TCPUAAV Chapter 70

 

The sky was also densely packed with swarms of Zergs.

 

Tens of thousands of them clustered together, forming a massive net that enshrouded the entire sky.

 

Even though the inner city had adjusted the satellite system’s day-night cycle settings to maintain perpetual daylight in response to the Zerg swarm invasion, the sheer number of Zergs blocked the artificial satellite’s light and heat, leaving the entire sky shrouded in gloom.

 

Without hesitation, Rong Heng deployed the laser cannons mounted on Glory and bombarded his way through.

 

Some of the Zergs, enraged by the artillery fire, initially pursued Glory in retaliation. However, the moment Rong Heng widened the distance, they immediately changed direction and circled back, continuing their encirclement of the school.

 

It seemed the swarm still hadn’t realized that Ruan Jiao had already left.

 

Glory successfully broke through B3024’s atmosphere. Rong Heng flicked the egg resting on the co-pilot seat and called out to Noah, “Connect to the flagship. Open the hangar bay doors.”

 

The cyan warship stationed near B3024 slowly raised its hangar doors.

 

“Hangar doors open. You may dock at any time,” Noah responded.

 

“Activate all weapon systems. Full firepower—blast our way through.”

 

As Glory burst into the void, Rong Heng narrowed his eyes at the endless expanse of space, where an even larger Zerg swarm loomed.

 

Zergs had low intelligence and naturally couldn’t develop technology, but their exoskeletons were tough enough to rival warships. They didn’t require any auxiliary equipment to traverse space freely.

 

The only reason the Zerg swarms were contained by the front-line defense perimeter was their inability to create artificial wormholes for warp travel. The Zergs that attacked the front-line districts all relied on naturally formed wormholes to reach the galactic empire’s borders. To prevent the swarms from breaching the defenses, all discovered natural wormholes outside the front lines had been artificially destroyed, successfully trapping them beyond the perimeter.

 

But the sheer scale of this Zerg army was far beyond what a simple breach of the defenses could explain. If this many Zergs had slipped through a failing defense line, there was no way the front-line districts wouldn’t have reacted. It seemed far more likely that they had come through a wormhole that led directly to the Central District.

 

For now, though, the swarm was too large for Rong Heng to spare the effort to track its origin. Instead, he pushed Glory’s speed to the limit, blasting his way through with relentless cannon fire and diving into the warship’s hangar.

 

Glory landed smoothly, and the hangar doors swiftly shut, cutting off the Zergs trying to break in.

 

Scooping up the egg from the co-pilot seat, Rong Heng took the elevator down to the main deck and made his way to the cockpit.

 

Once he confirmed that both energy levels and weapon reserves were sufficient, he finally patted the unmoving egg on the co-pilot seat. “Alright, you can change back now.”

 

The white egg rolled twice before the membrane split apart, and from within, Ruan Jiao sluggishly poked out his head with both hands.

 

Then came his limbs, then his whole body. After resting inside the egg, he seemed to have recovered well—his previously drooping antennae were now perked up, swaying energetically.

 

He even picked up the shattered membrane and tossed it into the waste disposal bin.

 

After finishing all this, he obediently sat back in the co-pilot seat and even fastened his own seatbelt.

 

So well-behaved.

 

If only he were always this obedient and didn’t fight him for the pillow, then he wouldn’t be so annoying.

 

Rong Heng clicked his tongue and said, “Once I take off, you can start attracting the Zergs.” He studied the little one with curiosity. “What exactly do you use to lure them?”

 

Ruan Jiao wiggled his antennae.

 

The two black tendrils swayed lightly, and Rong Heng could even detect a hint of pride in the movement.

 

He snorted. “Alright then, I’ll leave it to you.”

 

With that, he launched the warship, accelerating in the opposite direction of B3024.

 

At the same time, Ruan Jiao, seated in the co-pilot seat, began to vibrate his antennae at a specific frequency. Something in the air subtly shifted—waves rippled invisibly outward.

 

Rong Heng keenly sensed the change, shot him a glance, and then refocused on the control panel.

 

According to the sensor array’s real-time data, the swarms invading B3024 were experiencing widespread agitation.

 

The young one kept shaking his antennae, continuously emitting signals.

 

A few minutes later, the vast Zerg army flooding into B3024 suddenly changed course, hurtling toward the warship.

 

Rong Heng wasn’t in a rush to pull away. He piloted the ship in a wide circular trajectory around B3024, drawing the swarm along like a kite on a string while periodically firing at the densest clusters.

 

In less than twenty minutes, over half of the Zergs on B3024 were trailing behind the warship.

 

“They seem to be trying to flank you,” Noah reported while updating the star map in real time based on the incoming data, allowing Rong Heng to make precise predictions.

 

On the map, centered around B3024, the pursuing Zerg swarm had split into two—one half continued their direct pursuit, while the other half moved outward in an attempt to encircle him from both sides.

 

“These brainless bugs are actually using tactics now?” Rong Heng sneered. “Then let me show them what real tactics look like.”

