Ch 21: Interplanetary Planting Master

Rescue

Dark Beasts, a term used in ancient Earth history to describe alien invasion monsters. From 2014 to Stardate 1021, humanity engaged in a thousand-year tug-of-war with Dark Beasts. Throughout the war, thousands of planets were destroyed, countless human lives were lost, yet the Dark Beasts, like a persistent plague, seemed endless and impossible to eradicate.

Humanity still doesn’t know where the Dark Beasts come from. Do they have a social structure? Why, in such a vast universe, do they relentlessly pursue humans? Too many questions plague humanity, but one thing is certain: there is no retreat. Facing the Dark Beasts, humanity’s only option is a fight to the death.

The moment the Beast Tide appeared, Lin Ji and Zhuang Wei simultaneously looked at the sky. “Why would there be a Beast Tide on Broken Star?” They exchanged glances, their expressions turning severe.

Zhuang Wei twisted open the space button he carried, revealing a red mech. He climbed into the mech’s cockpit via the mechanical arm and invited Lin Ji, “If Colonel Lin doesn’t mind, you can come with me. We need to get back to the Iris as soon as possible. It might be our only way off Broken Star alive.”

Lin Ji declined Zhuang Wei’s offer. “Thank you, General Zhuang, but I’m afraid the people on the Iris might not welcome my presence.” He was self-aware; the name Iris and the black uniforms of the Seventh Corps were undoubtedly linked to the events of the Iris Star campaign. Lin Ji took a few steps to the edge of the building and asked Zhuang Wei one last question, “General Zhuang, did you come to Broken Star to find Han Qi?”

Zhuang Wei nodded. “Han Qi encrypted the message he sent me. It took me three years to trace the source, which led me to Broken Star.”

Lin Ji smiled bitterly, “With the Beast Tide, Broken Star might be the next Iris Star. General Zhuang, your efforts may be in vain.”

With that, Lin Ji leaped off the building, disappearing into the ruins. Zhuang Wei watched him go, his lips moving slightly, “Survive.” Without further delay, he closed the mech’s cockpit and contacted his team.

“Major Lu, this is Zhuang Wei. Where are you?”

Static noise responded. Zhuang Wei’s face darkened as he spread his sensory field. A few kilometers away, the combatants had already disengaged, with the black mechs retreating hastily towards the Iris. His personal guards remained in place, and Zhuang Wei, operating his mech, left to reunite with them.

In Ruins Area A-8, Lu Li attempted to connect to the team channel for the third time, only to be met with the distinctive noise of electromagnetic interference. He disconnected, set the energy output to maximum, and without hesitation, chose to head towards Area A-3 to find Su He.

Before the Beast Tide appeared, Lu Li had been on his way to Area A-9 following Liao Kai’s report. He now regretted not being more forceful in keeping Su He on the Iris or not being driven by hatred, which scattered his first team across the ruins when the Beast Tide struck.

But who could have anticipated a Beast Tide on Broken Star? This place isn’t an energy star, a military star, or even a residential star. What reason could there be for a Beast Tide here? Lu Li was puzzled, unable to fathom the cause. If there was any value to Broken Star, it was probably equivalent to General Zhuang alone. A shocking thought hit Lu Li like lightning. Countless clues swirled, and his mind raced like a top-tier computer. He forced himself to focus on the immediate task: surviving and escaping.

As his mech sped through the ruins, Lu Li extended his senses as far as possible. The cacophony of the urgent rain, the agitation of Dark Beasts in the wasteland, the explosive sounds of Dark Beasts falling from space, the frantic cries of people… all these sounds flooded in. He frowned slightly; this was a nightmare for any sentinel. Silently, he expanded his sensory field, covering several surrounding areas.

Amidst the chaos, Lu Li located Liao Kai and the others, confirming they were heading back to the Iris. Relieved, he soon realized his relief was premature. The first wave of blue-glowing Dark Beasts had reached the surface, with one blocking his path.

