Chapter 749: The Anomaly
Chapter 749: The Anomaly
In the Linax Federation's camp, the outer perimeter reverberated with the sound of machine guns, deterring the creatures driven by the Sandworm Swarm from breaking through and storming the camp.
Major Zefiro, the adjutant of General Seraph, sat outside his tent, swiftly flipping through and examining some documents under the natural light.
Suddenly, an officer approached with quick steps and reported, "Sir, the Sandworm Swarm is approaching. Our soldiers are asking when they can evacuate."
Without lifting his head, Major Zefiro replied, "You can't leave. The General has ordered us to hold this position."
"But most people in the camp don't want to stay here anymore..."
As they were speaking, a commotion arose at the camp's perimeter. Several workers constructing ritual objects dropped their shovels and fled.
Two gunshots rang out from behind, striking the two leaders in the back, causing them to fall to the ground motionless.
The crowd was startled. Those who had been following the runners halted, and when they looked back, they saw Major Zefiro standing there coldly, his pistol aimed at them.
Major Zefiro gestured with his pistol, indicating for them to return. They glanced at each other, not daring to disobey, and tremblingly turned back to continue their work.
Major Zefiro knew that if even one person escaped successfully, everyone would follow, and it would be impossible to stop them. This situation had to be suppressed with strict measures.
Fortunately, most of the people here, aside from the workers, were military personnel with strict discipline and obedience. As long as their commanding officer's will remained strong, they could maintain order. Moreover, the outer perimeter was guarded by the Colossal Guards equipped with exo-implants, who were absolutely loyal to their duties.
Glancing at his watch, Major Zefiro ordered someone to summon the supervisor of the ritual construction. "How much longer until activation?" he asked.
The supervisor replied cautiously, "Another day."
"Can't you make it any faster?"
The supervisor sighed, "This is already the fastest we can go. We initially planned for three days, but the General demanded we do it in two. One day is the shortest and minimum requirement... The longer the preparation time, the higher the chances of success..."
The implication was clear: if they further compressed the time, even if they managed to activate the device, the chances of success would be slim.
Major Zefiro said, "Then I'll give you one more day." He waved his hand, dismissing the supervisor, and then calmly instructed the officer beside him, "Take a team and dig several trenches around the camp. Leave only two days' worth of fuel, and move the rest outside. I want a continuous 24-hour smoke screen starting now."
The officer immediately understood that this was a strategy to create a large isolation barrier with fire and smoke. If they didn't leave, this might be the only correct order.
After a brief acknowledgment, the officer whistled outside to gather enough people, and they rushed out.
All those mobilized were fighters, so the operation was swift. Within half an hour, smoke and fire engulfed the area.
As the thick smoke rose, the workers put on their protective visors, feeling a sense of relief. This equipment provided psychological comfort, easing their anxiety.
However, they had underestimated the force of the Sandworm Swarm. An hour later, a dense swarm of bugs surged from the outside, quickly filling the deep trenches. They rushed into the fire pits, and many managed to break through, biting anyone they encountered.
From a distance, the bugs seemed small, but up close, they were at least the size of a human head, with gaping jaws and limbs covered in hooks and spikes, appearing extremely fierce.
Major Zefiro sensed something amiss and immediately located the supervisor. "Is the basic framework completed?" he asked.
The supervisor, drenched in sweat, panted, "Y-Yesterday... yesterday it was done."
"I order you to activate the device immediately," Major Zefiro said.
The supervisor was startled. "B-But this might lead to failure..."
Major Zefiro replied, "If we don't activate it now, we'll never have another chance. There's a risk of failure, but there's also a chance of success."
The supervisor hesitated, "Should we wait for the General's return...?"
Major Zefiro's voice turned cold. "The General is not here. I'm in charge, and I'm giving the orders."
"Y-Yes, sir..." The supervisor dared not argue and hastily saluted before hurrying away.
Major Zefiro's face remained stern. The Sandworm Swarm's situation far exceeded his expectations. The original plan to wait another day was no longer feasible. Now, they could only hope for the plan's success, which might help them escape the imminent danger.
Meanwhile, at the other end, under the hurried arrangements of Xu Chan and his team, they managed to enclose a large area before nightfall and lit bonfires at each corner.
