“Luo Feng, traveling these past three days, we stuck to the highway route, which is all desolate territory,” Chen Gu whispered as they walked, keeping his voice low. “The vast majority of monsters live inside the cities. The county towns and urban centers—those are the truly dangerous places!”
“Understood, Brother Chen,” Luo Feng nodded.
He had already read about the congregating habits of monsters in the online forums.
In the long war between monsters and humans, the monsters discovered that if they lived in open, desolate areas without cover, human armies and martial artists could lock onto them from long distances and attack with ‘heavy sniper rifles’ or even missiles.
But in the urban areas, buildings stood thick and tall.
As long as the monsters hid within dense structures, snipers would have little chance unless they ventured into the city themselves! Furthermore, if human forces entered the city and engaged the monsters in street fighting, the monsters would gain an immense advantage. Dense building complexes were a monster paradise!
“Our goal, Hammer Squad, is naturally the Beast General level monsters! However…” Chen Gu quietly warned, “Beast Generals possess a considerable degree of intelligence, not far below humans. They will command large numbers of Beast Soldier level monsters to gather around them, awaiting their orders. Nearly every Beast General is surrounded by a host of Beast Soldiers, so killing even one is incredibly difficult.”
Luo Feng nodded.
The difference between Beast Soldiers and Beast Generals wasn't just power; the most crucial factor was intellect!
To ensure their survival, Beast Generals would naturally summon numerous Beast Soldiers to protect them. Apart from the rare few who preferred solitude, most Beast Generals were heavily guarded.
“Everyone, be cautious. There’s an Iron Armored Bull nest ahead,” Captain Gao Feng suddenly interjected. “The leader of this Iron Armored Bull nest is likely a High-Level Beast General, and the nest harbors a massive number of them. We circle around! Chen Gu, do not fire. If any Iron Armored Bulls attack, remember: you must kill them instantly. Don't let them call their comrades.”
“Yes, Captain.”
The other five nodded in acknowledgment.
The suburbs, the urban areas—these were far more perilous than the desolate lands outside.
Following a narrow path, the six members of Hammer Squad advanced with extreme caution.
“Halt.” Wei Tie, the elder of the Wei brothers at the front, raised his hand, his gaze fixed solemnly ahead. In the distance, a massive, thickly-furred wild boar lay dead on the ground. Beside it, two Tiger Mastiff monsters were tearing at the flesh, chewing loudly. Suddenly, the Tiger Mastiffs looked up toward the distant Hammer Squad, growing noticeably alert.
“We bypass it. No engagement,” Gao Feng murmured softly.
In the desolate stretches of the highway, Luo Feng and his team had been relaxed, killing monsters at will. But things were different in the city.
...
Carefully navigating past more than ten encounters and instantly eliminating eight ordinary Beast Soldier level monsters, Luo Feng’s group finally reached their first objective: the ‘Blue Sky Residential Complex’ within County City 0201. Blue Sky Complex was chosen as the first destination because it contained three residential towers, each soaring twenty-one stories high.
“Let’s go, to the rooftop.”
“Everyone watch out. A monster could pop out from anywhere inside the residential building.”
“Don’t make loud noises.”
The six members of Hammer Squad ascended steadily via the stairwell.
“Roar~~” A low beast roar faintly echoed within the floors. The six frowned slightly. Wei Tie, leading the way, whispered, “It must be upstairs. Everyone be careful.” They gripped their weapons, ready to strike at any moment. Chen Gu, who relied on firearms, was positioned centrally for protection.
Step by measured step they advanced.
“Huh?” Luo Feng caught sight of a monster suddenly emerging from the corner ahead—a Lion Mastiff, standing nearly two meters tall, covered in long fur, with a bulk resembling a large military SUV. As the beast saw the humans, it immediately let out a low growl and charged forward in a rush of fetid air.
Hammer Squad was climbing the stairs while the Lion Mastiff was diving down; the kinetic energy generated by its massive frame was formidable.
Swish! Swish!
The foremost members, the Wei brothers, Wei Tie and Wei Qing, moved in near-identical motions. Shields in one hand, curved blades in the other, they surged upward almost grazing the Lion Mastiff. As they passed, the curved blades, tracing an arc, precisely sliced across the monster’s forelimb joints.
