2026-03-07 02:49:08Max couldn’t help but be impressed by The Ark’s organization. It was far more structured than he had expected. If the Mech Siege hit, this place would give him a real advantage.
He and Corin continued along the narrow, sloped pathway. Rusted pipes, dangling wires, and old support beams crisscrossed overhead. The shelter felt like it had been built piece by piece, patched together from whatever scraps were available. Just as Max opened his mouth to ask about the A.I. Armageddon, Corin spoke first, as if reading his thoughts. "By the way… I know you’ve got a ton of questions. Who’s here, what’s going on, why the A.I. hasn’t wiped us out yet…" He shrugged. "Don’t expect all the answers. We’ll tell you what you need to know. The rest? Learn it as you go." Max nodded. Fair enough. The narrow path finally opened into a larger chamber. The first thing he noticed were box-like partitions—probably the residents’ rooms. Flickering LED panels, patched-together generators, and crates of supplies filled the central area. A handful of figures moved swiftly, checking equipment, stacking crates, tending small fires. Corin gestured toward them. "Those are the four who arrived just before you. Don’t worry, they’ve been briefed. You’ll meet them properly soon. For now… just get your bearings. Welcome to your new world, kid." Max inhaled deeply. The metallic scent mixed with oil and smoke wasn’t pleasant, but it was better than the garbage dump above. The shelter was cramped but tolerable. He soon reached the gathering spot where four others were waiting. "Alright… stay here for now. I’ll have the manager make your IDs. They’ll prove you belong to The Ark. Might come in handy later." Corin said, then left, leaving Max with the four newcomers. Unlike Max, who had already accepted this new reality, the others looked tense, restless, clearly struggling to adjust. Max studied them closely. All were Caucasian, with one female among them. Their faces showed worry, their posture hesitant, as if still caught between disbelief and fear. They wore the same Starter Gear he had: dark jackets, multi-pocket pants, sturdy boots, belts with simple pouches. Clearly, the System had sent them here too. Breaking the silence, Max decided to speak first. "Looks like we were all dragged here… Did you all choose the A.I. Armageddon willingly? I’m Max, by the way." The four exchanged uneasy glances. Finally, one spoke. "Y-yes… I’m Ryan," the man said, his voice still shaky. Slowly, he steadied himself. "I had three options… Zombie Outbreak, Ragnarök, and A.I. Armageddon. I picked this one." Max studied him. Ryan had short blond hair, a square jaw, and a stocky build—someone used to physical work. His eyes lingered on Max, noting the calm composure and sharp features. Handsome, composed, clearly ready for survival. Despite differences in background, they seemed to understand each other instantly. The System had eliminated language barriers. Another man stepped forward. "I’m Xander," he said. Brown hair thinning, glasses cracked at the edges. "My options were Zombie Outbreak, Alien Invasion, Magic War, and A.I. Armageddon. Machines seemed more predictable than magic or aliens… so here I am." He hadn’t even considered the Zombie Apocalypse. Next, the female spoke. "I’m Aya," she said softly. Auburn hair in a rough ponytail, eyes red from crying. "My choices were Demon Invasion, Ragnarök, Divine Judgment, and A.I. Armageddon. Gods and demons were too unpredictable… machines at least can be fought with logic and weapons." The conversation gradually eased the tension in the room. "Oh… so everyone had different options," Max murmured. Finally, the last man introduced himself. "Jett," he said with a sigh. Broad-shouldered, bearded, older than the rest. "My options were Alien Invasion, Deep Sea Awakening, Parasitic Evolution, and A.I. Armageddon. I hate the ocean, hate parasites… so I picked this. Doesn’t mean I’m happy about it." Max nodded. Each of them had faced different choices, yet all ended up in The Ark, under the same banner: survival against machines. "Looks like we all picked the same battlefield," he said quietly. "I had twelve choices in total," Max added. The others’ eyes widened in shock. Until now, they’d been worried about lost families, abandoned pets, or old lives. But now curiosity stirred: what other Apocalypses had they missed?
