Chapter 165: Chapter 165: Request to Go to Battle
These are things that Evolution Theory simply cannot achieve—a mediocre Evolution Skill is, after all, only capable of mediocre deeds." For some reason, Bai Shenfei really wanted to see a look of regret on Lin Shen's face.
Unfortunately, Lin Shen's face was covered by a visor, so it was impossible to see any expression at all.
"Old Wei, I used to think that a young, wealthy, handsome, and successful man like myself was a rare treasure among humans, an unparalleled existence. But who would have thought that there were men like Ouyang Yudu in the world, with a charm that can match up to ninety percent of mine," Lin Shen and Wei Wufu bantered and bragged as they set up tents, an activity that Lin Shen found utterly boring.
"No, Ouyang, weak, you, strong," Wei Wufu seriously stated.
"Old Wei, you really have an eye for talent." Lin Shen was somewhat moved in his heart. Wei Wufu's claim that he was stronger than Ouyang was comforting to hear, even if it was just flattery.
"Thick-skinned," Wei Wufu gasped for air, adding the two words that immediately shattered the small surge of emotion Lin Shen had just felt.
"One should never tear down their own side—is that a rule you don't understand?" Lin Shen grumbled.
Struck head-on by Ouyang Yudu, the morale of the Ultra-Burning Corps indeed plummeted to an extreme. But the next second, as the charge horn sounded, the Ultra-Burn Warriors still charged forward with abandon, fiercely fighting with their pets against the Mutators' pets.
In an instant, Sky Star Slope became a conveyor belt to a meat grinder, wave after wave of Ultra-Burn Warriors and their pets surged forward, their roars and screams interweaving to form what could only be described as an abattoir's exclusive background music—a concerto presided over by the Grim Reaper himself.
Bones snapped, blades sang a long dirge, and blood gushed out in a melody that seemed like the devil's sotto voce chant.
It was Lin Shen's first time witnessing such a brutal battle.
It wasn't just Lin Shen—Mutators with experience in combat on alien worlds also felt their scalps tingle at this sight.
Pets were sent forward in wave after wave, dying in droves, and soon there was no more Sky Star Grass on Sky Star Slope. Instead, there was blood and Base Mutation Fluid spurting everywhere, coloring the entire slope with a riot of hues.
Ouyang Yudu had already backed off, the Base Mutation Carapace receding from his body. He stood behind, commanding the Mutators in his team to summon their pets to fight.
"Putting everything else aside, his stamina certainly isn't a match for me," Lin Shen commented with a smile.
"He is already, very strong," Wei Wufu remarked.
The horror of the first wave of attack—Ouyang Yudu's team managed to hold on for the first hour, sacrificing many pets but with almost no casualties among the personnel.
As soon as the time was up, a second team charged to take over from Ouyang Yudu's team, continuing to withstand the relentless assault of the Ultra-Burning Corps.
The offensive of the Ultra-Burning Corps didn't stop for a moment; they were also racing against the clock, attempting to slaughter every last one before the humans' three-day countdown expired.
Every so often, the information "Sacrificial offering +1" would pop into Lin Shen's mind. For every Ultra-Burn Warrior that died, his Sacrificial Halo would grow by +1, accumulating more power.
The Ultra-Burn Warriors, as if oblivious to the concept of death, charged up Sky Star Slope again and again, only to be repelled each time.
After more than a dozen hours of support, and with many pets wounded or killed, some gaps could only be filled by Mutators. At this point, casualties began to occur on their side as well.
The ferocity of the battle made all the spectators' hearts pound with trepidation.
Some had already started to worry whether Bai Shenfei and the others could last until the end of the countdown under such suicidal charges.
"Something's off. I've encountered Ultra-Burn Warriors before, and the so-called Ultra-Burning Corps were just cannon fodder. It's impossible for each one of them to be this fearless in the face of death. What is driving them to execute such suicidal charges again and again?" Lin Shen wondered.
"The drumbeats," Wei Wufu, hearing Lin Shen's muttered words, pinpointed the key.
