Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 112: Luo Duan’s Plan

It was like stepping over a fence and crushing a group of ants with the sole of a shoe.

Luo Duan thought he would hesitate or feel a sense of satisfaction. In reality, he felt nothing at all. People gathered in fear not far away, but he couldn’t sense anything. He tried to imagine his fiancée’s face, but his mind was blank. His heart felt like it was encased in mud, hardened, and incapable of beating.

At this moment, there was only one thing on Luo Duan’s mind—he came to destroy this city, so he should give it his all to destroy this city.

Was he using Sigma, or had Sigma already assimilated him as part of an Erosion Swamp? Perhaps the “Luo Duan” as a human had long died, and he was just a corpse replaced by an Erosion Swamp.

But this question wasn’t important. The central square was right in front of them. As long as they killed everyone here, the three major families would lose their foundation and no longer have a reason to persist.

The biggest threat to him was Shu Jun, and Shu Jun was already severely injured. The second most threatening person might be Zhu Yanchen, but unfortunately, this person had hidden too well, and Luo Duan didn’t gather much information about him.

…It didn’t matter. In the face of the situation, even if Zhu Yanchen was a genius, he couldn’t save a dead city. Luo Duan just needed to take this final step steadily.

Sigma was very cautious. It didn’t rush forward immediately but instead avoided the purifiers surrounding the square and formed a circle with its massive body. It turned the side with long arms inward, restless just outside the purification circle.

Naturally, humans wouldn’t give up at this time. The soldiers protected the civilians on the outside and fiercely attacked those arms while the purifiers were still functioning. The combat was clean and neat, with the command likely coming from Marshal Zhu.

But it didn’t matter.

Luo Duan quietly commanded Sigma to disperse all non-combat abilities, utilizing the thick erosion around to create more Erosion Swamps with brains. These Erosion Swamps didn’t need to be highly combat-capable; they just needed to push forward and tear open a gap in the solid purification circle.

With that, Sigma’s brain became much smaller, deeply buried within its body, making it harder to find.

For a moment, the scene resembled a nightmare.

The once prosperous Y City was mostly destroyed, with the outer buildings completely devastated, transformed into desolate swamps under Sigma’s crushing force, leaving behind only some remnants of broken walls. The city center stood alone, firmly encircled by Sigma in its core, as if the entire city were a rat being strangled by a python.

More Erosion Swamps with brains rushed forward, each displaying peculiar abilities, sizzling and depleting the energy of the purifiers. Humans had no retreat, and this layer of defense was on the verge of being peeled open—

Suddenly, a missile flew from the direction of the command center.

It wasn’t large in size but packed a powerful punch, directly exploding on a part of Sigma’s body, reducing that small section of its form to erosion substance.

Luo Duan was hidden in the palm of Sigma’s hand. Through the enormous gaps between the black fingers, he gloomily looked outward—if it was just a random explosion, it wouldn’t be a problem. The surrounding erosion substance had piled up to a terrifying degree, and Sigma could repair the wounds at any time. But if its brain was hit by an explosion, things would become uncertain.

He made a gesture, and the erosion downpour in the city center intensified. The rain of death mercilessly fell, leaving gray spots on people’s skin with each impact.

While Shu Jun hadn’t recovered yet, speed and decisiveness were of the essence—currently, it seemed that humans hadn’t had their new weapons for long, and their stockpile of missiles wasn’t impressive.

Just as Luo Duan thought about this, another missile exploded. It didn’t blindly bombard but exploded near Sigma’s brain and got closer and closer to it.

…Who is it?

Another missile attacked, this time grazing Sigma’s brain, making Luo Duan’s heart tighten. Relying on his years of combat experience, he had a bad premonition.

“Hurry!” He ordered Sigma.

The humans inside the circle were still fighting desperately, whether with suppression weapons or purifiers, their energy wasn’t depleted. Sigma extended numerous arms, attempting to grab the people on the square. Its fingers barely touched the outer perimeter of the square before being scorched and swiftly retracted.

His plan was proceeding systematically but advancing carried risks. However, at this point, he couldn’t retreat anymore.

Luo Duan lowered his voice, instructing Sigma to shift the position of its brain while also requesting the repositioning of the surrounding Erosion Swamps with brains. The attack had to be accelerated; delaying in war never led to good results.

Sigma had no way to deal with the hot potato in front of it and could only obey Luo Duan’s advice. With the positions of the Erosion Swamps with brains changing, it threw the soldiers fighting against them into disarray. Sigma took the opportunity to shrink the encircling circle, bringing its body closer to the purification boundary. Finally, under the fierce assault of the Erosion Swamps with brains, signs of collapse began to appear on one side of the encirclement.

Excellent. Just a few more minutes, and he would hear the desperate cries of humans before their deaths.

Luo Duan tensed his nerves and whispered into Sigma’s ear without pause. But just as he focused on adjusting the formation, something unexpected happened.

A black wolf emerged from the surface of an Erosion Swamp, leaping from behind Sigma and pouncing fiercely with the wind.

It had condensed the erosion from the surrounding swamps, becoming larger than the previous black wolf. Its bite almost reached Sigma’s body, narrowly missing the brain. Sigma reacted violently, twisting its body as countless black hands reached out toward the black wolf.

However, the black wolf agilely dodged, leaping high and then lunging down for another bite. This time, the attack was accompanied by other actions—more vines sprouted from the ground, binding Sigma’s body in that area and slowing down its movements.

The binding speed was more than three times faster than before.

Luo Duan was momentarily stunned, unable to figure out how Shu Jun accomplished this. The black wolf’s movements were swift and smooth, full of energy, and didn’t resemble the actions of an injured creature at all.

A sense of foreboding grew stronger. Before he could utter the word “retreat”, the fourth missile exploded squarely hitting the edge of Sigma’s brain.

While Sigma’s attention was diverted, the soldiers on the square also took action. A group of people armed with suppression weapons rushed forward, fearlessly attacking Sigma’s body. Even if Sigma wanted to shift the position of its brain, with the nearby body constantly sustaining injuries, it couldn’t suppress its instinctive reaction to protect its brain and would once again expose its position.

Not to mention that Shu Jun was lurking nearby, ready to take a bite at Sigma at any moment. From the beginning, humans weren’t playing a defensive game. From Shu Jun’s “retreat” to leading Sigma to the square and exposing its body in front of the command center, everything had been calculated.

What a trap. Luo Duan held his breath. Whoever made the move—regardless of who they were—understood the Erosion Swamp as well as he did.

This couldn’t go on. Once Sigma’s brain suffered severe damage, its abilities would be dangerously hindered.

From a pessimistic perspective, they didn’t have much time left.

Sigma didn’t think so deeply. It was being attacked quite intensely, with numerous black hands flailing around it. A distorted humanoid form emerged from the palm of the black hand, urging Luo Duan with discontent.

“What should we do?” it asked stiffly and discontentedly. “What should we do?”

“It’s alright,” Luo Duan took a deep breath and reassured Sigma. “The abilities I asked you to prepare, are they ready?”

“They are ready,” it replied matter-of-factly. “Do you want me to use them?”

Luo Duan looked at the crooked-nosed and squinty-eyed humanoid figure with a complex expression and found himself unable to speak for a moment.

Sigma couldn’t grasp the deep meaning behind it and continued explaining, “Humans are really dangerous. I’m willing to use them.”

“…I know. Trust me. We will definitely not lose this battle. The plan remains the same; we’ll follow the previous agreement.”

Luo Duan stopped the torrential rain of erosion outside and signaled for Sigma to lift him up. The movements of the black wolf paused, and it didn’t attack him.

“Shu Jun,” Luo Duan said wearily, “I have something to say.”

Although the downpour had stopped, Sigma’s hands continued flailing, and the surroundings were still filled with rumbling noise. The black wolf stared at him emotionlessly, neither confirming nor denying.

“You can remotely control this wolf, right? However, when your original body is away, this wolf becomes very clumsy.” Luo Duan sighed. “Just now, you slipped away during our conversation, and then Sigma destroyed the wolf… It was all to make me believe that ‘you must control your erosion creation from within’. You deliberately revealed yourself inside the monster in front of the humans to make me believe that.”

The act began since the Synth-Human pretend war. Shu Jun knew he was watching, and it was intentional.

“You pretended to be defeated by me, assuming that I would misjudge the situation and think that you were using the ’empty city strategy’ to lure Sigma deeper. You knew very well that the central square was filled with humans, and driven by my revenge, I would choose to eliminate the people in front of me first before tormenting the three major families.”

“…You succeeded. Sigma and I were led here. In order to surround the crowd and press the human defenses, Sigma stretched its body and became the most easily analyzable ring shape. Next, your collaborator could launch missiles from the command center to analyze the position of Sigma’s brain. Once Sigma is eliminated, according to your abilities, you can slowly cleanse the surrounding erosion.”

The black wolf exhaled, narrowing its eyes. Shu Jun crouched down, assuming an attacking posture. “You understand it well. So, what’s your move? Are you ready to surrender?”

Luo Duan chuckled.

“Do you think I went through all this trouble talking to you because I wanted to surrender?”

The black wolf remained silent.

“When I was clear-headed, I never won against you, and now I wouldn’t dare to make any guarantees.” As Luo Duan spoke, his feet were caught in Sigma’s claws; his skin touching it, resembling a collapsed humanoid figure. “Since the moment I decided to attack, I’ve considered the possibility of losing.”

Sigma halted its digging motion. Its originally flat body showed signs of swelling.

Luo Duan stared at Shu Jun; his pupils devoid of any luster, resembling erosion substance. “Calculating the time, it should be about right.”

Without the noise from Sigma, their voices were clear, and the people on the square could hear them clearly.

“…What do you mean by ‘about right’?”

“There was once a powerful player who had a similar desire before his death—together with the destruction of the world, as death was too painful. Care to guess what ability he left behind?”

The fur on the black wolf instantly stood on end.

“If Sigma dissolves in place, you can take your time dealing with the erosion. But if Sigma ‘self-destructs’, there won’t be anything left of those purifiers as well as the command center… Oh, perhaps you may survive, but there won’t be anyone else. It’s a pity that now, it’s well-prepared, and the self-destruct ability has been successfully activated.”

“You—”

“That’s my plan.” Luo Duan spread his arms and raised his voice. “Now, let me reveal something that human researchers can’t possibly know—the Erosion Swamp is much more selfless than humans. It releases enough erosion with neural activity that even if it disappears, the next Sigma will emerge.”

The black wolf bared its teeth, anxiously tapping its paws. The people on the square seemed frozen, motionless.

“Your collaborator hasn’t fired yet. Is there only one missile left? You can stop this tragedy, if you want to… Just give up your humanoid form, take control of this massive Erosion Swamp, and become the new Sigma. Guess what? Will that final missile hit you?”

Luo Duan stood calmly in the palm of the black hand, overlooking the nearby crowd, and a hint of satisfaction finally appeared on his face.

The black wolf shook in place.

“Choose, Shu Jun,” Luo Duan said softly. “No matter how you choose this time, you won’t win.”

“I have only one question left. How do you guarantee that if I take over, I will be able to take over Sigma’s brain?”

Luo Duan clearly didn’t like this question, and his expression became complex. “Before the self-destruction begins, to avoid pain, Sigma’s existing brain will enter into a dormant state. It won’t compete with you, Shu Jun. Are you really going to do this for these humans?”

“I understand,” the black wolf interrupted, looking at the swelling Erosion Swamp, quickly and calmly answering. “Hmm, you don’t seem to be lying in this situation.”

He didn’t say anything more.

The giant wolf leaped high and plunged into the Erosion Swamp.

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<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 111: Nosedive

Most of the monsters failed to enter Y City with Yi Ning’s defense and the maneuvering of the main military force. Unfortunately, the military was no better than a sieve; there were still scattered few that managed to breach the feeble protective walls.

To achieve this result, 70% of the soldiers perished on the battlefield. Yi Ning himself hadn’t left the front line and suffered severe injuries as well. The floating spheres had blown off his right arm, and the right side of his body was entirely affected—his upper body suffered extensive erosion, his right eye was blinded by the erosion contamination, and the right side of his face was blown into a bloody mess.

He hung on by a thread, but shortly after Zhu Yanchen returned, Yi Ning lost consciousness.

Zhu Yanchen couldn’t relax either. They had only taken down the three most threatening Erosion Swamps with brains in advance, and Luo Duan would soon discover this. Sigma could still create more Erosion Swamps with brains. Even without specialized war capabilities, their threat level was several times higher than that of ordinary Erosion Swamps just by virtue of having sentiency.

Not to mention the ordinary Erosion Swamps that continued to gather inside the city. This was the outskirts of Y City, and the originally clean ground was covered in black, viscous liquid, nearly reaching people’s ankles, with a noticeable thickening trend. Ordinary Erosion Swamps were still gathering, creating a favorable combat environment for Erosion Swamps with brains.

And most of the people inside the city were civilians. Not to mention combat capabilities, it was uncertain whether their mentality could remain stable.

The same tactics were unlikely to work a second time, and even if Sigma released Shu Jun, he couldn’t make the erosion substance on the ground disappear instantly. Zhu Yanchen made a decisive decision. “Retreat into the city. Send the wounded to medical facilities, and the remaining forces will join the city guard!”

The morale of this remnant force changed—including the command group—compared to the initial confusion and helplessness. Their eyes carried more desolation and heaviness.

And a numbness towards death.

No one questioned it. Yi Ning had fought hard. With only the remaining 30% of the forces guarding outside the city, the situation resembled scattering grains of rice to feed pigeons, sparse and unable to defend anything.

The situation inside the city wasn’t optimistic either.

To prevent greater panic, Xia Liang disguised herself as Dong Lao and led the team to guard the most heavily invaded western side. Zhu Sheng was responsible for gathering everyone—Erosion Swamps continuously surged in, occasionally accompanied by strange individuals with peculiar abilities. They easily shattered the protective glass or crawled in through the ventilation ducts.

As the most prosperous city, the design of the residential areas in Y City was exceptionally reasonable. However, no matter how reasonable the everyday defenses were, they couldn’t withstand a real natural disaster. Sturdy walls developed cracks; vibrant paint turned into mottled gray. The black erosion substance flooded the sewers, submerging the ground floor steps. Newly formed Erosion Swamps with brains floated in the thick erosion substance, resembling leeches swimming in water.

They climbed up the floors, searching for the scent of the living. The outermost residential buildings were instantly covered in these peculiar “Erosion Swamp clusters”, leaving winding traces of erosion on the exterior of each floor.

The aborigines in the city center could no longer hide in their homes. They had to carry their valuable belongings and take care of each other as they left. Some people hurriedly left without protecting their shoes, so they wrapped their feet with protective cloth and wore ordinary protective shoes to step into the eroded ground. The erosion seeped into the shoes through the poorly sealed gaps, slowly and steadily devouring the skin.

At first, some people screamed in pain, but as the crowd gathered, the cries of pain gradually faded away.

No one would come to rescue them, and death still pursued them. If they left a little later, Erosion Swamps would fall from the rooftops, creating a splash of darkness. Anyone who ran slowly would be engulfed by these peculiar swamps, losing their lives.

Even if their flesh rotted off their feet, leaving only bones, people could only run.

The military inside the city tried to maintain order and get as many people on the vehicles as possible. The open trucks had limited space, and most people tightly held onto their most valuable possessions, covering their heads as they squeezed in. No one was willing to let go. The soldiers had no choice but to fire warning shots, forcing people to line up and only allowing them to keep the luggage they could hold on their knees.

The unique bitter taste of the erosion substance mixed with the smell of blood. Once people were seated in the vehicles, they began to sob—regardless of gender or age, everyone had red eyes.

At the beginning of the disaster, they cursed the United Government and the synthetic humans. Monsters and natural disasters were unrelenting, and everyone knew that. However, at this stage, no one wanted to blame anything anymore. When death was right under their noses, everyone understood what “panic-stricken” meant.

