Chapter 90 No Heroes

“…Our entire unit was wiped out…”

Wang Lei’s voice echoed in the command vehicle.

The spider-shaped command vehicle was speeding toward the fortress, its massive tires kicking up clouds of dust.

Through the vehicle windows, one could see a large number of armored formations following at varying distances, each unit moving at full speed and undergoing simple reorganization during the journey.

Dongfang Zhenghong left sufficient firepower in the center of the desert to eliminate the wandering bladed beasts.

Meanwhile, on the fortress side, the most important thing now is to transport enough drones and the corresponding control center back to find a way to seal the hole on the forty-ninth floor.

In the holographic projection, the cross-section of the fortress was magnified several times, and the red dot representing the Blade Beast horde had already rushed into the forty-ninth floor and was rapidly advancing towards the forty-eighth floor.

Yes, these Blade Beasts were not in a hurry to slaughter humans on the 49th floor. They were frenzied, yet they had a clear purpose. Three general-level Blade Beasts that had not yet grown up were directing them from underground.

“Blow up the connecting highway between 48 and 49!”

“yes!”

Dongfang Zhenghong asked quickly, “Where are the defense forces?”

“The advance troops have begun entering the central city! Transporting heavy weaponry will take a lot of time!”

“The highway self-destruct device has been activated! Three, two, one, destroyed successfully!”

“Automatic weapons activated at level 49! Full fire! The Blade Beasts are stacking themselves upwards!”

Dongfang Zhenghong commanded firmly, “Tell them to hurry! Move even faster! Except for the forty-fifth floor, close the fire escape gates on all other floors! Put all floors of the fortress into airtight mode! These blade beasts are probably trying to break through our garrison!”

“yes!”

“Increase the detection frequency! Has the psionicist responded yet?”

“We’ve replied! They will protect the central and upper cities!”

Dongfang Zhenghong narrowed his eyes slightly, but didn’t say much. Instead, he said, “Make a call! Tell them that Fortress 76 thanks them for their efforts! Issue the orders to every squad! Tell the fortress garrison that the life and death of the 800,000 humans in the fortress depends on them! Have the captains of each battalion guard key locations according to their missions!”

“yes!”

Zhou Zhengde suddenly shouted, “Commander! A short-to-medium-range missile has been launched toward the fortress, blank!”

Dongfang Zhenghong frowned and looked at Zhou Zhengde.

Without hesitation, Zhou Zhengde directly showed a picture to Dongfang Zhenghong.

That was the perspective from a camera mounted on the missile.

Wearing a helmet and a black combat uniform, Wang Jixuan, with thick heat-resistant gloves folded over his hands, tightly hugged the front of the missile.

This missile, capable of calculating its own trajectory and flight path, was targeting the wasteland in the southwest corner of the fortress.

What use would it be for him to go back alone? Dongfang Zhenghong didn’t quite understand.

Moreover, even if a supersonic missile can withstand acceleration, how can it stop?

Although Dongfang Zhenghong really wanted to ask that question, he didn’t have time to pay attention to it right now. He nodded to Zhou Zhengde and continued to direct the garrison troops and select defensive points.

The first combat unit will arrive at the 45th floor in six minutes;

Most of the heavy firepower of the fortress cannot be transferred to the fortress in a short time.

A bold and crazy idea took shape in Dongfang Zhenghong’s mind.

The fortress is not a tall building; it is embedded in the earth’s strata, with each layer capable of independent support… He is the commander, and he must protect the main body of the fortress, its people, machines, and industrial capabilities.

Therefore, it is crucial whether the garrison left behind can hold off this horde of bladed beasts.

“commander!”

The female technician standing next to her suddenly stood up, her voice trembling slightly as she tried to remain calm.

She quickly reported, “According to the fortress’s surveillance footage, Blade Beasts have appeared and are undergoing devouring mutations. Some Blade Beasts have evolved wings similar to those of mid-tier Blade Beasts, and their shells have softened. This evolution is occurring on the 48th and 49th floors!”

Dongfang Zhenghong rushed to the female technician’s workbench in two strides.

On a dozen stacked projection screens, blade beasts were devouring each other. Winged blade beasts took off unsteadily, then broke away from the surging horde of blade beasts and flew directly to the forty-sixth floor.

There are already hundreds of them!

They… are going to the seventh level to cut off the connection between the upper and middle cities, preventing the surface garrison and subsequent human reinforcements from entering the lower city, and then launch a killing spree in the lower city!

The young queen of this Blade Beast is dead; they are taking revenge!

Dongfang Zhenghong quickly ordered, “Immediately close all fire shutters on all floors of Midtown! Shut down the elevators! Open all elevator shaft partitions! The passageways on the seventh and sixth floors must not be lost! These are the main routes for advancing downwards! Hold them down even if it takes a lot of manpower! Where are the psionicists? Send them all up!”

“yes!”

