Chapter 68: Wreaking Havoc

Chapter 68: Wreaking Havoc

Landis used the attack and riots on Customs Star as a pretext to dismantle every notable armed smuggling group in the area.

The seized inhibitors filled dozens of warehouses—so many that ten transport ships couldn’t even hold them all. Not to mention the vast wealth these armed groups had amassed from selling inhibitors, along with an array of dazzling weapons and equipment.

While it wasn’t enough to rival the wealth of a nation, it was more than sufficient to propel an already capital-rich warlord to even greater heights.

Landis stayed on Customs Star and delayed his return to Central Star, likely plotting who knows what in private.

Ever since the emperor dismissed him and placed him under house arrest on Central Star, Landis had sensed the royal family’s wariness toward him. Or rather, the royal family had always been dependent on the military while also being defensive of it, though it wasn’t overt at that time.

After receiving the royal decree on Customs Star, Landis had already anticipated this day—the royal family would never allow a general who had discovered the truth about the mech beasts and held real power to lead such a large independent corps unchecked.

Using the mutant horde to weaken both him and the mutants, then legitimately taking over Landis' remaining forces while giving the other legions a warning was the most dignified solution for the royal family.

If he could help it, Landis didn’t want to confront the royal family just yet.

After all, the threat of the mutants was real. He didn’t care about his reputation or the accusations the royal family might level against him.

But he would never wish for his subordinates—the soldiers, and the young officers full of passion and hope—to be dragged into this pointless and treacherous political struggle.

Nor did he want the country, which had enjoyed peace, to fall into chaos and mutant invasion because of infighting among the ruling elite.

Since things had come to this, avoiding and appeasing would only lead to being steadily eroded and left to die. That wasn’t Landis' style either.

If there was a war, it had to be quick and decisive, with overwhelming force to solve the problem at its root.

With the massive supply of resources, almost every officer and soldier in the Third Corps was allotted ten times the usual amount of inhibitors and other resource equipment.

The lower-level soldiers didn’t know about the struggles among the upper echelons; they only knew that their corps had suddenly become incredibly wealthy overnight. Advanced inhibitors, once rationed for life-saving purposes, were now used freely without hesitation.

Various high-end weapons and energy cartridges were thrown at the enemy as if they were nothing, without any hesitation.

For a time, the momentum on the battlefield was overwhelming, actually pushing the mutant army’s front line back, forcing the enemy to retreat a few steps.

Even the Exploration Corps assisting in the battle received a share of the excess resources.

Lo Kai and Colonel Horan, who had long been accustomed to scraping by in the Exploration Corps, were visibly moved, their eyes welling with tears. Was this the legendary strongest Third Corps? No wonder military cadets were desperate to get in.

The crisis of inhibitors and supplies was temporarily resolved, but there were still dozens of terrifying lord-level mutants on the battlefield, like swords hanging over everyone's heads, weighing heavily on their minds.

Based on past experience, it typically required at least three double-A-ranked officers to take down a single lord mutant.

The Third Corps had many A-grade elites, but double-A, just below S-grade, wasn’t something commonly found. In other ordinary corps, they could serve as deputy commander-level figures.

And then there were the thousands of lower- and mid-level mutants. The contaminated zone they created was like an impenetrable abyss, where even approaching the edges would affect ordinary soldiers or officers.

In the command room’s holographic images of the real-time battle situation, the mid- and low-level mutants were generally suppressed by the Third Corps' mech forces. But whenever a lord-level mutant appeared in the center of the battlefield, the situation immediately became one-sided and grim.

To the lord mutants, the soldiers inside the mech cabins were nothing more than appetizing meals.

They used their hard claws to crush the mech cabin doors and sharp teeth to scrape against the alloy, creating ear-piercing, distorted sounds.

Countless beams and laser blasts riddled their bodies with holes, but by consuming three to five soldiers and absorbing their mental seas, the mutants could regenerate their shattered flesh with the energy they gained.

The command room fell silent as everyone watched the unfolding carnage, their faces etched with grim determination.

The sheer destructive power of the dozen lord mutants was enough to send chills down anyone’s spine. The Third Corps' combat prowess was extraordinary, and with the recent influx of resources, any other corps would likely have been unable to withstand this wave.

