Chapter 29 – The Bloodbath of Xiang City

Chapter 29 – The Bloodbath of Xiang City

“Commander, this can’t go on. At most, we have a few minutes before those monsters break through our defenses. Our soldiers won’t stand a chance then,” a uniformed staff officer reported to Yuan Jianze.

Yuan Jianze’s brow furrowed deeply. This was the most challenging battle he’d faced in the past two days. The sheer number of monsters had rendered their firearms nearly ineffective.

“Rapid fire! Conserve nothing. We must break through that light barrier. I have a feeling… humanity’s survival depends on what lies beyond it,” Yuan Jianze declared, his face glowing with an otherworldly light. The middle-aged commander radiated intense battle spirit.

“But… what if…” the officer hesitated.

Yuan Jianze cut him off, “No what-ifs. Since this damned apocalypse began, we’ve already exhausted half our ammunition. If we don’t find another way, we’ll soon be fighting bare-handed. Do you think we stand a chance against those monsters then?”

The officer straightened, “Understood, Commander!”

As the order was relayed, the gunfire around the light barrier intensified. Machine guns proved devastatingly effective against the early-stage mutated beasts. None could breach their barrage.

After half an hour, most mutated beasts lay dead. If Cheng Yang had witnessed this, he would have cried out in frustration – all that potential spiritual energy wasted on untransformed humans.

Yet Yuan Jianze and his officers showed no signs of triumph. Their expressions grew graver as they noticed a second wave of larger mutated beasts gathering behind the scattered remnants. At least two hundred of these advanced creatures stood poised, seemingly preparing for something.

Yuan Jianze recognized these mid-stage mutated beasts. Their speed and power far surpassed ordinary variants, making them nearly impossible for regular soldiers to target.

“Deploy the snipers! Ten per target. Eliminate them quickly!” Yuan Jianze barked.

The military’s thirty best snipers divided into teams, taking positions on distant high ground. Their years of training and coordination showed as they began systematically picking off the mid-stage beasts. Armor-piercing rounds proved effective, with each team successfully taking down one target.

Within seconds, seven or eight mid-stage beasts fell. This provoked a thunderous roar from the remaining creatures as they charged the human defenses.

Two hundred meters vanished in mere seconds under the beasts’ assault. Yuan Jianze himself took up a rifle, his precise shots joining the barrage. Yet even direct hits barely slowed the charging monsters.

While snipers picked off the lead beasts, machine gunners created an impenetrable web of fire. Though individual shots rarely found their mark, the sheer volume of bullets ensured every beast took multiple hits. More fell to this indiscriminate fire than to the snipers’ precision.

Twenty seconds later, the first beasts breached the human lines. Carnage ensued.

Blood sprayed and limbs flew as soldiers realized their helplessness against the monsters’ onslaught. Hundreds fell in moments, officers among them.

Yuan Jianze retreated with his guards, his face hardening as he surveyed the chaos. “Order all units: eliminate those monsters at any cost.”

The tremor in his voice betrayed his reluctance. This order would inevitably lead to soldiers killing their comrades in the crossfire. Yet the alternative was the complete annihilation of their forces and the fall of Xiang City.

Gunfire resumed, many soldiers firing through tears as they struggled to distinguish friend from foe. Snipers proved crucial in this chaos, picking off beasts entangled with human forces.

When the last beast fell, the scene was horrific. Of nearly twenty thousand soldiers, less than half remained. Their ammunition reserves had dwindled to a third. Another such battle would surely finish them.

Yuan Jianze stood silently among the corpses for half a minute before snapping a crisp salute. “Rest easy, brothers. We’ll protect Xiang City.”

He then strode toward the light barrier, guards in tow. Remaining soldiers began clearing the battlefield, knowing they might soon share their comrades’ fate.

As Yuan Jianze stepped through the barrier, knowledge flooded his mind. He instantly understood the barrier’s purpose, though accepting this new reality proved difficult for the fifty-year-old commander.

“What kind of world is this?” Yuan Jianze murmured, gazing skyward with bewildered eyes.

The staff officer spoke up, “Commander, it seems the world has truly changed. This must be a global catastrophe. Humanity faces either destruction or rebirth through fire.”

Yuan Jianze’s eyes regained their focus, battle spirit rekindling. “You’re right, Xiao Chen. We won’t accept destruction. We’ll rise from the ashes.”

The officer declared, “I’ll follow you, General. Together, we’ll lead Xiang City to rebirth.”

Yuan Jianze nodded, “Good. We’ll make our mark in this chaotic era. Without knowing the national situation, our priority is rescuing Xiang City’s citizens. I pray we’re not too late.”

Approaching a warrior statue, Yuan Jianze placed his hand upon it. A light barrier enveloped him once more.

PS: Bonus chapter delivered. Thank you, brothers…