hsntnovel Chapter 11 The First Appearance of the Beast Tide, The Line of Defense for Life and Death
Chapter 11 The First Appearance of the Beast Tide, The Line of Defense for Life and Death
The night was as dark as ink, and a fierce wind whipped up dust, lashing against the alloy city walls with a mournful howl. Inside the fortress, solar-powered streetlights emitted a soft white glow, illuminating the orderly streets and creating a stark contrast to the impenetrable darkness outside.
Lin Chen remained atop the watchtower at the highest point of the city wall, the night wind whipping his black outfit in the breeze. His gaze, sharp as a hawk's, pierced the deep darkness, fixed intently on the ruins and wilderness outside the city. The increasingly thick, pungent smell in the air made his nerves taut like a fully drawn bow.
Memories of his past life flooded back—on the third night after the massive earthquake, the mutated beast hordes on the outskirts of Cangnan City would launch a massive migration towards human settlements, disturbed by the earthquake and drawn by the scent of blood. This fortress was their inevitable route. In his past life, this place was nothing but a desolate ruin, but in this life, he had built an impregnable wall, and it would inevitably become the primary target of the beast tide.
"Brother Chen, the city defense team is all in position. Three people are on duty at each firing point on and off the city wall. The light and heavy machine guns and crossbow positions have also been tested." Zhao Lei walked up the watchtower quietly, his voice low. "The medical team and logistics team are also ready. First aid medicines, bandages, and spare ammunition have all been placed in the temporary shelters under the city wall as you requested."
Lin Chen didn't turn around, but simply nodded slightly: "Have the night vision goggles been distributed?"
"They've been distributed, two to each firing point. The team members on duty have all undergone the night shooting training you arranged before, and they can see clearly within 500 meters." Zhao Lei paused, then added, "However... it's too dark outside the city, and with the aftershocks still shaking intermittently, some team members are still a little panicked."
Lin Chen finally turned his head to look at Zhao Lei, his gaze calm yet carrying a reassuring power: "Panic is normal. No one can remain calm when facing a beast tide for the first time. But tell them that the city wall was built with reinforced concrete and steel plates, three meters thick. No matter how sharp the mutated beasts' claws are, they won't be able to dig it open in a short time; the weapons are standard firearms and armor-piercing crossbows that I prepared in advance, enough to penetrate the flesh of most first-tier mutated beasts."
He raised his hand and patted Zhao Lei on the shoulder, his voice steady and powerful: "Tell everyone, behind us are our families and friends, the home we're protecting with our lives. There's no turning back. If we can hold on, we'll survive; if we can't, we'll end up like those people outside the city, becoming food for wild beasts."
Zhao Lei nodded emphatically, the unease in his eyes gradually fading, replaced by a determined light: "I understand, Brother Chen. I'll go cheer everyone on right away!"
Watching Zhao Lei's retreating figure, Lin Chen looked back towards the city, his fingertips gently stroking the alloy battle blade at his waist. This battle blade was forged in advance by a machine factory using special steel he had found in the ruins of his previous life. Its blade was extremely sharp and could easily sever the bones of a first-tier mutated beast.
Just then, a guard on duty in the middle of the city wall suddenly shouted, "There's movement! To the northeast, 500 meters away!"
Lin Chen immediately picked up the night-vision binoculars beside him and looked northeast. In the pitch-black vision, several blurry black shadows were moving quickly. They were on all fours, moving nimbly, weaving through the collapsed building ruins, rushing towards the fortress.
That's a mutated hyena.
In my past life's memories, these hyenas were affected by radiation after the massive earthquake, growing larger than wolves, with teeth as sharp as knives. They moved in packs and were extremely ferocious. They were the vanguard of the beast tides and also the most troublesome type.
"They're mutated hyenas, around twenty in number. Tier 1 mutated beasts, fast, and adept at group attacks. Monitor their movements!" Lin Chen's voice echoed through the communicator to every firing point on the city wall. "Everyone, pay attention! Prioritize firing at the front lines. Don't waste ammunition; focus on burst fire to conserve heavy firepower!"
