Big Shots After Engagement

Yes, on that small hill opposite, along with that group of large lizard cavalry, weren't there three War Chariots? Although their designs were truly awkward, looking like shoddy, assembled toys, completely lacking any sense of unified engineering aesthetics, that Ion Cannon wasn't a fake, was it?

"Th-there are actually Tanks too!" Ash Steyn rubbed his eyes, confirming they weren't deceiving him, then stared dumbfounded at the councilor in the vehicle. "Damn it, Councilor, this is a Commonwealth colony, right? Why do the natives here have weapons like War Chariots? Has no one ever dealt with this?"

Councilor Jiang Yudong, who had been cowering inside the vehicle, spoke up at the remark. "Damn it, yourself! I told you not to copy my speech... And, and besides, my Commonwealth has its own national conditions, this, this has nothing to do with you!"

"It already has something to do with me! Councilor, my duty is to protect your safety, and if possible, the safety of other civilians. But that's only if it's within my capabilities. Councilor, we only have two options. First, this RV of yours is a Kodo Beast Type 3 ordered from the Alliance, with added armor and energy shields. It should be able to withstand a few Ion Cannon shots. If we break away from the convoy now and head straight for Tulon, we should be able to make it. Second, we hesitate here and get blown to bits by cannons along with everyone else."

"I, I, I..." Councilor Jiang Yudong was hesitant. He was certainly tempted, but the words to abandon so many old, young, women, and children to escape on his own simply wouldn't come out.

After all, these people had banded together because of him.

After all, they were all votes!

"Mhm, mhm, Councilor is truly a man of principle. Since I'm not an Earthling anyway, why don't I be the bad guy..."

Before the mercenary could finish speaking, his short-wave communicator beeped twice. Before he could open it, a young girl's voice came through directly: "Mr. Steyn, you're not planning to run away again, are you?"

"...N-nonsense, how can mercenary work be called running away? Ah, wait, you've hacked my terminal again!"

"One million, please stay and protect us!" The girl was decisive and ruthless.

"Uh, Alliance Credits?" Everyone here was from the Alliance, so it couldn't possibly be Commonwealth Blue Star currency.

"No, Imperial Gold Dragon!"

"This, this..." Ash was tempted, but as a battle-hardened mercenary, he took half a second to extricate himself from those golden little cuties and said earnestly, "Miss Frederica, I'm afraid I'm not capable. Compared to that, you should hurry and get into this vehicle. There's still room..."

This is my car! the councilor thought.

"1.5 million!"

"Young lady, this really isn't about money. We..."

"2 million, and if you don't agree, I'll have the Supernatural Affairs Bureau and the Bracer Guild revoke your adventurer license!"

"You little brat, you're pushing your luck too far! I'm an honest person, the Alliance government isn't run by your family, why would the Guild and the Bureau..."

"You're evading taxes! And you didn't report the secret treasures you recently acquired from the Qiming Ruins!"

"...Guh, wait! Didn't I give you one of the secret treasures I obtained?" Wasn't this hush money? Why aren't you playing by the rules, you little brat?

"I'm a minor, so I'm preparing to submit a formal application report. Even if it's a few days late, will anyone really pick on a minor like me?"

Ash Steyn was speechless. He looked at the councilor in the car, this greasy middle-aged man who had been trembling in fear just moments ago was now grinning, actually smiling. He, the dignified adventurer traversing the galaxy, was being completely controlled by a minor brat, and felt a surge of despair. He sighed, reloaded a magazine into his oversized handgun, and then took down a long rifle from his back.

"At least... there are over two hundred riders, and the troublesome part is those three Tanks. If it's normal, there should be more heavy weapons. Uh, they are Sandfolk, so maybe not."

The mercenary patted the flashlight-sized metal tube at his waist, feeling a tiny bit more at ease. The convoy here had one to two hundred people capable of wielding firearms. If a fight broke out, they wouldn't be without a chance, but the casualties... This little brat was truly annoying. Didn't she know that "Your Lordship the Enthusiastic Ash" hated seeing tragic scenes of families torn apart the most?

Regardless, the refugees here, though disheveled and panicked, were armed rioters operating plantations and mines surrounded by the hostility of the natives. Under the command of a few charismatic Cowboys like Kelvin, they finally started to move. It was too late to form a defensive formation, but the young and strong who had guns could at least climb onto the roofs of the vehicles and occupy firing positions.

Then, a barrage of gunfire, like popping beans, erupted. Not a single one of the Sandfolk on the opposite side fell from their "mounts."

Too early to open fire, you idiots! Ash cursed inwardly.

Fortunately, the Sandfolk on the other side weren't much better. They started firing while charging from a distance.

