Sounds of "puff puff" echoed repeatedly.
The bodies of the flying moth beasts crashed down the fire escape.
Wang Jixuan stood on one of the beast's corpses, using it to cushion his fall as he lightly tapped his toes and floated down in front of the fire door on the 46th floor.
He extended his spiritual awareness and sensed a small group of beasts ahead.
They were eating.
Wang Jixuan rushed forward with his gun, holding a pure crystal core in his left hand, its spiritual energy continuously flowing into him.
Although this energy had some impurities, it was good enough for emergencies.
As long as no mid-level beasts appeared, he wouldn't need to use any magical powers today.
He dashed past the wall marked '46', turned two corners, and even though he was mentally prepared, he couldn't help but frown.
The iron shacks that used to be filled with people had turned into a hell.
The flying moth beasts treated this place as a food supply station, with blood covering the ground. Human limbs lay scattered everywhere, and pieces of flesh still twitched from nerve spasms.
These were ordinary humans without any firepower to protect them.
Wang Jixuan's nostrils flared slightly, and his eyes were filled with killing intent.
Monsters and humans were on different paths; there was no way back!
He charged into the street, his long gun slashing through the air like a crescent moon, creating a black storm that swept down the street, heading straight for the human advance team's defenses!
The gang's firepower was minimal, and now they had joined the human front.
Suddenly, cheers erupted in the command channels.
"Black storm! The black storm is here!"
"Cover him! Damn it! Kill these beasts! Hahaha!"
"The black storm is charging into the beast horde! Fire cover!"
In the Sarir Desert.
In a speeding spider-shaped command vehicle, Zhou Zhengde was stunned when he heard this news.
Hadn't he received feedback that Wang Zheng was on the seventh floor?
How did he get to the forty-sixth floor?
Wasn't it agreed that they would only assist and not take risks?
Zhou Zhengde quickly started looking for surveillance footage from the 46th floor fortress and soon locked onto Wang Jixuan's figure. At least seven or eight soldiers were filming him with their personal cameras.
Zhou Zhengde felt a chill run down his spine.
A dense swarm of beasts was pouring out from the center of the 46th floor, rushing towards the passage connecting the 46th and 45th floors.
The advance team's defense was set up around that passage.
The fire escape went straight up and down; while the basic beasts could climb, they were relatively slow. Human firepower could be concentrated, and the beasts were only sending flying moths to destroy the upper city’s connection passage, cutting off the advance team's supply line. The main force still had to climb up floor by floor.
If the advance team fell, Commander Dongfang Zhenghong would not hesitate to blow up the passage between the middle and lower cities.
Following Wang Jixuan's figure, Zhou Zhengde quickly noticed that among the low-level basic beasts, there were many smaller, less hardened "immature bodies."
Although these "immature bodies" were as deadly as "mature bodies" to ordinary humans, their defenses weren't very strong.
Wang Jixuan charged in like a tiger among sheep, his long gun and high explosives creating chaos, allowing the human line to slowly push back.
But Wang Jixuan was still just one person.
No matter how brave he was, he could only protect one street.
The entire defense involved more than ten streets and rooftops.
The beasts surged like waves, trying to extinguish the ongoing gunfire ahead.
The entire 46th floor was doing its best to light up the area, helping the human soldiers see the beasts clearly.
Zhou Zhengde faintly heard the voice of Ling Tong coming through Wang Jixuan's helmet:
"Is this what you meant by not risking your life?" Ling Tong sounded emotional.
Wang Jixuan simply replied, "Too many people are dying... Zhengde, is there a way to force the spiritual users down?"
Zhou Zhengde immediately responded, "I'll contact them right away!"
He turned off the screen in front of him and glanced at Dongfang Zhenghong, who was talking to the governor, then bypassed the command layer to privately contact Wei Linzheng, the head of the biological research station at Fortress 76.
A projection appeared in front of Zhou Zhengde, showing Wei Linzheng's half-body image.
The thin old man frowned at Zhou Zhengde and said slowly, "Captain Zhou, this is a time of war. What is the purpose of your communication?"
Zhou Zhengde lowered his posture and sincerely said, "Could we ask the spiritual users to support the 46th floor?"
"Captain Zhou," Wei Linzheng replied calmly, "given the current situation, abandoning the lower city to protect the upper city and securing the middle city is the most rational choice. We need to trade space for time; sacrificing the lower city isn't a big deal for Fortress 76. Ensuring the main operation of Fortress 76 is already a victory."
