Chapter 163 Exploring the Alien Space Rift
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When the leader monster was killed, the Gray Inferior Demons fighting alongside all the Southern City Guards were doomed to fail.
After completing the kill, they immediately turned and began attacking the surrounding Gray Inferior Demons.
It wasn't just the Angel Envoys taking action; Li Ruikang, Guo Wutao, and the others also joined the fight with their weapons in hand.
All of them were Second-order Contractors. Although their individual strength might not match that of Second-grade Monsters, they were definitely stronger than the First Order High Grade monsters.
The ruthless slaughter began, starting from where the Gray Inferior Demons were most densely packed.
Gradually, the deaths of the Gray Inferior Demons piled up, as did their corpses, and the Southern City Guards and their Angel Envoys also went on a rampage.
In coordination with the melee, crossbow arrows were remotely controlled, methodically eliminating the Gray Inferior Demon groups.
After a full two hours, the remaining thousands of Gray Inferior Demons were completely killed, and the whole factory grounds were filled with the bodies of monsters.
Blood soaked into the ground, emitting a strong stench.
"We won."
The exhausted Southern City Guards stood erect, their gaze sweeping across a sea of bodies, while even more non-Armed Forces members of the Southern City Guards already leaned against the monster corpses still embedded with blades.
Their physical exhaustion left them no time to care about their image, who knows how many monsters they'd killed.
Even if they were mostly First Order Inferior, the sheer number was hardly less daunting than the ordeal at the Bei Qing Grain Warehouse.
"Attend to the wounded, logistics move in to handle the monster corpses... Stay vigilant for fluctuations in the alien space fissure."
Yan Tiejun gave the clean-up orders, his face pale. The battle had taken a huge toll on him, having not only controlled the Angel Envoy in combat but also monitored the situation on the battlefield. He had never worked so exhausting in his life.
"Rest for a while, Old Yan. Let Old Guo take care of it," suggested Li Ruikang as he patted Yan Tiejun's shoulder. Yan Tiejun hesitated for a moment before replying with a simple "Alright."
After a long look at the alien space fissure, he said, "Once the battlefield is clean, let Professor Bai and Professor Tian prepare to explore the alien space fissure... but don't let them go in recklessly."
No more monsters were emerging from the alien space fissure, which likely meant all nearby monsters had already come through.
This was good news, but until the situation was clear, they definitely couldn't let Bai Qiuwen and Tian Jiaxuan, who were in charge of research, take any risks.
Li Ruikang nodded; of course, he understood this.
Cleaning up the battlefield wasn't simple, even with the significant number of logistics staff involved from the camp.
These "logistics" were actually the camp's residents, among whom the majority were youth who had contracted Angel Envoys.
The number of monsters killed in this battle was no less than ten thousand, almost filling the entire factory. Blood and limbs were scattered about, compounded by the alien space fissure hanging in the air, giving off an eerie ambiance.
This was the apocalypse, a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood, with the unknown shrouding everything.
The fissure had not expanded further, maintaining a shape six meters high and three meters wide, faintly glowing with purple light, emanating stable spiritual energy.
From a distance, Tian Jiaxuan observed and tested the psychic fluctuations, reaching a preliminary conclusion.
The collision between the alien space and the real world had temporarily stabilized somewhat, so its expansion also calmed down and would not intensify due to changes in spiritual energy or mental power fluctuations.
But this was only temporary. If there were phenomena similar to tides, or say, the start of the next collision began, it might continue to change.
Good news mixed with bad news, at least a stable alien space fissure allowed more Contractors and Angel Envoys to absorb more spiritual energy.
After this battle, not a few have broken through their ranks. Many First-level Intermediate Contractors broke through to First Order High Grade due to the fight.
Spiritual energy would continue to gather in a small area around the factory, making it an excellent place for Contractors to grow stronger.
However, the losses on the battlefield made Li Ruikang and the others look grim.
"56 dead, 96 seriously injured, about 200 lightly injured. The Southern City Guards suffered significant losses. Additionally, half of the hazardous chemicals were consumed, and only a third of the firearm ammunition remains.
The hand crossbows and crossbow arrows are damaged to varying extents, and only seven city defense crossbows are left," reported Guo Wutao in the meeting room, his voice heavy and his expression somber.
These numbers all represented human lives.
Was it worth it?
Li Ruikang asked himself but looked down, heartbroken yet without regret.
Controlling the alien space channel was obviously crucial for the entire camp.
If Su Han were in his place, he would undoubtedly make the same decision.
"We need to replenish our weapons; although we can extract from the Grey Inferior Demon's flesh and blood, it will also take time," Yan Tiejun's voice ringed out. He looked to Li Ruikang, sitting in the chief's seat, and said, "We can't avoid trading with Su Han."
"If we can't avoid it, we can't avoid it," Li Ruikang said calmly, "A third of the double-headed Grey Inferior Demon corpses, two Second-grade Grey Inferior Demon corpses, and some specific details about the alien space channel after exploration, we'll use these as trade."
Guo Wutao pondered for a moment. Li Ruikang said, "Not inviting him was not to lose our autonomy over the South City camp, but controlling this alien space fissure preliminarily isn't the end. Within the entire South City, there are likely more fissures."
The epicenter of the tide is not in your factory; the entire world is affected, and the likelihood of more than one alien space fissure is too great.
Even if not every fissure has such monsters behind it, but... if even one or two do, that's a terrifying beast tide.
