Chapter 737: Radiance
Chapter 737: Radiance
Euseios Hross's mental assault caused the bug swarm's charge to falter, allowing the campfire to regain its vigor. As the smoke thickened, the situation improved, and after a while, the area became almost completely shrouded in smoke, effectively sealing it off from the outside. The swarm no longer dared to charge into this enclosed space.
However, the swarm continued its rampage outside, trapping everyone inside. They could only wait here, unable to pursue their enemies.
After four to five hours, the chaos outside finally subsided.
The campfire gradually died down, leaving only lingering wisps of smoke.
The personnel who had been knocked out by the psychic attack gradually regained consciousness. Upon inspection, they realized they had suffered significant casualties. Many people had died on the spot, especially the auxiliary and technical staff, who were already weak and had been too close to the explosion. Even with protective gear, they had little resistance against such a powerful force.
In a desperate situation, Hross had no choice but to unleash his psychic power without regard for these individuals.
Although the loss of these personnel did not affect their overall combat strength, it made many tasks extremely inconvenient. Daily tasks like setting up camp, sending telegrams, providing medical treatment, and various logistics and maintenance work would consume a significant portion of the main fighters' time, reducing their efficiency.
This was precisely what Xu Chan had intended.
After assessing the casualties, the action captain approached Hross with a resigned expression and said, "Mr. Hross, we've lost three-fifths of our technical personnel, and those who survived are still suffering from severe aftereffects. They are barely able to move.
Unless we abandon them, we won't be able to set off today. But I must remind you that if we completely disregard our logistics, technical, and auxiliary personnel, our efficiency in finding the Dasun people will gradually decrease over time."
Hross responded calmly, "This time, the enemy outsmarted us, but they've only delayed us by a day. Nothing will change. Let the medical team do their best to treat the injured, and record the names of those who have unfortunately passed away. May their families not grieve too much."
"Yes, sir."
The action captain saluted Hross in the style of the Union.
Hross was undoubtedly the strongest among them, and his display of kindness and leadership was unmatched by anyone else. With his assurance, the rest of the team could rest assured that they wouldn't be abandoned without reason.
Hross asked, "Is our telegraph operator still here?"
"He's alive. He just finished vomiting and has regained his strength."
Hross said, "Then have him send a telegram to our partners, informing them that we've encountered some difficulties and need their assistance."
"I'll take care of it right away," the action captain replied.
On the other side, Xu Chan had already hidden in a nearby tree hole he had scouted earlier, which was actually a trap set by an active plant for prey.
Prey usually considered this place a nest or a safe haven, but once inside, the tree's belly would close, digesting and consuming the prey.
However, Xu Chan needed this plant to envelop him, providing cover from the impending swarm.
Normally, anyone entering would be digested immediately, but Xu Chan had prepared by smearing a thick layer of medicine on his body, which effectively resisted the digestive liquid secreted by the plant.
His strength also ensured that he wouldn't be crushed by the powerful compression of the tree's belly.
At this moment, he braced his limbs against the walls, resisting the powerful constriction. Under normal circumstances, he would need to burst out in one go to exhaust the plant's endurance within a few days or nights.
But he didn't need to worry about that now, as the swarm's arrival would prevent the plant from exerting too much pressure on him.
Indeed, after just two to three minutes, he felt the constricting force lessen, and the active plant began to shake violently, as if engaged in a fierce struggle with something.
After several hours, the struggle finally ceased, and the surrounding area was no longer constricted. The plant seemed to have toppled over, and the digestive liquid stopped flowing.
After waiting a while longer, Xu Chan sensed that the outside was quiet. With a mighty effort, he tore open the thick tree belly, letting in a shaft of light.
Peering through the opening, he confirmed that the situation outside had calmed. With his hands, he pried open a gap wide enough to squeeze through, amidst the screeching and creaking sounds. He emerged from the narrow passage.
After taking a few steps outside, he saw that the area had become a wasteland. Most of the tree trunks lay on the ground, leaving only the thick, bare branches. The once lush forest now resembled a storm-ravaged landscape, with withered branches and fallen leaves.
