Chapter 59: Hu Chenggang’s Request

"How is the situation?"

Shen Lie hurried to the bulletproof vehicle. Due to Professor Liu's special status, Du Lili and Yang Weiguo were not conscripted to resist the monster assault. The vehicle had been positioned in the center of the convoy, huddled among the elderly, weak, sick, and disabled survivors.

"Little Shen, you're back? You don't need to protect us here; you should go to the front and take a look. It seems this hurdle won't be easy to clear." Professor Liu did not ask where Shen Lie had been, his expression remarkably calm. The old man possessed an extraordinary strength of character.

In truth, Shen Lie wanted to go to the front as well; he had only returned to check on the situation here. Firstly, even if they hid in the bulletproof vehicle, if the monsters broke through the formation, they would be doomed anyway. Secondly, in such a large-scale battle, even if the humans were at a disadvantage, the death toll of the spider-monsters would be significant. That would mean plenty of crystals—a perfect opportunity for him to scavenge.

"Understood. Now is not the time to hold back. Since we are part of this convoy, we must do our part. I'll go report to Division Commander Zhang immediately." Shen Lie nodded, readily agreeing to Professor Liu's suggestion. Du Lili did not object; everyone understood the logic that when the nest is overturned, no egg stays intact.

Shen Lie summoned Zhang Jing, little Tao Tao, and Li Xue from the vehicle and gave them instructions. He even pulled out a map to designate a rally point in case the formation collapsed. While it might not prove useful, it was better than nothing. He felt the convoy might not escape unscathed, so he spoke a bit more than usual. He told Tao Tao and Li Xue to listen to Zhang Jing; although Tao Tao was an Awakened, she was still a child with no experience in human nature, and talent alone would be in vain.

After instructing the three women, Shen Lie went to his team's small truck, secretly used his spatial gourd to load some daily supplies, and then signaled for Du Lili to head toward the division headquarters.

"Heavenly King Shen, Heavenly King Du! The Commander has asked me to request your assistance on the right flank. The situation there is critical, and we urgently need your help!" Just as they had taken a few steps, an officer hurried over, his tone anxious.

Shen Lie's eyelid twitched. It seemed the situation was more than just dire. Previously, Zhang Kaitai had insisted that their duty was to protect Professor Liu regardless of the circumstances, yet now he was conscripting them. Clearly, they could no longer hold the line.

Another round of artillery fire erupted. Shen Lie and Du Lili followed the officer to the right front of the formation with grim expressions, where they met Hu Chenggang, Zhang Kaitai's adjutant.

"Regimental Commander Hu!" Hu Chenggang was young, likely promoted after the catastrophe. He was not an Awakened, and it was unclear what his special traits were.

"Heavenly King Shen, Heavenly King Du!" Hu Chenggang treated them with great respect. After a polite greeting, he handed a long, single-barreled telescope to Shen Lie.

Shen Lie took the telescope and looked where the man was pointing, gasping in shock.

Within the field of view, more than twenty humans had formed a defensive line and were locked in combat with the spider-monsters. At least half of them were Awakened, and they had clearly practiced formation tactics; their coordination was seamless, with every strike claiming the lives of several spiders.

Yet, even so, the Awakened squad was being forced back, and their formation showed signs of instability. The primary cause was the sheer, overwhelming number of spider-monsters. Dense and countless, they could not be stopped despite the artillery cover. Most importantly, Shen Lie spotted at least two spider-monster leaders with two distinct patterns on their backs. These patterns glowed with a frightening intensity, and the purplish-black light seemed to emit a strange fluctuation that caused all nearby monsters to become exceptionally violent.

"These monsters have gone berserk." Regimental Commander Hu's hands trembled slightly; he had not yet reached the level of Zhang Kaitai, who could remain unfazed even if the sky were falling.

"What do you need us to do?" Shen Lie lowered the telescope and asked, his voice grave.

"The squad fighting the spiders is our military's Awakened team. We must bring them back safely; otherwise, even if we survive this, there will be no peace for us in the future."

Hu Chenggang's words carried a hidden meaning. Shen Lie understood: without these Awakened, the military would have no leverage against Gu Fangcheng. There was no telling where Gu Fangcheng might lead this group. His ambitions were obvious; he might even take them to a defensible small town and declare himself king.

Shen Lie remained silent, waiting for the rest of the explanation. The squad ahead could still hold out for a while; they were not in immediate danger of total annihilation.

"Before the catastrophe, the military research institute developed a high-energy explosive. It is less affected by the gray mist, but it cannot be fired as shells and must be detonated manually. The Awakened squad ahead took quite a few of these charges to clear the monsters, but they were overwhelmed by the sheer numbers and are now trapped. We dare not use long-range weapons for fear of hitting our own soldiers, so we need the two of you to go and rescue them."

"How many monsters can one of these charges kill?" Shen Lie didn't say yes or no, focusing instead on the explosives.

Hu Chenggang had clearly anticipated the question. "If they are clustered together, an ordinary charge should kill two or three. If it’s one of the monster leaders, one charge is enough to kill it, or at least leave it severely wounded!"

Shen Lie nodded. While the power wasn't entirely satisfactory, it was decent. Standard explosives couldn't even kill a single ordinary spider-monster; to cause serious damage, one would have to detonate them on the monster's soft spots.

With these high-energy explosives, ordinary people gained another means of resistance, but it still didn't put Shen Lie at ease. The potential to kill did not guarantee a kill. These spider-monsters were not clumsy beasts; they were incredibly agile, with speeds rivaling speed-type Awakened, and they possessed light-blade attacks. It was nearly impossible to place a charge near them and detonate it.

"I'm sorry, going there now is suicide. I suggest you find another way to provide long-range cover!" Shen Lie hesitated before ultimately refusing. The lives of those people were precious, but so were his and Du Lili's. This was not the time for heroics.

"Heavenly King Shen, the Awakened squad is in mortal danger! Please, I beg you to help!" Seeing the refusal, Hu Chenggang became agitated, his eyes reddening with emotion.

"I'm sorry, I truly can't help." Shen Lie shook his head and turned to leave. He was not a soldier, nor was he a savior. He had no obligation or ability to save everyone. All he could do was struggle to survive in this chaotic world.

"Heavenly King Shen, the Division Commander is in that squad! If you and Heavenly King Du don't act, our entire force will collapse!" Hu Chenggang's voice cracked with tears, causing Shen Lie to freeze in his tracks.

It wasn't Zhang Kaitai's status that stopped him, but the man's actions. As the highest-ranking officer, and not an Awakened, he had personally joined the front lines. While it proved the situation was dire, his courage and leadership were worthy of admiration. Such men were rare.

In countless past news reports, he had heard of officials fleeing during disasters, of officials standing callously while workers begged for their wages, of corrupt "tigers" and greedy officials. Leaders who led from the front were becoming an endangered species.

Years later, when Shen Lie recalled what had transformed him from a timid graduate into a fiery, blood-soaked killer, the image of Division Commander Zhang Kaitai would flash through his mind. A true powerhouse didn't necessarily need world-shattering abilities, but they must possess the resolve to challenge and face difficulties head-on. Blindly avoiding danger might provide temporary safety, but it could never secure a lifetime of it!

"Where are the explosives?" Shen Lie consulted Du Lili for a moment, then turned back to ask Hu Chenggang.