Chapter 158: The Corpse Driver

"General, the ascent orbit hall is fully prepared!"

On the elevated platform in Zone E, the deputy officer rushed over to report urgently.

Tap-tap-tap!

Under artillery fire, more and more anomalies and eerie entities emerged—these monsters were far more aggressive than zombies, causing massive casualties.

Boom!

The shell exploded; a missile struck a mist spider perched atop a high-rise, sending the giant creature crashing into the building beside the street, its glass facade shattering in a cascade of fragments.

Zhang Dingzhong held a machine gun at the front, his thermal weapons swiftly mowing down the monsters' lives.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

From the sky, the colossal tentacles of the atmospheric mothercloud slowly descended over the city, bringing down entire buildings; even the airport's searchlights could not reveal its full scale.

Vrrrrm!

A pale white light flashed suddenly for an instant.

"General, look!"

"What is that?!"

At that moment, the soldiers of the Taitiewei who were still resisting all turned pale, staring toward the center of Yubei City.

Zhang Dingzhong halted his fire, his gaze following theirs—and his pupils shrank instantly.

In the heart of the city, amid darkness and mist, a towering black humanoid shadow slowly emerged—roughly estimated at over a hundred meters tall, its arms nearly dragging on the ground, its back adorned with strange, wing-like bony ridges. It stood at the city's center, as if gazing toward the direction of Airport One.

"The Corpse Driver?"

Zhang Dingzhong stared at the shadow, his expression grim: "Exactly as the intel described."

The colossal figure resembled an alien lifeform, radiating overwhelming pressure that sent chills down every spine.

On the high walls, the Taitiewei officers, led by Zhang Dingzhong, stood frozen, staring at the humanoid giant as if it were some higher-dimensional human entity—just one glance made their scalps tingle.

Ever since the colossal Corpse Driver appeared, everyone felt that the countless anomalies, zombies, and even the jellyfish in the sky were being herded like livestock toward the airport.

"Is its target us?"

"Previous sightings all occurred along the timeline of the Eternal Night..."

One officer cried out: "Are we being driven like prey, herded all the way here, only to be slaughtered en masse?"

"No wonder so many zombies are charging in one direction."

Zhang Dingzhong's eyes flickered as he stared at the towering figure, then spoke slowly: "Doesn't it feel like it's casting a net to catch fish?"

In fishing, several boats cast nets and drive fish toward a specific angle, narrowing the circle until the prey is trapped, then hauled aboard.

These endless hordes of zombies and anomalies were like layers of an impenetrable net, driven by the Corpse Driver along the edge of the Eternal Night, herding humans like insects.

"Now that you mention it... it does sound like that."

"Fishing?"

One officer's expression turned grave: "We thought these monsters simply lurked in darkness, hunting randomly. But if this is true, then the thirteen Star Abysses across Blue Planet..."

"Aren't they just thirteen expanding nets!"

His words crushed everyone with suffocating pressure.

As everyone vaguely realized the Eternal Night seemed conscious, hunting humans, fear gave way to helplessness—and rage.

"Fuck, they're treating us like fish!" one officer snarled.

"To hell with this..."

"Where the hell did these things come from?!"

Everyone cursed furiously.

"Looks like we were right—the moment that thing appeared, the monsters went berserk. We can't hold much longer, General, we have to retreat!" Ma Xiaotang shouted urgently to Zhang Dingzhong.

Vrrrm!

The airport's air defense weapons fired at full capacity, relentlessly destroying monsters descending from the sky.

Ugh! Ugh!

The tidal wave of zombie hordes roared like thunder.

"Retreat?"

"If we pull back, these beasts will surge forward faster than a flood—everyone inside will be slaughtered."

"Exactly! If we leave, everyone inside is dead!" another deputy officer stepped forward.

Zhang Dingzhong watched countless anomalies, black worms, and grotesque monsters frenzying toward the platform; beneath the walls, corpses piled like mountains.

