Chapter 113: Chapter 107: The Choice Between Launch and Evacuation! Tiger Spine Zergs Approaching

As he looked at the potential locations marked by the other departments, Ding Chenghai’s pupils constricted, his expression tinged with anxiety.

As a participant in the "Decapitation Strike," he knew perfectly well that Lin Feng was stationed inside the outpost.

Though he didn’t know why the Tiger Spine Zergs were swarming there, Ding Chenghai was keenly aware that the earth-penetrating Cloud Burst Bomb they were about to launch was powerful enough to flatten an entire outpost.

Even if it only detonated nearby, anything within a one-kilometer radius would be caught in the blast.

The secondary Damage from the explosion would be extremely severe.

The collapse of the Zerg Race Nest, in particular, would generate tremors as intense as an earthquake, and the resulting sinkhole would obliterate the entire outpost.

Therefore, the garrison inside had to be evacuated beforehand.

Otherwise, they would surely be caught in the aftermath of the Cloud Burst Bomb’s detonation.

But Ding Chenghai was just a low-ranking member of the logistics and weapons department, with no standing to participate in the high-level meeting where the launch decision was being made.

Moreover, for security purposes, all junior personnel involved in the "Decapitation Strike" had been required to surrender their personal phones and were forbidden from contacting the outside world.

Ding Chenghai’s brow furrowed deeply, his round, chubby face creasing into worried lines.

Then, he suddenly remembered the signal receiver he had given Lin Feng. The device could pick up radio waves; a message could be sent with any ordinary radio set...

As it happened, there was a decommissioned radio set in the logistics warehouse.

Using the excuse of needing the restroom, Ding Chenghai left the data processing center and went to a cluttered warehouse, where he dug out a dusty, old-fashioned radio set.

After powering it on, he keyed in a string of numbers and symbols.

’Damn it. I hope you find a spare moment to notice the flashing light on that receiver,’

Ding Chenghai grumbled to himself as he sent the message.

Meanwhile, in the high-level meeting, the Federation’s high command had already authorized the frontline Thirteenth Division to use the earth-penetrating Cloud Burst Bomb.

At a military base thousands of miles away, dark gray strategic bombers were already loaded with several heavy guided missiles. They only needed to lock onto the signal from the beacons on the Tiger Spine Zergs to achieve long-range tracking and a precision strike.

As three strategic bombers took off, the Federation’s first experimental "Decapitation Strike" entered its final phase.

Meanwhile, in Wu City, an even more intense debate was raging inside the division headquarters, located behind the third line of defense.

Although high command had given its authorization, the ferocious battle on the front lines had put the senior officers of the Thirteenth Division in a dilemma.

Two days had passed since the Swarm reached the city walls and the battle began. According to the Zerg Race’s original schedule, their advance should have already pushed past the second line of defense...

Therefore, it was highly likely that the construction of the Zerg Race Nest was about to reach the first line of defense.

The Mother Empress would very likely appear in the underground location where the Tiger Spine Zergs had gathered.

The large number of Tiger Spine Zergs appearing during the day also served to corroborate the Zerg Race behavioral data sent by the Research Institute.

All of this meant...

The Mother Empress was about to arrive beneath the defense line.

The division headquarters had a choice: either have the ten-thousand-plus defenders break out and escape the blast radius of the earth-penetrating Cloud Burst Bomb, or fire the missile and kill everyone—human and Zerg alike.

As for canceling the "Decapitation Strike" on the grounds of poor timing, that was clearly the least likely option.

Too many people had poured their blood, sweat, and tears into this—humanity’s only chance to defeat the Alien Zerg Race. Even if it meant gambling with ten thousand lives, they would not hesitate to place the bet.

So the question was whether to have the frontline defenders break out of the soon-to-collapse bunkers.

Or have them hold their ground and complete the mop-up operation.

Most of the generals leaned toward the former option: pull back the frontline forces first and consolidate the second line of defense.

But Major General Cheng, seated at the far end of the table, voiced his dissent:

"No. If they try to break out now, they’ll be surrounded and cut off by the Swarm emerging from behind the lines. Without the protection of the defensive line or any vehicles, the companies are bound to suffer heavy casualties."

