Though the odds were slim. "But we absolutely cannot let the Tank Bug get near this position. If it’s a suicide bomber type, we’re in real danger." Wang Xia nodded, raising his military infrared binoculars to scan the far distance at the base of the mountain. There, a dark shadow seemed to be moving slowly toward their location. Behind that shadow followed an endless horde of Crawler Bugs.

The sheer number of those insects was horrifying. If they managed to rush the position, even Zheng Zha might be in peril. Unless he deployed the Green Goblin Glider for a swift escape, even he would be swallowed by this tide of bugs. Wang Xia propped the shoulder-mounted micro-nuclear missile onto his shoulder, focusing intently on the entrance to the pass at the mountain's base. From this vantage point, with his Dragon Blood enhanced physique, he could accurately gauge targets about two thousand meters away.

However, this distance was far from ideal for launching a nuclear missile. So, as soon as the Tank Bug entered his line of sight, his shoulder only twitched slightly; the man immediately fell into absolute stillness. Years of Special Forces training gifted him with this stable mindset. It wasn't until the massive, pitch-black Tank Bug closed to around five hundred meters that he took a deep breath and slammed the trigger with fierce force. He launched the micro-nuclear missile.

The missile streaked through the air, heading directly for the Tank Bug’s frontal mass. Just as the Tank Bug was flailing its enormous pincers, the micro-nuclear missile struck precisely between them. A fierce flash ignited, followed by a muffled explosion and the slow ascent of a small mushroom cloud. The area spanning several hundred square meters around them was engulfed in the blast radius, the Tank Bug and the creatures beside it consumed entirely by the fireball. The soldiers on the defensive line erupted in cheers, every man raising his weapon and shouting in triumph.

In this environment, even a tiny victory felt like another massive stride toward survival. Every minute success was incredibly morale-boosting, although, without the looming threat of total failure, such triumphs were certainly enough to invigorate them. As the ball of fire slowly subsided, those watching gasped. Within the dying embers, a radiant blue circular field appeared, spanning an unexpectedly wide circumference. As this blue field gradually stepped out of the blaze, they finally saw with stunned clarity that the Tank Bug was entirely unharmed.

Its pitch-black carapace was peeled back in places, revealing a blue, gaseous substance erupting from beneath the dark skin—this substance was what formed the blue halo. It was an unmistakable defensive shield, and this shield had actually withstood the impact of the micro-nuclear missile… The Tank Bug continued to advance unhindered. As its skin settled back into place, the blue field vanished. Behind it, many of the Crawler Bugs caught in the nuclear blast had perished or were wounded, but they were quickly replenished by tens of thousands more following closely behind, moving toward the position behind the Tank Bug. "Damn it, damn it, is this even a bug?

A protective layer actually appeared? Is this truly just an insect?" Zheng Zha muttered, a low growl escaping him. He could only watch as the Tank Bug drew closer—from fifteen hundred meters, to fourteen hundred, then thirteen hundred. For every meter the bugs advanced, the survivors' remaining time was compressed by a minute. The soldiers on the line were practically fighting with desperate abandon.

Ignoring Ba Wang’s commands, every single one of them frantically opened fire on the Tank Bug, but the creature’s obsidian shell was incredibly thick. The bullets merely scraped against it, sparking continuously, failing to even provoke the deployment of its protective layer. The beast simply lumbered nearer and nearer to the defensive line. Zheng Zha was still in the state of having unlocked his Genetic Lock. An idea formed instantly in his mind: among several tactical options, the best one would undoubtedly be to charge in with the Hu Po blade and deliver a single strike.

This Tank Bug would certainly perish. However, he absolutely could not reveal the Hu Po; this flamboyant long blade would be unforgettable to everyone. Similarly, wielding it would instantly brand him in the eyes of the soldiers as something bordering on mythical—it was simply too extreme. Thus, that tactic was out. The second option was to launch several micro-nuclear missiles simultaneously.

