Shen Feng watched the direction of Rongcheng with two thousand people on a small hill. Everyone was chatting and laughing, watching the show as if victory was already at hand. However, beneath their smiles, many felt a resurgence of fear. Even mutated zombies and zombie kings couldn't withstand thermobaric bombs; how could they, evolved humans with enhanced physical qualities but still mortal bodies, withstand such powerful firepower?
Thus, the soldiers who had felt powerful just moments before became cautious. In the face of human technology, evolved individuals were unable to stir up any significant trouble.
Thermobaric bombs were a slaughter for zombies, who had no ability to resist. For evolved humans, these bombs served as both encouragement and a deterrent, boosting morale while sobering those who had become arrogant due to their newfound strength.
The battle tonight was not only watched by Shen Feng as an observer, but by all five million people in Rongcheng. Television stations had sent cameras to the front lines, capturing every moment of the fighting, and the battle was being broadcast nationwide!
Across the country, over a hundred cities had been recaptured, with a combined population of tens of millions. Countless people sat before their televisions, witnessing the broadcast of the battle in Rongcheng. Instantly, everyone felt a sense of suffocation, never imagining that human technology was so powerful. Afterwards, they relaxed, thinking that with such potent weapons, zombies could be easily dealt with.
Shen Yu and her mother were in a park shelter. In the center of the shelter, a more than ten-meter-high television was broadcasting the battle footage from outside the city.
When Shen Yu saw the blinding light of the explosion and the slowly rising mushroom cloud, she confidently said, "Mom, didn't I tell you? Staying in Rongcheng means a bright future. How could zombies withstand such powerful weapons?"
He Liping looked at the images on the television, and her resolve to go to Luzhou gradually faded. It was true; Rongcheng was very safe. With such powerful weapons, there wouldn't be any greater crises in the future. In this case, they could completely wait for the war to end in Rongcheng.
Headquarters had already announced that the zombies nationwide would be cleared within three to ten years, after which society would be peaceful.
"Alas, I wonder what A Feng has chosen," He Liping murmured.
Meanwhile, after the zombie king in the southern city was killed by a thermobaric bomb, the zombies scattered. Thirty thousand zombies fled towards the southern region, while another thirty thousand slowly approached the eastern urban area, indicating the presence of another zombie king in the east.
However, the zombie king in the eastern urban area seemed to have sensed danger. It stopped its attack on Rongcheng and instead controlled the zombies in the eastern urban area to scatter and flee, breaking formation and preparing to disperse in other directions. Although the zombie horde still numbered over two million, it was already showing signs of collapse.
Xie Bateng's face broke into a smile. "You want to run now? Is it too late? Tell teams two, three, and four to prepare and depart! Continue dropping thermobaric bombs into the dense areas of the zombie horde! I'd like to see if the zombie king truly fears death!"
Thirty aircraft once again took to the skies over Rongcheng. This time, their target was the eastern city. According to the command center's analysis, the zombie king that had come from Yuzhou was hiding within the zombie horde in the eastern sector! This zombie king had first fled from Yuzhou, traveled hundreds of miles, and arrived in Rongcheng, tormenting the soldiers and survivors of two major cities. Now, the zombie king wanted to escape, but how could it be so easy?
The deep hatred could only be avenged with blood. The zombie horde had caused countless deaths; only by eliminating the zombies could final victory be achieved.
At this moment, the zombie hordes in the northern and western urban areas were still attacking Rongcheng, completely unaware of the impending crisis. For now, Rongcheng would focus on defense, targeting the cornered dogs in the east first. As for the other two directions, it was likely that the zombie kings hidden in the north or west had not received the news and were completely unaware that the situation in the south had been reversed. They still intended to charge into Rongcheng and devour people.
In a cave in the eastern urban area, the zombie king emerged. Its head was enormous, and its eyes flickered with thought. Suddenly, it turned and burrowed back into the ground, simultaneously controlling two earth-digging zombies to enter the cave and continue excavating downwards.
