Chapter 312: Meritorious Service

Huo Shan was actually afraid deep down, because he was only at the top level of A-grade and was definitely no match for an SS-grade star beast. However, no matter how scared he was, he couldn't show it, after all, he was an instructor.

He calmly commanded the teams to retreat and form a defensive formation to guard against the sudden appearance of SS-level star beasts.

After learning that the star beast near them had SS-level strength, Huo Shan had long since given up the idea of encircling and suppressing the star beast to gain merit. At present, he only wanted to save his life with this team of new recruits.

He commanded the team to run towards a relatively open square far away from the scene of the incident. However, Ning Xuan used her mental perception to discover that the SS-level star beast was fleeing in that direction.

Five minutes later, Huo Shan looked at the star beast that suddenly appeared in front of him. The star beast was 4 or 5 meters tall, dragging a tail with spikes, a triangular head, and its body was covered with stone armor. When it ran, the whole ground was shaking.

There were mottled bloodstains on the star beast's body, and there was a deep wound on its triangular head. Purple-black blood was flowing from the wound. The star beast's two eyes were red, and one of them was still bleeding. Obviously, the star beast was seriously injured.

"Puff", when the star beast saw Huo Shan and others, it suddenly opened its mouth and spit out countless ice arrows.

"Shield defense." Huo Shan shouted, and the new team members who had trained together for more than ten days hurriedly picked up the shields and formed a defensive formation.

However, those ice arrows had extremely strong penetrating power. Once hit by an ice arrow, a hole would be made in the shield. After being penetrated by the ice arrow, the icy cold air would quickly freeze their hands and arms. The cold air would spread along the arms to all parts of the body, greatly affecting the agility of the warriors.

"Second team, attack, provide cover." Huo Shan issued the order again.

The soldiers in charge of the attack immediately raised the thermobaric guns equipped by the troops, aimed at the star beast and fired. The hot energy beam cut through the air and hit the huge body of the star beast. The high temperature instantly melted the rock armor on the surface of the star beast, revealing the skin underneath that was glowing blue.

The star beast let out a deafening roar, white smoke came out of the parts that were hit, and the air was filled with a burnt smell.

"It works! Keep attacking!" There was a hint of excitement in Huo Shan's voice.

However, this action did not cause a fatal blow to the star beast, but instead completely angered the star beast.

It roared to the sky, and the temperature around it dropped sharply. A thick layer of ice formed on the ground at a speed visible to the naked eye. The star beast's eyes turned from red to blue, and the rock armor on its back stood up, emitting suffocating energy fluctuations.

"Not good! It's about to release an extremely cold ice wave." Huo Shan's face changed drastically, "Everyone retreat immediately!"

But it was too late. The star beast opened its bloody mouth, and a dazzling blue-white beam of light gushed out. The air was frozen wherever it passed, forming an extremely cold ice road. The soldiers looked at death approaching in despair. The weapons in their hands failed due to the low temperature, and even moving became extremely difficult.

At this critical moment, a slender figure suddenly rushed out of the team. Ning Xuan held a softly glowing energy stone in her hand and stood in front of everyone.

"Ning Zhi, it's dangerous, come back quickly." Huo Shan exclaimed.

Ning Xuan turned her head to look at him, and said with the corner of her mouth slightly pulled up, "Don't worry."

When the blue-white beam of light was about to touch her, the energy stone suddenly burst into a dazzling golden light, forming a hemispherical energy barrier. Ice and fire collided violently in the air, making a deafening explosion.

Unbelievably, Ning Xuan's barrier completely blocked the blue-white beam of light. She looked at the SS-level star beast with interest, and rushed forward quickly with the energy stone in hand. In a flash, she came close to the star beast. Ning Xuan stepped on the star beast's armor and quickly climbed behind the star beast, and put the thermobaric gun in her other hand on the wound on the star beast's head.

Ning Xuan aimed at the position and pressed the firing button. The hot beam of light from the thermobaric gun was fired out with a "bang", penetrating from the head to the throat. The star beast let out a howl and its huge body fell to the ground with a bang.

The extremely cold ice road that had just been created immediately broke into countless ice crystals after the star beast died due to the loss of energy support.

It took Ning Xuan less than a minute from stepping forward to killing the star beast. Many soldiers were worried for her at first, and were grateful but also worried about her for stepping forward. However, in the blink of an eye, Ning Xuan killed the star beast. It was not until the extremely cold road turned into a ground of ice crystals that crazy shouts broke out in the crowd.

Ning Xuan killed the SS-level star beast, and everyone was very excited. Although it was Ning Xuan's credit, they were all very proud. After all, Ning Xuan was their teammate.

Huo Shan immediately reported the news to his superiors. In less than ten minutes, a team of fully armed special defense members arrived, led by a handsome young officer who exuded S-level mental power fluctuations, and the rank represented by his epaulettes was colonel.

"Colonel Hua, this is the SS-level star beast that Ning Zhi killed. According to the base rules, the star core of this star beast should belong to Ning Zhi. I have a comprehensive battle video here, please take a look." Huo Shan was respectful to Colonel Hua.

Hua Shangnan nodded, watched the video presented by Huo Shan, and said to Ning Xuan, "The video is verified to be correct. You are very strong to be able to kill an SS-level star beast. You can take the star core. In addition, I will report the achievements and meritorious rewards you deserve."

Although it was Ning Xuan's first time to kill a star beast, she was familiar with the common sense that the star core of the star beast was located in the heart.

Ning Xuan deftly cut open the chest of the star beast and took out an ice-crystal-shaped star core. The star core was the size of a fist and emitted a bone-chilling chill.

Hua Shangnan watched Ning Xuan take out the star core quickly and accurately, and a hint of admiration flashed in his eyes.

He walked slowly to her side and said in a gentle tone, "Ning Zhi, with your strength and potential, it would be a waste of talent for you to stay in an ordinary combat unit. Why not join our special defense force?"

Ning Xuan put the ice crystal star core into the space button and looked up at the commander of the special defense force. She was a little surprised that he suddenly extended an olive branch to her.

Hua Shangnan smiled and continued, "Special forces are paid three times more than ordinary combat troops. They are equipped with the most advanced weapons and equipment, and they carry out high-value missions, so they naturally get more merit points." He paused, and his tone became more serious, "Most importantly, we have the most complete protective measures and medical teams, and our survival rate is much higher than that of ordinary troops."

Huo Shan's face changed slightly when he heard this, and he couldn't help but interrupt: "Commander Hua, Ning Zhi is an important member of our team."