Lu Li had never seen this type of Dark Beast before. It resembled an octopus, with a head the size of a room and over twenty wriggling tentacles, moving towards him faster than he expected. As it flew, blue sparks crackled, disturbing the air’s magnetic field. Lu Li guessed this was why his terminal system was down.

Drawing his light sword, Lu Li didn’t retreat but advanced, meeting the blue-glowing Dark Beast head-on. Predictably, Broken Star would soon be overwhelmed by Dark Beasts, just like Iris Star. In such a situation, the only way out was to fight through. His light sword gleamed brightly as he leapt from the ruins, aiming at the octopus’s eyes. Its tentacles lashed out, entangling the sword. Lu Li pressed forward, his left arm transforming into a mini railgun, aiming at the creature’s head.

The air vibrated as the black mech swiftly retreated, moving gracefully despite its size. With a thunderous boom, the octopus’s head exploded, black blood splattering and hissing as it corroded surfaces.

Lu Li’s frown deepened at the sight of the highly corrosive blood, a significant threat to mechs. Slashing his way forward, he still had some distance to cover to reach Area A-3.

When the first wave of Dark Beasts landed, news of the Beast Tide finally reached the underground. The surface crowd frantically fled below, thinking a few dozen meters underground would save them. The Silent Corps reacted swiftly, their camouflaged walls opening to release various mechs. Some were military-grade like Lu Li’s, while others were modified civilian models, more suited for mining.

Sentinel Caron, now awake and heavily injured, struggled into his mech. “Follow me out, staying here means death,” he growled, heading towards the starship on the far side of the central ruins.

Core residents moved in the opposite direction of the fleeing surface crowd, trying to escape to the surface. The underground’s temporary safety wouldn’t last once the Beast Tide breached it.

The commotion outside stirred Su He. Emerging from his burrow, he was bombarded by waves of fear and despair, his mental barrier shaking under the emotional assault. The underground was chaos, cries and screams amplifying the darkness within people’s hearts, bombarding Su He’s mind.

Pale-faced, Su He reinforced his mental barrier. Hearing about the Beast Tide, he recalled Lu Li’s memories. With images of towering creatures and the alternating figures of Han Rui and Lu Li in his mind, Su He left his belongings and ran towards the surface against the fleeing crowd.

In the distance, Lu Li decapitated another blue octopus. Though he dodged most of the corrosive blood, a few drops landed on his mech, sizzling and eating through metal. Blue-glowing Dark Beasts descended like stars, turning the surface into a luminescent blue sea. His railgun spun, clearing a path. Feeling Su He’s strong call, his hand trembled slightly.

Was Su He in danger? Would he fear the Beast Tide? Could he protect himself until Lu Li arrived? The sentinel’s instincts tormented him, compelling him to reach Su He immediately.

In the underground pipes, Su He’s progress was slow due to the crowd trying to enter. Though the Silent Corps had carved a bloody path, gaps quickly filled with people. Struggling through, Su He felt a sense of crisis. Rolling to the ground, he saw a blue octopus’s acid eat through the metal where he stood.

Shouts of “Save me, Dark Beast!” echoed, creating a temporary space around the man. Ugly, flesh-colored tentacles emerged, corroding the metal, and a blue octopus bit down on the man.

Panic ensued, but the disturbance cleared Su He’s path. Dodging more creatures, he saw the exit ahead but the crowd pushed back. A massive blue beast blocked the way.

“Su He!”

Lu Li, piloting his mech, arrived, sensing Su He’s presence. The surface was nearly empty of humans, with blue octopuses swimming in the air. Slashing at the beast blocking the exit, he shouted, “Jump!”

Su He threw a handful of seeds, creating a web of vines. Enveloped, he shot upwards as the beast fell, and the green vines extended. Looking down, he saw a sea of glowing blue octopuses.

“Su He!”

The black mech rose, Lu Li’s voice like a savior’s call. The vines withered, and Lu Li shouted, “Jump!”

Su He leaped, the black hawk catching him mid-air. Extending a hand, Lu Li had the hawk lower Su He into the mech’s cockpit, where he fell into Lu Li’s arms.

🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺

Thingyan: Well well well what have we here, a damsel in distress