Chapter Ninety-Eight: Crisis! Crisis! Chu Xiao Is Doomed

“I…” Wang Lulu stared fixedly at Chu Xiao, but before she could finish speaking, a sudden explosion interrupted them.

The red level one alarm blared instantly, and the broadcast began shouting.

“The Underworld King’s machine army is coming! Prepare for battle!”

“The machine army is coming! Prepare for battle!” Chu Xiao cast a deep look at Wang Lulu, then pressed a heavy, lingering kiss onto her forehead.

“I’m leaving! Take good care of yourself! I want to hear you say that sentence with your own lips!” Chu Xiao turned and plunged into the inferno engulfing the mountains.

Ji Kai Cheng had been patrolling atop the fortress when the sound of explosions suddenly rang in his ears, the shock making his head buzz.

Damn it! What on earth is happening? He struggled to stand, shook his head to clear it, then grabbed his binoculars to survey the distance.

He realized the Underworld King’s army hadn’t even reached their usual firing range, yet they were already launching shells with tremendous force.

The weapons of Jiuzhou simply couldn’t reach them! Panic surged within Ji Kai Cheng, but he quickly calmed himself.

Don’t panic! There must be a way! But what way? The Underworld King’s machines had a firing range far beyond Jiuzhou’s weapons.

What were they to do? Shell after shell rained down on the Mingzhu fortress. Meanwhile, Yanjing was facing the same dire threat.

Clearly, the Underworld King was not coming to negotiate; he intended to swallow both Mingzhu and Yanjing whole. This was evidently premeditated.

Commander One remained composed, calmly directing the battlefield.

“Everyone, don’t panic! Activate the emergency protective shield!” With a single command, the shield engaged.

This shield was Commander One’s main achievement in recent days. Utilizing nanotechnology, it was fireproof, waterproof, and explosion-resistant, with remarkable flexibility. It dispersed the force of heavy blows evenly, minimizing damage to any one part.

Commander One had developed it to protect the fortress, as the Underworld King’s machine army frequently breached it, making repairs a constant hassle. The nanotech shield greatly enhanced defense and reduced casualties.

The soldiers breathed a collective sigh of relief, but Commander One quickly snapped them back to attention.

“This shield will crack eventually! Stay vigilant! You hold the line here; the rest, come with me to find a solution!” Commander One ordered loudly.

Several soldiers, carrying heavy machinery, followed Commander One to the edge of the fortress to find firing positions targeting the machines.

Mingzhu City. Chu Xiao arrived at the fortress to find devastating losses. Ji Kai Cheng spotted him immediately.

“General Chu! You’ve finally arrived!” Ji Kai Cheng rushed forward and grabbed him.

“The Underworld King is attacking us from long range. Their position is already beyond our firing range!” Ji Kai Cheng cried out.

Chu Xiao was stunned.

“How could this be? I was only a few minutes late and everything turned to ruin!”

“Stay calm! There must be a way! It’s just a matter of range!”

“How much range are we short?” Chu Xiao snatched the binoculars and gazed into the distance, turning to Ji Kai Cheng.

“One thousand meters!” Ji Kai Cheng spoke each word deliberately. Chu Xiao nearly threw the binoculars down at the figure.

“One thousand meters? Are you kidding me? Impossible!”

One thousand meters meant Jiuzhou’s weapons simply couldn’t reach the Underworld King’s forces, leaving them forever passive and vulnerable.

No matter how strong the fortress, it would eventually be breached! This was unacceptable—they could not remain passive.

The Underworld King was forcing humanity out of their comfort zone to fight! If that was the case, so be it.

“Units One, Three, and Five, suit up in armor and gas masks and come with me! Units Two, Four, and Six, hold the city’s defenses!” Chu Xiao commanded. The soldiers hesitated.

Everyone knew the chances of survival outside the protective shield were slim! No one wanted to leave that warm sanctuary.

Yet the Underworld King was forcing humanity out of their comfort. There was no alternative.

“What are you hesitating for? I’m going with you! Men, are we afraid to die?” Chu Xiao shouted angrily, hoisting the ‘Solar Fire’ Model Three weapon.

The ‘Solar Fire’ Model Three combined sniper and automatic fire modes, easily switching between them.

It was convenient to use and immensely powerful.

“What are you standing there for? Move!” Chu Xiao urged sharply, quickly donning his protective suit and gas mask.

“Yes, sir!” The men no longer hesitated. As the saying went: if I don’t enter hell, who will? A force of nine thousand marched out boldly.

Chu Xiao handed control of the city to Ji Kai Cheng but led the troops himself. The nine thousand maintained communications, a feat made possible only by the hackers’ tremendous efforts carving a line under the Underworld King’s watchful eyes.

“Everyone, follow my orders. Find cover! Focus on sniping! Do not expose your positions!” Chu Xiao instructed quietly.

The nine thousand dispersed across the vast plains, their once large formation scattering into a small, elusive target.

Because the target was so numerous, the machine army could not lock on effectively—a key weakness.

Jiuzhou warriors relied on their small stature, hiding within buildings, seeking optimal sniper nests.

Meanwhile, automatic riflemen found positions to cover the snipers. They formed a semi-encirclement of the Underworld King’s forces.

Chu Xiao pressed his microphone.

“All units, commence attack! Automatic riflemen cover the snipers!” The battle began. The humanoid robots and mechanical dogs on the outermost perimeter were the first to be hit.

The attack immediately drew the attention of the large robots. The snipers fired one shot, one kill—headshots all.

Of course, there were exceptions.

Zhu Ge, captain of the First Unit, led from the front, shielding the snipers.

Chu Xiao stood beside him.

Suddenly, a mechanical dog slipped away from the group’s gaze. Receiving orders from the Underworld King, it singled out Chu Xiao and launched an attack.

The dog raced toward Chu Xiao, zigzagging in an S-shaped path, making sniping impossible.

Chu Xiao didn’t notice the mechanical dog beside him. By the time he reacted, it was only a few feet away.

The mechanical dog didn’t stop to fire shells; it opened its gaping maw and charged at Chu Xiao.

At the critical moment, Chu Xiao hastily raised the Solar Fire weapon to shield himself.