In the first minute of the battle, both sides engaged in a fierce "random shooting" session, resulting in no casualties.

Ash shifted the muzzle of his gun, slowly aiming at the foremost Tank, and gently pulled the trigger. The Sandfolk, who had half their bodies exposed and were shouting encouragement, had their heads blown apart.

The three Tanks stopped, somewhat intimidated by such long-range sharpshooting. They began to pivot their cannons, preparing to fire. In reality, the convoy had long entered the range of the Ion Cannons, but the Sandfolk tank crews, having been hastily trained, weren't confident they could hit accurately from such a distance.

But regardless, the Tanks were indeed preparing to fire. Ash Steyn tossed his long rifle onto the vehicle, picked up his oversized handgun, and placed his right hand on the "flashlight" at his waist.

Then, all he heard was a fluctuation of air currents. The mercenary only saw a bright ball of light flash past his vision, followed by a deafening "BOOM!"

What was blasted into the sky wasn't one of the convoy's vehicles carrying spice cargo or civilians, but a Sandfolk Tank. Its triangular turret flew off its square chassis, spinning and crashing to the ground, knocking four or five unprepared Sandfolk cavalrymen off their "mounts."

The Sandfolk Tanks were stunned, the Sandfolk cavalrymen were dumbfounded, and even Ash on the other side froze. Then, a second later, he quickly confirmed the trajectory of that Ion Cannon shot, swept his rifle's scope across, and then, over a kilometer away from the Sandfolk formation, at the three o'clock position on the mountain ridge, he spotted the ambusher.

It was also a Tank, dilapidated and looking like a pile of loose building blocks, with figures milling around it. He couldn't tell how many divine soldiers were hidden there.

"Biu biu biu! Biu biu biu! Biu biu biu!" Dense energy explosions sounded from closer to the Sandfolk, likely from a shadowed depression in the mountain ridge. Like a violent storm, crimson energy beams rained down on the Sandfolk army, causing a scene of chaos and overturned mounts!

"Aha! Whoever it is, they're on our side anyway!" Ash was delighted. He raised his oversized handgun and pulled the trigger towards the chaotic enemy. What sprayed from the barrel wasn't bullets or laser beams, but finger-sized missiles—these were portable missiles produced by Alliance Dongyuan Industries, with superior power and moderate range. Most importantly, they could be fired with special firearms. What Ash had loaded into his handgun wasn't a magazine, but a missile pod. A box of six bought together cost only fifty thousand, a real bargain, considering they were ten thousand each when sold individually.

The small missile exploded next to a Tank. Although it didn't destroy it outright, it completely disrupted its movement. It swerved erratically, knocking over several Sandfolk cavalrymen, and finally crashed into another Tank.

The ambusher's Tank began to advance, firing its second shot as it moved. Its ion blast this time hit the side armor of a Tank, still not destroying it completely, but successfully disabling its propulsion. It lay tilted in place, its turret twisting uselessly.

Another Tank struggled to disengage from the collision site. It wobbled, leaving its disabled comrade behind, and after only a few steps, it was hit by concentrated energy beams from another direction, instantly engulfed in crimson flashes. Ash fired another missile towards that direction, and seeing the flames and hearing the explosions, he finally relaxed. He picked up his long rifle again and began picking off the Sandfolk, who had completely lost their will to fight, one by one.

"You'll have to reimburse me for those missiles later! Fifty thousand each! I'm charging you only the cost price, these are top-grade Alliance products!"

The councilor was about to get angry upon hearing "fifty thousand each," but when he heard they were Alliance-made, he could only sullenly shut his mouth.

The Cowboys and the convoy members also started achieving results. They were now quite gratified. What they had expected to be a tough battle had turned into a simple hunting game, an area where they had plenty of experience.

Through the scope, Ash vaguely saw more figures appearing on the ambushers' position, shouting, seemingly preparing to charge, but they were kicked back by someone else.

"The enemy has lost their will to fight, shouldn't we be charging now?" Ash was a little confused.

In any case, it wasn't until the Sandfolk cavalrymen scattered and fled completely out of everyone's attack range, and until the last Tank was precisely destroyed, that the ambushers finally appeared before them.

"Wh-who are they..." The councilor, still inside the vehicle, cautiously asked Ash, who was observing through the scope, while clutching his small self-defense pistol.

"The alert can be lifted. It's your security force," the mercenary said, lowering his gun. Although his guard was down, his face was still full of doubt. He couldn't believe that Earthlings' security force could be this capable.

"Oh, the security force!" Councilor Jiang Yudong's spirits soared. He instantly transformed from a trembling Groundhog into an arrogant, curly-haired baboon. He leaped out of the large vehicle, chest puffed out, standing there like a compass, truly exuding an air of importance for a moment.