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Chapter143
Zhou You and Shao Qi meditated through the night, only to be greeted with more distressing news come morning. Without hesitation, they grabbed their weapons and headed out of the city.
Reaching the outskirts, they saw the army's ready-to-deploy aircraft. With the roads buried in snow, armored vehicles couldn't move quickly, so the army dispatched a hundred aircraft accompanied by elite warriors skilled in skiing.
Leading the forces was Major Ding Xuesong, the disciple of Vice Chairman Shi. Zhou You and Shao Qi didn't recognize him, but he was certainly familiar with them. His eyes lit up upon their arrival.
"Mr. Shao, Mr. Zhou, and fellow warriors, are you joining the expedition beyond the city walls?"
Shao Qi responded forthrightly, "Provide us with an aircraft. You're in charge of the rest. We'll come along to assess the situation."
Cheng Zi'ang arrived with his mostly-recovered brother, Cheng Yuran, to deliver supplies. For the first time, Zhou You got a clear look at Cheng Yuran, a remarkably handsome young man in his early twenties.
Cheng Yuran quickly approached and knelt, offering three deep bows. Zhou You stepped back, frowning, "Such formality isn't necessary."
With cheeks flushed, Cheng Yuran replied, "I owe you my life. Please accept these bows. Should you need anything in the future, don't hesitate to ask. I'll make sure it's done."
Kneeling before so many soldiers, Cheng Yuran showed a depth of gratitude that ran deep, given Zhou You had not only saved him but also exposed Hu Shien's treachery, preventing further scheming. Such gratitude was immense.
Finally discharged from the hospital but trapped by heavy snowfall, he stayed in the Jiangnan Military Zone. Having watched the martial arts live stream the entire previous day, he admired the selfless educators, an undeniable benefit to society. However, he remained hesitant about sharing his own sect's sword techniques with the public.
"Stand up," Zhou You advised, "Saving you was incidental. If you wish to repay me, strive to do good." Without further ado, he nodded to Cheng Zi'ang and boarded the aircraft. Miao Miao and two others swiftly set out on sleds, outpacing those from the Jiangnan Base by a significant margin.
"So fast!"
"I've heard everyone in the northern bases has mastered skiing to a profound degree. Seems we'll need to pick it up as well."
Observing Shao Qi's adept handling of the older aircraft model, Zhou You remarked, "This aircraft's outdated. The latest models were introduced last year, with the Jiangnan Base allocated a thousand units. Surprising they're not deploying them."
As engines roared to life, Zhou You donned a multifunctional eyepiece, enabling both magnified vision and real-time environment analytics.
"Perhaps the military reserves the best for more significant battles," he mused, "Today, we're likely just scouting."
"I've analyzed the satellite cloud images. There are tens of thousands of beasts descending from the mountains, starting to disperse. We don't know the proportion of mutant beasts yet. Given that we've deployed ten thousand warriors, we should seize this opportunity to eliminate these beasts. It's crucial to hold the perimeter; otherwise, if a massive wave of mutant beasts descends, it will be even tougher to combat."
As a hundred fighter jets took off, Zhou You spotted Ding Xuesong's jet positioned at the center of the formation, well-protected. He said to Shao Qi, "Depending on the situation, you might need to assume command of the troops."
"I've witnessed Shao Qi's leadership abilities. He's undoubtedly more skilled than a major from the military district."
Shao Qi glanced around and began showcasing his piloting skills in the sky. Laughing, he declared, "Then I better put on a good show!"
Seeing the extravagant flight maneuvers, the others commented, "Who's in that jet? This is a battle, not a performance. Have they lost their minds?"
"It has to be Mr. Zhou and Engineer Shao. Who else would dare to fly like this, disregarding Major Ding's orders?"
"Major Ding is notoriously timid. If it weren't for Major Zhao's injuries, he wouldn't have been chosen to lead the troops."
"Do you know how to fly a jet?" Shao Qi asked Zhou You. He had always been curious about Zhou You's background. He couldn't guess it, but Zhou You seemed to possess the qualities of a soldier.
"I don't, actually. Maybe you can teach me when we have some downtime."
"Sure, it's pretty straightforward."
Flying over the mountain range, they could already spot herds of beasts below, struggling to move across the snowy terrain.
"It seems that the heavy snow restricts not just humans but beasts as well."
"I knew these creatures would eventually come down from the mountains, but I didn't expect it so soon. Typically, they'd stay on the mountains, competing for resources until food becomes scarce."
Having secluded himself in the mountains for ten years, Zhou You wasn't sure how wild animals survived past winters. He only remembered winters being the quietest time, allowing his meditation to be twice as effective.
"So, is a large-scale confrontation between humans and mutant beasts inevitable?"
"It might depend on the weather. If we don't experience heavy snowfall in the future, we should be alright. This winter has been colder than past years. The mutant beasts can sense the impending calamity, and they will surely act."
The aircraft circled above, providing a clear view of the quantity and types of beasts below. Everyone quietly sighed in relief.
"It seems that those descending from the mountains are low-tier mutant beasts that used to live on the outskirts. Hindered by the snow, this is the perfect opportunity to hunt them," Ding Xuesong announced over the public channel. "Everyone, focus your firepower on eliminating the mutant beasts. Target the powerful ones first, and we'll commence ground assaults once the sled team arrives."
Within moments, cannon fire rained down on the beasts in the snow. The low-tier mutants had limited defenses. Several blasts would draw blood, but the snow also dampened the force of the artillery. Some of the smarter mutants burrowed into the snow, making them harder to find.
"The results seem suboptimal," Zhou You observed. After the concentrated fire, there weren't many bodies left in the snow. Besides those that hid, some were injured and fled. Disturbingly, the commotion drove more beasts from the forest. Even birds, scared by the cannon blasts, flew out of their warm nests, circling above the forest.