Apocalypse: System of lotteries



"Whizz, whizz, whizz!!!"

"Boom, boom, boom!!!"

At that moment, all manner of psychic towers activated, launching volleys of giant arrows, fireballs, and the like. Elemental crossbows marked the sky with their blazing trajectory, slamming into the throng of serpent-monster zombies, each hit causing an eruption of bodies, like a stone plummeting into the sea and sending waves crashing to the shore. It was a grotesque dance of flying flesh and blood. 

Yet, the horde of serpent-monster zombies remained undeterred, their onward surge relentless.

"Zing, zing, zing!!!"

Rows of pre-set spike traps on the streets were triggered, causing hundreds, if not thousands, of fireworks-like explosions! Hundreds, possibly thousands of fireworks-like explosions erupted, turning the streets into a battlefield of piercing spikes and impaled bodies. 

"Roar, roar, roar---"

The serpent-monster zombies let out furious roars, charging forward with increased speed. The sheer number of them caused an eerie feeling, with layers of the snake-monster horde rolling forward like a surging tidal wave. Kill one layer and two more rise up!

Beneath the high wall, a wall of bodies was forming as the serpent-monster zombies used their dead comrades as a stepping stone, launching themselves upon it.

"Kill!"

The defenders at the forefront of the wall opened their shields simultaneously, the Puncher and Barriers master blocking all gaps, while those in the distance launched their attacks against the horde.

Christina brought down her twin blades on the head of a lord-level serpent monster, then turned to face a king-level monster eyeing her, letting out a battle cry as she charged.

"West wall requests support!"

"I'm on it!" Alice jumped into the wall, heading for the west.

By then, the serpent-monster zombies had broken through a section of the western wall, and hundreds of them were flooding in.

"Close your eyes!"

Alice shouted, and those around her immediately covered their eyes.

"Shine!!!"

Next, they could feel an intense, brilliant light burst forth. When they opened their eyes, the afterglow had not yet dissipated.

The fortress wall seemed to be bathed in daylight at that moment, and the serpent-monster zombies clogging the breach in the wall were bumping into each other, seemingly blind.

"Kill!"

The people around rushed forward, wielding their weapons with renewed vigor, reclaiming the breached wall.  Just then, a serpent monster more than five meters tall appeared, holding a huge axe and charging at the breach, undeterred by the arrow and fire rain, pushing forward!

"Triple star emperor level!"

"Damn it, Either way, we're dead. If I'm going to die, I might as well die at the hands of this emperor-level beast. I won't feel humiliated!"

"Kill it, we must kill it. We cannot let the western wall defense line collapse!"

"You all fight with confidence, I assure you, none of you will die!"

"..."

All eyes turned to the woman who declared this. A golden aura emanated from her as she bit into several psychic potions, her shout of "Shine!" 

Buzz!!!

A burst of golden light spread around like ripples.

Crack!

Alice bit the potion, and roared, "Holy light!!!" 

Then, a faint golden light enveloped everyone around her.

" three minutes... invincible..."

After saying this, Alice's body swayed. She watched everyone charge into battle before pulling out a few potions. Before she could bring them to her mouth, she felt her body falling back gently.

As the world spun before her eyes, she managed to say, "I overdid it~shit~" before feeling.

"Miss Alice?"

"I'm fine, let me rest for a while~"

"..."

On the wall, the battle raged on.

"Damn it! Today, you all taste my ultimate attack!"

With bloodshot eyes, David lifted a sand jar and pointed it towards the horde of serpent-monster zombies climbing up the wall, shouting, "Sand Cannon!!!"

Boom---

The sand sprayed from the jar, each grain piercing through the body of a serpent-monster like a bullet, especially the king-level serpent-monster at the front whose chest was left riddled like a beehive!

"Sand Burst!"

David clenched his fists, and the scattered sand below the serpent-monster zombies began to solidify, and then exploded once again!!

Christina jumped forward, blocking him, "You're a long-range attacker, what are you doing in close combat!"

"Watch this!" David retorted, his sand jar crushing a serpent monster's skull.

As they bantered, Christina's blades danced through the horde, her figure moving like a phantom, leaving a trail of fallen bodies. When a two-star emperor level charged at her, she lifted her sword and advanced.

"Blade Domain!"

"Hundred Blade Strike!"

"Thousand Horse Stampede Slash!"

"Golden Body!"

"Divine Demonic Slash!"

Boom!!