The words had barely left his lips when the dark figures outside the city drew ever closer. Their green eyes and dripping saliva were clearly visible through the night vision goggles. The hyenas, seemingly drawn by the lights and the scent of blood on the city walls, let out low growls and charged towards them.
"Da da da—"
The light machine guns on the city wall opened fire first, bullets raining down on the hyena pack. The first few hyenas were instantly hit by the bullets, letting out shrill screams, rolling on the ground a few times, and then lying still.
But the mutated hyenas were too numerous and extremely cunning. Using the collapsed walls and ruins as cover, they would sometimes dart out and sometimes hide, quickly approaching the city wall. Soon, several hyenas rushed to the foot of the city wall. They stood upright and frantically scratched at the concrete wall with their front paws, making a piercing scraping sound and leaving deep claw marks.
"Oh no! They're digging into the wall!" one of the guards exclaimed.
Lin Chen's eyes darkened, and he immediately ordered, "Crossbow positions on the city wall, aim at the hyenas at the base of the wall! Their hides are thick; bullets will only cause injury, rarely a fatal blow. Armor-piercing crossbow bolts can penetrate their skulls!"
Upon receiving the order, several team members wielding crossbows immediately adjusted their angles and aimed at the hyenas at the base of the wall. The crossbow bolts whistled through the air and accurately struck the hyenas in the eyes and skulls. The hyenas, which had been frantically digging at the wall, instantly collapsed to the ground, twitched a few times, and then went still.
But before one wave subsided, another arose. Suddenly, a shrill roar came from the southwest. Lin Chen turned his head and saw several larger mutated dogs charging towards the city wall. Their skin was grayish-black and covered with a thick layer of scales. Bullets hitting them only left shallow marks and could not penetrate them at all.
"It's a Scaled Hound! The toughest of the first-tier mutant beasts, its skin is protected by scales, ordinary bullets can't penetrate it, use armor-piercing rounds!" Lin Chen shouted immediately, and at the same time took a modified sniper rifle from the weapon rack of the watchtower, loaded it with armor-piercing rounds, and aimed at the Scaled Hound charging at the front.
"Bang!"
The armor-piercing bullet, carrying immense force, struck the scaly hound precisely in the eye. The scales offered no protection for the delicate eyeball, and the bullet pierced its brain instantly. The hound let out a muffled groan and collapsed heavily to the ground.
Following Lin Chen's demonstration, the team members on the city wall also switched to armor-piercing rounds and fired at the scaled hounds' vulnerable spots, such as their eyes and muzzles. After a few shots, the remaining scaled hounds fell to the ground, motionless.
Just then, a series of dense roars suddenly came from below the city wall. Lin Chen looked down and saw more mutated hyenas and scaled dogs rushing out of the darkness, more than twice as many as before. They surged towards the city wall like a tide, some digging at the wall, some trying to jump onto the wall, and others barking wildly at the team members on the wall.
"Stay calm! Don't panic! Follow the previous plan, fire in stages, and maintain fire suppression!" Lin Chen's voice remained calm. He knew that this was just an appetizer for the beast tide, and the real main force had not yet arrived.
Zhao Lei had already returned to the middle section of the city wall. Holding an assault rifle, he unleashed a hail of fire at the hyenas charging ahead, shouting as he fired, "Don't panic, everyone! Brother Chen said these beasts can't get through! Hold the wall, and we'll survive!"
Encouraged, the team members steadied themselves and, following their previous training, performed their duties. Light and heavy machine guns fired alternately, while crossbow bolts and armor-piercing rounds struck with precision. In no time, the mutated beasts below the city wall fell to the ground, their cries of agony echoing throughout the area.
But there were simply too many mutated beasts. They were fearless and charged towards the city wall one after another. Soon, several hyenas took advantage of a lull in the firepower and rushed to the foot of the climbing ladder on the city wall, trying to climb up the ladder.
"Oh no! They're climbing up!" one of the team members exclaimed, instinctively taking a step back.
