This time I chose Paladin.

Chapter 30 'Cordon'

CSSS Warning Line:
A roving automatic security agency, subordinate to the CSSS system.

Prowl the battlefields of any form of boundary warfare, always ready to sound the alarm.

When a Homo sapiens is detected nearby, [Inducement Audio] will be played, and the unit will enter combat mode after locking onto the Homo sapiens individual.

· If a Homo sapiens is detected making sounds above 45 decibels, the system will enter combat mode.

·In combat, [area seals] will be left on the paths you have walked.

·Each time [Whistle Alert] is activated, the area damage skill [Restricted Area] is released once around [Area Seal].

·Each time [Broadcast Announcement] is activated, a [Forbidden Zone] is released into the space surrounding the [Regional Seal]. The [Regional Seal] is destroyed after the skill effect ends.

To kill the enemy, both the [Power Source] and the [Underworld Signal Transceiver] must be destroyed.

Will not actively attack young Homo sapiens.
-
Alarm, tower communication! Alarm, tower communication! Connecting to the netherworld network... Intervening... [-]

With the teeth-grinding sound of mechanical shifting, a huge four-legged land machine rose from the forest.

It is about twenty meters tall, with a long electric whip tail dragging behind it. The whole thing looks like a huge, alert mechanical wolf, but without a head. In its place is a huge speaker with a round red searchlight embedded in it. The width of the beam is limited by the edge of the speaker.

The CSSS Cordon is a boss unit distinct from both the Seven Emotions of Sorrow and the Three-Headed Hydra. It's more numerous, all identical, and possesses the same abilities. This is because it's a mass-produced defensive military weapon, belonging to the same CSSS system as the Shelter. The main difference is that the Shelter's entrance remains stationary, while the Cordon is mobile.

In its original state, the cordon does not have such a strong desire to attack, nor does it make faint cries for help - that is not a defensive behavior at all, but a trap.

The red beam of the searchlight swept in the direction of Nie Weiyang, but did not find the target. The speed of the cordon increased, and the flashing electric light of the whip tail behind was free in the rain curtain, and the flashing hammer head at the end pulled a long bright yellow diagonal light band in the air.

[Region Seal]!

"beep----------"

The sound of the [whistle warning] was deafening, and the yellow light of the area seal instantly brightened. With a "buzz", a bright yellow energy shock was released to the area about ten meters on both sides.

The attack had no effect, but the cordon was merely a stroll. It was circling the hilltop. If it successfully sealed the area, the [Forbidden Zone] skill would automatically trigger, enveloping all creatures within a range of ten to one hundred and fifty meters. No one within that range would be able to escape.

Because this skill...is an instant death judgment!
As part of the CSSS defense system, the 'Warning Line' is extremely dangerous and is a complete extreme mechanism monster.

But Nie Weiyang was not worried... because he was not prepared to fight it now.

Long ago, the cordon was once connected to a more intelligent judgment system, allowing it to truly be called a "warning." But now, while the alienated cordon has become more terrifying, its combat judgment has been greatly reduced in intelligence. It can only determine the range of skill release by locking onto the target, but is unable to perform anticipatory judgment and more advanced combat techniques.

Although Nie Weiyang now has no means to break its two fatal points at the same time, he has rich experience in dealing with the cordon.

Simply put, he's a great dog walker.

Nie Weiyang walked silently through the mountains and forests. The huge mechanical legs of the cordon crushed three or four trees three meters away. The shattered wooden structure collapsed, wood chips scattered, and leaves flew. The sound of heavy rain made the world empty and quiet, and the horrific physical destruction was enough to make people sink into nightmares.

The cordon did not notice that Nie Weiyang was silently approaching where it came from, and it stubbornly pulled the line around the mountain.

In a narrow crevice between rocks, two pairs of terrified eyes stared intently at the malevolent entity that moved like a steel building. It was two girls, one older, about twelve or thirteen, tightly embracing the younger girl, who appeared to be only six or seven. Their hands covered each other's mouths, and the younger girl clutched a schoolbag, seemingly containing something. Under their horrified and desperate gaze, the distant mountaintop was quickly surrounded by bright yellow cordon tape.

'Buzz——————'

[Forbidden Zone]!

It was an irregular columnar area that almost framed the entire mountain. They knew that all living things there must have been wiped out, just like...

Just like mom and dad.

Tears welled up in the little girl's eyes. She couldn't move her eyes away, staring at the yellow light in the distance, her eyes reflecting its color. It was like some kind of addiction, some kind of obsession, but the memories humans associate with these two words have never been related to health.

When they were about to continue looking, darkness suddenly blocked their sight.

The children almost screamed, but they tried hard to hold it back. The older girl pulled out a sharp knife and a flathead screwdriver. The younger girl trembled as she opened the backpack in her arms. Something inside was squirming and about to come out.

A strange man with slicked-back hair and sunglasses suddenly emerged from the darkness late at night. He put a finger in front of his lips and whispered to them, "Shh..."

The two girls didn't react at all... no, they became even more nervous, staring at him in the darkness, their bodies tense and stiff.

Nie Weiyang did not approach them rashly, but turned back and lifted the black raincoat that covered the inside and outside of the crevice to take a look.

"It won't attack young Homo sapiens." This statement is 50% a trap. If you rashly assume it won't attack children, you're completely wrong.

You have to know that everyone who enters this game has at least 50% alien blood!
This thing just has a delay in triggering combat status for children... and just now it started playing the inducing audio, but it didn't enter combat status. Obviously, there is someone nearby, or someone might even be a child.

Nie Weiyang was used to walking his dog, but the others weren't. So he couldn't help but shout—even if it might get him into trouble, that little bit of trouble might save a life. This place was close to the city, so the chances of humans showing up were high.

Now that the cordon hadn't killed anyone, they were scanning the surroundings with a searchlight, and Nie Weiyang put down his raincoat, and the scarlet light swept through from the outside, penetrating slightly through the gaps, but no one was detected.

With one sweep of this thing, I can almost see the entire surrounding terrain...

This is one of Zhongzhou’s shortcomings: the mountains are not big enough and the water is not deep enough. Facing enemies like the cordon, many people can’t even escape.

Nie Weiyang shook his head slightly and looked at the children again... No, that's not right, he couldn't take off his sunglasses, it would only make him look scarier.

When you are in trouble, you suddenly meet a strong and strange adult male in the wilderness. Even an ordinary adult would be scared, let alone two little girls whose combined age is not as old as him.

If he took off his glasses and looked less human, the two children might have burst into tears...

Nie Weiyang was a little worried. He whispered in dialect, "Why don't you stay in the city? What are you doing here?"

Then he saw the older girl frown and the younger girl's mouth purse, and they both began to cry silently.

　As expected of me, I actually forgot to set this chapter to automatically publish...!!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)