The rebels couldn't believe their luck: the formidable "Chimera," which had been mowing everyone down just moments ago, was stuck in a shallow trench! The delight was indescribable.
Using the side trenches as cover, the fighters rushed towards the vehicle, determined to take it apart bolt by bolt.
The "Chimera's" guns came alive. The bodyguards in the troop compartment fired short bursts from their lasguns through the embrasures.
The lasgun is the most common weapon in the Imperium of Man. Its standard battery can withstand up to two hundred shots at low power.
Considering the power of the laser beam, it's like arming each soldier with a 12.7mm heavy machine gun.
The lasgun has three firing modes. In automatic at minimum battery power, it lasts for 200 shots.
Hitting a person at a distance of up to half a kilometer, the beam burns a fist-sized hole.
The laser instantly heats the target – be it metal, flesh, or bone. The effect is like microwaving an egg: an explosion from within!
Upon hitting the body, the beam causes a miniature internal explosion, turning the wound into a bloody funnel.
The lasgun's rate of fire exceeds 800 rounds per minute: explosion, burn, rupture – all almost simultaneously. The king of rifles!
The power can be adjusted. Medium mode – 60 shots per battery, maximum – barely ten.
But overloaded modes quickly destroy the barrel and battery, so they are rarely used.
When they are used – the effect is truly terrifying.
A thousand guardsmen, with their lasguns turned to maximum, can stop an attack by an entire xenoc contact unit.
From the six embrasures of the "Chimera," a dense laser storm erupted, cutting down rebels along the sides.
Enemies not protected by armor received a beam to the chest – bodies tore apart from the inside!
People fell with fist-sized holes in their chests, smelling of burnt flesh and meat.
If someone had dissected their bodies, they would have seen the insides, cooked almost to medium-rare. After a lasgun hit, one never got up again.
But there were too many rebels. The trenches protected them, and the firing sector from the vehicle was limited, and some fighters reached it up close.
The crew understood: not everyone had explosives, but the very fact that someone was scratching the armor caused animal fear.
The turret operator screamed: "Grenades! Quickly, grenades, drive them back!"
The bodyguards came to their senses, stopped firing, ripped grenades from their harnesses, and began throwing them outside.
Fragmentation grenades rolled into the trenches and detonated, showering the attackers with shrapnel. But for every fallen rebel, new ones came, stepping over the bodies.
The grenade ammunition ran out. The ground around was littered with corpses.
Meanwhile, the SIT soldiers at the treeline realized the "Chimera" was disabled, intensified their fire, and also began throwing grenades forward.
Roaring, screams, flames – everything merged into an indistinguishable din. Rebels died by the dozens.
But as soon as one fell, the next picked up the weapon and continued the attack. They firmly believed they were fighting for the freedom of their families and liberation from slavery.
And at this critical moment, cavalry, which had been in ambush until then, joined the fray!
The ground trembled from the thunder of hooves. One hundred and twenty horsemen in a dense formation burst from behind the hill and struck the "Chimera" on the flank!
They charged straight at the armored vehicle, protecting one rider with a huge charge on his back.
Leading them was Old Man Sen himself!
He fired from his assault rifle while riding and shouted something furiously, urging his horse on.
By this time, Li Qingyu had finished his treatment. Health restored, rifle assembled and ready for combat.
Aiming from the second position, he noticed the cavalry attack. The SIT soldiers shifted their fire to the horsemen, and the "Chimera's" turret turned in the same direction.
Through the scope, Li saw Sen in the front row, and his heart clenched.
"Damn, you old fool, have you gone mad? If you die, who will be my contact?!"
Muttering a curse, he instantly aimed at the SIT machine gunner and fired. The man's head exploded.
Cycling the bolt, another shot – and the second machine gunner fell, shot through the chest.
At that moment, the "Chimera's" autocannon managed to turn and opened fire on the horsemen.
Dung-dung-dung! 40mm high-explosive shells hit the dense formation, tearing men and horses to shreds.
Sen rode at the front and became the first target: a shell hit his horse's chest, turning the animal into a bloody cloud!
The explosion tore off both of the old man's legs. Riddled with shrapnel, he fell next to the horse's corpse. Whether he was alive was unknown.
Despite the intense fire, the horsemen, losing three-quarters of their number, managed to reach the "Chimera."
A young man with a massive backpack containing a detonator in his hand rode a blinded horse.
He whipped it bloody, forcing it to go faster, faster!
The horse crashed into the side of the armored personnel carrier, and the young man pressed the button twice.
Ba-boom!
The explosion shook the battlefield. For a second, the firing ceased. Everyone froze – some in hope, some in horror.
When the dust settled, the "Chimera" stood in all its mangled glory: the right side caved in, the armor mangled, the track torn.
The vehicle was not destroyed, but the entire interior was silent – the crew was either concussed or dead.
The rebels' morale soared. Joyful shouts spread across the field – they rushed to attack the SIT.
Li Qingyu shifted his aim from the smoking vehicle to another soldier and smoothly pulled the trigger.