It wasn't until the next day that the shocking news reached the rear.

The Fierce Tiger General, Demon Mountain, the top expert of the Security Corps, was dead.

When Dong Li heard the news, his mind went blank.

In fact, he had just met Demon Mountain the day before, likely as the last Security Corps officer to see him.

At that time, traitor Geville had fled, involving a bunch of people, and the main camp was in turmoil.

For this reason, Demon Mountain rushed back from the front lines to calmly reassure a bunch of officials, and Dong Li was the last one he met with.

In the middle of their conversation, a call came in, and Demon Mountain's expression immediately soured, cursing something about 'ungrateful natives' and 'swine', then swiftly arranged a special flight.

This conversation abruptly ended on that note.

Who could have guessed that just one day later, they'd hear of his death?

And when he learned that the person who killed Demon Mountain was actually Gao Gong, he was stunned once again.

This time he was dazed even longer than before.

Gao Gong, he had met him.

He had a vivid memory of this young man.

At the time, serving as a legion representative, he was responsible for awarding medals to two young men, recognizing their immense contribution to repelling the beast tide.

He even struck a business deal on the side.

Biological Warriors were indeed lethal battlefield weapons, deserving of a war medal.

That was actually nothing.

What he valued more were the two sets of newly procured equipment, which tripled the efficiency of ordinary soldiers in killing monsters!

Because of this equipment, at least one-fifth of the yellow zone turned green again.

Without a doubt, this was his achievement.

Therefore, he had a favorable impression of Gao Gong, the Mechanical Hunter who invented the equipment.

He even planned to bring him to his Oasis after the war to nurture, since the Security Corps also needed fresh blood.

However, he never would have imagined that Gao Gong would defeat, even kill, the Security Corps' most formidable force, Demon Mountain.

He had been recruited with a colossal investment from the Mother City as a Super Mechanical Transformer!

His combat power was acknowledged by the highest officer of the Security Corps, a Vice Admiral, who even offered praise.

He alone matched a thousand-man army.

Yet he was killed by a mere Mechanical Hunter of lowliest status.

How absurd!!

The door was knocked, and the adjutant's voice sounded.

"Staff Chief, it's time for questioning."

Dong Li stood up and walked outside an interview room, just in time to see another Oasis Staff Chief preparing to leave.

The other gave Dong Li a brief smile that seemed forced.

Ultimately, he couldn't pull it off.

He sighed deeply.

"What's actually happening in this war."

Not just Dong Li; even the investigator sent by the Major General twitched at the corner of his mouth.

There's no way around it—the current circumstances are just incomprehensible.

The toughest, most challenging front line just had a notably successful result.

Yet the seemingly safest rear was taken down by a terrorist organization, with a top military officer serving as a terrorist mole.

The Security Corps retained most of its strength, with several elite units not even deployed.

Yet, the most powerful other top military officer, Demon Mountain, met his end.

Absurdity.

Remarkably absurd!

The higher the rank, the quicker the death?

In Dong Li's shoes, he didn't know how Major General Xiao Tong, the Central Desert's head, should handle it.

Should they parachute someone in to continue fighting the beast tide?

Or mobilize troops to avenge Demon Mountain?

Or seize the opportunity with the retreating beast tide to counterattack Scavenger City?

Seemingly divergent approaches would all have a profound impact on the war.

Once he sat down, the investigator spoke: "Staff Chief, tell us about your understanding of this rebel."

"I've met him once—no, it should be twice. The first time was in the command center, and at that time, he left a deep impression on me—"

"Was it when he killed the logistics head Gao?" the envoy interrupted.

"That's right. At that time, my thought was, this young man is a bit defiant..."

Dong Li rambled while letting his thoughts wander.

In truth, unless Major General Xiao Tong stepped in personally, no one could replace the highly accomplished Demon Mountain.

But he didn't come.

Could he be afraid?

If that young Mechanical Hunter possessed strength surpassing Demon Mountain and got overly ambitious, staging another beheading operation and taking down a Major General, then the Central Desert would indeed become notorious.

For some reason, thinking this made Dong Li feel somewhat amused.

Maybe this is what they call black humor.

So who would be parachuted in next?

The information gathered from various channels is beginning to be compiled at the upper echelons of the Security Corps.

Gradually, an image of a person emerges.

Powerful, arrogant, with clear distinctions between love and hate.

Inheriting the body modification technology of the old generation of Hunters, always able to produce various new kinds of equipment, suspected of having a specialized equipment development department.

Many strong subordinates, and even a formidable Mechanical Beast army.

Possesses special abilities similar to High-level Radiation Beasts, such as controlling Radiation Fields and even Beast Tides.

And most incomprehensible is the speed.

This person's rise was so rapid, taking only three months from start to finish.

Three months ago, he was just an unremarkable Mechanical Hunter.

If one insists there was a special skill, perhaps it was that something was particularly long.

Otherwise, how could he have been kept by someone?

...

A node of the dark net.

On a super yacht on the Sulfuric Acid River.

A group of dangerous individuals are hiding within, some playing cards, some smoking, some exercising, some playing on virtual machines, altogether a chaotic scene of wailing and howling.

