Chapter 16: Success!

Left! Pulley system, a bit higher! Yes! Use that H-beam to jam it! Hurry! That beast could spot us any moment!

Wang Gongtou anxiously directed Black Tortoise as it set the trap.

The Steel Bone Vulture could attack them at any moment; setting the trap sooner would make them safe sooner.

Lin Yue remained the calmest sentry the whole time.

He stood on Black Tortoise's back, holding a sharpened steel pipe, his eyes locked on the black shadow atop the distant tower crane without blinking.

The Steel Bone Vulture seemed utterly confident in the absolute safety of its territory; after finishing its 'snack,' it stood motionless atop the tower crane like a statue, only its golden slit pupils occasionally shifting as it coldly surveyed its kingdom.

It evidently regarded Black Tortoise's movements as meaningless natural collapses in the ruins.

Finally, after nearly an hour, Wang Gongtou emerged from behind a huge concrete pipe, wiped the black grime and sweat from his face, and gave Lin Yue a thumbs‑up sign.

Lin Xiaozi, it's ready!

He lowered his voice, his tone brimming with uncontainable excitement and tension,

The trap is in place! As long as we lure that big bird into the open space between those two warehouses! I've set the trap in that area—once its talons touch the main cable running across the middle, the mechanism will trigger and the whole trap will frenziedly tighten under its own weight!

Lin Yue looked in the direction he pointed.

It was a littered clearing; amid rubble and debris, dozens of giant steel cables 15 centimeters in diameter lay everywhere like a spiderweb, and in the dim light they almost blended with the surroundings.

Only a thumb‑thick steel cable lay low across the center of the clearing, like a forgotten wire.

This is the trap's trigger device; once the Steel Bone Vulture steps into the designated spot and pulls this cable, it will be successfully captured!

Understood.

Lin Yue drew a deep breath; the air in his chest seemed to carry a chill.

This was the most dangerous moment since he arrived in this world.

If he succeeded, he would reap a huge haul of supplies.

If he failed, his fate would be the same as that of the Pillar Stone Security crew—becoming food for the Steel Bone Vulture.

Black Tortoise!

Lin Yue's voice carried an icy killing intent,

Do you see that pile of discarded steel pipes ahead? Use all your strength and slam into it!

Roar——!

Upon receiving the command, Black Tortoise lowered its hill‑sized head, its four massive legs thrusting, its huge body turning into an out‑of‑control heavy truck as it charged toward the pile of steel pipes stacked like a hill, unleashing 【Savage Collision】!

Clang——gong——rumble——!!!

The deafening roar instantly tore through the silence of Building Materials City!

Hundreds, even thousands of steel pipes of varying lengths were blasted skyward by the immense force, then came crashing down, the pipes clashing against each other and producing a tremendous noise!

This tremendous noise also caught the Steel Bone Vulture's attention.

Atop the hundred‑meter‑high tower crane, the steel‑iron demon's head snapped around, its golden slit pupils instantly locking onto the source of the noise—Black Tortoise!

To the Steel Bone Vulture, it looked like a 'big stone' wriggling on the ground.

In the Steel Bone Vulture's perception, all creatures in this area, upon sensing its aura, should crawl, tremble, and then lie still awaiting slaughter.

And yet, at this moment, this 'stone' dared to make such a noise beneath its throne!

This is contempt for the king!

In its eyes, this is an unforgivable sin!

——kee——!!

A piercing shriek brimming with endless rage, like a tangible sound wave, exploded!

The entire tower crane trembled slightly in that cry!

The Steel Bone Vulture unfurled its sky‑blocking steel‑iron wings, its massive body launching from the tower crane!

It resembled a black meteor, shrouded in the aura of death and destruction, diving straight toward Black Tortoise!

Here it comes!

Lin Yue's heart pounded as if it would burst from his chest.

He suppressed the urge to look up, using his mind to command Black Tortoise to turn and head, at a leisurely pace, toward the 'trap' set by Wang Gongtou.

The Steel Bone Vulture's speed had reached its extreme.

Its huge shadow completely engulfed them.

Its talons, capable of ripping open a tank, were splayed and aimed straight at Black Tortoise as it lunged.

The distance between them was closing at breakneck speed!

Fifty meters!

Thirty meters!

Ten meters!

Lin Yue's heart rose to his throat; he could even clearly feel his own heartbeat.

Now!

The instant Black Tortoise's forepart stepped out of the trap zone, the Steel Bone Vulture's massive body, bearing tremendous force, crashed down!

Its talons precisely struck the seemingly harmless clearing—and also the …… trap trigger device running across the field.

Click!

A faint spring click, barely audible, rang clearly in Lin Yue's ears amid the deafening swoop of the dive.

Success!

In the next instant, those giant steel cables on the ground seemed to come alive!

Under the pulley system's enormous transmission ratio, they sprang, tightened, and coiled wildly from all directions!

Kee——?!

The Steel Bone Vulture let out a scream full of bewilderment and incomprehension.

It felt its legs tightly entangled by something, and a huge pulling force came from all directions.

Instinctively, it tried to flap its wings and rise to break free.

Yet its unrivaled diving inertia became its doom!

The upward lift and the downward pulling force combined to form a terrifying tearing force.

"Gah—!!!"

The grating metal cable sound, mixed with a deeper, more terrifying cracking, boomed!

The steel cable sank deep into its steel‑like leg bones!

"Boom—!!!!"

The region's overlord, this steel demon that even rocket shells couldn't scratch, was dragged down from midair by its own mighty dive, its massive body crashing like a collapsing mountain.

"—Eee—!!"

The Steel Bone Vulture let out a painful wail!

Immediately after, clouds of dust and smoke shot up into the sky!

"Success!"

Lin Yue watched the huge figure thrashing wildly in the dust, unable to fly, as a surge of joy rose in his heart.

However, his joy lasted less than a second.

"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"

Three sharp sonic booms suddenly burst from the window of a deserted two‑story building on the side!

The target was not the dying Steel Bone Vulture on the ground.

But him, Lin Yue!

Three cold‑glinting crossbow bolts, arranged in a triangular formation, sealed off all his escape routes!

They were Feng Ge's men!

They could clearly see that the Steel Bone Vulture was done for; though not yet dead, it could no longer threaten them.

At the same time, this was when Lin Yue's guard was lowest; launching a sneak attack then would be most deadly!