He patted his body, and the dried, cracked medicinal blocks fell off in pieces. With a surge of energy, they shattered into countless fragments and scattered on the ground.
He looked in the direction of the camp. Such a massive swarm of insects had passed through, causing untold damage to the Alliance, but it was enough to destroy any traces of their passage.
He glanced at the sky; it was already around two or three in the afternoon. Even if they pursued them now, there was little hope of catching up, as the other party would soon be preparing for nightfall in an hour or two.
He had successfully delayed them for a day.
Now, he needed to find a place to rest. He had already considered this before. After leaving this place, he ran for about ten minutes, lifted a woven mat covering a hole in the ground, and entered a previously dug-out and reinforced cave. He tapped the woven cage above, and the bugs inside, like fireflies, quickly became active, providing him with a faint light source.
After sitting down and eating a few nutrient gels, he unfolded the map provided by the indigenous settlement. This map had been a great help, and if he could make good use of the advantage of the terrain, it would be enough to achieve the goal of distracting and engaging the enemy.
Now that they had used the bug nest, the other party would be cautious and on high alert tomorrow. So, he could create a few small explosions, mixing real and fake, just enough to prevent them from advancing at full speed.
The real killing move... was here.
He looked at a cave entrance marked on the map, which was on the way to where Captain Hai and the others were heading. If they didn't go there, he wouldn't make a move. But if they did, he would try to use this trap.
At the Linaksis Federation camp, General Seraph took the telegram from the radio operator's hand and read the message from the Alliance. After finishing, she turned to the adjutant beside her and said, "The Alliance needs our support. According to the agreement, we must honor our commitment. I will personally lead a team to join them shortly. You stay here and continue working on the device."
The adjutant immediately saluted and replied, "Yes, ma'am."
This time, General Seraph intended to take all the mercenaries with her. In her opinion, they were all scum and trash, each one unruly and uncooperative. Without her leading them, they would never listen. But trash was trash, and it would be best if they were all consumed on this mission, with no need to bring them back.
She thought of something and asked, "Where's Seraphina?"
The adjutant gestured to a corner, "Over there."
General Seraph looked over, and there was a petite black-haired woman with eye shadow and twin tails sitting under a large tree.
She casually grabbed a passing flying insect, pulled off its wings, and threw it on the ground, watching it crawl. After a while, she caught another one, pulled off its wings, and threw it down. There were already many of these wingless insects on the ground, but she seemed to enjoy this activity.
General Seraph watched for a few moments and said, "Her talent is crucial to our success. The entire plan depends on her. Keep a close eye on her, don't let her run around, and ensure she doesn't cause any problems."
The adjutant solemnly replied, "Yes, ma'am."
Twenty minutes later, General Seraph led a team out of the camp and arrived at the Alliance camp before nightfall. The main fighters from both sides gathered to discuss the specific action plan for the next day.
Soon after, darkness fell, and all parties fell silent, waiting for the next day's battle.
Another night passed, and the morning light brightened the sky.
If there were no surprises, the confrontation between the parties would continue today. It might take several days or even longer for a result to emerge, and both sides were well aware of this. They had prepared countermeasures and strategies.
However, an unexpected situation disrupted everyone's original plans.
At around ten in the morning, in one direction, a magnificent glow suddenly rose, like the aurora of the polar regions. It scattered from the ground into the sky, like a splash of paint on the dome, with extremely eye-catching and dazzling colors.
Hross abruptly stopped in his tracks and looked up at the magnificent glow.
The Thunder Twins, Gray Whale, and Blood Diamond, still not fully recovered, all looked in the same direction, their eyes filled with disbelief and delight.
Was that... the light of a relic?
How could it appear again?
Hross stared at the light for a moment, then turned to General Seraph, who was also observing, and said,
"General Seraph, there's interference from others. As partners, I hope you'll honor our agreement and provide support while we're in action."
General Seraph's expression remained unchanged as she replied, "I will fulfill our commitment."
"Good."
Hross looked ahead and said loudly, "Everyone, I want you to leave behind all burdens and carry only essential weapons. Rush towards the source of the light at full speed!"
...
...
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
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