Secret World: I Became a God Through Lies

Chapter 256 Steel Slaughterhouse: The Coward's Game

"It's not that you're chasing after war."
War is gripping your lifeline.

He wouldn't loosen his teeth.

Ruins Square.

Smoke billowed everywhere, the earth scorched, and broken iron pieces and half-molten steel bones littered the landscape, as if the whole world had been branded with the marks of war.

Si Ming, Xin Nai, Lin Wanqing, Natasha, and Herman—the five stood side by side, their faces solemn, the scorched earth beneath their feet seemingly transmitting heat into their very bones.

Directly ahead, that suffocating monster—

The mechanical fortress giant stepped out from the depths of the smoke and dust.

It resembles a steel-constructed doomsday statue, with its arms transformed into a high-frequency chainsaw and Gatling gun composite cannon, and two rocket nests embedded in its shoulders, spewing out scorching air.

As the tracked chassis slowly rotates, it emits a deep, booming sound like a war drum. With each step, it shakes the ground tiles and causes the air to tremble.

Its head has no face, only a horizontal red scope, like the cold eye of a god surveying the wasteland.

—The war itself has awakened.

Von Blanc's hoarse, metallic voice exploded in my ears, like rusty iron scraping against my bone membrane, carrying an absurd cruelty:
"The experiment begins."

"Charge mode...loading."

--boom! ! !

The next second, the mechanical fortress giant's engine roared, and its entire upper body suddenly leaned forward!
The tracks burst into flames, the ground cracked and blossomed, it charged forward like a runaway tank—carrying the weight of destruction!

The chainsaw arm swung, its massive blade tearing through the air and creating a violent shockwave. The steel whistled, the air howled, as if the entire battlefield was holding its breath for this strike!
Si Ming's pupils contracted, and he shouted:
"spread!!!"

The five people burst into action instantly, each leaping into the air and scattering in all directions!
Nobuna moved with lightning speed, her figure leaping across the ground like a shadow. Her katana was drawn, its cold light exploding like a shooting star under the moon.

Natasha rolled to her feet, her two guns spinning rapidly to the left and right, their muzzles gleaming. She stomped on the ground and flipped over, dodging the flying debris while firing a ricochet shot.

Hermann moved with composure and firmness. With a sweep of his arms, mysterious runes appeared, and the girl carrying the blood coffin roared silently.

It blocked the accompanying shockwave and shrapnel storm, and the coffin behind it emitted a faint light, as if it were ready to release the malice sealed within at any moment.

Lin Wanqing's face was deathly pale, and cold sweat poured down her forehead, but she followed Si Ming closely, not retreating an inch. She held the notebook tightly to her chest, which was her last mental anchor in this desperate situation.

Meanwhile, Si Ming spun around, playing cards flying between her fingers, ready to engage in battle with her deck at any moment—

A cold smile played on his lips as he moved with practiced grace, like he was dancing a life-or-death dance on a battlefield.

boom! ! !
The mechanical fortress giant stopped abruptly for half a second, its chainsaw arm spinning at high speed, the "click-click-click-click" sounding like a god's roar, locking onto Nobunaga!

Aim—Sweep!
That arm was as huge as a wall, and the wind pressure was like a cannonball, enough to flatten a building!

Nobuna's face was expressionless, but her eyes were sharp as knives and as cold as snow!

She pushed off with one knee, her right foot slamming into the ground, and leaped into the air!

The samurai sword flashed with a cold light, and the diagonal slash was as fast as lightning!

Metal clashing!

Loud bang!

Nobuna's figure was thrown more than ten meters by the tremendous force, and she took three steps back after landing before she could regain her balance.

Her right arm was split open at the base of her thumb, and blood was trickling down between her fingers.

But she didn't back down!

She steadied herself, exhaled softly, and as she turned the knife, her eyes were as cold as an glacier piercing through a storm of bullets.

"This isn't the end of it."

A shallow cut was left on the giant arms of the chainsaw.

The mechanical fortress giant paused for a moment, as if realizing for the first time that its opponent was not a harmless insect.

It let out a metallic roar, and red warning lines appeared on the head-mounted scope.

On the ground, a landmine flashing red light was activated by its tracks, and the sound of the explosion spread through the ruins, as if igniting the death rhythm of the entire battlefield.

Von Blanc's voice rang out again, his tone carrying a terrifying excitement:

"Warm-up complete—"

"Open fire—begin."

The battle has officially entered a stalemate.

The steel roars, the killing intent reignites.

The trial of life and death—has only just begun.

Von Blanc's voice was cold and mechanical, like the whisper of a ghost crawling out of a pile of scrap metal deep in the battlefield:
"First round...under observation."

"Anyone who dares to engage... is being assessed."

