The atmospheric pressure continued to drop, and thunder rumbled. When the first bolt of lightning split the sky, illuminating the surroundings, many only then noticed the swarm of mutated birds drawing near to the base's main gate.

A bolt of lightning incinerated dozens of mutated birds, causing the lower-level ones to scatter in fear. Many, disoriented, crashed directly into the city walls.

The walls were reinforced with steel and cement, covered in a layer of iron sheeting, offering substantial sturdiness. The lesser mutated birds didn't have the strength to breach them, colliding and reeling from the impact before being eliminated by gunfire and artillery.

Zhou You looked up at the dense cloud cover, questioning Shao Qi, “Harnessing the power of lightning is formidable, but it's an uncontrollable force, isn't it? It could inflict indiscriminate damage.”

Shao Qi responded with a cold huff, “Most of our bases are equipped with lightning protection systems. However, they can fail under excessive lightning activity. Some people are overly confident.”

Zhou You turned around to observe numerous warriors gathered below the city walls. Yet, facing the overwhelming power of natural lightning, they dared not approach too closely.

Ren Zhiyuan cheerfully remarked, “Look, the mutated birds are retreating. No matter how powerful they are, they wouldn’t dare challenge nature's lightning force. It seems this crisis will be over soon.”

A second lightning bolt struck down, and a mid-level mutated bird, spreading its wings, faced it head-on with a chirping cry.

“That's a Black Spirit Hawk. Their evolutionary path leans heavily towards robust defense, with extremely tough feathers. Geng Qinglu once speculated that if the Black Spirit Hawk evolved to a higher level, its feathers might transform into scales. Of course, this is mere conjecture. At present, there's no observed cross-species evolution. However, it can be said that the defense of the Black Spirit Hawk is already on par with higher-level mutated birds.” Shao Qi commented solemnly. His gaze followed the hawk as it was obliterated by lightning. After the dust settled, he turned to Zhou You, “Could you withstand such a lightning strike?”

“Don't joke about that. We’ve only trained for a few years; we aren’t immortals undergoing tribulations,” Zhou You replied, pinching his cheek. “See, this is flesh, not some indestructible form. If that lightning hit me, I'd be reduced to ashes in a second.”

“True, whether human or mutated creature, challenging nature is a monumental task. I wonder how Ren Zhiyuan plans to manage this situation.”

The elites from various sects below exchanged glances, murmuring amongst themselves, “Seems like they don't need our help after all.”

“Isn’t that better? Do you wish to battle these creatures?” Due to government mandates, sect disciples must obey military orders during crises, even if they aren't needed, they must remain on standby.

Chapter 066 - How Would I Understand A Bird's Thoughts?

Ren Zhiyuan initially wanted to showcase the defensive capabilities of the base to Marshal Shao. While high-voltage electric defenses were common in all bases and proved effective against mutated creatures, invoking a storm using electricity was rare. If the Jiangnan base handles this well, they might earn significant acclaim.

The roiling thunderclouds showed no sign of dissipating. Even though the mutated birds were fleeing in all directions, many were still struck by lightning. The earlier Black Spirit Hawk had sacrificed itself, shielding others momentarily. Now, only two high-level mutated birds remained, reluctant to leave.

“What are they so obsessed with?” Zhou You pondered. He had believed that nothing, human or animal, would dare challenge the mighty force of nature. Moreover, he noticed lightning rods installed outside the city, indicating the storm wasn’t ending anytime soon.

“How would I know the thoughts of birds? However, research suggests that high-level mutated creatures possess independent thinking. Also, they hold grudges.” Shao Qi said, feeling a bit uneasy with the notion that these creatures might be becoming sentient.

The people in the Jiangnan base whispered among themselves, “Why aren't they leaving?”

“One more lightning strike and it’ll be over. Whether they stay or leave doesn't matter. Those two birds alone can't do much harm. If they stick around, they might even become our next meal.”

“Struck by lightning, they’ll either turn to ash or charcoal. What’s there to eat?”

“I fear they have something up their sleeves.”

“Oh come on, do you think they’re some godly beings capable of altering destiny?”

Everyone sighed with relief, anticipating the end of the crisis. Despite the menacing storm clouds, the base's lightning protection system seemed to be holding up well.

Against the backdrop of thick clouds, the two massive birds appeared insignificant.

Zhou You, ever curious, questioned, “Why do all these mutated creatures relentlessly attack humans? It's not like humans are a staple in most creatures’ diets, right?”

Regarding the flock of mutated birds, why did they decide to attack the human base after being lured by an airplane?

It surely can't be because these birds have a taste for human flesh.

“When humans consume the flesh of mutated creatures, they become stronger. So, it should work the same way for them. Whether they consume mutated beasts or humans, it might empower them. Every being is evolving. Those lagging behind get left out. Let's just hope we can evolve fast enough, or else...”

“A base, teeming with humans, might look like a fish pond to them. Why wouldn't they try to snatch a fish or two for themselves?”

Zhou You nodded in agreement, feeling the weight of the truth. As the world witnesses rapid evolution, the being accumulating the most energy reigns supreme. Every organism aspires to dominate.

"Look, they're coming our way!"

These two elite mutated birds, one black and one white, could blot out the sun with their expansive wingspan. However, under the looming dark clouds, they seemed almost insignificant.

"Fire! Don’t let them get close!" Zhao Jinghao ordered loudly.

Soldiers atop the wall, each armed with a machine gun, aimed at the two massive birds. As the order was given, a barrage of bullets streamed towards them. Under such gunfire, any creature would normally be riddled with holes.