Now, all minds were pondering one thing—how to survive this disaster.

The nearby high-rise buildings had long been occupied by those who lived close by, and the latecomers were transported to the central square by vehicles. This place was adjacent to the command center, where the anti-erosion measures were the best. At this point, people didn’t even hope for a roof over their heads; they only knew to huddle together in a dark mass, as if the tighter they clung to each other, the safer they would be.

The pits dug out by the synthetic humans now resembled air-raid shelters. The United Government had added several layers using the terrain they created, turning them into protective bunkers.

Looking down from above, the square was filled with people, resembling a swarm of ants during a flood.

The survivors were mostly those who obediently stayed at home. As for those who lived on the outskirts or went out for various reasons, it was unlikely that even a complete body could be found now.

The purifiers hummed around the square as Dong Lao led the city garrison to constantly patrol, fending off countless Corpse Parasites.

“The situation is unbearable. The mutant beasts are manageable, but we can’t clean up the Erosion Swamps.” She furrowed her brow and contacted Zhu Yanchen. “If things continue like this, we’ll be worn down sooner or later. We must kill Sigma as soon as possible.”

“I understand,” Zhu Yanchen replied briefly.

“From the current situation, even Shu Jun can’t handle it. What are you planning to do?”

“Continue the retreat.”

Xia Liang’s words became a prophecy. Although Shu Jun was powerful, he lacked experience in fighting as a monster. Sigma had existed for at least a hundred years or more and, in a sense, was a natural beast. Seeing Zhu Yanchen leading the troops to retreat, it instinctively advanced, slowly extending its body.

The huge Erosion Swamp that was forced to shrink now expanded. Sigma released its body, making it look like a black wolf trying to fight against the waves of the sea. Its front paw was quickly torn away, and Shu Jun hurriedly repaired it with erosion substance, but the repair speed couldn’t keep up with Sigma’s destructive speed.

Zhu Yanchen’s army withdrew, so Sigma didn’t even need to worry about being injured by the suppression weapons. It stretched satisfactorily, earnestly tearing apart the black wolf in front of it, trying to peel away Shu Jun wrapped within.

Luo Duan stood at a high point, coldly watching as one building after another collapsed.

He had a rough assessment of the current situation—Shu Jun’s physical and mental strength were limited, and the black wolf had at most this much power. In terms of tactics, Captain Shu still had a chance to win. But in the face of absolute strength, cleverness meant nothing.

Shu Jun still lacked a bit of experience. His abilities were most likely inclined toward control and pacification, severing the active erosion from the Erosion Swamp and entering a state similar to sleep. Such an ability was more suited for healing rather than the battlefield. It could only protect Shu Jun from harm, but if Shu Jun couldn’t make contact with Sigma’s brain, this ability would be useless.

As for the other abilities—whether it was the “Mirror” that could mimic the appearance of things or the “Vines” that could control the form of the erosion, they had no killing power against an Erosion Swamp.

If all the synthetic humans attacked together, Luo Duan would be more worried. But they only had to deal with Shu Jun, which was more akin to a mantis trying to hold back a vehicle.

The black wolf stood in a sorry state opposite Sigma, resembling a three-month-old puppy compared to the still relatively vigorous Sigma. Since the encounter with Sigma, Shu Jun had been in a state of high-intensity combat, and they both knew that such a situation couldn’t last forever.

The situation was slowly reversing, proving that Y City still wasn’t prepared.

“I gave you a chance.” Luo Duan sighed. “You could have gone to save our compatriots, but you chose this side.”

“I have already taken most of our compatriots to a safe place, guided by Hu Yan.” Shu Jun’s voice sounded somewhat unstable. “As for those who stayed in the settlement, I believe in them.”

“A safe place? Without relying on the settlement, without food and water, how long can over twenty thousand people last?” Luo Duan’s expression was devoid of emotion. “There’s a limit to self-deception.”

“If you really care about them so much, you can take Sigma and leave.” Shu Jun sneered, and the black wolf trembled slightly. “I know you haven’t used your full power at all. You’re just observing the human response. Now you’ve seen what you needed to see—if you really want to leave, don’t mention me. Even if the entire human army mobilizes, they can’t stop you.”

“The deserted city strategy worked well. When I realized I was surrounded, I did feel nervous for a few seconds.” Luo Duan’s anger was still evident in his tone. “As for your suggestion… If you were in my shoes, would you leave now after losing three important abilities?”

Shu Jun didn’t answer.

“I don’t know what kind of agreement you made with humans to make you so devoted. It’s truly regrettable. I thought you had some backbone, Shu Jun.”

Shu Jun still didn’t answer, which only made Luo Duan feel somewhat disappointed. The captain of the Blackbirds was always sharp-tongued and skilled in mocking others. But now, his silence made him appear even more lacking in spirit.

After a moment of silence, the black wolf’s posture relaxed slightly. Shu Jun seemed to be about to say something, but before he could speak, Sigma launched a surprise attack.

Erosion threads descended from above and tightened around Shu Jun. The black wolf frantically shook its fur, limping and dodging, quickly retreating into the city with one leg.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Sigma grabbed hold of the black wolf with several arms and forcefully threw it towards a building. The black wolf flew toward an empty residential area, directly crashing into and breaking two high-rise buildings. It left a large crater on the third building and slid to the ground, leaving behind huge splatters of erosion substance on the exterior of the building.

Shu Jun himself wasn’t severely injured, but the black wolf struggled a few times, attempting to stand up. Sigma shifted a part of its body, and several giant arms reached out, tearing the erosion-formed black wolf apart, as if ripping apart a cotton-stuffed doll.

Shu Jun lost the initiative. He was too anxious trying to fully restore the black wolf to its normal state before Sigma’s attack, so he could only reluctantly create a skeletal structure. The black wolf now looked like a dried-up corpse, and its movements became much clumsier.

It wanted to run away while also being afraid to escape, so it could only face Sigma with its incomplete eye sockets.

From this height, Luo Duan could see the crowded central square.

“How pitiful,” Luo Duan murmured, unsure who he was referring to.

Considering the purifiers around the square, Luo Duan didn’t immediately command Sigma to approach. The dark clouds churned even more violently, and the rainwater saturated with erosion substance obediently followed Luo Duan’s command, pouring down from the sky.

The black wolf attempted to move forward but was once again sent flying by Luo Duan. It wobbled, trying to stand up, but was impaled by Sigma’s sharp fingers.

Judging from the terrible state of the black wolf, Shu Jun himself had likely sustained significant injuries. After a brief hesitation, Luo Duan instructed Sigma to throw the black wolf toward the central square.

The black wolf, with its body almost broken, was ruthlessly thrown out and collided with the protective barrier erected by the purifiers. A large amount of erosion was purified and suppressed, turning the black wolf into a shattered mess, scattering pieces of erosion onto the square. Unfortunately, the chunks of erosion were barely purified and divided by the purification machines, so they didn’t harm many people.

Luo Duan didn’t pay too much attention to it. He had achieved his main objective—severely injuring Shu Jun and throwing him into an environment lacking erosion substance. As long as he remained within the purification circle, there would be no second black wolf appearing.

Even if they joined forces with the city’s military, the human forces inside the city seemed to be only half of what they were just outside the city. They surrounded the crowd in the center, despairingly watching as Sigma approached.

It was like facing an imminent hurricane or tsunami.

An excellent opportunity for attack, Luo Duan thought. However, since humans were able to eliminate those three sentient Erosion Swamps, they must have some tricks up their sleeves.

“Prepare for ‘Full Detonation’ just in case.” Luo Duan disregarded Shu Jun, who had fallen into the crowd, and spoke to Sigma. “You can proceed now… Come, eliminate them all.”

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The author has something to say:

The meat pad is gone, but it can be recreated!

Shu Ge: ?

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<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 110: Chaos

Immediately for people who had just returned from a specific settlement in Y City, Yu Jin followed Shu Jun’s request and gathered the remaining inhabitants to a large settlement east of the city. Those who had established underground strongholds in the settlements went into underground shelters.

Settlements had never been an easy crowd to persuade, and no one was willing to listen to Yu Jin’s empty words. It was only when members of the Old Fourth stepped forward that this matter was presented as such—for some unknown reason, several senior cadres from the Old Fourth remained outside the city and showed no intention of returning.

The settlements were close to the erosion zone, and the fog was dense. People across the entire Y City couldn’t see Sigma’s appearance. However, there was one change that was particularly noticeable. The number of mutant beasts that used to roam only near the boundaries of the erosion zone increased, and they frequently harassed the settlements.

Considering that many synthetic humans remained in the settlements, humans had weapons to suppress them. Several cadres from the Old Fourth remained, and the supplies brought by the caravan were sufficient, so the situation had been relatively good. Yu Jin wasn’t too concerned about the future of Y City; he and the others hid in the depths of the fog, hoping for everything to end soon.

Since Sigma approached, communication with Y City had been cut off. As the number of Erosion Swamps increased, the surroundings became increasingly dark and damp, with no trace of sunlight. Without clocks, no one could distinguish between day and night.

Yu Jin borrowed the influence of the Old Fourth and was promoted as the manager of this large temporary settlement. As someone who knew about the relationship between Shu Jun and Zhu Yanchen, he had some understanding. Even so, faced with the increasingly dense fog and the groups of mutant beasts, he couldn’t help but have the illusion that “perhaps he had already died and was suffering in hell.”

What was terrifying wasn’t Sigma’s proximity but the complete loss of communication. People outside Y City were trapped on an invisible island, hoarding limited food and waiting for an uncertain outcome.

As usual, Yu Jin led the team on patrol outside the town. Unlike before, the fiercely determined mutant beasts weren’t easily driven away this time. They stubbornly remained in place, unwilling to leave.

The cold and damp wind swept through the fog, carrying an indistinct stench. Yu Jin’s hair instinctively stood on end, and the chilling omen choked his throat. Sure enough, in the next second, countless Corpse Parasites scurried over the land, heading toward the temporary settlement.

Where there were Corpse Parasites, there must be Erosion Swamps following behind.

Did Shu Jun lose? Has Sigma already occupied Y City? Yu Jin’s head buzzed. Seeing the Corpse Parasites getting closer and closer, he abruptly clenched his thigh. “Retreat! Retreat back! Raise the purification wall and don’t charge blindly!”

Several young people who had obtained new weapons were eager to show off their skills, but upon hearing this, they reluctantly withdrew.

Yu Jin didn’t even advance a single step. After the patrol team started the engine of the mudsled, they quickly returned to the temporary settlement and reported the situation to everyone capable of fighting.

“Don’t try to be a hero. We’re not in the city where we can afford to lose a single pill of anti-erosion medicine. Life is the most precious. Unless absolutely necessary, no one should launch an attack on their own.” Yu Jin rambled on, “Self-preservation is the priority. Do you understand?”

This temporary settlement was originally the largest settlement east of the city, and naturally had underground bunkers, but unfortunately, they couldn’t accommodate everyone. Yu Jin and several skilled combat synthetics discussed it and decided that half of the people would enter the underground bunkers, guarded by the synthetics and young humans. The other half would try to reach high-rise buildings, while those with combat abilities would guard the lower floors.

The residents gathered the purifiers they had dismantled in one place. Although they couldn’t compare to military equipment and couldn’t drive away the Corpse Parasites and the Erosion Swamps that followed, they could at least disperse the erosion to some extent.

After several days of rolling fog, it cleared somewhat, revealing a horde of Corpse Parasites moving forward. They covered the ground densely, like a carpet with a peculiar pattern. Behind them was an endless swamp of Erosion Swamps. They slid like slugs, heading straight towards the temporary settlement.

Yu Jin had been working with the synthetic combat team for many years. He rarely ate pork, and the pigs only appeared every few days*. Judging by the scale, this group of Erosion Swamps wasn’t here for “food”; they were clearly being directed by something to come and exterminate humans.

*This is referring to the idiom: Haven’t eaten pork but seen pigs run (没吃过猪肉，也见过猪跑). It refers to one having not experienced or personally participated in something, but still having knowledge or understanding of it through observation or indirect exposure. || In this context, Yu Jin hasn’t fought directly against an Erosion Swamp, but only seen others do it (and now many are right in front of him).

It seemed that Y City was still intact, so Yu Jin breathed a sigh of relief.

If Sigma had already captured Y City, they wouldn’t need to bother much with this group of “inferior specimens”. They had no equipment reserves, let alone military firepower, and they couldn’t sustain themselves for long without food. If they were left alone, after ten days or half a month, they would end up killing themselves.

Since they were specifically targeted, rather than just being eradicated as a threat, this behavior seemed more like a “threat” itself. As for the target of the threat, it was either Zhu Yanchen or Shu Jun.

In that case, things were easier, Yu Jin thought bitterly—they had to hold onto this land; if that deadly couple won, these Erosion Swamps would naturally retreat. If Shu Jun and Zhu Yanchen lost… Well, it seemed they didn’t have a choice but to take each day as it came. Only a fool would go out on their own when surrounded by the Corpse Parasites.

“Stay put.” He lowered his voice. “I’ve communicated with the high-ranking members of Old Fourth. This situation is quite normal. Don’t worry. Wait a few days, and they will leave on their own!”

Yu Jin lied fluently.

Most of the settlement residents were unaware of Sigma’s situation or the details of the synthetics’ rebellion; they only knew that there were suddenly many Erosion Swamps surrounding them. As long as the Old Fourth vouched for it, stabilizing the situation temporarily wouldn’t be a problem.

After explaining a few more things, Yu Jin hung up the microphone, picked up his weapon for suppression, and couldn’t describe the feeling in his heart.

…He really didn’t like this kind of choice where there was no other option.

The people guarding the ventilation ducts and those guarding the lower floors became the first wave of victims in the assault.

Most of these people were young residents of the settlement, with only a few synthetics among them. Dealing with the Corpse Parasites was a delicate task. As long as the slightest flaw was revealed, they could crawl into the protective suits and bite through muscles and tendons. Once people lost their mobility, the Corpse Parasite would impersonate their muscles and control them to walk into the Erosion Swamp, drowning them in erosion substance.

The suppression weapons may be effective, but they couldn’t act on their own. Recharging, resting, even a moment of instability, or a seam in a piece of fabric, could lead to irreversible consequences.

Two hours passed, and thirty-four people perished to the Erosion Swamps.

“…Speed up the rotation. No one should stay outside for more than an hour. When outside, mental focus must be highly concentrated,” Yu Jin said, his eyes burning. “Before going out, protective suits must be inspected by at least two people. If we continue like this…”

Continuing like this wasn’t an option. Having walked in the erosion zone for many years, Yu Jin knew better than anyone. Faced with this situation, sacrifices were unavoidable.

“Don’t worry.” Someone from the Old Fourth raised their hand. They wore a regular face mask, and Yu Jin couldn’t tell their “rank”. “I have a suggestion.”

“What?”

“Operating the suppression weapons is straightforward, and for now, we don’t need to attack while guarding our position. I suggest expanding the selection range of defense personnel.”

“…” Yu Jin frowned.

“Not everyone might like this idea. To put it bluntly, it’s not entirely fair and square—I’ll be frank. Young people with combat capabilities are the most valuable fighting resources. Although this situation isn’t unexpected, we don’t have a clear sense of how long we can hold on. Supplies and medications are limited. I hope these people, including synthetic individuals, can be kept until the end.”

The young people not on duty exchanged glances, while the elderly residents in the settlement understood the implications of the cadre’s words. “What? Taking advantage of the situation, you want us, the half-buried ones, to go first?”

The cadre from the Old Fourth remained calm. “Including those who were already seriously ill and beyond treatment,” they said matter-of-factly.

“What are you saying?! The United Government treats us as disposable pawns, and you dare to play this game here?” The pressure was already making people irritable, and upon hearing these words, Yu Jin nearly exploded.