Many waiters hesitated to speak, but seeing the thick arms of this group, along with all sorts of modified weapons, they dared not utter a word.

The previous owner of this yacht was a certain wealthy magnate from the desert, and in gratitude for a major figure in the assassination world taking his son on a free day trip, he willingly transferred the super yacht.

The current owner of this super yacht is a certain Rose brand Rich Lady.

On the surface, the super yacht is used for chaotic parties for the rich, lavishly decorated, six floors in total, with four helicopter pads, 30 cabins, including a virtual sensory club, a wellness center, and an indoor swimming pool that doubles as a dance floor.

But beneath the surface, the yacht is actually used for smuggling.

Some special items that cannot be transported across the river via teleportation belts, or luxury items unobtainable in the desert, even including some people, such as fugitives wanted by the Mechanical City, ace members of the Assassin Group, or important figures of the Rebel Army, as long as the price is right, anything can be delivered.

Already, the night before the operation, Gao Gong had used dark net channels to send the members of the Cable Tribe away.

Then it was easy, tame Mechanical Beasts were carelessly 'pastured' somewhere, two or three dozen frontline Mechanical Hunters light-packed, hiding by day and emerging by night, smoothly joining up with the main force.

The first and second floors of the yacht were occupied by Mechanical Hunters, the third and fourth floors were the residences of Cable Tribe members.

The fifth floor was for core members.

And on the sixth floor, there was only Gao Gong.

At this moment, he was having a virtual video call with Sister Rose.

Sister Rose seemed to be at a luxurious dinner party, in a backless black dress, holding a cocktail.

As for Little Finger, looking dapper in a suit, he seemed to have finally escaped from the battlefield, with an exceptionally spry spirit.

At this moment, his virtual projection was circling around Gao Gong, clicking his tongue.

"Unbelievable, truly unbelievable, you kid actually managed to take down Demon Mountain."

"It's not scientific, not scientific at all, how on earth did you do it?"

Black Rose looked calm, seemingly unconcerned about the commotion Gao Gong caused, swirling the crimson drink in her hand.

"What's your plan now? With your current power and influence, except for the Security Corps, joining any side would mean being heavily valued."

"Where do you want to go?"

Gao Gong lazily lay in the swimming pool, smiling, "Leave, why would I leave?"

Little Finger was full of confusion.

"Do you still want to stay? Don't be ridiculous; where in the Oasis could accommodate you now, considering you killed the Security Corps' ace with your own hands!"

Little Finger's expression changed: "You wouldn't be contemplating joining the Knight Order, would you? That's a place that eats people alive."

Gao Gong chuckled and gestured, a bottle of beer was delivered by a bionic maid.

"Why would I? I'm a good citizen," he took a sip of beer, "I'm waiting for an offer of amnesty."

"You still want to cooperate with the Security Corps?" Black Rose's long, thin eyebrows arched, akin to a drawn sword.

"Why not?" Gao Gong shrugged.

After all, what are Pseudo Armies like the Security Corps best at? Of course, selling out the righteous.

Demon Mountain was one such righteous person.

He knew that after the 'Hydra Battle' began, of the six Major Generals of the Security Corps, three defected before the battle, one ran away, one went missing, and only one died in battle.

What sort of spineless cowards can't do anything?

Black Rose was silent for a while and then said, "Do you know about the 'Scorched Earth Plan'?"

Gao Gong took a gulp of beer and waited to hear more.

"To prevent the Oasis from being overrun, the Security Corps has always prepared a 'last action plan'. This plan involves launching nuclear bombs from the Sky City's silo aimed at Scavenger City when the Beast Tide becomes truly unstoppable."

Gao Gong was stunned, "Directly destroy the ecosystem of the Metropolitan Area? Nuclear bombs can't kill Radiation Beasts, they might even cause Radiation Beasts to evolve faster."

"That's actually inaccurate," Little Finger appeared to be aware of the plan, "As long as the yield of the nuclear bombs is large enough, the energy produced by the nuclear reaction could exceed the absorption rate of those beasts and solve the monster issue."

"Moreover, the main force of this Beast Tide is Radiation Beasts. As long as one A-level leader is killed, the chain reaction from the explosion would be enough to destroy this Beast Tide."

Little Finger scratched his nose, "As for whether high-concentration radiation can create even more terrifying monsters post-nuclear explosion, who cares, if you can't even save your own skin, what's the point in saving face."

"Besides, bombing the Metropolitan Area is just Plan B of the 'Scorched Earth Plan,' everyone knows the Metropolitan Area is like a gigantic nuclear battery, throwing a nuclear bomb there would be counterproductive."

"Then what's Plan A?" Gao Gong asked.

"To force those two A-level Radiation Beasts to engage in a decisive battle outside the Metropolitan Area, at the critical moment of their battle, biu~~"

Little Finger made a parabolic throwing motion.

"They don't even spare their own people, truly in the style of the Public Security Corps," Gao Gong exhaled and said.

Black Rose sipped her drink, "According to the information I received, at the highest level, this plan has always been controversial, and even if they actually reached that point, it might not get the majority vote."

"However, this is only for their own people. If it came down to you, if you were the one resisting the Beast Tide on the front lines, then you can be sure, that nuclear bomb would definitely be dropped on your head!"

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