244: The battlefield is brutal, and the boundless swarm of insects is terrifying.

Third Star Domain War Zone, the logistical transfer platform codenamed "Anvil".

The cold alloy deck stretched beneath their feet, extending all the way to the horizon, merging with the darkness of the Void Realm. The air was filled with a complex, pungent mix of smells: the ozone of high-concentration spirit energy engine exhaust, the scorched odor of metal welding and rune etching, the various bodily scents emitted by the deities' chosen races, a faint mingling of disinfectant and the smell of blood, and... a sickly-sweet, fishy stench, hard to describe, that seemed to come from the depths of the star sea, a mixture of biological decay and new growth.

Across the platform, massive holographic screens floated, displaying rolling situation maps of different star realms, material dispatch lists, mission briefings, and occasionally flashing, blurry combat footage from the front lines. Deities in standard uniforms or simple combat suits hurried by, their expressions mostly masked by exhaustion, numbness, or a kind of suppressed excitement. Their chosen races varied widely, from common Orcs, elves, and Human Race warriors, to rare elemental beings, constructs, and even some strange creatures Lin Zhou couldn't identify. All bore the clear marks of the battlefield—damaged armor, tense expressions, bodies scarred or scorched.

Lin Zhou, Zhao Hao, Wang Meng, and the contingent of their chosen races—elite by academy standards, but appearing somewhat "clean" and even "green" on this platform—attracted many fleeting glances. Those gazes held indifference towards newcomers, a hint of disdain for the "academy brats", and a barely perceptible trace of... pity?

"Look over there, a few more fledglings just arrived."

"Xinghai University's emblem... Tsk, they're even sending out their precious academy darlings now?"

"KT-73? That hellhole hasn't been peaceful lately. Heard the third outpost got hit hard last week, lost two Faint Divinity deities who were assisting with the defense..."

"Who cares. Let's see if they can survive a month first."

The whispers, mixed in with the platform's general din, drifted into their ears intermittently.

Wang Meng shifted his neck uncomfortably and grunted, "What are they looking at? I'll make those bugs call me daddy sooner or later!"

Zhao Hao, however, frowned and carefully observed the surroundings and the equipment condition of the Veteran deities' chosen races, trying to glean experience.

Lin Zhou's face was as still as water, automatically filtering out the chatter. His gaze was fixed more on the holographic screens, especially the one labeled "KT-73 Star Field Real-time Monitoring (Low Resolution)".

In the image, the dark red land resembled dried blood scabs, crisscrossed with ravines and bottomless pits. Two dark red suns (or stellar remnants) hung low in the sky, casting a dim light. Almost no vegetation was visible on the surface, only some twisted, dark purple creep patches that looked like proliferating biological tissue, and the pale bones and shattered carapaces of Zerg or unknown creatures scattered everywhere. At the edges of the frame, small black dots occasionally flashed by, their details hard to make out, but a sense of desolate, deathly stillness pregnant with lethal agitation was transmitted through the blurry image.

"This is... the real edge of the battlefield," Lin Zhou thought, a chill running through him. Unlike the localized, goal-specific pollution cleanup mission in the Green Vine Forest, the atmosphere here was one of endless, attritional warfare that used the entire star realm as a chessboard, with survival and annihilation as the stakes.

"Lin Zhou! Zhao Hao! Wang Meng!" A loud, slightly hoarse voice rang out.

The three turned to see a middle-aged man striding towards them. He wore a crisp lieutenant's uniform, had sharply defined features, a mechanical prosthetic left eye that glinted with red light, and radiated Divine Power fluctuations around level 380. His shoulder insignia showed two bars and one star—a Major.

"I am the current commander of Outpost Base Three in the KT-73 Star Field, Major Rex." The Major's gaze was sharp as lightning, quickly sweeping over the three and their chosen races, lingering on Lin Zhou for an extra moment (clearly having received some special notification), then he got straight to the point. "I've seen your files. Geniuses from the academy. But this is the front line, different rules. I'll only say three things:"

"First, obey orders. My orders are your highest authority here. Anyone who acts without authorization or disobeys orders will face military justice."

"Second, stay alive. You're here for field experience, not to be heroes. If you encounter enemies beyond your capabilities, retreat is permitted, but you must report it. Staying alive lets you accumulate experience, lets you kill more bugs."

"Third, manage your chosen races well. Within the base, private fights are forbidden, interfering with other defense units is forbidden, and indiscriminate use of large-scale Divine Power is forbidden. Supplies are allocated according to standard quotas. Anything extra, solve it yourself or exchange for it using military merits."

