Chapter 79: The Trembling Apocalypse Paradise
Even amidst the chaotic battle to this extent, Shen Nai still couldn't figure out why the Reincarnation Paradise side had attacked. The reason was simple: judging by the current situation, within no more than two hours, the Reincarnation Paradise forces would be completely annihilated.
The formation of the Reincarnation Paradise attackers was simply too mindless. These people were charging in from all directions, creating the obvious impression that you, Sanctuary Paradise, were already surrounded.
Leaving aside whether just over 100 contractors could truly surround more than 300, the fact that the Reincarnation Paradise side was so scattered meant there was a huge gap in firepower, especially after Solomon stopped his relentless bombardment.
Whether in terms of numbers, formation, or casualty rate, the Reincarnation Paradise side seemed to be rushing to their deaths. This was the question Shen Nai simply couldn't wrap her head around.
Would that old schemer from Reincarnation Paradise make such a decision? Or did they have absolute confidence in victory? Or perhaps that old schemer had already died in some accident, leaving the madmen of Reincarnation Paradise to charge forward mindlessly?
Shen Nai couldn't figure it out, but she knew one thing: they were indeed surrounded, even if only temporarily.
"We need to break out of the encirclement immediately..."
Shen Nai began arranging a breakthrough formation in the war channel. Though she hadn't guessed the enemy's scheme, breaking out was the primary countermeasure.
In the chaos, a main tank from the Sanctuary Paradise side saw Shen Nai's command, the text appearing directly before his eyes.
"Stay close to me!"
The main tank roared, leaning sideways to brace his shoulder against the inside of his shield, preparing to force a breakthrough. The Reincarnation Paradise firepower wasn't too intense.
A finger-thick energy beam shot toward him, striking the shield. The main tank's forward momentum halted as his body leaned forward, his legs slowly sinking into the mud.
When the energy beam dissipated, the shield in his hand was already glowing red-hot.
With a bang, a giant wolf with black-and-white fur pounced. This wolf was several sizes larger than an ordinary wild wolf, and its ice-blue pupils seemed completely out of place in a rainforest.
The main tank didn't pay much attention to this giant wolf, assuming it was just some contractor's summoned creature. But in the next moment, at least dozens of giant wolves lunged at him.
The main tank looked toward the distant forest, where pairs of blue lights appeared in the darkness. He swallowed hard and tried to probe the wolves' attributes.
"Creatures from the icefield... how are they in a rainforest!"
Those were the main tank's last words. A contractor with bulging muscles and metal gauntlets punched the shield, tilting it, and several icefield wolves pounced on the main tank.
Colored energy flashed as five wolves targeting the main tank were instantly killed by concentrated fire, two of them dropping. The remaining three latched onto the main tank, tearing at him savagely.
At first, the main tank could barely hold on, but under the assault of dozens of icefield wolves, he let out a miserable scream before being torn into a pile of shredded flesh.
The Sanctuary Paradise side wasn't surrounded by the Reincarnation Paradise side. With a two-to-one numerical disadvantage, how could Reincarnation Paradise make such a stupid move?
The Sanctuary Paradise side was surrounded by the Reincarnation Paradise side plus 1,276 polar icefield wolves. In a one-on-one fight, a contractor could handle three to five wolves. If they fought to the death, they might take six to eight wolves down with them.
But it was important to know that icefield wolves were pack animals. When their numbers reached a certain threshold, their combat effectiveness underwent a qualitative change. Dominating the icefield wasn't something ordinary polar creatures could achieve.
For example, right now, the icefield wolf pack wasn't simply swarming in to surround the Sanctuary Paradise people. That was what ordinary beasts would do.
The icefield wolves first split into two large groups. One group of about 300 wolves assisted the Reincarnation Paradise contractors in forming the encirclement.
As for the main force of 900 wolves, they split into two teams of over 400 each, charging from opposite directions—east and west—toward the Sanctuary Paradise crowd. If they successfully converged, it would effectively split the Sanctuary Paradise forces into two separate encirclements.
This wolf pack had an execution capability that rivaled human soldiers.
Wolves howled from the nearby forest, confusing the enemy and making it impossible for the Sanctuary Paradise side to gauge how many wolves there were.
Watching the wolf pack cut in from both sides of the encirclement, Qing Yan, standing on a distant tree, had eyes that gleamed. If he could fully command these wolves, combined with their own combat power, he could roll over Sanctuary Paradise and Apocalypse Paradise.
