Chapter 493: Insect Sea Tide

Boom! Boom~!!

After losing the energy shield, the insect swarm's orbital bombardment can fall without restraint within Area 06.

In an instant, the green radiance representing the Biological Plasma Cannon Regiment also filled the streets and buildings.

!!!

The sudden change caused a large number of civilians who failed to evacuate to Area 01 in time to fall into panic.

Originally orderly traffic gradually became chaotic, the eerily quiet atmosphere also turned tense, and ground vehicles and airborne flying ships rushed toward the entrances, tunnels, and overpasses leading to Area 01.

Meanwhile, the core force responsible for maintaining order, nearly eight hundred thousand Security Officers, played a crucial role at this moment.

The district directors jointly activated the emergency plan, causing Tai Luo Ke Er's low-intelligence artificial intelligence to temporarily ignore so-called privacy and safety regulations, directly controlling all civilian transport vehicles to continue orderly evacuation.

After all, only by maintaining order can efficiency be maintained.

In contrast, after the insect fleet sensed that they had broken through the energy shield, they seemingly halted orbital bombardment of Metropolis Area 06 voluntarily to avoid 'scorching the food'.

At the same time, the insect swarm deployed orbital drops, continuously hurling hundreds of millions of spores, insect eggs, and adult insects onto the surface of Metropolis Area 06.

Cooperating with the insectoid flight squadrons that had already entered the atmosphere and disregarded casualties to strike the anti-aircraft fire network, they were about to unleash unrestrained, 'gleefully lifting their heads' feeding activities on the humans stranded within Metropolis Area 06...

Although they lack emotion, compared to other stages, this unknown insectoid swarm seems more eager about 'eating'.

"112th Avenue needs support… insect numbers are dense! We have trapped civilians here! Request support!!"

"This is the 1st Assault Regiment's 1st Combat Battalion; we discovered the enemy conducting digging operations at Central Park, watch for underground attacks, repeat, watch for underground attacks."

"There are too many insects!! Ah!!"

At this moment, on the communication channel, various reports and pleas for help were mixed together, while the actual situation was far more severe than what soldiers and Security Officers described.

However, along 112th Avenue, Tan Ya and Celesstin, who were still following the 3rd Regiment's actions, could not hear the chatter on the communications, because those were matters for company-grade officers, such as Elite Captains, to worry about.

Since they were closest to the Security Bureau on 112th Avenue where the distress signal originated, the 12th Regiment dispatched them to respond to the call for aid.

The 2nd Armored Company cleared the road in the center, while the 1st Company, which had lost over half its strength, and the 3rd Company, which retained its full organization, formed two- or four-person combat squads, relying on siege tanks and armored personnel carriers as cover to advance quickly.

In contrast, the intern sisters operating in three-person teams were positioned on the right side of the street, staying vigilant of their surroundings while keeping pace with the 3rd Regiment.

Initially, their group included a reserve tactical squad, but those giants seemed to have received some order and vanished into the alleys in an instant, leaving no trace.

Moreover, there was a Krieg Combat Regiment about two hundred meters behind them, which likewise appeared to have received the order to respond to the distress call.

"Insects appear ahead; maintain marching speed, prepare to engage." The order came over the comms from the Elite Captain.

Upon hearing that,

Tan Ya gripped the sprayer in her hand, her eyes locked on the upcoming intersection, while the holographic screen before her left eye zoomed in to let her clearly capture any movement.

Soon, the screen displayed swarms of infantry bugs and unidentified new-type bugs rapidly pouring out from the left side of the intersection.

Boom! Boom!

Having already aligned the dual-barrel muzzles at the five siege tanks aimed at the intersection, they fired a volley the instant the insects entered visual range.

Boom! Pop!!

The Plasma Cannon Regiment instantly erupted into high-temperature, splendid 'flowers' amidst the insect tide.

Tong! Tong!

The armored personnel carrier's pulse and Gauss machine gun fire at full blast likewise caused the insect tide to rise a thick mist composed of severed limbs, debris, and pale yellow with decaying green blood.

Tan Ya, Celesstin, and the full infantry, however, were much more at ease, needing only to use the powered armor's aiming calibration to pick off any stragglers.

In urban combat, although insect numbers remained huge, the complex terrain of streets and alleys prevented them from effectively exploiting their numerical advantage.

Like the defense of Oliviawan Town a few hours earlier, without naval artillery support, a several-kilometer-long insect tide could be broken with just a few charges, toppling the makeshift line formed by the Security Bureau and UNSC.