"Don’t forget our breakout from Hai City. We lost nearly forty percent of our personnel overnight."

"And those were career soldiers with extensive training. The new recruits on the front lines now have no experience fighting as a cohesive unit. The losses will be even greater!"

"Issue the order for them to retreat to the main fortresses outside the strike zone! Even if we launch the earth-penetrating missile, it will destroy six or seven main fortresses at most. The others will still be usable!"

"If the Decapitation Strike succeeds, these soldiers can mop up the leaderless Swarm on the spot. If it fails, we still can’t just hand over the crucial first line of defense so easily!"

Cheng Zhan grew more agitated as he spoke. Although most of the officers present outranked him, as the commander of the Awakened Camp, he wielded considerable influence.

After all, the veteran Awakeners had all served under him.

As he laid out his argument, he quickly persuaded some of the undecided officers, especially the newly promoted mid-level commanders. Their men were on the front lines, and if they pulled them back as Cheng Zhan implied, and then the Decapitation Strike succeeded...

...they wouldn’t get to claim much of the credit.

Since it was a gamble either way, they might as well stay put.

The vote was taken, and the final plan was issued:

Soldiers were to be notified to retreat from three locations: two on the southern front and the outpost bunker at the service area.

The ones on the main defense line were fine; they could use passageways to reach other main fortresses. But the outpost at the service area wasn’t connected to the frontline defenses...

Their only option was to break out.

"Have them execute the order at once. We’re launching the missiles in twenty minutes. Impact will be in three."

"Meeting adjourned! Everyone get to your posts!" 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

With the division commander’s final decision made, the communications officers began transmitting the division’s orders. After leaving the meeting room, Cheng Zhan went to the radio room.

Seeing the busy communications personnel inside, he walked over to the soldier preparing to transmit the order and said:

"Just transmit the order for the main defense line. The service area outpost is manned by my subordinate, Captain Li Ran. I’ve already spoken with him. The target is still a good distance from their bunker, and they want to hold their position and keep fighting..."

"Breaking out now would only lead to heavy casualties. It’s better to wait for the outcome of the launch before deciding what to do."

The communications soldier was just a regular technician, a Private First Class at most. Even his direct superior was only a captain. Faced with an order from a Major General, he was in no position to refuse.

Besides, the soldiers stationed at the outpost were Cheng Zhan’s own troops...

He had no reason to sabotage his own unit.

With that in mind, the communications soldier, who had planned on checking with his superior first, canceled the encoded transmission to the outpost’s radio.

Cheng Zhan nodded. After turning and leaving the communications room, the corners of his mouth curved upward into a triumphant, sinister smirk.

’After communicating the battle plan to the Mother Empress, everything was proceeding steadily according to her plan.’

But what Cheng Zhan hadn’t expected was that the Tiger Spine Zergs sent to test the Superpower Bullet Awakener at the outpost would be ambushed by Lin Feng!

’He wasn’t even part of the Beacon plan!’

This had infuriated both him and the Mother Empress!

’The plan to test the waters backfired, and we ended up with a major loss!’

’So this time, I’ll use the humans’ own hands to destroy this powerfully armed Fortress!’

「Meanwhile, inside the outpost bunker.」

Watching the roiling army of Black Spine Zergs charge forward wave after wave, fearless of death, Lin Feng frowned slightly.

Because he hadn’t yet made a move.

In other directions, however, Li Ran, Shen Jie, and the others wielded Steam Hammer Shotguns, frantically mowing down the large, Tier One Late Stage Black Spine Zergs.

More than two hours had passed since nightfall, yet there had been no sign of a single Tiger Spine Zerg.

Just then, a panicked cry from Chen Yanyan crackled through the walkie-talkie on his chest:

"Lin Feng!"

"There’s a problem!"

"Several Tier Two Tiger Spine Zergs have appeared in the Underground Wormhole beneath the outpost!"

"It looks like they’re getting ready to come up from underground..."

"To break through the ground and attack!"