171: Jiang Xin made a move

"Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!!!"

Several beams of searing white energy, like flaming whips wielded by a god, tore through the night sky and lashed precisely against the Corpse King's massive body! The apollo fighter jets from Lujiang Base had finally arrived! The Helios Autocannon's violent electromagnetic kinetic shells were like red-hot irons striking ice water, letting out a "hissing" sound. The immense impact force sent the frenzied Corpse King flying backward dozens of meters, causing its lethal tail sting to miss its mark!

Immediately after, the hatch of one apollo fighter jet swung open! A figure stood proudly at the door, the night wind fluttering the hem of his clothes. In the next moment, an ancient Han sword flowing with starlight—"starfall"—clanged as it left its scabbard and hovered beneath his feet. The figure leaped lightly, landing steadily on the blade, and using the Sword-kinesis Technique, he transformed into a streak of green light, flying like lightning toward the Corpse King that was still being knocked back!

It was Jiang Xin!

The moment he approached the Corpse King via sword-riding, the starfall Sword let out a clear chime and automatically flew back into Jiang Xin's hand. Jiang Xin stepped onto the void, his presence as imposing as a mountain over an abyss. He actually used his powerful Psychic Power to perform a brief mid-air walk to stabilize himself. Then, holding the sword with one hand and raising it above his head, he slashed down at the Corpse King, which had not yet recovered from the autocannon barrage and its heavy injuries! The sword light was like a bolt of white silk, tearing through the sky!

The Corpse King instinctively tried to mobilize its remaining thunder energy to form a shield, but it was suppressed by Jiang Xin's invisibly deployed Mental Domain, which contained the majesty of a king. Its energy flow became sluggish in an instant! It could only hastily shield itself with its damaged Thunder Wings.

*Riiip!*

The peerlessly sharp starfall Sword slashed down, and the hardened Thunder Wings were sliced open as easily as paper. More than half of one wing was instantly torn away, nearly severed! The Corpse King let out another howl of agony.

Jiang Xin's gaze was cold. He used the momentum to rise higher, instantly arriving above the Corpse King's head. He pressed his left hand downward, and a translucent giant palm composed of vast Psychic Power appeared out of thin air. Like Buddha's Five-Finger Mountain, it carried a terrifying pressure that suppressed everything as it crashed down!

The Corpse King felt as if the space around it had solidified. All its energy was completely suppressed, making even struggling incredibly difficult! As the invisible giant palm fell, its massive body was crushed by an invisible force. Its bones let out a tooth-aching cracking sound as it was flattened, falling from the sky like a kite with a broken string and smashing heavily into the ground. It completely collapsed a half-ruined warehouse below, sending a plume of dust into the air!

Jiang Xin hovered in the air and gave a light wave of his hand.

The starfall Sword turned into a flash of light, arriving in an instant!

*Clang!*

A flash of sword light, and the Corpse King's hideous head was completely severed from its body, tumbling into the ruins. Those eyes, flickering with electric arcs, were finally frozen in an expression of unbelievable fear and resentment.

The other two apollo fighter jets that arrived afterward did not pause at all. Their autocannons roared, weaving a dense web of lethal fire. A large number of remaining First-Tier Flying Zombies were easily torn apart like paper before this violent metal storm, their severed limbs and foul blood falling like rain. The few Second-Tier Zombies that were lucky enough not to die tried to put up a final resistance or flee, but Jiang Xin, standing on his sword, casually pointed out several streaks of sword qi, precisely decapitating them one by one! The entire process was clean and efficient; from the appearance of the apollo to the end of the battle, it took less than ten minutes!

The powerful Third-Tier Thunder-Winged Corpse King and its flying horde were swiftly cleared out in a crushing manner after Jiang Xin arrived on the scene!

Jiang Xin slowly descended via sword-riding, and the starfall Sword automatically returned to its scabbard. He led several fully armed crew members who had disembarked from the fighter jets, walking toward Tang Qi, who had just deactivated his transformation. Tang Qi's face was pale as he clutched his chest, breathing heavily. He was covered in blood, clearly having sustained significant injuries.

"You must be Leader Tang Qi? How are your injuries? Do you need immediate treatment?" Jiang Xin asked with concern. His gaze swept over Tang Qi's wounds, his voice steady and carrying a reassuring strength.

Tang Qi endured the pain and struggled to stand straight. He reached out a blood-stained hand to shake Jiang Xin's, his tone respectful yet not lacking in character. "Officer, you don't need to call me leader. I'm just an ordinary student who was lucky enough to lead everyone to survival."

Jiang Xin gripped his hand firmly and shook his head, his tone sincere and full of recognition. "There's no need for such modesty. To be able to lead over ten thousand survivors to establish a base, resist zombies, and protect the people in this post-apocalyptic world—regardless of background, you are a hero, worthy of respect and admiration. This merit and responsibility cannot be erased by anyone."

"It's also thanks to my brothers who risked their lives and trusted me." Tang Qi did not dare take all the credit. His gaze swept across his heavily injured companions and the base that had been turned into ruins, his eyes darkening.

"And this expert is?" Jiang Xin turned his gaze toward The Dashing Brother, who was putting away his staff and comforting the injured Ice Dragon. A flash of surprise and curiosity crossed Jiang Xin's eyes. The ice power the other man had displayed was extremely strong, and his unique temperament was different from any Evolver he had ever seen.

"Oh, Officer Jiang, this is Lingchuan City's number one expert, the Ice Dragon Mage—The Dashing Brother. If he hadn't arrived in time, we probably wouldn't have lasted until your support arrived," Tang Qi introduced quickly, his tone full of gratitude.

"The Dashing Brother?" Hearing this, Jiang Xin's face showed a momentary flash of bewilderment and confusion. This name... was truly quite unique.

"Officer Jiang Xin, don't be confused. It's just a codename, whatever is easy to say," The Dashing Brother said, flicking his signature lock of hair. Although his arm was injured, he still managed to put on that cynical smile as he stepped forward and cupped his fists in greeting, his movements indeed dashing and smooth.

"The Dashing Brother's ice Superpower is quite impressive. To be able to summon such a massive Ice Dragon, and your ice spells are even more powerful! You must be at the top level among Second-Tier Evolvers." The admiration in Jiang Xin's eyes grew stronger. Such a talent would definitely be a great asset if he could be recruited. "I wonder if you'd be willing to come to my Lujiang Base? I will certainly treat you well. What do you say?" He issued a direct invitation.

Hearing this, The Dashing Brother laughed and waved his hand. His tone was relaxed but carried an unchangeable resolve. "Officer Jiang Xin, you flatter me. It's just a small trick, not worth mentioning. As for serving... let's forget about it. I'm used to being idle and free. All my life, I've feared restraint the most. I only want to live freely and as I please in this apocalypse, seeing different sights."

"In that case, I won't force it. To each their own." Jiang Xin nodded. Not much disappointment could be seen on his face, and his tone remained peaceful. He had many fierce generals and talents under his command; he truly didn't lack one or two experts who were unwilling to be restrained. As long as the other party didn't become an enemy of the base and remained friendly, it was fine.

He turned his gaze toward the devastated base and the terrified survivors, his voice ringing out steadily, "The priority now is to immediately treat the wounded, extinguish the fires, tally the casualties, and strengthen the guard! Captain Li, arrange for our medical and engineering teams to enter the field immediately!"

Following his command, the chinook transport helicopters that had arrived right after the apollo fighter jets began to land. Teams of professional Red Alert Soldiers and medical personnel quickly threw themselves into the rescue and aftermath work. The base, which had been in chaos and despair, finally began to recover order and hope.