The over one million zombies in the eastern part of the city retreated in all directions, seemingly trying to escape this terrifying place. However, in reality, the zombie king continued to burrow deeper, saying in a low voice, "I must survive, I must survive."
The zombie king knew that to survive, it had to evade attacks from the sky. Its legs certainly couldn't outrun aircraft, so to live, it had to go down. By digging a sufficiently deep tunnel, as long as the thermobaric bombs didn't land directly overhead, there was a chance of survival.
Thirty fighter jets arrived above the outskirts of the eastern city and dropped thermobaric bombs before quickly departing, leaving no room for hesitation.
Subsequently, mushroom clouds appeared over the eastern city. Although not on the scale of a nuclear bomb reaching the stratosphere, the light and heat generated by the explosions were akin to small nuclear detonations. The over one million zombies attempting to retreat and escape to safety found it not so easy. The gathered zombies were a spectacular, seemingly endless tide, but when fleeing, they were a chaotic crush of bodies, making escape impossible in a short time.
At this moment, the thermobaric bombs exploded in the most densely populated areas of the zombies. Instantly, forty thousand zombies perished, their ashes rising with the dust and smoke, carried hundreds or even thousands of meters into the sky. The dust would be carried away by the wind, heading towards the southern region to fertilize plants and trees.
After the thermobaric bombs exploded, the zombies in the eastern region instantly lost their command. Hundreds of thousands of zombies began to move about like headless flies, some even collapsing to the ground and entering hibernation.
Observing personnel saw that the zombies in the eastern region had lost their command and quickly reported, "The zombies in the eastern region are scattering. Do we need to pursue?"
Xie Bateng pondered for a moment and said, "Let the dispatched aircraft continue to pursue the zombies, but they are not allowed to use thermobaric bombs again. Dispatch another forty aircraft to simultaneously bomb the zombies in the northern and western urban areas. Additionally, use satellites to observe the zombies in both directions and determine the zombie king's whereabouts!"
Xie Bateng was certainly not a benevolent figure. He also wanted to annihilate the remaining zombies, but at this moment, the soldiers, after a long period of combat, needed rest. Moreover, the other two directions of Rongcheng had not yet been cleared of crisis, so too much force could not be committed to dealing with the already scattered zombies!
Subsequently, forty more aircraft took off from Rongcheng's airport and flew towards the two directions of the city.
Shen Feng was on a mountain far from the western city. He clearly saw the moment the thermobaric bomb exploded. The blinding light and deafening roar made Shen Feng's attitude humble. He had always believed that as the first person to break through the evolutionary barrier, he must be extraordinary. But now, seeing the towering mushroom cloud, Shen Feng understood that his arrogance was useless.
When the thermobaric bombs fell, the battle was already decided. Humanity, possessing powerful weapons, would inevitably win.
In the northern city, twenty mushroom clouds also rose, and countless zombies became casualties of the thermobaric bombs. Of course, it was unclear if zombies had souls.
Hundreds of mutated zombies suddenly crowded towards the rear of the zombie horde. A zombie king with a large head emerged from a cave, and a strong zombie began to carry the zombie king to escape. Witnessing the massive explosions and flames, the zombie king in the northern city was terrified to the extreme. If it hadn't been for its distance from the blast site, it would have been roasted.
Now, the zombie king could no longer care about anything else. There was indeed plenty of fresh food in Rongcheng, and it imagined it could become even stronger by entering it. But now, that was impossible!
The unusual gathering of mutated zombies instantly attracted the attention of satellites. Under the light of the thermobaric bombs, the entire northern city was illuminated. The satellite saw hundreds of mutated zombies escorting the zombie king as it fled. This scene was immediately sent to the command center.
"General, a zombie king has been discovered in the northern city and is attempting to escape!" the observer immediately reported to his superior.