Lin Chen's eyes flashed with a fierce light. He leaped from the watchtower and landed steadily on the platform of the city wall. He drew his alloy battle blade from his waist, rushed to the climbing ladder, and slashed fiercely at the hyenas climbing up.
A flash of cold light, and the hyena's head fell to the ground with a thud, black blood splattering onto the city wall, emitting a pungent stench. Without pausing, Lin Chen swung his blade again, severing the other hyena's forepaw, and then kicked it off the city wall.
"Anyone who retreats another step will be court-martialed!" Lin Chen's voice was icy cold. He gripped his blood-stained battle blade, standing before the climbing ladder like a demon from hell. "They can climb up, and you can bring them down! Slash them with knives, smash them with rifle butts, even bite them with your teeth—don't let them set foot on the city wall!"
As the team members watched Lin Chen fight valiantly, their fear gradually gave way to shame. They gripped their weapons tightly and launched a counterattack against the hyenas on the climbing ladder. Some slammed their rifle butts down, some pierced their throats with bayonets, and others simply picked up stones from the city wall and smashed them down on their heads.
In an instant, the hyenas below the climbing ladder were all knocked down, and not a single one dared to approach again.
Lin Chen leaned against the city wall, slightly out of breath. A hyena's claws had slashed his arm, and blood was dripping down his arm, mingling with the beast's blood on the ground. But he didn't care at all, simply raising his head to gaze into the dark depths beyond the city.
A deep, resonant roar echoed from there, carrying the oppressive aura of a superior being. It caused all the mutated beasts to stop moving, retreating in fear and whimpering.
Lin Chen's pupils suddenly contracted.
He recognized the voice.
That's a second-tier mutated beast, the Earth-Splitting Bear.
In its previous life, this Earth-Splitting Bear was the leader of the beast tide on the outskirts of Cangnan City. It was incredibly strong and had thick hides, so ordinary firearms could not harm it. It had destroyed several survivor settlements.
Unexpectedly, it was also attracted.
"Attention everyone! A large mutated beast has appeared, a second-tier Earthshattering Bear! All heavy machine gun positions, turn to the northwest, prepare armor-piercing rounds!" Lin Chen's voice was solemn. He knew that the real battle was just beginning.
The tense breathing of the team members could be heard through the communicator. The heavy machine guns turned to the northwest, armor-piercing rounds were loaded into the chambers, and the crossbow bolts were replaced with specially made armor-piercing bolts.
Not long after, a huge black shadow emerged from the darkness. It was a giant bear over three meters long, with dark brown fur interspersed with a few strands of white mane, rough and thick skin, and claws as sharp as steel knives. Every step it took caused the ground to tremble slightly.
The Earth-Splitter Bear walked to the foot of the city wall, raised its head, and let out a deafening roar, its voice filled with anger and provocation. It seemed to sense the threat on the city wall, and slammed its front paws into the ground with a loud thud, sending pebbles flying.
"Fire!" Lin Chen gave the order, and heavy machine guns and armor-piercing crossbow bolts fired at the Earth-Splitting Bear at the same time.
The bullets struck the Earthshaker, leaving only shallow bullet holes. The armor-piercing arrows merely pierced its skin before being jammed by its thick muscles, unable to penetrate further. The Earthshaker roared in pain and rammed violently into the city wall.
"boom!"
The violent impact shook the city wall, nearly knocking over the team members on it. Lin Chen steadied himself against the wall, watching the Earth-Splitting Bear retreat again, preparing for a second attack, his expression becoming extremely serious.
A three-meter-thick concrete wall probably couldn't withstand several impacts from it.
"Everyone, get your Molotov cocktails ready! Aim for its eyes and mouth!" Lin Chen shouted, taking several specially made Molotov cocktails from his waist, pulling the pins, and throwing them at the Earthshaker.
The Molotov cocktail arced through the air, striking the Earthshaker precisely in the face. Glass shattered, and flames instantly erupted, scorching its eyes and nose. The Earthshaker let out a piercing scream, frantically waving its paws to swat away the flames, only to have the fire spread to its body, charring its fur and causing it excruciating pain.
