60: Collapse

As Carl's quiet words fell, nine figures attacked at once. Their movements were terrifyingly coordinated, sealing off nearly every angle of escape.

With coordination like that, even a professional mercenary squad might have been injured in the first wave. But to Carl and the other two, these raptors did not seem especially fast.

The first raptor leaped into the air, its claws aimed straight at Carl's face. Carl did not dodge. Instead, he stomped the ground—a chunk of concrete reinforced with steel rebar flew up and smashed toward the charging shadow like a cannonball.

Just as the concrete block was about to strike its head, the raptor abruptly raised its metal forelimbs to block. A piercing crash rang out, and sparks flew everywhere.

"Careful, they have Combat Implants!" Carl saw something in the raptor's movements and warned them. "They're not ordinary creatures!"

"Got it. Spread out and fight—we have a rough idea of their speed now."

The instant Oliver finished speaking, the three of them suddenly scattered as though they had rehearsed it countless times. Their tight back-to-back formation broke apart at once.

They had initially gathered together so they could cover one another against unknown threats, using each other's backs to defend against attacks from blind spots. But once they understood their opponents' rhythm and limits—these raptors were coordinated, but ultimately not fast enough—splitting up to eliminate them was the most efficient choice.

Jack opened fire first. Flames spat from his muzzle as bullets howled out, biting precisely at the rapidly moving figures.

Yet these creatures reacted with astonishing speed. They dodged and shifted in an eerie rhythm, and most of the bullets could only tear through empty air before uselessly striking the wreckage around them and kicking up debris.

The occasional shots that hit their targets merely burst