They had not given Su Han enough warning.
"Do as you suggest, but..."
Yan Tiejun looked at Guo Wutao and then said, "This time, Old Guo and I will go together."
"No," Li Ruikang shook his head and said, "I will go."
.....
It took an entire day for the battlefield to be nearly seven to eight parts cleaned up.
"""
The bodies were carted away. After initial treatment, those severely contaminated were either incinerated or used as fertilizer, while the rest had their flesh and blood extracted for materials.
The entire manufacturing facility was still filled with an unbearable stench, a mixture of gunpowder and blood.
In the center of the facility, the Southern City Guards had constructed a new line of defense, setting up trenches, barricade walls, and so forth to isolate the fissure.
If any monsters broke through, they were to be killed immediately. If too many emerged, the location would be sealed and incineration would begin.
Having learned from the first battle, there were slight improvements in the setup of the defensive fortifications this time.
Bai Qiuwen and Tian Jiaxuan had already spent a day and a night researching in the vicinity, with virtually no rest, while the students by their side kept up with the relentless recording.
"The psychic fluctuations have not changed much in eight hours; the sent flesh, Tough-skinned Rabbits, and Angel Envoys have all successfully returned."
After numerous experiments and with serious expressions, Tian Jiaxuan gave the final word, "We've met the conditions for passage."
"Elder Tian, you guys..."
Hearing their conversation, Duan Jie subconsciously spoke up in dissuasion but was interrupted by Bai Qiuwen.
"Risk is inevitable, but compared to uncovering the truths of the apocalypse, we are not important."
No one knew the cause of the apocalypse, whether it was due to the eye-like creatures or the spiritual energy from this otherworldly space.
No one knew, and that's why they had to seek the answers.
Apart from the desire for knowledge, they didn't consider themselves to be that noble.
However, if they could understand the world behind the spatial rifts, perhaps more people would survive.
"Prepare a team, we'll go together."
Bai Qiuwen wasn't planning to go alone; he knew his combat capabilities. Even with the use of an injection, he was currently at the First Order Upper Grade.
And because of his age, his body couldn't compare to other First Order Upper Grade Contractors.
Therefore, Duan Jie and the others had to accompany him.
"Okay, I will prepare immediately."
Duan Jie agreed to the task, which wasn't only to gather a squad but also to notify Li Ruikang and the others.
Experience tales at empire
Everyone hurried over, and the accompanying team was quickly determined: Zhao Yaqian, Cheng Zhenyong, and Wang Hu – three Second-order Contractors – along with twenty other team members who were from the Armed Forces and had been security guards, all First Order Upper Grade Contractors.
It could be said that, aside from the numbers, they had concentrated more than half of the camp's armed forces here.
Bai Qiuwen frowned and said to Li Ruikang, "It's too risky."
"The two of you are the pillars of the camp. If something goes wrong, there will be no hope for South City."
Li Ruikang had always known that no matter how strong they were; they were mere warriors, and their chances of thoroughly understanding the apocalypse were slim.
It wasn't that becoming stronger wouldn't afford one the chance to delve deeper into the causes of the apocalypse, such as being able to confront the Cyclopean creatures.
But they were certainly not the ones to do it.
If Bai Qiuwen and the others were no longer there, then the hope for South City would only lie with Su Han.
At least, that's how it seemed for now.
"Sigh"
Bai Qiuwen sighed but didn't refuse, his gaze becoming resolute. The old man's contracted Angel Envoy, the Giant Macrophage Dog, was summoned beside him.
"Set off."
As he spoke, Zhao Yaqian, protected by two Angel Envoys, one in front and one behind, stepped into the otherworldly fissure successively.
Within the fissure, dazzling purple lights were everywhere.
With just one step inside, there was no time to observe the surroundings.
Instantly, the scene before everyone's eyes had completely changed: the entire place was bathed in red. The dim red soil and the boundless crimson sky enveloped everything like a giant dome pulsating with energy.
Zhao Yaqian quickly regained her focus, her eyes vigilant, her sense of danger nearly at its peak.
Surrounded by the dim red soil, black weeds, dark and twisted trees, and strange plants emitting purple light...
The environment was very odd, completely different from the real world, but... there were no monsters for the time being.Nôv(el)B\\jnn
The Shadow Armor Tyrant took a step back and returned to the real world.
Then, shortly after, Cheng Zhenyong and the others got the response and followed the footsteps of the Shadow Armor Tyrant into this strange world.
Everything around them was shocking, and it took them a long time to come to their senses.
"This, this really is a different world."
Tian Jiaxuan's face showed shock. Guessing was one thing, but seeing with his own eyes was another: "Such a dense presence of spiritual energy, even I can feel it."
Unlike Second Order, sensing spiritual energy around First Order was not so evident; he typically relied more on instruments.
Compared to the manufacturing facility outside, the spiritual energy here was much denser.
"A world built on the foundation of spiritual energy, these plants... and this environment."
Bai Qiuwen pondered, as Zhao Yaqian said, "Groups of five, explore the surroundings. Report every hundred meters, stop at five hundred meters."
They proceeded with their initial exploration extremely cautiously, and no one questioned this decision.
Cheng Zhenyong headed left to explore, Wang Hu right, and the remaining two team leaders explored different directions.
However, they had barely gone a hundred meters when Cheng Zhenyong, standing atop a small hill, was struck dumb. His voice transmitted back, "Report, there's... an ocean!"