In the center of the sand table, red dots are rapidly rising.

They rushed into the 46th floor, heading towards the fire escape routes in all directions. A small number encountered psionicists, while most entered the fire escape routes and rushed upwards at high speed.

Dongfang Zhenghong walked back to his seat, slowly sat down while holding onto the handrail, and took a deep breath.

…

Woo, woo!

A sharp warning blared throughout the thirteenth level of Fortress 76.

Wei Na patted the two young nurses on the head and gave them some instructions:

“You all stay in this bathroom and don’t come out. I’m going to check if they need any medical personnel.”

“Sister Na, don’t go!”

“It’s alright, I can use a gun.”

Wei Na quickly took off her high heels and put on the lightweight, sterile shoes she wore during surgery, smiling gently:

“All the rooms in the central city are equipped the same way. These alloy doors can withstand some attacks from low-level blade beasts.”

“If you hear an order to close the elevator shaft and fire gates, that’s real trouble. It means the Blade Beasts have already attacked. Each fire valve is fifty centimeters thick.”

“Alright, you guys stay here for now, I’ll go see if they need any help.”

“Hey, Sister Na!”

Wei Na waved her hand, closed the bathroom door, grabbed the first-aid kit next to her, took the pistol she had obtained through connections after the ‘Hua Ge incident’, checked the bullets, loaded the bullets, and quickly rushed out of the medical room with the first-aid kit on her back.

A group of security team members happened to be passing by outside.

Is there anything I can do to help?

“Dr. Weina! Please go to the police station shelter immediately! We are on patrol! The Blade Beasts are breaking through from the 49th floor! The Lower City purging force is said to be gone.”

Wei Na asked, “Is the elevator still working?”

“It should be possible; the central elevator should be able to!”

“Okay, thank you,” Wei Na said, turning and running toward the central elevator.

In her understanding, the military would inevitably need a large number of medical personnel later, and she could go to the military camp to report for duty. She could take the elevator from the thirteenth floor to the seventh floor and then transfer to the sixth floor to find an elevator that went directly to the ground-level military camp.

However, Wei Na had only taken two steps.

Woo, woo—

After a long siren blast, an electronically synthesized female voice broadcasted throughout the fortress:

“Attention fortress residents, return to your residences immediately and lock your doors. Do not panic, we are dealing with a small group of Blade Beasts.”

“Attention fortress residents, return immediately…”

“Please note that to prevent the Blade Beasts from roaming, the elevator shaft has been divided into sections for each floor, and the elevator itself is now out of service.”

“Please note that all fire gates are closing. Do not go outside the fire gates. All residents, please return to your residences immediately and lock your doors.”

Has the situation gotten that bad?

Just as Wei Na was about to return to the consultation room to comfort her two newly arrived young colleagues, a loud shout suddenly came from the capillary channels in the distance:

“Quick! Someone come quick! Does anyone know how to use equipment? Fire door number 6 is blocked!”

Wei Na paused for a moment, then immediately turned and ran in that direction.

Many figures were running towards fire door number 6.

The main structure of the fortress has been in existence for decades, and there is a high possibility that the circuitry is aging. The fire gates are devices used to seal off each floor, and there are as many as four ways to open them. Weina has carefully read the fortress manual.

Doctors of this era generally know a little about medical equipment maintenance.

Wei Na soon encountered seven or eight men and women. They exchanged glances, said nothing, and ran together toward fire door number six.

A few minutes later, Wei Na arrived at the scene, panting.

There were already seven or eight security team members in the corridor leading to the fire door. The heavy valve, which was half-closed, was stuck and not moving. A string of electric sparks came out from the wall in the corner next to it.

It turned out the wiring was old.

“I’ll take it! Intermediate Mechanic!”

A middle-aged man shouted and rushed to the corner wall, skillfully pulling open a hidden valve on the wall, from which a faint smoke appeared.

There are professionals.

Everyone visibly breathed a sigh of relief.

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suddenly……

The buzzing sound of wings entered Weina’s ears.

Wei Na paused for a moment, and everyone subconsciously looked at the fire door that was halfway down. Wei Na leaned down slightly and looked at the dark fire escape.

The black vertical pupils appearing on the white conjunctiva met Wei Na’s gaze perfectly.

A slender blade beast, with its six sharp blade limbs retracted, vibrating its two pairs of crystalline wings, resembled an oversized wasp.

Wei Na drew her pistol and fired immediately!

The bladed beast suddenly lunged forward from its stationary position and crawled directly under the valve!

Bang! Bang bang!

“shot!”

Wei Na’s shouts shortened the reaction time for the security team members.

Three or four people opened fire at the same time, and two of them frantically tried to pull the safety pin, but the bladed beast’s raised bladed limbs had already swept across.

The middle-aged man who was engrossed in repairing the wiring suddenly lost his upper body support and fell downwards before he could even feel the pain.