Every defensive layer had a limit to the force it could withstand. Once that limit was surpassed, even if the energy sustaining the shield remained, the overwhelming power would instantly pierce or shatter the barrier. But this would drastically deplete their reserve of salvaged nuclear missiles… (In other words, when not using the shield, its carapace could resist bullet fire, suggesting it was extremely hard. When using the shield, it could deflect all external explosions and bullets.) He had to try something. Zheng Zha immediately pulled out a stack of High-Efficiency Bandages from his Spatial Ring.

Simultaneously, he spoke to Wang Xia, "Wang Xia, launch the micro-nuclear missiles precisely at the timing I give you. It can’t be late, and it can’t be early. Although this is just a test, the probability of success should still be quite high…" As he spoke, he crouched down, tying a sharpened claw spike to a high-yield grenade. The scene felt strangely familiar; he recalled when he encountered the movie Alien 1, hadn't he used a similar method of binding a spiral spike to a bomb? Time flies; he was resorting to this primitive tactic once again.

Once everything was prepared, Zheng Zha took a deep breath and stood up. The Tank Bug was now only a thousand meters from the position. All the soldiers were still firing madly at it—not just the soldiers in this immediate unit, but the troops from the two supporting squads behind them had also joined the frenzied barrage. Everyone’s eyes were bloodshot with intensity. Zheng Zha silently aimed the sharpened claw toward the Tank Bug, then pulled the pin and hurled the spike outward.

About half a second after the claw flew, he roared toward Wang Xia, "Launch!" Wang Xia had kept his sights locked on the giant insect. Only after hearing Zheng Zha's shout did he simultaneously pull the trigger. A micro-nuclear missile streaked out right behind the sharpened claw toward the Tank Bug. When the missile was about ten meters from the creature, the Tank Bug violently opened its carapace, and the blue circular field immediately materialized to intercept the incoming missile. However, the sharp claw had already penetrated the field before it fully formed.

Then… Zheng Zha could only see that far. The next instant, a blinding flash erupted, causing him to involuntarily shut his eyes. Because he had been staring intently at the center of the light, this particular flash felt as if it had temporarily blinded him—his eyes stung, ached, and he could see nothing. Fortunately, Zhan Lan’s mental scan instantly provided feedback, projecting the surroundings clearly into his mind, including the Tank Bug, which had been reduced to fragments within the fireball. Its energy signature had already been cleared by another team.

Seeing Zheng Zha’s eyes squeezed shut and tears leaking, Wang Xia immediately rushed to his side, flipping open his eyelids for a closer look. After a long moment, Wang Xia let out a relieved breath. "It's okay, nothing serious. The field medic has eye drops for photostimulation. Don't open them for ten minutes after use.

Your physical condition is much better than ordinary people; this amount of bright light shouldn't cause permanent damage…" Zheng Zha nodded silently, patting Wang Xia heavily on the shoulder. "We killed the Tank Bug… Damn it, one thousand reward points, one D-level side plot completion. If a few more of them show up, we might as well have a blast right here, ha ha ha…" Wang Xia replied with a wry smile, "We only have those few modified grenades left. First, there wasn't enough time, and second, we're short on ammunition. And who can guarantee we can coordinate that perfectly next time?

If we fail, it's certain death. We shouldn't take such risks…" "Ha ha ha, greater risk means greater reward. In any case, we’ve made it through this wave of attack…" Zheng Zha said while walking toward the defensive line. There, the soldiers saw that the blue energy field had not reappeared from the extinguished fire; this time, they truly erupted in hysterical celebration. Some even tossed their helmets into the sky.

Ba Wang stood there, exhaling deeply; facing such a massive mobile fortress, the soldiers present had come perilously close to a total collapse just moments before. "If we were going to die… if all of us were fated to die, I absolutely believe it wouldn't be today! Because we are fighting with everything we have, we will absolutely not die here! The Garrison Squad, fall back, the Second Squad, move up! Open fire!" Zheng Zha, still with his eyes closed, pointed toward the mountain pass.

From behind the fading flames, endless waves of Crawler Bugs began to emerge. With the massive Tank Bug no longer blocking them, their speed became terrifyingly apparent. The infinite stream of Crawlers charged toward the position in a frenzy. As Zheng Zha’s order rang out, the weapons of the Second Squad roared to life, unleashing fire upon the approaching swarm… Jump to