Chapter 340: Reconnaissance

Chapter 340: Reconnaissance

The mountain city.

Hidden within a tower on the fringe of the urban sprawl, Chen Jian peered through the window, his gaze fixed on the vague silhouette of a monster shrouded in distant mist.

On his PDA, data on the creature refreshed incessantly.

[Height: over 20 meters]

[Exhibits numerous known biological traits]

[No discernible offensive organs detected]

[No feeding or hunting behavior observed]

[Capable of partially withstanding low-yield, close-range nuclear blasts]

[Surface bears no obvious wounds]

[Movement sluggish, under ten kilometers per hour]

As the intel refreshed, Chen Jian turned to Ji Xing beside him and asked:

“Are you certain this is the same beast you encountered before?”

“It doesn’t look at all like something that could wipe out an elite Sanctified Blood squad.”

“Its defenses are formidable; at less than three kilometers it can shrug off a two‑megaton tactical nuclear warhead.”

“But what of its means of attack?”

“Are you sure it attacked you, rather than you turning on each other under hallucination?”

“No, absolutely not.”

Ji Xing shook his head and said:

“Most of that creature’s bulk must be buried underground; I suspect it resembles a ‘sandworm’ of some sort.”

“The portion above ground is merely bait to lure prey; the true body melds with the terrain, forming a vast trap zone.”

“By the time we saw it, it was already too late.”

“We lingered in the snare too long; the moment we could react, casualties had already mounted.”

“The scene was hazy, yet I could just make out the monster launching an assault from beneath.”

“That assessment aligns with what we observe now.”

“Its crawl is so slow likely because its subterranean bulk drags it down.”

“Makes sense.”

Chen Jian gave a slight nod, switching his smart visor to infrared long‑range mode.

From that perspective, he could see with clarity the juncture where the monster’s body met the earth.

He hadn’t noticed before, but at Ji Xing’s prompting, a closer look revealed a clue.

The creature’s form clung tightly to the ground, its thermal signature spilling onto the soil, creating a sweltering, swamp‑like patch.

A mere crawl across the surface could not generate such a radiating heat field.

Where it stands, the ground should bear a heat imprint matching its shape—that would be normal.

Yet clearly this was not the case here.

Chen Jian furrowed his brow slightly and continued:

“If the body is fused to the earth, how does it move?”

“By stretching its tissues? Or does the subterranean half shift in tandem as it moves?”

“The latter is impossible.”

Ji Xing adjusted his prone stance, lifted his grenade launcher to eye level, took careful aim, and said:

“Six‑point‑two kilometers away.”

“At that range none of our gear can reach the creature.”

“Our mortars top out at five kilometers—simply insufficient.”

“Pressing forward would be far too hazardous.”

“I recall sprinting at full speed for over ten minutes before I escaped the danger.”

“Working backwards, given its chase speed, the trap zone must extend roughly five kilometers.”

“We’re already on the brink of peril; any further advance would be unavoidable.”

“Understood.”

Chen Jian himself had no intention of pressing onward.

Until He Shuo’s team is ready and the micro‑reactor arrives, he will not undertake any risky gambit.

However

perhaps a drone could be tried?

Chen Jian paused briefly, then said:

“Launch a drone toward it.”

“8.6 mm rounds won’t inflict real damage, but they should at least harass it.”

“Even coaxing it to move would be a win.”

“The more data we gather, the easier subsequent operations become.”

“Got it!”

Ji Xing, without a hint of hesitation, launched the Puffer drone.

In the open expanse, the drone’s signal range expanded; after several minutes of flight, the Puffer, laden with half its ammunition load, arrived smoothly over the primary monster.

From five hundred meters aloft, looking down, the creature’s form grew ever more grotesque and terrifying.

Flesh torn by shockwaves and seared by radiant light cracked and clung to twisted bones, as if someone had crudely pasted flesh onto a desiccated puppet.

Its flattened torso lay collapsed on the ground, resembling a limp worm.

Yet it was evident it was no worm at all.

Those rigid skeletal frames could never grant it a worm‑like undulation.

So, how does it actually move?

At this moment the drone descended further.

