The sudden change made Mo Yu's nerves immediately tense.
Hearing Wang Long's shout, Mo Yu quickly turned and shouted towards the area where the row of tents had been set up:
"All units, prepare for battle!"
In an instant, chaos broke out in the underground plaza. Soldiers who were on break quickly put on their gear and rushed out of their tents, their expressions tense.
Mo Yu then turned and walked over to Wang Long, who was standing by the metal tunnel. He asked,
"Brother Long, what's going on?"
"The Black Wind Domain Field has suddenly expanded. It looks like it will cover this area soon. For now, let's stay underground and not go out. You try contacting for support," Wang Long said, his expression serious, his usual joking attitude gone.
Upon hearing Wang Long's explanation, Mo Yu's expression grew solemn as well.
A sudden expansion of a domain field was not a common occurrence on the frontline, but it did happen occasionally.
This was also the primary reason the construction team chose to set up the temporary research station underground. This way, even if the surrounding domain field expanded suddenly, they would have time to react.
Usually, the forces that control domain field expansions are trying to expand their territory or declare war on neighboring domain forces in an attempt to seize resources.
Mo Yu didn't dwell too much on it. He immediately picked up the communicator at his waist, adjusted the channel, and spoke:
"Xiao Kong, try to establish contact with the supply area and request support."
After a brief silence, Yan Kong's voice came through:
"I'm trying to make contact, but it seems the underground plaza we're in is already covered by the Black Wind Domain Field. The signal is weak, but it should still be possible to get through."
"Keep trying to contact them. Let me know once you've established a connection."
"Got it."
After hanging up, Mo Yu turned and looked at Wang Long, then slowly drew the purple battle blade from his back.
It was impossible not to be nervous.
However, the tension didn't affect Mo Yu's mindset. This wasn't the first time he had encountered a similar crisis.
Besides, they were underground, so the chances of being detected were low.
Even if they were discovered, as long as they held the metal tunnel, there wouldn't be a problem. Unless the forces controlling the Black Wind Domain Field dug multiple passages, they had a clear terrain advantage.
The waiting was agonizing, but all the soldiers remained focused, keeping their eyes on the metal tunnel and waiting for any sign of movement.
In the silence, Mo Yu could even hear the heavy breathing of the soldiers around him.
At that moment, the ground above them trembled. Dust fell from the ceiling, and it felt as though thousands of beasts were charging overhead.
The sense of oppression was overwhelming.
"Dammit, I haven't even gotten married yet. I shouldn't die here, right?"
At that moment, a young new soldier swallowed nervously and said, his face tense.
"Earthworm, shut up! I haven't gotten married either, and you're talking about dying when you're still wet behind the ears?" Wang Long couldn't help but turn around and scold him with a laugh.
Everyone nearby burst out laughing, and the tense atmosphere lightened somewhat.
"Brother Long, I have an older sister. How about I introduce her to you?"
"Brother Long, I have a younger sister. What do you think?"
"Brother Long, my mother is 55, single, and retired. What do you think…"
…
Hearing the playful banter, Wang Long couldn't help but curse under his breath. Then, he roared:
"Shut up! We'll talk about introducing sisters later, once we survive this crisis. Now, get your act together!"
As he spoke, Wang Long turned and stared at the metal tunnel, his playful demeanor gone.
Lifting his crimson battle axe, his aura changed in an instant, becoming like a hungry tiger lying in wait for its prey. Then, with a roar, he prepared to strike.
Time passed slowly, but no unexpected danger came.
Yet, none of the soldiers dared to slack off, knowing that the crisis could appear at any moment. Reacting too late would be disastrous.
Five hours later.
Everyone remained on edge, still gathered in front of the metal tunnel.
At this moment, Mo Yu's communicator lit up. After a buzzing sound, Yan Kong's voice came through:
"Brother Yu, we've made contact with the supply area. They've been briefed on the situation here, and the office says they'll investigate the Black Wind Domain Field's expansion and develop a support plan as soon as possible."
"Okay, keep in contact with the supply area. Report back immediately if anything changes."
"Understood."
After hanging up, Mo Yu was about to speak when Wang Long, who was standing in front, suddenly turned toward him and said:
"Yu Mao, we can't just keep waiting here. Split the Domain Combat Squad into two teams, with 12 hours per shift. You take one group to rest first. This way, if something happens, we'll be able to respond quickly."
Mo Yu didn't reject Wang Long's suggestion and nodded in agreement.
As Wang Long said, only by rotating shifts could they maintain their energy.
Mo Yu turned and began dividing the soldiers into teams as Wang Long had instructed.
The soldiers who had been on duty were assigned to the second group to rest first.
...
One week later.
Mo Yu, wearing his battle uniform, opened his eyes. He looked at the clock on the desk, bent down, and stood up, deciding to go and switch with Wang Long.
He hadn't taken off his battle uniform. Reaching for the purple battle blade placed at the side of his bed, he walked out of the tent.
After blowing his whistle, the second group of soldiers quickly emerged from their tents, gathering together. Then, under Mo Yu's lead, they moved toward the metal tunnel.