The Wei brothers executed the exact same maneuver!
This caused the Lion Mastiff’s two front legs to stumble momentarily, landing unevenly on the steps. At that instant, Zhang Ke, the Iron Spear wielder positioned just behind the Wei brothers, lunged forward. His alloy long spear whistled sharply as it pierced toward the staggering Lion Mastiff’s head.
Thwack! The spear instantly pierced the monster’s eye, penetrating through its skull!
“Hhkhh~~” The Lion Mastiff twitched its four paws uselessly a couple of times before collapsing lifelessly.
The coordination between Wei Qing, Wei Tie, and Zhang Ke was exquisite! The first two disrupted the beast’s front limbs, throwing off its balance, allowing Zhang Ke to instantly deliver a fatal blow. Zhang Ke’s marksmanship was terrifyingly accurate—he hit the eye directly.
...
During this ascent, Hammer Squad encountered only three monsters, which was considered fortunate. One of these three had rushed up from the lower stairs. Luo Feng and Gao Feng were at the rear of the formation, so Luo Feng handled this G-grade monster swiftly and cleanly.
※※※
Emerging from the stairwell exit, the six members of Hammer Squad reached the rooftop of the twenty-one-story high-rise.
“Seal the stairwell entrance! Seal it tight!” Gao Feng commanded. “Prevent any monsters from running up from below onto the roof.”
“Yes, Captain.”
Luo Feng and Zhang Ke personally secured the iron door of the stairwell entrance, jamming it fast with a thick iron rod.
“Phew, finally, a moment to breathe,” Zhang Ke rarely permitted himself a slight smile, plopping down onto the rooftop and pulling high-energy food and water from his backpack.
“Everyone brought binoculars, right?” Captain Gao Feng asked. “Take them out, everyone. Look down from the edge of the roof—see if you can spot any Beast General level monsters! Remember, don't expose your bodies too far over the edge; if a monster below spots you, it’ll cause minor trouble!” The rooftop itself was generally quite safe.
Monsters usually couldn't climb up the exterior of a 21-story building.
Even if a Beast General commanded monsters to ascend via the stairs, the stairwell was narrow; the threat was manageable. Hammer Squad had ample time to retreat if necessary.
“Begin the search for Beast Generals.”
“Brothers, let’s hunt for some Generals.”
Luo Feng also retrieved his binoculars from his pack. Auxiliary gear like optics and steel cable were standard issue; they weren't heavy.
Crouching near the edge of the roof, Luo Feng looked out over the streets below, noting the sheer density of monsters everywhere: “The number of monsters in a dense urban area is indeed ten to a hundred times greater than in the wilderness.” On one street alone, he estimated at least several hundred monsters moving forward.
Even a War General level martial artist would have a slim chance of survival if swarmed by hundreds of common monsters.
“Captain, it’s all just Beast Soldiers down there.”
“I haven’t seen any Generals in my sector either.”
Including the Captain, all five team members used binoculars to scan different sectors below. Standing high allowed one to see far. From the roof of the 21-story complex, they could see a great distance and many monsters.
Click! An iron case was opened. Chen Gu, the only member not currently using binoculars, opened it. Besides vast amounts of ammunition, the case held a rectangular wooden box. Inside, rifle components were neatly laid out, which Chen Gu swiftly began assembling.
Moments later—
A heavy sniper rifle, almost two meters long and entirely silver-gray, was fully assembled, complete with its optical sight and attachments.
Chen Gu loaded ten specialized rounds into the magazine.
“Captain, notify me when you find a Beast General,” Chen Gu stated.
“Good. You take a short nap and rest up. Leave the Beast General search to us,” Gao Feng nodded, instructing the others, “Everyone concentrate. Don’t miss anything.” This was the easiest method for hunting Beast Generals in the city—using a high vantage point for long-range visibility.
It was ten to a hundred times faster and significantly safer than trying to find a Beast General while searching the streets.
Luo Feng, Zhang Ke, the Wei brothers, and Gao Feng—the five of them meticulously scanned every corner below with their binoculars, while Chen Gu cradled his heavy sniper rifle, squinting as he began to doze.