Xie Bateng immediately ordered, "Command the fighter jets in the northern city to attack the zombie king and ensure its death!"
Without the zombie king, the remaining zombies were like scattered sand, and eliminating them was only a matter of time. However, if the zombie king could not be eliminated, it would lead to a serious crisis! Because as long as the zombie king recovered, it could rally scattered zombies at any time and instantly form a massive horde. Therefore, hundreds of thousands of zombies could be ignored, but the zombie king must be eliminated!
The fighter jets immediately carried out their superior's orders, flying towards the location reported by the command center. They found the group of hundreds of mutated zombies fleeing, and at that moment, the aircraft opened fire, releasing thousands of rounds of ammunition that struck the group of mutated zombies on the ground!
Hundreds of mutated zombies were instantly routed. The aircraft's bullets were large caliber, so as long as they hit a zombie, they would pierce through it. Even dinosaurs would be killed on the spot, let alone these zombies. The hundreds of mutated zombies protecting the zombie king were instantly reduced to a dozen or so!
And the zombie king, miraculously, was unharmed, seemingly well-protected during the strafing.
At this moment, the zombie king shouted, "I surrender, I surrender!"
The zombie king waved its hands and knelt on the ground. This standard posture of surrender was not something an ordinary person would know, but in the face of a powerful survival instinct, the zombie king instantly learned this move.
The pilots could not hear these words; they could only see the zombie king shouting loudly. They were not surprised by this, as many people had reported seeing zombie kings speak, and laboratory personnel had confirmed that zombie kings possessed high intelligence. Whatever the zombie king was saying now was normal.
"Da da da..." The fighter jet instantly swooped down, aiming its guns at the zombie king and unleashing hundreds of rounds of ammunition.
The zombie king was hit by the bullets, its body instantly becoming riddled with holes. It was clearly dead beyond any doubt. Its attempt to surrender was apparently not accepted.
At this point, the zombie hordes on all four sides of Rongcheng slowly dispersed. The hundred aircraft in the sky continued to strafe the zombie masses, killing tens of thousands more zombies. Now, the crisis in Rongcheng was truly resolved. The casualties on the front lines were not significant; instead, the casualties within the city reached tens of thousands, primarily caused by zombies, with a small portion of friendly fire.
Xie Bateng heard the report from the communicator, and a smile appeared on his face. "It seems the decisive battle has been successful, and the crisis in Rongcheng has been resolved. Next, we will resume production. I believe Rongcheng will surely become the nation's great rear."
At this moment, Xiao Sheng, along with four other third-tier espers, entered the command center, smiling wryly. "General, it seems we espers have never had a chance to use our abilities. As soon as the thermobaric bombs exploded, the zombie hordes all scattered. We seem to be redundant."
Zhang Zi also nodded. "That's right, our group has been of no help at all! Solving the zombie horde is still best done with modern technology!"
The other three also nodded. Apart from killing many zombies within the city, they had made no other contributions. Originally, their mission was to find and kill the zombie kings on the battlefield, but now it seemed impossible.
Seeing the disappointed expressions on the faces of the five, Xie Bateng couldn't help but shake his head and smile. "Young people are impatient. Modern technology has developed over hundreds of years, and its progress is not too fast. But espers are different. If espers can continue to evolve, perhaps even modern technology will be overshadowed in the future."
Xiao Sheng shrugged his shoulders helplessly. "We also want to evolve, but we can't. With the evolutionary barrier, I think I might remain a third-tier esper my entire life."
"You can rest assured about this. There is already a method to break through the evolutionary barrier. In a few days, I guarantee you will also become fourth-tier espers," Xie Bateng continued.
Upon hearing this news, the few exchanged glances, all disbelieving what they had heard. There was a method to break through the barrier? Was it true? It could be said that espers worldwide could not find a way to break through the evolutionary barrier, no matter how many evolution potions they used, they were powerless. But now, news had come that there was a way to break through the evolutionary barrier.