Fang Qingyu and Qin Hui and the others felt a massive shock in their hearts.

A Profound Tier Bug Queen Life Ghost?

Captain Lin Kang went into this immense cage with old injuries to prevent the disaster from spreading!

"What about Captain Lin?" Fang Qingyu's voice dropped, carrying an ominous premonition.

"Captain Lin..." Liu Zheng's voice choked for a moment, his face covered in bloodstains was full of pain and self-reproach, "He stayed behind to buy us time to activate the force field and conduct a deeper investigation. He... he voluntarily stayed back, drawing the attention of the guard bug swarm first hatched by the Bug Queen. The last intelligence screen we saw was... Captain Lin severely injured and exhausted, being dragged into the deepest part of the area, which had been transformed by the Life Ghost into a giant nest! He... he was captured!"

The remaining three members of the Fenghuo Squad also lowered their heads, fists clenched tightly, fingernails almost digging into their flesh.

Liu Zheng, with his still-usable hand, tremblingly took out a black metal device about the size of a palm, stained with soil and dried blood, and showing several clear cracks on its shell, from the inner pocket of his tattered combat uniform.

He handed it over to Fang Qingyu with utmost solemnity, as if holding the last hope:

"Captain Fang, this is the intelligence our squad exchanged for with our lives! It records the preliminary form characteristics of the Bug Queen Life Ghost, energy fluctuation spectrum, initial observed capabilities inclination, and... the directional coordinates where Captain Lin was last seen being dragged! Also, it includes the observed types, distribution, and weakness analysis of the bug swarm along our route! Although incomplete, this is currently the only intelligence that has penetrated the core area!"

His gaze was locked onto Fang Qingyu, filled with an earnest plea and determination: "Take it! You must take it out! Hand it over to Director Wu! This... this is the only hope for devising a counter-offensive plan, even attempting to rescue Captain Lin! We won't hold much longer here, soon, soon we'll create a distraction, to draw the attention of those beasts outside, to tear open a path for you! Seize the opportunity..."

At that moment!

Zzziii—!

The radio tightly gripped in Qi Hao's hand suddenly exploded with intense electrical noise, followed by a similarly anxious voice interspersed with background of intense fighting and bug screams:

"Fenghuo Squad! Fenghuo Squad! This is 'Rock' Squad! Please respond if received! Repeat, 'Rock' Squad has reached the outer C7 shipyard district! We are attempting to break through! Respond if heard!"

Qi Hao, grasping this lifeline, immediately shouted back: "Rock! Rock! This is Dragon Spine Camp's Third Squad, Fang Qingyu squad! We're with Fenghuo Squad! Located below the old control room! The entrance is pressed by a container, coordinates at the largest shipwreck's bow! Triangle pressure valve! The insect tide outside is way too dense! We need extraction!"

After a brief moment of silence.

Only more intense sounds of battle and piercing bug screams came from the radio, followed by the hoarse, unbelieving shout of Rock Squad's captain: "Bow?! Hell! We see it! But the Life Ghost density over there... damn it, it's a tsunami! Full of bugs! Layer upon layer! We tried to rush several times but couldn't bust it open! We've already lost one person! Rushing means death!"

Hope, just kindled, was mercilessly extinguished by cold reality.

The few remaining members of the Fenghuo Squad, their eyes just lighting up, instantly dimmed, and Liu Zheng painfully closed his eyes.

Zzziii—!! Rustle—!!

But almost the instant the Rock Squad's voice fell, several different frequency voices forcibly cut into the public channel, equally filled with despair and helplessness:

"'Sharp Blade' Squad reporting! We are also at the perimeter! Can't get through! Too many bugs! They're like a tide! Our long-range firepower is completely overwhelmed!"

"'Iron Wall' Squad! Attempt to break through from the flank failed! Repeat! Cannot approach target coordinates! Requesting further instructions!"

"'Peregrine Falcon'... damn it! Here they come again!... We're surrounded! Need support! Need support!"

