, much like a master chef preparing poached chicken.

However, the burly figure who had landed a successful blow did not continue with his steady steps, but remained silently standing in place, as if waiting for something.

Suddenly, the wind stirred...

No, it wasn't the wind that was moving, but the thick fog that enveloped the entire town of Bridgeville. This fog, which seemed to be alive and constantly swirling, seemed to have received some kind of command, or perhaps it was just following the most primal 'instinct', as it gathered from all directions to the small square in the center of the town, and then poured into the twisted monster's body, which had been blown into a puddle of mud, like a whale sucking water.

"Roar~~~~~~"

The next moment, with a roar filled with pain and rage, time seemed to flow backward.

The monstrous body parts, scattered everywhere by the burly figure, returned to the mother body, once again displaying its filthy and blasphemous form before everyone, seemingly proclaiming its return, or perhaps mocking the futile efforts of its enemies.

The silent, burly figure paid no heed to the enemy's swagger, but calmly raised his gun again, unleashing a torrent of deathly heat.

A dozen bullets, filled with special explosives, drew a dazzling line of fire, striking the massive enemy without a doubt. However, compared to the previous time when the enemy was easily torn to pieces, the burly figure's ammunition seemed to have been halved in power, only blowing off a few mangled limbs and failing to deliver the final blow.

Not only that, the moment the twisted monster was injured, the mist surrounding it rushed into its body like weary birds returning to their nests, causing the wounds on its body that had been hit by the burly figure to heal rapidly. From the gaps in the wounds, several tentacles covered with fangs and spikes grew out and waved around its body.

The failure of the attack seemed to have no effect on the burly figure. He remained silent, quietly watching the twisted monster that was even larger and uglier than before.

After hesitating for less than a second, the burly figure silently raised his right hand, which was gripping a heavy firearm, to shoulder level. As a crimson light swept across the weapon in his hand, a nimble mechanical hand suddenly extended from the figure's thick shoulder armor, and a specially designed locking slot locked the heavy firearm, transforming it into an automatic target-finding shoulder cannon.

Having freed his hands from the burdens, the burly figure gently raised his arms, from which two arm blades gleamed with a cold, eerie light sprang forth from his thick, sturdy arm armor. At the same time, he slightly lowered his chest, which had remained upright since his entrance, stretched his left leg forward, and moved his right arm back, assuming a ready-to-run stance.

Then, he slowly raised the helmet that was flashing with a crimson light.

From extreme stillness to extreme motion, the burly figure suddenly unleashed a terrifying speed completely inconsistent with his robust appearance, approaching the twisted monster almost leaving afterimages.

The alarm bells in my heart rang loudly

Even the twisted monster, a creature devoid of its own mind, felt a primal fear—the fear of impending destruction.

A tremendous sense of crisis prompted the twisted monster to begin a spontaneous resistance. Countless slippery, sticky tentacles shot out from every corner of its body, rushing towards the burly figure like sharp arrows.

However, the burly figure didn't even glance at these minor obstacles in his path. The heavy weapon on his shoulder, controlled by the tactical assistance module, acted like a cheat code, detonating all the tentacles that approached him in mid-air, turning them into a meaningless mass of limbs and fragments.

The burly figure continued charging straight ahead, raising his arm slightly as a bright flame began to ignite on his blade.

With a flash of cold light, the burly figure sliced ​​through several large tentacles that suddenly emerged from the ground, seemingly trying to ambush him, as if a paper cutter were slicing through paper. In the process, he also severed one of the twisted monster's arms and tossed it far away.

The twisted monster, suddenly struck by a severe blow, intended to absorb the surrounding mist to repair and strengthen its body, just as it had done before. However, no matter how much mist it absorbed, the arm that had been severed by the burly figure remained lying straight on the ground, showing no sign of wanting to recover.

However, the Twisted Monster had no time to ponder these complex questions, because the burly figure who had used the momentum of his charge to cut off one of its arms had already drawn a near-perfect semicircle behind it before charging once more toward the Twisted Monster, which was roaring in agony.

With a series of hissing sounds as flesh was sliced, the burly figure circled the twisted monster with an almost agile movement, demonstrating his skillful combat techniques. He dismembered the monster, which should have been rampaging, piece by piece, as easily as slaughtering defenseless chickens and ducks.

Whether out of disgust for this pointless bullying or a sense that the time had come, the burly figure suddenly clenched his left fist tightly. The gleaming blade on his arm armor shot out a long section again, and with a forward thrust, he severed the twisted monster's two thick legs at the waist, causing the towering monster to suddenly shrink in size.

Taking advantage of the twisted monster's wailing and howling due to the loss of its legs, the burly figure used the momentum of its forward charge to turn around and appear behind its opponent. With a light flick of its right arm, a section of its arm blade, burning with raging flames, also shot out, and a red light flashed behind the twisted monster's goggles.

found it!

Crouch down, twist your waist, turn your arm, and throw a punch!

The arm blade, burning with raging flames, pierced the twisted monster's back. With a terrifying sound of bones shattering, most of the burly figure's arm was embedded in the monster's body in this blow.