64: A two-front war ignites, and reinforcements rush to the rescue in dire straits break through the encirclement.

Chapter Sixty-Six: Bitter Battles on Two Fronts Ignite the Beacon Fires; Desperate Reinforcements Break the Siege

The roar of artillery fire on the hills' defensive line was deafening. The pale purple light of the Energy Suppressor grew dimmer and dimmer, and the instrument indicator lights on High Ground No. 3 had begun to flash frantically, threatening to go out completely at any moment.

Wang Hu's Bone Armor Power Armor was covered in dark green bodily fluids and dark red blood. The wound on his shoulder throbbed with piercing pain, yet he still gripped his bone-spur longblade tightly, hacking a pouncing Sharp-Claw Species to the ground. Every soldier behind him was wounded, but not one retreated; the tongues of fire from the sonic machine guns never ceased.

"Only five minutes of suppressor energy left!" a soldier monitoring the instruments roared, his voice filled with despair. "Captain, we can't hold on! There are too many Mutants!"

The evolved Mutants surged forward like a tide. Scale-Wing Species circled and dove at low altitudes, Frenzied Fur Species used brute force to smash through cover, and Bone-Spur Species hid in the shadows, continuously firing sharp bone spikes. Every inch of the hills' soil was soaked in blood. Chen Hao's sniper rifle ammunition was exhausted; he tossed the empty gun aside and pulled out a dagger from his waist to grapple with the Mutants that had closed in. The crisp sound of the blade scraping against scales was exceptionally jarring amidst the artillery fire.

"Even if it's five minutes, we hold!" Wang Hu's eyes were bloodshot as he stabbed through the throat of a Frenzied Fur Species. "Dawn City is right behind us. One step back is an abyss!"

At that moment, the Energy Suppressor on High Ground No. 3 suddenly let out a piercing boom, and its pale purple light dissipated completely. Losing the energy suppression, the Mutants let out excited roars, and their offensive suddenly intensified several times over. An exceptionally massive Scale-Wing Species suddenly broke through the fire net, its claws lunging straight for Wang Hu's head.

A flash of resolve crossed Wang Hu's eyes as he closed them, awaiting death.

But the expected excruciating pain did not descend.

With a thunderous "boom," a high-energy grenade exploded beneath the Scale-Wing Species, its body instantly consumed by searing flames. Wang Hu snapped his eyes open to see an armored convoy racing through the dust in the distance. The searchlights at the front of the vehicles pierced the night, and the Dawn City insignia printed on the hulls was exceptionally striking.

"It's the Commander's reinforcements!" a soldier shouted uncontrollably, his eyes bursting with the light of wild joy.

Lin Zhou's voice rang out across the entire hilly region through a loudspeaker: "All units! The main forces of Dawn City have arrived to assist!"

The convoy sped to the scene, and the vehicle doors slammed open. Soldiers wearing brand-new Scale Armor Defense Shields filed out, wielding upgraded sonic resonance rifles as they launched a charge against the Mutant swarm. Further away, several Nightingale fighters loaded with heavy sonic cannons roared onto the scene, their muzzles aimed at the dense Mutant clusters, firing off waves of destructive sonic energy.

Wherever the sonic waves passed, the Mutants' scales shattered inch by inch, and their bodies were sent flying back like crumpled scraps of paper.

Lin Zhou, holding an energy submachine pistol, leaped down from the command vehicle and rushed to Wang Hu's side in a few steps, catching the swaying man. "Hold on, we're here!"

"Commander..." Wang Hu's voice was hoarse. The moment he saw Lin Zhou, his tense nerves finally relaxed; his vision went black, and he nearly collapsed to the ground.

"Medic!" Lin Zhou roared, immediately taking over command. "Chen Hao, take your men and clear out the Scale-Wing Species in the air! Armored Squad One, hold High Ground No. 3 with me! Armored Squad Two, support High Ground No. 1 and No. 2!"

"Understood!"

The arrival of the reinforcements was like a shot of adrenaline. The soldiers' morale soared as they followed Lin Zhou into the fray, and the defensive line that had been on the brink of collapse instantly stabilized.