Unfortunately, he couldn't command these wolves. Not even Bubu Wang could order them to their deaths.
The icefield wolves would fight for Bubu Wang, but they wouldn't die for him. The continuation of the species outweighed the wolf king—that was why the old wolf king had been overthrown.
As things developed, the Reincarnation Paradise side no longer needed to push deep into the battle. They only needed to block the Sanctuary Paradise people at the edges.
Shen Nai stood among the crowd, her slender finger pointing forward. Several wolves that had charged into the crowd exploded into bloody mist.
Just as Shen Nai was about to gather her forces and break out, a sense of danger appeared behind her. A "icefield wolf" stood on a nearby tent.
"Ooooh~"
After a howl, the wolf pack outside the battle grew restless. Their wolf king was actually at the center of the battle. In that moment, the pressure on the perimeter defenders increased dramatically.
Looking at Bubu Wang, who was howling with its head raised, the usually composed Shen Nai froze for a moment. The thought in her mind was: 'What species is this? A mutated icefield wolf?'
Shen Nai quickly dismissed the thought. Whatever it was, if she killed it, the wolves' offensive would surely weaken significantly.
Just as Shen Nai prepared to eliminate Bubu Wang, it suddenly vanished. Not through invisibility or spatial ability, but by disappearing entirely from Shen Nai's perception.
"Eh~"
Shen Nai's raised arm froze mid-air. She felt a strange sense of powerlessness.
"Ooooh~"
Another howl, this time right beside Shen Nai. She immediately sealed that area with her ability, but there was nothing there.
While Shen Nai was distracted, the wolf pack on the perimeter broke through the contractors' defensive line and drove deep into the group.
Blood mixed with the smell of burning filled the air. Explosions roared continuously, and distant gunfire rumbled.
Large numbers of wolf corpses littered the battlefield, some with Sanctuary Paradise contractors' bodies crushed beneath them.
By midnight, the battle was over.
Wisps of green smoke rose. Numerous corpses lay scattered among the tents. The flames burning the bodies produced a nauseating burnt smell.
Before the battle, the Sanctuary Paradise side had 353 people, full of momentum, building a defensive base despite the attacks, preparing for the final five hours.
Now, they no longer needed to build a defensive base. The 16 who escaped couldn't build one either, and even if they somehow managed, how would they defend it?
A cold corpse lay atop many wolf carcasses. It was Old Smoke, the one who liked to organize uprisings.
Citrus Girl sat on a pile of corpses, one of her arms torn off by Shen Nai. People's Teacher was in worse shape—his lower body had been ripped away, the wound jagged and uneven. The two had pursued Shen Nai but failed, instead being severely injured by her.
"Found it."
Gu Lu's shout came from a distance. She was waving People's Teacher's lower half in her hand.
Of the 1,276 polar icefield wolves, only 756 remained after the battle. Nearly half had died, and it was their sacrifice that had drastically reduced the Reincarnation Paradise casualties.
Bubu Wang crouched in front of the Scar-Eye icefield wolf. The Scar-Eye wolf lowered its head. From this moment on, Bubu Wang was no longer the wolf king. The pack needed to continue, so they had to return to the icefield.
"Ooooh~"
Bubu Wang let out a long howl. All the surrounding icefield wolves howled in response. People have their joys and sorrows, and so do wolves.
Soon, the icefield wolf pack headed out of the Hot Rainforest. They didn't belong here, and before long, they would again be a pack of over a thousand members. They hadn't been able to grow before because they lacked territory, but after Bubu Wang became wolf king, he led them to seize a large territory and dominate the icefield.
Footsteps came from behind Bubu Wang. It was Su Xiao, holding a long sword and dragging an unconscious old man—the old butler who had been by Shen Nai's side.
"They're leaving?"
"Woof."
Bubu Wang didn't seem particularly sad. Or rather, it had long expected the icefield wolves to leave.
"Amu is almost ready. Let's go."
Su Xiao led Bubu Wang away from the tent cluster.
After this battle, the Sanctuary Paradise side was nearly wiped out. In truth, they hadn't lost to the Reincarnation Paradise side but to a pack of icefield overlords. Sanctuary Paradise had fallen, leaving the trembling Apocalypse Paradise in the rainforest.