Chapter Fifty-Nine: Hu Chenggang’s Request

“How are things going?”

Shen Lie hurried onto the armored vehicle. Because of Professor Liu’s special status, both Du Lili and Yang Weiguo had not been called upon to resist the monsters’ assault. Moreover, the armored vehicle was positioned in the middle of the entire group, squeezed together with the elderly, weak, sick, and disabled survivors.

“Xiao Shen is back? You’re not needed here for protection. Better go up front to take a look. Judging by the situation, this stage isn’t going to be easy,” Professor Liu said calmly, without asking where Shen Lie had been. The old man’s inner strength was extraordinary.

In truth, Shen Lie wanted to go up front himself; he had only returned to check on this side. First, even if they hid inside the armored vehicle, once the monsters broke through the formation, they would be doomed. Second, with so many monsters and such a large-scale battle, even if humans were at a disadvantage, the spider monsters would not be few in number. That meant plenty of crystal shards would be available—an excellent opportunity for him to collect.

“Hmm, now is not the time to keep secrets. Since we’re following the team, we have to contribute. I’ll report to Captain Zhang right away,” Shen Lie nodded and readily agreed with Professor Liu’s suggestion. Du Lili didn’t object either; everyone understood that when the nest is broken, no egg is spared.

Shen Lie summoned Zhang Jing, little Taotao, and Li Xue down from the vehicle and gave them instructions. He even pulled out a map to mark the rendezvous point in case the team scattered. Though this plan might be useless, it was better than nothing.

He had a feeling the team might not escape safely this time, so he spoke a little more. He told Taotao and Li Xue to listen to Zhang Jing. Though Taotao was an awakened one, she was still a child without any experience in human nature; no matter how strong her abilities, it would be in vain without guidance.

After giving his instructions to the three women, Shen Lie went to his small squad’s van. He discreetly packed some supplies into his spatial gourd, then called Du Lili to head toward the command post.

“King Shen, King Du, the captain wants you to assist in the right flank. The situation there is urgent and requires your cooperation!” As Shen Lie and Du Lili had just taken a few steps, a military officer hurried over, his tone anxious.

“All right, lead the way!” Shen Lie’s eyes twitched. It seemed the situation was dire. Previously, Zhang Kaitai had insisted that no matter what happened, their duty was to protect Professor Liu. Now, they were being summoned, clearly under pressure.

Another round of artillery boomed. Shen Lie and Du Lili followed the officer to the right front of the formation, where they saw Zhang Kaitai’s adjutant, Hu Chengang.

“Commander Hu!” Hu Chengang was relatively young, likely promoted after the cataclysm. He was not an awakened one, and there was nothing particularly remarkable about him.

“King Shen, King Du!” Hu Chengang showed great respect to them, politely greeting before handing Shen Lie a monocular telescope.

Shen Lie took the telescope and looked in the direction Hu pointed, immediately drawing a sharp breath.

Through the lens, over twenty humans were engaged in a defensive formation, battling spider monsters. At least half of them were awakened ones, and they seemed to have practiced battle formations, cooperating seamlessly. Every attack took down several spider monsters.

Yet, even so, the awakened squad was steadily retreating, and the withdrawal looked urgent. Shen Lie even noticed signs of instability in their formation.

The main reason for this was the overwhelming number of spider monsters—countless and densely packed. Despite constant artillery cover ordered by officers on their side, the monsters’ advance could not be stopped.

Most notably, Shen Lie saw at least two spider monster leaders with two distinct markings on their backs. These high-level spiders emitted an eerie, purple-black glow that seemed to radiate some special energy, making nearby monsters abnormally aggressive.

“These monsters have gone berserk,” Commander Hu’s hand trembled slightly. He had not yet reached Zhang Kaitai’s calm, unshakable composure.

“What do you need us to do?” Shen Lie put down the telescope, his tone grave.

“The squad fighting the spiders is our military’s awakened team. We must safely escort them back. If not, even if we escape this time, we won’t have peace afterward,” Hu Chengang’s words carried a deeper meaning in Shen Lie’s ears. He understood—if these awakened ones were lost, the military’s control over Gu Fangcheng would vanish. No one could predict where Gu Fangcheng would lead the team then. His ambition was clear; he might even establish himself as a king in a defensible small city.

Shen Lie remained silent, waiting for more details. The squad ahead could still hold on a little longer; a total disaster was not imminent.

“The military research institute developed a high-energy explosive before the cataclysm. Though its power is somewhat diminished by the gray mist, it cannot be made into shells and must be detonated manually. The awakened squad carries many such explosive packs to kill monsters. But with so many monsters, they’ve been trapped. We dare not use long-range weapons for fear of hitting our own fighters, so we want you two to help retrieve our personnel,” Hu Chengang explained.

“How many monsters can one explosive pack kill at once?” Shen Lie didn’t immediately agree or refuse but asked about the explosives.

Hu Chengang seemed to expect this question and replied, “For ordinary monsters, in dense groups, one pack can kill two to three. For a monster leader, one pack per monster is about right, or at least inflict serious injury.”

Shen Lie nodded. Although the power wasn’t ideal, it was still considerable. Regular explosives wouldn’t even kill a single common spider monster unless detonated at its vulnerable spot.

Having these high-energy packs meant ordinary people had another way to resist monsters. Yet Shen Lie still couldn’t feel at ease.

Powerful explosives did not guarantee killing the monsters. These spider monsters were not clumsy beasts; they were extremely agile, nearly as fast as speed-type awakened ones, and they could attack with light blades. It was impossible to place explosives near them for detonation.

“I’m sorry, this mission is suicide. I think you should find a way to provide long-range cover,” Shen Lie hesitated, then refused Hu Chengang’s request. Their lives were just as precious as his and Du Lili’s. Now was not the time to show off.

“King Shen, the awakened squad is on the brink of destruction. We plead for your aid!” Hu Chengang’s eyes reddened with emotion upon Shen Lie’s refusal.

“Sorry, I am truly powerless,” Shen Lie shook his head and turned away, ignoring further pleas. He was neither a soldier nor a savior. He had no obligation or ability to save everyone. All he could do was struggle to survive in this chaotic world.

“King Shen, the captain is among the squad. If you and King Du do not act, our team will fall apart!” Hu Chengang’s voice broke, causing Shen Lie to stop in his tracks.

Shen Lie didn’t pause because of Zhang Kaitai’s rank, but because he was moved by the captain’s actions. As the highest commander, and not an awakened one, Zhang Kaitai still fought on the front lines. This showed how dire the situation was, but his courage and style were admirable—such leaders were rare.

In many past news reports, Shen Lie had heard of officials fleeing disasters first, or corrupt leaders indifferent to the suffering of migrant workers. But leaders who led from the front like Zhang Kaitai were increasingly rare.

Years later, when Shen Lie recalled what transformed him from a timid ordinary graduate into a fiery killer, the image of Captain Zhang Kaitai always flashed through his mind.

A true strong person need not have world-shattering power, but must possess the courage to confront challenges head-on. Avoidance may bring temporary peace, but never lasting security.

“Where are the explosive packs?” Shen Lie asked, consulting Du Lili before turning to Hu Chengang.