"Understood?"

"Understood!" the three answered in unison. The iron-blooded, pragmatic aura Major Rex exuded, forged through countless bloody battles, commanded respect.

"Good. You have ten minutes to get organized, then board the transport ship. Time flow in the KT-73 Star Field is approximately 2.8 times faster than the Primary Material Plane. Your mission duration is calculated as 30 days Primary Plane time, which will be about 84 days over there. Be prepared for a long-term deployment." Having said this, Major Rex turned and walked towards another area to deal with the pile of military affairs.

Ten minutes later, a medium-sized military assault transport ship, its exterior covered in scars and repair marks, carrying Lin Zhou, his two companions, and their chosen races, detached from the "Anvil" platform and transformed into a streak of light, hurtling into the depths of space.

The ship's interior was crowded and oppressive. Besides them, there were several other defense-assistance teams from different academies or civilian organizations, along with a batch of standard supplies destined for the front line. Everyone kept to their own thoughts, with little conversation, only the low rumble of the engines and the occasional vibration from the hull as it traversed spatial folds.

Roughly half a standard hour later (though it felt like half a day), the transport ship shuddered violently. The external view displayed through the portholes showed they had entered the outer orbit of the KT-73 Star Field.

Looking through the portholes, the entire star realm presented a sickly dark red hue. Surface details became clearer; the ravines looked like scars on the planet's surface, with some areas spewing eerie purple or green gas plumes. The space around the star realm was littered with debris—the shattered, massive carapaces of Zerg bioships and fragments of metallic warships from the Human Race or unknown civilizations—silently testifying to the frequent and brutal clashes here.

The transport ship began descending, breaking through the thin atmosphere. Intense friction turned the world outside the portholes fiery red. When the vibrations subsided and the view cleared again, they were nearing the surface.

Below, a military base built against several steep, dark red rocky mountains came into view. The base was sizable. Its periphery consisted of multiple layers of towering alloy walls and energy shield generators. Outside the walls were densely packed defensive turrets, trenches, minefields, and some kind of geothermal defense belt constantly billowing with high-temperature steam. Inside the base, various structures were orderly arranged. The landing pads held some small aircraft and damaged war machines awaiting repair. Many areas showed obvious signs of patching and scorched explosion craters.

This was the KT-73 Star Field, Outpost Base Three.

The transport ship landed on a designated landing pad. The hatch opened, and an even stronger, more primal smell washed in.

A wave of heat mixed with dust, corroding metal, the lingering acrid smell of gunpowder, and that ever-present, sickly-sweet stench of decay emanating from the Zerg. On the distant defensive walls, fully armed soldiers and various defensive weapons were visible. The chosen races moving within the base, regardless of species, all carried an air of inescapable weariness and vigilance, their eyes sharply scanning any newly arrived unit.

"Newly arrived defense assistants, assemble here! Collect your identity tags and base manuals! Then proceed to your assigned defense sectors to report!" A deity resembling a Sergeant Major (around level 220) shouted hoarsely.

The process was concise and efficient. Lin Zhou and the other two quickly received metal tags representing their temporary identities (containing basic info and permissions), a thick, Divine Thought-inscribed "KT-73 Outpost Base Three Survival and Combat Manual", and their defense sector assignment—the western outer wall of the base, the Seventh Defense Segment, responsible for approximately five hundred meters of wall and a portion of the alert zone outside it. This section of the wall was relatively intact but located on the base's flank. Ahead lay a relatively open, dark red plain covered with countless Zerg corpses and war debris, offering good visibility, but also meaning it would bear significant pressure from frontal assaults.

"Seventh Segment? Not the worst," muttered a Veteran (level 250, Divine Domain of Rock Giants) leading them to their sector. "The last guy stationed there had bad luck. Last week during a medium-scale Zerg charge, his Divine Domain projection was shattered by a third, seventy percent of his chosen race died, and he himself was severely injured and sent back. You lot... good luck."

This made Wang Meng and Zhao Hao's expressions turn even more solemn.

They arrived at the Seventh Defense Segment. The wall here was about thirty meters high and fifteen meters thick, its surface covered with composite armor plating enhanced for physical and energy resistance. The top of the wall was equipped with automatic rapid-fire cannons, rocket pods, and larger, manually operated ballistae and Spell-focusing devices. At intervals, there were reinforced bunkers and observation posts. Outside the wall was a trench ten meters deep, its bottom filled with spikes and sticky incendiary fluid. Beyond that stretched an open area littered with metal fragments, scorched earth, and countless Zerg limbs, extending all the way to the horizon where the dark purple creep writhed incessantly, as if alive.

