When the three desecrated mechanical wraiths lifted their heads, the crystal lenses in their eyes flashed with an eerie red light, firmly locking onto Lin Jie and William, the two uninvited guests.
A chill more unsettling than facing pure UMAs crawled up both their spines.
These things were both creations of UMAs and vessels carrying human souls.
They were abominable amalgamations of technology and resentment.
"Tick... tock... tick... tock..."
Accompanying their stiff movements, the clockwork parts crammed into their chest cavities began emitting chaotic, irregular sounds.
The noise had no discernible rhythm, as if representing their fragmented and insane consciousness, each syllable viciously stabbing at the listeners' nerve centers.
Sergeant William's face showed unprecedented gravity.
His extensive combat experience told him that the danger level of these three entities before him might have already exceeded the "Alert-class" category.
"Prepare for combat," William's voice was low and forceful, his Colt revolver steadily aimed at the wraith in the middle. "I'll handle the one in the center; it looks like the core. You take the one on the left. If you get the chance, smash the clockwork in its chest!"
However, Lin Jie gently pressed down on the gun barrel William was about to raise.
"Wait a moment, Sergeant William," Lin Jie's voice was exceptionally calm. His gaze wasn't fixed on the three wraiths but instead rapidly scanned the surrounding environment.
The mechanical "totems" built by the Gremlins that resembled mountains of junk, and further back, the dark passage leading to the heart of the nest.
"Their attack patterns are unknown; we can't afford a direct confrontation here," Lin Jie quickly assessed. "Moreover, our target is the Gremlin nest, that 'Artisan Chieftain.' Getting entangled with these modified guards will only waste our precious ammunition and stamina, and might even attract more Gremlins."
William frowned tightly. Though reluctant, he had to admit the young man's judgment was correct.
Their mission wasn't to clean up these pitiful "sacrifices." Starting a fight recklessly carried too many variables.
"So what's your plan?" William asked in a hushed tone.
"We need to bypass them. Or rather..." A flash of intelligent light gleamed in Lin Jie's eyes. "Make them clear a path for us."
He didn't have time for lengthy explanations.
He swiftly pulled out a finely crafted, second-hand mechanical pocket watch from inside his hunting jacket.
At this moment, this symbol of order and stability was about to become the deadliest weapon in his hands.
Lin Jie expertly twisted the crown, winding the pocket watch's spring to its absolute limit.
Then he took several steps back, concealing both himself and William behind cover formed by discarded steam pipes.
"Sergeant William, help me draw their attention," Lin Jie whispered.
Though William didn't understand his intention, he trusted him and fired a shot without hesitation at the ground near the mechanical wraiths.
"Bang!"
The loud gunshot created massive echoes within the confined sewer.
The three mechanical wraiths, provoked by this sudden challenge, became enraged. The sound of parts turning within their chests grew even more frenzied, emitting a screeching, ear-piercing noise. Then, they began charging together towards the source of the gunshot with stiff, mechanical strides!
The moment they left their "throne," Lin Jie made his move.
He threw the fully-wound pocket watch with all his strength towards the passage behind the throne that led deeper into the nest!
The brass pocket watch landed with a "clatter" at the entrance of that passage, then rolled clattering into the deeper darkness.
Its crisp, steady "tick-tock" sound stood out starkly against the backdrop of chaos and resentment filling the environment.
This sound might have meant nothing to the three mechanical wraiths.
But for the true masters of this nest—the Gremlins who loved chaos and despised order—this was nothing less than a "blasphemous hymn" openly played within their sanctuary!
Sure enough, the moment the pocket watch landed and its ticking began, a sudden change occurred!
A high-frequency, electric "buzzing" sound erupted from the depths of the dark passage.
Immediately after, several crystal lenses flickering with faint red light surged out from the darkness!
A whole swarm, at least several dozen Gremlins, were enraged by that "blasphemous" pocket watch!
Their target wasn't Lin Jie and William at all, but that damned little brass contraption emitting that harmonious sound!
"Bzzzzzt—!"
The frenzied Gremlin swarm completely ignored the three mechanical wraiths blocking the path, surging tumultuously towards the passage.
The three mechanical wraiths seemed bewildered by this sudden onslaught.
They stood rigidly in place, facing this tide stirred up by the very things they were supposed to "guard," appearing utterly disoriented.
Chaos, absolute chaos.
And this was exactly what Lin Jie wanted to see!
"Now!" Lin Jie hissed. "Stay close!"
He stopped hiding. Seizing the chaotic moment of mutual interference between the three semi-mechanical entities and the Gremlin swarm, he dashed out from behind cover.
He didn't charge at the wraiths. Instead, he sprinted along the edge of the channel, making a sudden assault towards the path "cleared" by the Gremlin swarm!
Sergeant William's reaction was equally lightning-fast. He followed closely behind Lin Jie, the copper pipe he had picked up earlier constantly pointing around them, providing the most reliable fire support for their advance.
The three mechanical wraiths finally snapped out of their stupor. They roared, swinging their weapon-modified arms, attempting to intercept these two audacious intruders.
However, the surging Gremlin swarm became their biggest obstacle. Gremlins continuously crashed into them, significantly slowing their movements.
"Quick! They're coming through!" Lin Jie shouted, feeling the icy killing intent closing in rapidly from behind.
Just as a mechanical hand from one wraith was about to grab the back of Lin Jie's neck, the two of them finally managed to rush through the chaotic area, plunging headlong into the wider passage behind the "throne."
Behind them, the enraged Gremlins were still swarming madly towards the pocket watch, which was about to be completely dismantled into parts.
The three mechanical wraiths, blocked and having lost their targets, were angrily pounding the walls.
"Huff... huff..."
Lin Jie and William leaned against the wall, gasping for breath.
That heart-pounding "breakthrough" had lasted less than thirty seconds, yet it was more mentally draining than an hour-long positional battle.
William looked at the young man beside him, who, though physically drained, still had bright, sharp eyes. A look of genuine admiration appeared on his face.
This young man's wisdom wasn't just evident in sand table exercises and logical analysis.
He possessed an even more formidable, and more precious, ability—the capacity to utilize every available element on a rapidly changing battlefield, including the enemy's characteristics, the surrounding environment, and even the enemy's own enemies, to create the most advantageous "momentum" for himself.