“It’s not compulsory.” The Old Fourth cadre ignored him. “For those who voluntarily come forward, I guarantee it in the name of the Old Fourth—once this storm passes, we’ll bear all the medical expenses for your loved ones. Of course, if no one comes forward, we’ll follow Yu Ge’s plan. I’m a businessman, and I’m not interested in preaching morality and righteousness to you. The previous batch of guards will be back for rest soon, and we still need at least fifty people for this building. Is anyone willing to make this deal?”

“Who’s willing to sacrifice their lives?” Yu Jin gritted his teeth. “Alright, you hurry—”

An old person took trembling steps forward.

“I’ll go in place of my son,” he said calmly. “Even though my son isn’t here… Will this method be extended to other hiding places?”

“Of course.”

“Old man, you—”

“The tumor in my belly is growing as fast as a fist, and I only have a few months left anyway. Xiao Yu, why are you in such a hurry? People are going to die anyway. If us old folks die, we can still earn a few more benefits. Isn’t that good too?”

Yu Jin’s face turned dark like the bottom of a pot. “But this is different…”

“Is it any different from the United Government? You’re splitting hairs here. Listen, I choose to sacrifice myself. Being forced to sacrifice by others is a completely different matter.” The old man waved his hand. “Don’t underestimate me, young one. Back in my day, I did the same job as you. Bring me the weapons. Let me have a look.”

One person stepped forward, quickly followed by a second and a third. Half an hour later, this peculiar group formed a complete formation.

There were elderly people and even young ones with terrifying deformities, and there were a few pale-faced teenagers. They had several things in common: they didn’t have much time left, they were physically capable, and their messages were similar.

“Take care of my family.” They registered their identities and then left behind the names and photos of their loved ones.

Yu Jin remained silent. A few minutes later, he slung his suppression weapon over his back and stood among the rotating team. The cadre from the Old Fourth raised an eyebrow at him through his mask.

“I brought these people, so I need to keep a close eye on them,” Yu Jin said with a grim expression. “They lack experience, and we need someone who understands the situation. I don’t want to hide like a coward.”

Then he took a deep breath. “If everyone survives, you will also be responsible for the expenses of their relatives. Got it?”

“Deal.”

Compared to the large settlement, the situation in the center of Y City was much worse. But the leader had a similar idea.

“I’ll lead the team in the forefront.” Yi Ning put an end to the command group’s argument with a single sentence.

“What did you say?!”

“No one here has combat experience with the Erosion Swamp.” For some reason, Yi Ning’s voice became cold. “Even if we discuss it on paper, I have more experience than any of you.”

“You’re going to your death—”

“Yes.” Yi Ning didn’t deny it. “Otherwise, what else? What can you discuss? …Wake up, there are no more synthetic humans!”

The once noisy command group fell silent, looking at him in confusion.

“This is not a competition for synthetic humans, and we are not spectators. We’re not fighting for some fucking points!”

Yi Ning, who had always been gentle and cultured, cursed for the first time.

“The reality is reality. We are completely helpless against what’s outside, and we don’t even know when Zhu Yanchen will arrive. All I know is that if we keep going like this, the outside soldiers will be drained dry sooner or later!”

“We need to discuss…” The person who tried to refute him lacked confidence. Yi Ning was stating the truth, but no one wanted to admit their own incompetence.

“Discuss? Discuss letting the enemy into the city center? After relying on synths for so long, have you all forgotten the definition of war? …We don’t get to choose the timing, and we can’t leisurely discuss some useless ‘self-preservation plan’. We lack experience, so we must try and pay the price for our laziness of the past two hundred years. No one has a choice; that’s what war is!”

No one spoke. The reality was too distressing. As long as they didn’t admit it, the heavy initiative seemed to still be within their grasp.

Even if it was a nonexistent pride, it could at least provide some peace of mind… However, everyone knew that if they continued like this, they would be no different from ostriches burying their heads in the sand.

Yi Ning didn’t erupt in anger again. He turned around and resolutely stepped out of the tent.

“We are the military,” he said. “Soldiers do not choose to abandon civilians.”

The strange monsters outside and the floating spheres approached closer and closer. Yi Ning took a deep breath and began to give orders—

In the instant his words fell, he could almost see the mountains of corpses and rivers of blood piled up before his eyes. As he looked at the formation waiting for orders, Yi Ning felt a tightness in his chest.

“…I’m sorry.” After giving the command, he said those words last.

The soldiers looked at each other in astonishment.

“We have almost zero experience dealing with the Erosion Swamp.” Yi Ning lowered his head. “I’m sorry, but we can only… keep trying. I can only guarantee that I will command to the best of my abilities and fight alongside all of you.”

“I’m sorry, but I can’t promise more than that.”

No one spoke up, no one applauded or cheered. People stood silently for a while, and then, as if they hadn’t seen him, they began to act according to Yi Ning’s instructions. Yi Ning himself shouldered his weapon and joined the front lines.

The monster emerged from the mist, and the city center of Y City was just behind them.

Yi Ning closed his eyes and then opened them again. He firmly grasped his suppression weapon, listening to the real-time reports from the observers while advancing with the rest of the troops.

The mountains of corpses and rivers of blood that were detached from his mind gradually became reality. One soldier after another fell, as quietly as pieces of paper blown to the ground by the wind. The repeated shocks pierced through Yi Ning’s mind, gradually numbing him.

Only two voices remained in his world—the battlefield reports from the observers in his ears and his own hoarse voice giving orders.

How many people had died? He didn’t have time to think about their names. Lives turned into data, churning in his mind. Yi Ning adjusted tactics on the fly, feeling something floating and slowly revealing itself in his mind, like a wisp of bloody smoke.

The battlefield transformed into a sand table, and people became data. The sand table seemed to materialize before him, and fallen soldiers were marked on it. The deaths became guides, and Yi Ning seemed to gradually grasp the rhythm of this war.

Adjust, order, assess the situation, adjust again, order again.

“Team A1, ignite the mudsled and divert the attention of the pursuing floating spheres. Try to make them collide with unmanned mudsleds. Team B3, set up tent cloth and signboards on the vehicles, and clear the other floating spheres! Team B6, follow me, and move forward. Don’t let the group of monsters interfere with Team A1’s operation. Team A2…”

Suddenly, the voice stopped.

“Marshal Zhu…” the observer almost cried out. “Marshal Zhu and the others have returned! Everyone is here! There are no reinforcements from the monsters in the rear…”

“Good.” Yi Ning’s voice was hoarse. “How far are the first group of monsters from the city center? Have we held our ground?”

“We… We’ve held our ground.”

“…Good,” Yi Ning repeated. “Now, Team A3—”

“Take a rest.” Zhu Yanchen’s voice came through the earpiece. “I’ll take command from here.”

“I’ve figured out some tactics. I can still assist you.”

“No.” Zhu Yanchen’s voice remained as cold as ever. “You need treatment, now, immediately.”

“I…” Yi Ning finally shifted his attention away from the sand table in his mind.

He noticed something peculiar in front of him—his left hand held the suppression weapon and continued to fire mechanically. His right arm was a void; only the shoulder that had been blown to a bloody mess remained, accompanied by excruciating pain.

The sense of distance disappeared. Yi Ning tried closing his left eye, and his world plunged into complete darkness.

‘…So, this is it,’ he thought.

“Yes, sir,” he said softly. “We have thirty percent of our forces remaining, and all the vehicles are destroyed. The specific situation will be relayed to you by the observer… I entrust it to you now, Marshal Zhu.”

The world spun around him, and this time, he didn’t need to close his eyes. The world in front of him dimmed once again.

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Kinky Thoughts:

What? Did Yi Ning die? I actually like him.

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<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 109: Emergency

The soldiers, although filled with various doubts, followed Zhu Yanchen’s instructions and dispersed as planned. As expected, the three large Erosion Swamps paid no attention to this small human team. They were like industrial production machinery on an assembly line, ceaselessly spewing out nightmares.

In theory, Zhu Yanchen shouldn’t have personally taken such a risk. He was, after all, the overall commander of this war. If he were to fall here, Zhu Sheng might not be able to handle the situation, let alone Yi Ning.

To be honest, they hadn’t fully recovered from the shock of Zhu Yanchen’s resurrection until now. It was only that the war diluted this chaos. Suddenly receiving such an absurd and ludicrous command, it was impossible not to feel anxious.

Team C, as agreed upon, launched purification grenades at that thing. The old-style purification grenades dented a significant portion of the Erosion Swamps, obstructing their movement and causing them to slowly rotate in the direction of Team C.

At the same time, Zhu Yanchen adjusted his mask, connected his respirator, and activated the suppression device in his hand.

The appearance of this device was a bit strange. Instead of a firearm, it looked more like a peculiar whisk. As the attention of the Erosion Swamps was drawn away by Team C, Zhu Yanchen climbed to a nearby elevated position and jumped down together with the device.

The person in charge of Team C nearly cursed aloud—the Erosion Swamp was particularly viscous, completely different from ordinary liquid. Even without considering the erosion, if something went wrong, they might suffocate inside. They couldn’t make heads or tails of Zhu Yanchen’s actions.

Zhu Yanchen didn’t carry any threatening weapons and didn’t cause any additional destruction. Consequently, the Erosion Swamps remained vigilant against Team C and attempted to incorporate them into the trajectory of their creations. While they clumsily adjusted their bodies, Team C received an extremely faint signal.

This time, they used launchers with greater penetrating power and fired purification grenades at one of the spherical Erosion Swamp.

The purification grenade slammed into the largest Erosion Swamp, bursting open abruptly. The spherical Erosion Swamp, caught off guard, sustained damage to its brain. Immediately, it was unable to spew out countless small spheres and could only barely maintain its external shape.

The signal came again.

Although the human forces didn’t understand the principle behind it, seeing that the attacks were effective and Zhu Yanchen was still alive, they became more decisive in their actions. Several purification grenades were launched consecutively, and the spherical Erosion Swamp finally couldn’t hold its unique form any longer. The viscous Erosion Swamp flowed to the ground, resembling melting ice cream in a dish.

However, even after that portion of the erosion substance had drained away, they still didn’t catch sight of Zhu Yanchen.

Immediately after, a signal appeared inside the next spherical Erosion Swamp. Moving within the Erosion Swamp was no simple task; no one knew where this guy got his stamina from.

Team C followed the same procedure and wounded another one. This time, the Erosion Swamp learned its lesson. The spherical Erosion Swamp, responsible for creating the “horde”, split from the one that received injuries and began acting separately. The injured spherical Erosion Swamp couldn’t produce erosion spheres anymore but managed to preserve its mobility. As for the largest Erosion Swamp that was responsible for creating ground monsters, it remained intact. It had become smarter and began using the injured spherical Erosion Swamp entities as alarm signals, moving quite diligently.

They caught the Erosion Swamps off guard. From the results, both of the troublesome irregular Erosion Swamp spheres disappeared, which meant the pressure on Yi Ning’s side should be significantly reduced.

The problem lay with the final large Erosion Swamp

The two Erosion Swamp spheres weren’t large in size and had regular shapes. However, they had no idea how Zhu Yanchen identified their “vital points” amidst their exaggerated irregular shapes. Moreover, the thing in front of them was just too enormous, and finding its vital point was probably as difficult as fishing out a coin from a swimming pool.

What was worse, the injured Erosion Swamp spheres detached itself from the large Erosion Swamp causing the flow of erosion on its body to suddenly accelerate, as if it intended to drown Zhu Yanchen within its own body.

This time, no signal came out.

The Erosion Swamp spheres hung in the air, and something fell gracefully from its bottom. Zhu Yanchen still held the suppression device in his hand. Judging by the condition of the device, it was nearly broken.

Zhu Yanchen didn’t waste any time. He propped himself up and ran towards the elevated position where Teams A and B were located. Since the Erosion Swamp sphere couldn’t produce spheres anymore, they directly pursued Zhu Yanchen, attempting to eliminate this particularly troublesome bug.

As a result, this pursuit led them directly into the encirclement formed by Teams A and B. Several elite teams had followed Zhu Sheng for many years and had good reaction speed—they didn’t wait for Zhu Yanchen’s orders and launched an indiscriminate concentrated attack against the pursuing Erosion Swamps.

The poor Erosion Swamp spheres might have evaded the first hit, but it couldn’t escape the subsequent attacks. It barely avoided Zhu Yanchen’s comprehensive destruction of its brain, but it couldn’t dodge the relentless bombardment. No matter how powerful its size was, it couldn’t withstand the elite teams’ relentless and indiscriminate assault.

Soon, the Erosion Swamp spheres couldn’t protect their brains anymore. It attempted to abandon its damaged body, struggling to preserve its incomplete brain. Unfortunately, Marshal Zhu was watching closely. The moment the brain was exposed, he commanded the two teams to concentrate their attacks.

Soon, the sentient Erosion Swamp returned to its primitive state—a thin puddle of erosion substance accumulated on the ground.

“Join up with Team C,” Zhu Yanchen decisively ordered, removing his heavily eroded mask and showing no intention of resting.

“As for the remaining one…”

“Their learning ability is not bad. That one remaining won’t fall into the same trap. It’s most likely adjusting its instructions to have its creations take us out first.”

The soldiers were taken aback. The theory of “lurking and then ambushing” was theoretically feasible, but once they were targeted by the enemy’s large army of monsters, the enemy could also turn the tables by overwhelming them in numbers. They had just defeated the enemy through superior numbers, and now they faced the prospect of history repeating itself—it was truly an unpleasant feeling.

“Don’t worry, I won’t let you go to your deaths.”

“But…”

“Run,” Zhu Yanchen said concisely. “The newly spawned army of monsters will target us, and there won’t be any reinforcements near Y City. Moreover, this Erosion Swamp has witnessed our attack methods and won’t stay too far from its army of monsters. Take the opportunity to shift the battlefield elsewhere.”

“We have limited weaponry. We can’t keep playing this cat and mouse game forever.” The leader of team A’s voice became sharp as he glanced at the indistinct horde of monsters in the mist. He had considerable courage, but when faced with an unknown enemy, fear was an instinct for most beings.

“Go over there.” Zhu Yanchen pointed to the black wolf that was currently engaged with Sigma.

Shu Jun had never expected that they would have a chance to meet again on the battlefield.

To stabilize the structure of the black wolf, he used almost all of his available abilities. Through “Creation”, he had manufactured lightweight yet hard erosion bones, and the erosion vines filled the interior of the black wolf, replacing its organs and muscles, preventing the giant wolf from collapsing under its own weight. Sigma had also used numerous powers. During their fight, he sensed at least fifty different abilities.

However, not every ability had sufficient offensive capabilities. The majority were used as distractions to divert his attention. Among them, there were only about three abilities that possessed significant destructive power—

“Spiderweb”, “Paralysis”, and “Bite”.

These abilities weren’t complex. The function of “Spiderweb” was quite straightforward—Sigma could construct a large number of erosion threads in a very short time. These threads were extremely sticky, and even though Shu Jun could suppress the erosion substance, once he was touched by this stuff, his movements would be affected to some extent. Sigma was much larger than the black wolf, so he couldn’t afford to be distracted removing the erosion threads all the time.

“Bite” and “Paralysis” were as their names suggested. Sigma combined them together. Giant jaws would appear in the area where Sigma made contact with Shu Jun and desperately consumed the erosion that Shu Jun had gathered. Once bitten by Sigma, Shu Jun could feel the erosion from his wounds becoming chaotic, no longer obedient, making it difficult to quickly restore his body’s structure.

Sigma used “Spiderweb” and “Paralysis” quite diligently. The black wolf was also trapped between the ruins of two high-rise buildings and could hardly move. Shu Jun was afraid that Sigma would bypass him and attack Y City, while Luo Duan was afraid that Shu Jun would turn around and destroy the Erosion Swamps with brains that Sigma had released. The two giant Erosion Swamps were stuck on the outskirts of Y City, entangled with each other, in a deadlock.

In this manner, both sides fought their own battles, and the battlefield was clearly divided. However, just as Shu Jun shook off the threads from his body and prepared for the next assault, Monday, who was behind his true body, suddenly showed a sign of agitation. “Zhu!”

