66: Situation in Huacheng
Outside the Secret Realm, the bodies of some Soldiers lay haphazardly, most of them incomplete. Yao Beasts were gorging themselves, eating happily and unrestrainedly.
A dozen or so Fallen Demon Tamers stood at the entrance of the Secret Realm, coexisting peacefully with the Yao Beasts. Their mission was to kill any examinees who might escape the Secret Realm, leaving none alive.
Just then, the Secret Realm rift, resembling an eye, slowly opened, and a swirl of colored energy formed a vortex.
The Fallen Demon Tamers looked wary, ready to attack at any moment. The man-eating Yao Beasts also stopped moving, their eyes fixed on the Secret Realm, their bodies tense.
At this moment, a voice came from the Secret Realm vortex: “Attack!”
The next second, multicolored energy surged forth, sweeping over the Fallen Demon Tamers present.
The continuous energy attack instantly pulverized them into mud.
Then, thousands of examinees emerged from the vortex, huddled together. Those standing on the outer edge clearly saw everything that had happened.
Many people with poor psychological fortitude immediately retched and vomited upon seeing the wreckage covering the ground.
"These damned guys..." Lu Bingyun gritted her teeth, commanding her Demon Tamers Beasts to charge forward and kill the Yao Beasts that were eating the Soldiers' flesh and blood.
"Damn it, the signal device must have been destroyed. We can't contact Flower City." Xiaoya took out her phone, tried calling, and finally shook her head.
"I wonder how Flower City is doing now..."
The Soldier, supported by Xie Ning, came to the instrument in the center. Ignoring his grief, he gently moved the deceased communications Soldier to another spot, and then quickly began operating the instrument.
"I didn't expect you to know how to use this kind of thing."
The Soldier replied without turning his head: "I am a communications Soldier. When the incident happened, I was checking the signal strength at the entrance. I didn't expect..."
"Fortunately, although the site was damaged, the Recorder, which is powered by Secret Realm energy, can still be used."
At this moment, the screen chimed 'drip,' and then everyone's Recorders lit up, indicating the restart was complete.
Xie Ning hadn't expected the Recorder could even live stream.
People on the internet who had been following Flower City and the Secret Realm Trial here noticed it immediately.
"It appeared! There's finally footage!"
"How could this happen? It's all flesh and blood? That uniform..."
"This is our Hua Nation's City Defense Force!!! Which beast is so cruel!"
"Are the children okay? Can someone please tell us how the children are? My child is also in this examination hall!"
"Quick! Everyone contact the authorities! This must be dealt with seriously. No one can harm our City Defense Force like this. We won't accept it!"
"Right, right! Everyone contact them together!"
In fact, the central government had known about it the moment the video was restored, and departments were already in an uproar over the incident.
They tried various methods to contact the Flower City Secret Realm, but none were effective.
Just as everyone was shocked, the screen changed, showing a recording of the upper bodies of two figures.
The person on the left was an injured Soldier, and the person on the right had extremely tattered clothes, though one could vaguely make out a high school uniform. He was also covered in injuries.
Seeing the examinees' miserable state, many parents felt a pang in their hearts, fearing their own children were in the same condition.
Xie Ning took a step closer and asked the Recorder: "To all netizens watching this, I am examinee Xie Ning. Please tell me, what is the situation in Flower City now?"
Netizens quickly left comments in reply.
"Child, Flower City can't be contacted."
"Hurry and run to other cities! Don't go to Flower City. The authorities said there is a Beast Tide in Flower City now."
"Child, have you seen our Zhao Gang? He was also in your Secret Realm."
"My Qianqian is too..."
Just then, an account with official verification left a message.
Hua Nation Security Action Team: "Hello, Student. Please have the Soldier next to you report the situation there."
The Soldier immediately stepped forward.
"Reporting, Chief! I am Communications Soldier Liu Qiang, code NA41ZC3X. We encountered an attack by Fallen Demon Tamers... No one survived besides me.
