"Hmm..."

A faint groan, like a gentle breeze, swept through the space filled with smoke and despair. Everyone's movements seemed to be paused, and all eyes turned to Ning Yu on the stretcher.

"Captain!" The young team member's voice trembled, filled with unbelievable surprise.

Ning Yu's fingers twitched, and his eyelids trembled slightly, as if he were gathering strength. In his unconscious state, his consciousness struggled in the darkness, the deafening explosions echoing in his ears, and the images of his teammates fighting valiantly flashing before his eyes. He knew that his team, the force he had built from scratch, was facing an unprecedented crisis.

"I can't fall down..."

A powerful will, like a bolt of lightning, cleaved through the fog that shrouded his consciousness. Ning Yu abruptly opened his eyes, the dark ceiling coming into view. He struggled to sit up, but felt a sharp pain coursing through his limbs, and a wave of weakness washed over him.

"Captain, you're awake!" Zhang Shan rushed forward, supporting Ning Yu's shoulder, his eyes filled with excitement and concern.

"How long... have I been unconscious?" Ning Yu's voice was hoarse and weak, as if he had used up all his strength.

"It's been three days and three nights," Zhang Shan said in a low voice. "Captain, you're finally awake!"

Three days and three nights… Ning Yu’s heart sank. He knew what this meant. For the team members outside, these three days and three nights were nothing short of hellish torture.

He looked around and saw familiar faces, their eyes filled with exhaustion and worry, but even more so with the ecstasy and hope that came with his awakening.

"I'm fine..." Ning Yu took a deep breath, enduring the excruciating pain in his body, and slowly stood up. His body was still weak, and his steps were even a little unsteady, but he still straightened his back, like an unshakable mountain.

"Captain!" The team members' eyes reddened. They knew that their backbone, their pillar of strength, had returned.

Ning Yu's gaze swept over everyone, a warm feeling welling up inside him. He saw that his teammates' eyes were more resolute, and their strength had improved considerably. But for some reason, a lingering worry remained in his heart.

He leaned against the wall, walking step by step towards the cave exit, and said in a deep voice, "Let me see just how capable these rats really are..." The sunlight was dazzling, yet it couldn't penetrate the gloom that hung over the stronghold. Ning Yu staggered along the makeshift path paved with gravel and metal plates, each step feeling like it was treading on everyone's hearts. Passing the training ground, he saw his team members practicing combat techniques, sweating profusely, their supernatural abilities drawing bright arcs in the gray sky. Their strength had indeed increased considerably, but Ning Yu keenly sensed that besides their determination, their eyes also held a deeply hidden unease.

"They're afraid..." Ning Yu murmured to himself. He knew that the prolonged war of attrition, coupled with the unknown and powerful enemy, had placed a heavy burden on these soldiers. He had to do something to dispel the gloom hanging over their hearts.

"Assemble!" Ning Yu's voice wasn't loud, but it carried a penetrating force, echoing above the stronghold.

In just a few minutes, all the team members lined up neatly in the open space, looking up at Ning Yu standing on the high platform with anticipation in their eyes.

"Brothers!" Ning Yu's voice was hoarse but powerful. "I know you've all had a tough time these past few days. The enemy we face is powerful, but we must not give up!" He took a deep breath, his gaze sweeping over each person before him. "Think about why we came together in the first place. Was it to eke out a living in these ruins, or to reclaim our homeland?!"

"Take back our homeland!" A deafening roar erupted from the crowd, their hands gripping their weapons tightly, their eyes burning with fury.

"What did we rely on to grow from nothing to something, from weak to strong? It was unity, and the belief in never giving up!" Ning Yu's voice grew louder and louder, as if it had some kind of magic, igniting the passion in everyone's hearts. "What did we rely on to survive countless life-or-death trials, and turn danger into safety every time? It was courage, and the trust in each other!"

"Courage! Trust!" the team members shouted in unison, their voices converging into a powerful torrent that broke through the oppressive atmosphere.

"Now, the enemy is right in front of us. They want to destroy everything we have and make us submit. Do we agree?!" Ning Yu suddenly drew his long sword from his waist, the blade pointing straight at the gray sky.

"No! Fight! Fight! Fight!" The earth-shaking battle roars resounded through the sky, and every face was filled with determination. They knew that this was a battle they could only win, not lose!

As night fell, Ning Yu stood before the map, his eyes gleaming as he stared at the dense markings. "Zhang Shan," he said in a deep voice, "call all the squad leaders over..."

"Yes!" Zhang Shan accepted the order and left. A moment later, more than a dozen figures filed in. Their faces bore the marks of time, but their eyes were exceptionally firm. These were all veterans who had followed Ning Yu all the way, each an elite who had been through countless battles.

“This is the latest defense map.” Ning Yu pointed to several newly added marks on the map and said in a deep voice, “Our intelligence was wrong. The enemy’s strength is stronger than we estimated, so we must adjust our strategy.” He ran his long fingers across the map. “As usual, Zhang Shan, you and your men are responsible for the east side. Remember, your mission is…” Ning Yu’s voice was deep and clear as he detailed the key points and strategies for defending each area.

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!