Behind them, gunfire erupted in waves, and cannons thundered continuously.
Half an hour later, over 10,000 soldiers of the City Defense Army arrived at the mine; the vanguard rapid response team had just finished a wave of attacks.
"Brothers, it’s so good to see you!"
The two forces merged and began to counterattack.
Out of the 13,500 City Defense Army soldiers, only 9,400 remained alive; casualties were immense.
Some soldiers wailed in agony, some lay unconscious, while others stared with lifeless eyes at the Space Crack that still pulsed with a strange light. From it emerged hulking, ox-like exotic beasts.
These exotic beasts were called Jin Ding Kui Niu. Their hides were golden, covered by a metallic layer. Ordinary firearms were useless against them; only high-powered electromagnetic anti-materiel sniper rifles could pierce their defenses.
Just moments ago, a single charge from these Jin Ding Kui Niu had resulted in over eight hundred casualties.
As more and more Jin Ding Kui Niu massed, the commanding sergeant’s expression grew grim.
"Officer Lin, can we truly not hold them back any longer?" a young soldier asked. He had just joined the City Defense Army, fresh from the local Youth Military School.
Gazing at the terrifying Jin Ding Kui Niu before him, the young soldier couldn’t suppress his fear.
"Can’t hold them back?" Officer Lin retorted. "Are you kidding? There are tens of millions of ordinary citizens behind us! If we don’t hold them back, what will happen to them? Right now, whether we think we can or not, we *have* to hold them. We must endure until the Star Core Warrior masters arrive with reinforcements!"
"Reinforcements?" The young soldier lowered his head. "These Jin Ding Kui Niu are so horrifying. Even Star Core Warriors might not be able to defeat them."
"Who said that!" Officer Lin glared at the young soldier but didn’t elaborate further. The situation was critical. About thirty Jin Ding Kui Niu had already gathered before them. If they didn’t break their formation soon, no matter how many soldiers they had, it wouldn’t be enough to withstand their trampling today.
"Brothers, charge with me!"
"Damn it, I’m having beef hot pot tomorrow morning!" Officer Lin roared, taking the lead and charging forward.
This proactive assault was aimed at disrupting the Jin Ding Kui Niu’s formation. Officer Lin had no intention of comfortably staying behind and letting his soldiers bear the brunt of the charge.
"Officer Lin, you’re thinking about hot pot now, of all times? Aren’t you afraid of getting hemorrhoids? If it were me, I’d dry this beef and make jerky. That would taste amazing!"
"What’s so great about beef jerky? Ever heard of a tomahawk steak? If you cut a piece of meat off one of these things, wouldn’t it be even better than a tomahawk steak?"
"Officer Lin, let’s go! I want a beef burger!"
"Alright, brothers, with me!" Officer Lin bellowed again. He hefted his electromagnetic anti-materiel sniper rifle, over a meter in length, and surged forward. In this battle, he was forced to use the sniper rifle like an ordinary rifle; the Jin Ding Kui Niu’s hide was just that thick.
Just then, a voice suddenly resounded throughout the Dora Mill Mine.
"I, Zhao Lei, of the Human Federation."
"Today, I have broken through the Level 9 Shackles and entered the Titled Realm! For the rest of my life, I vow to serve the hundreds of billions of people of the Federation with utmost dedication, until death do I part!"
Officer Lin and the soldiers paused, stunned for a moment, then their fighting spirit soared.
"Brothers, follow me!" Officer Lin yelled. "Our Human Federation has produced its ninth Titled King powerhouse! Let’s slaughter a few of these Jin Ding Kui Niu and send them over for him to sample!"
The crowd’s excitement surged.
「Exotic Battlefield.」
In an unnamed mountain forest.
Two figures, supporting each other, stumbled forward, looking as if they might collapse at any second.
"Old Song, Old Song, leave me! Save yourself!"
"Leave you? Fat chance! Save your breath. We’ve hit the jackpot with this intelligence! We’ll go back and live large!"
"If I were going to leave you, I would’ve done it half a month ago, not now!" Mr. Song cursed under his breath as he supported his injured comrade.
He and Blackhawk, the man beside him, were intelligence operatives for the Federation’s Alien Race Investigation Bureau. They usually operated under the guise of itinerant martial artists, seeking "work" in areas frequented by Alien Races.
Half a month ago, in a city of the feather hawk alien race, Blackhawk had intercepted vital intelligence. He asked Mr. Song to accompany him, and they continued their disguise as ordinary martial artists as they departed the city.
But who could have known? As they were leaving, a Big Shot from the feather hawk alien race discovered their human identity.
The Big Shot, curious about their destination and intending to capture them all in one fell swoop, allowed them to leave for the time being. However, half a day later, he dispatched pursuers after them.
Initially, Mr. Song and Blackhawk kept their heads down and headed for the Alien Race Investigation Bureau’s designated contact point.
But Blackhawk, a senior investigator, sensed something amiss. He bypassed the contact point, leaving only a coded mark nearby, before he and Mr. Song quickly departed.
For a day or two, the pursuers followed them with feigned leisure, seemingly in no rush.
But after five days, even the dullest leader among the pursuing feather hawk alien race members realized they’d been tricked. Furious, he dispatched numerous subordinates to attack, intending to capture them for interrogation.
Fortunately, Mr. Song was a master of wilderness survival, and Blackhawk possessed a special intuition, allowing him to sense danger in advance. Time and again, the two narrowly escaped capture.
However, just half a day ago, a master from the Eagle Feather Tribe happened to be passing through. Upon learning about the two fugitives, he joined the pursuit. To fend off this powerful opponent, Blackhawk was forced to use a technique that violently stimulated his latent potential, managing to severely injure the master.
But as a result, his Star Core and Star Veins had begun to wither and collapse.
I’m probably not going to make it.
"Alright, Old Song... you’re a true brother."