At this level of battle, Monday was almost useless. However, it had the advantage of having the instincts of a small animal—acute perception and a natural sense of smell for special life forms in its surroundings.

Zhu Yanchen was nearby.

Shu Jun was initially taken aback, but then he couldn’t help but smile. In the past, he never imagined that A’Yan would resort to such tricks.

“Did he bring an Erosion Swamp with him?”

“Yes.”

“Sure enough, he must have led the Erosion Swamp to a crucial location. Let me see… The water tower by the left hind leg of the wolf. Let me know when the Erosion Swamp arrives.”

Monday twitched a few times, indicating that it had heard. Sure enough, Zhu Yanchen rode his motorcycle and led the team straight there. They agilely evaded the black wolf’s massive claws and lured the Erosion Swamp towards the water tower.

“Bah! Bah! Bah!”

Monday made three spitting sounds at the maximum volume, deliberately spraying erosion onto Shu Jun’s neck, afraid that he wouldn’t hear it.

Almost in the next second, Shu Jun manipulated the black wolf to take a half-step back. Taking advantage of Sigma’s lack of response, he stepped on the Erosion Swamp that was chasing behind them with one paw.

This step caught the large Erosion Swamp off guard. It was certainly large enough when facing humans, but compared to the black wolf, its size was equivalent to that of a watermelon to a human. When Shu Jun’s paw came down, it struggled to withstand the impact and almost burst open.

Not to mention the simple-minded Erosion Swamp, even Luo Duan was momentarily stunned. Shu Jun and the humans who had just arrived hadn’t communicated at all. It was already difficult enough for him to perceive the Erosion Swamp, let alone precisely step on it with a single paw.

This step nearly flattened the large Erosion Swamp into a donut shape. It desperately mobilized the erosion in its body, trying to move its brain to a safe corner. Zhu Yanchen didn’t miss this opportunity to observe closely. This time, he didn’t need to infiltrate the Erosion Swamp’s interior. He directly indicated the approximate location of its brain.

The human soldiers lived up to their elite title, launching another fierce attack like a storm.

By the time Shu Jun withdrew his paw, the large Erosion Swamp followed the fate of the two Erosion Swamp spheres—it had also reverted to its original form, crawling on the ground like an ordinary Erosion Swamp.

Zhu Yanchen didn’t delay and had no intention of giving Sigma any time to attack them. The moment the large Erosion Swamp was destroyed, he started his motorcycle, made a sharp turn, and led the team back towards Y City.

But before he could get far, something swept over his head. The black wolf’s large tail drooped, and its tail tip lightly brushed against him in dissatisfaction.

At this moment, the soldiers were busy fleeing the scene, running as fast as they could. Zhu Yanchen intentionally landed at the rear, where no one could see, and clumsily but earnestly blew a kiss.

“Thank you.” He removed his mask and mouthed the words.

A strand of erosion struggled and climbed onto his motorcycle, eroding a line of words in the middle of the handlebars—

“You’ve learned to slack off, A’Yan. What happened to being an upright gentleman?”

“To defeat it, I still have two or three independent battle plans. But regardless of which one, I might get seriously injured… You wouldn’t like that.” Zhu Yanchen gently touched the strand of erosion and replied softly.

Even if Shu Jun couldn’t hear it.

“Also, it’s only fair to return the favor. I’ve left you a little gift.” He smiled and added, “You’ll definitely find it.”

Shu Jun indeed discovered the “little gift” from Marshal Zhu. It was lodged in the pad of his wolf paw.

That was a suppression device in the process of activation, about the size of an apple. Shu Jun hadn’t seen this model before, and he estimated that Zhu Yanchen had created it using the power of the command center during the time they were apart.

He quietly used erosion to hook it into the black wolf’s body and took it into his hand.

It was a sophisticated explosive device that resembled a smoke bomb more than a lethal weapon. On the thick metal casing, a short sentence was engraved—

[For short-term and high-efficiency suppression. If the situation becomes extremely critical, please escape.]

“Meddling fool,” Shu Jun laughed and cursed, tossing the explosive device into the weapons bag behind him. Monday also sensed the oppressive feeling from the object and immediately voiced its discontent.

Luo Duan’s face looked grim.

The entire process happened quickly, taking less than half a minute for the human team to complete the process of impact—killing the Erosion Swamp—and retreating. By the time he realized it, Zhu Yanchen’s group had already gone far away. The surroundings were filled with debris, and the terrain was complex, making it difficult for him to find them.

Moreover, Shu Jun was blocking his way ahead.

He felt a sense of anger, tinged with a hint of grievance—even in such circumstances, humans dared to brazenly use Shu Jun. As a member of the synthetic people, Shu Jun had no resistance to such behavior.

Luo Duan clenched his fist, pressing his hand against Sigma.

“According to the Erosion Swamp’s intelligence, you hid the synthetics and the settlement humans east of Y City, wanting to completely avoid this war.”

His voice was amplified by Sigma’s ability, and Shu Jun could hear it clearly.

“The humans over there are aberrations who won’t live much longer, and the synthetics are my kin, so I won’t let Sigma harm them. And I can understand why you cooperate with humans to protect the synthetics from Sigma. We will have a fair fight… I have to admit, that was my thinking until just now.”

Luo Duan’s voice gradually lowered, and he made no effort to conceal the anger in his tone.

“But now, you’re obstructing me, and it’s not just for the sake of your kin, right?” He growled. “Since you’re so fond of humans, then make a proper choice. Transmit the command—tell the mutant beasts and Erosion Swamps east of the city that they can move.”

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The author has something to say:

Shu Ge left a huge paw print on the large Erosion Swamp.

Marshal: Shu Jun is a true warrior (?), he must have sensed the explosive device beneath the thick pad.

Well, that explosive device is not even as big as a pea… Shu Ge, the prince of explosives in Marshal Zhu’s eyes* (…

*Clarity: Referring to the fairy tale The Princess and the Pea, where a princess slept on a bed with twenty mattresses and a pea placed at the bottom. In the morning, the princess complained that she had been kept up all night due to something hard in the bed. This made the prince realize that she was a true princess, and the two happily married.

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<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 108: Stalemate

Shu Jun adjusted his movements cautiously, constantly sensing Sigma’s actions. On the surface, it seemed like they had the advantage, but realistically, considering the situation, Sigma hadn’t truly started yet.

Sigma’s lifespan was likely over a hundred years, and its collection abilities were indispensable. Not every ability could be used for combat, but it couldn’t be possible for it to only possess three noteworthy combat skills—Luo Duan certainly still held some hidden cards.

Not to mention the Erosion Swamps with brains acting as the main offensive force, the number of regular Erosion Swamp had already reached hundreds. They were approaching Y City from various directions, trying to find a way to penetrate deeper into the city. The numerous breaches caused by Shu Jun’s previous actions hadn’t been repaired yet, and the Erosion Swamps overflowed the buildings around the city, relentlessly squeezing towards the city center.

Yi Ning couldn’t stop them.

The human forces dispatched outside the city were limited, and they were already giving their all to hold back the three Erosion Swamps with brains. Zhu Yanchen took the most elite soldiers with him, forming a small team. Yi Ning ordered the remaining soldiers to guard the largest breach, tightly holding the new weapons in their hands.

“Marshal Yi, there is more than one breach! Shu Jun damaged dozens of sections of the protective wall a few days ago, and there are still those remaining Erosion Swamps…”

“Guard the most dangerous one,” Yi Ning said hoarsely. “He didn’t bring Xia Liang with him, and Zhu Sheng is also in the city. There must still be defenders inside the city. If we try to intercept everything outside the city, even if our manpower is increased tenfold, it wouldn’t be enough.”

“But—”

“If we don’t divert these Erosion Swamps and let them flood in through the same breach, the people inside won’t be able to handle it.”

When it came to regular Erosion Swamps, as long as purifiers could be utilized, ordinary people could barely handle them with adequate protection. But facing such a large army of monsters in front of them, the chances of regular citizens winning were absolutely zero.

Zhu Yanchen’s team had long disappeared from sight, and seeing their successful advancement, people in their hearts felt a sense of luck to varying degrees—since the weapons in their hands made no difference, as long as they were careful, the things in front of them would be easily dealt with.

However, it was ultimately just wishful thinking.

The creatures made of erosion surged continuously. Yi Ning gritted his teeth and decided to confront the horde in front of him using the methods employed against mutant beasts.

The escort team took the lead, using armored vehicles equipped with suppression weapons to crush the creatures. This method proved effective initially. However, the cooling parts of the vehicles quickly attracted the floating erosion spheres. They swarmed towards the rear of the vehicles, one after another, and exploded. The vehicles themselves were heavy and found it difficult to maneuver agilely to evade these spheres. It was as if a rain of erosion substance fell from above each vehicle, with liquid erosion continuously splattering into the seams of the vehicles’ equipment, rapidly eroding the mechanical structures. The heavy armored vehicles gradually came to a halt in their original positions.

Coming to a stop wasn’t the main concern; the swarming horde enveloped the massive vehicles and began to squeeze into their interiors. Their bodies seemed like they were made of rubbery clay, able to forcefully squeeze through gaps less than an inch wide.

Inside the armored vehicles, a powerful short-range communication system was set up. However, after the vehicles came to a stop, the calm reports gradually turned into panicked shouts, followed by weak moans. By the time three or four creatures squeezed into the vehicles, there was only silence left inside.

They were submerged in the pitch-black Erosion Swamp, eroded and marred, like ships sinking into the depths of the sea.

All eight large armored vehicles were wiped out—the entire process lasting no more than ten minutes. The randomly floating spheres continued to collide with the wreckage of the vehicles, and the splattered erosion substance continued to erode the purifiers of the operators.

In just a short ten minutes, they only managed to slightly delay the advance of the horde of monsters. More spheres floated in from the grayish mist, and the contorted creatures took another step forward, heading towards the city center of Y City.

Yi Ning’s ears rang, and it felt like his heart had jumped into his throat. Having witnessed the battles of synthetic humans too often, he had developed the mistaken impression that the Erosion Swamps weren’t that formidable. They had underestimated what lay before them; in an instant, they had lost eight vehicles and twenty-four soldiers.

This was only the beginning, and the lives of those people disappeared like bubbles.

The human soldiers hadn’t experienced real war in a long time, and seeing the devastation before them, Yi Ning could sense the drop in morale. He racked his brain, trying to come up with a better solution—

“Advance, marksmen! Purify the floating spheres first and set up suppression weapons in place. They will come to us!”

This was also one of the standard tactics, frequently employed by Luo Duan to deal with flying mutant beasts. Yi Ning glanced at the situation and followed suit.

However, the current environment was highly unusual. The range of the suppression weapons was limited, and as the troops advanced as required, aiming and firing in unison, the countless black spheres that filled the sky were reduced to their erosion substance form. However, there were tens of thousands of these spheres, flickering like ghostly flames, continuously approaching from a distance. Relying on the marksmen to eliminate them, it was visibly impossible to clear them all.

Indeed, the speed of the troops’ reactions couldn’t match the speed at which the spheres flew towards them. Many tracking spheres attached themselves to the necks of the marksmen and exploded, taking lives with each blast. Many people tried to retreat and find new cover, but the floating spheres, carried by the airflow, suddenly appeared in their path, once again exploding into a mass of destruction.

The scene was even worse than the armored vehicles being overrun. Living beings were blasted into pieces, their bodies eroded, dying in agony right before their eyes. The vivid red blood flowed into the erosion substance, instantly turning a lifeless gray.

After having climbed to this position all the way, Yi Ning wasn’t on the verge of collapsing because of this. The tragic scene flickered on the screen, and he even held his breath—

It hadn’t been half an hour since Zhu Yanchen left. Judging by the speed of the advancing horde of monsters, in just another half hour, they would break through the escort team and enter Y City directly.

They wouldn’t even be able to buy much time. Sacrifices were coming too quickly, and Yi Ning didn’t dare to directly deploy the main force of the troops into the battlefield.

What should they do?

The monsters continued to advance, unhurriedly traversing the wet mud and bypassing the damaged buildings.

Tap, tap, tap.

No matter how he thought about it, he couldn’t come up with a way to minimize the sacrifices. Did he really have to let these people risk their lives and gamble with their very existence?

Tap, tap, tap.

The escort team maintained the most conservative formation—using the vehicles as cover, placing the suppression weapons externally, and using maximum power for defense, creating an invisible shell. For now, with not many monsters around, this crude method barely managed to hold them off. But the pressure on the frontlines was increasing, and without a better solution, collapse was only a matter of time.

In the temporarily formed command group, no one spoke. Yi Ning had the most theoretical experience among them, but even so, humans had hit a wall from the beginning. Everyone could only look silently at the screens, seemingly hoping for Zhu Yanchen’s mission to succeed and these things to disappear on their own.

“How about… we let some of them in? That way, we can cut them off in the middle, reducing the pressure,” one person dryly suggested. “Zhu Sheng should have more ways to deal with it than we do. Even if it means sacrificing some civilians, I think it would be more reasonable.”

“No, we already have enough ordinary Erosion Swamp entering the city center.” Yi Ning gritted his teeth. “And no one can guarantee that there aren’t any hidden ‘sentient Erosion Swamp’ among the ordinary ones. The pressure in the city center is likely significant; we can’t do it this way.”

Another silence fell over the command group.

“So what should we do then?” The person who had spoken before spoke again, his voice now tinged with fear and anger. “This isn’t peacetime, and it can’t be solved by just chanting slogans. Marshal Yi, if you say it can’t be done, then come up with a solution!”

“Yeah, we can’t defend against so many. If we don’t find a better way, they will overwhelm us in one fell swoop, and the consequences will be even more severe.”

“…That’s true. One can’t bite off more than they can chew. Just letting some of them in, with Zhu Sheng having been in charge for so long, he should be able to handle this situation.”

“And how many should we reduce it to? The fog is too dense; we can’t see the situation on the other side. If we let in that many…”

“No,” Yi Ning rasped, cutting off the conversation.

“What’s wrong, Marshal Yi? Don’t you have a better idea? This is the plan that sacrifices the least.”

“Remember what Zhu Yanchen said? He told us to hold the line. As the overall commander, his decisions must have his reasons.”

“So what? We can’t hold the line, can we? Right and wrong, who doesn’t understand that? It’s easy to talk about what should be done, but it’s only possible if it can be achieved. The armored vehicles and marksmen are our most important forces in this battle, and within the first half-hour, we’re already in such a sorry state—”

“…” Yi Ning’s back was covered in sweat. Time didn’t wait for anyone; they had to adjust their tactics quickly.

His brain cycled through the tactics against the Erosion Swamps that synthetic humans had devised, but no matter which piece of the puzzle he tried, it couldn’t fit into the current situation. In the past, he could adjust and experiment without any burden, but now, even a slight misstep would result in pointless sacrifices and further declining morale.

The ticking of the second hand didn’t stop due to this anxiety, and the number of monsters outside kept increasing. They crowded outside the suppression range, starting to pave a path with corpses—the monsters in the forefront were reduced to erosion substance by the suppression weapons, and the amount of this substance continued to grow, indicating a trend of accumulating into an ordinary Erosion Swamp.

The human blockade couldn’t hold up for too long in the deep Erosion Swamp.

What should they do?

Yi Ning tasted the metallic tang of blood in his mouth.

…He stared at the sand table in front of him, feeling true despair for the first time.

Not far away, Zhu Yanchen’s team was also rushing forward, fighting against the clock.

To deceive the enemy, this small team had only around twenty members. They skirted around the areas with the densest concentration of monsters and charged towards the enemy’s rear. The team he led consisted of elites, so there were no situations where they would drop the ball at critical moments. Just as Zhu Yanchen had expected, the Erosion Swamps behind the monsters were solely focused on charging towards the city, lacking any interest in this small team with its limited numbers. That way, they barely managed to break through one encirclement after another, approaching the vicinity of the Erosion Swamp.

