34: The leader appears

Once Li Zezhong's territory was completely breached, the Sandworms would be able to pour into his territory from the flank without any obstruction.

At that time, caught in a pincer attack, he would undoubtedly be defeated.

He had to find a way.

Mo Yan's gaze swept quickly across the battlefield, his brain working at full speed.

The Sandworms' weakness was their mouths, their defense was extremely strong, and they could burrow underground for sneak attacks.

Facing them head-on would result in too many casualties.

He had to change tactics.

"All burrowing Sandworms, prioritize elimination!" Mo Yan ordered again, his voice clearly audible on the chaotic battlefield.

"Shield Soldier, retreat half a step, spearmen to the front, watch your footing, be ready for any burrowing attacks!"

"Gun Gun, watch the ground on the left flank!"

"Goo!" Gun Gun immediately ran to the rear of the left flank's defense line, sniffing the ground hard with his small nose, his furry ears pressed tightly against the hot ground, trying to sense the underground movements in advance.

The Soldiers quickly adjusted their formation, their shields slightly pulled back, while the spearmen focused more on their feet and the constantly vibrating ground ahead.

Mo Yan gripped his Frost Sword, his gaze sharply fixed on the surging dust ahead and the swarms of Sandworms continuously impacting the wall like a tide.

He knew that the most difficult moment might have just begun.

Li Zezhong glanced at Mo Yan's adjustments and then saw Wang Wu's precise arrows continuously shooting towards the gaps in his own defense line, supporting the precarious Soldiers, his heart a mix of emotions.

He gritted his teeth and roared at the blood-soaked, rapidly dwindling Soldiers fighting beside him: "Hold on, reinforcements are right next to us, we cannot fall!"

His roar was hoarse, carrying a strong scent of blood and a hint of struggle amidst despair.

Under the dark red sky, dust filled the air, and various roars and crashing sounds were deafening.

The two territories, forcibly pieced together, were like isolated boats in a raging sea, teetering on the verge of collapse under the endless siege of Sandworms.

Just at this moment of being attacked from both sides and with the battle in a stalemate—

Woo—

A silent shriek, yet one that seemed to pierce the Soul, suddenly came from the giant Sandworm leader on the distant horizon!

That creature, much larger than ordinary Sandworms, opened its colossal, abyss-like mouth, capable of devouring everything.

No sound was emitted, but an invisible mental shockwave instantly spread out, enveloping the entire battlefield!

The ordinary Sandworms, who were attacking frantically, seemed to have been injected with a berserk potion; already fearless, they became even more frenzied, their attack frequency and power sharply increasing!

The sound of them smashing the wooden walls became denser and heavier!

And the Soldiers, who were desperately defending, whether under Mo Yan or Li Zezhong, felt a sudden palpitation and irritation!

Their heads felt like they had been hit by a heavy hammer, buzzing, and a wild, bloodthirsty urge surged uncontrollably into their hearts, threatening to overwhelm their reason.

In this instant, morale suffered a devastating blow!

"Steady your minds, this is a mental attack, it's interfering with us!" Mo Yan immediately judged, his gaze coldly fixed on the giant figure in the distance.

He forcibly suppressed the churning discomfort in his mind.

"Goo...woo..."

Gun Gun let out a painful whimper, his small body uncontrollably curling up, rolling on the ground while hugging his head, his small paws unconsciously scratching the ground, emitting faint whimpers.

The silent shriek of the leader-class Sandworm had a huge impact on him, whose intelligence was just beginning to awaken.

Mo Yan quickly reached out and gently stroked his head to comfort him, then looked up, meeting Li Zezhong's gaze across the distance, who also had a grim face and was gritting his teeth to hold on.

In both their eyes, there was only unprecedented solemnity.

Mere common Sandworms had already driven them to desperation.

The true leader had not even personally entered the fray yet!

The Sandworm assault did not cease for a moment; the grayish-white tide fiercely struck the damaged wooden walls again and again.

The Soldiers gritted their teeth, mechanically repeating blocking and stabbing motions.

Sweat mixed with dust and blood soaked their leather armor, and their arms ached and trembled from continuous exertion.

