106: Bloodshed in the Americas, breaking through enemy lines, a lone ship sails west to China.

Chapter One Hundred and Nine: Bloodshed in America Breaking the Siege, A Lone Vessel Crosses West to China

The roar of artillery at the Great Lakes Base had persisted for a full seven hours.

This final bastion of the American Resistance Army was currently encircled by a black tide of mutation. Dark purple vines, like greedy tentacles, frantically coiled around the base's alloy perimeter walls, emitting a piercing screech of metal friction; thousands upon thousands of mutated creatures charged over the corpses of their kin, their sharp claws tearing through concrete and teeth gnawing on steel, eyes flashing with a bloodthirsty crimson light.

Atop the command tower, Major General Graham, commander of the American Resistance Army, gripped his communicator, his voice as raspy as sandpaper: "All units, take note! Hold the core sector at all costs! Cover the research team's retreat to the 'freedom' carrier-based aircraft! I repeat, cover the research team's evacuation at any cost!"

Inside the core sector's laboratory, over twenty top scientists were racing against time to pack equipment and data. Their faces were covered in dust and their eyes bloodshot, yet they dared not pause their movements for a second—the orbital railgun technology and gene sequencing data stored on these hard drives were the final treasures the American Resistance Army would leave to humanity.

"Professor, is the backup of the orbital railgun's core parameters ready?" a young female scientist asked anxiously, the roars of mutated creatures already echoing behind her.

The Old Professor pushed up his glasses which had slipped to the tip of his nose and stuffed the final hard drive into an explosion-proof case: "It's ready! All the data is here; it must never fall into the hands of the Skeleton Serpent!"

At that moment, the laboratory's alloy door suddenly shook violently from an impact. Dark purple vines had already pierced through the door gaps, lashing out frantically toward the crowd.

"Go, quickly!" the soldier responsible for cover bellowed, hoisting his Magnetic Storm Rifle and spraying fire at the vines. Blue electrical currents tore through the air, charring the vines black, but even more vines surged in from outside the door, instantly entangling the soldier's legs.

"Ah—!" The soldier let out a shrill scream as his body was rapidly dragged out by the vines, leaving behind only a string of desperate shouts, "Protect the professors!"

The faces of everyone in the laboratory turned pale. Under the soldiers' cover, they sprinted along the underground passage toward the carrier-based aircraft. The passage was filled with the smell of blood and burning; the corpses of fallen soldiers were everywhere along the way—some had been twisted into pieces by vines, while others still held their shooting stances, eyes wide open, dying with grievances unaddressed.

The 'freedom' carrier-based aircraft was moored in the center of the Great Lakes, currently surrounded so tightly by mutated creatures that not a drop of water could leak through. On the aircraft's deck, the engines had already started, emitting a world-shaking roar, and the airflow stirred by the propellers blew the approaching mutated creatures off balance.

"Quick! Get on the plane!" The pilot poked his head out and shouted at the running research team.

The Old Professor led the group across the pontoon bridge toward the aircraft. But just then, a massive wave suddenly surged in the center of the lake, and a Mutated Giant Crocodile, comparable in size to an aircraft carrier, lunged out of the water, its massive maw opening to bite down on the pontoon.

"Not good!" The soldiers bringing up the rear turned pale and raised their Magnetic Storm Rifles, firing frantically at the giant crocodile's eyes.

Blue electricity struck the crocodile's eyes, causing it to let out a roar of agony as its massive body crashed heavily onto the pontoon. The bridge snapped instantly, and the two scientists at the very back fell into the lake with screams, quickly devoured by mutated creatures in the depths of the water.

"No!" The Old Professor's eyes nearly split from grief as he tried to rush back, but he was held firmly by those around him.

"Professor, there's no time!" the female scientist cried out. "They used their lives to pave the way for us; we can't let their sacrifice be in vain!"

Looking at the blood-red hue rising on the lake surface, tears finally burst from the Old Professor's eyes. Gritting his teeth, he turned and boarded the aircraft.

Just as the aircraft door closed, the Mutated Giant Crocodile charged again, its massive head slamming hard into the fuselage. The aircraft shook violently; the pilot gripped the control stick tightly, roaring as he engaged maximum thrust.

"Vrrr—!"

Like an arrow released from a bow, the aircraft broke through the encirclement of mutated creatures and soared into the sky.

In the cabin, the research team looked down at the Great Lakes Base being devoured by mutated creatures, at the soldiers who died covering them, and at the entire American continent being covered by the black tide. Everyone lowered their heads, tears falling silently.

Major General Graham's voice suddenly came through the communicator, heavy with static yet exceptionally clear: "'freedom', this is Graham. America has fallen, but humanity's struggle is not over. Take our hope to China, and together with Commander Lin Zhou, protect the final spark of humanity!"

A final sound of artillery fire came from the communicator, followed by permanent silence.

The Old Professor tightly gripped the explosion-proof case and slowly gave a military salute to the communicator: "Major General Graham, and all the heroic spirits of the American Resistance Army, we will fulfill your final wish."

The aircraft flew toward the east, crossing the vast ocean. Along the way, they saw countless pieces of wreckage floating on the sea—fragments of warships, corpses of mutated creatures, and belongings of human survivors. Every time they saw these, the atmosphere in the cabin grew heavier.

After three days and nights of flight, the aircraft's fuel was nearly exhausted. Just as everyone was falling into despair, a familiar voice suddenly came from the communicator: "This is the China East Sea Air Defense Identification Zone. Aircraft ahead, please identify yourselves."

The Old Professor snapped his head up, a light of hope erupting in his eyes: "We are the American Resistance Army Research Team, carrying core orbital railgun technology, requesting permission to land!"

Minutes later, the Chinese coastline appeared ahead of the aircraft. In the sky, a Falcon Fighter Jet Squadron arrived to escort them; on the sea, Dawn City warships were patrolling; and on the distant land, the silhouettes of apocalypse tanks were faintly visible.

When the aircraft landed steadily on the runway of the East Sea Barrier Base and the door opened, the Old Professor and the research team looked at the Dawn Army soldiers coming to greet them and at this land full of vitality and hope. They could no longer hold back and embraced each other, weeping.

Lin Zhou arrived at the base personally. Looking at the explosion-proof case handed over by the Old Professor and at these ragged yet determined scientists, he gave a solemn military salute: "Welcome to China. Your arrival has brought new hope to humanity's struggle."

The Old Professor returned the salute, his voice choking: "Commander Lin Zhou, we have brought the final spark of America. From today on, we are willing to fight side-by-side with China until the Skeleton Serpent is completely defeated and our lands are reclaimed!"

The East Sea breeze blew across the runway as the aircraft's engines slowly shut down. The fall of America had caused humanity to lose an important position, but these surviving scientists and the technology they brought were like a beam of light in the darkness, illuminating the path forward for humanity's struggle.

Meanwhile, in the underwater base deep in the Pacific Ocean, Zhulong watched the footage of the 'freedom' aircraft landing on his screen, a sinister smile curling on his lips: "It's good that you've come. Lin Zhou, these scientists will become your sweetest burden, and also the key for me to destroy China."

He turned to look at the broodmother seed inside the incubation pod, which had already developed cracks. The crimson light grew more intense as a heart-palpitating energy slowly began to awaken.