196: Push through Sword City

After the main force led by Chen Hao arrived in Sword City, combined with the Luo Clan defense force and the Mixed Brigade, the available troops in the Sword City area surged to over nine thousand. After a short night of rest, at dawn the next day, the battle to reclaim the main urban area of Sword City officially began!

Several hind attack helicopters and chinook transport helicopters formed an aerial formation, like a flock of patrolling eagles, flying low over the main roads of Sword City. High-powered electronic loudspeakers mounted on the helicopters broadcasted throughout the entire neighborhood:

"This is the Red Alert Legion! This is the Red Alert Legion!"

"Our army is executing the mission to reclaim Sword City! All surviving residents, please pay attention! Upon hearing this broadcast, please immediately signal for help from conspicuous locations such as balconies or windows!"

"Repeat! Please immediately call for help from a conspicuous place! If you cannot safely call for help for the time being, please find solid cover to hide, and wait for our army to clear the area of threats before calling for help!"

This broadcast, sounding like heavenly music, broke the deathly silence and despair of the urban area. Some survivors who were hidden very deeply pushed aside their covers and poked their heads out, trembling and cautious.

On the 12th floor of a residential building, a corner of a tattered curtain on a balcony was gently lifted. A little girl, so thin she was almost just a skeleton with a face as sallow as paper, used all her strength to wave her stick-like arms, her voice weak but full of longing: "Soldier uncle... here... there's someone here..."

Although her cry for help was faint, it attracted a hunter lurking in the shadows! A Tier 1 Licker crawled rapidly along the outside of the building like a gecko, approaching the 12th floor in an instant! Its terrifying long tongue, several meters long and covered in barbs, shot toward the little girl on the balcony like a venomous snake emerging from its hole!

"Damn it! You're asking for death!" A hind pilot patrolling the nearby airspace saw this thrilling scene through high-powered sights, cursed angrily, and the fire control system locked on instantly! His thumb slammed down on the firing button on the joystick!

"Dong dong dong dong—!"

The 30mm caliber chain gun roared, and the scorching barrage, like a precise whip of fire, instantly snapped that disgusting long tongue mid-air! The Licker let out a howl of pain.

"Filthy thing! Taste this!"

The pilot's anger was not yet spent, and two more 70mm rockets whistled out, accurately striking the wall the Licker was clinging to!

"Boom! Boom!"

The explosion blasted it into a bloody mess, and it fell heavily to the ground. The hind performed a nimble dive, using its chain gun to fire several bursts at the struggling monster on the ground, finishing it off completely.

At the same time, "chinook 1" had already quickly hovered outside the balcony where the little girl was. The cabin door opened, and a nimble Red Alert Soldier slid down quickly along a dropped rope ladder, landing lightly on the balcony. When he saw the little girl's skin-and-bones appearance, looking as if she could be blown over by a gust of wind, the iron-blooded soldier's eyes instantly turned red.

"Don't be afraid, child, uncle is here." His voice was raspy as he carefully picked up the light-as-a-feather girl with both arms, as if protecting a fragile treasure, and quickly climbed back into the cabin.

Inside the cabin, the girl leaned against the soldier's chest, tears streaming down her haggard face. "Uncle... you finally came... I... I'm so hungry... the potted plants at home... I've eaten them all..." Her intermittent words spoke of the hellish experience of the past few months. If not for the habit of Chinese people to stockpile food, she would have starved to death long ago, but her stored food had also run out, and she had survived for more than ten days on water and sheer willpower.

"Good child, it's okay now, it's okay..." The soldier's voice choked up as he quickly took a compressed biscuit from his tactical backpack, broke off a small piece, handed it to the girl's mouth, and then offered a water bottle. The girl couldn't wait to stuff the biscuit into her mouth, swallowing it with difficulty with the fresh water, and a hint of life finally returned to her face.

"Uncle... my dad and mom... work at a factory on the outskirts of the city... please go save them..." The girl's tears still wouldn't stop, and her small hands tightly gripped the soldier's hem.

"Don't worry, we will go, we will definitely save everyone!" The soldier gently stroked the girl's thin hair and made a firm promise.

Similar rescue scenes were constantly playing out all over the urban area. More and more survivors were found in despair; they were all skin and bones without exception, but the light of hope was rekindled in their eyes.

