Chapter 18: Not all acts of rescue come from a kind heart
I angrily checked the spoils taken from the other two, and finally, I felt a glimmer of satisfaction. From them, I acquired: the "Perfect Aim" Level 4 Ability Card, which guarantees accuracy and enhances the firing rate of any shooting weapon by 30%; the Level 3 "Mechanical Repair" Auxiliary Card, capable of repairing any mechanical device up to three times per day; and the "Small Arsenal" Level 4 Space Card, holding a substantial array of weaponry—two hundred submachine guns, sixty handguns, fifteen shotguns, two sniper rifles, a single heavy machine gun, six rocket launchers, and fifty thousand rounds of ammunition. It also includes six hundred grenades, a Thunderstorm Tank, and a Red Spider Armed Helicopter, a high-tech vehicle equipped with six Sidewinder air-to-ground missiles and dual cannons. "It appears this group was practically a criminal syndicate in the human world, amassing so many violent weapons. But unfortunately, in a one-on-one fight, they're of little use." I inserted the Mechanical Repair Card into the armor's slot, which indicated it would take three full days to complete repairs. With everything organized and my summoning spells reset—Blade of the Ancient Moon, Berserker Pills, Armor, and Arsenal—I was ready to get some rest. But just as I began to relax, I heard the roar of our bald-headed instructor, Weir.
"Get up, slackers! Training starts now, and any latecomers will be immediately eliminated—the camp's anti-tank cannon is already aimed at your backsides!"
"Cursed instructor! He's a menace to our survival," I muttered. Fortunately, my spirit was still invigorated from practicing internal energy, so I charged out of the tent and found myself staring at a line of bull-headed guards, their cannons aimed squarely at our tents.
"Move out, now! And no waiting for anyone who lags behind!" In the hurried chaos, I couldn't locate Ba Jing Zhenfu, Jack, or the Wolf King among the crowd, so I joined the others in a frenzied sprint. Weir sped off in a battered jeep, leaving us to be herded forward by the guards laughing as they fired shots to hurry us along. By the time we'd been running for over half an hour, only sixty or seventy of the original hundred trainees were still in pursuit of Weir.
Eventually, I spotted Ba Jing Zhenfu and the Wolf King, who, seeing me approach, asked about Jack. The Wolf King shrugged. "The guy's out of shape. He's probably dropped behind already. And my sixth sense tells me that the others are about to face some seriously deadly trouble." Ba Jing Zhenfu agreed, whispering, "He's right—I can sense a malevolent aura. By the looks of it, we're surrounded by a swarm of massive spider creatures."
Weir seemed to read our dread. "Some of you have already felt it. We're surrounded by a nest of giant spiders, thousands of them, hunting for food. I've blocked their nest entrance, so the only way back is through them. Anyone who fails to return to camp by noon will be dismissed from this training camp—permanently." Unfazed, he turned his jeep back toward camp, ignoring the group of men now aiming submachine guns at him. The bullets clanged harmlessly off an invisible shield that protected him from their attack, leaving the would-be assailants helpless.
Ba Jing Zhenfu and the Wolf King exchanged glances, the latter asking, "Anyone got a vehicle?" I hesitated at first, but when I saw many others summoning vehicles from their own arsenal cards, I caught on. Facing a horde of giant spiders, even the smallest transport would be a lifesaver.
"I brought sixty thousand dollars in, but that barely bought anything here. Equipment is too expensive," Ba Jing Zhenfu lamented. The Wolf King added, "My wish orb was stolen. I'm completely broke, so I guess we're hoofing it on foot and staying clear of the main swarm."
"I do have a vehicle," I admitted. "From one of the four I took down yesterday, I acquired a Thunderstorm heavy tank. The only problem is, I have no idea how to drive it." At this, Ba Jing Zhenfu and the Wolf King turned to me, and the latter grinned, whistling. "Our luck's looking up! I drove one of these during my Siberian training. Let me handle it!"
Opening the Demon's Tome, I summoned the hulking machine, its imposing form casting a shadow that filled me with an unexpected sense of security. The Wolf King leaped onto the tank and opened the hatch, calling, "Come on, boys! We'll be the first to make it back to camp." I climbed in with Ba Jing Zhenfu, amazed by the tank's vast arsenal of equipment. The cramped interior left little space for anything but weaponry and controls, so the Wolf King took the driver's seat, nodding at us.
"Each of you grab a weapon—cannons or machine guns. Our job is to blast through the swarm." With the Wolf King's deft control, the Thunderstorm tank tore forward, leaving a wake of shredded spider limbs and splattered green blood in our path as we mowed down the creatures blocking our way back.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone