249: Communicating for reinforcements, using diplomatic skills to persuade neighbors

The [Simple Composite Anti-Cavalry Spikes] had been completely submerged and flattened by the brute force and sheer numbers of the Zerg, turning into even more shattered wreckage across the ground.

After firing three to four rounds of unstable volleys, five of the eight [Scrap-Assembled Automatic Ballista Turrets] were completely destroyed—barrels burst, bases fell apart, and energy circuits overloaded and burned out. The remaining three fired at increasingly longer intervals, their ammunition running low, becoming more of a deterrent than a practical defense.

But their mission was complete.

The hastily constructed temporary defense line, using a nearly self-destructive method, had bought a precious five minutes of breathing room for the main defense line at the headquarters entrance. During these five minutes, Wang Meng's Behemoths managed to recover slightly from their "Berserk" state; the Dwarf Shield-Axemens reorganized their formation and shields; Zhao Hao's Dragons forced back the harassment of the Mutalisk swarms, gaining a brief moment of maneuverability; Elia's Elf Priest Corps treated some of the lightly wounded and moved the severely injured (including the dying Leo) further back behind the lines; Lin Zhou himself barely suppressed the intense pain caused by the overload of his Godhead, recovering a sliver of Divine Power—though it was a mere drop in the bucket compared to the massive consumption.

More importantly, the morale of the defenders was forcibly pulled back from the brink of collapse. They saw with their own eyes that the seemingly unstoppable tide of insects would also be delayed, confused, and forced to pay a price when faced with obstacles built by wisdom and quick thinking. This realization was more powerful than any empty encouragement.

However, the crisis was far from over.

Although the Zerg were delayed, diverted, and suffered extra casualties, their core objective—the headquarters—had not changed. After a brief period of confusion, the remaining Zerg (including that injured but even more enraged Dark Gold Lord) readjusted their formation. They more cunningly bypassed or cleared the remaining obstacles and launched a new, more intense, and layered assault on the contracted but more solid main defense line from the ground, underground, and air!

The Digging Piercers no longer charged blindly but coordinated with their underground companions, attempting short, fierce "boring" style raids from multiple points simultaneously. Hydralisks and Banelings were driven closer, conducting close-range fire and suicide charges under the cover of Warrior Zerg and Drones. The Mutalisks in the sky also changed tactics, beginning to perform dive-bombing harassment and blanket dispersal of spore mists, attempting to contaminate and weaken the support units behind the defense line.

The battle entered its most brutal and exhaustive meat-grinder phase.

Life was fading away every second. Pain began to mingle with the roars of the Behemoths as their thick hides were torn by drills and corroded by acid. The shields of the Dwarf Shield-Axemens were covered in cracks and dents; people fell constantly, were dragged away, and others silently filled the gaps. The quivers of the Elf Rangers were rapidly emptying, and their precise shots began to deviate due to fatigue and pressure. Law Fishmen were rushing everywhere inside the defense line to put out fires, fighting small Zerg that had managed to break through, and they too began to suffer casualties.

Standing in the center of the defense line, Lin Zhou felt his Divine Power draining away like an open floodgate. Maintaining the Order buff of the Net of Law, coordinating the various units to respond to the Zerg's endless tactical changes, and also trying to connect to the internal headquarters communications (which were still intermittent)... his Godhead load remained in the dangerous zone above 85%, the stinging pain like a maggot on the bone.

【Divine Power Reserve: 6450/18000】

【Estimated Duration: approx. 2.9 hours (at current consumption rate)】

【Defense Line Integrity: 58% (continuously decreasing)】

【Morale Index: 55 (slowly decreasing, but still maintainable)】

【Number of Severely Wounded: 17 (including Leo)】

【Available Reserves: None】

The cold numbers were like a death warrant. No reserves, no new clever strategies (at least none he could think of in the short term), and no news of reinforcements... if they continued to grind it out like this, the defense line would inevitably be worn through in two hours at most!

"I must find a Breakthrough... I can't just sit here and wait for death..." Lin Zhou forced himself to calm down, his gaze moving past the tragic slaughter before him to the broader area of the base. His temporary command authority allowed him to access a very crude and heavily jammed internal base tactical situation map (covering only some areas).