Here, the sickly-sweet smell in the air was particularly strong.

"It's relatively quiet today, no abnormal activity from the creep." The Veteran pointed into the distance, "But don't be fooled by this illusion. The bugs' attacks are completely unpredictable. We might have peace for several days in a row, or hundreds of thousands could appear the very next second."

He briefly explained the basic situation of the defense segment, key points of weapon operation, the meaning of warning signals, and the emergency evacuation routes before hurrying off, as if he still had endless tasks at hand.

Lin Zhou stood atop the wall, gazing into the distance. His divine sight allowed him to discern many details. The Zerg corpses scattered across the plain came in various forms: there were the 'Warrior Zerg,' several meters long with heavy carapaces and forelimbs like scythes; the slender 'Hydralisks' capable of spraying corrosive acid or bone spines; the enlarged beetle-like 'Banelings' carrying swollen sacs; and a vast number of inconspicuous, half-meter-long 'Drone' remains that resembled a fusion of insects and mollusks. Most of these corpses were incomplete, being slowly 'digested' by the creeping creep, converted into new biomass, some even twitching slightly.

This was the Zerg. Their death was merely a return to the biomass cycle, providing nutrients for the next wave of assault.

"Truly disgusting." Zhao Hao wrinkled his nose in disgust. His dragons circled once in the air before landing back in the open area inside the wall, appearing somewhat restless. The Dragon Clan instinctively felt uncomfortable in this environment saturated with the aura of death and decay.

Wang Meng's Behemoths let out threatening low growls towards the plain; they could sense countless bloodthirsty enemies lurking there.

Lin Zhou remained silent, quickly flipping through the newly acquired "Survival and Combat Manual," especially the illustrated guide and data on basic Zerg units.

[Basic Zerg Combat Units (Common)]:

Drone:

Rank: LV1-LV5 (commonly LV3-LV4)

Role: Basic Labor / Expendable / Cannon Fodder.

Attribute Tendency: Strength 8-12, Agility 10-15, Physique 15-20, Spirit/Intelligence extremely low.

Abilities: Gnawing (effective against structures/resource points), basic excavation, transporting biomass. Weak carapace, low attack power.

Threat Assessment: Extremely low individually. However, they typically appear in clusters of tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, or even millions, forming a 'Zerg Swarm.' Their true threat lies in absolute numbers, endless attrition, and providing nutrients for the creep and subsequent units after death.

Zergling:

Rank: LV15-LV25

Role: Fast Melee Assault Unit.

Attribute Tendency: Strength 25-40, Agility 30-50, Physique 20-30.

Abilities: Rapid Charge, Leaping Pounce, Claw Rending. Extremely fast speed, high attack frequency.

Threat Assessment: Medium. Highly threatening during swarm charges, adept at breaching weak defenses and harassing ranged units.

Hydralisk:

Rank: LV20-LV35

Role: Mid-range Piercing / Corrosive Attack Unit.

Attribute Tendency: Strength 15-25, Agility 20-30, Physique 25-35, Spirit (for controlling bone spines) 15-25.

Abilities: Fires penetrating bone spines (range approx. 100-150 meters), sprays corrosive acid (shorter range, area damage). Carapace offers some resistance.

Threat Assessment: Medium-High. A major threat to medium-low armor units and light fortifications, requiring priority suppression.

Baneling:

Rank: LV10-LV20 (Self-destruct power not simply calculated by Rank)

Role: Suicide Explosion Unit.

Attribute Tendency: Strength 10-15, Agility 20-30, Physique 30-50 (high health to ensure reaching the target).

Abilities: Moves by rolling, self-destructs upon approaching the target (usually structures or dense formations), causing widespread, high-acid splash damage with additional armor erosion effects.

Threat Assessment: High. Possesses devastating capability against fixed defenses and dense formations, requiring remote interception or obstacles to be set up in advance.

(Later pages of the manual introduce more Advanced units, but their appearance frequency is relatively lower.)

Looking at this data, especially the low attributes of the 'Drone' and the note 'typically in units of tens of thousands,' Lin Zhou gained a more intuitive understanding of Zerg tactics — extreme numerical superiority and resource conversion efficiency. They do not pursue individual strength but overwhelm and devour everything with vast quantities of cheap, rapidly replenishable units, converting enemy flesh and matter into power for the next assault.

This was different from any enemy encountered before. Orcs still had honor and fear; Parasitic Beasts were controlled by the Hive Mind but had limits; Abyssal Demons were chaotic but had hierarchy. The Zerg... they seemed to possess only the simplest instincts for survival and expansion, and a cold, ruthless desire to devour, driven by some higher will (the Hive Consciousness).

