Chapter 239: Want to Raid My Home?

Chapter 239: Are They Coming for My Home?

For Shen Yue, the rescue of Qian Island Lake Town was merely an insignificant interlude.

Just two level‑four monsters, nothing more than two rocket launchers and a single 152mm mortar.

He was too lazy even to greet the civilians.

After all, he never fancied himself a savior, nor intended to spare his already scarce manpower to shepherd those people onward.

The monsters are dead, the intel is delivered—what more could be asked of me?

Thus, he couldn't be bothered to spare even a glance.

After a swift update of the mission log on his PDA, he led his squad back.

His mind was already saturated with the two DF‑26 missiles stowed in the truck; nothing else could now penetrate his thoughts.

Yet, unlike him, Chen Jian, who had seen the report, regarded his actions with genuine admiration.

“Ah, I always said Shen Yue had the makings of a political officer,”

“Look how deftly he handled it—solved the problem, saved lives, and sidestepped any further trouble.”

“It was wise not to over‑communicate with those folks; at a moment like this, dialogue might broaden our reach, yet within the Mechanical Church’s stronghold, such overtures could prove unwise.”

“Maintain an air of mystery—lure them first, and let them discover the truth on their own.”

“Not bad, not bad—this kid is truly impressive.”

When Chen’s words faded, Lei Jie pursed his lips and chuckled:

“Do you really think he avoids meeting people because of that?”

“Captain, you know the saying ‘a mouse leaves no grain for the night’? He’s merely eager to return and examine the treasure he just uncovered.”

“Enough.”

Chen Jian cut Lei Jie off, shooting him a glare:

“How could I not understand him? A gentleman is judged by deeds, not by heart—do you get that?”

“Who else would dismantle his own comrade’s platform like you do?”

“If you put it that way, I’d tear down not one but two.”

Lei Jie twisted his slightly stiff neck and continued:

“It’s almost six o’clock.”

“Compared with Shen Yue’s side, things aren’t going as smoothly here.”

“There are too many eager to be in the first convoy; those Holy‑Blooded have no organizational experience, turning the whole affair into a chaotic exodus.”

“The ranks are so scattered—can they truly traverse the thousand‑plus kilometers southward?”

“Losses are inevitable.”

Chen’s tone grew somber; after a pause, he pressed on:

“Yet the fact that they’re willing to go is a blessing.”

“Monsters have grown increasingly prone to assault human settlements; staying here might mean none of us survive.”

“Heading south, even with losses, should keep casualties under ten percent.”

“When weighed against each other, they truly have no real choice.”

“Indeed.”

Lei Jie nodded thoughtfully, then added:

“That said, those two nuclear blasts were genuinely effective.”

“Without those detonations, had we not eliminated that level‑two beast, they likely wouldn’t have been so proactive about the relocation.”

“Perhaps we can brand future nuclear blasts as our calling card.”

“Its persuasive power far outstrips the hollow theatrics the Mechanical Church peddles.”

“So how many do you intend to detonate? Do you even have that many at your disposal?”

Chen Jian rolled his eyes.

“Besides, those nukes are aging; their blasts aren’t clean—there’s always lingering radiation.”

“Excessive detonations merely compress the space in which we survive.”

“Damn, I’m just rambling.”

Lei Jie gave a casual reply and fell silent.

At that moment, Xie Yuan, the officer in charge of civilian relocation, strode over.

“Gentlemen, the convoy has been assembled.”

“In this wave, fourteen hundred civilians are set to trek southward toward Jinling.”

“We’ve dispatched two hundred and sixty Holy‑Blooded to escort and safeguard the migration.”

“Under normal circumstances, safety should pose no major issue.”

“As long as we avoid monsters above level three, even if we can’t slay them, we can still manage.”

“However.”

“To forestall mishaps, we still hope you’ll assign a squad to accompany us.” “In that case—”

“—this will bolster the civilians’ confidence.”

“Understood.”

Chen Jian nodded, then gestured:

“Huang Meng, come here!”

The squad leader Huang Meng answered the call, approached Chen, who briefly briefed him on Xie Yuan’s role before speaking:

“He will lead the escort for your southward march.”

“If any issues arise, you may confer with him.”

“When we’re absent, he speaks for us.”

The words hung in the air as a complex expression flickered across Huang Meng’s face.

Both exhilaration and dread surged within him.

“Commander, I—”

“I know what you’re about to say.”

Chen Jian waved his hand to cut Huang short, then continued:

“I have no time to let you practice at leisure.”

“Whatever you lack, learn it on the battlefield.”

“When puzzled, ask Fuxi and Zhanlu directly.”

“They’ll resolve most of your dilemmas.”

"If there's truly something you can't handle, contact me; I'll find a way for you."

"Yes!"

Huang Meng snapped to attention and saluted Chen Jian.

He was still a little bewildered, yet in a daze he felt an immense sense of security.

That security sprang partly from a rare, profound trust he had never known before, and partly from the commander’s final words.

"If it truly can't be solved, I will find a way."

Such a powerful backing truly erased all his lingering worries.

In an instant, Huang Meng’s demeanor seemed to shift subtly.

When he looked again at Xie Yuan, he was no longer merely a soldier under Chen Jian, but one of the emissaries of the Huaxia army abroad.

The rapid, uncanny transformation even surprised Xie Yuan, yet he asked nothing, dutifully carrying out his mission.

Soon, the time to depart arrived; the massive force gathered beyond the city walls surged southward in grand procession.

Chen Jian, with Lei Jie, Xie Liu, Ji Xing, and Li Shi, split from the main column, while the still‑wild Xu He, upon entering the Imperial Capital, was reassigned to the Sacred Blood Hall’s ranks, becoming one of the escorting Sacred Blood bearers.

Five of them piloted a tank and a heavy assault vehicle, escorting three trucks laden with nuclear warheads at the vanguard, while the massive rear contingent trailed at a slower yet resolutely steady pace.

Amid swirling smoke and dust, Chen Jian turned his head back and, with a hint of melancholy, said:

"After this return, another of our weak points will have been patched."

"Once we sort out the resource issue, we can finally start farming properly."

"Indeed."

Lei Jie nodded and said:

"The resource problem isn’t hard; there’s plenty of steel, we just need to look in the right places."

"However, as it stands, we must first weather the beast tide."

"Let’s see."

Chen Jian shook his head and replied:

"We always thought the beast tide was a single wave, but now it seems that’s not the case."

"What we called a single‑wave tide may have been merely a crest; the struggle against it could be a prolonged affair."

"Commander."

Before Chen Jian could finish, a voice of Fuxi rang in his ears.

He fell silent at once, and Fuxi continued:

"Urgent intelligence from the Mechanical Cult."

"Two minutes ago, Tianjin City was struck by a whale‑eel assault, severely damaging the coastal production zone."

"Witnesses report the creature is heading southward."

Chen Jian’s brow furrowed instantly.

Southward?

What does that mean? Is it coming to raid my home?

Then it depends on whether you have the skill to stop it.

(End of chapter)