Ji Xing glanced at Chen Jian, who returned a confirming gesture.

In an instant, the Puffer’s 8.6 mm machine gun erupted in a furious barrage.

Smoke billowed, flashes of fire punctuated the air, and a hail of rounds rained down in full force.

Bullets pierced the beast, striking bone and igniting bursts of sparks, yet the creature remained as if oblivious, still crawling in place, unmoving.

“What's going on?”

Chen Jian clearly noticed that the monster's flesh had already been torn open; even if its neural transmission were sluggish, it should be reacting by now, shouldn't it?

What the— is that part of the ground really just a lure?!

The kind that feels no pain at all??

Chen Jian furrowed his brow, pondered briefly, and then issued another command.

“Lower the altitude.”

“The creature's body appears to be... a hollow structure.”

“Find an angle and see if we can glimpse its internal architecture!”

“Understood.”

Ji Xing carefully piloted the drone lower, but at that very moment, the monster below stirred.

Accompanied by a tremendous roar, the flat flesh on the ground began to shift slowly.

The drone darted away, evading the monster's path.

The video feed flickered onto Chen Jian's smart visor; he stared intently, yet could not discern how the creature was moving.

There were no discernible limbs, no muscle contractions.

It seemed as if some unseen force were pulling it forward.

This only reinforced Chen Jian's belief in Ji Xing's assessment.

This so‑called monster is certainly more than just what lies on the ground!

The thought flashed through his mind for a heartbeat.

The next second.

“Bzz——”

Accompanied by a shrill buzzing, the drone suddenly went dark.

Chen Jian's muscles tensed in an instant.

“Did you see that??”

He turned to Ji Xing.

“I saw it.”

Ji Xing inhaled deeply and pointed toward the distant monster.

There, a cloud of dust billowed across the landscape.

The haze stretched for kilometers, cloaking the entire area.

A sight like that.

Only then did it truly match Chen Jian's criteria for a “Level‑One Monster”!

It could not be merely a single monster.

It was not simply affecting the surrounding environment.

Perhaps it is the environment itself!

“Exactly as when I first encountered it,” Ji Xing continued.

“Spikes!”

“We can now confirm those spikes grew up from the ground!”

An hour later, Chen Jian led Ji Xing back to the departure camp within the mountain city.

Upon their arrival, Yu Qian had already led his squad in a second sweep of the surroundings, establishing a dispersed warning network of sentry posts as Chen Jian had ordered.

The LAN was up and running, and wired cameras scattered about gave the temporary command post real‑time surveillance of the perimeter.

Yet such monitoring could not be sustained for long; their backup power was dwindling.

“It can hold out for at most twelve hours.”

After checking the equipment, Chen Jian frowned slightly and asked over the radio:

“He Shuo, what's the situation on your end?”

The radio waves crossed hundreds of kilometers, reaching He Shuo, and moments later, intermittent gunfire crackled in Chen Jian's headset.

“Bang bang bang bang———”

“I still need—”

“Bang bang bang bang bang——”

“Stay concealed!”

“Throw grenades to suppress!”

“I need another hour!”

He Shuo gasped for breath.

“The monsters here are nearly cleared!”

“The fight ends in an hour!”

“But I can't guarantee how long the reactor dismantling will take! I'm not a specialist!”

“Have Lei Jie fly over himself! I'll clear a landing zone for him!”

“Understood.”

The shrill gunfire made Chen Jian's eardrums throb; he swiftly switched channels and called out to Lei Jie.

“Lei Jie!”

“He Shuo's side is almost done; when can you arrive?”

“One hour.”

Lei Jie's voice was laced with the harsh whine of rotors.

“I’m taking off immediately; I’ll hover above the Hidden Water Cavern and wait.”

“Tell him to hurry!”

“Got it!”

Chen Jian cut off Lei Jie's comms, and moments later, Fu Xi's voice slipped in through the cracks.

“Image received; spare parts are being fabricated.”

“Estimated completion in one hour twenty‑four minutes, enough to repair two laser‑emission systems.”

“Commander Lei Jie has arranged subsequent transport; these spares will be delivered by Transport #2 within twenty minutes of the reactor's arrival.”

