44: Chapter 44 Mutant Beast Nest

The internal conflicts within the alliance were completely resolved, and the trust between both sides had firmly taken root under a written promise.

Wang Jie did not slack off in the slightest, immediately shifting all his energy toward another threat hanging over their heads—the Mutant Beast nest.

On the base's radar screen, forty kilometers to the west, a glaring cluster of giant life signals flickered incessantly, with signal intensity far exceeding any wave of Mutant Beast encountered previously.

After repeated verification by the technical department, it was confirmed that the area was not a stronghold occupied by Evolvers, but a Mutant Beast nest of unprecedented scale.

The flying Mutant Beast that had frequently attacked the camp and caused massive casualties were flying out from there in a constant stream.

Wang Jie stared at the red dot marked on the map, his brow furrowed.

This nest was like a tumor that could explode at any moment.

If left unchecked, the Mutant Beast would multiply and expand crazily in a short time.

Before long, all human survivor strongholds in the surrounding area would be completely torn apart and devoured.

Eradicating this hidden danger was now a matter of urgency.

But this time, he did not choose to strike alone.

Wang Jie personally found Zhou Jianguo and got straight to the point, proposing a joint plan to clear the nest.

Having experienced the previous misunderstandings and reconciliation, the alliance was already convinced of Wang Jie's ability and vision.

Upon hearing about the plan to thoroughly eradicate the Mutant Beast nest that threatened everyone, Zhou Jianguo did not hesitate for a moment, agreeing on the spot and promising full cooperation.

News spread to all units of the alliance.

There was not a single word of doubt, not a trace of hesitation.

Everyone quickly prepared their equipment, and morale was at an all-time high.

In just half a day, the two teams completed their assembly, with a lineup even larger and more formidable than the previous operation.

The alliance deployed four hundred elite soldiers, eighty reinforced and modified combat vehicles, and fifteen Armed Helicopter units, with firepower fully loaded.

Wang Jie committed all the main forces under his command: two hundred and fifty well-trained soldiers, twenty-five main battle tanks, twelve Armed Helicopter units, plus eight infantry vehicle units.

A torrent of steel, imposing and majestic, advanced at full speed toward the western valley.

The convoy and helicopter formation kicked up dust that filled the sky, the roar of engines shaking the wilderness.

Abandoned buildings and withered trees along the way receded one after another; the deathly silence of the apocalypse was thoroughly shattered by this determined will to fight.

Upon reaching the target area, everyone gazed at the scene before them, involuntarily gasping, a heavy pressure instantly surging in their hearts.

Before them lay a natural basin valley surrounded by mountains on all sides, with only a narrow, hundred-meter-wide passage as the sole entrance and exit—a position easy to defend but hard to attack.

Inside the valley, dense black shadows surged and churned, with no end in sight—crawling Mutant Beast as large as main battle tanks, covered in hard black armor with fangs exposed; flying Mutant Beast with wingspans exceeding ten meters circled at low altitude, emitting ear-piercing screeches; and predators as swift as wild dogs weaved back and forth through the herd, their eyes gleaming with ferocity.

A rough count showed that there were at least five thousand Mutant Beast entrenched there.

Five thousand bloodthirsty and ferocious Mutant Beast were crammed into the enclosed valley.

The mere stench they emitted made one's stomach churn.

Wang Jie and Zhou Jianguo exchanged a glance, and from each other's solemn expressions, they saw the same conclusion: this battle was destined to be a bloody fight, with no possibility of an easy victory.

But they had no way back.

If they did not completely annihilate this group of monsters today, it wouldn't be long before they rushed out of the valley and slaughtered the last remaining humans on this land.

To retreat one step meant death; only by fighting to the death could they survive.

"The terrain is too dangerous, and a direct charge will result in massive casualties. Do you have a plan?" Zhou Jianguo asked in a low voice, his eyes fixed on the valley entrance.

Wang Jie carefully observed the surrounding terrain.

The wind blew from the eastern hillside, stirring the withered grass and dry trees in the valley.

