Shi Hanlan could only grit his teeth and try to rise upon hearing the roar of Reef, but he immediately collapsed back onto the ground. ^^Nuoshu.com^^ The frail constitution of a free-willed Contractor was starkly evident; a horrific gash marked his calf, nearly half of the muscle torn away by a Velo-raptor. Blood erupted as if it were free currency, quickly forming a dark pool on the ground beneath him. If not for the powerful knockback effect that accompanied every attack from Reef, they would have been completely swamped by the insect horde long ago.

"Go quickly! Reef, get to the central hall! We'll cover you!" The maddened Hanick and Joel were already shouting, "Hanlan is done for. Don't sacrifice your own life for him."

Reef roared: "No! I swore an oath, I will absolutely never abandon another teammate!"

At that moment, the remaining Velo-raptors lunged forward in a frenzy, engulfing Reef and Hanlan, plugging the breach and forming a massive sphere of blood and flesh! Those brief two or three seconds stretched out to feel like two or three years. But just then, Reef’s voice erupted once more, wild and frenzied:

"Never!"

These two words were shouted toward the sky with utter ferocity. One could clearly see an invisible shockwave emanating from Reef’s mouth, instantly radiating outward before exploding like ripples, sweeping across the creatures in every direction!

The area covered by this shockwave spanned hundreds of square meters. The Velo-raptors, with their meager 50 health points, were instantly pulverized upon being swept across, exploding into puddles of gore. Even two or three nearby Hydralisks, which possessed higher health, were caught in the blast; though the shockwave squeezed them until green ichor sprayed out and their shells cracked, they survived, but were left frozen in a stunned state!

In that instant, everyone was stunned. Fang Senyan couldn't help but recall the "Banshee's Wail" he had encountered before, but clearly, in terms of both attack range and the resulting deterrent effect, this new power far surpassed it. 【Yezi】【YouYou】 It was at this critical juncture that Shi Hanlan managed to cast an Oily Spell towards the breach again, successfully halting the subsequent rush of Velo-raptors. A group of UUVs also rushed over, engaging the engine of a nearby temporarily constructed metal supply station and pushing it toward the gap, managing to barely plug the hole.

Almost a hundred machine gunners then surged from the central hall to the front lines. With reinforcements arriving, morale soared, and they finally secured a crucial moment to breathe. \WW. Provides the latest hand-typed reader group for this chapter ∴①⑺㈢②５\

However, as long as the vast number of Hydralisks on the perimeter were not eliminated, casualties among the machine gunners were inevitable. Once their collective killing power against the Velo-raptors dropped below a critical threshold, breaching the line was only a matter of time.

Just then, several loud metallic clanking sounds from hydraulic drive mechanisms reached everyone's ears, accompanied by the piercing hiss of escaping steam. Turning to look, they were overjoyed.

The two mechanical siege heavy tanks, which had been parked in the center of the base, had been completely transformed. Their short, thick mechanical legs, previously folded along the sides of the hull, extended and braced themselves against the ground. Twin plumes of white steam jetted from their exhaust ports. One MJLNIR anti-aircraft cannon rotated once, then angled upward to a thirty-degree elevation, its dark muzzle pointing skyward.

The deafening "Boom! Boom!" of the cannon fire erupted, making the very ground tremble during the bombardment. These mechanical siege heavy tanks, having escaped from a much larger bearing base, had received the latest technological enhancements, bringing their attack power to its maximum. When both heavy cannons saturated a single area, a single salvo could clear a zone thirty square meters in radius; neither Velo-raptors nor Hydralisks could escape! Furthermore, when the mechanical siege heavy tanks switched to siege mode, their range became terrifyingly immense—at least three times that of a Hydralisk—placing virtually every Zerg creature surrounding the base under their suppressive fire!

After ten continuous volleys, at least thirty Hydralisks and nearly a hundred Velo-raptors had perished under the torrent of heavy artillery fire. The pressure on the machine gunners and bunkers along the outer wall eased significantly. (For novel reading, visit Yezi・You~You.) The Velo-raptors frantically slamming against the steel exterior were also picked off. Under these circumstances, even some UUVs wearing reinforced armor dared to venture out to perform emergency repairs on the bunkers. The sparks from welding torches crisscrossed with the muzzle flashes of machine gun turrets. Clearly, the situation was slowly beginning to tilt back in favor of the base, yet these Zerg seemed to have gone berserk, fighting resolutely without retreat.