“ah–“

“Blade Beast!”

Screams, gunshots, the sound of flapping wings.

Wei Na fired her pistol and ran away. She had already realized that the bullets from the pistol and rifle, apart from slightly hindering the movement of the blade beast, could not penetrate the exoskeleton of the mutated blade beast at all!

Two members of the security team screamed in pain. The Blade Beast’s gaze was fixed on Wei Na. It flapped its wings and charged forward, its body fully extended in the narrow passage.

“Dr. Wei, move aside!”

A somewhat familiar voice rang out.

Wei Na looked up and saw a group of people rushing towards them.

The man in the lead, wearing a black helmet and with a pair of mechanical prosthetic arms, was yelling as he rushed past Wei Na, grabbing a metal copper pipe that was more than three meters long.

Lan Yuzai? Liangren Gang?

Don’t go…

The metal copper tube was pressed against the beast’s chest!

Lan Yuzai gritted his teeth and shouted, his body suddenly stopping as he was pushed backward.

But behind him, seven or eight young men in sportswear rushed up, shouting and grabbing the back of the metal tube, barely holding back the blade beast!

The Blade Beast slowly tilted its head, seemingly in thought, its vertical pupils expressing disdain.

Then, the white conjunctiva on its face retracted on its own, revealing its terrifying mouthparts.

The rings of sharp teeth resembled eyes, staring at Lan Yuzai and his underlings.

ah–

A visible mental shock swept over us!

Several people behind Lan Yuzai screamed in agony at the same time. Lan Yuzai, who was the first to be hit, gritted his teeth and groaned, his mechanical prosthetics gripping the metal tube tightly, his muscles bulging all over his body!

Behind the helmet, bloodstains appeared near his ears and eyes, and he made meaningless shouts.

Two figures rushed in from behind.

It was Lin Xiong and Lin Yong, whom Zhou Zhengde had sent to take Wei Na to the thirteenth-floor shelter!

They rushed in front of Lan Yuzai, each grabbing two miniature grenades. Before the blade beast could shut its mouth after releasing the shockwave, they forcefully threw the grenades into its mouth!

boom!

Bright green blood splattered!

These blade beasts that have evolved wings are far less sturdy than the mutated blade beast that Wang Jixuan once encountered in the passage, and their defensive capabilities are even slightly inferior to those of low-level basic blade beasts. Their main evolutionary directions are mobility, aggression, and lightweighting.

The blade beast’s corpse slowly crashed down.

Lan Yuzai knelt on the ground, clutching the metal pipe, his eyes wide with disbelief.

In front of him, Lin Yong and Lin Xiong were caught in the blast wave; one’s back skin was almost completely blown off, and the other’s thigh was pierced by a piece of the beast’s exoskeleton.

Valves! Fire valves!

Despite the urge to vomit, Wei Na dragged her incredibly tired body toward the valve.

The lines that the engineer just pulled out, once connected, should be able to temporarily bypass the burned-out path.

Buzz, buzz.

The dense sound of flapping wings filled her ears. Wei Na trembled all over. Her spirit was already exhausted. She gently touched the two wires and saw a faint spark.

The bladed beast hovered outside.

More than one.

They were attracted by the corpses of their own kind inside.

Wei Na pressed the two wires together, and the valve trembled slightly. There were still several sets of unconnected wires below.

Those bladed beasts are about to charge in!

“Ah, ah!” Wei Na kept shouting due to nervousness, tears almost welling up in her eyes.

Lan Yuzai, kneeling there, shook his head vigorously, his Adam’s apple trembling. He lowered his head shakily and saw the faded pink talisman on his chest.

Lan Yuzai could see that the three mutated blade beasts were staring at him, staring at his mechanical arm.

They seemed to be wary.

Did he mistakenly believe that his prosthetic arm was the same as the combat girl’s mechanical arm?

Dr. Wei Na was standing there.

Lan Yuzai stood up shakily, staring fiercely at the bladed beasts. He grabbed the grenade pouch from Lin Xiong’s waist, took out a miniature grenade, pressed the release activation button, and sprinted forward, diving down.

The three bladed beasts dodged backward, and Lan Yuzai steadied himself on the outer platform. He then leaped up and pounced on the nearest bladed beast.

He shoved the activated miniature grenade back into the grenade pouch and suddenly opened his arms wide.

Sizzle.

A section of the blade pierced through Lan Yuzai’s chest.

Lan Yuzai’s body trembled a few times, and he suddenly grabbed the blade beast’s limbs with both hands, pressing the grenade pack against the blade beast’s chest.

A series of somewhat unpleasant images flashed before his eyes, along with a dozen timid and powerless faces.

‘Ah, I’ve missed my chance to hang out with the big shots.’

I’m sorry, I was… immature before…

boom!

Wei Na was thrown into the air by the surging flames, and the slightly swaying fire gate crashed down heavily.