Chapter 106 – Discovery

Volume 3: Rising Winds and Clouds

"Open a channel to Wen Yu!"

The communications officer beside Fang Wenhai had remained in the Central Castle, relaying battle orders. He immediately connected to Wen Yu's communicator.

Static crackled across the channel. Then the sounds of violent combat and Wen Yu's voice came from the other end.

"What is it?"

…

The group led by Wen Yu was not moving quickly.

The Bipedal Lizards had clearly planned this final offensive long in advance.

Wen Yu did not know their exact numbers, but the endless creatures emerging from underground told him enough. The number of Level 4 Bipedal Lizards beneath the battlefield had exceeded all imagination.

He even suspected they had hollowed out the entire stretch of ground beneath Demon City.

After casually blasting apart another Level 4 Bipedal Lizard, Wen Yu picked up his vibrating communicator.

"What is it?"

"This is Fang Wenhai. How long before you reach the Outpost?"

"Close to three hours. We're moving too slowly, and there are far too many Bipedal Lizards!"

Wen Yu kept fighting as he spoke.

Throb fired without pause. With Wen Yu's Physical Attribute at 965 Points in his Combat State, the weapon possessed terrifying power. As his Physical Attribute had grown, the strength of Soul Strike had risen to a frightening level as well. Throb's amplification increased it still further.

Any Level 4 Bipedal Lizard even grazed by one of Throb's bullets was doomed.

"The Outpost needs support… We can't hold much longer…"

Wen Yu fell silent.

If the Outpost fell, every Warrior outside it would be trapped inside the Treasure Land. The only exit lay within the Outpost.

To escape, they would have to carve a path through a vast mass of Level 5 Bipedal Lizards.

The difficulty needed no explanation.

"The Outpost cannot fall. I'll head back now. But there are several hundred soldiers from the front behind me. What happens to them?"

"I'll send you Kuangliu's position. Link up with him first and have him escort those people back to the Outpost. Then travel alone and reinforce us as quickly as possible!"

"Understood."

Wen Yu ended the call. The current position of Kuangliu's squad had been transmitted from the Outpost to the tablet in his hand. He studied it and quickly plotted a route.

Soon, Wen Yu changed direction at the head of the formation, and the entire column advanced rapidly toward Kuangliu.

…

More and more Bipedal Lizards climbed over all four walls into the Outpost. Fang Wenhai paced the main conference room, unable to think of a solution.

Reports from across the city arrived without pause.

"Eastern Sector Six has fallen. The survivors have withdrawn to Eastern Sector Five. Casualties cannot be estimated, and large numbers of soldiers remain trapped in Sector Six."

"Western Sector Thirteen has fallen. No. 10 is missing and presumed dead…"

"The northern line in Sector Ten is holding after Heavy Shield Guard Reinforcements arrived, but casualties are severe."

Each new report added to the pressure in Fang Wenhai's chest.

"At this rate, every Warrior in the Outpost will be dead within twenty minutes," the staff officer beside him said. "Then the Central Castle will fall, and Reinforcements from outside will no longer be able to enter."

Fang Wenhai sighed heavily.

"I have no answer either… Without modern weapons, the strength of the two sides isn't remotely comparable."

He rubbed his brow and rapidly steadied himself before turning to the messenger.

"Order every front to hold its position for at least another half hour. Deploy the Suicide Squad."

The Suicide Squad was a special combat unit the Military had formed within the Outpost. Its members were powerful people who had committed serious offenses and been assigned to face the most dangerous situations.

The unit had originally been intended for another purpose, but the crisis could no longer wait.

After ordering its deployment, Fang Wenhai continued.

"Tell everyone to prepare to detonate the nuclear weapon at any moment."

Once the words left his mouth, all strength seemed to drain from him. He dropped into a chair and breathed heavily.

The Military had prepared countermeasures from the moment the Bipedal Lizard pyramid emerged from Demon City.

According to Tactical Command's original projections, the remaining forces at the Outpost might not defeat the Bipedal Lizards, but they should have been able to hold for an hour. That calculation was precisely why Lin Haifeng had transferred so many Class Holders and special operations units into the Outpost Treasure Land.

But the Military had underestimated the killing power of Level 5 Bipedal Lizards and the weakness of modern weapons against Demonic Creatures.

The battle had gone far beyond Tactical Command's projections.

Detonating a nuclear weapon inside the Outpost was the last option left to them.

Conflict flashed across the communications officer's face when he heard the order. Then he saluted decisively and relayed it.

Fang Wenhai stared blankly at the explosions flashing beyond the windows. Images of Wen Yu and Kuangliu in battle filled his mind.

"If either one of you were here… perhaps it wouldn't be this bad…"

Before he could finish his thought, the communications officer returned with an important report from the forward observers.

"Sir, the Demonic Creature leading the Bipedal Lizards has crossed the wall."

Fang Wenhai's eyes lit up.

…

"Which direction?"

"The eastern wall!"

Fang Wenhai rapidly considered the Demon Seed's position, then turned to the officer.

"What about the missiles?"

"The missile units evacuated the Outpost ahead of the others."

Fang Wenhai nodded in understanding. Technical troops were difficult to train after the Apocalypse and naturally had to be preserved first. It was merely unfortunate that they could no longer reduce the controller to pulp with a missile.

What Fang Wenhai did not know was that the threat of the Military's long-range firepower was precisely why the Demon Seed had entered the Outpost instead of remaining outside, where it could become a target for missiles-or even nuclear weapons.

By the Demon Seed's calculations, the Military would hardly bomb its own people.

"Change the Suicide Squad's objective. Have them break through the Bipedal Lizards to the east immediately. Tell the Shadow Assassin Squad to kill their controller if an opportunity appears. Notify No. 8 and have him act as circumstances demand. Issue them Micro-Nukes!"

The communications officer hurried from the room as Fang Wenhai's hope steadily rose.

"If we can kill the Demonic Creature controlling the Bipedal Lizards… the swarm may collapse outright…"

"Unlikely," the tactical commander beside him said calmly. "But it should create some disorder."

Fang Wenhai nodded.

"What if it works?"