Chapter 466: The Mantis Stalks the Cicada
From the darkness, zombies surged forth in waves, densely packed like an army of ants, spreading across the land surrounding Yangsheng Base. The massive open space around the base was almost entirely sealed off by the horde.
Looking out over the scene, it was clear that the number of zombies exceeded ten thousand.
For the investigation team, it was their first time witnessing such a spectacle in person.
Meng Siyu’s eyes widened in astonishment, and her heart raced despite knowing the zombies couldn’t directly threaten their lives. She couldn’t suppress her anxiety.
“Seeing it in footage is nothing like experiencing it firsthand,” she muttered.
Wu Di, standing nearby, dismissed her unease. “They’re just bigger targets, nothing more.”
“Quiet! You’ll draw them to us,” Baili Changqing whispered, glaring at the pair.
They immediately fell silent, focusing on observing the horde. Meng Siyu diligently recorded the movement patterns of the zombies and rat swarms.
In response, Yangsheng Base launched its counterattack.
Suddenly, a fiery dragon surged from a distance, igniting the entire perimeter of the base in an instant.
Yangsheng Base’s defenses consisted of three deep trenches filled with black crude oil. Once lit, they became towering walls of fire over ten meters high.
As the zombies and rats approached, the flames roared to life. The air was filled with the crackling of burning flesh and the agonized screeches of giant rats. Hundreds of zombies and rats perished in the inferno.
But the zombies quickly regrouped into several narrow columns.
The leading zombies began leaping into the fiery trenches.
One or two zombies were instantly incinerated, but with their vast numbers, the sacrificial tactic began to work.
As more zombies hurled themselves into the flames, they suppressed the fire, their charred bodies forming makeshift bridges. The remaining zombies and rat swarms crossed over the piled corpses and continued their advance.
Even Bian Junwu frowned at the sight.
“As expected, they’re a coordinated, intelligent group. If we let this chaos continue unchecked, they’ll become a major threat.”
Mindless zombies weren’t frightening. But if controlled by an intelligent being, they were a nightmare.
In a world where the dead vastly outnumbered the living, such a scenario was catastrophic.
“They lack individual intelligence,” Baili Changqing observed quietly. “We need to find the one orchestrating them.”
“Not yet. Let’s wait and see,” Bian Junwu replied, his voice unnervingly calm, even cold.
The zombies and rats breached the first two defense lines, and the third was on the verge of collapse.
Yangsheng Base’s soldiers, armed with flamethrowers, grenades, and explosives, rushed to hold the final line.
But against a horde numbering in the tens of thousands, their defenses seemed pitifully weak.
Fortunately, Xiao Honglian arrived with her team of superhumans, significantly bolstering their combat power.
In battles against such relentless monsters, the strength of superhumans was indispensable.
Xiao Honglian was particularly anxious.
With non-combat personnel still evacuating, the base was in disarray and at its most vulnerable. Desperation fueled her as she unleashed her powers, controlling flames to incinerate zombies and rats alike.
Standing atop a tall tower, Xiao Honglian extended her arms as flames coiled around her, forming over a dozen massive fire dragons.
The fiery tendrils wrapped around her body, transforming her into a blazing inferno, her figure obscured by white-hot flames.
In a flash, she leapt from the tower, detonating upon impact like a blazing sun.
Within a radius of several hundred meters, every zombie and rat was incinerated into ash.
Fire strengthened Xiao Honglian’s abilities, and in the heart of the zombie horde, she singlehandedly slowed their advance.
However, Yangsheng Base was too vast for her to protect every corner.
In some areas, zombies and rats infiltrated the population, leaving a trail of slaughter and carnage. Screams echoed across the battlefield.
Such grisly scenes were nothing new. The base’s blackened walls bore testament to the daily sacrifices of soldiers to maintain a semblance of peace.
From their distant vantage point, Bian Junwu and his team observed in silence, making no move to assist.
They weren’t here to solve Yangsheng Base’s immediate crisis but to study the behavior of the zombie horde.
The battle intensified as darkness enveloped the battlefield. The zombies encircled Yangsheng Base entirely, and both sides were locked in a fierce struggle.
Territory was constantly won and lost, with the base’s superhuman captains and soldiers fighting tooth and nail to reclaim breached areas.
“Have all the zombies emerged?” Bian Junwu asked while watching the battle through his binoculars.
Beside him, demolitions expert and engineer Ye Jikang was hunched over a bulky black computer that resembled a thick brick.
Even in the frigid environment, the advanced device operated flawlessly.
On its screen, a map of Tianhai City displayed the area around Yangsheng Base.
Zooming in, Ye Jikang could see a top-down view of the battlefield, tracking the movements of every combatant, zombie, and even their own positions with precision.
This was the power of China’s most advanced satellite system—Xingyun.
Ye Jikang analyzed the feed and confirmed, “The zombies in the subway have all emerged.”
“However, some larger ones have appeared. They’re likely the armored zombies Zhang Yi mentioned.”
Bian Junwu’s expression shifted slightly. “Oh? Interesting.”
According to Zhang Yi’s earlier intelligence, previous zombie attacks centered on ordinary zombies and rat swarms.
Now, the appearance of elite armored zombies suggested an escalation in their tactics.
“Could this be related to our presence here?” Bian Junwu wondered.
Still, he addressed his team. “Let’s move. With the horde now drawn out, it’s time for us to act.”
Amid the chaos, a massive armored zombie appeared at the front lines, sending shockwaves through Yangsheng Base.
These monsters, impervious to fire and tougher than steel, were beyond the capabilities of ordinary soldiers.
Xiao Honglian remembered vividly how Dong Hu had been torn apart by two such creatures.
But Bian Junwu and his team didn’t spare the scene a second glance.
They boarded their RV, taking a detour toward the nearest subway entrance.