On the outskirts of the urban area, the main force used armored vehicles as the vanguard, with infantry and Evolvers advancing in coordination, steadily clearing the streets.

A main road intersection.

A Tier 2 peak Giant Fat Zombie, as bloated as a mountain and seven meters tall, with layers of rotting fat and sharp bone spurs growing on its body, blocked the path of the vanguard company. It let out a low roar, trying to block the steel torrent with its massive body.

"Rhino 1 reporting! Tier 2 Giant Fat Zombie discovered, blocking the road!" the tank commander of the leading tank reported calmly on the public channel.

Just as the gunner was preparing to load a high-explosive shell, a huge brownish-brown figure charged out from the flank like lightning! It was Xiong Da!

The 8-meter-tall War Bear stood up on its hind legs and let out a heaven-shaking roar. Scimitar-like claws popped out from its massive paws, and with a whistle that tore through the air, it fiercely slashed across the Giant Fat Zombie's abdomen!

"Sshhh—!"

A tooth-aching tearing sound rang out. The Giant Fat Zombie's tough fat and muscle were easily sliced open like paper, and foul-smelling internal organs and tainted blood spilled all over the ground! Its massive body wobbled and crashed to the ground.

"Target cleared, road open, continuing advance." The commander of Rhino 1 smiled and announced the situation on the channel. The convoy rolled over the monster's corpse and continued forward.

On another commercial street, the troops encountered a tough nut to crack: a Tier 3 "Heavy Armored Ironclad" that was 6 meters tall and covered in a thick, dark metal shell!

This monster's defense was extremely abnormal. It had taken four consecutive 155mm high-explosive shells from an apocalypse tank and was only knocked back a few steps by the shockwave of the explosions. Only a few charred marks were left on its shell; it was completely unharmed!

Luo Chen, who was accompanying them, saw this and felt the energy surging within him. He was eager to step forward and show off.

"Young Master Luo, wait!" Chen Hao stopped him loudly, his voice carrying an eager excitement, "Let me stretch my muscles and bones!"

Before his voice finished echoing, Chen Hao jumped down from the command vehicle and tapped the mech belt at his waist. Countless nano-scale metal units surged out of his belt, quickly assembling and transforming around him like living things! In the blink of an eye, a 6.5-meter-tall destroyer heavy mech full of power enveloped him!

"Monster, taste this first!"

Chen Hao controlled the mech, took down the 20mm electromagnetic kinetic machine gun mounted on its back, and unleashed a violent barrage at the Heavy Armored Ironclad!

"Da da da da—!"

Specialized armor-piercing rounds hit the ironclad zombie like a metal storm, causing sparks to fly and forcing it back repeatedly, yet they still couldn't break through the steel armor on its body.

"Good fellow, it really is tough enough!"

Chen Hao was not surprised but delighted, and he hung the machine gun back on his back. The mech's massive metal Iron Fist was instantly covered with a layer of brilliant Metal Element Superpower, becoming even more indestructible! The destroyer took a large stride and slammed a heavy punch toward the Heavy Armored Ironclad! The ironclad zombie also fearlessly swung its giant fist.

"Dong!!!"

The two Iron Fists collided violently.

A dull roar like a great bell rang out! The Heavy Armored Ironclad was actually sent flying several meters away by this terrifying punch infused with Superpower, collapsing the wall of a street-side shop and being buried under the bricks and rubble!

"Little punk, comparing strength with my Tier 3 mech? You're looking for a beating!"

Chen Hao laughed loudly in the cockpit. The destroyer was already the representative of strength and defense among Red Alert mechs, and further enhanced by his Metal Element Superpower, it could be said to be as solid as a rock. He loved this kind of head-on combat the most.

"Again!"

Chen Hao pressed his advantage. The thrusters on the back and calves of the mech sprayed blue exhaust flames, and the massive body charged forward at a high speed inconsistent with its size, engaging in intense close-quarters combat with the Heavy Armored Ironclad that had just crawled out of the ruins!

The destroyer mech covered in golden light had god-like defense. The ironclad zombie's giant fists could only leave shallow white marks on it.

