96: Raise your hand and kill instantly, shocking the whole audience

"Bang!"

The moment the blade qi landed, the ground exploded.

Crushed rocks and dust shot into the sky, forming a circular shockwave that forced the soldiers in the trenches to retreat repeatedly.

As the smoke and dust gradually cleared, a tall and imposing figure slowly appeared.

He had a long saber at his waist, a stern face, and eyes as sharp as an eagle's. It was Lu Ming of the Night Watch Division!

"The Night Watch Division, it's the Night Watch Division!!!"

Zhou Lei was stunned at first, then cried out in disbelief and ecstatic joy.

The surviving soldiers of the Third Company rubbed their eyes, looking at the figure standing in front of the Star Devouring Beast, feeling their eyes well up.

The despair that had felt like Mount Tai pressing down on them earlier had largely dissipated the moment this figure appeared.

The Star Devouring Beast was shaken back half a step by the sudden blade qi, its cloudy eyes fixed on Lu Ming, a low growl rumbling in its throat.

It could feel the terrifying aura emanating from the man before him.

It was a pressure that made its soul tremble, hundreds of times stronger than the ant-like humans it had faced before.

"Tsk, only 300 contribution points."

"It's a bit weak, but even mosquito meat is still meat."

Lu Ming spoke, staring at the giant beast before him with a look of disdain.

"Awoo!"

The Star Devouring Beast saw the contempt in his eyes and was completely enraged.

It had always been the one to look down on others; how could it be someone else's turn to look down on it?

It suddenly raised its gigantic claw, striking towards Lu Ming with an aura of destruction.

The claw was as big as a millstone, tearing through the air; if hit, one would probably be instantly crushed into a pulp.

The soldiers in the trenches held their breath, and Zhou Lei even subconsciously clenched his fists, his palms covered in cold sweat.

But Lu Ming stood still, not moving until the giant claw was about to descend.

Only then did he suddenly turn his body, moving as fast as a ghost, directly dodging the Star Devouring Beast's attack.

At the same time, the straight saber in his hand slashed out.

"Chila!"

A golden light flashed, cutting through as easily as paper.

One of the Star Devouring Beast's giant claws was directly severed, and green blood gushed out like a fountain, splashing onto the ground and corroding the soil into smoking, deep pits.

"Awoo!"

The Star Devouring Beast let out an extremely mournful shriek, its massive body shaking violently, almost toppling to the ground.

It looked at the wound where its claw had been severed, its eyes filled with fear and rage, but it no longer dared to rush forward rashly.

Lu Ming did not give the Star Devouring Beast a chance to catch its breath. He tapped the ground with his toe, and his figure shot out like an arrow from a bowstring, instantly flying to the top of the Star Devouring Beast's head.

The spiritual energy around him began to boil, as if it wanted to dye the entire sky crimson.

"Three hundred it is, give it to me!"

As Lu Ming's voice fell, the straight saber slashed down fiercely.

A golden blade qi tens of meters long burst from the blade, like a heavenly river pouring down, directly splitting towards the Star Devouring Beast's head!

"Puchi —"

Without any obstruction, the golden blade qi directly split open the Star Devouring Beast's scales and cut into its head.

Green blood mixed with brain matter splattered out, the Star Devouring Beast's body suddenly stiffened, and its two lantern-sized eyes instantly lost their luster.

A few seconds later, with a "rumble" and a loud bang, the Star Devouring Beast's massive body fell heavily to the ground, completely still.

Lu Ming slowly landed on the ground, sheathing his saber.

The soldiers on the front line were completely stunned!

"Awesome!!!!"

"Instant kill, instant kill!!!"

"Chief, is this a strong expert from the Night Watch Division? He's unbelievably strong!"

Li Ming trembled with excitement. He looked at Lu Ming's back and suddenly felt that all the previous sacrifices had not been in vain.

Zhou Lei quickly walked out of the trench and bowed deeply to Lu Ming, his voice choked: "Thank you for your help, if not for you, our Third Company today would probably..."