A cold glint flashed in his eyes, and he immediately decided on the tactic: "First, concentrate our armored forces to firmly block the only exit of the valley; we absolutely cannot let a single Mutant Beast escape. Then, use fire."

"Fire?" Zhou Jianguo was slightly taken aback.

"That's right." Wang Jie pointed inside the valley.

"The vegetation here is dry and dense, making it extremely flammable. We will occupy the upwind position and start the fire. The blaze will sweep through the entire valley with the wind, forcing all the Mutant Beast toward the ambush zone. Once they are driven out of the passage by the fire, we will concentrate all our heavy firepower and wipe them out in one go."

The meticulous tactics and clear deployment made Zhou Jianguo instantly enlightened.

He nodded heavily, his tone firm: "Good! We'll do as you say. Let's do it!"

Orders were quickly issued, and the entire army immediately deployed.

Twenty-five tanks lined up, their heavy armor sealing the valley exit tightly, with their cannons aimed squarely at the passage.

The helicopter formation ascended to circle, occupying the high ground and ready to provide fire support at any time.

Infantry dispersed to occupy the high ground on both sides, setting up machine guns and grenade launchers to construct a dense web of fire.

Several elite soldiers carrying incendiary devices quickly climbed to the upwind hillside and ignited the piles of dry grass.

Flames erupted, the wind fueled the fire, and the fire borrowed the wind's power.

The orange-red inferno swept across instantly, the crackling sound of burning deafening, and rolling black smoke shot straight into the sky.

In just a few minutes, the fire engulfed most of the valley like a red tsunami, the high temperature distorting the very air.

The Mutant Beast in the valley finally realized death was descending.

The originally chaotic herd instantly fell into extreme panic, emitting shrill roars and fleeing frantically in all directions.

But surrounded by mountains with nowhere to go, and the only exit blocked by the steel defense line, thousands of Mutant Beast could only be driven by the fire, rushing in a swarm toward the ambush circle pre-set by Wang Jie and Zhou Jianguo.

The moment the first Mutant Beast rushed out of the passage, the firepower that had been ready to strike erupted fully.

Bullets rained down like a torrential downpour, artillery shells smashed into the herd with shrill whistles, missiles exploded in a sky full of fire, and the roar of heavy machine guns shook heaven and earth.

The dense web of fire formed a barrier of death.

The Mutant Beast at the very front fell in droves, flesh and blood flying, severed limbs scattered all over the ground.

Yet the Mutant Beast behind, driven into a corner by the fire, still desperately rushed forward one after another, trampling over the corpses of their companions in a frenzied charge.

The battle lasted from noon until dusk.

Throughout four hours of bloody fighting, the sounds of gunfire, explosions, and the roars of Mutant Beast never ceased.

At the valley entrance, corpses piled up like mountains, blood formed small streams, seeping into the dry, cracked earth.

The air was filled with a pungent smell, a mixture of gunpowder smoke, charred flesh, and blood.

When the last Mutant Beast fell under the firepower, completely silent, the sky had already turned completely dark.

Wang Jie stood amidst the mountain of corpses, his military uniform already soaked through with blood and sweat.

His face and arms were splattered with dark red bloodstains.

The days of command and fierce battle had pushed his physical strength to the limit; his legs trembled slightly, and he could barely stand.

Lin Waner rushed over, firmly supporting his weak body.

Her eyes were full of heartache and concern, and she asked softly: "Is it over?"

Wang Jie slowly raised his head, looking at the charred valley in the distance where embers still glowed, looking at the boundless corpses of Mutant Beast beneath his feet, and nodded gently.

His voice was hoarse but firm: "It's over."

The flames burned away the gloom of the valley, but they could not burn away the dangers of the apocalypse.

He knew that this pyrrhic victory was by no means the end.

On this wasteland, more powerful monsters, more hidden enemies, and more cruel crises were still lurking in the darkness, quietly waiting for the next arrival.

And his battle had only just begun.