Chapter 141: I Forge an Army Alone

Chapter 141 [I Am an Army Entirely on My Own]

The silence lasted for about ten minutes, and the atmosphere among the crowd was somewhat heavy. After all, according to Xia Zheng's intelligence, the strength of the Blood Clan far exceeded human projections; even Astral Warriors appeared somewhat fragile in front of them.

Seeing this, General Ying Fan stood up and said, "Mr. Wood, before the reinforcements arrived, you led the army exceptionally well to resist the offensive of the Blood Clan. Both the Military Department and the Federation are deeply grateful to you. This is the medal entrusted to me by the Grand Marshal and the President to confer upon you."

Xia Zheng was somewhat surprised, not expecting to receive such a medal. Immediately, the others in the conference room stood up and applauded, shifting the atmosphere from gloomy and quiet to enthusiastic.

This was a shield-shaped medal combining blue and white colors, with a word inscribed on both the top and the bottom, representing "State Defense" and "Hero" respectively. Combined, it stood for "State-Defense Hero," signifying the Federation's and the Military Department's affirmation of Xia Zheng.

The news of being awarded the "State-Defense Hero" medal quickly spread throughout the military, instantly triggering a wave of excitement. The soldiers who supported Xia Zheng were overjoyed, constantly recounting his heroic deeds to their comrades.

Upon receiving the news, Luo Bing rarely revealed a smile in front of her subordinates, captivating the dozens of male team members around her into a momentary trance. However, the thought that she was already taken quickly plunged them into dejection.

In addition, two female members of the team were somewhat displeased, appearing to feel an instinctive aversion toward Xia Zheng.

Having obtained the State-Defense Hero medal, Xia Zheng officially became a member of the Military Department. Although he held no military rank, relying on his military achievements and this state-defense medal was enough to garner tremendous support. Furthermore, at present, many people had come to realize a single fact: only Xia Zheng could currently contend with the Blood Clan—something even humanity's ultimate trump cards, the Astral Warriors, found difficult to achieve.

Unless the Military Department was willing to brave universal condemnation and directly use weapons of mass destruction to flatten the Eternal Night City, recapturing it was simply unrealistic. Yet once such a military operation was carried out, the responsible officials would inevitably face a military tribunal, even the Grand Marshal himself.

Over the next three days, the main force of 150,000 reinforcements fully arrived. Together with over a million logistics personnel, Sector Wu-7 and Sector Wei-8 became severely overcrowded. Consequently, the clearance operation for the outer city commenced. Taking roughly two days, the forces of zombies and the Blood Clan in the outer city were largely eradicated. The troop count of over 200,000 expanded to nearly 400,000, while the majority of civilians were evacuated outside the city, as the interior was about to become a battlefield.

The biological protective barrier left behind by the Blood Clan in the Eternal District began to undergo changes over the past few days, actually starting to peel off. However, an ominous feeling spread along with it, leaving the hundreds of thousands of troops daring neither to be careless nor to advance rashly.

Xia Zheng led a group of high-tier genetic warriors, numbering around five hundred. Right beside him, Luo Bing led a team of Astral Warriors, numbering about a hundred.

In addition, several thousand lower- and middle-tier genetic warriors were organized into several elite legions, responsible alongside other legions for the upcoming charge and combat operations.

At the edge of the Eternal District, the barrier that originally resembled a weave of flesh and blood was undergoing unknown changes at this moment. It was as if the vitality of the barrier was draining away; it slowly peeled off, growing hard and fluffy, and gradually drifted away as the wind blew.

Xia Zheng was soon summoned by Grand Duke Lefebvre to the temporary headquarters. Inside stood over a dozen high-ranking military officers of flag and field rank, foremost among them being Grand Duke Lefebvre himself, a General and one of the very few full generals in the Military Department.

"Mr. Wood, the Blood Clan barrier in the Eternal District has undergone changes. What are your thoughts on this?" General Lefebvre asked.

