Chapter 101 – The Three Special Operations Units

Volume 3: Rising Winds and Clouds

The situation at the Outpost was unfolding exactly as Wen Yu had predicted.

It was about to become an enormous slaughterhouse.

After the Military's fortifications and the arrival of its reinforcements, the Outpost had been transformed into a massive fortress of Steel.

Powerful Modified Version heavy weapons lined the towering wall. Within the city, countless missile vehicles launched one barrage after another.

Soldiers and weapons poured continuously into the Outpost, sustaining its firepower.

Several hundred more members of the Armored Clone Corps had also arrived. Under Wei Tian's control, they charged toward the approaching enemy.

Three Class Holders now stood beside Fang Wenhai atop the wall.

The first was Shen Yi, Captain of the Mana Mage Special Operations Unit, which had been the first to arrive.

The Military controlled many different Treasure Lands. Some produced large quantities of Hidden Class Change Scrolls.

Mana Mage was one such special Class, obtained from a large Treasure Land under Military control.

The Military possessed more than modern weapons. It had reacted faster to the Apocalypse than anyone else and changed just as rapidly. Even as it poured resources into developing modern weaponry, it had never stopped exploring and applying Classes and the Exchange Pillar.

Beside Shen Yi stood a Burly Man more than two meters tall, almost a giant, carrying a shield in one hand and a short axe in the other.

Such height and bulk were exceedingly rare among East Asian men.

This was Cao Ling, Captain of the Heavy Shield Guard Special Operations Unit, the most defense- and melee-oriented of the Military's three special-Class units.

Cao Ling was discussing the front-line battle plan with Fang Wenhai, occasionally offering suggestions of his own.

Shen Yi watched from the side and curled his lip.

"Cao Ling really knows how to put on an act, like he understands any of this…" he muttered. "We all know each other. Who's he trying to fool?"

It was no surprise Shen Yi said so. Cao Ling had been specially recruited by the Military only after the Apocalypse. Before that, he had slaughtered pigs for a living. Claiming he possessed any military expertise would be a joke.

Though Shen Yi spoke quietly, Cao Ling still caught most of it. He turned and glared, only for Shen Yi to answer with his middle finger.

Fang Wenhai coughed twice at the sight.

The two men did not look particularly friendly. In truth, Fang Wenhai knew they had been close ever since joining the first cohort of Military Super Soldiers. This was no more than banter between friends.

The stern-faced middle-aged man standing nearby spoke instead.

"What do you need us to do?"

Fang Wenhai nodded.

"Our intelligence suggests there may be a controller among the Bipedal Lizards. Once the battle begins, we may need you to assassinate their leader…"

He hesitated briefly but said nothing more. He simply looked at the man who had spoken.

The middle-aged man gave a slight nod.

"It is our duty."

The Shadow Assassin Squad was the smallest of the Military's special operations units, numbering only a few dozen. But its assassination capabilities were second to none. Fang Wenhai trusted them with a mission like this.

After surveying the assembled Military forces once more, Fang Wenhai turned to the communications officer.

"How long before Kuangliu and Wen Yu make it back?"

"Possibly several hours. The return route is difficult."

Fang Wenhai nodded and asked another question.

"When can the Treasure Land entrance reopen?"

"It may take more than an hour. Kaldor is working on it now, and Commander Lin has already coordinated with the other countries."

Fang Wenhai silently calculated after hearing both reports, then addressed everyone.

"Then from this moment on, our task is to defend the Outpost for at least one hour. Even if the Outpost falls, we cannot allow these Demonic Creatures to breach the Central Castle."

"Don't worry. With us here, it'll be easy!" Shen Yi declared.

Despite his words, the grave expression on his face showed how seriously he took the situation.

Cao Ling nodded as well.

"Defense is our specialty."

Fang Wenhai said nothing. He watched the approaching Bipedal Lizards and murmured, "It's starting…"

…

The sky-blotting missile barrage caused little damage now that the Bipedal Lizards had spread out.

An individual Level 5 creature could already shrug off much of the power of modern weaponry.

Missiles were destructive, but unless one struck a Bipedal Lizard directly on the head, neither the blast wave nor the flames alone could kill it.

Their terrifying reproductive ability made matters worse. Every dead Level 5 Bipedal Lizard rapidly transformed into Level 4 Bipedal Lizards. The bombardment was actually increasing their numbers.

Through a sky filled with artillery fire and smoke, the Bipedal Lizards rapidly closed on the Military's first defensive line.

A line made of land mines.

…

Boom!

Boom!

BOOM!

Explosions raced across the ground in front of the Outpost. Flame and shrapnel erupted into the air, carving vicious wounds across the first Bipedal Lizards to charge forward.

Unfortunately, the damage was limited.

Researchers at the Academy of Sciences had improved the mines, but they still lacked the destructive power needed to kill Level 5 creatures.

The first wave of Demonic Creatures tore the minefield apart.

Fang Wenhai's eyelid twitched. The Captains of the three special operations units beside him, who had previously seen Bipedal Lizards only in video footage, had long since lost their frivolous expressions.

"Level 5 creatures…" Cao Ling said gravely.

"Can you stop them?" Shen Yi asked.

Cao Ling shook his head.

He knew the question was not about the mines. Shen Yi was asking whether the entire Heavy Shield Guard Special Operations Unit could hold.

"It will be extremely difficult. Only a few members of the unit are Level 4 Class Holders, and they were promoted very recently. We will struggle to withstand a charge from Level 5 creatures."

"You hold even if you can't," Fang Wenhai answered, his tone grave and unwavering.

Cao Ling remained silent for a moment, then nodded.