The blade light flickered as she circled the emperor-level serpent monster, all while dodging its sprayed venom and skills. With a thud, the woman's chest was hit by the snake's tail, her body flew backward. But before she hit the ground, her body hung in the air... then with a rumble, she charged forward again, continuing her slaughter of the emperor-level serpent monster while skillfully cutting down the ordinary serpent monsters around her.

David looked around, the horde of serpent-monster zombies was thinning. The remaining few were being besieged by everyone. Suddenly, he thought, where's Miss Alice?

He looked around and saw Alice leaning against a car inside the wall, drinking a potion, waving at him, "I'm fine, I can't die!"

Moments later, the remaining few were completely killed, and everyone was cleaning up the battlefield atop the wall.

"Report, new patrols have been sent out."

"Good."

Punicov nodded, then said, "Report on casualties."

"Total of 1790 people, 492 lightly injured, can continue to fight, 82 severely injured, can participate if necessary, 43 dead. The remaining people are all more or less injured, but it does not affect combat."

"Hmm."

Punicov's brows furrowed in frustration. The foretold 'monster of the gods' hadn't yet revealed itself, and they had already sustained considerable damage...

"Moo---"

"Moo---"

"Moo---"

Another horde-level threat!

"..."

The expressions of everyone on and below the wall changed drastically, all looking at the temporary commander, Punicov. Perhaps everyone understood that surviving this onslaught would be a monumental task.

Punicov naturally understood too. Punicov's somber face suddenly split into a hearty laugh, "If we die here today, it should be quite heroic, right? Ha~"

"Ha ha~ Damn it, I've never thought I could be so heroic."

"If we're going to die, let's die! Anyway, I don't want to become one of those zombies."

"Who the hell brought alcohol? Wanting to drink at this time is not a sign of cowardice, but a way to get pumped~"

"Forward! Fight! If we must die, let's do so with a sword in hand!"

Punicov stood on the wall, telling everyone, "We are all in this together!"

"Together!"

The crowd echoed, more enthusiastic than before. Alice, who had regained some of her spirits, looked at the people around her. She didn't think they were crazy, rather they were a source of power.

"Miss Alice, today might be tough."

David said with a smile, but his expression was serious, "My wife is still waiting for me at home. I really want to go back. If I can go back, she won't have to come here."

Alice looked at the countless eyes in the distance, sighed deeply, and said, "Honestly, I'm quite envious of you. At least you have someone who cares about you."

David gathered the sand again, looking at the surging wave of serpent-monster zombies, "It's okay, someone will avenge us."

At that moment, a crow descended, landing on Alice's shoulder.

The woman smiled, "Ah, he's here~"

"Whizz, whizz, whizz!!!"

Suddenly, the night sky lit up with streaks of fiery light. Each orange tail etched a vibrant path toward the city. These tiny sparks of hope illuminated the faces of the defenders standing atop the city wall.

"Is that the sound of cannons echoing in the sky?"

"It's artillery shells! It's artillery shells!!"

"These zombies know how to use cannons? Damn it!"

"Everyone down, get down immediately."

"..."

"Whizz, whizz, whizz!!"

The humming got closer, then everyone saw the shells falling into the horde and exploding loudly. Each detonation was like a radiant flower of destruction blooming amidst the sea of zombies, effectively breaking their wave. 

A missile fell and exploded with a bang, creating cracks in the horde!

The artillery shells continued their deadly rain, each boom lifting the defenders' spirits. 

"So, it's our allies!"

"Hiss, hiss, hiss!!!"

At this time, two armed helicopters flew in, four Gatling guns firing into the chaotic horde. The barrage poured down like rain, then three people jumped off the helicopters and landed in the chaotic horde.

"David, stop messing around with your sand. We're here to save you," one called out. 

"Gutman, why are you crying? Did you twist your ankle when you landed?"

"No, no, I'm fine. Just got choked up by the smell of these shattered snake monsters. It's rather pungent. Listen, don't kill them all. Just injure them, or my eyes won't be able to handle it," 

"..."

"Damn it!"

Standing on the high wall, David shouldered his sand jar, jumped off the wall, and charged straight in, "Mike, is your ass itching? Are you asking for a beating?"

"..."

The defenders left on the wall were stunned into silence. Who were these new arrivals? They certainly seemed powerful.

"So, that's Gutman? The 109's  team has assembled~"

Christina, with her twin blades, jumped off the wall to join the battle, beginning the counterattack.

Punicov shook his head, they were still missing one, Hawkins.

...

Meanwhile, on a distant farm, a man and a woman leaned into each other, floral crowns atop their heads. Accepting a grape from the woman, the man mused, "I'm quite worried about my  brother and his team..." He popped the grape into his mouth and sighed contentedly. "Mmm... So sweet."