It didn't take long.

The 3rd Regiment soon occupied that intersection, while the insect tide continued its offensive, endlessly streaming in from the left.

Seeing that,

The Elite Captain immediately issued the order: "Vehicles 1, 2, 3, and the 2nd Combat Squad of the 3rd Company, hold this position to ensure our retreat route remains clear; the rest follow me forward."

"Yes!"

As the order was given, the 3rd Regiment also began to split its actions.

Siege Tanks 1, 2, and 3 were spaced apart and deployed on either side of the intersection, switching to cannon mode.

Meanwhile, the 2nd Combat Squad of the 3rd Company went all-out, buying the three siege tanks as much time as possible to transform.

Following behind, the Krieg Combat Regiment also left a company to assist the 3rd Regiment in fortifying the intersection's defense, ensuring the retreat line would not be cut off by the insect tide.

Not much time passed.

The group finally reached the source of the distress signal.

Here, tens of thousands of infantry bugs, serpent bugs (a snake-like creature larger and faster than infantry bugs), and warrior bugs were continually assaulting the Security Bureau, a building about two hundred meters tall.

The Security Officers and Special Squad could only rely on the Security Bureau's sturdy fortifications to resist the insect attacks.

Witnessing the situation before them.

The 3rd Regiment and the Krieg Combat Regiment that had caught up immediately deployed formations and joined the battle, attempting to rescue friendly forces and civilians trapped inside the Security Bureau.

In an instant, both sides erupted into fierce combat.

Faced with the fierce assault from the 3rd Regiment and the Krieg side, this insect swarm actually collapsed and retreated in under two minutes; two side-by-side siege tanks took the lead in clearing a path, and everyone successfully broke through the swarm to reach the front gate of the Security Bureau.

Then, everyone formed a semicircular formation with their backs to the Security Bureau to provide cover, allowing the trapped civilians to immediately board the armored personnel carriers.

"."

Tan Ya, Celesstin, and the other intern sisters responsible for the left wing wore grave expressions.

With relentless high-intensity combat, they progressed from initial confusion and panic to now being adept and familiar, and their proficiency in using Spiritual Energy also continually improved.

Although they still lagged behind true Combat Sisters by a considerable margin, at this point they were far more elite than the intern peers sent to other colonies and space—by multiples.

After all, other colonies and space are normally peaceful; where would one encounter the monsters and spirits of the Zero-Three Universe? Moreover, they were facing an entirely unknown insectoid force.

As for the reason the intern sisters all looked grave, it was their sixth sense telling them: is everything progressing too smoothly?

They thought the bug side seemed to be retreating intentionally.

"Little stiff…"

At that moment, Tan Ya, who had placed the flamethrower on an abandoned vehicle, gazed at the alley mouth and tentatively asked the Celesstin beside her:

"You mean… could this be a trap set by the bugs, deliberately luring us here?"

!!

As soon as Tan Ya said that, it immediately drew the astonished gazes of all the sisters.

Even though their deep‑down sixth sense truly judged this operation to be a trap, they still couldn't let Tan Ya say it out loud, mainly because of how Tan Ya had previously behaved…

Put nicely, she possesses a considerable degree of special "Prophecy" and "foresight" ability; put harshly, Tan Ya's ability is more like a "jinx".

"What are they after." Fortunately, Celesstin didn't dwell on the jinx issue, but picked up the thread: "The bugs could have overwhelmed the Public Security Bureau with their numbers, so why would they set a trap?"

"Ah, this…" Tan Ya didn't know how to answer.

"Maybe…" one sister ventured: "Maybe they want to test whether we humans have self‑sacrificing, lifesaving behavior? And the officials and civilians trapped inside the Public Security Bureau might just be the material for their experiments."

Their instructor had once said: "In a group, if there are more altruistic individuals, then that group will have greater self‑preservation and continuity ability, and stronger competitiveness, compared to a group with fewer altruists."

This statement readily explains why humans are stronger than other races, because among humans it is easy to find examples of willingly sacrificing the self for the greater good, and it likewise explains that "the hymn of humanity is the hymn of courage."

After hearing that sister's speculation, all the sisters showed a look of realization; immediately, Tan Ya said: "Damn… if you put it that way, the bugs are actually using us as test subjects?!"

"We can't rule out that possibility; the unknown bugs are observing our behavior and learning and replicating what benefits them." Celesstin echoed.