Boom! Boom!

Another fighter jet crashed, burning brightly before slamming into a city street and exploding violently.

Zhang Dingzhong surveyed the entire Yubei City—the tidal wave of zombies and monsters, and the towering Corpse Driver at its center—and his brow furrowed as he sighed.

"I left when Fengcheng fell. I left when Chong'an fell. I left when Xinglong fell..."

"Today, Zhang Dingzhong isn't leaving."

At these words, every officer's expression shifted slightly, a glimmer of resolve hardening in their eyes.

"All personnel!"

"Present!"

"At all costs, hold the airport! Ensure the people in the ascent hall evacuate successfully!" "Yes!" Everyone responded in unison, eyes resolute.

"Ma Xiaotang!"

"Present!" Ma Xiaotang stepped forward without hesitation, eyes blazing.

"Bring out the big cannon."

"Yes!"

Zhang Dingzhong walked forward, staring at the atmospheric mothercloud above and the Corpse Driver at the city's heart, his gaze icy, a faint smile forming.

"You think we're fish? Then let you see what a torpedo is."

Inside the ascent orbit hall, tension was thick; armed survivors on their vehicles gripped their weapons, watching the distant hall entrance, waiting for Taitiewei troops to arrive and evacuate them.

Bai Shuang and the emergency team members also waited for news from the front.

!

Beep~

At that moment, Bai Shuang's communicator buzzed; she snatched it up immediately.

"Emergency Team here. Emergency Team here. All personnel are ready. You may evacuate."

Beep.

"Director Bai, General Zhang orders all convoys to enter the ascent orbit immediately. Repeat: all convoys enter the ascent orbit immediately!"

"Wh... what?"

Bai Shuang's face paled instantly. She frantically pressed the talk button—only to find the line already disconnected.

Wei Kexue and the others nearby stared, dumbfounded.

"They... aren't evacuating?"

"What does that mean...?"

"It hasn't even been two hours yet!"

"Did the Taitiewei run into trouble?"

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Outside the ascent orbit hall, artillery fire roared across the sky. Bai Shuang clenched her communicator tightly, breathing rapidly, lips trembling. She understood at once—her gaze hardened as she commanded the emergency team:

"Everyone, get in your vehicles. Prepare for departure."

Wei Kexue froze, then took a deep breath and began operating the controls to disable the ascent elevator's safety locks.

Meanwhile, three other trains—Lin Xian, Jian Xuwēi, and Shi Diyuan—all received Bai Shuang's notification.

In thirty seconds, initiate the "Towing Plan"!

"We're leaving. Everyone, get ready."

Inside the "Infinity," Lin Xian alerted the others and the following convoy.

"The Taitiewei didn't come back."

Chen Sixuan stared grimly at Lin Xian.

"I know," Lin Xian replied, his expression complex. He lowered his voice: "You... find seats and sit down."

With the departure order issued, all "passengers" were now inside the ascent orbit hall...

Chen Sixuan and Shasha entered Car One, found a secure spot; Kiki also entered the cockpit, ready to assist Lin Xian in emergencies.

Daliu and Lu Xingchen settled into their seats in the nuclear-powered locomotive, fastening their seatbelts.

Ding Junyi walked alone to the research cabin, found a corner with handholds, and crouched on the floor, waiting for departure.

Behind them, Xu Jin, Shu Qin, Old Mo, Jiang Yun, and others gripped whatever they could, the atmosphere thick with tension.

【30, 29, 28...】

【20, 19, 18...】

【10, 9, 8...】

【5】

【4】

【3】

【2】

【1】

Wooooo!!!!!!

In an instant, all the train engines roared, and the horizon gate on the rail tracks slowly descended, locking into place with a faint glow.

At once, Lin Xian, Jian Xuwei, Shi Di, and Bai Shuang spoke together:

"Initiate, prepare to ascend!"

(End of Chapter)