"I should have flitted like a butterfly, stung like a bee, but instead I'm rolling head over heels, saving my life..."
Li Qingyu lay on the reverse slope of the hill and, trying to maintain his last shred of dignity, hummed softly to himself.
Not long ago, the auto-cannon of the "Chimera" APC had given him a hot reception: a series of high-explosive bursts had turned his body into a bloody stump. Shrapnel had severed his arms and legs, grinding his bones to dust.
On the limb status indicator, his legs and pelvis had turned black – congratulations, amputation. His torso and head were burning red, pulsing in time with his heart.
This meant that his vital organs had very few health points left. If he tried to stand up now, the damage from his "black" legs would transfer to his torso, and he would die instantly.
Fortunately, that salvo hadn't finished him off: the one-shot protection had worked. Managing to roll into a hollow behind the crest of the hill, he was out of the "Chimera's" firing range.
There was no time to delay. He took out the "green syringe" and injected himself. Void Blood Pump – activate!
The injector drew life force as if from thin air. On the panel, his status began to stabilize: his torso and head rapidly recovered health, but his limbs remained black.
The Void Blood Pump did not heal completely destroyed body parts.
The last salvo had turned his arms, legs, and pelvis into a mess. He had to get out his surgical kit and prepare for field surgery.
One hand was completely detached, but Li felt a phantom hand – invisible, but obedient, continuing to manipulate the instruments.
He was truly digitized – even without arms and legs, he could move across the battlefield, levitating like a living stump. A terrifying sight, no doubt, enough to shatter the enemy's psyche.
While Li Qingyu was tidying himself up, the "Chimera's" turret operator began to get nervous.
The auspex allowed him to see through obstacles, and the operator noticed that the enemy's bio-signal was still flickering. The sniper was alive.
He wanted to finish the target, but it managed to hide in a pit behind the hill. It was impossible to hit him from the low ground where the "Chimera" stood.
The operator assessed the situation and realized that the main threat here was Li Qingyu.
Eliminate the sniper, and the SIT infantry would crush the rebels with ease. That meant they needed to bring the armored vehicle closer to a position from which it would be convenient to shoot!
In front of the "Chimera" was Old Man Sen's camp with several lines of trenches. Behind them lay the flat parade ground, and further on, about a hundred meters away, a rise to the hill.
The slope was not steep – the armored personnel carrier could climb it. From the summit, they could shoot the sniper point-blank.
"Drive the APC through enemy trenches?" the thought flashed. "Won't it get stuck?"
The operator decided the "Chimera" could handle it: its off-road capability was incredible, and some trenches wouldn't be a problem. He ordered the driver:
"Break through! Finish the sniper, and then we'll cover the rebels from above!"
From where they were, the cannon couldn't depress low enough. But if they drove over the hill and turned the nose down, the firing sector would be ideal.
High-explosive shells dropped from above would bombard the trenches, and the battle would end quickly.
Hearing that the commander intended to drive straight into the enemy ranks, Lieutenant Winchester instinctively panicked:
"Stop! No! They might have suicide bombers with packs! Stand down, that's an order!"
He had come for easy glory and wasn't about to risk even a fingernail.
Charging into a cluster of enemies in an armored vehicle? Madness!
But the driver had already floored the pedal, ignoring the lieutenant's shouts. The vehicle lurched forward.
Armored vehicles were built for breakthroughs, for destruction, but Winchester had used it as a personal taxi and an immobile turret.
And there, in the distance, sat the sniper, whose every shot took the life of their comrades.
Even if they were scum, they had rotted in the same barracks for too long not to feel camaraderie.
The crew unanimously decided: it was worth the risk. They ignored the lieutenant's orders, letting him scream into the intercom as much as he wanted.
The risk seemed small. The "Chimera's" armor was thick, and the rebels had no way to assemble a charge capable of penetrating it.
Besides, the "Chimera" was fast – 80 km/h. Full throttle, and in ten seconds they'd be on the hill. Even if a suicide bomber appeared, he wouldn't have time.
Inspired, the crew surged forward. The APC burst from the treeline and rushed ahead!
But then something unforeseen happened.
As it crossed a shallow trench, the front of the vehicle dipped sharply, and the tracks dug into the trench wall. Usually, a little more gas was enough.
The driver did just that – but instead of the usual surge, the engine roared, the "Chimera's" hull jerked, and the engine stalled.
Silence descended like a crushing bell. The cessation of the engine's roar sent a chill through everyone inside.
Winchester shrieked like a frightened maiden: "What happened?! Why are we stopped?! Go, quickly!!"
The driver frantically turned the starter, but the engine remained silent.
"A breakdown... the engine died!"
"Attention to the front and flanks! We're being surrounded!"
Panic erupted in the troop compartment: soldiers screamed, firing blindly from all barrels.
Even the noble bodyguards, who had been silent until then, started to fidget. They pressed themselves against the embrasures and began firing at everything around them.
And outside, through the labyrinth of trenches, crowds of rebels, eager to destroy the steel beast, flowed towards the stalled vehicle!