Chapter 710: Spiritual Body

The shrill alarm sounded like heavenly music.

His whole body drenched in blood, he couldn't count how many times his biological armor had healed his wounds.

Chen Yangtian leaned on the rooftop of an old-style bank, gasping heavily.

He looked sorrowfully at the Military Region members who had fought their way out with him, his blood‑stained hands trembling slightly as he wiped his face.

Only 33 remained, 27 still combat‑ready, six of them seriously wounded.

From a hundred‑strong squad, only this few are left.

His heart dripped blood.

He simply could not imagine how he would face the Commander‑in‑Chief.

These soldiers were the elite of the elite, the one‑in‑a‑million seeds of the Underground City Project.

An hour ago, he was full of vigor, thinking he could safely bring back a hundred third‑rank soldiers.

But now.

The monsters downstairs had already blocked their retreat.

When the alarm ended, they would all die.

He slammed his fist hard into the ground beneath him; at this moment he could no longer keep his usual composure.

Perhaps there is still hope?

In the act of breaking out of the monster encirclement — no, when escaping the monster encirclement — 【17】 Two people burst forth with power beyond their limits, just like the researchers' description of unlocking the gene lock.

Two people erupted with power beyond their limits, exactly like the gene lock spoken of by researchers.

If not for those two's burst, even more of them would have died.

But after the burst, those two fell unconscious.

If a few more Awakened Ones who had unlocked the gene lock joined the upcoming battle, might they still survive?

Thinking of this, he steadied his spirit and cheered everyone:

"There is still hope!"

"I think, as long as we…"

A painful groan came from nearby.

An Awakened One whose lower body had been cut off starting from the abdomen clung desperately to his comrade.

His gaze was eager, full of the yearning to live.

"I… don't want to die…"

"My sister… on the Sixth Defense Line… she's all that's left…"

Blood kept pouring from his mouth.

It soaked red the soldier supporting him.

He was young, perhaps in his early twenties.

The Awakened One holding him opened his mouth, but the words of comfort he wanted to say got stuck.

Were it not for the biological armor sustaining his last breath and wrapping his slipping entrails,

This Awakened One, split open, had already died on the escape route.

His thoughts were in turmoil.

After boosting morale a bit,

Chen Yangtian had just turned his gaze to the dying soldier when several urgent shouts suddenly reached his ears.

"General Chen!"

The voice was panicked.

Several Awakened Ones stood helplessly beside the unconscious soldier.

"Number 77, Li Mingliang — something seems wrong!"

"What?!"

Chen Yangtian's face turned panicked; he took a quick step and rushed to the unconscious soldier's side.

He was the soldier suspected of having triggered the Awakening.

He saw Li Mingliang, the Awakened One, lying on the ground, dark‑red blood suddenly seeping from his mouth and nose.

His body convulsed violently, as if enduring immense pain.

A few seconds later,

In everyone's stunned silence, his vital breath was completely exhausted.

An Awakened One quickly came to his senses, instinctively feeling Li Mingliang's heart and then lifting his eyelids to check the pupils.

His heart had stopped beating, his pupils dilated.

After a moment,

His mouth went dry, and the right hand resting on his heart began to tremble.

"Chen… General Chen."

"He… he's dead…"

He staggered.

Chen Yangtian seemed to have aged ten years in an instant, his body lurching backward.

Dead?

Why did he die?!

Just a moment ago, wasn't he merely unconscious?

Shock and anger surged; he grabbed the collar of the nearby soldier and demanded repeatedly:

"Why did they die!!?"

"Just now it wasn't a status recovery, looking like it would wake up, right!!?"

"No wonder he's so agitated."

"Seeing hope shattered, no one could control their emotions."

"The soldier being clutched looked dazed; he also didn't know what was going on."

"In the next second."

"Another suspected gene-lock-activated Awakened One also began violent convulsions."

"Countdown to next alarm: 120 seconds."

"119..."

"118.."

"Standing in place, everyone silently watched the three corpses on the ground."

"Two Awakened Ones who had activated the gene lock—one was already dying, his lower half severed."

"A grim smile curled at the corner of his mouth."

"Chen Yangtian couldn't understand why this situation had occurred."

"Is it because activating the gene lock within the trial leads to death?"

"Must it be fully activated outside the tower with the system's help?"

"That doesn't make logical sense."

"Just as he was puzzled and despairing, an old voice suddenly spoke up:"

"The battle time is too long."

"These two, after activating the gene lock, had battles that lasted too long; their bodies couldn't bear it, so they naturally collapsed and died."

"If activated, if the burst time is controlled within ten seconds, there's still a good chance to pull through."

"As long as they pull through, exit the tower and promote, they can stabilize the gene lock and promote to threeFourth Rank."

"Chen Yangtian was stunned by the voice in his mind, then suddenly lifted his head."

"Battle time too long!!?"

"Recalling the scene of breaking out of the encirclement, he instantly understood what it meant."

"These two Awakened Ones, who had activated the gene lock in a state of extreme limit."

"To help them, he held out for a full thirty seconds."

"After breaking out of the encirclement, he then fell into a coma."

"The reason was nothing else."

"At that time, seeing the two erupt with tremendous combat power, he couldn't help but be overjoyed."

"He then ordered the two to bring out as many Awakened Ones as possible."

"He never expected it would result in such a disastrous outcome."

"Is it... my fault they died!!?"

"If I had let them go first, wouldn't this have been avoided..."

"His body swayed."

"Chen Yangtian stared dead-eyed at the two corpses, wishing he could slap himself twice."

"I actually killed two threeFourth Rank!!"

"In his self-reproach and regret, he suddenly seemed to realize something."

"No!"

"Since finalizing the plan with the spiritual entity, successive changes have left him no time to communicate with the other party."

"He almost forgot that the proposal to hunt Awakened Ones came from that party."

"That spiritual entity even solemnly assured him, 'Definitely Safety! Definitely correct!'"

"Even if he himself had thought of hunting Awakened Ones, he certainly wouldn't have killed so many!"

"Maybe... maybe..."

"His eyes blazed with fury."

"Maybe if he had killed fewer Awakened Ones, he wouldn't have attracted so many monsters!"

"He now roughly understood the deeper meaning behind this trial."

"If they followed procedure, they could completely let the Awakened Ones take turns facing the triangular monsters, stimulating the limit to unlock the gene lock."

"Without that much pressure, they were fully capable of rotating in, so there was no need to fight so long."

"So..."

"This spiritual entity, trusted by the high level, deceived him!"

"He misled the entire Huaxia Military Region!"

"He! Is the culprit!"

"He angrily demanded:"

"Who exactly are you!!?"

"Why do you want to kill us!!?"

"His voice filled with killing intent, Chen Yangtian unhesitatingly activated the spiritual strike secretly arranged by the high level inside the crystal ball."

"He wanted to tear that deceiver to pieces!"

"Inside the crystal ball, the hunched spiritual entity gave a half-smile."

"Completely different from its usual gentle and mild demeanor."

He raised his head, his voice hoarse:

"Kill me, and you have no hope at all."