The map showed that the Zerg's raid on the headquarters was clearly a carefully planned "decapitation" operation. They had deployed elite underground units and increased the intensity of their frontal attacks in other directions to pin down the main forces of each defense sector. At this moment, the unit with strong mobility closest to the headquarters, besides their own remnant force, was... Lin Zhou's gaze locked onto another defense node on the map, located about eight hundred meters northeast of the headquarters—the Fourth Material Reserve Area. It was originally a warehouse area for spare ammunition, energy cores, and some repair parts, with relatively high terrain and sturdy buildings. According to scattered information from previous battle reports, an elite student auxiliary squad from the "War God Academy" was stationed there. The captain's name was "Qin Feng," and his Divine Domain was said to be [Titan Scion]. His strength was considerable (estimated at lv200+, early stage of Lesser Divinity), and his followers were centered around powerful Titan descendants and Mountain Giants, with formidable combat power. In previous Zerg wave defenses, the area they were responsible for had been held quite firmly.

More importantly, the location of the Fourth Material Reserve Area happened to be at the flank and rear of the main direction of this Zerg underground raid! If they could strike out from that area, they could hit the flank or even cut off the retreat of the Zerg forces currently besieging the headquarters! This would create a pincer attack from front and back!

"If I can persuade Qin Feng's squad to launch a surprise attack from the flank..." A thought sparked in Lin Zhou's mind like a flame. But how easy would that be? The other party was not his subordinate, and they didn't even belong to the same academy. On a front line where everyone was struggling to survive, without sufficient benefit or a compelling reason, why would the other party risk leaving their relatively safe defensive position to support a crumbling headquarters that might fall at any moment? Especially when other defense sectors were also facing pressure?

"Benefits... reasons..." Lin Zhou's brain worked rapidly. The essence of the School of Diplomacy's thoughts on "Vertical and Horizontal Alliances," "guiding according to the situation," and "explaining the pros and cons" clashed intensely with the current situation under the pressure of desperation, quickly turning into clear strategies for persuasion.

"First, I must make him understand that the fall of the headquarters means disaster for everyone. Once the Zerg destroy the command System, the base defense will fall into the chaos of fighting individual battles, and it will only be a matter of time before everyone is picked off. How long can he, Qin Feng, and his squad last on an island without unified command and rear support?"

"Second, I must point out that the Zerg's next target is very likely the Fourth Reserve Area where he is located! The headquarters is the political and command core, while the reserve area is the lifeblood of materials and energy. Since the Zerg could plan such a precise decapitation operation, would they overlook the nearby and equally important material warehouse? Once the headquarters is captured and the main Zerg forces are free, the next one to be heavily attacked will definitely be his place! Instead of passively waiting for the Zerg to turn their guns, it's better to take the initiative and defeat or at least severely damage them while the main Zerg forces are still pinned down here and haven't fully captured the headquarters, thus eliminating his own future threat!"

"Third, I must emphasize the importance of timing. Now that the main Zerg forces are pinned down by us, their rear is relatively empty—this is the perfect opportunity for a flank attack! If he waits for the headquarters to fall and the Zerg to consolidate their strength and wait at their leisure, it will be difficult for him to strike even if he wants to!"

"Finally, I must give clear promises and benefits. If they can break the siege, they will definitely take a share of the top credit for this battle, and the military merit rewards will not be small. I, Lin Zhou, in the name of a Xinghai University top-tier evaluator and the founder of the Hundred Schools Society, can owe him a great personal favor, which will surely be repaid in the academy or on the battlefield in the future. I can even promise that after breaking the siege, we will immediately assist him in strengthening the defense of the Fourth Reserve Area to jointly face possible subsequent attacks."

With his thoughts cleared, Lin Zhou no longer hesitated. He needed to contact Qin Feng immediately! But conventional communication was definitely being jammed or even monitored by the Zerg; he had to use a more direct and hidden method.

"Zhao Hao!" Lin Zhou's voice was urgent through the mental link. "Which of your Blue Dragons is in the best condition? Can it still perform a short, fast flight?"

Zhao Hao was commanding Raging Flame to fight with two Mutalisks. He was stunned for a moment and responded quickly: "Ice Scale is doing okay, just minor injuries, and its Dragon Breath consumption isn't high. What's wrong?"

"Have it disengage from combat and land immediately! I have an urgent verbal message that needs it to risk a flight to the Fourth Reserve Area and deliver it to the commander there, Qin Feng!" Lin Zhou explained quickly. "It must be fast! We have no more time!"

