Thrive in Catastrophe by 焦糖冬瓜

Chapter 5 Hiking

Heine carefully stepped in front of Xiao, the expression on his face was fearless and the energy wrapping his body seemed to serve as a deterring force.

He knelt down on one knee and looked directly at the wolves. On his back the steel of his blade scattered its cold glint through the night.

The wolves slowly retreated into the darkness and disappeared.

How the hell did Heine Burton do that?

As Xiao breathed a sigh of relief, the sound of an aircraft engine broke through the air.

Captain White looked up and shouted, "That's great! B--"

Liv stepped forward and clamped her hand over Captain White's mouth, pulling him into the shadow of the treeline.

Xiao also followed suit and hid in the bushes, his eyes widened when he realized that the one he had followed was not Mark but instead Heine Burton.

Ah, he was finished. Finished. This guy is probably still holding a grudge over that accidental kiss at the reactor. Xiao worried he would split his skull at any moment.

It's just not the time to think about it.

Xiao knows that his attempt at concealment is useless, the enemy has night vision. They can locate them easily, even in the dark. He dare not even imagine what kind of attack they were about to encounter. The very thought made his heart pound and his spine run cold.

Although his fingers were trembling, he kept his expression blank.

Suddenly Xiao was paralyzed as a slight sound whizzed past him, slicing through the grass and crushing the rocks to powder.

He was pulled down and before he knew it his hands were propped on either side of Heine's cheeks, he lay on top of him with his waist between his legs. From his awkward position, Xiao looked at Heine's eyes which seemed to shine with the brilliance of the stars.

Heine knees lifted against Xiao's thigh and his heart threatened to beat out of his chest. Heine's palm pressed Xiao's head down into the gravel and swiftly removed a gun,assembling it before he could even asses the change in position.

"Don't get in the way." Heine barked as he fiercely kicked Xiao to the side.

Xiao rolled in pain, feeling as though he were about to spit his guts out. Just as he started his roll, several laser shots hit the ground he had previously occupied. They narrowly missed his shoulder and waist before one lightly grazed his thigh. Xiao began to panic, feeling as though they had just kicked a hornet's nest. His breath condensed in the night air and his limbs stiffened up in terror. He stared up at the sky, the stars seemed to blur and move, converging in a dizzying pattern amid the milky way.

"Xiao! Run!" His stupor was broken by a load shout.

Liv reached for him and pulling him up by his wrist, the bones threatening to dislocate under her strength. Mark finished assembling his gun. These laser guns haven't been used for more than 200 years ago, but they allow for a lager strike distance. Now, more heavily armed, their killing power is leveled up.

When dealing with the zombies they use the cold weaponry, but they are still equipped with guns for run ins with the Surge.

Shots hit the ground, and the beam of light from Mark's weapon seems to skim the wing of their aircraft.Although he doesn't manage a direct hit, the radiant heat is dangerously close to their engine.

The enemy begins another barrage of shots.

"How come they aren't using their missiles."

"Because they have changed their mission. Instead of just stopping us from bringing material to the Shire, they now want to seize it for themselves."

Energy shortages have been a problem for more than a hundred years. Of course the Surge would be suffering from the same issues as the Shire.

Liv looked up at the sky, clutching her gun. She made a gesture for Xiao to stay still and rushed out. A laser bomb exploded at her heels. Although Xiao was certain that he had never seen a person move as fast as Liv....surely even she was hit. Xiao could do nothing but watch. Mark ran towards the aircraft trying to give Liv cover fire. The aircraft circled around and hit Mark's shoulder, bursting it open. Mark fell to the ground. Xiao knew he couldn't climb but he could take Mark's gun and make a ruckus. He ran in the direction of Liv, but Mark's gun had been hit and was damaged. It was of no use.

"Stay. Don't move."

The cold indifferent voice shrank the air instantaneously, Xiao Yan turn back  to see Heine Burton running full speed towards him. He could practically see the air tear apart around him.

Xiao Yan's eyes dilated to black discs as Heine jumped and soared, the scene seemed to slow and still then move in rapid time. His heavy boot slammed onto Xiao Yan, using his shoulders as leverage and leaping off to get abetter aim at the enemy craft.

At that moment Xiao's world cracked and rang in disorientation, he looked up to see Heine raising his gun and then everything blacked out again. The left engine of the aircraft exploded and the debris rained down, Heine took that moment to take out the right engine. Xiao Yan watched as the aircraft crashed in front of him and only then did the pain penetrate. It washed over him like a tidal wave.

Stretching from his shoulders to his chest he felt the pain spread across him like a branding iron. His arm trembled and gave out. He couldn't carry the box. Leaning sideways, Xiao Yan attempted to stiffen his shoulders. His mind soaked through with agony, only one other thought rang through him.

Heine had crushed his shoulder!

This was a whole new level of pain. Beyond anything he had ever experienced before. It couldn't compare to shards of glass or the scratch on his cheek from Heine's blade. Living a peaceful life in the shire Xiao Yan had never experienced an injury like this. His breath hitched and he struggled to pull in more air as he wrestled with the agony.