Landis stared expressionlessly at the battle situation on the holographic display and gave a cold order to his deputy, Caro, "Activate the backup plan and deploy the Black Fox Unit."

Xiao Sa, standing next to him, looked on in surprise. The Black Fox Unit was the most powerful special operations force under Landis' command, his elite guard.

Xiao Sa furrowed his brow, wondering if Landis had run out of options. Was he truly planning to commit his core unit to face a dozen or so alien lords?

Landis' face showed no additional expression as he focused solely on the real-time battle updates and the steady flow of reports. His eyes remained as rational and calm as ever.

Every officer in the unit was A-level or higher in mental energy, and each of their spiritual entity abilities was a carefully selected long-range attack skill. Their coordination was flawless, perfected through countless operations.

Upon entering the battlefield, the Black Fox Unit did not immediately engage the alien lords. Instead, they continuously used their unique spiritual abilities to isolate them from the other alien creatures.

In a special formation, the Black Fox Unit gradually drove, lured, and gathered the scattered alien lords on the battlefield, maneuvering them like a kite.

They operated on the edge of the polluted magnetic field, maintaining a critical distance—neither too far nor too close—actively guiding the alien lords into a pre-set attack zone.

Individually, they were no match for the alien lords, and a single mistake could lead to instant death or severe contamination.

Yet together, they moved with an eerie, rhythmic precision, encircling the most formidable alien lords in a woven web of death.

In the command room, the staff officers watched the battle unfold with growing tension. As the confrontation reached its final moments, the Black Fox Unit began to suffer casualties.

Unlike ordinary soldiers and lower-ranking officers, the Black Fox combat unit was Landis' trump card. Their specialized mechs were custom-built, vastly different from standard models.

The time and resources invested in each of them were astronomical, yet today, they fell one by one into the dark polluted fog as if they were mere consumables.

Landis, the highest-ranking officer who issued the order, remained silent, like a precisely calibrated instrument.

As casualties mounted, the gaze of those in the command room occasionally shifted to Landis. The weight of not just the command room but the entire battlefield rested on his shoulders.

Should they continue?

One wrong move could lead to total collapse.

When the last alien lord was drawn into the Black Fox's special formation, a faint golden light appeared on each of their customized mechs.

A special mental energy amplification device on their mechs, combined with each officer's spiritual abilities, caused the unit's attack power to surge exponentially.

However, the drawback was evident. With so many alien lords gathered together, the polluted magnetic field they generated intensified into an unprecedented state.

It formed an abyssal vortex, with no light able to penetrate. The terrifying negative energy distorted the surrounding space, and no alien creature or allied combat unit could approach.

One could only imagine the immense pressure the Black Fox Unit was enduring at the center.

Even if they could eliminate these beings capable of destroying an entire planet, it was uncertain how many of them would survive the ordeal. For some, the future might hold a lifetime in a military rehabilitation center.

Yet, not one of them retreated or fled. Each remained steadfast in their position, supporting and encouraging their comrades.

Watching the scene unfold on the holographic projection, Xiao Sa's eyes reflected a hint of admiration.

At the command platform, Landis narrowed his eyes and gave the order in a deep voice, "All combat units, launch the attack. Ensure the complete annihilation of the enemy, and finish this in one decisive strike!"

The white light on the Black Fox Unit's mechs grew increasingly brilliant. All their combined ability attacks, together with the high-energy ion cannons of other combat units, pushed the energy fluctuations to their maximum simultaneously.

The final attack emitted almost no sound, the highest frequency sound waves beyond human hearing.

Huge visible ripples spread through the air as a blinding white light pierced the sky. Soldiers from the distant combat units could not look directly at the awe-inspiring light, their eyes too strained to open.

Moments later, the intense white-gold energy wave gradually faded, revealing a crater hundreds of feet deep. The ground split open into deep, jagged chasms, and the flora and fauna within a radius of several hundred miles were completely obliterated.

The dozen or so mutant lords were all killed in the pit, their ash-gray flesh instantly vaporized. The black-hole-like polluted magnetic field was entirely cleared by the massive energy explosion, leaving nothing but the ashes of combustion to drift in the wind.

