The fortress had set a clear price tag for all known dark creatures. Taking prowlers as an example, killing them earns you 1 contribution point.
Although 1 contribution point was hardly motivating for Ascenders, Han Shu had now given the order. So, even if they won't earn any contribution points at all, Cangdu and the others would still take action.
As war gods, both Cangdu and Lao Xu used swords to deal with their opponents. Their speed was not particularly fast, but the force behind their strikes was substansial. With a single swing of their sword, not only did the cages shatter, but even the bodies of prowlers were split in two.
As for Ji Yu, she demonstrated the characteristics of a hunter. She drew her longbow, and the bowstring emitted a faint blue light. The arrows were a form of energy.
Tianyang knows that the bow in Ji Yu's hand was a star-element weapon, using star-element energy to attack, which provided additional lethality against dark creatures.
Moreover, they can harness the abilities of Ascenders, whether it be arrows, bullets, or longswords and battle axes.
This was because star-element energy can resonate with the star energy within Ascenders' bodies, making star-element weapons distinct.
Star-element weapons can only be obtained through the exchange of contribution points with the military or by customizing them from weapon merchants within the fortress. Apart from that, they can only be obtained as rewards from the fortress's military for exceptional contributions.
Tianyang pushed aside his thoughts and assessed the situation of both sides. The young man didn't draw the battle sword from his back, but instead took out the Assault Rifle.
Han Shu, who was observing the situation next to him, actually smiled when he saw Tianyang not using a sword but a gun.
A hint of approval in his smile.
Tianyang assumed a shooting stance, keeping a sufficient distance from the prowlers, and aimed at their will cages.
He pulled the trigger.
Compared to conventional firearms, the energy rifle hardly had any recoil. The muzzle flashed, and a bowl-sized cavity was blasted into the chest of one prowler on the other side.
Around the cavity, there flickered a patch of blue, dotted with star-like lights, resembling constellations.
As the cag shattered and the gray light dissipated, accompanied by the surging of viscous corrosive fluid, the contorted figure fell straight down.
Cangdu, who was nearby, turns his head and looks at Tianyang's gun, his eyes filled with disdainful light.
He turned around and striked with even greater intensity, splitting a prowler from head to legs!
Tianyang remained unfazed and continued to pick off the twisted shadows with his rifle, implementing the strategy taught by Han Shu, utilizing the advantages and disadvantages of both sides to fulfill the mission at the minimal cost.
In this battle, Tianyang didn't showcase the advantages of being an Ascender. The only difference between him and the soldiers beside him was that he didn't need to wear protective gear.
After 10 minutes, the prowlers had been completely cleared, and the soldiers were removing the bodies from the railway tracks.
Just as Han Shu was about to notify the train to depart, Ji Yu suddenly exclaimed, "There's something at 10 o'clock! We've spotted something!"
Tianyang immediately turned his head, and the tactical electronic eye on his left side zoomed in, revealing a group of figures staggering towards them.
Lao Xu, standing nearby, said in a frustrated tone, "I knew it wouldn't be that simple. Although prowlers don't possess the five senses, they have collective consciousness. When one of them nearby was attacked, the others can sense it. Now, they're coming for revenge."
Han Shu contacted the train conductor using a communicator, "Can we start the train now?"
The conductor responded, "When the emergency brakes were activated earlier, it triggered the train's cooling protocol. To avoid engine overheating, we need to restart it, which will take approximately 5 to 8 minutes."
"Restart it now, and let's buy some time," Han Shu put down the communicator and shouted, "Everyone, get ready! We can't let those creatures get close to the tracks, or it will be endless!"
At that moment, the sound of rapidly turning wheels was heard.
The sound comes from the back of the train, and Tianyang turned his head to see lights shining in the distance within the darkness.
The next moment, a sharply defined figure emerged from the darkness. It's a steel giant, about three meters tall, with predominantly black armor. The machine lowered its center of gravity, and the high-speed wheels beneath its feet make it swiftly pass by Raven Squad, heading towards the nearby prowler cluster.
Then, flames burst out from the rail rifle in its hand. The rifle's barrel was formed by two rails, using high-voltage current to propel the bullets without friction on the rails, enabling them to travel at a speed of 600 meters per second.
The power of a single bullet was capable of shattering the armor of a regular tank.
The result of using it to attack prowlers was that the bodies of the dark creatures, along with their cages, were torn into pieces within those metallic storms!
Prowlers fall one by one under the bright flames. The speed far surpassed the performance of the Raven Team just now.
It's the first time Tianyang has witnessed the performance of three-dimensional armament on the battlefield. This humanoid weapon, developed to enable ordinary people to confront Dark Subjugates, was showcasing its power with astonishing visual effects to the young man!
"The 5th generation Universal Shooting Armament!" Lao Xu once again demonstrated his knowledge. "This is a remarkable weapon. In addition to the standard rail rifle, it also includes sniper equipment designed to deal with high-ranking Dark Subjugates. It uses star-element energy bullets, and each shot is worth 500 contribution points!"
"Hahaha, I didn't expect to find someone so knowledgeable about three-dimensional armaments in Ascenders," Chen Liu said, laughing as he approached.
Behind him, there was another bulky-shaped three-dimensional armament holding a heavily armored shield.
"Same 5th generation Universal Heavy Armor!" Lao Xu exclaimed in astonishment. "This thing has incredible defense and is equipped with heavy firepower, including a heavy rocket launcher. It can be considered a humanoid artillery. Apart from its worrisome mobility, it has hardly any noticeable weaknesses."
"But the 5th generation armaments were not in mass production last year. How come there are operational models available this year?" Lao Xu asked.
Chen Liu's voice came from his helmet, "We are participating in this operation to verify the combat capabilities of the 5th generation models. Captain Han, if you don't object, let us take care of this battle?"
Han Shu chuckled, "I don't object, why would I? With Officer Chen here to handle it, I couldn't be happier."
"Great, let's show them what we've got."
Chen Liu switched communication channels and transmitted his voice to the driver inside the mecha, "Wipe them out, leave none standing!"
"Understood, sir."
Chen Liu glanced at Han Shu from the corner of his eye... Laugh all you want, there will come a time when you'll be crying. It would be best if you all stayed out of the upcoming battle, showing that Ascenders were not irreplaceable.
No one knew that Chen Liu had already activated the real-time image transmission function. The recent battle of Raven Team and the current performance of the 5th generation armaments were being faithfully displayed on the large screen in the Fortress Military Command Center!