193: Chapter 194 Bait

The scene in the square was even more tragic than the tavern owner had described.

Countless Soldiers with severed arms were everywhere, and officers with bandaged heads were counting the survivors.

Numerous corpses were hastily covered with white cloth, blood already seeping through the fabric.

Report! Third Squad, original strength twelve, four survivors!

Fifth Squad, original strength fifteen, six survivors!

Song Yang walked past these Soldiers and arrived at the hall where the Evolvers were gathering.

The crowd gathered in the hall was significantly thinner than yesterday.

Song Yang found a spot against the wall to stand, his gaze wandering through the crowd.

A middle-aged man with a severed arm was smoking a low-quality cigarette with his remaining hand, while a few young Evolvers huddled together, whispering something.

Soon, the elderly military man appeared again, though he looked exceptionally exhausted today.

He walked to the center of the crowd with his cane and cleared his throat.

Everyone.

I think you all saw the results of last night's battle; the power of the Beast Emperor is terrifying.

According to the intelligence we received, the Golden-Winged Beast Emperor will come again tonight. This time, the high command has decided to use nuclear missiles.

Missiles?

The middle-aged man with the severed arm flicked away his cigarette butt. Can that stuff even be used?

They are the last few we have in storage.

The old man nodded. But missiles require precise guidance, and they need the Beast Emperor to remain in a fixed position for long enough.

Song Yang raised an eyebrow, having already guessed what would come next.

Therefore, we need bait.

The old man looked around at everyone. We need someone to attract that beast's attention, make it stay in a designated area far from the city for at least thirty seconds, while the others are responsible for holding off the remaining King-level Monsters.

What about the reward?

A woman's voice came from the corner. If we're risking our lives, there has to be a price, right?

The old man took a small cloth bag from his bosom, opened it, and revealed the crystal-clear crystals inside.

Everyone who participates in the mission to surround and kill a King-level Monster will receive ten crystal cores, and another twenty if successful—provided you come back alive.

The bait who attracts the Beast Emperor will receive two hundred.

This price made many people's eyes light up.

Ten crystal cores were enough for an ordinary Evolver to advance a small level.

I'll go.

Song Yang was the first to speak.

Everyone's gaze turned to him.

This young man, who had only arrived yesterday, did not look like someone who would be forced into such a suicide mission.

Little brother, have you thought this through?

A man advised him, That's a Beast Emperor, not a stray dog on the street. One slight mistake, and you're dead for sure.

Song Yang did not answer, merely walking toward the old man and extending his hand.

The old man looked at him deeply and placed the ten crystal cores into Song Yang's palm.

The assembly time is 8:00 PM at the abandoned stadium. Remember, your mission is only to attract attention, not to throw your life away.

Arriving at his temporary residence, Song Yang took out all ten crystal cores.

The vines of the blood vine excitedly wrapped around them, swallowing the crystals one by one. A strange red light flickered on the vines, then faded away.

At 8:00 PM, in the dilapidated stadium, all the Evolvers participating in tonight's operation were gathered—about a hundred people. The atmosphere was terrifyingly oppressive.

The military old man appeared again, followed by several heavily armed Soldiers.

Everyone, please remember, our goal is to buy time for the missiles. The bait is responsible for drawing away the Beast Emperor, while the others hold back those eight King-level beasts! Do not fight to the death.

The nuclear warhead has immense power. Once the lock is achieved, everyone must enter the underground to hide to avoid accidental injury.

They didn't have to wait long.

From the distant horizon came a dull roar, a mixture of hoofbeats and shrieks, growing closer. With every sound, the gravel under their feet vibrated slightly.

It was here!

Everyone gripped their weapons tightly, their palms slick with cold sweat.

Song Yang took to the air.

Looking down, the scene was horrifying.

Eight King-level Monsters, each the size of a small hill, were leading a black tide of monsters, sweeping toward the city.

Wherever they stepped, the remaining buildings collapsed instantly, turning into dust.

And in the center, guarded by those eight King-level Monsters, the pitch-black clouds were as thick as ink.

Within them, an unimaginably massive creature was flying.

Action!

At the old man's command, over a hundred figures scattered, blending into the shadows of the city ruins.

Seventh team, target the Armored Giant Rhino! Get on the overpass! Wait for my order to fire!

A burly man carrying a modified heavy machine gun roared, spittle flying.

The few Evolvers behind him quickly set up a position behind a broken bridge pier.

A long string of scorching bullet chains swept toward a giant beast in the herd, its shell like cast black iron.

The beast felt the pain, its scarlet eyes instantly locking onto the source of the fire. It abandoned its original route and, with all four hooves flying, came thundering toward the overpass.

On the other side of the city, atop a tilted office building.

The woman who had asked about the reward in the meeting hall earlier was kneeling on one knee, a silver-gray sniper rifle steadily mounted on the parapet.

Her breathing was impossibly steady. In the scope, a bat-winged King-level Monster with a wingspan exceeding thirty meters was circling and shrieking.

Whoosh—

A nearly inaudible sound, and a special bullet left the chamber, precisely burying itself into the left wing joint of the bat-winged monster.

The bullet didn't cause a fatal wound, but it burst into a glob of green mucus.

The bat-winged monster let out a shrill shriek. In a rage, it abandoned the main team and pounced toward the building where the sniper was located.

The plan was proceeding methodically.

Eight teams, eight directions, like eight precise fishing lines, each hooked a furious King-level Monster, dragging them toward the preset battlefield.

At this moment, above the stadium, the path to the Beast Emperor was cleared.

Song Yang waited no longer.

He exerted force with his feet, his figure rising from the ground, flying straight toward that thick dark cloud.

As soon as he ascended, the low-level monster herd like a black tide below suddenly became restless.

Thousands of monsters raised their heads, letting out futile roars toward the tiny black dot in the sky.

Song Yang paid no heed.

All his concentration was focused on the cloud mass ahead.

Upon entering, all the noise from the outside world was instantly cut off.

The world plunged into pitch-black silence, unable to see one's own hand, as if falling into the endless deep sea.

An invisible pressure suddenly increased tenfold, threatening to grind him into powder from the inside out.

Immediately after, in this pure darkness, two points of golden light lit up.

That was not light.

Those were two eyes.

Two pupils like molten gold, each the size of a truck. In their gaze, there was no anger, no killing intent, only an eternal coldness and indifference, as if looking down at ants.

As those pupils focused, an unimaginable silhouette slowly emerged from the boundless darkness.

The feathers were not bird-like down, but composed of countless golden metal pieces as sharp as knives.

Its body was so massive that it was many times larger than those King-level Monsters.

In the face of such a creature, even Song Yang felt small.

It was hard to imagine that less than two months after the sun went out, the Earth had given birth to such a creature.