"Think you can take me and March 7th for sure?"
"Then let's settle it in battle. Who wins is still anyone's guess."
The corners of his mouth lifted into a faintly amused smile.
Faced with the fierce battles that might come one after another, Lin Chen actually felt a little excited.
If he could kill that uncanny thing, the rewards it dropped should be considerable.
Things were different from when he had first set foot on Herta Space Station.
Now, he was gradually accumulating more trump cards.
Besides, he had Supernaturals like March 7th, Asta, and Arlan with him.
Some time later, in the B4 Load Zone of Herta Space Station's Base Zone.
Huge, square water storage towers stood recessed in concentric rings, like a sprawling cluster of buildings.
They turned the entire floor into a vast, irregular maze.
Gathered near the Realm Anchor in the center of the load zone.
All four of them, Lin Chen included, held their breath and focused, their faces full of vigilance.
Only ten minutes remained before the uncanny singing would descend at midnight.
If things really were as Lin Chen had deduced.
The source of the uncanny calamity would arrive right on schedule.
A fierce battle would likely be unavoidable.
"Once midnight comes, everyone stays close to me."
"Don't go off on your own, or that thing might ambush you..."
Lin Chen let out a long sigh, his expression serious.
"The B4 Load Zone covers a huge area."
"If we don't split up, we might not locate the target in time."
Tightening her grip on her mechanical wind staff, Asta offered her opinion.
On Herta Space Station, which was on the verge of being swallowed by the uncanny calamity.
The four of them were now the only ones who remained lucid.
They really were stretched thin.
"Central Control Tower directive: Alpha and Beta Assault Squads, deploy."
"Set up Psionic Detection Field Generators at the designated coordinates!"
The corners of Lin Chen's mouth lifted, but he said nothing.
He immediately used a system console command to bring in the soldiers of the Conqueror Legion.
Of course, to set the mood and look impressive, Lin Chen deliberately snapped his fingers.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
The next instant, dazzling cyan-blue arcs flashed past one after another.
Space Marines clad in deep-blue power armor and carrying Gauss electromagnetic rifles.
Deployed in a two-wing formation, they sprinted toward Lin Chen's position.
The once-empty square at the center of the load zone instantly bustled with activity.
"Miss, get behind me!"
He raised his alloy-built warblade with both hands, bracing it by his shoulder as he assumed a combat stance.
Arlan's face was taut with tension.
"Lin Chen... watch out!"
A slender figure flashed past-the young woman holding a Six-Phased Ice Composite Bow.
She instinctively stepped in front of Lin Chen.
Chilling white mist condensed along the bowstring.
March 7th's pretty, adorable face was filled with vigilance.
Clack! Clack! Clack!
Clatter!
Yet, under everyone's shocked and bewildered gazes.
The mass of power-armored soldiers moved in perfect unison.
They planted their enormous, man-height rifles at their sides.
Then, resting their right hands on their left knees, they knelt before Lin Chen.
"Alpha Assault Squad, all personnel on the battlefield, awaiting the commander's orders!"
"Beta Assault Squad..."
The ranks of soldiers spread out along both wings like walls of iron towers.
Solemn and imposing, their formation was immaculate.
"Mr. Lin Chen..."
As she took in the sudden, astonishing scene before her.
In Asta's clear, lake-blue eyes.
Her pupils abruptly contracted, then slowly relaxed.
A host of complicated thoughts seemed to flicker within them.
Asta had seen plenty of well-trained soldiers.
But even with her knowledge and experience, troops arriving en masse in this manner.
Were something she had never even heard of.
The spatial warp technology currently prevalent across the stars was mostly used on starships with high-output reactors.
An independent warp system for individual soldiers?
That was simply impossible.
Without the protection of a wide-area attunement field.
Soldiers would be crushed into particles by terrifying spatial singularities the instant they warped.
What Lin Chen had just done might have seemed unremarkable.
In reality, it had shocked Asta, a scholar, as profoundly as Azure Star exploding before her eyes.
"Mr. Lin Chen... just how many secrets do you have?"
"That I still don't know about..."
Her rosy lips parted as she murmured softly, her right hand held before her chest.
A gleam of anticipation appeared in those beautiful eyes that were usually so cool and solemn.
"Those soldiers... their equipment and combat formations are both flawless."
"If the soldiers in Herta Space Station's Security Department could be that capable."
"How wonderful that would be..."
The lightning surging along the Alloy Warblade dissipated.
Arlan lowered his weapon, his face full of emotion.
The soldiers Lin Chen had summoned were undoubtedly true elites.
Even Arlan, the head of the Security Department, could not help feeling a little envious and impressed.
"Huh? So they're all on our side..."
"Lin Chen, you scared me! And here I was worrying..."
Dismissing the icy mist from her Composite Bow, March 7th let out a long sigh of relief.
Her gaze settled on Lin Chen, and the adorable young woman could not help pouting.
A hint of reproach appeared on her pretty face.
"And another thing, Lin Chen-you big liar!"
"What happened to being a master Demon Hunter? What are all these tin cans, then?"
"Don't tell me... these are all Demon Hunters?"
She looked around at the soldiers clad in power armor.
Holding heavy weapons as tall as a person.
The resentment on March 7th's face seemed to deepen.
Up until now.
March 7th had genuinely believed what Lin Chen said.
After all, without Himeko and Dan Heng around.
March 7th did admit that Lin Chen seemed just a tiny bit smarter than she was.
But the situation before her now.
Had clearly gone beyond anything March 7th could comprehend.
Rather than believe these fellows were Demon Hunters.
It would be more plausible to believe they were the Antimatter Legion in different outfits.
"Ahem... well, actually, they really are."
"Times have changed. We Demon Hunters have to keep up too."
"Compared to all that mystical stuff, sending them to the afterlife with firepower is far more practical!"
The corners of his mouth lifted into a faintly amused smile.
Lin Chen could not help teasing her.
"Having fun lying to me again, are you?"
"Hmph... I'm never believing another word of your nonsense."
Her cheeks puffed out, and she reacted on instinct.
Lifting one long, fair leg, March 7th gave Lin Chen a kick.
Yep. Perfect aim, right in the knee.
Clack! Clack! Clack!
The very next instant, with perfectly synchronized movements.
The power-armored soldiers sprang to their feet and raised their rifles.
A dense array of laser sights landed directly on March 7th's head.
The cheerful atmosphere instantly turned into an armed standoff.
The pretty young instigator froze on the spot.
Before you continue