Xia Zheng thought for a moment and replied, "Marshal, I have not encountered this situation before either. The Blood Clan may have undergone some change, but in my view, their biological barrier previously possessed extremely formidable defense. If the current changes instead facilitate our breach of the barrier, this may well be a blessing."

"Go on," General Lefebvre nodded.

Xia Zheng continued, "Given that the situation has changed, the Marshal could first let me take the vanguard to confirm the true conditions inside and report back, after which the Marshal can make a decision."

"Mr. Wood perhaps need not take the vanguard; leave it to others. You are the last hope of the human camp and must not be easily squandered," General Ying Fan stood up and said.

General Lefebvre nodded and said, "Sending Colonel Luo and a portion of the Astral Warriors as the vanguard will suffice. Mr. Wood can await the first-hand intelligence before making a judgment."

"No, Marshal, I have fought against the Blood Clan and possess both the capability and the confidence to escape in time should danger arise. However, if Colonel Luo and the others enter and are besieged by the Blood Clan, the situation could very well turn disastrous, leading to defeat before the battle even begins and thus shattering our morale. Please rest assured, Marshal, I will successfully complete the mission," Xia Zheng insisted. He certainly did not want Luo Bing to die in action here, and once encountering someone like the previous Blood Clan general Ironis or the mutated Song Ze, the outcome would be virtually without suspense; therefore, he had no choice but to scout ahead himself.

Seeing Xia Zheng's resolute attitude, Lefebvre pondered in silence. Ying Fan, Grace, and the others nearby were also somewhat surprised. However, after Grace explained certain circumstances to Ying Fan, the latter finally understood, and his gaze toward Xia Zheng inevitably took on a playful nuance.

"Very well. Since Mr. Wood insists, I will leave this to you. However, you must not push yourself too hard. The moment you encounter the main Blood Clan army, hurry back immediately. Although humanity's individual strength cannot match the Blood Clan, our strength lies in our collective unity; otherwise, the Blood Clan would have conquered us in a single battle long ago." General Lefebvre patted Xia Zheng's shoulder, radiating deep trust.

Xia Zheng quickly nodded and said, "Rest assured, Marshal. I shall go and return in a flash."

With that, he unzipped his outer coat to reveal a military attire underneath, crafted entirely from high-grade equipment tailored for Astral Warriors. It featured a propulsion jet system, an energy shield, immensely powerful explosive rounds, and protective gear capable of resisting corrosive toxins. Around his waist was a dense array of throwing weapons in non-reflective black. The material of these hidden weapons was exceptionally tough, capable of withstanding extreme pressure and twisting, representing a piece of Federal black technology.

Arriving before the barrier, Luo Bing hurried over with a worried expression and said strictly, "Why take my place and go in alone?"

"If I go, I have the certainty to return. If you go, I have no such certainty." At this point, Xia Zheng was not going to be indecisive; what needed to be said bluntly had to be said. Astral Warriors were at a comprehensive disadvantage when facing the Blood Clan, unless they were future metahumans like himself.

Luo Bing said unwillingly, "I would rather die in battle than become a burden."

Xia Zheng shook his head and said, "To sacrifice for the greater good is to be a hero of the country. To court death out of stubborn pride is to be a fool. If you are going to die, you should die a worthy death, not perish in such a pointless moment. Luo Bing—come here!"

"What?" Luo Bing approached him with dissatisfaction, only to be suddenly caught by the waist by Xia Zheng and pulled into a kiss, leaving the surrounding soldiers dumbfounded and shouting in surprise.

About a minute later, Xia Zheng released the blushing Luo Bing, smiled boldly, and propelled himself forward like a spring, instantly becoming the focal point of tens of thousands of people.

He drew his bow and nocked an arrow, exhaled and called upon his strength. Frigid, fierce Qi wrapped in ice-blue flames erupted forth, and Xia Zheng followed closely behind, utilizing his divine mental power to continuously narrow the distance between himself and the arrow.

Boom!

Compared to the barrier seen last time, which appeared far sturdier, this time a tear was ripped open directly, freezing the barrier's attempt to regenerate and allowing Xia Zheng to plunge straight into it.