When the spider-type bugs were blasted into the sky, they curled up completely into a ball, a state in which the spider-type bugs were entirely invulnerable. The carapace on the back of the spider-type bug was iron-hard; striking it would only result in a shower of sparks. After enduring several large-scale casualties and facing Zheng Zha head-on, the soldiers had finally mastered how to fight these spider-type bugs.

The best approach was to shoot down the fire-spitting giant bugs carrying the spider-bugs from a distance. If all the fire-spitting giant bugs were eliminated from five hundred meters out, these spider-bugs would pose almost no threat. If, due to their sheer numbers, the fire-spitting giant bugs could not be shot down from afar, the soldiers would retreat desperately. As long as they maintained a distance of thirty meters from the spider-type bugs, these creatures would lose any offensive capability against the soldiers. At that point, once the spider-type bugs unfurled, countless firearms would instantly tear them to shreds.

Before this tactic was learned, however, over thirteen hundred people had already perished under the attacks of the spider-type bugs.

The defensive line was already covered in a thick layer of dark-red gore and severed limbs, but at this point in the war, every soldier was mechanically executing orders: fire, rotate positions, prepare ammunition, move bodies. Everyone had become numb, equally numb in body and spirit.

"...Ammunition count? Chu Xuan. How much ammo do we have left?" Zheng Zha sat somewhat weakly on a large boulder. He and Wang Xia had just collaborated to eliminate another tank-type giant bug. Similarly, after hours of continuous, intense combat against the spider-type bugs and the tank-type bugs—and even some ground-crawling bugs that had gotten dangerously close—his taut nerves and muscles were beginning to buckle. After all, given his expenditure rate, the intensity and quantity of his efforts far exceeded that of an ordinary person by more than ten times.

"We have over two thousand magazines, eleven miniature nuclear warheads, and more than four hundred grenades remaining... That's our total remaining arsenal. The rescue ship is at least another hour and a half away..." Chu Xuan replied with an even tone.

Zheng Zha sighed, gazing toward the foot of the mountain beyond the perimeter. The road junction below was already piled high with countless insect corpses, but every insectoid assault destroyed the majority of the corpses, either incinerating them to ash by the fire-spitters or crushing them beneath the tread of a tank bug. After the last tank bug assault, the insect horde entered a brief lull in their offensive, providing the soldiers time to ferry ammunition and rotate squads. This brief respite allowed everyone a moment to breathe. Zheng Zha pulled out a pack of cigarettes, lit one with a slightly trembling hand, and sat alone on the highest rock at the front of the line, watching the scene below in silence.

"Don't worry, we will survive... We must survive. We have shouldered too much, and there are too many unresolved matters. Even if we have to fight desperately, even if we must resort to eating filth to survive starvation, we will live!" Zheng Zha took a deep drag, speaking silently in his mind to the others connected to his consciousness. Then, with the cigarette dangling from his lips, he trembled as his left hand retrieved a nearly finished butt from his storage ring. He looked at the stub, then returned it to the ring. Only then did he stand up from the rock: "Soldiers, prepare for battle! Let the bugs know that we humans are not a race to be trifled with. Let these damned bugs remember... on this mountain, we fought bravely!" (Only now did he understand the significance represented by the heroes of the Battle of Triangle Hill... And this is a battle without aerial bombardment, without long-range artillery, and with a distinct firepower advantage. Haha, if the 'Main God' had sent us to that scenario, the seven of us would certainly have been dead...) Zheng Zha watched the endless stream of ground-crawling bugs pouring out of the mountain pass below, followed by the fire-spitting bugs, and even the appearance of two tank bugs. He knew the final assault had begun. This was the true final assault. Although the bugs did not fear death, and their sheer numbers were ridiculously vast, the casualties sustained in this battle had certainly caused the planet's Brain Bugs distress, or perhaps anger. In any case, the planet's ruling consciousness must have issued an order for an all-out, no-regard-for-sacrifice breach of the defensive line!

"Zheng Zha, that shielding apparatus is moving. They are advancing along the passage on the ground. The other team... are they planning to join the fight?" Zheng Zha’s eyes sharpened, and he spoke coldly, "Let them come. So much time has passed; if they don't show up now, we can escape easily once our rescue ship arrives... They probably think we're easy targets, right? Fighting without using their own weapons, unable to fight at full strength—what right do they have to think we are weak? Hmph... Chu Xuan, do you see the movement of the bugs in the distance? They're starting the total assault. Think of a way to devise a new defense plan, balancing it with our ammunition reserves..." Chu Xuan also sounded slightly agitated in their mental link, murmuring, "I noticed the bugs' movement long ago. The pause in the attack lasted too long. Furthermore, mental scanning indicates that flying bugs have joined the insect army sequence. However, the summit's high winds make it utterly unsuitable for aerial attacks. Do they intend to press the assault regardless of casualties? If there are a hundred flying bugs, maybe one will make it to the top... For now, you hold the entrance to the position; I will handle what comes next..." Zheng Zha nodded, "Understood... Everyone, fight hard to survive!" As he spoke, the first gunshot rang out. The soldiers on the line began continuous firing, and the bugs running at the forefront began to fall in droves. But the number of bugs was overwhelming; they rushed upward in an almost crushing, wave-like motion. This type of swarm attack had never been seen before. A large number of bugs died under this mutual trampling, but because this was an expenditure-heavy charge that disregarded losses, the firepower on the line immediately felt diminished. Thus, the ground-crawling bugs advanced meter by meter, paying with countless dead insects for every meter gained, yet the distance was slowly but surely being closed, making every soldier's heart heavy.

After several minutes, the second squad of several hundred soldiers rushed over, reloaded their magazines, and joined the combat line. With a defending force totaling a thousand men, this level of firepower finally managed to suppress the insect swarm attack. Just then, the fire-spitting bugs appeared within the wave attack.

With every step a fire-spitting bug took, at least several ground-crawling bugs were crushed into pulp, yet all the insects continued their fearless charge toward the summit pass. The ground-crawling bugs consciously positioned themselves in front of the fire-spitters, and the two forces advanced together, closing the distance to the perimeter from five hundred meters down to four hundred, then three hundred. Following this, all the tumors on the fire-spitters erupted, blasting toward the defenses like artillery shells. But at this point, no soldier could retreat. Compared to the dozens of spider-type bugs, the wave of tens of thousands of ground-crawling bugs before them was far more terrifying. Every soldier was fighting with bloodshot eyes; facing the incoming reaper, many didn't even bother to dodge, merely standing there, guns blazing.

Zheng Zha roared, "Wang Xia, use two miniature nuclear warheads—one aimed high and one aimed at the ground—to push back their formation first!" As he shouted, Zheng Zha charged forward, wielding a sharp claw he had just torn from the corpse of a spider-type bug. This was currently the only close-combat weapon available with hardness exceeding that of a military dagger.

Wang Xia instantly raised the miniature nuclear warhead and fired it toward the sky. The moment the warhead detonated, as the intense light burst forth, Zhan Lan’s urgent voice suddenly cut into Zheng Zha’s consciousness: "This is bad! Zheng Zha, the surrounding cliffs are crawling with flying bugs! They are climbing up the walls nonstop. If the strong wind blows them off, they just fly out and then fly back to continue climbing—there are thousands of flying bugs!" Leaping up...