Chapter 737: Radiance
Chapter 737: Radiance
Erosius' psychic assault momentarily halted the swarm's advance, allowing the campfire to regain its intensity amidst the gathering smoke. As the smoke thickened, the area became nearly sealed off, preventing the swarm from infiltrating further.
However, the swarm continued to wreak havoc outside, trapping them inside. Unable to venture out, they could only wait, knowing they would be unable to pursue their quarry.
After four to five hours, the commotion outside finally subsided.
The campfire gradually died down, leaving only lingering wisps of thick smoke.
The personnel who had been knocked out by the psychic attack gradually regained consciousness. A quick assessment revealed significant casualties, with many perishing instantly from the force of the attack. Particularly vulnerable were the support and technical staff, whose low combat prowess, coupled with their proximity to the blast, left them defenseless despite the protective gear.
In a dire situation, Erosius unleashed his psychic power without concern for these individuals.
While their absence didn't diminish the team's overall combat strength, it made various tasks cumbersome. Daily activities like setting up camp, signal communication, medical treatment, and logistics maintenance would fall to the main fighters, occupying a significant portion of their time and reducing overall efficiency.
This was precisely Xu Chan's intention.
After assessing the casualties, the action captain approached Erosius with a resigned expression, "Mr. Erosius, we've lost three-fifths of our technical personnel. Those remaining suffer severe aftereffects and are barely able to move.
Unless we abandon them, we won't be able to depart today. But I must remind you, without our logistics, technical, and support staff, our search for the Great Unity Army will become increasingly inefficient as time passes."
Erosius, unperturbed, replied, "This time, the enemy outsmarted us, but they've only delayed us by a day. Nothing will change. Have the medical team treat the fallen, and record the names of those who perished. May their families find solace."
"Yes, sir."
The action captain saluted Erosius in the Union style, impressed by his strength and compassionate leadership. With Erosius' reassurance, the team could rest assured they wouldn't be abandoned.
Erosius inquired, "Is our signalman still with us?"
"He's alive and well. He just finished vomiting and has regained his strength."
"Have him send a signal to our partners, informing them of our difficulties and requesting their assistance."
"I'll take care of it immediately."
Meanwhile, Xu Chan, having detonated the explosives, quickly sought refuge in a nearby tree cavity, a natural trap set by an active plant. Typically, prey would consider this a haven, only to be engulfed and digested by the closing tree trunk.
Xu Chan, however, had prepared for this, coating his body with a thick layer of medication to resist the plant's digestive fluids. His strength also ensured he wouldn't be crushed by the tree's powerful constriction.
He braced his limbs against the inward pressure, knowing that without a swift escape, it would take days to exhaust the plant's endurance. But he wasn't concerned; the impending swarm would soon relieve the pressure.
Indeed, within a few minutes, he felt the constriction ease, and the plant began to shake violently, seemingly engaged in a fierce struggle.
After several hours, the plant's struggle ceased. The surrounding area was free from constriction, and the entire plant seemed to have collapsed, no longer secreting digestive fluids.
After a brief wait, sensing no activity outside, Xu Chan exerted himself, tearing open the thick tree trunk with a loud rip, letting in a shaft of sunlight.
Peering through the opening, he confirmed the coast was clear. With a mighty heave, he widened the gap, the wood creaking and groaning in protest, until he had created a passage large enough to squeeze through.
Stepping outside, he surveyed the devastation. The once lush forest now lay in ruins, with most trees toppled, leaving only bare, sturdy branches. It was as if a fierce storm had swept through, stripping the foliage bare.
He patted his body, and the broken, dry medicinal blocks crumbled and fell off. With a surge of energy, they shattered into countless pieces, scattering on the ground.
He glanced towards the direction of the camp. Such a massive swarm of insects had passed through, causing unknown damage to the Coalition forces, but it was enough to destroy any traces of their passage.
He looked up at the sky; it was already around two or three in the afternoon. Even if they pursued now, there was little hope of catching up, as the enemy would soon be preparing for nightfall in an hour or two.
He had successfully delayed them for a day.
It was time for him to find a place to rest. He had already considered this earlier. After leaving this spot, he ran for about ten minutes, lifted a woven mat, and entered a previously excavated and reinforced cavern. He tapped the woven cage above, and the insects inside, like fireflies, quickly became active, providing him with a faint light source.
After sitting down and consuming a few nutrient pastes, he unfolded the map provided by the indigenous settlement. This map had been a great help, and with the advantage of the terrain, it was enough to achieve the goal of distracting and engaging the enemy.
Using the hive, the enemy would be cautious and vigilant tomorrow, so he could create a few small explosions, a mix of real and feigned attacks, just enough to prevent them from advancing at full speed.
The real killing move... was here.
He looked at a marked cave entrance on the map, which was on the way to Captain Hai and the others. If they didn't follow that direction, he wouldn't need to take action, but if they did, he would use this trap.
At the Linax Federation camp, Brigadier General Saber took the telegram from the telegrapher, sent by the Coalition. After reading it, he instructed his adjutant beside him, "The Coalition needs our support. According to the agreement, we must commit. Later, I will personally lead a team to join them. You stay here and continue to improve the device."
The adjutant saluted and replied, "Yes, sir."
Brigadier General Saber intended to bring along all the hired personnel. In his opinion, they were all scum and garbage, each one unruly and uncooperative. Without his leadership, they wouldn't listen. But garbage was garbage, and it was best if they were all consumed on this mission, with no need to bring them back.
He thought of something and asked, "Where's Seraphina?"
The adjutant turned and gestured to a corner, "Over there."
In the corner, there was a petite black-haired girl with eye shadow and twin tails, squatting under a large tree.
She casually picked up a passing flying insect, plucked off its wings, and tossed it on the ground, watching it crawl. After a while, she caught another one, plucked off its wings, and threw it down. There were already many such insects on the ground, yet she seemed to enjoy this activity.
After observing for a moment, Brigadier General Saber said, "Her talent is crucial to our success. The outcome of this mission depends on her. Keep a close eye on her, don't let her run around, and ensure she doesn't cause any trouble."
The adjutant responded solemnly, "Yes, sir."
Twenty minutes later, Brigadier General Saber led a team out of the camp and arrived at the Coalition's camp before nightfall. The main fighters from both sides gathered and discussed the specific action plan for the next day.
Soon, darkness fell, and all sides fell silent, anticipating the confrontation the following day.
Another night passed, and the morning dawned bright.
Unless something unexpected happened, 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 in advance.
However, an unexpected situation disrupted everyone's original plans.
At around ten in the morning, a magnificent radiance suddenly rose in one direction, resembling the aurora of the polar regions. It spread from the ground to the sky, like a splash of vibrant paint on the dome, with colors that were exceptionally vivid.
Heros abruptly halted his advance and looked up at the magnificent radiance.
Not only him, but the Thunder Twins, Gray Whale, and Blood Diamond, who was still recovering, all looked towards the same spot, their eyes filled with disbelief and delight.
Was that... the glow of a relic? How could this thing appear again? Heros stared at the light for a moment, then turned to Brigadier General Saber, who was also observing, and said, "Brigadier General Saber, there's interference from others here. As partners, I hope you'll honor our agreement and provide cover for us during our operation."
Brigadier General Saber replied expressionlessly, "I will keep our promise."
"Good."
Heros looked forward again, his chest swelling with determination. He shouted, "Everyone, I want you to leave behind all burdens and carry only the essentials. Rush towards the source of the light at full speed!"
...
...
(End of Chapter)
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