Zhou Zhengde felt a surge of anger.
He stared at the old man, trying to suppress his fury:
"This beast horde is numerous, but their individual strength is far below that of a normal beast horde. These beasts came from the immature king worm nest! There are still 200,000 people in the lower city, and we can still save them! The fortress is already sealed! The middle city has only suffered minor disturbances, and the security team is generally under control! Right now, we need a sharp force; we only need half an hour, and the front-line half-mechanical soldiers can return to the fortress! This time is crucial!"
Wei Linzheng replied softly, "Captain Zhou, perhaps we can make a deal."
"You want the data on the black storm and its genetic information, right?" Zhou Zhengde's nostrils flared.
Wei Linzheng added, "And that weapon of Ling Tong's. In return, we will send all C and D level spiritual users to the 46th floor for limited support."
"Go to hell! Damn you!"
Zhou Zhengde cursed loudly, his face turning red:
"As long as I, Zhou Zhengde, am alive for a day, I will kick you parasites out of the human world!
"Remember this! You damn well better remember!"
Wei Linzheng shook his head helplessly and turned off the projection.
Zhou Zhengde sat in his chair, breathing heavily and covering his forehead with his hand.
The command vehicle fell silent. Everyone glanced over for a few seconds before lowering their heads to focus on their tasks.
Wang Jixuan's voice came through the console in front of Zhou Zhengde: "I've heard enough. No need to be angry; they are just a few parasites."
On the other side, Dongfang Zhenghong exhaled softly, seemingly making a decision.
"Request to speak with the governor."
As soon as Dongfang Zhenghong finished speaking, a projection screen appeared above the holographic sand table, showing the governor and several ministers sitting in a conference room, all looking at Dongfang Zhenghong.
Dongfang Zhenghong stood up and saluted, his hoarse voice strong, with a determined gaze.
"Governor! Please allow me to formally propose a backup combat plan!"
The governor nodded: "Go ahead."
"Given the current situation with the beast horde and the unpredictable number of beasts below, I suggest using the main structures of the 47th and 48th floors as weapons! Utilize the pre-buried layered explosive devices to let the 47th and 48th floors collapse down to the 49th floor to kill the beasts and seal the gap, buying time for our firepower deployment!"
The command vehicle was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
Everyone looked up at Dongfang Zhenghong.
The commander's gaze was incredibly resolute.
The governor frowned and pondered: "How many civilians are on the 47th, 48th, and 49th floors?"
"130,000 to 150,000!"
"Are you suggesting sacrificing them?"
"Yes!" Dongfang Zhenghong stated firmly, "I am willing to accept military tribunal judgment after this operation! But right now, the mid-level beasts are closing in on the lower city! This poses a serious threat to the middle city! The fortress's main function is to supply resources to the entire front line! According to the commander’s manual, protecting the fortress's main function is our priority!"
The governor leaned back in his chair, and the ministers whispered among themselves, with Zhou Meiying hesitating to speak.
The governor asked in a deep voice: "Is there no other way..."
"I oppose!" Zhou Zhengde stood up, glaring at Dongfang Zhenghong, "There is still a chance to counterattack!"
"With what to counterattack?"
Dongfang Zhenghong shouted quickly:
"Sending people down without firepower is just sending them to die! We haven't reserved heavy firepower inside the fortress, and the refusal of spiritual users to engage has left us without options! We can only buy time! If they break through the 45th floor... the elevator shafts in the middle city are too thin and could easily be breached! There are still general-level beasts behind, and they are adept at mental attacks! If they reach the 45th floor, everyone below the 38th floor could die!
"If it weren't for the implosion nuclear bomb destroying more than half of the fortress's production facilities, I would have chosen to use tactical nuclear weapons!"
"There are more than one secret passages from the 46th to the 49th floors! There are many shortcuts! It's easy to get down!"
Zhou Zhengde shouted quickly:
"We can arrange an elite team to rush into the 49th floor and use nuclear bombs to attack that gap!"
Dongfang Zhenghong shouted angrily: "There are thousands of beasts near that gap, and more are pouring out! Below is a nest!"
"But they are still alive!"
Zhou Zhengde shouted urgently:
"They only have the right to live! In the lower city, they only have the right to live! We clearly haven't reached a dead end!"
