The 40mm autocannon of the Chimera APC roared, and volleys of high-explosive shells tore through the space near the large iron gates.
Shrapnel hissed through the air, the gates turned into a sieve. Several people, caught directly by the shells, were blown to shreds of meat – their bodies seemed to disintegrate, becoming liquid.
The prolonged cannonade – rapid, buzzing – did not cease until, after ten to fifteen seconds, the autocannon fell silent. There was no one left standing in front of the gates.
"Forward!" Li Qingyu roared into the huge radio, resembling an old "brick." "Ram the gates and destroy them all!"
Inside the Chimera, Sergeant Major Ni Guojin, the driver, grunted that he had received the order. The engine roared, and the APC powerfully surged forward.
Nearly forty tons of steel and armor gained speed like a furious beast, reaching sixty kilometers per hour in a few seconds.
Wounded men still moaned in front of the gates – those who had only been grazed by shrapnel. But, as soon as they saw the armored vehicle approaching, no one had time to even flinch – only despair froze in their eyes as the tracks ground their bodies.
To the roar of breaking bones, a bloody trail appeared on the ground.
A moment later, a crash sounded – the front of the Chimera slammed into the gates welded from scrap. They collapsed with an iron roar.
But the APC didn't stop: it rammed its way through and moved on, firing as it went.
The 40mm autocannon, the nearby self-defense machine gun, and the front 20mm autocannon fired in unison, sweeping away the fighters hidden behind the gates.
Members of the Fertilizer Gang who ran towards the gunfire hadn't even realized what was happening before they were swept away into a pulp by the Chimera's heavy fire.
Behind the APC, a chain of fighters moved, clad in full armor with masks. They fanned out around the Chimera, raising assault rifles and machine guns, showering the enemy with volleys.
Following them, a cart rolled along the narrow rails – loaded with ammunition, medicine, and two autocannons.
It rolled into the base's courtyard and stopped behind the Chimera.
Two machine gun crew members slung the autocannons onto their shoulders, immediately mounting them on two-wheeled gun carriages. No more than fifteen seconds passed – and both cannons were already firing in unison from behind the APC.
The Fertilizer Gang's base occupied a huge area. In its center rose four reactor tanks, around which, at different levels, stood industrial equipment and entire rows of machines – a territory the size of two football fields. Workers toiled there.
Li Qingyu's attack began on the open area in front of the reactors.
Stacks of chemical raw materials were piled there, and next to them stretched two- and three-story shacks, built from scrap iron – these were the barracks of the Fertilizer Gang's armed men.
Due to the stench from the reactors where chemicals were produced, the armed men did not live nearby – their barracks stood at a distance, away from the production zone.
Learning this from Knife, Li Qingyu felt relieved: he didn't have to worry about heavy weapons damaging the reactors themselves along with the main enemy contingent.
Meanwhile, at the Fertilizer Gang's barracks, the fighters looked at the Chimera that had burst onto the площадка with amazement.
The vehicle's turret slowly turned – and the barrel aimed directly at the iron barracks. Then – shot after shot.
The "tu-tu-tu-tu" roar drowned out everything around. Brass casings flew like hail from the rear of the turret, and the explosions of 40mm high-explosive shells turned the barracks into burning piles. Those who hadn't managed to crawl away died under a hail of shrapnel.
Both autocannons, controlled by the crew, opened fire, unleashing deadly streams of large-caliber shells into the rows of buildings.
The iron barracks, assembled from steel plates, couldn't withstand it – each 20mm bullet pierced a hole the size of a palm, and if it hit a person – the body tore into bloody mist.
A chaotic storm of terrible fire descended upon the camp – everything where the Fertilizer Gang fighters hid was crushed into ruins.
People ran between the shacks, but each time they fell dead – mowed down by automatic bursts or torn apart by heavy tracer steel.
Some were killed right behind the partitions – the armor-piercing power of the weapons was monstrous.
The shooting did not stop for almost three minutes, until smoke began to stream from the barrels.
Li Qingyu raised his lasgun, looked at the charred ruins of the barracks, spat, and said:
"Forward. Rush B!"
The detachment, hearing the order, bypassed the reactor and moved towards the next point to break through the defenses.
With Knife among his own, Li Qingyu knew everything about the base's internal structure – the secrets of the Fertilizer Gang were transparent to him.
The base was a huge ring: in the center – reactors and workers' dwellings, along the perimeter – barracks, warehouses, the Black Merchant Nepal's maintenance station, and the private residence of Boss Electronic Eye.
Walk along the outer circle – and the Gang would collapse like a house of cards.
He chose the right point of attack – from the barracks of the armed men. Thus, with the very first blow, he knocked out their support.
Now it was enough to go in a circle, destroying all the fighters encountered – and the battle would be over.
The Chimera moved forward cautiously, its turret slowly scanning the sides with its sights.
Two autocannons, mounted on wheeled carriages, were rolled by the machine gunners, and the detachment covered the advance from the flanks.
Yes, their combat training was lacking, but the sight of a column full of armor and heavy weapons next to a ground-gnawing APC inspired fear.
At the reactors stood fifteen hundred workers. They looked at the fighters with fear, but did not run – they hid by the walls, some continued to work. In the Lower Hive, this was common: a change of power rarely affected ordinary laborers.
And indeed, no one touched them – they only shot at the Fertilizer Gang fighters. This meant the new masters were interested in production, not reprisal.
Li Qingyu soon reached a familiar place – the Black Merchant's shop.
He was considered the second man in the Gang, a mechanic: he repaired equipment, fixed scrap, and assembled parts for sale.
Now his shop had turned into a fortification: around it were piled shields made of scrap, behind each lurked armed men, holding their weapons at the ready.
