"How are there so many?" It was an overwhelming sight.

Shao Qi’s brows furrowed, "This is unexpected. If these beasts came from the north, they should've been detected earlier. Did the patrols slack?"

There wasn’t time to dwell on it. The skies above Life Base were also besieged by mutated birds, with a few breaking through the defenses and entering the base.

Zhou You spotted the two transport planes. Civilians were boarding in a long line. However, the entrance of a mutated bird into the area caused panic and chaos.

"Zhuo Hao, go help them. The rest, focus on the birds outside the base."

It was evident from the entrance of Life Base that their defenses were weak. The walls looked unstable, and the ground was littered with bodies, even though the battle had just started.

"I'll help out," declared Zhou You, as he put on his helmet, opened the jet door, and jumped. His parachute opened mid-air, bringing him rapidly to the ground.

A gunner nearly fired at Zhou You's parachute in shock, "How... why is he outside... Hey, comrade, get back here!"

Zhou You swiftly unpacked his parachute, throwing it out with force. The canopy draped over several mutated beasts. With nimble steps, he dashed forward, and with a few swift throws, blades penetrated through the parachute, piercing accurately into the skulls of the beasts, staining the parachute red with blood.

"So powerful!" exclaimed the warriors from the Life Base, shocked. They had never seen anyone take down mutated beasts so efficiently.

Qin Xun lowered his binoculars, announcing loudly, "Hold on! Marshal Shao is bringing reinforcements. The man out there is Zhou You. Many of you must have heard of his reputation."

"Zhou You! That explains it."

Ever since his last return from the Jiu City Launch Center, Zhou You's name had become legendary. A man who could stir up a storm just by moving up in ranks, with unmatched martial prowess, left many in awe.

Later rumors claimed he was Marshal Shao's beloved, a powerful union. Their mere presence provided solace and assurance to everyone present.

The mutated beasts on the ground had yet to breach the defenses. Most of the casualties were inflicted by the mutated birds. These flying monsters were tough adversaries: fast, deadly, and hard to target. The few that were eliminated resulted from self-sacrificial acts by the air force.

With the reinforcement of fighter jets, the defense was eased considerably. Guided by them, the air force from the base adjusted their combat strategy, operating with much more efficiency than when on their own.

Zhou You was stained red with the blood of the mutated beasts. The lower-ranking mutants retreated in panic at his approach. Even they instinctively knew that they were no match for this terrifying man.

Zhou You, however, preferred challenging the higher-ranking beasts. Though rare in nature, he didn't dare to venture deep into the horde alone, only engaging those on the periphery.

Standing atop the corpse of a mutated Wolf King, Zhou You found himself surrounded by its pack. This Wolf King, aged and massive, was weak in combat. The pack it led looked frail and seemed perpetually hungry.

Zhou You had encountered wolves in the forest, and they were nothing like this. These resembled more the wolves of the plains.

Observing the mutants, he noted that they were ferocious, yet not as robust as the southern mutants, and they didn't seem to hail from the mountains. Could they not be from the deep woods?

Recently, there had been no reports of disturbances from any mountains. It seemed unlikely for such a vast number of mutants to migrate all of a sudden. But could all these diverse mutants come from the plains?

"Marshal, we've spotted unidentified humans and mutants about ten miles to the northwest. It's a bit eerie," reported a scout jet to Shao Qi, sharing some footage.

The footage was shaky but still revealed a considerable number of men and beasts. It was baffling.

"Could these mutants have been deliberately driven here?" someone pondered aloud.

"Who possesses the capability to achieve this?"

Shao Qi considered several possibilities. If someone could tame a king among the high-ranking mutants, similar to Zhou You, they might be capable of this. But if such a person existed, they could easily overturn the base with just the beast. Why bother with this elaborate scheme?

"Proceed further and gather more information about them."

Zhou You spotted a signal light from a jet above. With a single stroke, he decapitated a high-ranking mutant leopard and headed back to the base with the head. Mutated beasts retreated in his path.

Arriving at the base, he dropped the head at the gates, then climbed the towering walls. Qin Xun watched him with a complex expression, saluting and offering his gratitude.

Zhou You, amidst the admiring glances of many, descended to meet Shao Qi, who had dismounted from his jet. Shao Qi shared his recent findings with them.

"What? Impossible! Who has the power to drive such a vast horde of beasts?" General Qin struggled to accept this. If such a formidable opponent existed, what fate awaited their base, or even their nation?

"What do you suggest?" Zhou You calmly inquired of Shao Qi.

"We must ascertain the truth. If someone orchestrated this beastly onslaught, I'll chase them to the ends of the earth!"

"I'll go!" Zhou You offered.

Shao Qi shook his head, "Not now. I need a favor. Check the evacuation progress at the base, and assist with any issues they can't handle."

Shao Qi joked, "It's funny how you're not even a soldier, yet here I am, ordering you around. I owe you one for this."

Zhou You retorted, "That's what you get for being the head of the family."

Shao Qi chuckled, playfully tickling Zhou You's palm. The bystanders couldn't stand it anymore, thinking, 'In times like this, they're still flaunting their affection?'