"No need to say more."

Lu Ming raised his hand to interrupt him, his gaze sweeping over the corpses and wreckage on the front line, a hint of solemnity flashing in his eyes.

"You all should retreat quickly and rest. We will take over here."

"No, we won't retreat! We can still fight!"

Zhou Lei suddenly looked up, his eyes bloodshot, but his voice carried an undeniable firmness.

Li Ming behind him clenched his rifle, his young face full of stubbornness: "Exactly! We can still fight! The Iron Armored Insects didn't break us, and the Star Devouring Beast couldn't make us retreat. How can we be deserters now!"

The dozen or so surviving soldiers all stepped forward, although each of them carried injuries.

"Commander Lu, we of the Third Company have no rule about deserting in battle!"

An old soldier, supporting his comrade beside him, spoke in a hoarse but powerful voice.

"Even if we are just ordinary people, without your extraordinary power, we can still help clear the remaining alien races and guard the outer perimeter of the Bronze Gate!"

Lu Ming looked at the group of wounded but unyielding soldiers before him, a flicker of emotion passing across his stern face.

At this moment, Li Zheng Guo and others also arrived at the rear.

As he approached the front line, he saw Zhou Lei leading the soldiers in a standoff with Lu Ming, and quickly stepped forward, saying in a deep voice: "Zhou Lei, receive orders!"

Zhou Lei's body stiffened at the familiar voice, and he slowly turned around.

Seeing the military rank on Li Zheng Guo's shoulder, he subconsciously straightened his back, his right hand clenched into a fist against his temple, giving a standard military salute:

"All members of the Third Company report to you!"

The surviving soldiers also turned and saluted, though their movements were uneven.

Some couldn't raise their injured arms high enough, others could only stand on one leg due to leg injuries, but their military spirit remained undiminished.

Li Zheng Guo returned the salute, his gaze sweeping over the soldiers' numerous wounds and the disarray on the front line, his eyes reddening slightly, but he still suppressed his emotions, pulled out a neatly folded military order from his pocket, and, unfolding it, spoke in a loud voice:

"Jiangcheng Garrison Regiment Combat Order, Number 0719!"

"Orders the First Battalion, Third Company of the Jiangcheng Garrison Regiment to immediately withdraw from the Bronze Gate front line, proceed to Temporary Medical Point Number Three in the rear for rest and recuperation, tally casualties, replenish equipment, and await further notice for subsequent missions! This order is conveyed by Li Zheng Guo, Jiangcheng Garrison Regiment Command!"

"Yes!"

Zhou Lei's eyes were bloodshot.

There were no excessive complaints, nor any excessive questions.

Zhou Lei turned and said in a deep voice to the surviving soldiers: "Pack up all your equipment, take the belongings of our fallen brothers, and let's go!"

Their steps were slow and heavy.

With every step, they couldn't help but look back towards the Bronze Gate...

Li Zheng Guo watched Zhou Lei and the others' receding figures, and only slowly withdrew his gaze when those dozen or so weary but upright figures had completely disappeared into the distant forest.

He raised a hand to wipe his face, suppressing the redness in his eyes, then turned to Lu Ming, his tone returning to a soldier's composure.

"Next, I'll leave it to all of you!"

He glanced at the Star Devouring Beast's corpse, which was like a small mountain, and the pressure in his heart immediately lessened considerably.

The Star Devouring Beast, which was an immense headache for other superhumans, couldn't even last one round against him.

With this man here, holding out for a day shouldn't be a problem.

Ouyang Zhi also stared blankly at Lu Ming's back.

Her heart inexplicably sped up.

First, the Fifth-Realm Netherworld Vanguard, then the Peak Fourth-Realm Star Devouring Beast, none of them were a match for him in a single move.

Just how long was this man's limit?

But just then, a cold voice came from inside the passage.

Every word carried an overbearing malevolence.

"Which ignorant little bastard dared to kill my pet?"