In the legion's system channel, the brief silence was immediately replaced by a flood of cheers, causing some signal lag and static.

Inside the command room, the staff officers also showed excited smiles, hugging each other.

Caro wiped the sweat from his forehead and turned to Landis, his voice filled with surprise, "Sir, this is the first time we've seen such a decisive victory."

Landis, however, remained calm, his expression unreadable, and continued to issue orders to the cleanup teams and medical units, "Send people to rescue the Black Fox Special Forces."

As the battle was about to conclude, Xiao Sa also breathed a sigh of relief and glanced at Landis, "I didn't expect you to have such a security personnel, but this was too risky."

At that moment, a faint flicker appeared in Landis' ice-blue eyes.

He turned to face Xiao Sa and said in a low voice, "The reason I dared to devise such an operational plan is because of you."

Xiao Sa's brows arched slightly.

Taking advantage of the moment, Landis briefly clasped Xiao Sa's hand, squeezing it reassuringly before letting go, and said lightly, "In truth, I don't want you to be here according to my personal wishes."

"But as the general of the Third Legion, your value is immeasurable. Because of your unique abilities, you can help the Black Fox avoid unnecessary casualties, which is why I dared to gamble for the greatest victory with minimal losses."

"If you weren't here, I wouldn't have taken this risk..."

He turned his gaze to the holographic images. Without those mutant lords that determined the outcome of the war, the balance had gradually tipped in favor of the Third Legion.

Landis pressed his lips together, leaving the unspoken words hanging.

The sheer number of mutants was overwhelming. Although he had eliminated most of the mutant lords in an extremely risky manner, on this vast battlefield, there would always be some lucky mutants that continued to evolve through devouring.

The situation on the battlefield gradually became deadlocked.

Just as everyone thought the battle was turning into a war of attrition, Caro reported a new piece of good news:

"Sir, the reinforcements from the First and Second Legions have arrived nearby. After a short rest, they can join the fight."

Xiao Sa looked at Landis in surprise, "When did you contact the First and Second Legions? Weren't they stationed on the front lines?"

Landis smiled faintly, "I had a hunch that this mutant horde might be larger than expected, so I contacted the commanders of the First and Second Legions in advance. I didn't expect them to actually make it."

Xiao Sa raised an eyebrow, "The four legions operate independently. Would they listen to you?"

Landis remained calm and said seriously, "I informed every legion commander and the royal family about the mech beast mutation outbreak on Customs Star."

"If it's a secret, it should be shared by everyone. A secret shared is no longer a secret. If we're to be feared by the royal family, it can't just be me alone. The other two legions can't stay out of it either. They either become puppets of the royal family, like the Fourth Legion, or they have to follow the path I've set for them. Only by sticking together can we have the strength to protect ourselves."

Xiao Sa instantly understood Landis' plan and sighed, "Have you made up your mind to break with the royal family?"

Landis fell silent for a moment, then said gravely, "It's not that I want to break with the royal family, but what they're doing will cause great harm to the Dawn Empire. Someone has to stop them."

Xiao Sa raised an eyebrow, "And how do you plan to stop them?"

Landis remained silent, quietly watching the increasingly intense battlefield.

The Dawn Empire was founded on martial prowess, with a national culture that revered strength. In the end, it all comes down to who has the strongest fist.

With the support of the fresh troops from the First and Second Legions, the previously deadlocked battle situation gradually became clear.

Just as everyone was silently breathing a sigh of relief, their expressions easing as they believed the battle was decided, the mutants at the center of the battlefield seemed to suddenly receive some kind of command. They dropped their enemies in perfect unison and began to continuously contract their defensive line.

"What's going on?"

Landis was the first to notice this eerie situation, a sudden ominous premonition welling up in his heart.

Based on his experience, such a situation usually occurred because a mutant leader capable of commanding the entire field had appeared. But all the mutant leaders had been killed by him. Could it be that a new mutant leader had evolved on the battlefield?

Suddenly, a piercing scream, loud enough to rupture human eardrums, echoed across the entire battlefield.

The extremely high decibel level temporarily deafened the frontline reinforcements.