However, when one of the elite team members saw the Erosion Swamp behind the monsters, he nearly fell to the ground.

The thing in front of them was something that no human could handle, no matter how you looked at it.

It was too massive.

The two sentient Erosion Swamp and their creations floated in the air, appearing as gigantic, uncomfortable spheres. Another Erosion Swamp was responsible for keeping them fixed in place. From a distance, they stuck together, resembling eyeballs and brains peeled from human bodies.

Countless small floating spheres oozed out from beneath the two large spheres, while the large Erosion Swamp that intertwined them extended tentacle-like appendages, delving into the ground, allowing humanoid creatures to emerge, struggling to stand up.

The combination of these three Erosion Swamps wasn’t as large as Sigma and Shu Jun battling in the distance, but it was comparable to a four-story building. They were exerting their full effort to create monsters, and the number of monsters surrounding them was terrifying. It would be a challenge to even eliminate them, let alone get close.

Forget about twenty people; even twenty thousand people might not be able to suppress them.

“Team A, equip yourselves with standard suppression machinery and take up positions on the high ground over there. Team B will assist Team A and focus on dispelling enemies approaching from behind” Zhu Yanchen’s voice remained calm. “Team C, throw old-style purification grenades from the twelve o’clock direction later to attract their attention.”

“Diverting their attention is not a problem, but what do we do when the horde rushes up?” Although they were divided into teams, each team consisted of only six or seven people. The person in charge of Team C had a pale face. “I’m talking about those spheres; even if the erosion substance can’t pass through the purification machinery, the explosive force alone is enough to blow us to pieces!”

“They won’t easily change targets.”

“Why not?”

“A lion won’t give up attacking a gazelle because of fleas on its fur. We humans are too few in their eyes to be considered a threat,” Zhu Yanchen instructed decisively. “Those monsters don’t have intelligence; they can only obey the most basic commands. For the Erosion Swamp, adjusting their instructions temporarily just to deal with a few humans would come at too high a cost. As long as we control the level of provocation carefully, they won’t mobilize the horde.”

“T-Then how do we stop it?”

“The next part is crucial,” Zhu Yanchen said in a deep voice. “I will use old-style purification grenades to break through their outer shells and infiltrate the Erosion Swamp. You need to provoke them intelligently, enticing them to change positions and creating an opportunity for me.”

“…The risk is too high. This is not child’s play,” the person in charge of Team C whispered. “That’s an Erosion Swamp; if you fail once, you’ll die.”

“I don’t intend to succeed on the first try.”

Zhu Yanchen smiled.

“Don’t worry, I won’t die until I kill them. As for the reason… I’ll explain it properly once I bring all of you back alive.”

The team members looked at each other and tentatively accepted this seemingly absurd and ridiculous tactic. “When you infiltrate…”

“The Erosion Swamp erodes sophisticated machinery, making it difficult to activate destructive weapons inside. Instead, I will carry a short-range powerful communication device. Once I send a signal, immediately shoot at my location.”

“?!?”

“There must be absolutely no hesitation.”

“But…”

“What’s your answer?”

“Yes!” The group gritted their teeth and replied.

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<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 107: Three Erosion Swamps

In that moment, when he saw the black wolf, Luo Duan realized that he had fallen into a trap.

With that level of power, it couldn’t be anyone else. Shu Jun had truly joined forces with the humans, and based on their previous actions, their cooperation could even be considered extensive.

For what reason, their lives? Shu Jun was a ruthless person, and he should have been more aware than anyone else of the consequences of collaborating with humans. Luo Duan couldn’t understand it, and all he could feel was a surge of disappointment and hatred.

A traitor who bowed down to humans.

It was too late to turn and run. Since the other side had led them here, they must have been prepared. The best course of action would be to move the battlefield away, at least to the heavily eroded area. However, just as Sigma stopped advancing, a tremendous pressure emerged around them. Gravity seemed to suddenly increase, and Sigma instinctively stayed in place, unable to retreat any further.

The small Erosion Swamps used for investigation had been painstakingly moved to the surroundings, and several new machines were discovered. They were completely different from the previous purification weapons, seemingly controlled remotely, emitting a buzzing sound.

What was worse was that they couldn’t be easily destroyed.

The previous purification weapons were more like emitting noises that annoyed the Erosion Swamp, forcing them to move away. To weaponize them and increase their power to the point of “killing” the erosion substance would severely limit their effectiveness. When faced with a sentient Erosion Swamp, their effectiveness would be quite limited and would require a significant amount of manpower.

But what was in front of them was different—these new machines didn’t “kill” the erosion substance; instead, they efficiently stunned it, causing the Erosion Swamp to lose control over its erosion. For a sentient Erosion Swamp, this was equivalent to advancing into a minefield. Once they touched these things, they would inevitably lose some of their erosion.

Sigma’s brain was deep within its body and wouldn’t be harmed, but it was already quite laborious for it to move forward by grasping the ground with its hands. Surrounded by these things, its hands would instantly melt like hot wax upon contact, making it completely unable to escape this situation. In order to facilitate movement, Sigma had folded its body several times, making it considerably thicker than before. Even if it wanted to expand its body now and escape from Shu Jun, it was impossible.

Every step was carefully calculated by the opposing side.

At this point, instead of contemplating escape, it was better to take action first. Just because they couldn’t move far away didn’t mean Sigma had lost its fighting ability. Even if it was trapped, a wild beast was still a wild beast. As for whether Sigma could leave intact after the battle, Luo Duan didn’t care.

What he wanted was the suffering of the humans, not the victory of the Erosion Swamp. There was no emotional connection between him and Sigma, and Luo Duan was well aware of that.

He stood up straight.

“Attack,” Luo Duan said. “I will help you destroy this city.”

Sigma immediately reacted. While avoiding the black wolf’s bites, it commanded the ordinary Erosion Swamps to rush forward and stick to the black wolf. Even before the humans appeared, Shu Jun had already torn off fifteen to sixteen of Sigma’s arms. Despite Sigma not lacking erosion substance and being able to regenerate its arms, the process would undoubtedly affect its mobility.

The mindless Erosion Swamp rushed forward, attempting to envelop the black wolf and hinder its movements. However, once they touched the black wolf, they quickly became docile, causing the black wolf to grow in size.

To make matters worse, when the black wolf bit down on the base of one of Sigma’s arms, countless vines shot out from the wolf’s body, merging into Sigma’s body and burrowing into the ground. Shu Jun was gradually pinning Sigma in place, and although Sigma tried to regain control over the vines, it was unsuccessful.

This was the ability Sigma had separated earlier to attack Shu Jun.

An alarm bell rang in Luo Duan’s mind. He had previously thought that Shu Jun’s situation was similar to his own, merely merging with an Erosion Swamp, enhancing his abilities, and at most gaining some additional powers. Now it seemed that he had made a fundamental mistake.

Shu Jun not only possessed other abilities, but he could also assimilate Sigma’s abilities. At this point, it could be tentatively concluded that he had an innate talent. However, competing for control over the Erosion Swamps on Sigma’s level was something that the synths couldn’t achieve.

Shu Jun had transformed into a real Erosion Swamp; he wasn’t some mediocre hybrid like himself.

“Stop the ordinary Erosion Swamps’ attack and let them focus on destroying Y City. You and I will deal with Shu Jun using our abilities. Attacking him with Erosion Swamps is useless!”

“Understood.” Sigma’s hand formed a crooked and dejected figure, and its voice sounded muffled.

“We have previously compiled a list, and in this war, you have seven abilities that are most destructive—now, separate the abilities of ‘Kiss’, ‘Crowd’, and ‘Flight’, and create three Erosion Swamps with brains to attack Y City.”

“What about Shu Jun?”

“Shu Jun’s task should be to hold you back; he cannot handle both tasks simultaneously. Given his current condition, those three abilities won’t be effective against him.”

Luo Duan’s explanation had no logical issues, and Sigma fell silent for a moment before promptly following the instructions. Three brains detached from its grape-like neural strand and merged with three clusters of Erosion Swamp. The arms far away from Shu Jun grabbed them and launched them directly towards the outskirts of the city. The surroundings of the city were filled with mindless large Erosion Swamps, and the three brains quickly took control of three Erosion Swamps, transforming themselves into Erosion Swamps with brains, and rushed towards the center of Y City.

As Luo Duan had deduced, the black wolf merely let out a low growl and didn’t release its bite. Shu Jun relentlessly attacked Sigma, seemingly intent on pinning it to the ground.

On the other side, the three large Erosion Swamp hadn’t reached the central area of the city yet when they collided head-on with the human military forces leaving the city center.

Without hesitation, they unleashed their abilities.

The abilities of Kiss, Crowd, and Flight were remnants of the dying desires of unknown individuals. While they sounded beautiful, when transformed into weapons, their appearance became particularly eerie.

The Kiss Erosion Swamp released numerous head-sized spheres into the air, which floated leisurely. Once they collided with obstacles, they would explode violently, splattering erosion with a destructive power comparable to strong acid.

The Flight Erosion Swamp did almost the exact same thing as the Kiss Erosion Swamp—it also released numerous spheres of varying sizes, and the two types mixed together, making it extremely difficult to distinguish between them. This light and floating erosion bomb floated towards the human army and was overwhelmingly “hollow” devoid of any reflection, as if the entire space had been pierced into a honeycomb.

And that wasn’t all.

Such light and floating attacks weren’t the main force. The attacks of the Crowd Erosion Swamp were completely different from its comrades. It absorbed the surrounding erosion and solidified them into distorted human-like figures. These human-shaped figures didn’t move in accordance with human habits. They staggeringly rose from the ground, with twisted joints and four-legged movements, advancing like wild beasts.

Among them, half of the chests faced upward while the other half faced downward. They completely disregarded the actual human joint structure and casually folded their bodies, making one’s stomach churn. For the convenience of attack, their mouth structures were extremely similar to humans, but much larger—these enormous mouths were located on top of their heads, wide open, making the heads of these “humans” appear split in half.

From a distance, they resembled more of a herd of beasts forcibly transformed into humanoid structures. They hid themselves beneath the floating spheres and crawled towards the human military at a steady pace.

When the reconnaissance troops saw the composition of this Erosion Swamp army, they almost lost their breath. The adrenaline for survival had just ignited, but they were almost frozen by this deadly scene.

Fortunately, Zhu Yanchen himself didn’t stay behind to command. He took a quick glance, and his expression remained unchanged. “Release the test subjects.”

Seeing that the commander remained calm, the soldiers could finally breathe again. The team responsible for the test subjects stepped forward and immediately released the test subjects–

It was a small group of live pigs used as a source of meat. They were equipped with various testing instruments and had disruptors covering their eyes. The disruptors made them ignore the crisis in front of them and charge directly towards the horde of monsters.

Although the Erosion Swamps had brains, their intelligence was closer to that of intelligent animals. They wouldn’t actually select their enemies. When they saw living creatures coming towards them, the Erosion Swamps immediately switched to attack mode.

The floating spheres in the air reacted in two ways. Some spheres rushed straight towards the test subjects and exploded, eroding the living pigs into unformed pieces of flesh. The others moved irregularly, colliding and exploding when the charging pigs bumped into them, with destructive power no less than the “tracking spheres”.

As for the humanoid monsters on the ground, their attacks were more straightforward and brutal. They leaped like wild beasts, using their large mouths to bite through the audaciously daring creatures. Then, they regurgitated a large amount of erosion from their mouths, rapidly seeping into the wounds of the test subjects.

Compared to the two types of spheres, their victims died more decently. However, for the human military, this was not good news.

Yi Ning’s heart gradually sank.

Even if they wore thick protective suits, nobody was invincible. Not to mention the erosive nature of the Erosion Swamps themselves, no one had the confidence to withstand a few bites from them.

On the other side, it was clear that they had learned their lesson. The three main bodies of the Erosion Swamp were hidden far away, continuously processing the surrounding erosion and frantically producing these deadly things.

To stop them, it would be necessary to destroy their main bodies, but first, they had to break through this death trap in front of them. However, if they concentrated their attack and neglected defense, allowing these things to enter Y City, they would instantly turn into the most terrifying slaughter weapons.

That black wolf was indeed capable, but at the moment it was busy biting Sigma, unable to support the battlefield on this side. They did bring many new weapons against the Erosion Swamps, but the size of the opposing spheres was too troublesome—

Humans didn’t have superpowers, and their control effects were inferior to synthetics. It was manageable to wield weapons against large Erosion swamps, but those erosion spheres were small in size. Once they attacked from blind spots, soldiers were still at risk of being injured. On the other hand, even if those weapons could revert the erosion substance back to its basic form, it was still dangerous for humans.

Anti-erosion medicine could only ensure that normal breathing and skin contact weren’t affected. If the erosion substance splashed into the eyes, nose, ears, mouth, or large wounds, people would still suffer from erosion diseases.

Regardless of which type was singled out, those three Erosion Swamp could find ways to deal with it. The opposing side, however, decided to combine those three abilities, making their tactics particularly malicious.

Yi Ning reviewed the situation and felt a bitter taste in his mouth.

“The data we received was quite comprehensive. Thank you all for your hard work.” Zhu Yanchen focused on analyzing the data. “The attack patterns of those three Erosion Swamps aren’t complicated.”

Yi Ning couldn’t help but ask, “What do you mean?”

“The ‘tracking spheres’ would lock onto heat sources and engage in contact-based tracking attacks. The ‘floating spheres’ would follow the movements of the tracking spheres and perform irregular motions on their own. They wouldn’t initiate attacks themselves—having them together complicates the situation.”

“The group of monsters on the ground has attack patterns similar to regular packs of ferocious animals. If my speculation is correct, they possess basic tactical capabilities and can create a breakthrough point in our defense. Remember, Sigma isn’t seeking victory. It won’t systematically eliminate the military and then slaughter the people. It only wants to kill. It’s entirely possible for it to bypass us.”

“Given the situation, it seems keen on bypassing us,” Yi Ning said bitterly. “Once time drags on, those things will only increase in numbers. Even if the weapons are effective, we can’t conjure combat personnel out of thin air. Their invasion of the city is only a matter of time.”

“So, you’re already thinking of losing?” Zhu Yanchen turned his face away. His tone lacked much sarcasm, sounding more like a warning.

“It’s just an objective analysis.”

“Split into two teams. I’ll lead one team to assassinate the Erosion Swamps, while the other team will hold the city center during that time.” Marshal Zhu shook his head. “Yi Ning, you take charge of the defense in the city—no need for you to launch an attack. Just operate the heavy ‘Suppression’ weapons to guard the surroundings.”

“Any specific instructions?”

“No, I don’t need your support.” Zhu Yanchen spoke quickly. “I have only one requirement: those things must not set foot in Y City before all of you are dead. Got that?”

“……” Silence fell over the crowd.

“This is war, not a spring outing. Even if we don’t have synthetic humans as shields, you’re all soldiers. Show some dignity!”

“Understood!” the people shouted at the top of their lungs.

“In contrast, our team will quickly eliminate the main bodies of the Erosion Swamp. As long as these things don’t increase, it won’t be difficult to completely eradicate them.”

“But… But what if something happens to you? What should we do then?”

“If something happens to me, Zhu Sheng will take over the command. The current situation is still under my control, so there’s no need to worry. Additionally,” Zhu Yanchen looked towards the massive black wolf not far away, and his voice carried a hint of amusement, “He has never lost, and I won’t be a hindrance either.”

With that, Zhu Yanchen took a deep breath. “Assemble immediately and redistribute the weapons.”

“We’ll depart in fifteen minutes!”

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The author has something to say:

Erosion Swamp A, B: Plop, plop, plop blowing bubbles.

Erosion Swamp C: Smack, smack, smack squeezing people.

Yi Ning: This is different from what I imagined.jpg

Marshal: My Erosion Swamp is still cuter (?

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<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 106: The Silent Old Man

The central square fell into silence.