By then, the leading bugs of the Sandworm Swarm had already reached the bottom, and the creatures that couldn't escape in time rolled into the swarm, disappearing in an instant.
As they reached the edge, they began to climb up the Worm Moth's body, and immediately, they saw a dense black carpet-like substance spreading upwards along the thick abdominal legs.
However, a change occurred on the Worm Moth's body. Layers of secreted liquid emerged, and any insects that came into contact with it were stuck together, forming clumps that tumbled down.
Near the folds connecting the Worm Moth's abdominal legs and abdomen, countless thin, gray leaf-like moth parasites were fluttering their wings, ready to take flight and prey on the insects. The sky was filled with gray shadows.
At that moment, the group felt a rumbling beneath them as the Worm Moth slowly moved forward. Its head extended its tendrils, sweeping and coiling, and with a slight tilt of its head, it devoured all the beetles within a large area into its massive mouth.
In an instant, a large gap appeared in the insect tide, as if that area had been dug out.
Captain Hu, witnessing this astonishing sight, exclaimed, "It's true that one thing counteracts another."
Seeing this, everyone felt reassured, just as Chen Chuan had predicted. This creature was indeed a natural barrier against the sandworm swarm.
Chen Chuan looked up at the sky and said, "Night is approaching. Everyone, don't stay here; return to your tents. Old Xu, you stay here."
"Yes!"
After the previous incident, everyone had genuine faith and respect for him, following his orders without hesitation. They bowed respectfully and then dispersed to their respective tents.
After everyone left, Chen Chuan turned to Xu Chan and said, "It seems we'll need to stay here for a while. The reported supplies will be sufficient for us to hold out for some time.
We don't have to worry about the ground for now, but the sky is unpredictable. Tomorrow, we should dig deeper; it's best to hide underground."
Xu Chan replied, "Chen Manager, I'll make the arrangements for tomorrow."
In the 6-9-1 book, there is no mistake!
Chen Chuan acknowledged and continued, "As long as the relic's radiance remains, it can be seen from the Jingbei Dao Convergence Zone. Although the Coalition and the Linax Federation are not a concern for now, our greatest enemy in the Convergence Zone is the Former Imperial Court.
When I came here, they were attacking our rear camp, and I still don't know the current situation.
Regardless of whether the camp is breached, if they want the relic, they will definitely come after us, especially if there's no activity around the relic for several days. They will certainly make a move.
Moreover, they are more familiar with the Convergence Zone than we are, and the sandworm swarm may not be able to completely block them. We must make preparations in advance."
Xu Chan nodded solemnly.
After chatting for a while, Chen Chuan noticed it was almost 6 pm, so he didn't say more. They both returned to their respective tents.
The tent they used was spacious, brought by the Linax Federation, and it could accommodate over ten people. Once inside, he turned on the fluorescent lights and sat down on the carpeted floor, examining his own body.
The greatest gain from his recent victories was the growth of his second self, which was now closer to his current self.
He had a feeling that when both selves were in complete harmony, and he deemed it appropriate, he could welcome the second fusion.
At that time, he might be able to challenge an even higher level with an unprecedented foundation.
Suddenly, the sky outside darkened, indicating that night had fallen upon the Convergence Zone.
He immediately held up the Snow Lady Sword and slashed, creating a narrow rift. Then, he began his cultivation for the night.
After cultivating for several hours, he sensed something unusual. This time, nothing emerged from the rift, not even a trace. This was highly abnormal in the Convergence Zone, and even in the Central City, such a situation was rarely seen.
Up until now, the tent remained quiet, whereas before, there would have been countless noises.
He pondered for a moment, as if something had occurred to him, and then he stood up and walked to the tent entrance. After feeling around for a while, he opened the door.
His gaze fell upon the Convergence Zone at night, but it still appeared the same as during the day, only slightly dimmer.
No, the difference was that the relic's radiance still hung in the sky, and the area beneath it seemed unaffected by the Convergence Zone's anomalies.
After glancing around, he stepped outside, confirming his thoughts. He also noticed that, even at night, the beetles continued to approach relentlessly.
He stood for a while before returning to the tent.
He didn't need to know the specific reason, but he was aware that the unusual influences had diminished, allowing him to focus more intently on his cultivation. He intended to make the most of this time.
...
...
(End of Chapter)
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