Chapter 246: The Cameron City and its Enemy

After almost six hours of journey with only a couple of breaks along the way, Kai and his team approached Cameron City...

From afar, they saw a massive wall surrounding the expansive city, its silhouette alone made them excited!

"That’s the city, right? We’re not wrong this time for sure!"

"It doesn’t look like a ruined city..."

"I can see some lights." 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

"This is amazing... It’s a huge city and it must be filled with hundreds or thousands of humans. Why is it not being attacked?"

Kai nodded as he heard Mei’s words. "You’re right... That’s huge... it looks like it could hold tens of thousands inside."

Claire agreed. "Walls that tall... they’re not just for show. I wonder how they’re defending against the A.I. Army..."

Kai had no answer to that but they had to do something.

"Halt... We won’t ride the Dragoons in. If they mistake us for enemies, we’ll be shot down before we even reach the gates. Dying like that would be stupid."

They couldn’t help but laugh at that.

Without hesitation, they descended, landing on a cliff just outside the city’s perimeter. One by one, the Dragoons were stored back into their inventories...

Mei sighed, almost pouting. "I was actually enjoying that... flying without traffic rules, no stoplights, no restrictions. Just pressing the accelerator and soaring."

Kai and the others couldn’t help but agree...

"Yeah, it felt good. Like freedom. No one honking at you, no one cutting you off. Just the sky and the wind." Alfie added.

Farrah smirked. "You two sound like kids who just got their first bikes."

Ralph laughed at their banter as he adjusted his coat and joined their conversation. "Can you blame them? It’s not every day you get to ride something that feels like a mix between a jet and a beast. I’ll admit, I didn’t want to stop either."

Kai could understand their feelings. "Alright, that’s enough. We’ll walk the rest of the way."

The group began their trek down the slope, as the city emerged larger with every step.

Mei glanced at Kai. "Do you think they’ll let us in easily? You’re the only one with the invitation."

Kai shrugged. "Don’t worry... Sir Cornelio Aries guaranteed that aside from the invitation, Level 30 individuals will also be welcomed here. That’s the reason why I chose you guys."

Alfie kicked a loose stone along the path, watching it tumble.

"Still feels strange, though. We’ve been fighting, scavenging, building shelters... and now we’re walking toward a city that looks untouched by the A.I. Army.

Farrah nodded. "It’s surreal..."

They still had many questions about the city, but all of these queries would be answered once they managed to enter...

Just like that, the group fell into a lighter rhythm of conversation as they walked.

Mei teased Alfie about nearly crashing his Dragoon during the flight.

Claire admitted she enjoyed the speed but preferred the ground beneath her feet. R

Even Ralph joked about wanting to have a competition or drag race with the Dragoons someday. That would surely motivate their survivors.

For a moment, the tension eased.

Kai listened quietly as he continued observing the walls...

As expected, there were several people lining up, hoping to enter the city gates.

As Kai and his team drew closer to Cameron City, the towering gates and fortified walls became clearer.

The line of survivors waiting to enter stretched far, and Kai quickly noticed the procedure being carried out at the checkpoint.

Guards in reinforced armor stood beside glowing Status Crystals as people placed their hands on them.

The results appeared instantly, and the guards judged entry based on the numbers.

Kai narrowed his eyes. They’re using Status Crystals to check levels... so that’s how they decide who gets in if there’s no invitation, huh...

It didn’t take long before he saw a group being rejected.

Their leader was Level 30, but his companions were only Level 22 to 25.

"That man’s fine," one guard shouted, "but the rest of you don’t meet the requirement. Level 30 minimum. Recommendation letters will help you navigate and prosper within the city it can’t help you enter."

The group protested, waving papers and insisting they had approval, but the guards remained firm.

"That recommendation is for you to use after reaching the required level."

Eventually, the companions were turned away, leaving their leader to argue in frustration before being escorted aside.

Mei frowned at this result. "So even with a recommendation, they won’t let anyone below Level 30 in?"

Claire nodded. "Makes sense. If the city is this fortified, they won’t risk letting weaker survivors inside. It’s harsh, but it keeps their defenses strong."

Alfie muttered, "Still... that’s brutal. Imagine surviving all this way, only to be rejected at the gates."

Kai’s expression stayed calm, and he nodded.

’At least we’re prepared. I’m Level 30, and the others are too. We’re fine...’

Soon, the guards’ attention shifted to them. The line moved forward, and Kai and his team stepped up to the checkpoint.

One of the guards raised his hand. "Next group. Let me know if you have an invitation token... Oh? You have... Let me see."

The guard then looked at Kai’s token and smiled at him...

"Alright. Place your hands on the crystal."

Kai glanced at his companions, giving a subtle nod.

Just like that, the guards moved quickly, scanning Kai’s team one by one with the glowing Status Crystals.

Each result gave a satisfactory outcome as expected...

"All Level 30s... you’re cleared for entry after payment," one of them said firmly.

Just as Kai was about to step forward, a sharp alarm blared across the checkpoint.

Red lights flashed along the walls, and the guards immediately raised their weapons.

"What’s happening?" Mei asked nervously.

Kai turned around to see the situation.

But as he looked behind them, he froze.

Charging toward the city were machines unlike the Sentinels, Dragoons, or Spyders he had fought before.

The ones attacking Cameron were large beast‑shaped war machines!

The lead unit resembled a massive mechanical wolf...

Its limbs slammed into the ground with each stride, but its claws were tearing into the soil for traction.

Along its back, mounted cannons tracked targets, while its jaws housed a short‑range plasma cutter that glowed faintly with heat!

Behind it, more of the same kind advanced... They were large wolf‑like constructs with variations in weaponry. Some carried missile racks on their shoulders, others had heavy armor plating like shields, and a few had elongated tails tipped with bladed whips.

The guards frowned at the sight, but they didn’t panic. They had faced so much before...

"Those wolves again! Hey! They deployed Beast‑Class units this time. We’re closing the gates!"