 

“Preheat the hyperspace jump system and prepare to deploy proton torpedoes. Start the countdown.”

 

He deliberately slowed down, pretending not to notice the Zergs’ little trick, allowing them to form a complete encirclement around the warship.

 

“Hyperspace jump system preheating complete. Proton torpedo deployment countdown: ten, nine, eight…” Noah’s voice carried a hint of amusement.

 

Watching the tightening formation on the real-time star map, Rong Heng waved Ruan Jiao over.

 

The little one unbuckled his seatbelt and obediently walked over—only to be scooped up and placed on Rong Heng’s lap.

 

Covering his ears with both hands, Rong Heng grinned. “You might feel a little dizzy in a moment, maybe even some ringing in your ears. That’s normal. Just hold on tight and don’t move, got it?”

 

Face buried in his arms, Ruan Jiao nodded with difficulty.

 

By now, the swarm was less than a hundred meters away from the warship. If they all pounced at once, even a heavily reinforced flagship wouldn’t be able to withstand such an assault.

 

“…Four, three, two, one,” Noah counted down. “Proton torpedoes deployed. Hyperspace jump activated.”

 

Just as the swarm lunged forward, the massive warship vanished from its original position.

 

The Zergs, unable to stop their momentum, crashed into each other, piling up chaotically.

 

At the same time, the proton torpedoes detonated. The shockwave spread outward like ripples in water, and the Zergs caught at the epicenter were instantly obliterated.

 

Meanwhile, the warship had reappeared on the other side of B3024 through hyperspace jump.

 

“Alright.” Rong Heng released his hands from the little one’s ears, squinting at the star map while continuing his “kite-flying” maneuver. At the same time, he connected to the inner city’s control center.

 

Ruan Shiqing had been monitoring the situation in real time. Even without seeing it firsthand, he could imagine the heart-pounding intensity of the battle.

 

His fingers moved rapidly across the control panel as he spoke in a calm voice, “Hold out for another ten minutes. The shield is being activated.”

 

“Copy that. Mission guaranteed.” Rong Heng pressed two fingers to his brow in a mock salute. Then, noticing Ruan Jiao excitedly wiggling his antennae at the sound of his father’s voice, he gestured for him to stay quiet.

 

Bringing the little one along had been a decision made on the spot, he hadn’t exactly informed Ruan Shiqing in advance.

 

Now that they had fought side by side, the little one’s trust in him had grown significantly. Hearing Rong Heng’s words, Ruan Jiao obediently clamped his hands over his mouth, his big eyes fixed on him.

 

Rong Heng cut the comms and ruffled the little one’s head. “Good boy.”

 

Ruan Jiao’s eyes squinted happily, his antennae swaying in delight.

 

Rong Heng repeated the same strategy, executing two more “disappearances” and leaving another wave of Zergs in flames. Then, he received a new transmission from Ruan Shiqing, along with a set of coordinates.

 

“The shield is ready. It’s about to fully activate. Return to these coordinates for landing—immediately. You have thirty seconds before the shield closes completely.”

 

Once the shield was up, it wouldn’t be deactivated lightly to preserve its energy supply. This meant that while it would block the Zerg army, it would also prevent anything—friend or foe—from entering B3024 for the foreseeable future.

 

They would have to rely on the shield to hold out until reinforcements arrived.

 

“Copy that.”

 

Rong Heng ended his baiting tactic, deactivated all weapon systems, and activated the warship’s personal shield. Then, he pushed the speed to the maximum. The warship, now a streaking blue blade, tore through space toward the designated coordinates.

 

The Zergs in its path were either crushed or sent flying by the ship’s protective barrier.

 

Noah’s voice remained steady as the countdown continued.

 

At the final five-second mark, the warship shot through the shield’s opening—just as it sealed shut, cutting off the swarm in pursuit.

 

But the ship’s speed was too great to slow down in time. Rong Heng tightened his hold on the little one in his arms and ordered Noah to initiate emergency landing procedures.

 

All energy was redirected to the shield. The massive cyan warship, like a sharpened blade, plunged straight into the ground.

 

The interior of the ship trembled violently, alarms blaring.

 

Fortunately, the shield absorbed the brunt of the impact. The tremors gradually subsided.

 

Rong Heng picked up the little one and exited the cockpit, leaping through a fractured breach in the hull.

 

They had landed near the western Lost Marshes, where the Zerg numbers were relatively lower.

 

Shifting into his Ymir form, Rong Heng hoisted Ruan Jiao onto his back and reconnected with Ruan Shiqing. “Landed safely. How long can the shield hold?”

 

“At least five days, theoretically. But once reinforcements arrive, we’ll have to take it down,” Ruan Shiqing said while reviewing the constantly updating data.

 

“That’s plenty of time. Now that the swarm’s reinforcements are cut off, the remaining ones on the ground are nothing to worry about.”

 

With Ruan Jiao on his back, Rong Heng sprinted toward the cub school.

 

*

 

At this moment, the battle at the cub school had already lasted over four hours.