Their physical strength was rapidly draining, and fatigue and despair, like maggots clinging to bone, gnawed at their last will.

Another change occurred!

Among the Sandworm swarm, some individuals with darker, murky dark gray coloration approached the wall; they briefly gathered strength and then violently sprayed out streams of viscous acid liquid with yellowish-green bubbles!

Sizzle—!

A harsh corrosive sound accompanied by a pungent, sour stench filled the air.

The surface of the wooden wall was rapidly corroded into deep, smoking pits, the energy halo rapidly dimmed, and durability quickly decreased!

"Watch out for the acid!" A Soldier shrieked.

But it was too late.

Pfft!

Several Soldiers' shields were instantly pierced through, and hot acid splashed onto the Soldiers, causing them to scream in agony as the shield-bearers staggered backward.

Their arm flesh was charred black and blurred, emitting the smell of burning meat, and they fell to the ground, rolling in pain.

Several gaps instantly appeared in the defense line!

On the right flank of the combined territory, Li Zezhong's defense line was even worse, already hanging by a thread.

His log palisade was originally not as sturdy as Mo Yan's, and now, under the dual assault of continuous Sandworm impacts and corrosive acid, multiple sections of the wall had collapsed, revealing gaping holes!

More fatally, Sandworms burrowing from underground were everywhere.

Although the Soldiers Li Zezhong sent back to defend fought desperately to kill them, the Sandworms continuously broke through the ground from new places, making it impossible to guard against them all.

The screams of the auxiliary personnel who had temporarily picked up weapons in the rear rose and fell, becoming increasingly dense, gradually drowning out the shouts of battle from the front line.

The front-line Soldiers, seeing the rear fall, their homes destroyed, and their comrades dying tragically, grew even more anxious, and their formation was on the verge of complete collapse.

"Mo Yan!" Li Zezhong's voice, anxious and hoarse, cut through the battlefield's clamor, "Right flank, Wall Section Three has collapsed, and Sandworms that burrowed from underground have rushed into the inner circle."

"My men can barely hold on; if we don't get support, it's all over!"

He cleaved open the carapace of a Sandworm with one strike; foul, bloody fluid splashed all over his head and face, but he paid it no mind, his gaze eagerly fixed in Mo Yan's direction.

Mo Yan looked at his own defense line, which was also under immense pressure, with his Soldiers struggling to hold on.

The wall was shaking violently, with more and more signs of corrosion, and its durability was continuously dropping; it probably wouldn't last much longer.

Dividing forces meant the front-line defense would bear greater pressure.

But if they didn't divide forces, once the right flank was completely breached, the entire territory would be outflanked and overrun by Sandworms from the side.

The outcome would still be destruction.

What to do?!

After only a moment of deliberation, a sharp glint flashed in Mo Yan's eyes, and he made a decisive choice.

He would take a gamble!

"Wang Wu!" Mo Yan ordered in a deep voice, "You take five Soldiers and go support the right flank of the wall, prioritize clearing out those acid-spitting Sandworms!"

"Yes, My Lord!" Wang Wu did not hesitate; he gathered his men and, braving death, rushed towards the right flank along the trembling wall.

Mo Yan took a deep breath and roared at the remaining Soldiers: "The rest of you, hold the front line for me! Not one step back! Our home is behind us, there's no retreat! Fight to the death!"

"Fight to the death!" The Soldiers, infected by Mo Yan's resolve, erupted with their last vestiges of courage, roaring in unison.

Just as Wang Wu and the others disappeared around the corner of the wall—

Woo—!!!

That leader-class Sandworm in the distance once again emitted that silent mental shriek!

But this time, it was no longer just mental interference.

Its colossal body suddenly sank downwards, like a giant whale submerging into water, instantly disappearing from its original spot.

Rumble—

The entire ground began to tremble and shake violently and wildly!

More intensely than any time before!

As if an ancient beast deep underground was awakening, thrashing its body madly!

Everyone felt a heart-stopping tremor beneath their feet, making them unstable and swaying back and forth!

"No good! The leader has also burrowed underground, it wants to charge straight through!" Li Zezhong's face changed drastically.

Mo Yan's heart suddenly sank, and an unprecedented sense of unease surged within him.

Its target... where is it?!