The God of Fate's pupils contracted slightly as he quickly discerned the underlying rules.

He saw it clearly—

After each charge, the fortress giant will lock onto the "nearest" or "most fiercely resisted" target as the center point for the next round of targeting.

If no one intercepts the attack, the charge will slow down but will instead become random area-of-effect artillery fire, resulting in unpredictable casualties.

If someone resists head-on, although there are risks, the giant's attack logic will be locked, giving the whole team a chance to breathe.

A classic example of the "chicken game".

Those who confront become the bait to be sacrificed; those who avoid face an uncertain reckoning.

Every charge is a life-or-death gamble that must be wagered.

The dust had not yet settled, and the air still carried the acrid smell of explosives and the scorching heat of grease.

The plaza after the first assault resembled a scorched altar after the god of war had trodden upon it.

The ground, crushed by the tracks, was littered with scorching iron slag, and beneath the rubble lay the embers of unexploded ordnance.

Everyone felt as if they were standing on a volcano that could collapse at any moment.

Von Blanc leaned slightly forward, his chainsaw arm drooping, roaring like a beast's panting. He seemed to be waiting, waiting for the next "reaction".

Si Ming calmly weighed the data and deduced the best response strategy, his voice extremely low:

"The attackers have a low chance of surviving, which reduces the pressure on the entire team."

"A complete retreat would bring short-term safety, but what follows would be—unpredictable shelling."

He narrowed his eyes, but a cold, gambler-like smile curled at the corner of his lips:
"Interesting... Von Blanc."

"Are you a madman whose neural engineering has failed, or a casino operator?"

The wind and sand brushed against his eyelashes, but could not conceal the fighting spirit in his eyes.

Nobuna's hand was already on the hilt of the sword, her eyes cold and sharp, and she said in a deep voice:
Should we test them?

Si Ming didn't turn around, but merely turned his head to the side and casually asked the person beside him:
"Natasha, would you like to dance with me?"

Natasha laughed wildly, her silver hair dancing in the firelight. She tossed her twin pistols lightly, letting them spin and land in her hands, like a string musician tuning their instruments before a ball.
"With pleasure, sir."

"However, I can't guarantee I'll only jump one."

Von Blanc's aiming system switched quickly.

"Second wave of attack—launch!" Boom—!
Engines roared to life!

The ground shook as if thunder had struck!
The Fortress Giant activated its charge module once more, its tracks roaring as they tore through the ground, while its rear nozzles spewed forth billowing steam and burning compressed gas!

The massive chainsaw arm rose high, locking onto Nobuna and Natasha!
This time—it will no longer test; it will tear apart!
Nobuna had already leaped up, her steps as swift as the wind, the sharp blade reflecting light like the cold moon in the sky.

The blade flashed like a waterfall, slashing out diagonally!

Chainsaws whistled and collided!

The clanging of metal pierced the eardrum! Sparks flew as the blade grazed the serrated edge!
Nobuna's left arm went numb from the shock, and her hand on her hand split open, but she landed firmly on her feet, as if she were dancing on ice!
At the same time, Natasha glided along the ground like a ghost, firing both guns in rapid succession. The bullets spun at high speed and pierced the metal gaps in the fortress's chest!

boom! boom! boom!
A small explosive projectile hit the core of the cable, sparking a burst of sparks and causing a brief backflow of current!

The fortress giant paused, its attack motion faltering for 0.8 seconds!
This is the flaw!

Siming leaped up and threw out three playing cards!

Hearts [Burning], Spades [Delayed], Diamonds [Falling]!
Explosion, delay, and electrical interference—three interruptions unfold!
Shina and Natasha quickly jumped to the side and pulled away!

Herman provided support from the flank, instantly pulling Lin Wanqing into the rubble bunker.

—The second wave of the attack was forcibly interrupted!

But the cost was also devastating.

Xin Nai's left arm wound was spurting blood, soaking her entire sleeve; Natasha's left shoulder armor was burned and dented, her skin charred black; Siming was in excruciating pain in her ankle and was slightly unsteady.

In the wind, Von Blanc's mechanical eye flashed red as he slowly lowered his head.

"...Record: Combat factor intervention successful."

"The cost of sacrifice is acknowledged—and accepted."

"The third round: adjust the direction—increase the intensity."

Si Ming wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and gave a cold laugh.

"Then, we should add some more chips."

The wind stirred up a mist of blood.

The battle has no end.

The only way forward is to move forward.

Von Blanc let out a series of metallic roars, like gears snapping:
"Resistants - Numbered Markers"

"In the next round, prioritize eliminating them."

The sound seemed to come from underground in some old steel mill, a mixture of rust, steam, and electrical sparks from deep within the throat, each word penetrating into everyone's eardrums.

