206: Battle of Lingnan (5)

"Deputy Battalion Commander... this... this is too precious... for me..." The Sergeant Major weakly gripped the Deputy Battalion Commander's arm.

"Don't give me that crap! I'm not some Deputy Battalion Commander! In front of you, I'll always be that green recruit who didn't know a damn thing! You still have to teach me how to fire the cannons! You better stay alive for me!"

"But... this serum... the whole battalion doesn't have... many..." Tears welled up in the Sergeant Major's eyes as his complexion slightly improved.

"No matter how precious it is, it's meant to save lives!" The Deputy Battalion Commander interrupted him gruffly, hoisting the burly Sergeant Major onto his back and running toward the command vehicle.

As he ran, the Deputy Battalion Commander roared at the surrounding soldiers, "Covering fire!!!"

"Yes, sir!"

Xiao Lin and the other soldiers, tears in their eyes, frantically unleashed a hail of bullets and threw grenades, using the explosions to temporarily halt the pursuing horde.

After suffering casualties among the infantry and the loss of several IFVs, the Evolver squad sent by Battalion Headquarters finally arrived. They cut through the horde like a sharp knife, successfully pinning down most of the Second-Tier Zombies.

Taking the opportunity, the infantry used recoilless rifles and rocket launchers, coordinating with the Evolvers' attacks to laboriously eliminate these high-tier threats one by one.

Elsewhere, at a large state-owned steel plant.

The atmosphere was heavy. Using energy detection devices, the lead reconnaissance unit discovered powerful, heart-palpitating energy fluctuations coming from deep within the plant.

"Attention everyone, maintain radio silence! I repeat, maintain radio silence! A Tier-3 energy reaction has been confirmed inside the plant! Do not fire without orders, and do not make any loud noises! All squads, keep a tight watch on every entrance and exit!" The commanding officer lowered his voice, almost pressing his mouth against the communicator as he issued orders, fine beads of cold sweat breaking out on his forehead.

"Battalion HQ, Tier-3 energy fluctuations detected at X Steel Plant. The target is stationary. We have established surveillance and request that Captain Feng Wu be contacted immediately to handle this!"

"Copy that! Maintain surveillance and do not alert it under any circumstances! I'll contact Captain Feng immediately!" The battalion commander's voice was also tinged with tension.

However, just as the troops had finished their deployment and their focus momentarily slipped—

BOOM!!!

A heavy steel roof atop the plant suddenly exploded! A Flame Gorilla, over six meters tall and clad in dark-red lava armor, descended from the sky like a meteorite! Its massive, flaming fist struck the turret of a 9a main battle tank at the factory gate with thunderous force!

Sizzle—BOOM!

Before the extreme heat and terrifying power, the solid composite armor was instantly melted and crushed like cheese! The internal ammunition cooked off, turning the entire tank into a massive fireball. The crew inside perished before they could even react!

"Fire! Everyone, open fire! Kill it!!" The officer in the command vehicle screamed, his voice nearly breaking. Immense fear and rage had stripped him of his composure.

In an instant, the autocannons, vehicle-mounted machine guns, coaxial machine guns, and infantry rifles all spat fire! Bullets rained down on the Flame Gorilla, but most were deflected by its lava armor with a metallic clatter and a shower of sparks.

The two Second-Tier Evolvers accompanying the unit also fought with all their might. A water-element Summoner conjured a massive sea turtle that roared as it charged the Flame Gorilla, attempting to entangle it.

The Flame Gorilla seemed to find the attacks trivial, letting out a low, mocking roar. It didn't dodge, enduring the rain of bullets as it launched another violent charge, its massive foot crushing an armored assault vehicle until it exploded. The fate of the soldiers inside was all too clear.

"Damn it! This beast! The tesla tanks! Get the nearest tesla tanks here now! Blast it for me!!" The officer roared hoarsely, his eyes bloodshot.

Before long, two tesla tanks with massive coils on top finally rolled into the plant. Their unique turrets began to spin at high speed as blinding blue-white arcs of electricity leaped and gathered between the coils, emitting a hair-raising crackle. The surrounding air smelled of ozone from the ionization.

"All units! Maintain suppressive fire! Buy time for the tesla tanks to charge!" Even though they knew their attacks were barely effective, the remaining armored vehicles and infantrymen continued to fire desperately, trying to draw the Flame Gorilla's attention.

But this completely enraged the Tier-3 monster! Its hideous maw snapped open, and a viscous, lava-like beam of dark-red energy, radiating destruction, erupted forth! Like the Reaper's scythe, the beam swept across a 9A tank. The tank vanished and vaporized instantly, like an ice cube dropped into a steel furnace, leaving hardly any wreckage behind!

In that moment of despair—

Zzzzt—!!!

Two massive high-voltage arcs, packed with terrifying energy, shot out from the tesla tanks' turrets like twin thunder dragons. They crossed dozens of meters in an instant, trailing sparks that pierced the air, and struck the Flame Gorilla with pinpoint accuracy!

ROAR—!!!

The Flame Gorilla let out its most agonizing howl since the battle began! Its massive body was coursed through by powerful electrical currents, causing it to twitch uncontrollably. The flames on its body dimmed, and with a loud thud, it collapsed to its knees, arcs of electricity still dancing across its form.

"Increase output power!!" The commander of tesla tank No. 1 roared over the comms, his voice trembling with excitement.

At the critical moment, a cyan figure swept into the plant like a gale.

"Let me kill this son of a bitch!"

Feng Wu had finally arrived! With a cold gaze and movement like lightning, he closed in on the struggling Flame Gorilla in an instant. He rapidly condensed wind energy into a massive, highly compressed blade of wind. With a momentum that could tear through anything, he slashed it down toward the Flame Gorilla's burning head!

THUD!

There was a dull sound, like a watermelon bursting! The Flame Gorilla's head shattered under the power of the wind element. Its remaining body twitched a few times before falling completely still.

Feng Wu let out a soft sigh and skillfully retrieved the Tier-3 crystal core.

The crisis at the plant was temporarily averted, but the air was thick with the smell of gunpowder, blood, and burning. The smoldering wreckage of armored vehicles and the wounded or fallen soldiers all bore witness to the brutality of the battle.