 

Hector and the little dragon cub, Lansing and the young mermaid had formed a triangular defensive line that had not retreated even half a step. The four of them worked together, keeping the Zerg army at bay outside the school.

 

As he slashed down another swarm of Zergs, Hector cursed, “Is Rong Heng reliable or not? How long are we supposed to keep fighting like this?”

 

Even the strongest species would be worn down by an endless battle.

 

He swung his wing, knocking a few Zergs away, and nudged the panting little dragon cub behind him. “Go rest for ten minutes, I’ll hold them off.”

 

The dragon cub was already close to exhaustion. Without protest, he stepped back a few paces and collapsed onto the ground, breathing heavily. His bat-like wings drooped weakly behind him.

 

Although his body was technically mature, he was still young. Compared to a fully grown dragon, his stamina was lacking.

 

Lansing glanced at them, instinctively stepping in to reinforce any possible gaps in their defense line. At the same time, he turned to the young mermaid, who was wielding a blade with all his strength. “A sword is merely a medium. You need to learn to channel your power into it, not just use it as a simple weapon.”

 

“Watch closely.”

 

He raised his hands, and countless streams of green liquid gathered around him, rapidly forming spinning ice spears in his palms. The spears hovered in midair, and with a push of his hands, they shot forward, piercing into the Zergs’ compound eyes and heads before exploding with a sharp burst.

 

“When you’re not in your natural battlefield, you must learn to adapt. The mermaid race can theoretically control any liquid, including blood.”

 

As he spoke, he leaped onto the back of a massive Zerg, plunging his hands into its skull like blades. When he pulled them out, a new set of green ice spears formed in his palms.

 

With another flick of his wrist, the spears shot toward the approaching swarm.

 

Mermaids were the rulers of the sea, but the land was not their domain. However, that was no excuse for weakness.

 

A true warrior could turn any disadvantage into an advantage.

 

The young mermaid’s eyes sparkled with excitement.

 

He shook out his sore wrists and tried to follow Lansing’s advice, channeling his strength into his long blade.

 

A cold gleam flashed across the silver edge. When he swung it again, he effortlessly cleaved through an incoming Zerg.

 

Lansing’s expression remained critical. “You still have a lot to learn. Keep going.”

 

The battle outside was intensifying, but the situation inside the school was no better.

 

Although the frontline defenders kept the main swarm at bay, they couldn’t stop every stray Zerg from slipping through. These scattered intruders were left to the teachers to handle.

 

The cub school didn’t have many teachers, only seven, including the principal.

 

Three of them had stayed behind in the underground shelter to care for the cubs, while the remaining four had been fighting nonstop, their bodies covered in wounds, exhaustion weighing them down.

 

Just as they reached their limit, the three teachers from the shelter rushed in, armed and ready. “We’ll take over. You rest.”

 

There was no telling how long the Zerg swarm would last. Fighting without relief was unsustainable. The injured teachers exchanged glances, then nodded. “We’ll leave it to you.”

 

The two teams switched shifts. The injured teachers retreated to the underground shelter to recover while also watching over the cubs.

 

The young ones had settled down after four hours. They had cried and trembled in fear, but after witnessing the little dragon cub fighting on the front lines, they found their courage. No longer whimpering, they obediently stayed in their places, trying not to burden the teachers.

 

When they saw the wounded teachers return, the little lion cub, Mila, hurriedly pushed a bag of unused medicine and nutrient solutions toward them. “These are all medicines, and there are nutrients too.”

 

Lansing and the young mermaid had gathered these from the infirmary earlier.

 

“Thank you,” Principal Dudd said, ruffling the lion cub’s head. He bit open a nutrient pack while checking on Nota. “Has she woken up yet?”

 

“No.” The lion cub shook his head. After Ruan Jiao had left, he had taken over looking after the little fox.

 

Worried, he touched her forehead. “She’s burning up.”

 

Dudd reached out to feel her temperature and realized she had developed a high fever.

 

The underground shelter was too basic—there was nothing here to help lower her temperature. Looking at the dire situation outside, Dudd could only grip the little fox’s hand and sigh. “Hang in there a little longer. No one else has given up, so don’t you give up either.”

 

The little lion cub followed his example, taking Nota’s other hand in his own and earnestly saying, “You have to stay strong—”

 

Before he could finish his sentence, he froze.

 

Everyone else remained motionless as if time itself had stopped.

 

A figure in a hooded cloak suddenly materialized, moving hastily. Seeing the weak vital signs on the little fox, he exhaled in relief. “Just in time.”

 

He knelt down, lifting the little fox onto his lap and retrieving a vial of red liquid. He carefully fed it to her.

 

The underground shelter remained utterly silent.

 

It was as if a movie had been paused in the middle of an intense scene.

 

 

---

 

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH IS THAT THE PERSON NOTA WAS TALKING ABOUT???????

 

(Jiao Jiao is so cute!!! Glad to see that Papa Rong is starting to realize it lmao)

 

Thanks for reading!

For every three ko-fis, I will upload a bonus chapter~