Seeing this, the team members on the city wall also threw out Molotov cocktails. In an instant, the Earth-Splitting Bear was engulfed in flames, and it rolled on the ground in agony, letting out desperate howls.
Even so, it did not give up its attack, struggled to its feet, and charged toward the city wall again.
Lin Chen's eyes hardened, and he took out a modified rocket launcher from behind him. This was one of his trump cards that he had prepared in advance to deal with more powerful mutated beasts, but now it seemed that he had to use it ahead of schedule.
He mounted the rocket launcher on the city wall and aimed it at the Earthshaker's chest—where its heart was located, and also its weakest point.
"Brother Chen, that's our only rocket launcher!" Zhao Lei exclaimed urgently from the side. "If we miss, we'll have no weapon left to deal with it!"
Lin Chen didn't turn around, but simply said, "I won't miss."
He took a deep breath, regulated his breathing, and locked his aim firmly on the Earthshaker's chest. Just as the Earthshaker charged towards the city wall again, he pressed the fire button.
"call out--"
The rocket hurtled through the air with a sharp whooshing sound as it flew towards the Earthshaker. The Earthshaker sensed the danger and tried to dodge, but the flames and pain on its body slowed its movements by a fraction of a second.
"boom!"
A violent explosion rang out, flames shot into the sky, and the massive body of the Earth-Splitting Bear was blasted away, crashing heavily to the ground. A huge, gaping hole appeared in its chest, and black blood gushed out, staining the ground red. It twitched a few times, then remained motionless.
The team members on the city wall cheered, their tense nerves finally relaxing.
Lin Chen, however, remained vigilant, still standing by the city wall, warily watching the darkness outside. The explosion and fire from earlier would likely attract even more mutated beasts.
Sure enough, not long after, the roars of beasts echoed again from the darkness outside the city, more frequent and more violent than before.
Lin Chen gripped the alloy battle blade in his hand, his eyes resolute as he looked at the mountain of mutated beast corpses piled up below the city wall.
Tonight, I am destined to be sleepless.
But as long as he stands here, as long as the city walls remain, he will never allow any mutated beast to step into the barrier.
The night remained dark, the lights within the fortified walls still shone brightly, but the wilderness outside the city had become a bloody battlefield. Gunshots, explosions, and the roars of beasts mingled together, playing a tragic song of survival in the apocalypse.
Lin Chen knew this was just the beginning. As time went on, more and more powerful mutated beasts would be attracted, and his barrier would face attack after attack.
But he was fearless.
He had had enough of the despair and suffering of his past life. In this life, he held the initiative, laid a tight net, and built an ironclad defense, all to protect this pure land and those around him.
Even if it means fighting a bloody battle, bearing infamy, or having his hands stained with blood, he will never back down.
A ruthless defense of the city, using killing to stop killing.
His fortress, his home, he will protect.
As night deepened, the battle continued, and Lin Chen's figure, like a statue beside a city wall, remained steadfast, his eyes filled with unyielding majesty, welcoming each wave of attacks from the darkness. Those inside the fortress, perhaps asleep, were unaware of what was happening outside, but they knew that as long as Lin Chen was there, the fortress was safe, and they could survive.
Meanwhile, the soldiers on the city wall, watching Lin Chen's bloodied and battered figure, felt a surge of fighting spirit ignite within them. They gripped their weapons tightly, their eyes resolute, vowing to live and die with the fortress.
This night was destined to be a test of blood and fire, a choice between life and death. But Lin Chen knew that as long as they held out this night, as long as they held out this city wall, they would have the right to survive in this apocalypse, and the hope to face tomorrow.
The roars of beasts outside the city still echoed in the darkness, and the gunshots from the city walls still rang out in the night sky. Lin Chen's figure, amidst the flames and fire, stood there steadily like a pillar of strength, guarding his city, protecting his people, and heading towards the unknown tomorrow.