The sight of hundreds of flying saucers descending was utterly breathtaking; it could be said that those aboard Air Force One were virtually defenseless. Once those hundred saucers closed in, even a few energy beams, or just one, striking the aircraft would instantly vaporize everyone inside, turning them into mere sparks in the void, with not a soul surviving save for Zheng Zha.

“The Gauss sniper rifle is a piece of high-tech weaponry, perhaps fifty to a hundred years ahead of the current era’s technology. However, the defensive shielding system and the energy storage method employed by those saucers are advanced by perhaps two to three centuries. Therefore, piercing the saucer shields with standard Gauss rifle ammunition would likely require at least three shots to deplete their energy reserves—and three shots are enough time for countless things to happen…” Xiao Honglu stated to the members of the Central Continent team, the American government officials, the military officers, and the politicians from Congress.

In the battle against the alien invasion, thanks to Zheng Zha’s monstrous performance, coupled with Zero Point’s and Zhang Heng’s formidable long-range attack power, and with Imhotep’s aid in the form of a colossal sandstorm, all the alien saucers were finally shot down just before Air Force One sustained a fatal blow. The outcome of this single engagement surpassed the results achieved by the previous coordinated efforts of several American fighter wings. Although it felt incredible and unbelievable, the American politicians wasted no time in capitalizing on this victory, especially at this critical juncture.

A victory is worth more than any amount of aid! Of course, because this improbable success arrived so abruptly, many of these American politicians and military officers immediately swarmed Zheng Zha and the others, insisting on being given the high-tech weaponry they had supposedly acquired from the aliens.

Even if they couldn't acquire it, merely being allowed to look at it, or learning the methods of fabrication, would be acceptable. Naturally, all of this stemmed from Zheng Zha’s initial fabricated story: that they were test subjects who had escaped the aliens, which accounted for their array of high-tech weapons and impossibly robust physiques.

Could the battle-weary Zheng Zha possibly be weaving tales now? He was covered in wounds, and his internal energy was severely depleted; he desperately wanted nothing more than to sleep for several days and nights straight to recover.

Thus, the entire responsibility of misleading the government fell squarely onto Xiao Honglu. And the young boy, harboring a certain mischievous streak, immediately joined most of the Central Continent team members.

They all gathered in the conference room.

Always accompanying the President were certain power players, including individuals deeply versed in science. These people had already managed to compile some rough data during the combat, and based on their observations, Zero Point, without the use of specialized ammunition, indeed required two to three shots to breach a single saucer. Conversely, Zhang Heng, utilizing primitive weaponry, his arrows managed to pierce a saucer with just a single shot. Therefore, when the saucers drew near, the ones destroying the most targets were surprisingly Zhang Heng and his bow. This was the aspect that caused them the most profound confusion.

“There’s really nothing so strange about that… For one, consider our physical conditioning. Even I, compared to your most elite Special Forces soldiers, only possess an advantage in stature and combat technique. My muscle explosive power and endurance absolutely surpass everyone present here…” Xiao Honglu said, rolling his eyes.

Finishing his statement, he stood up and effortlessly lifted the sofa he had been sitting on with one hand... The critical point was that this sofa was significantly larger than his entire body combined.

The faces of the military officers darkened considerably; being lectured so directly by a mere boy was a severe blow to their pride. Yet, on the other hand, their hearts were simultaneously filled with excitement and eager anticipation. If they could replicate the method for enhancing physical conditioning, then the officers, whose base physical abilities already surpassed those of Xiao Honglu and his group, could instantly become supermen! ... “Therefore, possessing such formidable physical conditioning while wielding high-tech weapons… Oh yes, this bow is also high-tech, and even the arrowheads boast a higher level of technology than you imagine. Zhang Heng, show them the destructive power of an enchanted arrow.”

Xiao Honglu said to Zhang Heng with a grin.

Zhang Heng sighed. He was an honest man; frankly, he felt uncomfortable outright deceiving people like this with his eyes wide open. But an order was an order, so he could only retrieve an enchanted arrow and toss it onto the table facing the politicians and officers. With a soft pat, the arrow embedded itself firmly into the steel tabletop. Before the politicians and officers could fully react, the surface of the steel where the arrow struck began to inexplicably dissolve and spread outward until the arrow simply fell through the table entirely. Everyone let out an astonished "Ohhh."