Only then did Lin Shen realize that the drumming he heard from below, which he had assumed to be the common war drums used to boost morale and intimidate the enemy, were indeed what they were.
Upon hearing Wei Wufu's words, Lin Shen realized there might be more to the drum sounds than met the ear.
"Is there a way to take out the drummer among the Ultra-Burn Warriors?" Lin Shen thought out loud.
"If one can fly, perhaps," Wei Wufu replied.
Since Lin Shen couldn't fly, he had no choice but to remain silent.
"Let's go, we're going up," Wei Wufu rose and headed in the direction of Bai Shenfei.
Lin Shen had no choice but to follow. He too knew that their situation wasn't looking good.
Nearly twenty hours had passed, countless Ultra-Burn Warriors had fallen, yet the Ultra-Burning Corps showed no signs of stopping their charge. They were determined to annihilate them.
The situation for the Mutators wasn't as relaxed anymore, with too many pets killed and an increasing number of the Mutators getting injured.
Even top-tier Mutators like Ouyang Yudu, Mo Shengqi, and Bai Shenfei had entered the fray multiple times, supported many aggressive charges, and fought hard to keep their ground from being lost.
However, in the midst of high-intensity combat, their strength was depleting too quickly. Initially, their Base Mutation Carapaces could last two or three hours but now they needed to retreat for rest and replenishment of potions and Base Mutation Fluid after about an hour.
However, potions and Base Mutation Fluid couldn't fully restore them, and when they used their Base Mutation powers in combat next time, their duration would be even shorter.
"We would like to request to join the battle," Wei Wufu said to Bai Shenfei.
"Join the team and fight," Bai Shenfei initially didn't want Lin Shen and Wei Wufu to fight, but considering the grim situation, two more people in rotation would mean the other Mutators could rest a bit longer, increasing their chances of surviving until the countdown ended.
Lin Shen took a deep breath and joined Bai Shenfei's team. They would be the next one to rotate in defense.
Lin Shen reached for a Battle Axe lying on the ground. Such weaponry was piled everywhere, and served little purpose at that point. The one Lin Shen picked was a Red Crystal Battle Axe, a high-grade commodity used by the deputy corps leader, which Lin Shen had also acquired previously and given to Wei Wufu to take to Tiancheng.
No one would use an unfamiliar weapon in such a life-or-death situation. One had to fight with the weapon they knew best, so nobody bothered to pick up the discarded axes, leaving them piled to the side.
Lin Shen's only move was a thrust, but in this type of battle, a single thrust wasn't very effective. It would require a group of the Long Spear Team thrusting together to have a significant impact, and a single person's effect was limited.
So for Lin Shen, it didn't matter what weapon he used. It was all about brute force directly applied. The Battle Axe was also a good choice, at least it was a Crystal Base weapon.
"Wei, teach me a couple of practical axe techniques," Lin Shen said to Wei Wufu, standing next to him.
"Chop, that's it," Wei Wufu said indifferently.
In the midst of talking, it was time for the rotation. The team above withdrew, and it was Lin Shen's team's turn to stand in their place.
Wei Wufu, with the Golden Crystal Trident slung on his back, didn't take it down. Like Lin Shen, he grabbed a Red Crystal Battle Axe and strode towards the battlefield, his entire body enveloped in armor as purple as crystal.
His robust stature was comparable to that of an Ultra-Burn Warrior, and with a massive Red Crystal Battle Axe in hand, for a moment, it was hard to distinguish whether he was a Human Mutator or an Ultra-Burn Warrior.
Lin Shen followed close behind. Although his stature wasn't as imposing as Wei Wufu's, he was still quite dashing. However, the double-bladed Battle Axe in his hand was too large, making it look somewhat disproportionate in his grasp.
Just as Wei Wufu entered the battlefield, he brought his axe down, cleaving an Ultra-Burn Warrior riding a giant black bull in two, along with the bull itself.
The terrifying force momentarily stalled the offensive of the Ultra-Burning Corps.