As Chen Chuan drew closer to the incident, he could hear sporadic, intense gunfire in the distance. The streets were filled with panicking crowds trying to evacuate, and car crashes had occurred in several places.
Just then, the ornamental trees on both sides of the street suddenly trembled, and fist-sized insects flew out. Each possessed powerful mandibles and blade-like legs. They began circling the storefronts, menacing anyone who passed and preventing pedestrians from getting any closer.
These were "Harvesters," manufactured by the Compound Eye Company.
These combat drones served as supplemental city guards, but they were only stationed in a few locations. This was because only shops and residences with security insurance policies received their immediate protection. The combat drones ignored everyone else; in fact, they would attack anyone who approached them now.