“Understood.”

Another piece of good news.

The plan was proceeding quite smoothly; at the current pace, within at most twelve hours all the equipment I need will have been delivered.

By then

Our squad, when confronting the outermost Tier‑One monsters, will at least have some effective means of inflicting damage.

Chen Jian drew a long breath, seized the water flask handed over by Ji Xing, and gulped it down in one fierce swallow.

Yet as he lowered his head, he noticed three members of the team—Guo Xu among them—praying toward the direction of Jinling.

Chen Jian couldn't help but smile wryly.

He watched them in silence, and after they rose again, he asked with a hint of teasing:

“Before you came to the Mountain City, did you ever consider the Mountain City itself as the direction of your prayers?”

Hearing Chen Jian's words, Guo Xu blinked in surprise.

Then he turned to Chen Jian, his tone solemn as he shook his head:

“No, we did not.”

“We have always prayed toward the Hall of Saints.”

“Isn't that contradictory?”

Chen Jian spread his hands in a shrug.

“You regard the Mountain City as the dwelling of the Holy Trinity, yet you do not pray toward its bearing; instead you direct your prayers to the so‑called ‘Hall of Saints’ erected by believers.”

“Do you know the phrase ‘Dao Fan Tian Gang’?”

“That expression fits you all the more perfectly.”

Chen Jian seized every chance to unsettle their faith; he knew it was likely futile, but occasionally he liked to taste the bitterness of provocation.

Yet after he finished speaking, Guo Xu's reaction surprised Chen Jian.

Far from anger, a faint smile crept onto his face.

“In truth, there is no need for you to question our belief in this manner.”

“You know, I am a member of the Imperial Guard.”

“Compared with other doctrinal protectors, I understand the precepts of the Holy Trinity more deeply.”

“Moreover, I am aware that within the doctrines we enforce lie many unreasonable clauses.”

“For instance, your so‑called ‘praying toward the Hall of Saints’ is one of them.”

“But that is of no consequence.”

“A formal error does not prove a doctrinal error; we will not, because of it, doubt the sanctity of the Holy Trinity.”

“It is not in Jinling, not in the Hall, perhaps not even in the Mountain City, nor beneath our feet.”

“Yet it is everywhere.”

“.”

Chen Jian was left speechless.

He truly was not adept at such pure ideological sparring; once back at Base 011, he ought to have He Shuo—or Shen Yue—debate him properly.

Noticing his expression, the Guo Xu opposite him shifted his tone and continued:

“Of course, we will not deny your correctness.”

“The Huaxia forces are indeed formidable; your mastery of machinery, electricity, and gunpowder has far surpassed ours.”

“In fact, your superiority extends far beyond that single point.”

“Even judging by this operation alone, setting aside the boost of your gear, we could not even approach a fraction of your level.”

“In the span of just one minute ago, you mobilized three forces and completed every preparation required.”

“You even personally took part in reconnaissance, reinforcing the frontline defense.”

“Honestly, I greatly admire you.”

“I am also grateful that you brought me into this campaign— we have learned so much.”

Guo Xu's eyes were filled with sincerity, and after his words fell, a feeling of release rose within Chen Jian's heart.

He had been drawn in.

At that moment Guo Xu probably still saw himself as a devout yet pragmatic “reformist.”

He could never have imagined that as he began to acknowledge the Huaxia army's advancement, the collapse of his faith was already unfolding unnoticed.

Chen Jian nodded calmly, then spoke:

“Whatever the case, I hope this cooperation deepens the understanding between our sides.”

“Our common enemy is this apocalypse, those monsters.”

“And now there is an additional Mountain City.”

“You should have already accepted that, shouldn’t you?”

“.I accept.”

Guo Xu let out a long sigh.

“The Mountain City has lost its status as the Holy City.”

“That clay idol has been shattered; I acknowledge that.”

“Very well.”

Chen Jian nodded with satisfaction.

Then he said:

“Then make preparations.”

“We will soon launch an assault on the first Tier‑One monster.”

“And according to the current intelligence”

“That creature will not be easy to handle.”

(End of Chapter)