Chapter 74: Fine, Fine, Fine, So You Want to Play Like This?

Inside the cockpit.

Shen Yifeng, the train conductor, and Xiao Liu were all staring fixedly at the distance.

They were searching for the source of this beast tide.

"Where... where exactly..."

Shen Yifeng searched frantically through the telescope.

Suddenly,

Xiao Liu exclaimed: "Captain Shen, I think I found it! Look at the eleven o'clock direction!"

Shen Yifeng's heart skipped a beat, and he immediately looked over.

A huge figure burst into his line of sight.

It was a terrifying giant standing over twenty meters tall!

Its entire body was composed of gray-white rock.

Thick chains were wrapped around its body, and on its back stood a tattered war flag emitting a scarlet glow.

Although its movements appeared somewhat sluggish.

its direction of advance was exactly on the train's inevitable path.

"This is bad..."

"That is... a War Giant..."

Shen Yifeng recognized it and couldn't help but draw in a sharp breath of cold air.

"War Giant? Captain Shen, is this thing very powerful?"

Xiao Liu asked urgently.

Shen Yifeng maintained a Serious Demeanor:

"The War Giant itself is not strong; it just has very high health, is very tanky, and is immune to all control skills."

"Then isn't it just a sitting duck?"

Xiao Liu was stunned for a moment, then sighed with relief. "Since it has no real attack power, we can just call up the elite squad, focus fire, and take it out instantly, right?"

Shen Yifeng lowered the telescope and said in a deep voice:

"Its most terrifying aspect isn't itself, but one of its core skills, 【War Aura】!"

"All attributes of all monsters under its control are increased by 200%!"

"All... all attributes increased by 200%?!"

Xiao Liu was completely dumbfounded.

The current beast tide was only around level 25 to 30; relying solely on the train's defensive forces, they could easily repel it.

But... an increase of 200% to all attributes was a different matter.

Those cannon fodder that could previously be swept away in a single burst from the mana machine guns might now withstand the firepower and charge straight up to the train!

Once these enhanced monsters broke through the defensive array and engaged the rooftop guard team in close-quarters combat...

the passengers inside the carriages would likely suffer collateral damage.

Xiao Liu dared not think any further.

Moreover, looking at this massive, enhanced beast tide, the carriage's defensive forces being breached was only a matter of time!

"Damn it! How could we run into something like this!"

Shen Yifeng slammed his fist onto the control console, his eyes bloodshot.

The situation instantly turned into a dead end.

If the elite guard team focused fire on this thick-skinned, tough giant, the remaining ordinary members would be utterly unable to hold back the attribute-doubled, frenzied beast tide.

But if the elite forces were sent to clear the small monsters and defend the carriages.

then this giant would reach the train without any hindrance.

By then, facing this immune-to-control, thick-skinned, tough giant, the passengers inside the carriages would likely have no escape from disaster!

Advance meant death; retreat meant death.

"No choice..."

A flash of determination crossed Shen Yifeng's eyes as he shouted at the train conductor:

"Stop the train!!!"

"What?!"

The train conductor's hand trembled.

"Stop immediately! Hold the ground to the death! Wait for reinforcements!"

Shen Yifeng, his eyes bloodshot, roared:

"There is no other choice!"

"Issue my order! All elite members of the guard team, throw yourselves into it, eliminate that damn giant as fast as possible! Then return to defend the carriages!"

"Everyone else, get on the roof! Defend the line to the death! Do not let a single monster charge into the carriages!"

"Even if we all die, we must hold out until the reinforcements arrive!"

This order carried a tragic, death-defying resolve.

There was no retreat.

They could only gamble!

Gamble that they could kill that giant before the beast tide destroyed everything!

"Yes!!!"

Xiao Liu hesitated not a bit, turned around, pulled out his communicator, and began issuing the orders.

……

"Hiss—!!!"

The maglev train, barreling along at high speed, screeched to an abrupt halt.

Inside the luxurious carriage.

"What's going on? Why did we stop?"

Lin Mo's brow furrowed slightly.

He looked out through the carriage window.

At that moment,

the beast tide had already clashed with the train's escort guard, flames shooting into the sky.

"Rat-tat-tat-tat-tat—!"

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

The magic-energy machine guns and magic-energy cannons roared madly.

Various professionals also unleashed skills of every color, blasting them into the endlessly surging beast tide.

"That's not right…"

Lin Mo found it a little strange:

"I remember, maglev trains running into beast tides is pretty common, but usually they fight while charging through — why would they stop and go head-on?"

Han Mengqing was also a bit baffled. "Yeah, I've ridden it quite a few times before, never seen them stop to brawl."

Lin Mo gazed at the dark, pressing beast tide outside the window and the explosive special-effects battle scenes, and a faint sense of foreboding welled up in his heart.

"I finally manage to step outside, and something has to happen?"

"My luck can't be this rotten, right?"

Still, when he saw the escort guard's fierce covering fire and the monsters being mowed down in swathes, his heart settled a little.