There was no cheering from the people; they just stared blankly at the screens. The weight of their current hope was too heavy, and no one wanted to entertain the thought of surviving, only to be further thrown into the abyss. They gazed at Zhu Yanchen on the screen, waiting for him to continue speaking.

From the command center, Zhu Sheng could see everything happening in the square. Slowly rising from his chair, his expression was quite complicated—he knew better than anyone that this was not the work of the command center. But Zhu Yanchen was alive, so where had he been and what had he been doing during this time?

…According to the data provided by those papers, Zhu Yanchen, as a researcher, wouldn’t live for long. However, the person on the screen appeared full of vitality and looked healthy no matter how you looked at him.

“Go and trace the source of the signal.” Zhu Sheng waved off one of his assistants and continued to stare fixedly at the person on the screen.

Unlike Zhu Sheng, Yi Ning had been managing the city’s infrastructure under high pressure recently. When he saw Zhu Yanchen, he almost couldn’t control his emotions. He drank a glass of ice water, wiped his face vigorously, and sat in front of the screen broadcast.

Zhu Yanchen’s tone remained as usual; he didn’t waste words and went straight to the point. In just a few minutes, he succinctly explained several matters:

He discovered the loopholes in the player system and, lacking evidence, went out of the city with collaborators to search. At that time, he had been in contact with the erosion substance for too long and had little time left, with no intention of coming back alive.

However, along the way, he made significant discoveries. Now he held short-term anti-erosion drugs in his hands and had dedicated people working on further improvements. As for evidence, they had clearly found it—although when he discovered the monster “Sigma”, it already had the intention of attacking Y City.

But Sigma was too powerful, and he couldn’t leave any visual records of it. Relying solely on drawings and oral accounts, not many people would believe him. Even if he successfully became the leader, if he immediately strengthened the military, he would face countless obstacles. So Marshal Zhu decided to go with the flow and not get involved in the power struggles within Y City. He had been hiding outside the city, focusing on researching purification weapons and developing drugs to enhance the survival rate of human soldiers.

The explanation was simple and easy to understand, delivered in one breath, leaving people dumbfounded. If they wanted to question, they couldn’t find any loopholes to challenge.

“Compared to waiting for its invasion, I believe proactive arrangements are better. Sigma is highly intelligent, and before it officially strikes, it will undoubtedly linger in Y City for a few days. One is to test the waters, and the other is to accumulate fear.”

As Zhu Yanchen narrated, he maintained his cold demeanor. Fortunately, “calmness” was rare at this moment, and people were eager for him to remain composed.

“Unfortunately, even if there is no formal war, a small number of people have left this world due to fear, illness, or injuries. I have anticipated such situations and do not intend to shirk responsibility… I am deeply sorry. After the war is over, I will provide appropriate compensation and assistance to these families.”

He lowered his head and apologized calmly.

At this moment, the people didn’t have the energy to cause trouble; their attention was focused on the phrase “after the war is over”.

Marshal Zhu spoke with a confident tone, which was exactly what they needed. People began to suppress their instinct for survival, and a faint glimmer of vitality emerged in the crowd—when the apocalypse was right under their noses, their choices were limited. Regardless of whether it was true or false, he spoke with such clarity and certainty that he must have some ability.

“Lastly, I understand what you all want to ask. Regarding the true nature of Sigma—simply put, it is still an Erosion Swamp that you’re familiar with, but it has evolved some intelligence. As for the black wolf over there, it is essentially a similar creature, but it is my ally, so you don’t need to worry.”

It was clear to everyone that it wasn’t a human, but no one dared to ask, and even if they did, no one would be able to hear it.

“Three days. At most three days, this war will come to an end. That is my guarantee.”

With a firm and resolute statement, the crowd, which had been stagnant like dead water, finally accepted this tantalizing hope. People began to shout; the young people gathered on their own, and an air of desperation emerged throughout the square. Suppressed for nearly a month, this unexpected stirring brought forth a brilliant light to the entire city.

“Report, we have traced the source of the transmission. It is currently moving… right outside the command center.” At the same time, an assistant quickly stepped into Zhu Sheng’s office.

“Prepare the DNA testing device to confirm his identity. Also, arrange a meeting room.” Zhu Sheng closed his eyes and answered decisively.

As soon as Zhu Yanchen arrived at the entrance of the command center, he was stopped for identity verification and then directly led to the meeting room. He wasn’t the least bit surprised by this; on the contrary, the ones who were most excited were the several leaders in charge of research—they almost shed tears upon seeing the lively young master of the Zhu family.

“Isn’t erosion irreversible? How did you manage to survive until now?”

“Do you have any information about the anti-erosion drugs?”

“Regarding your thesis, I have a question—”

“Quiet.” Zhu Sheng coldly interrupted; his imposing presence silenced the researchers immediately.

“What’s going on?” Zhu Sheng then turned to Zhu Yanchen.

“Now is not the time to explain. My friend is still dealing with the Erosion Swamp.”

Zhu Sheng sighed deeply. “Is it Shu Jun?”

Zhu Yanchen remained silent.

“How is that possible?! Wasn’t Shu Jun killed on the spot by the purification cannon?” The closest senior researcher to Zhu Sheng immediately exclaimed. “Mr. Tang’s design was fine, and the theory wasn’t wrong!”

“What if Shu Jun isn’t in that creature’s chest? I was a bit curious before—Shu Jun is a talented strategist; he wouldn’t easily reveal the ‘main body’. And during these days of conflict, the casualties were abnormally low. It’s understandable that the synths didn’t want to provoke the general public. But even considering that, the casualty count was still too low.”

As Zhu Sheng spoke, he didn’t look at Zhu Yanchen.

“From the synthetics’ uprising to Xia Yufeng’s exposure, it was all part of your collaboration plan with the synthetics, right? To lure the monster here and expose a ‘fatal weakness’ is the quickest way.”

“If there’s no breakthrough, there’s no progress.”

Zhu Yanchen sat down politely in front of his seat.

“Mr. Zhu, according to the laws of the United Government, I am now the new leader of the United Government. Even if the handover period has not passed, I have emergency leadership rights, just like you. But let’s put aside the small talk. I will only address two points.”

“First, we have developed weapons capable of combating the Erosion Swamp, and the location of their deployment will be announced later. The purification cannon design was also handed over to me by Mr. Tang, but the plan is not complete. It was used to deceive Sigma into making a move. Sigma is no different from an intelligent wild beast, but I kept one thing hidden—unfortunately, there is an experienced synthetic by its side giving instructions. Don’t underestimate it.”

Yi Ning tried to digest this information. “Aren’t the synthetic humans cooperating with you?”

“I only gained the cooperation of the majority. Once they knew the truth, they didn’t hesitate to act against me.” Zhu Yanchen looked at Zhu Sheng.

Zhu Sheng remained silent.

“Secondly, the resistance drug against erosion does exist. Currently, it can temporarily enhance human resistance to erosion. As for erosion treatment and long-term prevention, further research is still needed. As for the short-term resistance drugs, in addition to the necessary stockpile, I have already distributed them to the surrounding population of the settlements. Currently, the residents in the settlements have taken emergency shelter in the eastern part of the city, so there shouldn’t be any problems for now. Once the formula is provided, I believe the production can continue within the city to supply the military.”

“Are you saying that those massacres were also…”

“We used some small tricks. After all, Sigma has spies in the city, and to deceive it, we had to deceive our own people first. Considering the importance the United Government places on the settlements, I don’t think anyone will question it.”

Yi Ning slowly covered his face and let out a long sigh of relief. The conference room fell silent—this plan could be described as far-fetched to the point of absurdity, yet terrifyingly realistic at the same time.

“Now that you have reached this point of cooperation with the synthetic humans, can’t you have them join in the fight against Sigma?” Someone at the conference table tentatively spoke. “It seems like there’s only Shu Jun…”

Zhu Yanchen immediately turned his gaze; his eyes were unusually cold.

“Why?” he asked briefly. “Shu Jun is willing to help me out of personal friendship. As for the other synthetic humans, haven’t they refrained from causing destruction within the city? Isn’t that enough? Why do you think they are willing to cooperate with me? Is it because they didn’t find protecting humans satisfying? Or is it because they don’t want to live anymore?”

That person was bombarded with a series of questions and couldn’t say a word.

“Now, let’s proceed with the operational meeting. Within three days, Shu Jun will hold off Sigma while the security team clears the surrounding Erosion Swamps. Once the battlefield is cleared, we will concentrate our forces to deal with Sigma. As for the specific arrangements…”

“I’ll go to the security team,” Yi Ning suddenly interrupted, his voice filled with weary hoarseness.

Zhu Yanchen looked at him, his expression blank.

“You will definitely go to the front lines, I know,” Yi Ning smiled bitterly. “Someone needs to stay in the city, and having one Zhu elder is enough… I want to go and support the security team.”

“…”

“Indeed, unlike me, you can handle it alone. And if worse comes to worst, you still have Dong… you have Miss Xia as your right-hand. But I don’t want to continue hiding here, training for emergency arrangements within the city. I need to use my own eyes to see what kind of trouble we have brought upon ourselves.”

“That is a real battlefield, Mr. Yi—different from when you led Groundwater. This time, there is no Luo Duan to designate tactics, and your talent lies in social management. I’ll be straightforward—your on-the-spot command ability is only above average, and your experience with the Erosion Swamp is limited to paper, which doesn’t make you suitable for the front lines.”

Zhu Yanchen didn’t respond to his outburst.

“When the time comes, I will arrange your position based on your capabilities, without giving you too much command authority… but are you okay with the possibility of getting injured or even killed?”

“Yes.”

“As for the Tang family…”

“I don’t care. This is my request as a ‘human’. You’re right, I’ve been theorizing for too long, and I’ve been too self-righteous.”

“Very well.” Zhu Yanchen didn’t waste any more words. “Now, regarding the tactics against the Erosion Swamp, these are my current thoughts…”

The meeting didn’t last too long. Zhu Yanchen shut down any questions, probing, or opinions that deviated from the main topic. Zhu Sheng, who rarely spoke, watched Zhu Yanchen’s decisive actions from the main seat and fell into a long silence.

He didn’t express any objection to being assigned to the rear command. It must be said that many people at the table still harbored some internal family conflicts in their hearts, but seeing Zhu Sheng’s reaction, they could only swallow their pride and obediently follow orders.

“This battle is destined to be dangerous and cannot last too long. The next three days will be the peak of enthusiasm among the city’s residents. Once this period is over, the people’s heart of Y City will be completely shattered, and the situation will become difficult to salvage. This is our only opportunity to defeat Sigma, and I don’t want to see any actions that are irrelevant to the overall situation.”

The young master of the Zhu family had made quite a few remarks after slipping away from the brink of death. Compared to the younger generation who felt suffocated by this overwhelming pressure, people began to miss the previous “Marshal Zhu”, who used to be confined indoors and remained silent.

But who would want to have a falling out with their own lives?

The giant black wolf didn’t wait for long. That night, the human army was fully armed—

And the real war had officially begun.

---

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 105: After Despair

During his time lying on the sickbed in his old age, Xia Yufeng had countless recollections of that period. In his work, <Memoirs of Transformation>, he described the details of those few days in great detail.

He publicly admitted that he was a fake and then fled the command center, blending in with the crowd. Everyone looked grim, with masks covering their faces, but Xia Yufeng was still not at ease. He had previously obtained a thin mask from Ai Xiaoxiao that could temporarily alter his facial features.

He witnessed people expressing their discontent with life and shouting the name of Zhu Yanchen as they demonstrated in the Grand Theatre. He also saw the first appearance of the large sentient Erosion Swamp, which turned the streets into flat ground, and expensive weapons burning like wax paper.

Soon after, he witnessed the synthetic humans causing destruction all around and eventually taking control of the central square. Fortunately, he had some information on the side of the synthetic humans, which prevented him from being thrown into a deep pit. Xia Yufeng hid near the square, carrying a bag of food and crouching in a corner like a mouse.

The empty house was located in a partially constructed residential building, with only dim concrete walls and sandy floors. However, its advantage was its elevated position and good visibility, which allowed for timely detection of new developments.

Xia Yufeng had already arranged for his parents to be placed in the safest residential area, and he himself had considered the idea of burying his head in the sand. However, the fear of Sigma outweighed the anticipation of waiting for the other shoe to drop. With his hair and beard disheveled, he resembled a homeless cat sitting by the window, becoming a living lookout stone.

And he actually witnessed it.

After countless days of the synthetics’ invasion, the standoff on the square continued. Shu Jun had transformed into a massive monster and was wreaking havoc on the infrastructure around the city center. While chewing on his dry rations, Xia Yufeng noticed a human team quietly departing from the command center and heading towards Shu Jun’s direction.

Were they courting death?

Xia Yufeng sniffed and activated the surviving cameras near the city center. After impersonating Marshal Zhu for so long, he hadn’t forgotten to take advantage of certain observation programs in key locations, ensuring he received firsthand information.

This team was guarding a supply truck, moving with extreme caution. Xia Yufeng adjusted the camera’s focus to keep the supply truck in the center of the frame. However, as soon as he made this adjustment, half of the screen went black. Some dark object was blocking the camera, obscuring most of the view.

Xia Yufeng cursed and adjusted the focus for a while—then he saw a black ball about the size of a human head next to the camera. Its surface was undoubtedly the glossy black texture of an Erosion Swamp, but within the swamp-like material, there were structures resembling eagle eyes. Apparently disturbed by the moving camera, dozens of eyes on the surface of the swamp instantly turned towards it.

Seeing this scene, Xia Yufeng almost wet his pants. He didn’t dare move the camera anymore and nervously looked at the unobstructed view. After some time, the eye-filled swamp seemed to lose interest and slowly turned away, observing the human team together with Xia Yufeng.

They stopped at a distance from Shu Jun, opened the truck’s compartment, and began assembling a bizarre-looking weapon. From afar, it resembled a cannon, and the assembly members’ movements were incredibly gentle, as if each component were as fragile as a newborn baby.

Xia Yufeng held his breath.

Finally, the weapon was adjusted. The operator aimed the barrel at the monstrous beast that was wreaking havoc on public facilities and kept adjusting the angle.

…Are they trying to kill Shu Jun inside the monster?

Xia Yufeng glanced at the synthetic humans on the square, their imposing presence not causing him any concern—if Zhu Yanchen had a change of heart at this moment and decided to stab Shu Jun in the back, he would be overjoyed.

So, he just nervously squeezed his sweat and continued to sneak a peek.

Finally, the adjustments were completed.

The projectile shot out, hitting the faraway Erosion Swamp monster precisely. The creature’s chest was struck, leaving behind a nearly perfect circular hole with smoke rising from its surroundings. It emitted an extremely mournful wail, and the next second it disintegrated into ordinary erosion substance, crashing to the ground.

Xia Yufeng took a deep breath and disregarded the mysterious thing by the camera, immediately rotating it and zooming in. The human artillery naturally had their considerations. The monster happened to be on an open plain without any obstructions, allowing for a clear view of the weapon’s power. The disintegrated erosion substance quietly flowed on the ground, without a trace of a person or any protruding unidentified objects.

Shu Jun was dead?

The human team that fired the cannon seemed somewhat skeptical as well. They dispatched a series of drones to scan the area near the erosion substance for quite some time. Those drones roamed within a radius of a few kilometers for two to three hours, as if Shu Jun could still burrow into the ground and escape. Xia Yufeng almost choked on this anticipation.

No signs of escape were found in the surroundings, and the land scan showed no issues. The disintegrated erosion substance flowed weakly, unable to reform into an Erosion Swamp.

…It seems that the synthetics had too much faith in Shu Jun’s abilities, or perhaps they never considered that humans could develop countermeasure weapons so quickly.

With this thought, this invasion might turn out to be a blessing in disguise for Y City. Zhu Yanchen would gain great merit and undoubtedly rise to a high position in the future. Xia Yufeng was currently on his side, and once the storm settled, he might have a chance to achieve great success…

Xia Yufeng was dreaming on one side while the team on the other side excitedly reported the good news to the command center. People embraced and cried tears of joy for this perfect outcome. Some even blew kisses towards the cannon barrel.