The enemy's main target was the examinees in this Secret Realm, but they did not succeed and were counter-killed by the group of examinees led by Student Xie Ning next to me."
Hua Nation Security Action Team: "Received. All students are excellent! Please make sure to protect yourselves. The reinforcements from the Motherland have already departed!"
"Yes, sir!"
The Soldier responded.
Xie Ning pondered for a moment, then, ignoring the online reactions, he exited the live stream video. The online screen reverted to the multi-person, multi-screen format.
"Officer, you can stay here, but we still have important things to do."
The Soldier frowned and asked, "What are you planning to do?"
Xie Ning smiled and looked at Lu Bingyun, who nodded slightly to him... Meanwhile, the battles on the north and south city walls of Flower City were raging fiercely.
The South Gate, protected by the Trapping Vine Tree and the Anti-Insect Evil Heart Tree, had a very stable battle situation. Most of the fighting involved Iron-Eating Ants killing each other, and the casualties for Soldiers and Demon Tamers were minimal.
The North City appeared much more tragic. In the Gold Rank Beast Tide, Black Iron Rank creatures were cannon fodder, Bronze Rank creatures were common, Silver Rank creatures were numerous, and there were even Gold Rank Yao Beasts hiding among them.
If it weren't for the two Gold Rank officers garrisoning the area, the city gate would likely have been lost long ago.
Being attacked from both the front and back made the situation in Flower City appear grim, but the even more severe battlefield was inside the city.
In a certain open area of Flower City, bursts of energy fluctuations beyond ordinary imagination spread out, and the terrifying Aura caused everyone who ran past to turn pale.
The 'open area' was an area cleared by battle—the ground was shattered, buildings had collapsed, and debris covered the ground.
The battle was divided into two sides. One side consisted of the experts of Flower City, led by Garrison Commander Lu Yimin. Besides Lin Yangqiu and General Bian Hu, there were three other Gold-rank Demon Tamers.
The other side consisted of a dozen or so Black-Robed Fallen Demon Tamers and the traitorous leader of the Madman Hunter Group of Flower City, Li Yongchang.
Although the Flower City side boasted a powerful lineup of one Platinum and five Gold Rank experts, because Lu Yimin's Ice Lion King was suppressed by Li Yongchang's Prison Tiger Transformation Seal, Lu Yimin could only display Gold Rank strength.
Facing over a dozen Gold Rank Fallen Demon Tamers, the situation for the Flower City experts was not optimistic.
"You damned traitor! You will be nailed to Hua Nation's pillar of shame!" Bian Hu's face was ferocious, blood spilled from the corner of his mouth. With his remaining left arm, he held the Black Tiger Blade, fighting one against two against Li Yongchang and a Black-Robed Demon Tamer.
Li Yongchang remained silent, focusing only on his attacks.
"Hehe~ Don't be so agitated, old fellow. The Garrison Commander's Demon Tamers Beast has had its power suppressed by the Prison Tiger. At best, he counts as two Gold Demon Tamers. Including the rest of you, that's only seven units of combat power, while we have over a dozen people." The Black-Robed Demon Tamer fighting Bian Hu revealed a thin, withered old face and smiled sinisterly: "Why don't you surrender? After fighting for so many years, I'd truly hate to kill you. Hahaha~"
"Pah!" Bian Hu spat, slamming the Black Tiger Blade down with its blunt edge, forcing the Black-Robed Person back. He then pressed his advantage, attempting to finish off the traitor Li Yongchang, but Li Yongchang narrowly dodged.
On the other side, the Garrison Commander was fighting one against four, locked in a fierce battle. The entire battlefield was chaotic; humans did not avoid Demon Tamers Beasts, and Demon Tamers Beasts did not avoid humans, all fighting together.
If Xie Ning were here, he would be astonished to find that all 20 or so people possessed impressive Physical Body combat strength.
Didn't they say Demon Tamers rely on Demon Tamers Beasts for combat?