Although Zhao Hao didn't understand Lin Zhou's specific plan, he had long been convinced by Lin Zhou's judgment and didn't hesitate: "Ice Scale, receive the Order! Land immediately!"

Soon, Ice Scale, a Blue Dragon about fifteen meters long and covered in pale blue ice crystal scales, forcibly broke free from its entanglement and dove down to land in the temporary wounded area behind the defense line, kicking up a cloud of dust. It had several marks of acid corrosion and scratches from bone spurs, but its eyes remained sharp.

Lin Zhou quickly walked to Ice Scale's huge head and took out a blank Jade Slip (reserve material) from his Divine Domain. Using Divine Thought, he quickly imprinted his analysis, proposal, promises, the current critical situation of the headquarters, the Zerg troop distribution (inferred from observations and residual information from the Tremor Array), and the suggested attack route and timing into a concise and highly persuasive message. At the same time, he attached the imprint representing his temporary command authority (passed by Leo) and a wisp of the aura of the Fire of Civilization to the Jade Slip as proof of identity and sincerity.

"Ice Scale, listen," Lin Zhou tucked the Jade Slip into a specially made message pouch with a simple protective rune on Ice Scale's neck. "Fly at top speed in a straight line to the Fourth Reserve Area eight hundred meters to the northeast! Avoid the Zerg in the air; if you encounter interception, prioritize breaking free and do not get into a fight! After you arrive, find their commander, Qin Feng, give him the Jade Slip, and tell him—'Lin Zhou of Star Sea requests to stand side-by-side to break the Zerg siege together, to save the overall situation and also to protect yourselves'! Go and return quickly, and be safe!"

"Roar!" Ice Scale gave a low growl of understanding. It took flight, cold air spreading around it to form a faint ice mist shield, and then it shot off toward the northeast like an arrow from a bow! Its figure soon disappeared into the spreading smoke and the dim light of the sky.

Next was the most agonizing wait. Every second was incredibly long. The pressure on the defense line did not ease at all; on the contrary, because of Ice Scale's departure, there was one less source of aerial support, making the situation even tighter. Lin Zhou had to invest more energy in coordinating the defense, and his Divine Power reserves dropped at a rate visible to the naked eye.

5800... 5200... 4800... The defense line was continuously losing ground and shrinking back. Two of Wang Meng's Behemoths had already fallen heavily injured and were desperately dragged back by the dwarves. Elia's Priest Corps was nearly drained of mana, and the range and effect of the Purifying Halo were both weakening. The number of Law Fishmen was also decreasing.

Just as the integrity of the defense line fell below 50% and Lin Zhou's Divine Power reserve dropped to only 4200 points, the sliver of hope in his heart began to waver—

To the northeast, at the location of the Fourth Storage Area, a powerful surge of Divine Power and battle light far exceeding the norm suddenly erupted! Immediately following, a low, deep roar that seemed to make the earth tremble, accompanied by the heavy and rhythmic footsteps of some giant creature, could be faintly heard!

Lin Zhou's spirit was bolstered, and he immediately focused his Divine Thought in that direction.

The heavy alloy gate of the Fourth Storage Area swung wide open! Charging out first were six Mountain Giants, over ten meters tall, their bodies composed of a mixture of rough rock and metal radiating earthy yellow divine light, wielding massive stone pillars or metal war hammers! Their steps were heavy, each one causing the ground to vibrate slightly, like moving miniature fortresses. Following closely behind were over twenty Titan descendant warriors, slightly smaller (about five meters tall) but more compact and elite, clad in simple runic heavy armor and carrying giant shields and spears! These warriors surged with violent power, their eyes fierce and their discipline strict.

Above this elite ground force, three Bronze Great Eagles with wingspans exceeding twenty meters, feathers like cast bronze, and eyes flashing with the light of thunder, were circling; they were clearly some kind of flying kin or mounts belonging to Qin Feng himself.

At the very front of this mixed force, a resolute young deity wearing the standard-issue armor of the War God Academy and wielding a massive halberd wreathed in electricity stood nearly two meters tall. He was mounted on the back of an exceptionally robust Bronze Great Eagle, his gaze like lightning as he looked toward the headquarters. His Divine Power fluctuated with a surging sense of power; it was none other than Qin Feng (lv210, Lesser Divinity early stage)!