Dongfang Zhenghong yelled: "We must minimize losses to the fortress's main body; this is our responsibility to the human side of the front line! General-level beasts approaching the middle city will cause irreversible catastrophic consequences!"
"We've confirmed that this general-level beast hasn't fully matured!"
"You're betting on greater casualties! There's no room for error in the war against the beasts!"
"Never give up hope on the battlefield! This is what you taught me, teacher! I repeat, we haven't reached a dead end yet!"
"Governor!"
Dongfang Zhenghong turned to the projection screen:
"I demand an immediate push for the collapse combat plan!"
Click, click, click.
Bullets were loaded.
A handgun was aimed at Dongfang Zhenghong's shoulder.
"I will take all the consequences for this," Zhou Zhengde breathed heavily, "but for now, please do not activate the collapse plan! Arrange an assault to try once! For those tens of thousands of humans!"
Dongfang Zhenghong slowly turned around, suddenly reaching out and snatching the handgun away. In just a few movements, the gun was disassembled and fell to the ground, followed by a punch.
Zhou Zhengde was hit squarely on the chin, his body leaning back as he fell to the ground, knocked unconscious.
"If it weren't for your last name being Zhou, I'd have killed you right now! You brat! This move! I used to play it on your grandfather when I was young!"
Dongfang Zhenghong took a deep breath and looked at the governor and several ministers.
"Governor! The collapse plan needs to check all the explosive points! It requires at least ten minutes of preparation! The general-level beasts will reach the gap in eleven minutes; now, please approve..."
"Cough!"
A sudden dry cough echoed in the command vehicle.
In the supply station of Area C outside the fortress, Sister Wan was holding her forehead.
She didn't know if letting Wan Xiaoqi help Wang Zheng access the command vehicle's loudspeaker system was the right choice.
But now, Sister Wan felt she could trust this amazing young man once.
Wang Jixuan's voice came through the command vehicle, and the governor and several ministers heard it too.
"This is the black storm, Commander."
Dongfang Zhenghong frowned and said, "I know. What do you want to say?"
"The gap you mentioned is at the 49th floor, in the Black Fire Gang's territory, an oval hole slanted at about five to six meters in diameter?"
At that moment, Wang Jixuan was holding onto a metal frame on the ceiling of the 49th floor.
Above him was a ventilation duct, opened up by the gang, usually used for "transporting goods," and it was also the fastest way to reach the 49th floor.
Wang Jixuan watched the distant horde of beasts, the invisibility talisman on him flickering with a faint glow.
"Yes, yes," Dongfang Zhenghong asked, "What does that mean?"
"I'm here."
"You... why are you there?"
"An impulse, but since I'm here... it was me who asked Zhou Zhengde to stop you. His actions may have been a bit extreme, but please don't punish him under military law."
Wang Jixuan simply said:
"I can confirm now that I can block that gap, at least until the deep sea arrives.
"You can organize the defense on the 46th floor; I will try to hold off that general-level beast, and also... most of the beasts rushing out are immature bodies, so the situation isn't as desperate as it seems.
"The residents of the lower city have already suffered greatly; if we can save them, we should."
Dongfang Zhenghong: ...
Everyone in the command vehicle: ...
The governor and several ministers: ...
Wang Jixuan anxiously reminded:
"Remember, don't let the spiritual users reach the lower city. Delete all my combat data and what I've said now. If I faint from exhaustion later, I hope my battle sister will take care of me the whole time; I still have a bunch of alien technology I haven't had the chance to show you."
With a hiss,
Wang Jixuan cut off the call, removed his headset, and opened the front visor of his helmet.
"This time, I really might go crazy... so be it!"
Silver needles floated around him, then pierced into his forehead, heart, and dantian.
[Medical Secret: Heaven's Full Treasure Record!]
[Magic Art: Demon Luo Heavenly Evil Technique!]
The evil technique absorbed the power of the soul, temporarily reaching the primordial spirit state and gaining primordial spirit power!
The Dao technique "True Spirit Song" kept him awake, preventing him from falling into madness during the fight!
Wang Jixuan let out a long howl, his figure holding the gun plummeting like a comet straight into that gap, gunfire sweeping through the scattered limbs!
The spiritual energy within a two-kilometer radius surged toward this place!
(End of this chapter)