“The target has been eliminated. Repeat, the target has been eliminated! ‘Fireworks’ is functioning well, and the effect is astonishing!”

“My loved one is still in that pit. This thing can be mass-produced soon, right? Just a few more days, just a few more days, and this nightmare will be over!”

“Yes, even if the Erosion Swamp attacks again, we won’t be afraid anymore! This thing is so effective that player systems and the like are no longer necessary—”

In the distant empty house, Xia Yufeng’s mouth widened to his ears. Unfortunately, the next moment, his smile froze completely—compared to the celebrating human team, the camera’s field of view was broader and more extensive.

Something was approaching from the west of the city.

The moment he saw that thing, his brain stopped for a few seconds. For a period of time, Xia Yufeng couldn’t even comprehend what he was seeing. It was daytime, and there was still a faint light in the world. The approaching “creature” was like the embodiment of darkness itself, devouring half of the world before his eyes.

At the boundary between light and darkness, numerous enormous arms stretched and bent, pulling the immense darkness behind them. These hands seemed to be severed from mummies or directly extended from hell.

Hell had descended upon the world, nothing more. The entire scene seemed like an illusion, devoid of any sense of reality.

Xia Yufeng remained stunned for a full five minutes.

Compared to this thing, the monster created by Shu Jun seemed as cute as a fluffy teddy bear. The hope that had just arisen in his heart was completely crushed in this moment. Forget about the future or prospects; he didn’t even have the thought of escaping for his own survival—faced with this thing, where could he possibly run?

Where could humans possibly run?

Did Zhu Yanchen persist even though he knew the opponent was this kind of thing? That one surname Zhu was truly a lunatic. Xia Yufeng suddenly wished that Shu Jun hadn’t died—if that person was still alive, considering the people in the city, Shu Jun might still be able to stand in the way of the impending darkness approaching Y City.

‘It’s all over,’ he thought blankly. ‘It’s all over.’

Humans could defeat other species, but in the face of a true natural disaster, victory only lay in “successful self-preservation”. Who could stop an earthquake? Who could evaporate a flood? Furthermore, this thing had its own will—no matter how one thought about it, this timing was too deadly.

The long standoff had exhausted a significant amount of energy from both humans and synthetics, and with Shu Jun just dead, chaos was bound to erupt among the synthetics. As for humans… they had only glimpsed a thread of hope but hadn’t had the chance to reach out and grasp it.

Contrasted against the prior hope, the arrival of despair felt particularly bitter. Overwhelming suffocation and fear enveloped Xia Yufeng. For a brief moment, he even felt the impulse to jump from the building—to escape this kind of terror by dying first.

However, after hesitating for a long time on the cement windowsill, he couldn’t bring himself to take that step. Xia Yufeng curled up in the corner, covering his eyes, and cried out in pain.

To make matters worse, his speculations soon turned into reality.

Sigma didn’t immediately crush Y City. Even with victory within reach, Luo Duan felt no impulse. He instructed Sigma to activate its abilities and construct a flexible “erosion spider web” around its main body. Even if the human escort team attempted to shoot at it with their limited number of new weapons, those projectiles would be consumed within the layers of barriers. Afterward, Sigma would immediately command the large-scale Erosion Swamps to follow and destroy this exposed new weapon.

Those new weapons embodied human hope and were costly to the point of being jaw-dropping. However, in the face of a true “natural disaster”, they became nothing more than useless junk capable of firing a single shot. Their numbers rapidly increased, only to be swiftly destroyed by the swamp, until they practically vanished.

Humans weren’t machines. Fear grew with every passing second, and the strings of their hearts tightened more and more until they reached their breaking point two days later.

The fuse of the synthetics’ escape was ignited.

With Shu Jun gone, the synthetics forces visibly fell into disarray. Although Hu Yan attempted to replace Shu Jun and manage the remaining people, he couldn’t withstand the sight of hopelessness. Finally, in the darkness of one night, even Hu Yan and his team disappeared.

They didn’t kill the hostages in the square. No one knew if it was due to despair or fear of exposing their whereabouts. All people knew was that when the negotiator with dark circles under his eyes visited again, there was barely half a synthetic human left on the square.

But no one could feel happy.

The screens no longer broadcasted uplifting messages, and everyone gazed at the phenomenon in the west of the city. No one knew what it was, but they could only sense the chill evoked by their primal instincts. These days had been filled with too much misery, and even the warmest blood now felt icy cold in exhaustion.

Including the troops stationed west of the city, most people were waiting—waiting for that colossal monstrosity to move its body and utterly crush the city. Fear made survival difficult, and they were waiting for an end, even if that end meant death.

Those who still had the mood to continue working diminished by seventy to eighty percent, and the production of the new purification cannons came to a halt. The command center was also silent, and even though Zhu Sheng’s mouth was worn out from talking, few people were willing to move.

Previous temptations were no longer effective. Zhu Sheng stood at the highest level of the command center, staring at the boundless darkness.

Yi Ning hadn’t given up yet. Leading those who still held onto some hope, he ensured the barely functioning infrastructure of Y City. But it was like a praying mantis trying to stop a car, and Zhu Sheng knew in his heart that this city was on the verge of death. And in that moment when the city collapsed completely, that monster would destroy it—right now, it was pressuring them with fear, injecting venom into its prey like a venomous snake, quietly waiting for the prey to stop struggling.

Reversing the situation seemed impossible, perhaps this was what this situation imposed.

With Tang Heyu’s crazy explanation, Zhu Sheng probably understood the cause of that monster. Just as they used the player system to reclaim the land and expand the city, those sacrificed synths just piled up and formed a grotesque monstrosity from their corpses.

…In a sense, this could be considered summoning a demon through death.

For some reason, Zhu Sheng suddenly thought of a distant past. He once again recalled the image of a little boy kneeling on the ground, crying, and praying for a path to survival for his dear friend.

If he hadn’t intervened, could those two children have become friends?

In that case, could Zhu Yanchen have lived a better life?

Would the fate of Y City have a slight change because of this?

However, what was done was done*, and it was already too late. Even if he exhausted all his wisdom in this lifetime, he couldn’t come up with a solution—it wasn’t that people are unwilling to sacrifice, but the existence of hope was the most fundamental prerequisite.

*Spilled water can’t be gathered up. (覆水难收)

But he couldn’t see any hope.

Finally, after several days of “border oppression”, Sigma removed its spider web and started moving again. People stood numbly in the square, waiting silently for the arrival of the calamity.

But in that moment when the monster approached the city center, countless Erosion Swamps rose from the barren land, and a giant black wolf appeared out of thin air. It crouched low and emitted a deep growl towards the creature. By its posture, it was undoubtedly protecting Y City behind it. Limited by its size, the black wolf failed to stop the behemoth Erosion Swamp approaching from all directions, but it kept the monster restrained outside the city center, unable to advance.

What was that thing? Where did it come from?

The numb people show signs of thawing. The current situation still filled them with despair, but a faint inexplicable hope surged through their bodies with every heartbeat. At that moment, the dim screens on the square lit up once again.

“As the newly elected leader of Y City, I have something to say.”

Zhu Yanchen was still wearing his formal uniform, and his expression remained blank. No one questioned his identity—people hadn’t seen much of Zhu Yanchen before, which allowed Xia Yufeng to successfully deceive them. After observing Xia Yufeng for so long, anyone could see the difference in aura between the two.

No one wanted to ask how he survived, and no one cared if this was another deception. Even if everything was fake, at least in this moment, they could momentarily escape from boundless despair.

“First of all, Y City still has hope. It’s not time to give up yet.”

For once, that person showed a faint smile.

“…The approach of this thing was our plan from the beginning.”

---

The author has something to say:

The time has come for the counterattack, XDDD.

The synthetic human army enters popcorn mode (

Marshal: Playing dead twice.

Come to think of it, Shu Ge also played dead. Playing dead as a couple ←

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Kinky Thoughts:

I mean, technically, this is Zhu Yanchen’s third resurrection, right? At this point, he might as well just start a religion under him.

---

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 104: The Oriole

The people trapped in the pit still had food and water, but their hearts were filled with extreme panic. This forced gathering rapidly consumed people’s inner selves, and some individuals entered a numb state, standing like statues in the deep pit of the square.

The negotiations weren’t going smoothly.

The synthetic humans were quite firm, and Shu Jun insisted on not meeting Zhu Sheng or any other human leader. Whenever the human side attempted to intercede, whether through soft or hard means, Hu Yan blocked them all.

He wasn’t worried about the humans finding leverage—Yu Jin was still guarding his people in their usual location, while the remaining residential areas without “rescue” were jointly managed by the remaining synthetic humans and the Old Fourth outside. They were all gathered east of Y City, oblivious to the chaos within the city.

Hearing the arguments from the human negotiators, Shu Jun couldn’t help but find it amusing.

“The player system appeared two hundred years ago, and this generation has simply grown accustomed to it. The upper echelons of the United Government bear some responsibility, but you need to understand that the majority of people are innocent… That’s what they say.”

“Do they think I’m unaware of this? Such arguments are only meant to console ourselves. To hear them say it? The perpetrators aren’t worthy of discussing this.”

“The player system has undergone adjustments. If we sit down and cooperate now, they are willing to provide the most reasonable medical care and ensure system transparency.”

“That’s only because we are holding lives in our hands, right in front of the people of Y City, that they are willing to discuss terms. Once we let go, who will guarantee it, who will define ‘most reasonable’ and ‘transparent’? Spare me. These words sound more like they are meant for ordinary people in Y City to hear—’Look, humans are being so ‘sincere’, why aren’t the synthetic humans relenting?’ …They certainly know how to incite emotions indirectly.”

“Captain Shu, are you suggesting that we stop negotiating?”

“We will negotiate, but first let them correct their attitude—who said we will coexist and cooperate afterward? How many people can accept humans without any resentment? If we were truly to live among humans, before any so-called understanding emerges, terror and rejection would be at the forefront.”

“Um… Captain, I was thinking…” Hu Yan scratched his head. “You said they have also suffered from the Erosion Swamp, so they should have some understanding of the hardships we face in combating it. Will our strong stance have a counterproductive effect?”

“Do you think Ai Xiaoxiao is suffering?”

“Ah? I suppose… she must be suffering, I guess.”

“What is she suffering from?”

“…”

“‘Knowing’ and ‘understanding’ are not the same thing. The human forces may be able to understand the terror of the Erosion Swamp, but in the end, they still have to obey others. The understanding of the general public mostly remains at a superficial level of ‘hardship’. The understanding between compatriots is already discounted, let alone between different species. Most people will only see the Erosion Swamp as a troublesome thing, and it’s great that there were anomalies dealing with the mess before.”

“No, this is too much…”

“I don’t deny that some people may feel sympathy or guilt. But how long can this momentary sentiment last? When they have to choose between the different species and their loved ones, will their stance change? Nobody knows. I cannot gamble everyone’s future on the enemy’s ‘understanding’ and ‘humanity’.”

Hu Yan’s expression slowly fell. “Do you really like Marshal Zhu? Captain Shu, please don’t sacrifice yourself for someone in a higher position…”

Shu Jun’s face twitched a few times. “What do you take me for? My feelings for him are personal; do you understand? In this war, there’s no room for personal feelings.”

Hu Yan glanced to the side, clearly skeptical.

Shu Jun wished he could punch him. “Get lost!”

“I can’t leave, so what should I do?” Hu Yan quickly switched back to a worried expression. “To be honest, I can’t figure out how to resolve this. Your direction doesn’t seem like a path to peace, does it? Besides, I’m not ignorant of leading a team. Zhu Sheng won’t just let us make demands; it’s a matter of principle.”

“A’Yan didn’t go over there just to watch the show.” Shu Jun smiled. “By erasing ‘Zhu Yanchen’ from the public eye earlier, we gave him a little break—he should have enough time.”

“Enough time for what?”

“You don’t need to worry about it. Just be tough in the negotiations. In the current situation, the goal is not to reach a resolution.”

On the other side of Y City, the Tang Family.

“Oh, A’Sheng, you still… still think you can… get me?” Tang Heyu hiccupped heavily into the communicator. “The survival of humanity? I heard it clearly, but what does it have to do with me? You, hiccup, you said there would be no problems, right? Hm?”

Zhu Sheng had mobilized almost everyone in the Tang family before the old man finally agreed to an audio call. As he spoke, his tail was practically wagging in the air with a face full of satisfaction.

Zhu Yanchen turned his face away, unable to bear witness to this dispute between the older generation.

“If it’s all over, then it’s all over.” Tang Heyu, relying on his reputation for being mentally unstable, continued to fan the flames. “Anyway, I, hm, I’m old too. When I’m gone, it won’t matter even if the earth stops spinning.”

“I won’t force you to come out of retirement.” Zhu Sheng didn’t sound angry. “Heyu, I know you’re not doing well right now. I just need you to interpret a few key points from your paper—the young people are researching weapons to resist the Erosion Swamp and the synthetic humans’ abilities. Your paper could be of great use.”

Tang Heyu looked at Zhu Yanchen, who was sitting on the side, sipping tea, and grinned. “What crazy talk are you spouting? Back then, you didn’t even want to put my, oh, what was it called, ‘baseless speculation’, into the database.”

“I made a mistake in judging the player system,” Zhu Sheng admitted frankly. “You can curse me however you want, but if you still remember that paper from back then, please provide an interpretation.”

Zhu Yanchen gently put down the teacup and looked at Tang Heyu, who was about to take off. The old man also knew that he couldn’t float down easily, so he relaxed a little and said, “I’m so annoyed. I… I’ll keep drinking. When I remember, hiccup, I’ll contact you. You’re the only idiot who doesn’t know how to cherish a good son.”

“…” Zhu Sheng remained silent.

“I want to read all of Zhu Yanchen’s papers. After so many years of idleness, I also want to find something to look at.” Tang Heyu exchanged a glance with Zhu Yanchen and nodded. “The young people at the research center are being wasted by you. Their minds are filled with rules and regulations. What can they figure out?”

“Thank you for your hard work.” Zhu Sheng showed no emotional fluctuations throughout the conversation.

“Your father…” Tang Heyu cut off the communication, sighed deeply, and didn’t say anything else.

“That should be enough.” Zhu Yanchen didn’t pay any attention to Zhu Sheng’s attitude, showing no emotions either. In this regard, the father and son were indeed quite similar.

“Hey, do you really think you can fool Sigma with all this?”

“Sigma may not notice these things, but Luo Duan definitely will.”

The following days were a tense tug-of-war. The synthetic refused to back down, and the humans had no intention of unconditional compromise. With the resources they scavenged from the outskirts of Y City and the food and water obtained from the square residents through hostage-taking, the team of synthetics managed to live decently. However, resources were limited, and the players couldn’t truly rely on the resources provided by humans.

Everyone knew that the war would eventually ignite. Neither side’s leader would be foolish enough to seek a tiger for its skin*. There was good news though—at least during this standoff, the strange Erosion Swamps didn’t attack the city again, and humans finally breathed a sigh of relief.

*(与虎谋皮) Metaphor referring to negotiating a tiger and asking for its skin, which poses a conflict of interest with the object of pursuit and won’t succeed. In other words, asking for the impossibility.

What people didn’t know was that strange Erosion Swamps were lurking in the corners, not missing any important information within the city.

Such as this—

“Tang Heyu has made a new discovery about the Erosion Swamp?”

“No, it can’t be called his discovery. It seems that Zhu Yanchen had given a similar theory, and he just interpreted it. We’ll have a new weapon against the Erosion Swamp soon—it’s completely different from before, and the purification effect is terrifying.”

“…Will Y City be saved?”

“Yes. Ah, if Marshal Zhu was still here, the panic wouldn’t have lasted this long. The synthetics wouldn’t be arrogant for much longer. We have confidence this time! It’s a pity that the people in the square are being controlled. If everyone could produce weapons together, the efficiency would be even higher.”