"Many of our tactics... may need adjustment." Lin Zhou put down the manual and said solemnly to Zhao Hao and Wang Meng, "Against Orcs or Parasitic Beasts, we can use strategy, morale attacks, decapitation tactics. But against an enemy with almost no individual consciousness, relying purely on numbers and wave-like assaults... the primary needs are solid defenses, efficient area-of-effect damage, and sustained attrition capability."

Zhao Hao and Wang Meng also realized the problem. Zhao Hao's dragons' Dragon Breath was powerful, but also costly. Facing tens of thousands charging in a Zerg Swarm, how many times could they breathe fire? Wang Meng's Behemoths were invincible in close combat, but if submerged by countless Zerg, even the strongest individual would be worn down to death.

Just as the three were digesting this information and beginning to discuss how to adjust their defensive strategy—

A piercing, highly penetrating alarm suddenly blared throughout Outpost Base Three!

"Woo—Woo—Woo—!!!"

Simultaneously, from the watchtowers along the wall and the base command center's broadcast, came Major Rex's cold and urgent voice:

"All units, attention! Large-scale biological signals detected surging from the edge of the creep in the northwest direction! Scale assessment... exceeds three million! Primarily Drones and Zerglings, mixed with Hydralisks and Banelings! Estimated contact with western and northwestern defenses in fifteen minutes! All units, level one combat readiness! I repeat, level one combat readiness! This is not a drill!"

"What?! Three million?! Fifteen minutes?!" Wang Meng's eyes widened. Even with prior mental preparation, the sheer number sent a chill down his spine.

Zhao Hao's face paled. He immediately ordered his dragons to take to the air, preparing for battle.

Lin Zhou took a deep breath, suppressing the shock in his heart, his gaze instantly sharpening like a blade. He turned abruptly and roared towards his followers rapidly taking up combat positions behind him, as well as Zhao Hao and Wang Meng:

"According to the adjusted plan! Wang Meng, Behemoths and Dwarves hold key wall nodes and passages to prevent Breakthroughs! Zhao Hao, dragons prioritize targeting Baneling and Hydralisk clusters, slow the Zerg Swarm's charge momentum! Elia, Wenxin Elf Rangers free fire, Priest Corps prepare area purification and morale stabilization! Grum, Tiangong Dwarves operate all available ballistae and Focusers, cover the open ground ahead! Law Fishmen, be ready to fill gaps at any time, enforce battlefield discipline!"

His voice, transmitted through Divine Power, was clear and steady, quickly calming the slight panic among his followers caused by the alarm and the massive enemy numbers.

Orders given, everyone swiftly took their positions.

Lin Zhou himself ascended to the highest observation post on the wall, intently gazing towards the northwest.

On the horizon, the edge of the slowly creeping dark purple creep now seemed to boil! Countless black dots surged forth from beneath the creep, from ravines, from underground caves, like erupting volcanic ash! Initially just a blurry black line, it rapidly thickened and widened, like a black tsunami, sweeping across the scorched plain towards the base!

It was a true Zerg Swarm, composed of countless Drones and Zerglings! The relatively clumsy figures of Drones mixed with the swift charging forms of Zerglings, densely packed, layer upon layer, with no end in sight! They ran, leaped, rolled, emitting a teeth-grating 'rustling' sound like billions of carapaces rubbing together. This sound converged into a low, terrifying rumble, like the footsteps of death, growing ever closer!

At the vanguard and mid-section of this black tide, clusters of larger, slightly slower-moving Hydralisks could be clearly seen, raising their upper bodies, bone plates splayed. Even more heart-stopping were the clusters of green spheres rolling rapidly forward within the swarm — Banelings!

Three million? Seeing it with his own eyes now, it seemed far more than three million! It was a suffocating, overwhelming violence of numbers that seemed capable of drowning the entire world! Any individual power, any ingenious tactic, appeared so insignificant and pale before this pure ocean of numbers!

Lin Zhou tightened his grip on the wall's railing, his knuckles white from the force. His heart pounded violently in his chest, not from fear, but from awe and surging emotion in the face of this unprecedented, grand, and cruel spectacle of war.

The Hundred Schools of Thought, the Fire of Civilization — how would they shine before this all-devouring Zerg Swarm? How would they prove their value?

The answer was about to be revealed in blood and fire.

The battlefield was cruel, the Zerg Swarm boundless. Facing it for the first time, both mind and spirit were shaken.