Chapter 233: Look!

The UNSC's elite units conduct joint exercises with Umbrella's armed division every year to build mutual coordination.

After each exercise, over a thousand top‑performing elites are reassigned, per orders, to Umbrella's armed division.

In fact, the public has long regarded Umbrella, UEG, and the UNSC as an inseparable whole.

After all, from smartphones to starships, every corner of life bears the conspicuous red‑white umbrella logo, and important meetings or emergencies also involve personnel belonging to Umbrella.

Even without deliberate propaganda, people have already been subtly influenced.

Thus, besides Ke Li Ge, the corporals also know about the Olympus Spear, Falling Hammer, and Hope Express, among others.

However, the corporals' impression of Ke Li Ge is the deepest.

Because Ke Li Ge always remain silent, never removing their helmets to speak with anyone, even allied forces belonging to Umbrella.

Only when the corporals and their comrades passed the base's central facility and saw two Astate members guarding the entrance did Ke Li Ge seem no longer his "most memorable" impression.

…

Inside the central facility equipped with an air‑filtering system.

A floor of the Command Center.

Nearly a hundred civilian soldiers from Umbrella and the UNSC sit at their consoles, methodically relaying the latest orders to each department.

Beside the massive 3D sand table at the center, several UNSC field‑grade officers gather, one of whom is a graying Army major general.

Yet compared with the three OriginalBody individuals also standing by the sand table, these pivotal officers seem less "weighty."

In fact, that major general is an "insider" who comprehends the realities of UEG, the UNSC, and Umbrella, and was among the first to learn of the existence of the Predator race.

Thus, the general's duty is to command the UNSC side to carry out the various orders issued by Robert.

Two days ago, Robert, John, and Shengjilesi led Astate to clear Beast Entity and giant beasts near the portal, allowing both engineering teams to begin constructing the forward base.

Several transport aircraft lifted off to Earth's low orbit, deploying numerous small satellites to scan the surface environment and establish wartime communications and networks.

Preliminary scans have now been completed.

At this moment, the center point of the 3D sand table is the forward base where the portal lies.

Based on nearby terrain and coordinates, the forward base is deep within Africa's Sahara Desert, with its northwest, north, and northeast sectors clearly marked by red circles.

Donning Roman‑style powered armor and removing his helmet, Robert glanced around and spoke:

"Everyone, the satellite scans, combined with the intelligence we have, indicate that we are on an Earth in another universe, but this Earth's environment has already been altered by what we call the colonizers' race."

"Just now…" Robert extended his left hand toward the base's northwest: "Satellites have detected clear signs of combat in Rabat, Morocco; here is the satellite imagery, please take a look."

As he spoke, the holographic screen above the sand table displayed Morocco's surface conditions to everyone.

Within the city ruins, bioluminescent blue‑glowing tentacled plants spread, countless Beast Entity moved among them, and even two hundred‑meter‑tall giant beasts continued to ravage the shattered structures.

On the city's north side, a lightly equipped squad wearing basic breathing gear sprinted toward a subway entrance, pursued relentlessly by innumerable Beast Entity.

Although the squad attempted to hold them off, their firepower was negligible; within a hundred meters of the subway entrance, they were ultimately engulfed by the Beast Entity horde.

The footage stopped.

The holographic screen faded.

Seeing this, the UNSC field officers wore solemn expressions, and Robert pointed to other areas of the sand table, saying: "Europe and the Middle East also show signs of possible human activity."

"General." Robert withdrew his left hand and looked at the general standing opposite him, saying:

"I will dispatch Ke Li Ge's 01 and 02 Regiments, split into ten squads, to Europe and the Middle East for reconnaissance; please select ten thousand elite paratroopers to accompany them."

"No problem." the general replied.

"John, Shengjilesi." Robert glanced at the two brothers on his left and right, looked toward the far west of the sand table, and continued:

"Our primary objective now is to confirm the human presence in Morocco."

"My Ultramarines, along with Ke Li Ge's 03 Regiment and fellow UNSC comrades, will defend the forward base to ensure our supplies remain uninterrupted."