Due to Joel’s deliberate targeting, the perimeter Hydralisks were neutralized one after another, melting into blood. Even the gunners controlling the two tanks began specifically bombarding the outer Hydralisks. Once the Hydralisks possessing long-range capabilities on the perimeter were decimated, the Zerg’s chances of conquering the entire base solely with ground forces vanished. However, the Velo-raptors continued their frantic assault on the steel walls, fighting with true suicidal tenacity.

When the battle finally ended, a pungent, foul stench permeated the air—the result of the evaporated bodily fluids of the fallen Zerg. If not for the strong smell of gunpowder mixed in, it would have given one a sickening urge to vomit. The machine gunners in powered armor began withdrawing from the front lines, holding their blood-stained helmets under their arms, gathering in small groups, smoking cigarettes, occasionally exchanging rough jokes with a punch, loudly bragging about their achievements and talking about women.

Sporadic gunfire could still be heard outside the perimeter walls—soldiers cleaning up the battlefield by putting down any mortally wounded Zerg. The corpses of Velo-raptors piled up against the base of the wall to a height of three or four meters, forming a gruesome, bloody ramp. The UUVs, piloting engineering machinery with practiced ease, shoveled them away in great swathes, digging pits and burying them. It seemed such battles were common occurrences, as the UUVs handled the cleanup with routine efficiency.

For the Contractors, escaping the defensive battle without casualties was a stroke of luck. Although Shi Hanlan was protected by Reef, his frail physique meant that just a few scratches from a Velo-raptor turned into a fatal injury, and the maddened Hanick had his left arm chewed off. The good news was that after this battle, the Reputation of every member of the team rose from Indifferent to Friendly or higher; some even reached Respected. This meant they could utilize the nurturing tank medical device in the central hall at minimal cost.

The principle behind this device involved immersing the subject in a primordial fluid resembling amniotic fluid, then using a biochemical repair particle blade to catalyze and divide the wound cells efficiently, depending on the severity of the injury.

Thus, it could heal serious injuries, including limb loss, in a mere two or three hours! This speed of recovery significantly mitigated the loss of strength caused by team member incapacitation to an acceptable level.

After the fierce fighting during the day, everyone in the team had a clearer understanding of their respective capabilities. Although Fang Senyan’s performance was steady and unremarkable, his powerful support abilities and presence as a melee Contractor were vital to the team. Having made no significant errors, he was categorized by the others as a core combatant. In contrast, the Reputation of the maddened Hanick and Joel plummeted, as their calls at the critical moment for Reef to abandon his comrade created severe negative repercussions. Nearly everyone now regarded Reef as the undisputed team leader; even Tulip, who had suffered significant personal setbacks under Reef's reprimand, offered no objection.

Just then, an orderly approached the Contractors to deliver a message: Base Commander Tommy Fickven wished to see them. Soon after, the hot-tempered Lieutenant Colonel stood before them with a grim expression. After pacing back and forth a few times with his hands clasped behind his back, he stated:

"Although I intensely dislike you—yes! I confirm that again—I must admit, you lot did quite well. Not only did you rescue those fools from the Bearing Base whose heads were usually stuck in the clouds, but you also took down that cunning Hydralisk commander, Flagellum, fulfilling the most crucial condition for their total annihilation. After this battle, the ground Zerg in this vicinity won't recover for several months. You, step forward!"

Tommy Fickven pointed at Joel, whose face broke out in wild elation as he stepped forward. The Commander pulled a medal from his pocket and announced loudly:

"This is a special award granted in recognition of your killing Flagellum!"

Then the Commander pointed at Fang Senyan:

"Soldier, step forward!"

Fang Senyan stepped forward and, surprisingly, also received a Purple Star Medal. He then learned that the large mutated exploding mosquito he killed was named Bone-Wing, a creature of some renown within the base. Although Fang Senyan's total damage contribution was insufficient, he was the one who engaged it first and subsequently saved a base soldier from its clutches, thus earning commendation.

This Purple Star Medal had only one attribute: a 5% discount when purchasing Reputation items from the quartermaster. It was likely the lowest tier of medal.

Tommy Fickven then paced a few steps again:

"We just received word from headquarters. They sent bombers to support the 'Tough Guys' unit at Whiskey Base and airdropped supplies, so they should hold out until tomorrow morning without issue. The Iron Cabinet Base to the south has also dispatched a three-vehicle Vulture minelayer squad to assist your operations. If nothing unexpected happens, they will arrive here in three hours. By then, your comrade should also be healed. That will be the optimal time for your departure."

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