Hiding behind the armored vehicle, Ji Boda clenched his fists tightly. He could hardly believe that the detestable Xu Que had somehow become the supreme commander!
Reflecting on Liu Ruyan's mysterious disappearance, a realization dawned within Ji Boda's mind.
"Treacherous woman, just you wait!"
Spitting bitterly in his heart, Ji Boda swiftly departed the harbor district.
In his mind, Liu Ruyan had undoubtedly betrayed him; after all, Xu Que was her loyal follower. Now that Xu Que had risen to power, it was clear that Liu Ruyan wouldn't want to follow Ji Boda any longer.
As time crept on, the harbor district's fortifications neared completion.
Just as Xu Que was about to call Kun Shao to inquire about their status, the dimensional rift finally appeared!
With a flash of red warning lights, the front-line sirens blared to life.
The dimensional rift expanded, releasing enormous bear-like humanoid creatures in droves, followed closely by twin-tailed scorpions.
"Fire!"
Ratatatata…
A curtain of gunfire, thick as rainfall, poured around the dimensional rift.
Explosions and barrages of missiles ignited the harbor district, transforming it into a nightmarish inferno.
Yet, this was merely the prelude to a far greater horror.
As the tide of alien beasts surged outward, humanity's forces were momentarily paralyzed by the hellish sight.
Though formidable, the weapons of modern civilization proved insufficient to truly kill these otherworldly beings. Faced with the onslaught, the creatures charged fearlessly into the very heart of the firestorm.
"Damn it… die!"
A soldier, eyes bloodshot with fury, clutched his machine gun, unleashing a hailstorm of bullets upon the alien beasts before him.
But his rage and courage were meaningless in the face of such horrors. Before he could even react, a massive bear-creature clamped its jaws around him, tearing him apart.
Blood splattered, flames raged, and the seemingly impregnable triangular fortifications were soon breached.
As the beasts continued to tear through the defenses, the dimensional rift widened once more.
From its depths emerged a towering serpentine creature, followed by a horde of its kin.
"It's finally here," Xu Que muttered, his gaze locked on the colossal serpent. With swift precision, he dove into the fray.
Wielding his black D-grade sword, he cut down the C-grade monsters like weeds.
"Stop gawking and keep firing!" yelled Ye Hu furiously.
"But, that—" a soldier stammered, pointing in Xu Que's direction, only to be cut off by Ye Hu's boot.
"Forget about him! Maintain the barrage!"
With renewed orders, the northern defenses unleashed a fresh volley.
"En garde!"
Xu Que paused, and his black sword, responding to his command, danced around him, striking down any alien that dared approach.
As he continued his assault, Xu Que noticed a peculiar sense of harmony with the sword in his hand, as if it were an old companion. This connection had eluded him in his past life.
"Hiss!"
The leading snake-creature hissed, and its brethren surged forward.
Amid the exploding shells around him, Xu Que seemed unfazed, cutting down any creatures that dared confront him, while those from the north fell one by one under his blade.
Stepping forward, Xu Que's gaze locked onto the serpentine leader.
**Name:** Blanthar Sha (Serpentfolk)
**Rank:** Over B-class
**Attributes:** Strength: 270, Spirit: 270, Constitution: 450, Agility: 420
**Abilities:** Venomous Kiss, Sharp Fangs, Serpent's Soul…
Xu Que's expression hardened. Though he knew of such creatures from his past, encountering one so soon after the rift's activation was beyond his expectations.
"Hiss!"
The serpent Blanthar's gaze, its lustful hunger for blood gleaming, landed squarely on Xu Que, marking him as its first prey.
With the world around them drowned in chaos, Xu Que and the serpent saw only each other.
"Boom!"
A massive explosion rang out as Xu Que and Blanthar charged forward simultaneously.
Xu Que's black blade sliced forward with his signature technique, releasing a burst of starlit energy aimed straight for Blanthar's massive form.
Just as the strike was about to connect, a sinister green glow encased Blanthar, and the starry arc was deflected.
"Boom!"
With the test concluded, Blanthar raised its staff, chanting a dark incantation.
Sensing an ominous chill, Xu Que dodged, but just then, Blanthar's green eyes glinted.
An ensnaring gaze took hold of him.
A bone-deep chill crept over him, sapping his strength. Just as he felt himself slipping away, a spark from his ring jolted him back to his senses.
"Damn it! An Over B-class is no easy foe." Xu Que cursed inwardly, keeping his gaze averted from the serpent.
"Hiss!"
Enraged by his escape, Blanthar hissed, releasing a poisonous green mist.
As it spread, creatures emerging from the rift began dropping dead in droves.
"Evacuate the defenses!" Xu Que shouted urgently to the soldiers outside.
Hearing his call, the northern soldiers began a frantic retreat. But in that moment, Blanthar had closed in, its venomous mist fast approaching.
Xu Que had no choice but to retreat; his life was far too valuable to risk here. If he were to fall, there would be no hope for this city.
A beast of Blanthar's caliber was akin to a walking nuclear weapon in this nascent era.
Ducking and weaving past the poison clouds, Xu Que unleashed his sword's "Guardian Strike," the blade forming a protective barrier.
Yet, Blanthar's dark spell held his sword suspended mid-air.
Xu Que felt his spiritual energy draining at an alarming rate, as if it were water in a leaking vessel.
"Damn it!"
Gritting his teeth, Xu Que felt a reckless urge to abandon the battle, knowing he owed nothing to the soldiers around him—after all, this was the mess of the officials.
But as doubt began clouding his thoughts, four figures suddenly appeared vividly in his mind.
"Ji Boda! Tang Xue! Zhao Pengkun! Xu Sihai!"
"I will kill you all!"
His fury ignited his Qi, dispelling the venomous mist with sheer force.
With bloodshot eyes, Xu Que summoned back his black sword, his gaze icy as it locked onto the serpent.
Momentarily startled, Blanthar recoiled, confused by the sudden surge of strength in its prey.