They had indeed come! And they came so quickly, so decisively!

Qin Feng's troops did not charge directly at the front of the headquarters where the Zerg sea was densest. Instead, they very intelligently moved along the perimeter of the Fourth Storage Area in an arc, flanking the Zerg forces besieging the headquarters from the side and rear—the area that was relatively empty because the main Zerg force had pushed forward, and which connected to the extension of the creep!

"Attack! Target—Zerg reinforcements and creep link points! Disrupt their formation and supplies!" Qin Feng's powerful roar was clearly audible even from hundreds of meters away.

In the next moment, the Mountain Giants let out earth-shattering roars and hurled the giant stones or metal pillars in their hands, smashing into the rear of the Zerg swarm, instantly throwing them into chaos! The Titan descendant warriors formed a tight charging formation, like a torrent of steel, slamming into the Zerg flank that was trying to turn and respond! Their giant shields pushed aside the pouncing Warrior Zerg, and their spears easily pierced the relatively fragile abdomens of the Hydralisks, their advantage in strength being fully displayed in close combat. In the air, the Bronze Great Eagles dove down, using their sharp claws and lightning-charged beaks to precisely pick off Hydralisk units attempting to command or launch ranged attacks, while spraying Lightning Breath with a purifying effect onto the edges of the creep, slowing the energy transmission of the creep and the generation speed of Zerg reinforcements.

The sudden addition of this fresh force, attacking from the most lethal side and rear, immediately threw the Zerg forces besieging the headquarters into great confusion!

With the tenacious "Immovable as a Mountain" defense line refusing to retreat in front and a fierce assault from a powerful elite force suddenly hitting the side and rear, the Zerg chain of command seemed to have failed. Some Zerg instinctively turned to face the new threat, while others continued to frantically attack the headquarters' defense line, and still others were caught in a daze, spinning in place. The Dark Gold Lord let out an even shriller and more urgent screech, attempting to reorganize the formation, but Qin Feng's troops struck too hard and too suddenly, and with its own injuries, it found it difficult to effectively control the situation for a time.

The pressure receded from the headquarters' defense line like an ebbing tide!

"Reinforcements! It's our reinforcements!" "It's the people from the War God Academy! They're here!" The defenders on the line let out cheers as if they had survived a disaster, their originally low morale surging instantly as if injected with a stimulant!

"Everyone! The time for a counterattack has come!" Lin Zhou seized this once-in-a-thousand-years opportunity. Enduring the stinging pain in his godhead and his nearly depleted Divine Power, he issued the Order for a general offensive. "Wang Meng! Behemoths and dwarves, push forward! Push the Zerg in front back! Zhao Hao! Dragons, cooperate with the Bronze Great Eagles to clear the air and ranged threats! Elia! Elves, free fire, focus on sniping those Hydralisks and Banelings trying to reorganize! Grum! Take those who can still move and use the remaining explosives to clear the flanks along with the Titan warriors!"

The Order was given, and the defense line that had been holding fast instantly transformed into a blade for the counterattack! Wang Meng's Behemoths let out furious roars and, covered in scars, proactively charged into the disorganized Zerg swarm in front! Zhao Hao's dragons and Qin Feng's Bronze Great Eagles formed a brief but efficient cooperation in the air, with Dragon Breath and thunder intertwining to quickly clear out the remaining Mutalisks and Hydralisk clusters. Elia's elven arrows became precise and lethal once again, each shot striking a key node of the Zerg.

Lin Zhou himself injected most of his remaining Divine Power into the Net of Law, fine-tuning its effect from "Maintaining Order" to "Punishing Chaos," focusing on suppressing those Zerg units trying to regroup or resist stubbornly, making their movements more sluggish and their attacks more powerless. At the same time, through temporary command authority, he attempted to establish a direct Divine Thought link with Qin Feng.

Soon, a steady and slightly appreciative voice sounded in Lin Zhou's consciousness: "Lin Zhou? The one from Xinghai University who does the 'Hundred Schools' thing? I read your letter. Good analysis. The Zerg indeed wouldn't let my warehouse go. I'll take this deal. Now, how do we fight? You're more familiar with the situation here."