Several officers immediately rose to examine the table closely. There were no traces of acid or vaporization near the breach. It looked more like an inherent void mark from the time the table was cast. This hole wasn't corrosion; the actual material of the tabletop had simply vanished. While it seemed impossible, this arrow clearly wasn't laced with any corrosive agent.

“As you can see, this enchanted arrow is also a product of advanced technology. It possesses the ability to pierce through matter and energy, making it the true bane of the saucer shields, far more effective than the sheer brute force of a Gauss rifle…” Xiao Honglu waved his hand dismissively.

(Though it was a fabrication, the statement wasn't entirely untrue; the arrow certainly relied on its enchantment attribute to easily pierce the saucer shields. Those shields are quite similar to the Dragon Crystal Necklace’s defenses, likely designed to ward off attacks from high-tech weaponry…) Zhang Heng thought privately. However, before he could fully process this, he watched Xiao Honglu continue his verbal barrage of deception. The American politicians and officers listening appeared utterly bewildered, seemingly completely drawn into the performance. Seeing this, Zhang Heng let out another silent sigh... On the other side, Zheng Zha, too exhausted to even move a finger, and Imhotep, equally drained, were exchanging sporadic, rambling words. Nearby, Chu Xuan continued to work on his laptop, acting as if the recent battle, which had concerned them all so deeply, had nothing to do with him.

“Imhotep, how are you holding up? You look like you’re going through withdrawal, hahaha… Your physical resilience is truly terrible.”

Zheng Zha mocked Imhotep with a pale face.

Imhotep shot him an irritated glance. This bald handsome man had lived in the US for a long time and knew what drug withdrawal looked like. Indeed, neither of their complexions looked good, but both were masters of utilizing internal energy—one used it for combat, while the other relied on it entirely to sustain life. Thus, Imhotep’s appearance was significantly worse than Zheng Zha’s.

During the battle, there came a point when Zheng Zha alone could no longer fully deflect the massive barrage of laser beams. After a beam grazed the tail wing of Air Force One, the entire aircraft was on the verge of immediate explosion. More saucers were in pursuit, and Zhang Heng and Zero Point couldn't destroy them all at once. At this critical juncture, a colossal sand cyclone suddenly materialized. The force of this sandstorm was immense; it caused the surrounding saucers to wobble violently. Air Force One was tossed about by the turbulent air, but this instability ironically allowed the aircraft to evade countless laser beams. At such close range, Zhang Heng and Zero Point didn't need precise aiming; given their physical prowess and shooting skills, every shot at this distance was a guaranteed hit. It was because of this sand cyclone that Air Force One survived.

“But I must truly thank you. I was on the verge of despair back then.”

Zheng Zha suddenly sighed. “Without your help, we would have been utterly annihilated this time… Hahaha, my good companion, from now on, we fight side-by-side as comrades-in-arms!” Imhotep glared at him again, annoyed. Regardless, by the time Air Force One reached the military base, they encountered no further attacks along the route. As the plane landed, the base commander immediately escorted the President and the politicians into the facility. Zheng Zha and the others were among them, but nobody felt the sense of relief that usually follows a narrow escape, because the scenes they witnessed on the ground during the flight in had already shaken everyone to their core.

In the areas occupied by the alien spiders, a blood-red vegetation had begun to sprout. Its growth rate was so rapid that most native flora were withering, presumably having their nutrients sucked dry by this crimson growth. Intelligence gathered from the US military indicated that the aliens had begun mass slaughtering humans. The flesh and blood of these humans were being processed into this blood-red plant. Most crucially—this plant was emitting not oxygen, but a gas present in extremely low concentrations in the air: carbon monoxide... which is deadly poison to humans! ... “Since their arrival, these aliens intend to exterminate us humans?” The President looked silently at the people before him, speaking with deep sorrow.

“It’s not an intention.”

Zheng Zha stared at the image displayed on the wall—a picture showing the proliferation of the blood-red plants, with piles of human remains underneath, unrecognizable as human shapes. Zheng Zha frowned deeply at the photo. “They are already doing it!” “Humanity… has reached the final brink of extinction!”