Si Ming grinned, his thumb tracing the edge of the playing cards, the curve of his lips cold and almost provocative.

"Tsk, it seems we've successfully attracted the attention of this warmonger."

Nobuna held the sword level, and with a gentle stroke, the bloodstain was severed and scattered by the sharp edge. Her gaze was as cold as frost, without a trace of emotion.

Natasha cursed under her breath, flung out the magazine, and replaced it with a new silver-plated armor-piercing round. The spent cartridge case hit the ground with a crisp sound, as if playing the prelude to hell.

Herman crouched down silently, adjusting the arc of his heavy crossbow, his cold eyes like a nighttime radar locking onto its prey, utterly unwavering.

Lin Wanqing huddled behind the crumbling cement wall, breathing rapidly, her hands trembling as she gripped the small notebook tightly.
But his eyes were fixed on Siming's back, as if he had placed all his reason on that figure.

—The air began to heat up, as if evaporated kerosene had filled every inch of the breathing passage.

Von Blanc's body rose high, the giant tracks crushing the scorched earth, as if the whole land was groaning.

Thick black smoke billowed from the jets on his back, steam roared, and the cast-iron chainsaw arm slowly rose, gleaming with a murderous light.

"Third wave of attack - lock down the resisters first."

He is the judge, the executioner, and war itself.

Si Ming remained calm and composed, his expression serene. He knew that if they didn't fight back this time, they would lose even the right to resist.

He drew a card, its surface gleaming silver, revealing its sharp edge:
[A lament for the gambler of destiny].

He whispered a spell:
"Cut sequence - Start".

The playing cards flew out with a thud, twisting and turning like silver blades in a fan shape, crisscrossing and shooting! They sliced through the air and exploded in front of the fortress giant's charging path!
Wherever the card passed, chaotic air currents surged up from the ground, forming temporary "wind pressure cut-off surfaces" that precisely blocked the inertial propulsion of the tracks!
Von Blanc's massive body was forced to veer, and the chainsaw arm staggered in mid-air!
Si Ming's eyes narrowed, and he immediately threw out the second playing card!

The Burning Card—red veins ignite instantly, and a line of fire shoots out, precisely detonating at the chainsaw joint of Von Blanc's right arm!
boom!
Sparks and tar vapors shot from the chainsaw joint, turning the entire metal wrist joint red-hot!
Von Blanc roared, his mechanical nervous system short-circuited briefly, and his movements were forcibly halted!

Seizing the opportunity, Shinobu leaped forward, her long sword drawing a streak of light in the air!
The blade sliced into the exposed energy pipes on the giant's side!

puff!
Steam roared out like an angry beast!

Natasha followed up, firing three explosive rounds that accurately hit the missile bay in her shoulder!
The debris scattered, causing the giant to violently lean back!
Hermann took the opportunity to circle around to the left, set up a simple mine trap, laid a minefield, and blocked the retreat route!
Lin Wanqing clenched her fists in the bunker, her pupils contracting to their limit due to the high pressure, but she did not retreat, keeping her eyes fixed on the battlefield.

Boom! !
Von Blanc knelt down, his tracks sparking as they crackled through the scorched earth!

But he suddenly pushed himself up, his chest heaving, and the missile pods on his shoulders flipped open!

Thirty-six fragmentation missiles locked onto the battlefield!

"Charge terminated - switch to full-field coverage strike mode."

Si Ming growled:

"spread!!"

Explosions rained down like a meteor shower!

Fragments roared, flames crashed, and a storm of metal swept down!

Si Ming tumbled into a crumbling wall, his playing cards transforming into a silver shield that blocked the oncoming steel spikes!
Shinobu ducked and dodged, her blade slicing through the missile, sparks flying onto her cheek, her gaze unwavering.

Natasha rolled into the crater and fired a stun grenade with her backhand, disrupting the fire control system.

Hermann detonated his self-installed spike mines to harass the enemy and then retreated!
Lin Wanqing lowered her body as far as she could, hiding in Si Ming's shadow. She bit her lip tightly, and blood trickled down the corner of her mouth, but she didn't make a sound.

Survived.

But it's only temporary.

Von Blanc stood amidst the thick smoke, the red light in his eyes flashing again.

"Resistants...priority upgraded to 'permanent mark'."

"Next time... just wipe it out."

Si Ming spat out the sand and pebbles in his mouth and sneered:
"very good."

"This is just the beginning of the real gamble."

The ground was as hot as a furnace, and the air was distorted like flames.

The third round was merely an appetizer.

The real hell is slowly opening its bloody maw.

"It is not the living who confront death."
It is death, holding a torch.

He caught up with everyone step by step.