"Captain Qin, thank you for the help!" Lin Zhou responded quickly, his heart settling. "The Zerg command node should be that Dark Gold Giant Piercer Lord! It's injured, but it's the biggest threat! I suggest your elite units and our frontal forces cooperate to launch a pincer attack and prioritize killing or heavily wounding it! As soon as it falls, the remaining Zerg will lose their unified coordination and won't be a threat! Please have the air units continue to suppress the creep and ranged support!"

"Understood! Mountain Giants, left flank! Titan warriors, right flank! Target: the big dark gold bug! Smash it for me!" Qin Feng's command style was equally crisp and decisive.

Two forces that previously had no interaction and completely different styles showed an amazing tacit understanding on this life-and-death battlefield, all thanks to the School of Diplomacy's "analysis of interests" and "Strategy of Vertical Alliance."

The long-range throwing of the Mountain Giants and the frontal assault of the Titan warriors perfectly complemented the violent charge of the Behemoths and the steady advance of the dwarves. Although the Dark Gold Lord was powerful, under the pincer attack from both sides, aerial harassment, and the continuous weakening from Lin Zhou's "Punishing Chaos" Domain, it finally showed signs of defeat. Its already damaged carapace continued to crack under the multiple strikes, the speed of its rotating drill became slower and slower, and its screeches were filled with pain and unwillingness.

Finally, with the cooperation of a thunder-charged dive attack launched by Qin Feng himself riding a Bronze Great Eagle and a full-power strike from Wang Meng's Behemoth, the Dark Gold Lord's drill was forcibly knocked off course. Its massive body was pierced in several vital spots by the Titan warriors' spears, and its head was struck heavily by a giant stone thrown by a Mountain Giant!

"Screee—gaaa!!!"

After a shrill wail to the extreme, this elite lord that had brought a huge threat to the defense line finally crashed to the ground, its carapace shattered and its life aura rapidly dissipating.

With the lord dead, the remaining Zerg forces were like they had lost their backbone, and their offensive instantly collapsed. They no longer attacked or retreated in an organized manner but fell into a state of chaos, fighting individually or even trampling each other, and were soon divided, surrounded, and annihilated by the joint forces whose morale was like a rainbow.

When the last Digging Piercer had its skull crushed by a Titan warrior's war hammer, the area near the headquarters entrance finally regained a temporary calm. All that remained were Zerg corpses everywhere, wounded from both the defenders and the reinforcements, and a smell of blood and scorched stench so thick it wouldn't dissipate in the air.

Lin Zhou let out a long, long breath of turbid air, nearly collapsing from exhaustion. He glanced at his Divine Power reserve: 1850/18000. The stinging pain in his godhead remained, but a feeling never experienced before—a mix of fatigue, relief, and a faint sense of accomplishment—slowly spread through him.

He looked toward Qin Feng, who had leaped down from the back of the Bronze Great Eagle and was striding over. This elite from the War God Academy also had his armor covered in Zerg blood and stains, but his eyes were bright and his aura was composed.

"Captain Qin, I cannot thank you enough." Lin Zhou stepped forward and gave a solemn cupped-hand salute.

"It was just mutual benefit." Qin Feng waved his hand, his gaze sweeping over the messy battlefield and the heavily wounded defenders, a hint of solemnity flashing in his eyes. "The Zerg made quite a move this time. What's the situation inside the headquarters?"

Lin Zhou's expression turned serious: "Communication hasn't fully recovered yet, but the sound of gunfire inside hasn't stopped. I'm afraid there are still remaining enemies. Major Rex should still be holding out. We must go in and support them immediately!"

Qin Feng nodded: "As it should be. My troops need a brief rest and to replenish some arrows and projectiles. In five minutes, we will charge into the headquarters together and clear out the remaining enemies."

"Good!"

During the brief lull in the fighting, the two teams that had just bled side-by-side began to take time to treat the wounded, prepare their weapons, and recover a bit of strength. Lin Zhou knew that the crisis was not yet fully resolved; the battle inside the headquarters and the subsequent retaliation the Zerg might launch were still unknown.

But in any case, the most dangerous moment had passed. A successful application of the School of Diplomacy Techniques had not only saved the headquarters that was on the brink of falling but also gave him a personal experience of the power of "Vertical and Horizontal Alliances" and "guiding actions according to circumstances." The wisdom of civilization was likewise a Sharp Weapon that could turn the tide on the battlefield.

And all of this was just another lesson he had learned on this cruel summer vacation battlefield.