Blood Road

"Help! My oxygen system is damaged... I, I can't breathe!"

"My mecha's energy is drained—I can't fire a single shot."

"No... I don't want to die. This is my first Expedition!"

In the all-unit channel, cries for help and anguished wails rose and fell in waves.

The support forces on the periphery listened to these voices, their hearts burning with anxiety. They fought desperately to break through, but could never breach the beast tide's surging, flood-like defensive line.

"Captain, this won't work."

Lu Feng suddenly spoke in the squad channel.

Gao Zhan immediately pressed: "What have you found?"

"I can sense it. Within a ten-kilometer radius, there are at least over five thousand Drill Bulls, and the number is still climbing."

"You can sense that?"

"Mm."

Gao Zhan was somewhat surprised.

Though he knew Lu Feng was born with the ability to tame beasts, he never expected him to perceive the scale of the beast horde as well.

Lu Feng had only just discovered this ability himself.

But for now, his sensing range was limited to ten kilometers; anything farther was beyond his reach.

And the current battlefront stretched for at least hundreds of kilometers.

Based on this density, the total scale of the Beast Tide could be as high as several hundred thousand, and it was still expanding.

The legions that had come to reinforce numbered only seven from four military regions of Tianlan Star—Jinzhou, Tongzhou, Luozhou, and Mianzhou—with fewer than five thousand soldiers in total.

Breaking through the encirclement of a Beast Tide hundreds of thousands strong was nearly an impossible mission.

"Damn it! Aren't those Legion Commanders all Grandmaster Experts? What are they doing? Why aren't they making a move?"

A Team Member of the Chasing Wind Squad couldn't help complaining in the channel.

Gao Zhan remained silent.

He knew that those Senior Officials had their own considerations and would never disrupt established plans lightly over the crisis of low-level Warriors.

After a moment, Gao Zhan suddenly switched to the all-unit channel and spoke loudly:

"I am Gao Zhan, Squad Captain of the 115th Legion's Chasing Wind Squad, Jinzhou Military Region. Based on reliable judgment, the number of Exotic Beasts on the battlefield is at least over two hundred thousand. A frontal breakout is impossible. There's only one way to save our brothers of the 121st Legion."

"I am Zhang Tingyuan of the 177th Legion, Luozhou! Comrade Gao Zhan, may I ask how you determined the current number of Exotic Beasts?"

"I can't explain that in detail for now. But I ask everyone to trust me—please immediately gather at 586 kilometers, 35 degrees southwest. We must concentrate all our strength to tear a gap in the beast horde's encirclement. This is the only chance to rescue the survivors of the 121st Legion."

The all-unit channel fell silent for a moment, then Zhang Tingyuan was the first to respond: "Alright! I trust you. I'll lead my team to converge with you now."

"Count us in."

"Our squad will be there immediately."

As more and more voices of agreement rang out, numerous Expedition squad mechas quickly gathered around the Chasing Wind Squad's position.

Gao Zhan sat in his mecha cockpit, his gaze sweeping over the radar screen where thousands of friendly Light Spots rapidly converged toward him. He took a deep breath and gave the order in a low voice:

"All units, attention! Follow my command! Take my Chasing Wind Squad as the spearhead, the 177th Legion of Luozhou on the left, the 176th Legion on the right, and all other squads in echelon formation—'Sharp Awl' pattern! Our only goal is to tear open a gap and rescue the brothers of the 121st Legion!"

"Understood!"

"Roger!"

Short, firm acknowledgments came from the squad captains in the channel.

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The Next Second, the once-scattered mecha group began moving efficiently.

Gao Zhan's black mecha charged ahead, like the tip of a spear.

The thirty-plus members of the Chasing Wind Squad followed closely behind, continuously reporting the weakest points in the beast horde: "800 Meters ahead, lowest Drill Bull density!"

"Concentrate fire! Fire!"

Dozens of mechas opened fire simultaneously. Blazing beams converged into a devastating torrent, instantly vaporizing a vacuum zone in the dense mass of Drill Bulls ahead.

"Push forward! Don't stop!"

Gao Zhan roared, maneuvering his mecha to draw the massive chainsword from its back and cleave a giant Drill Bull charging from the side clean in two.

"Right flank pressure increasing!" shouted a captain from the Tongzhou Corps.

"Leave it to me!" Fang Qing's crisp voice rang out.

Her mecha's weapon system fired precise shots, each round striking a Drill Bull, efficiently relieving the pressure on the right flank.

"Keep advancing."

The team pushed forward tens of kilometers, struggling yet resolute, amid roars and Artillery Fire.

Along the way, countless Exotic Beast carcasses were left behind, their crimson blood scorching dark stains into the loose sand.

"I see them! It's the 121st Legion's brothers!" someone suddenly shouted over the channel.

Ahead, in that relatively open hollow, the 121st Legion—originally a full six hundred strong—now had barely over a hundred Mecha left, standing back-to-back in a broken circular formation, barely holding on amid the Beast Tide.

Scattered across the ground around them lay fragments of Mecha wreckage.

Hundreds of Military Region Warriors' bodies mingled with countless Drill Bull corpses, the dark red blood soaking the entire earth.

"How... could this be?"

The Legion Warriors arriving to reinforce them were stunned into silence at the sight of such a brutal scene.

A full six-hundred-man legion, reduced to just over a hundred still fighting.

And this was only the first battle of the Expedition—such a heavy price had already been paid.

Among the ranks, several Civilian Club Warriors on their first Expedition felt a flicker of retreat stir in their hearts.

"Reinforcements! Reinforcements are here!"

In the all-channel comm, the Soldiers of the 121st Legion cried out in shock.

The once-impenetrable encirclement was forcibly torn open, a gap ripped through as dozens of Mecha charged in, bringing a glimmer of hope to those trapped in their desperate situation.

"Save us, please!"

"My Mecha's cracked... I—I can't hold on much longer!"

"Quick! Immediately cover their withdrawal!" Gao Zhan roared hoarsely, charging forward first.

With the Chasing Wind Squad as the vanguard, the 115th Legion surged ahead like a steel tide, swiftly shielding the remnants of the 121st Legion at their center.

Behind them, thousands of Mecha from other legions continued to pour out blazing beams of light, desperately maintaining this blood-bought lifeline to cover their orderly retreat.

Just as the rescue operation seemed to be progressing smoothly, a commotion suddenly erupted on the right flank of the defensive line.

Among the 116th Legion, which was supposed to be covering the flank, one squad had "accidentally" fallen back several hundred meters under the assault of the beast horde.

This sudden shift created an instant gap in the originally dense network of firepower.

Swarming Drill Bulls seized the opportunity at once, pouring through the breach and charging straight at the rear flank of the 115th Legion, which was in the middle of organizing the evacuation!

"What the hell is the 116th Legion doing?!" Gao Zhan bellowed over the channel. "Seal that gap immediately!"

"What's going on? Night Owl Squad, what are you doing?" Several squad captains from the 116th Legion demanded sharply over the all-channel comm.

And that squad that had fallen back—it was the Night Owl Squad, led by Zheng Yi.

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