Under the horrified gazes of everyone, an immense, dense black fog rolled in like a tsunami from afar, and a terrifyingly massive mutant, wrapped in cloud-like black fog, appeared at the edge of the battlefield.

This mutant was so enormous that Xiao Sa had never seen anything like it before. Even more bizarrely, it had two heads.

The moment it appeared on the battlefield, several high-level mutants nearby, under its control, devoured their companions and instantly evolved into leaders.

Landis frowned at the scene, his voice incredibly dry: "It's a King-level mutant..."

A King-level mutant had actually appeared here!

The battle situation took a drastic turn, and gasps of disbelief echoed across the entire combat channel.

A palpable sense of despair settled over everyone's hearts. Landis's strongest special forces could no longer enter the battle, and even if they could, they would likely have little effect on the King-level mutant.

Xiao Sa and Landis exchanged a glance, both seeing the determination to fight to the end in each other's eyes.

Only those with S-rank strength could stand a chance against a King-level mutant.

The roar of the King-level mutant carried a strange rhythm, like a battle cry signaling a charge or a drumbeat rallying the troops.

Wherever it went, mutants spread out like a tidal wave, and the thick, foul-smelling black fog, almost tangible, spread to every corner of the battlefield, indiscriminately devouring every living thing it infected, even swallowing the light itself.

A wave of despair-inducing darkness and pollution swept across the battlefield. A silver-white mech suddenly burst through the thick, night-like black fog, ascending against the overwhelming presence of the King-level mutant like a bird with a broken wing, defying the odds.

"Who is that? Are they crazy?"

"The silver-white mech isn't Your Excellency's!"

The retreating defensive lines, shocked by the King-level mutant, were suddenly drawn to the S-rank mech that burst forth.

Xiao Sa gripped the control sticks tightly, the silver-white mech continuously ascending mid-air, its streamlined alloy body radiating a sharp, cold arc of light. A long, silver-white scythe in its right hand cut sharp trajectories in the air.

Unlike the last time Xiao Sa faced off against multiple mutated mech beasts alone, the S-rank mech in his hands had comprehensively enhanced defensive capabilities and a mental energy boost.

The protective shields around him lit up with astonishing light, and the huge scythe continuously harvested the heads of mutants, killing everything in its path, straight toward the King-level mutant. No mutant could approach him within striking distance.

The silver mech hovered in front of the King-level mutant, like the god of death descending, ignoring the pollution-infused black fog around it. All mutants and pollution in its vicinity were forced to retreat from the light it emitted.

A black and white tiger appeared beside Xiao Sa, its size having grown significantly, exuding an aura of dominance, as if the winds and clouds followed its lead. The golden "king" character on its forehead emitted a faint golden glow, and invisible ripples spread through the air.

The invisible mental domain collided with the King-level mutant's pollution-infused black fog, invading each other and squeezing out distorted, tangled magnetic fields. The surging black fog advanced more slowly, as if dragged into an invisible quagmire.

All nearby mechs' electronic signals and radars suddenly malfunctioned, and the channel was filled with nothing but static.

Just as the Third Legion's battle mechs, who had been struggling in the bitter fight, felt a momentary relief, something even more astonishing happened—

A pure white cloud appeared above the silver mech, growing larger, eventually expanding to hundreds of meters in diameter, forcibly tearing open a gap in the thick black fog, revealing a massive, cotton-like cloud.

The drizzling mist of mental energy accumulated into droplets in the air, pouring down. Upon contact with the pollution source, it sizzled with blue smoke, gradually disappearing into the wind.

The soldiers and officers stood in stunned silence.

A sticky, foul odor emanated from the two heads of the king-level mutant, releasing pheromones full of rage and hostility, sweeping toward Xiao Sa.

"Who... is it..."

Inside the cockpit, Xiao Sa's expression was cold, his deep eyes narrowing slightly. This was the first time a mutant had communicated with him through pheromones.

Xiao Sa's mech swung its scythe, casually brushing off the blood and corruption on it. A surging wave of attacking pheromones rushed out, and under the overwhelming pressure of his presence, all the surrounding mutants fell into a state of sluggishness and confusion, trembling in terror.

Calmly, Xiao Sa gazed at his opponent and said, "The one who will send you to your grave."