"The mission to liberate Morocco is yours, remember father's words: eradicate all alien waste within reach."

"Understood." the two brothers answered in unison.

"By the way." Robert looked at Shengjilesi on his right and reminded: "You're responsible for handling those two giant beasts, Shengjilesi."

"Don't worry." Shengjilesi understood his elder brother's intent.

…

Shortly thereafter.

South side of the base.

At the unfinished temporary airfield.

Hundreds of transport craft, transport aircraft, assault boats, and aerial gunboats lifted off in succession.

One of the assault boats.

The corporal, seated on the left side of the cabin with his legs out the hatch, watched the assault boat carrying him and his comrades glide away from the ground, eventually skimming low over the base northward with the main force.

The corporal and his three squads were selected by superiors to join Ke Li Ge's 01 and 02 Regiments for reconnaissance missions in Europe and the Middle East.

Looking down.

He could see the continuously expanding, massive forward base and, around it, a sea of corpses yet to be cleared.

After all, the area surrounding the portal serves as the colonizers' base for invading Elizabeth City, naturally teeming with Beast Entity and giant beasts.

But the colonizers did not anticipate the first invading force being annihilated; when they regrouped, they were met by three Astate legions.

When the colonizers realized something was amiss, for some reason they lost the authority to close the portal.

Thus the colonizers could only continue sending Beast Entity and giant beasts to harass, using their numerical advantage to impede the base's construction and attempt to crush humanity.

But the result was a ring of corpses surrounding the base.

The surrounding desert, soaked with Beast Entity blood, emitted a faint blue glow in the pitch‑black night, making the forward base appear as an island in a "sea of blue light."

And at that moment…

"Whoosh~! Whoosh~!" rhythmic wing beats resonated across the "sea" above.

Only a figure in golden armor, wielding a hunting bow, with pure white wings on its back—like an angel's DivineBody—was flying north alongside the main force.

It seemed they had reached the designated position; the DivineBody and thirty Thunder Transport Planes dedicated to carrying Astate broke away from the main force, heading toward Morocco at the far western end.

"."

Watching the DivineBody gradually drift away, the corporal behind the helmet visor stared speechless, completely unable to describe his emotions at that moment.

"The lieutenant said that thing is a bioweapon piloted by Umbrella's OriginalBody, but no matter how you look at it, it looks like an angel…"

"Buddy, we're on a mission on another Earth—what's there to be surprised about? Stay calm."

His comrades meanwhile all sighed with emotion.

But no matter what, after witnessing the DivineBody piloted by Shengjilesi, the morale of all UNSC elites rose even higher.

Because even the "god" is their ally.

———————

…

Morocco.

This country at the far western end of the African continent is separated from Europe by only the Strait of Gibraltar.

The capital, Rabat, is moreover Morocco's economic, cultural, and political center, especially with its many coastal beaches attracting travelers from around the world.

But now…

The once blue, clear ocean turned bloody and foul-smelling, with glowing tentacle-like plants covering the beaches and streets.

The formerly prosperous urban area has become today's rubble and ruins.

And the two hundred-meter-tall beasts, still not satisfied, continue trampling the already tilted, collapsed buildings.

Within the city, countless Beast Entities swarm through subway station entrances like an unstoppable flood, pouring into the underground system.

City center.

In an underground bunker about a hundred meters below the surface.

"Thud… thud…"

Those hiding inside the bunker could faintly feel the vibrations from each step of the beasts, with dust continually falling from the shaking.

The underground bunker was like a small city.

But the roads of this underground city were narrow, with various buildings stacked together, providing cramped lodging for the disheveled populace.

Every layout was designed to accommodate as many people as possible, squeezing out extra space.

In a dwelling less than four square meters, its window patched with transparent tape, a mother and child clinging to each other hid in the corner of the bunk.

"Mom…"

The young boy, watching the flickering lights, whispered.

The mother tightened her right arm around him, placed her left hand gently on the boy's head, and softly comforted:

"It's okay, Mom's here, don't be afraid."

"Hmm…" the obedient boy gave a small nod.

"Ping! Ping!"

Suddenly, faint but extremely dense gunfire came from outside the window.

