The Seventh Mixed Battalion itself did not constitute a complete battalion. With just over two hundred members, it lacked the manpower of Liu Chenye's defeated troops. However, their convoy boasted several tanks, infantry vehicles, and an arsenal of weapons and equipment, far surpassing Liu Chenye's forces.
They had gathered a significant number of survivors, cramming them onto more than a dozen semi-trailers and buses. The crowd spanned at least a thousand individuals, surpassing the size of Liu Chenye's army.
Leading the Mixed Seventh Battalion was a tall, handsome man named Tian Jun. He approached Su Chen and his team with a group of soldiers. While Tian Jun, the battalion commander, wore a welcoming smile, most of his subordinates wore grim expressions.
Having waited for quite some time, their dissatisfaction grew apparent under the prevailing crisis. This sentiment was amplified when they caught sight of the dejected soldiers on Liu Chenye's side.
Liu Chenye, gravely injured, closed his eyes to rest after conversing with Su Chen. He was subsequently transferred to Tian Jun's command vehicle. As expected, their command and control had completely crumbled. They had transformed into a makeshift company and merged into the Mixed Seventh Battalion, while survivors were redistributed. Tian Jun arranged for many displaced survivors to board several buses from Su Chen's side.
Professor Chen and other key scientific researchers were once again placed at the forefront, boarding the bus with enhanced protection. Following Liu Chenye's arrangement, Xia Chuwei and the bald boss were granted the same privilege, remaining with Professor Chen.
Su Chen and Qiao Zheng, both talented individuals, were integrated into the Talented Individuals Team within the Seventh Battalion.
Due to the urgency of their departure, the process was rushed. Once preparations were nearly complete, they hastily set off along County Road 029. Just as Liu Chenye had predicted, their identities would be concealed as they merged into the larger sea of soldiers. Despite Su Chen's notable reputation, as long as the soldiers and Professor Chen, who were able to vouch for them, maintained silence, their presence within the Mixed Seventh Battalion remained unknown.
Moreover, at this stage, the focus was primarily on utilizing the talents of individuals in combat. They were expected to cooperate closely with the military to maximize their effectiveness, thereby minimizing the attention drawn to their presence.
The stage was set, and the talented individuals were now assigned to different combat roles based on their abilities and the intensity of the situation. The most formidable talents formed the vanguard known as the Sharp Knife Group, fighting alongside the army on the front lines. The Medium Support Group served as a secondary line of defense, lending aid wherever necessary. The least powerful talents comprised the Reserve Support Group, which had the highest number of members. Su Chen and Qiao Zheng found themselves placed in this group. Su Chen, claiming to possess the ability to launch dark energy-infused arrows, requested the bow and arrow previously carried by Xia Chuwei. However, he could only shoot a maximum of three arrows in ten hours, and their power was limited to slaying low-level ghosts at best.
Observing Su Chen's ability, a curious enlisted soldier inquired, "Your abilities stem from borrowed objects. Are there any other variations? Can you use different abilities?"
Su Chen pondered for a moment, then replied with a solemn expression, "I'm a nimble-fingered thief."
The soldier's expression turned perplexed.
As for Qiao Zheng, his abilities were rather lackluster, leading to his assignment in the Backup Support Group. In the past, he might have been disappointed, but having witnessed Su Chen's combat prowess, he felt fortunate to follow in Brother Su's footsteps.
Among the entire convoy of the Mixed Seventh Battalion, the most impressive unit was a specialized squad consisting of a mere twenty soldiers. Equipped with modern gear, they wielded incredible combat effectiveness. Rumor had it that the talents in the Sharp Knife Group had single-handedly slain ten black-scaled monsters. However, the Sharp Knife Group faced grueling patrols and lacked the leisure enjoyed by the Backup Support Group.
To Su Chen's surprise, the formidable special forces squad comprised entirely of women. They sported short hair and possessed well-toned physiques, a rare sight if not for the biting cold.
Nonetheless, Su Chen's focus lay elsewhere. If the army engaged the monsters in battle, he would seize every opportunity that arose. And if no opportunity presented itself, he would create one. Strengthening his body with the cat's power behind him, he would attack the second level. Thus, he found himself among the ten individuals in the Reserve Support Group, sitting in the commercial vehicle. Nestled in a corner, he vigorously shook his hand against the darkened backdrop, while pretending to close his eyes and calmly channel the dark energy within his body for reinforcement.
