After a fierce battle, the mother beast's body was riddled with holes. Ge Dalong unleashed a blizzard that froze all the flesh and blood on its surface. Zhang Shi stepped on it and stomped lightly, causing large pieces of flesh to shatter into ice and fall to the ground.
The mother beast howled in agony, many of her wounds so deep they exposed bone. She thrashed about, trying to throw Zhang Shi off. Zhang Shi, as she wished, used Shadow Step to create distance, then drew his composite bow and fired a barrage of arrows, each aimed at the mother beast's eye socket. The severely wounded mother beast was powerless to resist. After a dozen or so arrows, she crashed heavily to the ground, motionless and lifeless.
At the same time, as if under command, the swarm of insects crawled deeper into the ruins. There were hardly any insects left at the entrance. Seeing this, Zhang Shi hurriedly called on everyone to follow.
They followed closely behind the swarm of insects, traversing the winding tunnels formed by connective tissue, each step fraught with unknowns and dangers. Pipi remained close to Zhang Shi, its senses exceptionally sharp in the darkness, constantly alert to any potential threats lurking around them.
As they ventured deeper, the light within the ruins gradually brightened, and a faint red glow reflected off the rock walls. Zhang Shi discovered that they had arrived at a spacious underground hall. In the center of the hall was a huge pool of water, the water of which was crystal clear. Upon closer inspection, one could see some strange creatures swimming in the water. They emitted a faint fluorescence and were somewhat similar to the worms they had encountered before, but they were more slender and moved more nimbly.
"It seems this is a breeding ground for worms," Zhang Shi said in a low voice, his eyes scanning the surroundings, searching for a possible exit or more clues.
Suddenly, Pipi let out a low growl, its eyes fixed on the side of the pool. Zhang Shi followed its gaze and saw a hidden cave entrance, surrounded by moss and vines, making it difficult to spot without careful observation.
"Everyone be careful, there might be an ambush," Zhang Shi warned, slowly approaching the cave entrance, his weapon ready to deal with any potential dangers.
As they stepped into the cave, a strong chill swept over them, as if they had instantly entered another world. The cave was filled with ice crystals, and each step was accompanied by a crisp sound. They followed the ice-crystal-covered passage and soon arrived at a huge ice cave.
In the center of the ice cave, there was a huge ice platform, upon which lay a massive ice egg emitting a soft blue light. This ice egg was completely different from the blood-red cocoon seen in the insect hive; it gave off a sense of tranquility and mystery.
“This is…” Zhang Shi looked at the ice egg in front of him in surprise. He realized that it might be a brand new life form, or it might have some kind of connection with the worm mother beast, or it might be a higher-level existence.
As they carefully observed the ice egg, it suddenly began to tremble, and the blue light on its surface became even more dazzling. Immediately afterwards, a crisp cracking sound rang out, and the shell of the ice egg began to crack open, from which a tiny, faintly fluorescent insect slowly crawled out.
This little creature was quite different from the worm; it had a more refined body and a brighter glow. It curiously surveyed its surroundings, then quickly scurried deeper into the ruins.
"It's a divine artifact, but I can't tell its level."
Zhang Shi said in a low voice, his eyes showing both surprise and awe.
They decided not to disturb the mysterious creature and quietly withdrew from the ice cave. When they returned to the underground hall, they found that the swarm of insects had vanished without a trace, as if it had never existed.
...
Meanwhile, in the transit shelter, Zhao Feng was leading a hundred soldiers to build defensive facilities in preparation for possible zombie attacks. Unexpectedly, they encountered another group of people marching towards the transit station. It looked like there were as many as five hundred of them. The heavy rain obscured their vision, and although they couldn't see their faces and equipment, they could tell that these people were all alive and were probably from some faction. Moreover, they seemed to be up to no good.
Zhao Feng quickly ordered the soldiers to stand on the wall and remain on guard, while he sent a distress message to Zhang Shi. Unfortunately, the three people in the shelter were exploring the underground ruins and did not notice the system's private chat.
As the other side drew closer and Zhang Shi remained silent, Zhao Feng had no choice but to steel himself and prepare for battle.
This 500-strong allied force came from the Dragon Tiger Alliance and the Brotherhood. If you look closely, Zhao Feng should be able to recognize his old acquaintance, Chen Beipan.
The two groups joined forces to fight against the Eagle Gang and recruited soldiers in the regional channel. Chen Beipan seized the opportunity and became a guest of honor in the alliance with his abundant resources, not caring at all about betraying his former ally.
After forming an alliance, they conserved their strength and did not immediately attack Bell's castle. Instead, they concentrated their forces to take back the branch sanctuary at the transit station. Little did they know that they had made a mistake and attacked the wrong enemy.
"Last night, wild beasts attacked again in the wilderness. All the survivors were exhausted and had been up all night. Today is the perfect time to attack."
Wearing a straw raincoat, Chen Beipan acted as the strategist, offering advice between the two leaders.
Brotherhood leader Xie Dong was not fond of Chen Beipan, and simply walked forward with a cold and expressionless face, seemingly having a strong opinion about the raid.
Brother Long, the leader of the Dragon Tiger Alliance, stepped in with a smile to smooth things over.
"Brother Chen, you are quick to seize the initiative and have made no mistakes. If we win this battle, you will be credited with the greatest merit."
Despite his reckless actions, Zhao Feng knew that the transit station was the central point for their expansion and could not be lost. Therefore, although he was extremely anxious, he remained calm and resolute, not wanting to shake the morale of his troops.
First, he quickly adjusted the deployment of his soldiers, dividing the hundred soldiers into three groups: one group was responsible for frontal defense, using existing fortifications and makeshift shelters to resist; the second group consisted of cavalry, who left in advance from the back door and concealed themselves on both sides, ready to launch a surprise attack on the enemy from the flanks at a critical moment and disrupt their offensive rhythm; the third group served as a mobile force, ready to support various locations or pursue fleeing enemies at any time.
Next, Zhao Feng ordered his soldiers to set up some makeshift traps and tripwires, using the terrain to increase the enemy's difficulty of advancing and their casualty rate. At the same time, he also organized his men to collect all available supplies in the shelter, including Molotov cocktails and improvised explosive devices, preparing to deliver a fatal blow to the enemy at a critical moment.
"It's a pity we didn't bring the cannons, otherwise we wouldn't be afraid of any number of people coming."
The soldiers sharpened their swords and prepared their weapons, watching the approaching enemy forces from afar, pointing their guns at them. As soon as Zhao Feng gave the order, they would not hesitate to pull the trigger and stop any creatures that wanted to attack the transit station.
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