Hearing the gunfire, the mother's left hand hesitated, and cold sweat quickly spread across her gaunt cheeks.

"Attention everyone! Gate Three has fallen; please gather your gear and supplies and prepare to evacuate!"

Immediately after, an urgent broadcast came from outside the window.

This completely shattered the mother's last shred of hope.

"Mom?" the boy exclaimed, puzzled by the broadcast's hidden meaning.

"Come on! Son, let's go—quick!"

Nevertheless, her strong will to survive and protect overcame her despair; she jumped off the bunk, went to its foot, and picked up two oxygen tanks marked "2L".

She shouldered one, helped the boy shoulder the other, then packed bottled water, compressed biscuits, and all the supplies into an old backpack,

Next, the mother gripped the straps of two respirator masks with her left hand, took the boy's left hand with her right, and rushed out of their dwelling.

"Run! Run fast!"

"It's over… it's over, everything's over—run? Where could we possibly run to…"

"Please, all personnel in Sector Six, keep order, don't panic! We will escort you in the evacuation!"

All sectors of the underground bunker had descended into chaos.

Sector Six, where the mother and child were, was filled with terrified shouts, demoralized remarks, and soldiers' loud yelling.

She gripped the boy's left hand and followed the surging crowd toward the eastern end.

More than ten soldiers wearing desert camouflage fatigues, body armor, and belts, armed with old-fashioned guns, escorted over a hundred residents of Sector Six as they hurried to the gate at the end of the narrow street.

Through the opened gate.

They reached the old tunnel, where the space finally became spacious.

Continuing on, the mother and child also saw many soldiers stationed there, who fearlessly returned to the bunker city.

When everyone gathered before a small gate, a soldier rushed to the front of the crowd and loudly reminded:

"Everyone, pay attention! Put on your respirator masks—we're heading to the surface next."

Upon hearing that,

The mother at the front of the crowd helped the boy put on his mask, connected it to the oxygen tank, and then put on her own.

"Brother…" at that moment, someone standing not far from them asked the soldier:

"After we return to the surface, where are we supposed to go? Do you have a more detailed plan?"

The soldier first fell silent, but quickly replied: "We'll escort you as far away from the city as possible. All right, put on your respirator mask—the gate is about to open."

After saying that, the soldier turned and left, giving no chance for further questions.

"This... ah...!" the questioner sighed dejectedly.

Everyone felt deep despair and confusion, because going to the surface was no different from suicide.

Nevertheless, people still did not give up on survival.

Once everyone had put on their respirators, the soldier operated to open the rust-covered gate.

The gate opened, and the soldier led the people through the dark, cold, labyrinth-like tunnel, moving upward layer by layer.

During this time, although the boy was tired and scared, with his mother and the group he didn't cry or fuss, and even looked forward to the surface, treating the escape as an adventure.

After all, since he could remember, he and his mother had lived in a cramped underground bunker, so his impression of the surface was completely different from that of adults.

Within twenty minutes, he and his mother followed the soldier through the abandoned sewers, finally arriving at the eastern edge of the city bordering the desert.

By then, the boy finally got to see what the surface looked like with his own eyes.

It seemed…

It was different from what he imagined.

"Roar——!"

Moreover, accompanied by the roar that made his ears hurt, the boy also saw the "monster" that adults often mentioned.

Only see not far west of the evacuation point's exit lay a huge beast.

The beast's pair of eyes emitting a faint blue light stared at them, and it opened its mouth preparing to rise and emit an earth-shaking roar.

!!!

"Everyone prepare for battle, cover the civilians' retreat!"

"Yes!"

Seeing this, more than ten soldiers immediately formed up, aiming their gun barrels at the beast and pulling the triggers tightly.

"Run!"

"I don't want to die! I don't want to!"

The soldiers' shouts woke the frightened crowd, who then fled in all directions without regard.

The mother, having regained her composure, was among them, tightly gripping the boy as they desperately fled.

"Whoosh~! Whoosh~!" In a daze, she heard above her head what seemed like huge wings flapping.

"Mom~! Look quick! Is that the angel you talked about?"

(End of chapter)