13: Race Against Time and the Battle of the Cave Entrance

"Retreat! Everyone retreat! Leave the cave immediately!" Sun Zheng's roar exploded in the communication channel.

There was no need for a second order. The well-trained soldiers executed it immediately. The Spy, relying on his agile movements and covered by the American Soldiers' firepower, scrambled backward at full speed. A001 commanded the squad to retreat while firing, their bullets accurately striking the pursuing Scrin Engineers, sending sparks flying and successfully slowing down the pursuit.

The Chrono Legionnaire raised his launcher again, attempting to freeze another turret, but the energy fluctuations emitted by the Scrin core building severely interfered with space-time stability. The blue light flickered erratically, and in the end, it only made the turret's movements extremely slow without completely erasing it.

"Chrono Legionnaire, the interference is too strong. Abandon the attack and prioritize retreat!" Sun Zheng immediately adjusted the command. In this environment, the chrono weapon's effectiveness was mostly neutralized.

Deep within the cave, the spatial fluctuations became increasingly intense. Purple electric arcs tore through the air, and a massive shadow was rapidly coalescing. A low, heart-palpitating hum echoed from the depths of the cave, as if some terrifying behemoth was about to awaken.

"Fast! Faster!" In the Command Center, Sun Zheng clenched his fists in anxiety, wishing he could fly over to help. He could only watch through the screen as the green dots representing his soldiers desperately moved out of the narrow passage, with the red dots representing Scrin units in hot pursuit. Deeper in, a large, unsettling red dot was rapidly becoming clear.

"Units at the entrance, take note! grizzly tank, prism tank, watch the Rift entrance and prepare for fire support! Rocket Trooper, report enemy movements at all times!" Sun Zheng issued orders to the armored units waiting outside the cave.

"Understood!" The engines of the two tanks roared to life, their barrels aligning toward the deep cave entrance.

The first to burst out of the Rift was the Spy, his uniform torn in several places, looking quite disheveled. Following him, A001 and his reconnaissance squad emerged one after another, and finally, the Chrono Legionnaire, whose movements were somewhat sluggish.

"Report casualties!" Sun Zheng asked urgently.

"No one left behind! But ammunition consumption is high!" A001 reported quickly.

Just then, a dense, ear-grating sound of metal scraping and the whistle of energy weapons came from the cave! The pursuers had arrived!

"Tanks, fire! Block the entrance!" Sun Zheng shouted.

"Boom! Boom!"

The armor-piercing shells of the grizzly tank and the refraction beams of the prism tank fired into the Rift entrance simultaneously! The leading Scrin Engineers and the wreckage of an automated turret were instantly torn apart and melted by the intense fire!

The moon dust and rubble kicked up by the explosion temporarily obscured the cave entrance.

"Nice job!" Sun Zheng had just breathed a sigh of relief when the heart-palpitating hum from deep within the cave suddenly amplified!

A thick purple energy beam suddenly shot out from the smoke and dust, accurately striking the front armor of the grizzly tank!

"Bang—!"

Amidst the violent explosion, the already heavily damaged grizzly tank looked as if it had been hit by a heavy hammer. Half of the entire turret was blown away, and a terrifyingly large hole was melted into the thick armor. It sat paralyzed on the spot, billowing thick smoke—completely scrapped!

"What?!" Sun Zheng's pupils shrank! Taking out an armor-upgraded grizzly tank in one hit? What kind of terrifying firepower was this?

The dust cleared slightly, revealing the attacker's true form—a giant unit whose size far exceeded that of a "Reaper"! It looked like a mechanical centipede magnified dozens of times, with countless pairs of appendages. Multiple Phase Ray Launchers were lined up along the sides of its body, and its head was a constantly rotating Compound Eye Sensor, emitting a suffocating energy pressure!

[Warning! Scrin heavy unit identified: "devourer" tank! High energy reaction! Extremely dangerous!]

A devourer tank! Sun Zheng gasped. This was not an opponent he could face head-on right now!

"prism tank, retreat! Attack from a distance! Rocket Trooper, harass its sensors! All infantry, find cover and target its appendages!" Sun Zheng forced himself to stay calm and issued the most rational orders. Fighting head-on would only lead to death!

The prism tank quickly reversed, and the refraction beams shot out again, hitting the devourer's thick armor. Although it caused some damage, it was clearly not fatal. The Rocket Trooper's missiles hitting it were like a mere itch.

The devourer completely ignored these harassments. Its main weapon charged again, aiming at the prism tank, the greatest threat!

At this critical moment, Sun Zheng noticed that because the devourer was too large, its movements were a bit clumsy as it rushed out of the cave entrance. An Energy Pipe, which seemed unprotected by thick armor, was exposed beneath the middle of its body!

An opportunity!

"Chrono Legionnaire! Target that Energy Pipe!" Sun Zheng shouted with all his might!

The Chrono Legionnaire, who had been on standby, immediately raised his gun. Although the energy interference at the cave entrance was still present, it was much weaker than deep inside the cave. A blue light, more solid than before, accurately hit the spot Sun Zheng indicated!

"Hiss—Creeeeak—" The devourer tank's movements suddenly froze. The Energy Pipe enveloped by the blue light rapidly frosted and solidified. Although the space-time erasure effect didn't fully manifest due to the interference, this freeze was exceptionally thorough!

"prism tank! Hit it there!" Sun Zheng seized this fleeting opportunity!

The prism tank understood instantly. The thick prism beam no longer refracted but condensed into an incredibly dazzling white light, accurately striking the frozen Energy Pipe!

"Rumble—!!!"

An explosion ten times more violent than before occurred! The frozen pipe was exceptionally fragile, and the high temperature and high energy of the prism beam instantly triggered a chain reaction! The devourer tank blew up from its midsection, its massive body snapping into two. Countless parts and purple energy fluid splashed in all directions like a rainstorm! The massive shockwave even expanded the cave entrance by a full circle!

After the explosion, the cave entrance fell temporarily silent, with only the crackling sound of burning wreckage.

Victory... Sun Zheng slumped in his chair, feeling completely exhausted. The price was one grizzly tank, but they had taken down a terrifying devourer and saved most of the troops.

However, before he could catch his breath, the analysis department of the Combat Laboratory sent an urgent message:

[Commander, based on the energy signature analysis of the devourer unit's wreckage, its calling signal was not completely interrupted... possibly... this is only the first wave.]

Upon hearing the analysis from the Combat Laboratory, Sun Zheng's heart instantly sank to the bottom.