The Black Merchant himself hid behind a metal shield, clutching a custom laspistol in his hands.
When the Chimera slowly appeared from around the corner, its barrel turned directly towards their hiding place, the pistol fell from his fingers.
"Huh? Boss Electronic Eye, did you violate the Heavenly Law? Why have the Planetary Defense Forces come here?" he muttered confusedly.
Something was clearly not right here: nothing in this scheme of gang wars added up.
"Lao, are we going to shoot?" asked a subordinate from the side, his voice trembling. "Or... do we wait?"
"Shoot?! Damn you!" the Black Merchant exclaimed. "Lower your weapons, you idiot! Everyone! Drop your iron and – hands up!"
Two dozen fighters obeyed: weapons flew to the ground, they emerged from behind cover and raised their hands.
The Black Merchant, waving his raised hands, shouted:
"We surrender! Don't shoot! We surrender!"
The Chimera stopped, then slowly rolled closer.
As the distance closed, Nepal began to realize – these fighters were not from the SIT: there were no emblems on the armor!
And then, from behind the transport, a man in heavy armor emerged. Taking off his armored mask, he approached closely.
"Mr. Officer!" the Black Merchant shouted in panic. "We are peaceful, honest people! We've never done anything evil!"
The fighter coughed softly, lifted his mask – and revealed a familiar face.
"Little... Knife?!" the Black Merchant exclaimed in shock. "You... you, damn it, were an SIT agent?!"
Knife wanted to say something, but Li Qingyu stepped past, clapped Nepal on the shoulder, and playfully jabbed his fist into his side.
"Brother!" he chuckled. "Long time no see!"
The Black Merchant glanced at him, then at the fighters standing behind him, realizing – power had changed hands.
"You..."
"So," Li Qingyu narrowed his eyes, "who do I look more like? A rat from the Lower Hive or the new head of the Fertilizer Gang? Think carefully: otherwise, you'll get a bad punishment~"
Nepal suppressed a shiver, spat, and instantly bowed obsequiously.
"Oh, Master Devourer! Whoever I compare you to – you are now our only master, ha-ha, yes!"
Li Qingyu laughed, poked him with his finger. "Look, he's smart! Gets it right away!"
The detachment responded with a unified, booming laugh, and Nepal bowed even lower, joining in, chuckling nervously.
Having finished with this, Li Qingyu waved his hand – the column moved on. Turning back, he threw at Nepal:
"Follow me. Let's go deal with Electronic Eye and that old bastard. I'll count it as merit for you under the new order!"
Assessing the column's power – autocannons, elite fighters, and the indestructible Chimera – Nepal wisely sided with the new force.
He picked up the laspistol that had fallen earlier and shouted to his men:
"Brothers, forward! The half-blind tyrant did evil, deceived, robbed, oppressed – his time has come! Beat him!"
Thus, a new rebel army was born – Nepal led the men behind Li Qingyu, demanding retribution for Electronic Eye.
But soon the detachment, having broken through to where the enemy was supposed to be, met no resistance – Electronic Eye was nowhere to be found.
Li Qingyu was about to give the order to sweep the area when suddenly a cold voice came from above, from the reactors:
"Hmm. Looking? Maybe you should raise your heads?"
Everyone looked up: on the upper level stood a brute with one red electronic ocular, looking down with icy contempt.
"Ha, I knew this day would come. Just didn't think it would be so soon. You even came with an APC..."
His gaze bored into Li Qingyu.
"Where did you get the Chimera? Who sent you – whose hand is guiding you to kill me?"
Li Qingyu didn't have time to answer – the Black Merchant rushed forward, squeaking:
"How dare you speak like that to the Heavenly Host! The Heavenly Host has come for you, half-blind one! You have ten great sins! The first is..."
Li Qingyu immediately kicked Nepal in the rear, knocking him off balance. What a clown, he was already about to give a sermon!
And yet, now was not the time for laughter: something familiar gleamed in Electronic Eye's hand – a military detonator.
A couple of clicks – and all the explosives under the reactors would detonate.
Li Qingyu squinted. Electronic Eye was clearly ready for the finale: in the Hive, one doesn't live a day without thinking of death. Apparently, he had prepared in advance to leave with a bang, taking everything he considered his.
He stepped back and said dully to the Silent One standing next to him, leaning on an automatic rifle:
"Can you hold his hand with your psionics? So he doesn't press the detonation button?"
The Silent One removed his armored mask, looked at the man above, clutching the detonator, and silently made an "ok" gesture.
Li Qingyu frowned, took off his helmet, threw it at his feet, and moved forward, holding his lasgun on his shoulder.
Electronic Eye sensed the approaching threat, released the safety on the detonator, and fixed his gaze on Li Qingyu alone.
He stopped, lit a cigarette, took a drag, not taking his eyes off him. The air froze between them.
Now the enemy held the detonator so that a couple of finger movements would detonate the entire reactor section. The explosion would scatter chemical mixtures, turning kilometers around into a exclusion zone.
On the edge of death, a person hesitates. Although he wants to die with pride, to say a few loud words in parting... but seeing the cold aim of the lasgun, he faltered. One more word – and that's it.
Deciding not to delay, he prepared to press the button.
And then Li Qingyu flicked the ash, raised his weapon, and with a soft movement pulled the trigger.
A quiet "pew" broke the silence – a laser beam pierced Electronic Eye's skull. His head exploded like an overripe watermelon, flooding the floor with semi-liquid brain matter.
The headless body staggered and fell down from the upper tier, hitting the concrete with a dull thud.
Li Qingyu approached, pulled the detonator from the dead hand, deactivated the battery, and released the safety.
Then he turned to the frozen fighters and, bringing a finger to his lips, quietly said:
"Aiming is as easy as breathing."