One voice after another, like cold death knells, struck everyone in the tight underground space.

The supporting forces outside, like moths to a flame, were firmly blocked by the terrifying bug tide, unable to advance.

They saw the beacon, saw the position of Fang Qingyu's squad, yet were powerless.

This underground space...

It had truly become a dead end!!

The atmosphere of despair, like tangible icy water, instantly submerged everyone.

Even seasoned veterans like Qin Hui and Old Qiao, who had witnessed Fang Qingyu's formidable prowess, found their grip on their weapons slightly tightening, knuckles pale.

Qi Hao and Lv Chen's faces were even paler than paper...

It's not like before, even if they couldn't win, even if they might really die, the force field outside still offered them hope of survival.

And now, they were several kilometers away from the force field's edge.

The only way to survive.

Was to break through from this Life Ghost swarm!

Fang Qingyu didn't feel much of anything, just exchanged a glance with Jiang Wei.

Then, a voice that was calm to the point of chilling coldness rang out in the deathly silent underground space, overpowering the chaotic calls for help and background screeches through the radio.

"Haozi."

Fang Qingyu's gaze swept over the blood-stained intelligence device Liu Zheng handed over, then over the four remaining members of the Fenghuo Squad, and finally fell back onto Qi Hao.

He then extended his hand and took the heavy metal device from Liu Zheng without allowing any refusal, putting it into the innermost pocket of his combat uniform.

His movements were steady, without any hesitation.

"Is it... Qingzi?" Qi Hao instinctively responded, voice carrying confusion.

Fang Qingyu took the radio from Qi Hao's hand and pressed the transmit button.

The voice penetrated through the radio, clearly transmitting to each team in the midst of fierce battle outside, trying to break through the bug tide and echoed in this oppressive underground space:

"All perimeter units, this is Dragon Spine Camp's Third Squad, Fang Qingyu."

Fang Qingyu's voice wasn't loud, but it was firm and undeniable, instantly quieting the noisy public channel for a moment.

"The intelligence is with me."

"The people." His gaze swept over the members of the Fenghuo Squad and Qin Hui and the others, "I will also take them."

"Listen!" Fang Qingyu's voice suddenly rose, carrying a do-or-die determination, "Abandon dispersed assaults! Immediately at the outermost edge of the bug tide, using the largest shipwreck's bow as the axis, gather all capable personnel, establish a ring defense position! Do not advance! Repeat, do not advance! Hold your ground, wait for extraction!"

"Extraction?" The Rock Squad captain's voice was full of disbelief, "Captain Fang, there are too many bugs! We can't get in to extract you! How will you come out?!"

"It's not you extracting us."

Fang Qingyu's voice was icy as iron, indisputable:

"It's me, coming to extract all of you!"

"Everyone, immediately converge towards the bow direction! Hold position, await assistance! Wait for my signal!"

"Repeat! Converge! Hold! Wait for my signal!"

After speaking, Fang Qingyu didn't wait for any response, directly severed the radio call, and tossed the communicator back to a stunned Qi Hao.

The entire underground space fell into a deathly silence.

Everyone widened their eyes, looking at Fang Qingyu, as if looking at a madman.

Extract everyone? In the overwhelming bug tide, kill their way out from the core, to extract the ones outside? How could this be possible?!

Qin Hui and Old Qiao opened their mouths, yet couldn't utter a single word.

Liu Zheng of the Fenghuo Squad looked even more incredulous.

But Fang Qingyu offered no explanation.

He looked one last time at Jiang Wei, whose eyes were exceptionally bright and not afraid at all, then glanced over his own squad and the Fenghuo Squad members, a barely noticeable upward twitch at the corner of his lips.

"Let's go."

Fang Qingyu turned around.

Facing the direction of the tunnel sealed by the thick earth layers, now emitting dull thumping sounds.

The profound black Dragon and Tiger Force flowed silently, Liquid Black Flame erupted violently! Black Flame intertwined with Golden Pattern, the aura of destruction rising steadily.

"Going home."

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