The thoroughly enraged Heavy Armored Ironclad let out a violent roar, its arms bulging strangely, and huge metal spikes suddenly popped out from the front of its fists!

It made a sudden thrust, and the spikes slammed hard into the destroyer's chest armor, actually leaving a clear dent!

"Good one! As expected of a Tier 3 zombie! Quite the kick!" Chen Hao didn't feel sorry for the mech at all; anyway, the system would refresh the mech's durability the next day.

The outer armor of the mech's right arm slid open, revealing a laser sword hilt. Chen Hao quickly issued a command through the Red Alert intelligent auxiliary combat AI:

"Activate high-power laser sword!"

"Om—!"

A blazing, extremely bright, and massive beam blade popped out instantly! The core temperature of the laser sword was as high as tens of thousands of degrees Celsius!

Chen Hao controlled the mech and stepped forward. The laser sword, with a hum that tore through the air, slashed down on the Heavy Armored Ironclad's thick arm!

"Zzzzt—Puff!"

The high temperature instantly melted through the tough iron armor! A thick piece of armor was sliced off directly and fell to the ground, emitting a scorching red light!

The Heavy Armored Ironclad let out a shrill wail, finally feeling fear, and turned to flee!

"Want to run? Too late!"

Chen Hao sneered, the mech's leg thrusters fully open, and he instantly took to the air, catching up with the fleeing monster. The laser sword drew a fatal arc, accurately severing one of its iron arms!

Following that, Chen Hao stopped playing with the ironclad zombie. The laser sword pierced straight in, penetrating the Heavy Armored Ironclad's skull from behind!

The monster's massive body stiffened for a moment and then crashed to the ground.

Luo Chen, watching from the side, was dumbfounded, his mouth hanging open wide enough to fit an egg.

The mech's flexibility, strength, and that final indestructible laser sword completely overturned his understanding. He swallowed hard, turned silently, and went to help the troops clear out high-tier zombies even more diligently.

On another street primarily handled by the Mixed Brigade,

A Tier 2 Diamond Zombie blocked the way.

The Diamond Zombie had excellent strength, speed, and defense, making it extremely difficult to deal with. The strongest Evolver in the team, Li Mu, had summoned a Wood Spirit; although its abilities were comprehensive, its attack power was indeed insufficient to break through the Diamond Zombie's defense.

"Quick! Assemble the mortars! Rocket launchers!" Li Mu ordered urgently while directing the soldiers to retreat.

Just then, two tesla tanks rumbled into the street.

The calm voice of the tesla tank commander sounded on the public channel: "Deputy Brigade Commander Li, have your men disperse! Leave it to us!"

Li Mu felt greatly relieved and immediately ordered the soldiers to disengage from the main battlefield.

Then, the massive coils of the leading tesla tank began to rotate frantically, dazzling blue-purple electric arcs crackled, and energy became highly concentrated!

"Zzzzt—!!!"

A thick bolt of high-voltage current, like the whip of a thunder god, instantly crossed dozens of meters and lashed violently against the Diamond Zombie! The powerful current instantly penetrated its body. The Diamond Zombie convulsed violently and collapsed to the ground, emitting black smoke!

The other tesla tank quickly followed up with a finishing blow, and another violent current shot out!

Under the interwoven effect of the two terrifying currents, that invulnerable Diamond Zombie turned charred at a speed visible to the naked eye, eventually turning into a pile of humanoid charcoal that emitted a foul odor.

The nearby Mixed Brigade soldiers were all stunned, and only after a long while did discussions break out.

"My goodness... the main force's tesla tanks are just too awesome!"

"This Diamond Zombie, when heavy machine guns fired at it, it was like scratching an itch, but this high-voltage electricity insta-killed it?"

"If only our brigade could be equipped with a few of these things..."

"I heard from the brigade headquarters that Officer Zhang Lei promised that after this battle is over, he'll equip us with a few hind helicopters, as well as tesla tanks and apocalypse tanks!"

"Really? That would be great! To fight high-tier zombies, you still need this high-tech, heavy firepower!"

The soldiers' eyes were full of desire and longing for powerful equipment, and their combat morale rose even higher.

The torrent of steel continued to advance forward, with the sounds of gunfire and explosions rising and falling one after another. There were also the wails of zombies.