Chapter 49 (1/2)

Chapter 49

Retreat!

Chu Shen and the abnormal scout kept destroying tanker bugs as they went. He used various methods, besides the hammer. Using one of the grenades he picked up from a fallen scout, he copied the abnormal scouts method of destruction.

Then he used the vibro-sword for a while. It cut through the bugs exoskeleton swiftly but unfortunately it broke from Chu Shen’s ma.s.sive strength. As Chu Shen fought he realized that this was not where most of the action was.

He was on the small fortress they had built around the s.h.i.+p, that was true. However, most of the killing was taking place before the bugs even reached the fortification.

It was honestly an interesting strategy. A single soldier could kill a hundred bugs with their guns. A single blast from a tank could kill fifty bugs. So it was set up to in a three layered formation.

First there was the fortress with the soldiers on it. Then there was the s.h.i.+p. After that was the various types of machinery like the tanks. The flying vehicles like the hovercraft and scooters were scattered everywhere.

Because the bugs went by instinct, they only attacked what was in front of them. This way while the bugs attacked the fortress the heavy machines at the back would thin their numbers before they even reached the fortress. Then until they could break through the s.h.i.+p, the machines could again pound the enemy lines.

Once the s.h.i.+p took off or the bugs started looking for other prey though, the vehicles would take off, outrunning the bugs to reach another s.h.i.+p farther down the line and reinforce them.

This way there was a minimum amount of firepower lost and instead as the bugs came closer and closer to the city they would face more and more resistance. Truly it was an ingenious way of conserving firepower but it was also clearly ruthless. The ground soldiers were being used as a distraction.

Chu Shen and the abnormal scout continued fighting for another hour. A total of three hours had pa.s.sed since Chu Shen had started fighting with them.

Soon however there was very few troops left. At most there was a handful or two. Suddenly the s.h.i.+p opened the hovercrafts launch platform along with some hatches on the top of the s.h.i.+p opened.

Radios belched out a command. “Retreat. We won’t do any more good here. Command has ordered a general retreat for the front lines. We are to fall back to the rear for resupplies before being redeployed. All hovercraft are to do a bombing run close to the s.h.i.+p in order to cover our retreat. All mechanized units are to cover our retreat before going at top speed to the closest fortified spot. There you will be sent to the rear to rest while someone else will take over your vehicle.”

There was a general cheer from the troops at that order. Explosions which had so far only been seen faintly in the distance suddenly came a whole lot closer.

Chu Shen had heard the command because of his precise hearing however he suddenly became deafened. This was an unfortunate price to pay for his ability to absorb Qi again. The helmet no longer blocked sound, leaving him vulnerable to the explosions sound.

The abnormal scout saw Chu Shen stumble and became dazed. He was puzzled at first before quickly realizing the reason. Shaking his head he flew down on his gravity boots and grabbed him, hauling him to the s.h.i.+p.

Five minutes after going to the hanger bay through the airlock, the s.h.i.+p started rumbling. They were taking off.

After a couple seconds the s.h.i.+p took off. The fortress they had built around them was made of self-replicating nanites. Unfortunately after they took a shape, they couldn’t be disa.s.sembled making them a one use item.