From the world broadcast channel chatter, Qi Lin had roughly pieced together the situation.
This area should be near the capital city of Zhejiang Province in pre-war Huaxia. Because it had once been an economically developed region, the density of nuclear strikes here was particularly high. Now, the terrain of Zhejiang was no different from the desolate deserts and rocky plateaus of the far northwest.
The nearest city ruins lay twenty kilometers southwest along the highway. But within a five-kilometer radius centered on this gas station, besides the man who had fired a rocket at him, at least three more squads, whether for the bounty or other motives, were converging on his position.
The feeling was like being wounded in the open sea, the blood drawing in countless sharks with razor-sharp teeth.
Using the brief calm, Qi Lin checked his available weapons again:
One AK47 with 79 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition (one bullet had been spent burning his wound for sterilization).One tri-edged combat knife with a blood groove.One American-made M67 fragmentation grenade.
As for the 98k, it had been blown to pieces with the off-road vehicle.
Qi Lin regretted not removing the optical scope beforehand. Even a four-times scope would have served as a makeshift telescope right now.
Luo Chengfeng's team's equipment had been practically luxurious. Those planning to "encircle" him wouldn't be lacking either.
The rocketeer outside still hadn't shown himself, but Qi Lin dared not step beyond the cover of the convenience store. That RPG must have cost dearly. Since it failed to kill him in one strike, the enemy probably didn't have much else left in reserve. After all, it had only been less than three hours since launch.
"They're waiting to keep eyes on me until more people arrive, then strike together…" Qi Lin knew exactly what their strategy was. But he couldn't move rashly. Inside the store, he could use the counters, shelves, and pillars as cover. Out in the wasteland, with so little to hide behind, he wasn't sure he could evade another ambush.
Minutes ticked by. His wound had healed enough not to hinder movement, that was the only good news.
The bad news: at least five groups were now outside, ready to cash in his respawn.
Ten minutes earlier, one reckless newbie had rushed straight in, wildly spraying with a submachine gun. Before his magazine was even empty, Qi Lin had dropped him with a single shot from the shadows. Since then, no one else had attempted such suicidal charges. At most, a few potshots into the store to remind him they were there.
Qi Lin knew they were either waiting for more cannon fodder to arrive, or for someone carrying heavy weapons.
"Cannon fodder" meant those from the Central Zone, the servants and laborers of the wealthy in reality. In-game, they served as meat shields, taking bullets for their masters.
As for heavy weapons, just two more RPG shots could level the convenience store entirely. Even if he wasn't crushed to death, Qi Lin would be left powerless.
"Looks like this is the only way…" Qi Lin gritted his teeth, a plan forming in his mind.
Two hours passed. Around the gas station, two off-road vehicles had pulled up. A dozen or so people lingered nearby in small groups.
Their clothing was sharply divided into two types:
Some wore leather armor or trench coats, carrying firearms and well-equipped.Others looked like Qi Lin, in rough work clothes patched with leather at the arms and elbows, armed mostly with axes, machetes, and crude melee weapons.
"Brother Leng, you were here first. How do we play this?" asked a spoiled young master in black sunglasses, trying to look cool, though even his gun stance was painfully awkward.
This "Brother Leng" was none other than the Nail Gun Man from earlier. His in-game ID: Leng Xue ("Cold-blooded").
Leng Xue rubbed his nose and glanced over the group. He knew exactly how useless these pampered rich brats were. Even in the shelters, they had lived in drunken luxury. Still, he said, "That 9527 might be a retired soldier. He's not weak. First, send in the servants to burn through his ammo. Once he's empty, we go in and unload seven or eight guns at once. Even a god wouldn't survive that."
The young master had wanted to lead the charge himself, to build his reputation. But hearing "retired soldier" made him shrink back. He didn't mind burning resource points for a respawn. But the pain of real bullets tearing into his flesh? That he had no desire to experience.
"Good idea. You lot, get in there! No retreat! Or this month's resource points are gone!" he barked at the Central Zone players with melee weapons. The other rich kids likewise ordered their underlings forward.
For the poor cannon fodder, refusing meant losing their only means of survival. Grumbling inwardly, they charged the station, praying someone else would catch the bullets.
Their masters could afford the 10,000-point extra respawn privileges. But these Central Zone players, earning maybe a hundred or two resource points a month, couldn't. Once their three system lives were gone, they'd be exiled to the wasteland for real.
Yet even as the last of them stormed into the convenience store, not a single gunshot sounded. It was as if Qi Lin had given up entirely.
"Young master! He's not here!" someone shouted back.
"No way. He's hiding. Search!" Leng Xue ordered, moving in with the others, suspicion nagging at him.
9527 had nowhere to run. The gas station was surrounded by barren ground. Unless he tunneled underground… but beneath the station were only fuel tanks.
…Fuel tanks!
Leng Xue's blood ran cold with realization.
At that moment, crouched in the restroom of the convenience store, Qi Lin had wrapped himself in layers of silver fireproof sheeting. In his hand was a half-snapped pull cord. His lips silently counted down:
"Three… two… one…"
Leng Xue guessed his plan in the same second. He roared, "Run!!!!"
But the word hadn't even left his throat before the air twisted violently. The hair on his exposed skin singed away instantly. The ground beneath him heaved and cracked. A crimson dragon of fire roared up from below.
Then came the deafening roar. The world spun into chaos.
(End of Chapter 6)
Read more on "brightnovels.com"
Thank you for reading!
If you enjoyed the chapter, please take a moment to rate it on NU (Novel Updates), your support means a lot!