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Chapter 321
Heavy blades tore through steel while mounted cannons blasted holes through nearby structures. The impacts, shook walls and sent pieces of scrap metal flying through the air.Then people began dying.Guards screamed as the Reapers cut through their positions, blood spreading across the ground as bodies fell.Tianna gritted her teeth.“Keep fighting! They’re slow! We can overwhelm them!”More grenades flew across the battlefield. Smoke covered the ground while fire and explosions erupted from every direction. The defenders fought desperately to prevent the machines from reaching the inner areas of the shelter.One Reaper reached the mess hall, only for its foot to become trapped in a weighted net.Zayne immediately took advantage of this. He fired a grenade launcher directly into its chest.Boom!The explosion tore through its armor and sent the Reaper crashing into the pit. Yet even after taking the blast, the machine remained active. Its optics still glowed while its arms clawed agai
Chapter 320
Crash!A massive explosion shook the ground as the serpent-like vessel slammed into the Advanced Barrier System. The protective dome flashed violently under the impact before cracking apart and collapsing into nothing.“No way…”“It’s destroyed!”“Careful! Look above!”The serpent itself could not survive the collision either. Its segmented body broke apart in the blast, sending pieces of metal across the battlefield. The damage, however, had already been done. New Ark-45 had lost its barrier, leaving the shelter exposed to anything that could reach it from the air.Tianna’s expression turned grim. Without the barrier, there was nothing stopping flying vessels from entering the shelter directly. Their available weapons were limited to rifles, pistols, grenade launchers, portable disruptor units, and the traps scattered around the perimeter. None of those were designed for proper anti-aircraft combat. Their only real advantage came from the plasma rifles carried by the modified Reapers
Chapter 319
As it drew closer, Tianna realized it was unlike anything they had encountered before.This was something entirely new.The vessel moved through the sky like a giant mechanical serpent. Its body was long and segmented, each section connected by flexible joints and covered in overlapping metal scales. Even more disturbing were the five humanoid figures clinging to its back.They looked like armored Reapers riding the enormous flying serpent.Tianna’s expression changed. “What in the world…”Zayne frowned as he studied the strange vessel. He could not tell whether it was simply a transportation device or another mechanical creature capable of attacking them.“Doesn’t matter what it’s called. It’s coming for us!”The serpent suddenly dipped lower and accelerated toward the shelter.As soon as it crossed into range, the Advanced Barrier System activated.Bam!A shimmering dome of energy erupted around New Ark-45. The serpent slammed into the barrier with tremendous force, its body bucklin
Chapter 318
Meanwhile, over the continent of Versailles, the crimson sky remained stretched across the heavens like an open wound that refused to heal. The people of New Ark-45 had spent an entire day beneath it, yet they still could not become accustomed to the sight. A day had passed since the colossal mechanical structures appeared in the distance, and although they had not moved, their presence kept the defenders on edge. Nobody knew what they were capable of. Would they release enormous humanoid machines from the sky? Could they deploy dozens of Dragoons at once? The defenders had no answers, and that uncertainty was almost as frightening as the machines themselves.Tianna stood atop one of the watchtowers, her gaze fixed on the distant horizon. New Ark-45 had brought out every telescope and pair of binoculars available from Max’s Caches. Some of the telescopes were old relics recovered from abandoned observatories, while others had been salvaged during scavenger missions. Scouts took turns
Chapter 317
Max did not leave immediately after completing his final purchase. Instead, he turned his attention toward the four super soldiers and the child. He had bought them, but that did not mean he knew anything about the people who would now be living in his shelter.He introduced himself first.“I’m Max. You’re mine now, but not as slaves. You’ll fight with me, and I’ll make sure you live.”The four soldiers did not immediately trust him. Their expressions remained cautious, but after a moment, they began introducing themselves.The broadest of the four spoke first. “I am Draxen.”The man with long gray hair followed. “Call me Castor.”The third had a scar running across his jaw. “Korval.”The last man gave only his name. “Serric.”Max nodded as he memorized each one. They were no longer nameless soldiers he had purchased from an auction. They were Draxen, Castor, Korval, and Serric, four men who had survived long enough to become super soldiers and whom Max now intended to keep alive.He
Chapter 316
Max studied the young man with renewed curiosity. What shocked him was not that the boy was being sold at an auction, but the nature of his gene. It was an extraordinary ability, one that could protect the boy from mutation and allow him to return to his original human form regardless of how many modifications were forced onto his body. A safeguard like that was incredibly rare, and in the hands of someone cruel, its value could be exploited endlessly. Max could already think of several ways a twisted person might use the boy if they had no concern for his well-being.Looking around the hall, however, Max noticed the reactions of several elderly men and middle-aged women. Their expressions made it clear that the boy was not being purchased out of kindness. Whatever intentions they had, Max had no doubt the child would suffer if he fell into the wrong hands. He could not simply stand by and let that happen. “Whatever… I still have a couple of thousand,” Max muttered to himself before r
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