117: The imprisoned demon breaks free, unleashing a raging storm; it crosses the sea to rescue the city in peril.

Chapter One Hundred and Twenty: The Imprisoned Demon Breaks the Cage and Stirs Up Surging Waves; Racing Across the Sea to Rescue the Endangered City

The alarms at the East Sea Barrier Base were so shrill they felt as if they would pierce one's eardrums.

The energy shield in the detention area was flickering frantically, its pale blue light curtain covered in spiderweb-like cracks. Inside the shield stood the mutated Zhulong, his crimson vertical pupils staring deathly at the Genetic-enhanced Soldiers waiting in formation outside. Two tentacles covered in barbs lashed out randomly; every time they struck the ground, they smashed out craters of varying depths.

His body had already ballooned to over three meters in height, with dark purple veins wriggling like earthworms under his skin. The energy field surrounding him distorted the light, making his figure appear somewhat flickering and ethereal. His former refinement and calculative nature had completely vanished, replaced by a beast-like bloodlust and frenzy.

"Where is Lin Zhou? Come out and meet your death!" Zhulong let out a hoarse roar, his voice carrying energy waves that made the eardrums of the soldiers outside the shield ache. "Hiding? Coward! You ants should all become the nourishment for my evolution!"

Chen Hao gripped his Magnetic Storm Combat Blade and stood at the very front of the soldiers, his expression as heavy as iron. He could clearly feel the tremors coming from the shield; it was Zhulong's energy field constantly impacting it. The gene neutralizer being prepared by the research team was still in its final stages, and the energy shield could only hold for ten minutes at most.

"Everyone listen up! Once the shield breaks, form a defensive formation. You must not let him get near the Research Center!" Chen Hao's voice was steady and powerful, overriding the sound of the alarms. "Stall for time until the neutralizer is in place!"

The soldiers responded in unison, the muzzles of their Magnetic Storm Rifles aimed at Zhulong inside the shield. Blue electric arcs leaped within the muzzles, ready to pour out firepower at any moment.

Right then, Zhulong suddenly moved.

He lunged at the energy shield, swinging both tentacles simultaneously. With a whistle that tore through the air, they smashed heavily against the light curtain.

"Boom—!"

A violent explosion rang out, and the light of the energy shield dimmed instantly as cracks spread at a speed visible to the naked eye. Zhulong did not stop, his tentacles lashing out continuously like a torrential storm. Every impact made the base's floor tremble along with it.

"Crack!"

With a crisp sound, the energy shield shattered completely, dissipating into a sky full of light particles.

Zhulong let out an excited roar and leaped out of the detention area, his tentacles sweeping across. Two soldiers who were slightly slow to react were hit by the tentacles; their bodies flew backward like broken kites, slamming heavily into the wall. They spat out blood and lost consciousness.

"Fire!"

At Chen Hao's command, dozens of Magnetic Storm Rifles fired simultaneously. Blue energy beams fell on Zhulong like raindrops, but they were deflected by the energy field around him, leaving only faint scorch marks.

"It's useless!" Zhulong laughed maniacally, his claws lunging toward the nearest soldier. "My genes have perfectly fused with the God Devourer. Your weapons cannot harm me in the slightest!"

The soldier's face turned deathly pale; he wanted to dodge but it was too late. At the critical moment, Chen Hao lunged forward, his Magnetic Storm Combat Blade carrying blue electric arcs as it hacked fiercely at Zhulong's claws.

“Clang!”

The piercing sound of metal clashing rang out, sparks flying in all directions. Chen Hao felt a massive force transmit through the blade; the webbing of his thumb split, and the Magnetic Storm Combat Blade nearly flew out of his hand. He used the momentum to retreat, shouting at the soldier: "Fall back, quickly!"

Zhulong was enraged. His crimson gaze locked onto Chen Hao, and his two tentacles coiled toward him like venomous snakes. Chen Hao swung his Magnetic Storm Combat Blade, constantly parrying, but was forced back step by step. With every collision, a jolt of intense pain shot through his arm. Blood dripped down the combat blade, staining the floor red.