"Judging by the stance, the escort guard actually looks pretty fierce?"

Lin Mo rubbed his chin, trying to reassure himself:

"Captain Shen is a professional after all — if he dares to stop the train, he must have the confidence to back it up."

"Besides, I'm just a passenger. This rough-and-tumble killing business, better leave it to the professionals."

Having thought this through, the heart Lin Mo had half-raised settled back into his stomach.

"Alright, stop watching, it's creepy. That last hand doesn't count, let's keep going — three hundred rounds of battle!"

Han Mengqing called Lin Mo to keep playing cards.

Lin Mo agreed.

"Bring it on, you think I'm scared of you?"

……

"Pair of 3s!"

"Can't beat it."

"Pair of 5s!"

"Pass."

Suddenly,

Boom—!!

a tremendous roar came from overhead.

"Holy crap!"

"What the hell?"

Accompanied by panicked cries inside the carriage, the entire carriage shook violently.

The hard carriage roof was torn open by a sharp claw, ripping a gash several meters long!

Above that torn gash, an enormous monster's head poked down, greedily scanning the crowd inside the carriage.

"Aaaaaah!"

"Help!"

The passengers in the carriage instantly screamed, the scene descending into chaos.

【Earth Shield】 was the first to react.

【【Earth Shield】: Protect the master!!】

【【Fireball】 erupted in an instant, face full of excitement: Nice timing! How dare you dig at the Tiger's Head!】

Lin Mo also shot to his feet.

"Seeking death."

His gaze went cold, his lazy expression vanishing in an instant, and he decisively raised his arm.

Hum—!

A dark-red point of light instantly condensed at his fingertip.

The next moment, a spiraling dragon blast shot forth!

Boom—!!

The monster that had been about to pounce down was sent spiraling away by the blast.

"Phew…"

Han Mengqing patted her chest, still shaken:

"Good thing you're here… scared the baby half to death."

Immediately after, Han Mengqing also stood up, her demeanor serious:

"But Lin Mo, the defensive formation has been breached. It seems this time a major disaster is truly coming."

Lin Mo looked at that hole.

Originally, he indeed felt too lazy to act; after all, that was the escort team's job.

But...

Laziness did not mean he was a cold-blooded creature.

Since it had already threatened himself, and even threatened the lives of everyone on this carriage.

Then... there was no reason to stand by and watch.

"Han Mengqing."

Lin Mo turned his head and said sternly, "Put your strongest BUFFs on me!"

Han Mengqing's eyes lit up, and she instantly became excited.

"Hmm? Okay, classmate Lin Mo!"

In the next moment, a staff appeared in her hand, and Han Mengqing swung it fiercely.

Three beams of light fell upon Lin Mo.

Lin Mo only felt his body lighten, as an unprecedented sense of power filled his entire body.

"Thanks."

Immediately after,

Lin Mo walked to the aisle.

Boom—!

A pair of huge flame wings suddenly unfurled behind him!

The brilliant firelight instantly illuminated the dim carriage, also reflecting the expression of worship on Han Mengqing's face.

"Whoa... is he that cool? No wonder he's the Top Donor."

Lin Mo ignored the shock of Han Mengqing and the other passengers inside the carriage.

He flapped his wings and rushed out through that torn opening.

The wind howled,

Lin Mo hovered in mid-air and glanced at the BUFF bar on his panel.

He wanted to see exactly what powerful BUFFs Han Mengqing had added to him.

【Great Strength Yields Miracles: Damage dealt increased by 50%, Defense decreased by 50%, duration 5 minutes, undispellable.】

【Pain and Pleasure: Recover 2% of maximum HP per second, pain nerve sensitivity increased by 200%, duration 5 minutes, undispellable.】

The corner of Lin Mo's mouth twitched slightly.

"What kind of names are these? And they even have side effects?"

"But... the effects are indeed powerful, and the side effects are acceptable."

"I have 'Magma Battle Armor'; my defense is already strong enough, so dropping by half is fine."

"As for the pain..."

"Forget it, as long as I don't get hurt, it's fine. This healing is truly fierce; as long as I'm not one-shotted, I'm an unkillable cockroach!"

Afterwards, Lin Mo shifted his gaze to the third BUFF.

【Come Here!: All damage received reduced by 50%, forcibly attracts the aggression of all monsters within a 1000-meter range, undispellable, this effect cannot be immune.】

【Collect all BUFFs, set BUFF effect triggered: Hope of the Whole Village】

【All the above numerical effects are additionally increased by 30%.】

"..."

Lin Mo suddenly raised his head.

Thousands upon thousands of scarlet eyes locked onto Lin Mo in mid-air.

Lin Mo smiled,

"Fine, fine, fine, so you want to play like this, huh?"

【'Fireball' excitedly darted wildly within the panel: This is... the feeling of being the center of attention? Hahaha! Then let you ants see what true destruction is! Tremble! Turn to ash before absolute destruction!】

(Asking for small gifts, asking for free energy~ TT)