Having confirmed that items deposited in the Ring of Anovar's spatial pocket did not "evaporate," Su Chen swiftly passed all the miscellaneous items from his person through the chaotic space during the merger of the two teams. The Ring of Anovar's space vanished, leaving behind only a magic-modified pistol, a gravity warhammer, and a bow and arrow, the latter serving as a mere disguise and no longer drawing undue attention.
Observing Su Chen's peculiar rehabilitation exercises, Qiao Zheng quickly sat down, helping to shield him from prying eyes. He glanced back at the five or six other Backup Support Groups inside the vehicle with an awkward and polite expression, evoking the gaze of an inquisitive explorer.
Qiao Zheng himself harbored curiosity about the sudden disappearance of Su Chen's previously carried items, but due to their somewhat distant relationship, he refrained from questioning Brother Su. The earlier awkwardness had hindered their closeness, and Qiao Zheng didn't want to aggravate Su Chen's annoyance.
Before long, a plump talented individual approached them, initiating a conversation of his own accord.
While Su Chen remained silent, Qiao Zheng engaged in dialogue with their new acquaintance. Unbeknownst to them, every word exchanged between the two reached Su Chen's ears.
The plump individual introduced himself as Ma Hongbo, aiming to establish a bond. As fellow talents lacking exceptional abilities, they received little attention from the military. In times of danger, they would need to rely on one another for support. Thus, Ma Hongbo initiated contact, employing a tactical approach. He began by discussing their current situation and sharing his knowledge.
Much of what he said seemed nonsensical, but the highlight of his conversation undoubtedly revolved around the talented individuals in the Sharp Knife Group and the all-female special forces squad.
Ma Hongbo, particularly enthused when discussing the female special forces squad, couldn't help but indulge in gossip. He whispered, "Brother Joe, take a look at their captain, Tao Tang. She's a beauty, and rumor has it that she's the daughter of a high-ranking official. Quite daring, I must say..."
Qiao Zheng's smile took on a slightly lecherous tint. They had been engrossed in discussing the two women for quite some time, and Ma Hongbo's timely injection of fun and gossip flew right over Su Chen's head. Realizing this, Ma Hongbo swiftly changed the subject. "By the way, did the mission in Midtown succeed? I heard rumors of a major operation taking place there..."
"I'm not sure," Qiao Zheng replied, shaking his head. "As a marginal figure like me, I don't have access to that kind of information."
Ma Hongbo nodded in agreement. "You're right. In times like these, there's not much else we can do. We might as well try to have some fun while we can."
Gunshots echoed outside, indicating that the army had encountered and eliminated a few elongated ghosts.
Su Chen glanced outside briefly before diverting his gaze.
"Tsk tsk... I heard they managed to stop the sacrifices in Xicheng District, but it seems like the fighting in Dongcheng District is ongoing..." Ma Hongbo looked around cautiously before continuing, "Midtown is said to have the weakest military presence, and there's almost no organized resistance. It's only natural for the monsters to face setbacks. Whatever those creatures do, they can only succeed by about two-thirds at most now... But you guys are impressive. Surviving from Midtown is no small feat. Actually, when I heard about you, some people said you were dead... Well, the situation is like this now, staying in the city is getting more dangerous by the minute... But our group is strong, with many talented individuals, and the military is providing solid support. We have a 100% chance of making it out of town!"
"Why doesn't your friend speak much?" Ma Hongbo asked, looking at Su Chen.
Qiao Zheng chuckled. He had personally experienced the relentless attacks of the black-scaled monster army and wasn't as optimistic as he appeared. "Ah? You mean Brother Su? Well, he..."
Just then, their convoy came to a halt not far from their location.
Ma Hongbo scanned the surroundings, then hopped out of the vehicle to speak with someone before returning. He said with certainty, "It seems like they're waiting for the retreat from Xicheng District. It has something to do with Chief Tian Ying. Sigh, we all know our group is strong, but this waiting game feels a bit reckless... It'll take at least half an hour for us to retreat from the battlefield in Xicheng District... The sacrifices in Midtown have been successful, but who knows when the monsters will launch their next attack."
As soon as the convoy stopped, a faint murmur spread among the survivors but was quickly quelled by the military.
Meanwhile, Ma Hongbo's eyes darted back and forth as he suggested, "Come on, since we have some time, let me show you where we can scavenge for supplies!"