Meanwhile, at the other end of the plains, the ground forces of the Serpent Skeleton Research Institute were making a frantic push toward Dawn City. This force, composed of fifty Omega Squad members and over a hundred Mechanical Hounds, was equipped with advanced energy weapons. They were sweeping through everything in their path and were about to break through the outer security outposts.

The ones responsible for the interception were the Dawn City logistics militia. These teams, made up of survivors, lacked sophisticated armor and held only crude rifles and machetes, yet they stood firm in the middle of the plain, building an indestructible line of defense with their own flesh and blood.

The militia captain was Chen Yang. He held the little girl he had rescued from North Mountain, shielding her behind him. With a rusty shotgun in his hand, he roared at the Omega Squad members before him: "If you want to pass this way, step over our corpses first!"

The little girl was trembling with fear, but she still summoned the courage to shout at the Men in Black, "Bad people! You are bad people!"

The captain of Omega Squad sneered and raised his hand to fire a shot. The bullet whizzed past Chen Yang's ear and hit the ground behind him. "A mere rabble dares to try and stop a carriage like a mantis?"

With a wave of his hand, the Mechanical Hounds surged forward like a tide.

The militiamen opened fire, but the bullets only made clinking sounds against the Mechanical Hounds' alloy shells. Soon, militiamen were having their bodies torn apart by the Mechanical Hounds' claws, and screams of agony rose one after another.

With bloodshot eyes, Chen Yang hid the little girl in a nearby trench, turned to pick up a dropped sonic rifle, and charged toward the Mechanical Hounds.

At this critical juncture, a deafening roar suddenly echoed from the distance.

Dozens of rhino tanks, unlocked by the red alert system, were seen racing toward the plain, their barrels glinting with a cold light. Standing atop the lead tank was a familiar figure—it was none other than Lin Yan.

"Big Sister!" The little girl couldn't help but cry out when she saw Lin Yan.

Lin Yan's voice came through the loudspeaker, carrying a trace of chilling killing intent: "You Skeleton Serpent scum, taste the power of the red alert tanks!"

"Fire!"

Dozens of high-explosive shells whistled out, landing precisely among the pack of Mechanical Hounds. Violent explosions erupted one after another as flames soared into the sky, and the wreckage of the Mechanical Hounds was blown to pieces.

The Omega Squad captain's expression changed drastically as he looked at the tank formation in disbelief. "The red alert system... it actually exists!"

Lin Yan gave a cold snort and raised her hand, firing a shot that accurately hit his shoulder. "What kind of skill is it to bully the militia? If you've got the guts, come at me!"

She leaped down from the tank, dual-wielding pistols as she charged at the Omega Squad members. Seeing this, the militiamen's morale soared, and they followed behind her to launch a counterattack.

The sound of artillery on the plains echoed the sounds of slaughter in the hilly terrain.

Bitter battles on two fronts, the beacon fires spreading far and wide.

Lin Zhou stood on High Ground No. 3, looking at the towering flames in the direction of the plains, a cold smile curling at the corner of his mouth. He raised his hand and pointed toward the Serpent Skeleton Research Institute, his voice ringing through the clouds: "Brothers, after we finish this battle, we're going to wipe out their nest!"

"Wipe out the nest!"

"Wipe out the nest!"

The soldiers' roars shook the heavens and the earth.

Inside the Valley Base, the Doctor wearing the golden mask was watching the battlefield footage on the screen, his face so dark it looked like it could drip water. He slammed the wine glass in his hand to pieces and growled through gritted teeth: "red alert system... I want you utterly destroyed!"

He turned and roared at the researchers behind him: "Activate the final protocol! Release all Mature Phase Mutants! I want Dawn City to vanish from this world completely!"

The researchers' expressions changed drastically, but they didn't dare to disobey, hurriedly pressing the activation buttons in a flurry.

On the third basement level of the Valley Base, the doors of the cultivation chambers slammed open.

One by one, massive Mature Phase Mutants slowly stepped out, bloodthirsty light flickering in their crimson eyes.