"Since it's like this, we can't stay here any longer!" Tan Ya immediately opened the comms and reported their speculation to the elite captain.

"This…" After hearing Tan Ya's report, the elite captain hesitated a bit, then said over the comms: "I understand; we'll speed up the evacuation and have everyone stay alert."

"Yes." Tan Ya replied in a low voice.

Howl~!!!

But just as the conversation ended, Tan Ya heard an earth-shaking roar from ahead.

!!

This directly drew Tan Ya and the others' attention and gaze toward the source of the roar.

Only to see a creature resembling a warrior bug in appearance, but its size was tens of times larger than an ordinary warrior bug—a special individual (Chief Warrior) rounding the end of the street.

Moreover, this Chief Warrior, far from being sluggish due to its huge size, was actually more agile than ordinary warrior bugs.

Hiss!!

Countless bugs followed the Chief Warrior, charging straight at the position of the 3rd Battalion.

Open fire!!

Boom! Boom!

In less than the blink of an eye, fierce fighting broke out again in front of the Public Security Bureau, but this time the number of bugs was several times more than before, swarming from all directions and surrounding Tan Ya and her group.

It instantly cut off their retreat and swallowed the vehicles numbered 1, 2, and 3 left at the intersection, as well as the combat squad and Kriegers and others.

Not only Tan Ya and her group and the 3rd Battalion, but the entire outskirts of Sector 06 suffered the same incident.

It's obvious, just as that sister said: the unknown bugs are not only treating the people in Sector 06 as food, but also as experimental material.

"Damn! I'm going all out! Live or die, I must get the civilians out of here!"

Tan Ya, while operating the flamethrower and spraying high-temperature flames at the bug swarm, shouted while escorting the already-loaded armored transport vehicles, coordinating with the sisters, soldiers, Kriegers, and surviving security officers to try to carve out a path of survival.

The Chief Warrior pursued relentlessly, and the bug swarm hurled a dense barrage of bone spikes and bio-plasma at them; under concentrated fire, they began to suffer casualties they could no longer contain.

However, some who weren't killed outright—those Kriegers who merely lost mobility—would voluntarily stay behind to cover the retreat.

When they were about to be engulfed by the bug swarm, they would also actively overload the cold fusion reactors of their powered armor, and then…

Ri~Boom!!!

One after another, violent explosions echoed between the streets of 112th Avenue.

The Kriegers' silent spirit of sacrificing themselves unknowingly infected the 3rd Battalion soldiers and the trainee sisters; thereafter, whenever someone was wounded and unable to continue, they would volunteer to act as a "human nuclear bomb."

Thus, it actually gave everyone hope of breaking through.

Roar!!!

Yet that Chief Warrior, relying on a biological barrier that even siege tanks could not penetrate, repeatedly charged through the fire and smoke from the cold fusion, appearing about to close in.

At that moment…

"Crack…!" The energy shield shattered.

"Pfft!" Bone spikes and bio-plasma pierced and scorched the powered armor and bodies.

"Ugh…" At the same time, Celesstin let out a cry of pain.

It turned out that the instant Celesstin lost her shield, she was hit by a barrage of focused fire, sustaining penetrating wounds to her chest and abdomen, and her left knee was destroyed, leaving her paralyzed on the ground, unable to move.

Little stiffy!

Seeing this, Tan Ya and the remaining three sisters immediately gathered beside Celesstin, trying to fend off the incoming wave of soldier bugs while also attempting to drag her away.

"You guys hurry up and go!"

And the usually calm Celesstin, at this moment sat on the ground, changed the drum of her pulse machine gun, and firmly pulled the trigger against the bug swarm, shouting loudly with a determined gaze:

"Hurry up and get out! I've got this!"

Seeing Celesstin's resolve to die, Tan Ya and the three sisters stopped urging her, instead forcing back their tears and turning to follow the squad.

As for Celesstin, who remained in place, she showed no sorrow; instead, she smiled and murmured: "May the Lord of Humanity bless me; as his daughter, I can no longer continue to sacrifice for you—please forgive my selfishness…"

Then, as the bug swarm engulfed her and she felt her body being torn apart and sliced by the soldier bugs, she overloaded the cold fusion reactor of her powered armor.

Boom~!!

Amid the violent explosion, she actually felt that "death" was so warm and comforting, even hallucinating…

"My child, I've let you down."

(End of chapter)