“So, they’re not ready yet…”

“Of course not. They can’t just conjure them out of thin air. Many details need to be worked out. It is said that once they are truly developed, they will target Shu Jun first. If Shu Jun dies, the synthetics will lose their backbone.”

The conversation continued casually until the two researchers returned to the hotel room next to the command center.

The researchers’ mood improved considerably, and they happened to be one of the key subjects observed by Luo Duan. Due to security concerns, this wave of joy didn’t reach the square residents, but it reached Luo Duan’s ears.

“Let’s go,” he whispered to Sigma.

“Why?”

“The level of human scientific research isn’t low, but their direction has always been limited. If they are truly stimulated and successfully enhance their purification weapons, it will be highly disadvantageous for us. I don’t have much knowledge in the field of research, and we can’t gamble on something like this.”

“What about taking action after Shu Jun’s death?”

“After they finish testing the prototype? That does seem most reasonable, but during this period, we must ensure that we are close enough. In case their new weapons are indeed effective, we must destroy Y City at any cost.”

He paused for a moment and contemplated deeply.

“Of course, it’s best to be cautious. The synthetics and humans have been consuming each other for long enough. Once Shu Jun is injured or dead, it will be the perfect time to strike.”

A massive monster slowly emerged from the ocean. Its countless hands gripped the mud as it began to move towards Y City.

Luo Duan remained motionless, sitting on the back of one of its hands and gazing at the gray sky.

Many days had passed, and he had neither eaten nor drunk, yet he felt no hunger. The illusions before him grew more vivid, and the voice of his beloved became clearer. Perhaps he was still human, or perhaps he had already become one of Sigma’s “brains”… He couldn’t tell.

Luo Duan examined his swollen hand. His skin was long devoid of its natural color, faintly exuding a watery texture, and the entire hand was subtly deformed.

His flesh seemed to be melting, and he could no longer feel the temperature or the sensation of things.

But that was fine; there was no state more suitable for revenge.

However, his warrior instinct told him that something was still amiss. He must have missed something, while another part of his heart screamed for destruction and rest. Having gone for days without conversing with “normal people”, negative emotions in Luo Duan’s mind grew denser, making it difficult for him to breathe and think clearly.

Enough. He had considered all the factors. He had been Shu Jun’s old rival for so many years so he wouldn’t make a wrong judgment.

The synthetic humans wouldn’t lend their aid to the humans. As long as this was certain, he would win.

---

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 103: The Mantis Stalks the Cicada

The atmosphere in Y City had changed.

In the previous period, people’s dissatisfaction and anger had a hidden premise—that this chaos would eventually end, and what they faced was only a decline in their quality of life, not a threat to their lives.

However, after a night at the Grand Theatre, this dissatisfaction quickly turned into panic. There were too many people gathered around the battlefield that day, and even if the people inside the theater didn’t see the situation outside, the view from the tall buildings on the side was quite good. Not to mention that after the prolonged battle, the battlefield was barren, making it hard not to notice.

The screens were still lit, repeatedly playing reassuring announcements. Unfortunately, no one was willing to believe them anymore. Even someone like Zhu Yanchen, who could be replaced and manipulated, couldn’t represent anything with those empty promises on the screen.

At least the drinking water in the square was still available. People no longer complained about the taste and texture of the food; instead, they carefully hid those rations and only gave them to the elderly and children. Those who had been holed up at home didn’t know what to do and had to seal off their windows in a futile attempt to resist something, even though they knew in their hearts that a massive Erosion Swamp could easily reduce high-rise buildings to ruins.

A faint sense of helplessness and despair began to spread among the crowd.

Rely on the military? Everyone saw the state of the military; it was Marshal Zhu’s old subordinate who came to the rescue. On the other hand, what they needed most now were experts on the Erosion Swamp, but Zhu Yanchen was already dead.

Once again, the Ai’s Clinic was crowded with people. The men who used to gossip and give advice on governance were noticeably quieter. Most of them came and went in a dejected manner, buying essential medicines. Someone had tried to use force to seize the medications but was promptly beaten by Ai Xiaoxiao’s subordinates and thrown out of the store.

The people in the clinic knew how to handle such situations. The person was beaten to a bloody mess, looking quite horrifying. The warning had its effect, though the actual injuries weren’t too severe.

The injured person groaned on the ground for a while before getting up and walking away, which made the originally heavy atmosphere even more oppressive.

“…If Zhu Yanchen were still alive, that would be great.” The man who had once fantasized that Yi Ning was the illegitimate child of the Zhu family finally spoke.

“It’s useless to say these things.”

“Why isn’t Yi Ning taking action? After all, he’s in charge of a large synthetic human squad. Zhu Sheng made him responsible for the city, but we haven’t seen much improvement, have we?”

“Why don’t you try taking charge yourself? It’s obvious that Zhu Sheng is using Yi Ning as a shield. The situation outside has become like that, so how can the city be managed well?” Yi Ning’s staunch supporter couldn’t stand it anymore. “You used to be one of the harshest critics of Zhu Yanchen. So what, now only dead people are the strongest?”

“It’s true. In that chaos the other day, where was Yi Ning? Did he react in time? The one who showed up first was Zhu Yanchen’s subordinate!”

“Both Zhu Sheng and Yi Ning were locked in the Grand Theatre. They couldn’t take action even if they wanted to. Who could have predicted that ‘Zhu Yanchen’ was a fake…”

“Oh, come on! Those people at the top definitely knew it was a fake! Even if that impostor wanted to reveal his identity, would he cooperate with anyone other than the United Government? We’ve all been played. Zhu Sheng definitely suppressed him from speaking up before!”

“Yeah, it’s all Zhu Sheng’s fault!” Yi Ning’s supporter seized the opportunity to agree. “Zhu Yanchen was against the player system from the beginning. Those monsters outside were definitely brought by the player system. They might even be synthetic humans! I’m sure of it! Zhu Sheng just wants to continue benefiting from this system and kept the disadvantages hidden from everyone—”

“Thinking about it. It makes sense.”

“When people get old, they get old. They become confused and consumed by their greed for power. Tsk, tsk.”

“We’re the ones suffering… Just think, Zhu Yanchen was such a good person, and he even betrayed his own son—”

Another blood-stained surgical knife flew in, poking in front of a few men.

Ai Xiaoxiao: “Get lost.”

Seeing that it wasn’t good, the men quickly grabbed their medicine and left without daring to complain. The bloodstains in front of the clinic hadn’t even dried yet.

To reserve some hope for the people and be prepared for critical moments, Ai Xiaoxiao didn’t release all the medicine stock. After selling out the quota for the day, she closed the clinic’s heavy protective door, locked it with three bolts, and headed towards the basement.

The “Bellflower” system was no longer in the basement. She had used all the available space for research and reserved a bit of space for someone to take refuge—Xia Liang was wearing Ai Xiaoxiao’s nightgown, absent-mindedly humming a tune. It was her first time having a close female friend who knew her inside out, and she still hadn’t gotten over the excitement. She wondered if it was because she felt frustrated playing the role of Dong Lao, that she was tempted to toss her hair in front of Ai Xiaoxiao.

“I need to work. Be quiet.” Ai Xiaoxiao’s tone twisted. Xia Liang’s transformation from Dong Lao to Miss Xia was too astonishing, and she hadn’t figured out how to face this canary that suddenly turned into a vulture.

“I’m specially singing for you. Many people would want this treatment.”

“I’m not fortunate enough to enjoy it.” Ai Xiaoxiao suppressed her anger. “Shut up and go to sleep. Aren’t we going to a meeting tomorrow?”

“What kind of meeting?” Xia Liang leaned against the sofa with a cheerful smile. “In simple terms, it’s just assembling a temporary team. Compared to those formal meetings, what you’re doing here is more important. I’m here to cheer you on, okay?”

Ai Xiaoxiao: “…”

Ai Xiaoxiao: “What about the situation on the Xia family’s side? Have you thought about it?”

Poked in a sore spot, Xia Liang’s smile vanished from her face. “When the battle begins, the old man won’t care about face anymore. Even if Dong Lao’s true form is a dog, they have to let ‘him’ take charge. There’s no other choice—except for that idiot Zhu Yanchen, no one has delved deep into tactics against Erosion Swamps. Even Yi Ning, who was once a free underground resource, was only responsible for overall adjustments. Now that Zhu Yanchen can’t show up, there’s only me left.”

“Is there such a big difference?” Ai Xiaoxiao glanced at the mechanical readings, casually picking up the conversation.

“Before, we were manipulating synthetic humans, and now we’re manipulating humans. It’s like the difference between playing virtual investment games and seriously investing your own capital… No matter how rich your commanding experience was before, this change in mindset is not something to be taken lightly. Something is bound to go wrong. Yi Ning is probably already thinking of dying.”

“Mm.”

“You’re not listening seriously.” Xia Liang crossed her long legs, and her voice became soft and aggrieved, making Ai Xiaoxiao shiver.

“Mm.” Ai Xiaoxiao quickly replied louder.

“Forget it, I won’t bother you. Actually, I wanted to say that you should prepare to evacuate from Y City.”

This time, Ai Xiaoxiao really paid attention. “What are you saying?”

“Y City is in the midst of the most chaotic situation. He won’t be able to refrain from launching an attack.”

“…I thought his relationship with Zhu Yanchen…”

“Sometimes, you research nerds can be quite adorable.” Xia Liang propped her chin on her hand; her voice carrying a playful tone. “If he shows mercy to his subordinates, don’t mention whether he can hide the truth from Luo Duan. Ai Jiejie, the bodies of the synthetic humans are deteriorating more with each passing day, right? Someone like Shu Jun definitely won’t delay on this matter. As for his feelings towards Zhu Yanchen, he has expressed it quite clearly.”

Ai Xiaoxiao raised an eyebrow, ignoring Xia Liang’s first sentence.

“…Based on last night’s situation, Shu Jun could have easily destroyed Y City on his own, but he didn’t do it. I always thought it was quite foolish of Zhu Yanchen to trust him. Thankfully Marshal Zhu didn’t trust the wrong person… Haa, to be honest, I can’t bring myself to ‘trust Shu Jun’ at all. He is the most terrifying opponent. Now, I’m even more worried about other things.”

“What other things?”

“I hope Zhu Yanchen’s ‘trust’ and ‘affection’ aren’t part of a plan to save humanity. At this critical moment, if either of them shows signs of betrayal or wavering, the situation will be extremely ugly.”

“Mm.”

“Don’t understand?”

“I indeed don’t understand what they’re planning to do.” Ai Xiaoxiao put down the test tube in her hand and responded in a calm tone. “But even as a ‘research nerd’, I can see that this was originally a life-or-death situation. They insisted on creating two paths of survival, so it’s only natural that the cost is high.”

At this moment, one of the main characters they were discussing was outside the protective wall, giving instructions.

“Lao Hu, take the long-range attack team and destroy their military ammunition depot. They diverted quite a few weapons last night to deal with the Erosion Swamp. Don’t leave a single one behind if you confirm their locations. After blowing up the ammunition depot, immediately reinforce Chai Xuyang.”

“Understood.”

“Chai Xuyang, you go control the residential areas outside the outer city. Focus on the area around the central square, where the population is the densest.”

“What about the people who live in their own homes?”

“We have limited personnel. The good steel should be used wisely. Controlling the central square area is enough—it’s quite conspicuous, and the condition of the residents there is the worst.”

“…Alright.”

“During this period, it is essential to avoid battles with the main human forces. Until the objective is achieved, operate primarily as guerrilla warfare. The large difference in our numbers is one aspect, and the human military needs to be kept for dealing with Sigma. Did you all hear that? Even if you hate it, keep it to yourselves.”

“Yes.”

“Louder.”

“Yes!”

Shu Jun’s expression was solemn, and his vertical pupils swept across the team. “Those of you who were previously in logistics for various teams, form separate squads to sabotage the purifiers along the city. I also need to create some momentum around the city perimeter. You don’t need to engage in battle—immediately withdraw from the city center after completing the mission and go collect resources and clear hiding places in the surrounding areas.”

“Okay… Okay!”

“Finally, do not harm civilians. Don’t give Zhu Sheng any opportunities to exploit. Focus on using your abilities to intimidate. If someone causes too much trouble, you can take action, but remember to exercise restraint. This time, your opponents are likely Yi Ning and Zhu Sheng. Don’t underestimate them.”

The synthetic humans shattered the last shred of illusion among the citizens of Y City.

After several long weeks, everyone’s optimism and patience had been worn down. Then, within just a few short days, a major deception was exposed, the monstrous Erosion Swamp attacked, and the defense forces were severely damaged. Before the turmoil could settle, the synthetic humans launched a direct attack—the battle against the Erosion Swamp had exposed the locations of the military ammunition depots throughout the city, and the already scarce purifiers were completely destroyed.

Black smoke billowed into the sky, leaving many people despairingly crying on the ground—negative news had shattered their limits of endurance. What was most terrifying was that no one could see a way out.

The purifiers around the city were broken. The military ammunition depots that held hope were destroyed. The only person who had studied the Erosion Swamps had died.

It felt as if the apocalypse had descended once again.

Yi Ning and Zhu Sheng’s subordinates scrambled throughout Y City, but as the erosion substance within the city increased, they couldn’t withstand the players with abilities—the elite teams of Groundwater and Blackbirds moved like ghosts; their shadows untraceable. And once these two teams settled down, both layers of the outer city’s protective walls were completely destroyed, and the people in the city center were also held hostage—

Hu Yan directly erected a massive stone wall around the square. People gathered in the huge pit created by moving earth and rocks, only able to see the sky above. At the same time, countless earth and rocks hung around this artificial stone enclosure. As long as the players with earth and rock abilities were killed or released their abilities, the tens of thousands of people inside would be buried alive.

Even though the synthetic humans lacked weapons and manpower, just with this move, the human military outside kept circling and hesitated to take action.

Meanwhile, around the city center, the monsters composed of erosion substance desperately destroyed the walls. The mutant beasts began to roam the streets. Now, even the people running around were nowhere to be found, and the escort team members were exhausted. The once bustling city had turned into a ghost town.

All of this happened in less than two days.

When dealing with the Erosion Swamp, the United Government had already anticipated this scenario. However, anticipating it didn’t mean having options. They had been losing step by step. Their weapon reserves and combat awareness couldn’t keep up, so they could only try to minimize their losses.

Soon, the negotiators from the United Government arrived at the square, attempting to contact “Supreme Commander” Shu Jun.

“It seems that none of you have taken action, so you must have some ideas,” the person cautiously and politely said. “I can arrange a holographic conference between Mr. Shu and Zhu Lao. Otherwise, if things continue like this, both sides will suffer.”

“No need for a conference, and there’s no room for negotiation.” Hu Yan struggled to deliver the lines given to him by Shu Jun. “We will propose suggestions, and you will accept them. Otherwise, there’s no point in discussing.”

“Well…”

“Tell Zhu Sheng that we haven’t harmed civilians so far, and that’s already quite polite—we haven’t even touched those people in the residential areas. These people grew up on the bodies of our compatriots. Anyway, we have no way out. It’s not about preserving the entire tile, but about shattering the jade*.”

*Broken jade (玉碎) Metaphor for a beautiful thing encountering misfortune. It refers to being self-destructive rather than compromising.

The negotiator’s face turned pale.

The words were remembered by the spies lurking in Y City, and they were relayed back to Sigma without missing a single word.

Luo Duan sat on the giant hand, and almost half of his body had turned into surging erosion. Even so, his expression remained calm.

“Just wait a little longer,” he said. “It’s not time yet.”

Then he turned his head and looked at the black ocean. The first time he saw Sigma, he found it extremely terrifying, but now, he had become accustomed to it.

“Although it’s not time… the timing is almost here,” he whispered to Sigma.

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The author has something to say:

Here it is, here it is—

Shu Ge is a truly ruthless person, and the marshal who dares to pursue Shu Ge is also a truly ruthless person (?

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