In the corridor outside the detention area, the sounds of slaughter, explosions, and screams intertwined. Although the Genetic-enhanced Soldiers were unafraid of death, they appeared so fragile before the mutated Zhulong. Zhulong moved as if in an uninhabited land; everywhere he passed was filled with severed limbs and broken bodies. The once impregnable East Sea Barrier Base had now become a living hell.

Inside the Research Center, the Old Professor and several researchers were racing against time to prepare the gene neutralizer. The centrifuge spun frantically, and the liquid in the test tubes mixed continuously, making a faint "sizzling" sound. The Old Professor's forehead was covered in sweat, and his hands trembled slightly—this was humanity's last hope. If the neutralizer failed, the entire East Sea Barrier Base, and even all of Huaxia, would fall into an abyss of eternal damnation.

"The neutralizer is ready!" a researcher shouted in surprise.

The Old Professor breathed a sigh of relief and immediately injected the neutralizer into a specialized magnetic storm syringe. "Quick! Get it to the front lines! You must hit Zhulong's heart! That is his energy core!"

A Communications Soldier took the syringe and turned to run toward the corridor. But just as he ran out of the Research Center's doors, he saw a tentacle coming straight for him.

The Communications Soldier's pupils constricted; he wanted to dodge but was too late. At that moment, a figure lunged over and pushed him aside. The tentacle smashed heavily into that figure, the sound of bones shattering clearly audible.

It was Chen Hao.

He had blocked the Communications Soldier, his chest pierced by the tentacle as blood gushed out. He looked at the Communications Soldier and, using his last ounce of strength, shouted hoarsely: "Quick... deliver the neutralizer!"

With tears in his eyes, the Communications Soldier gripped the syringe and charged toward Zhulong.

Zhulong looked at Chen Hao lying on the ground, a cruel smile curling at the corner of his mouth. He was about to step forward to deliver a finishing blow when he sensed a whistling sound from behind. He turned abruptly and saw the Communications Soldier holding the syringe, stabbing toward his heart.

"Seeking death!"

Zhulong roared, swinging a tentacle to swat the Communications Soldier away. But at that moment, a deafening roar came from the sky.

It was the sound of fleet engines!

The expeditionary force led by Lin Zhou had finally returned!

Dozens of falcon fighter jets broke through the clouds, diving toward the detention area. Their onboard magnetic storm cannons fired simultaneously, golden energy beams streaking across the sky like meteors, accurately hitting Zhulong's back.

Zhulong let out a shrill roar, his body flipped onto the ground by the impact of the energy beams. The Communications Soldier seized the opportunity, leaped up, and slammed the syringe filled with gene neutralizer deep into Zhulong's heart.

"Ah—!"

Zhulong's body convulsed violently. The dark purple energy field dissipated instantly, the veins under his skin began to shrink, and his ballooned body size decreased at a visible rate. He fell to the ground, his crimson vertical pupils gradually regaining clarity, his eyes filled with resentment and despair.

"I... am not reconciled..."

Zhulong let out a weak roar, then completely lost his breath. His body turned into a pool of dark purple slime that seeped into the ground.

The crisis was finally resolved.

The Communications Soldier slumped on the ground, watching the fleet slowly descend in the distance; he could no longer hold back his tears as they streamed down his face. Soldiers gathered around, lifting the dying Chen Hao onto a stretcher and racing toward the medical room.

Lin Zhou stepped quickly off the fighter jet. Looking at the devastated detention area and the bodies of the fallen soldiers on the ground, his eyes were filled with sorrow and rage. He slowly raised his hand and gave a solemn military salute to the sacrificed soldiers.

The afterglow of the setting sun spilled over the East Sea Barrier Base, dyeing the sky a bloody red. In this battle, humanity had paid a heavy price, but they had ultimately defended their home.

Inside the Research Center, the formula for the gene neutralizer was successfully recorded. At the temporary stronghold in Australia, the remaining God Devourer larvae were being cleared in an orderly fashion. The remnant forces of the Skeleton Serpents in the Indochina Peninsula and the Pacific Ocean had been completely wiped out.

Humanity had finally ushered in a victory of true significance.

But Lin Zhou knew this was not the end.

He stood on the command tower, looking at the distant horizon of the sea, his gaze resolute.

On the other side of the Earth, in a neglected desert, a fragment of a meteorite flickered with a faint light, and a minute dark purple energy wave quietly began to spread.