After the switch was completed, Mo Yu called out to Wang Long, who was about to go rest, and brought him aside.
"What's going on?" Wang Long asked.
Mo Yu's expression was serious. "Three hours ago, we received the latest response from the supply area. The expansion speed of the Black Wind Domain Field is increasing rapidly. We are currently five kilometers away from the latest boundary of the Black Wind Domain. The support forces we can summon are limited. They've already fought the Black Wind Clan in the Black Wind Domain, but they haven't gained any advantage. It's impossible for them to break into the Black Wind Domain to help us escape in the short term."
Upon hearing this, Wang Long's expression also grew serious. He then asked,
"How much longer can we last with our food?"
"Under reasonable distribution, to maintain our combat readiness, the food will last for at most one more week. We don't have much time left."
After hearing Mo Yu's analysis, Wang Long fell silent for a moment, then nodded. "We'll hold out for four more days. If support hasn't arrived by then, we'll have no choice but to break out."
"Go get some rest. We'll make a decision after we hear from the supply area."
"Alright. I'll leave it to you here." Wang Long patted Mo Yu's shoulder, then turned and walked away, carrying his battle axe.
After Wang Long left, Mo Yu returned to his position in front of the metal tunnel.
He stood there, looking at the metal tunnel shrouded in darkness, his mind in turmoil.
If they chose to break out, he knew just how great the risk would be.
The area above them had already been covered by the Black Wind Domain Field. Choosing to break out would likely mean being surrounded by the Black Wind Clan. If that happened, escaping alive would be nearly impossible.
Although they had been promoted to an A-Rank Domain Combat Squad...
Their group's overall combat strength was no match for the Black Wind Clan that controlled a domain field. It would be pure wishful thinking to fight them head-on.
Choosing to break out was essentially betting their lives.
But Mo Yu understood one thing more clearly—if they didn't attempt to break out before their food ran out, once the food was exhausted, they wouldn't have enough strength left to make a successful escape. The chances of breaking out would be drastically reduced.
Breaking out was risky, but compared to waiting for death, at least they would have control over their fate.
The only thing Mo Yu could hope for now was for the frontline supply area to send soldiers quickly and initiate a preemptive strike against the Black Wind Domain Field.
But the likelihood of that happening was slim.
After all, the frontline supply area was dealing with multi-front warfare. The entire battlefield radiated from the supply area, creating multiple battle paths. Many Domain Combat Squads were already deployed in other domain fields, and often, the supply area's signals couldn't reach the frontline. To send reinforcements would take time.
After analyzing their current situation, Mo Yu agreed with Wang Long's decision.
They had to be prepared for the worst.
Four days later.
The entire Precursor War God Group gathered in front of the metal tunnel, led by Wang Long.
Mo Yu stood beside Wang Long and turned, scanning the soldiers present.
The support had not yet arrived, and communication signals with the outside world had become increasingly unstable.
The latest report was that the twenty-eight Domain Combat Squads sent from the supply area had already engaged in combat with the Black Wind Domain Field. In addition, the supply area was still sending reinforcements from other directions to join the battle.
At this rate, when the reinforcements would arrive was anyone's guess.
From the intelligence provided by the supply area staff, it was clear that the Black Wind Clan was extremely strong. The joint Domain Combat Squads fighting against them had no advantage and had even been forced to retreat a few times.
This battle was likely to be a prolonged one.
But their food reserves couldn't last much longer. Now, they had no choice but to risk everything.
The final meal before the breakout was exceptionally hearty.
All the soldiers replenished their strength and prepared their spirits.
The next moments would be a fierce battle.
During the ten-minute final rest period, Mo Yu saw some soldiers pull out their Feng Qi pendants from their clothes and begin praying, while others nervously wiped the sweat from their foreheads.
Facing death, even veterans couldn't remain calm.
Soon, the ten minutes passed.
With the order from Commander Wang Long, all the soldiers followed him down the metal tunnel.
The five technicians from the Star Research Institute were protected in the middle of the group.
When the heavy iron doors were opened, the outside world had undergone a dramatic transformation.
The entire world was now covered in Black Wind, and the air was filled with the scent of smoke.
"Alert!"
Mo Yu shouted, and the soldiers behind him swiftly scattered, their expressions grim as they scanned their surroundings for potential threats.
When the last soldier emerged from underground, the formation of the Domain Combat Squad shifted.
They formed a protective circle, placing the five technicians from the Star Research Institute at the center and moving towards the location where the transport vehicles had been parked.
However, when they reached the transport vehicles, they found that they had already been destroyed.
One of the vehicles had been utterly shredded by some kind of sharp weapon, broken down into countless metal fragments.
It was no longer possible to use the transport vehicles to continue their journey. They would have to proceed on foot.
This also meant that the risk of breaking out had increased.
But now, Mo Yu understood that they had no choice but to press forward.
Ten minutes later, Mo Yu's pupils suddenly contracted. Not far ahead, a group of humanoid beings clad in pitch-black combat armor was marching in the same direction as them.
"Prepare for battle!"
Wang Long's roar echoed as the two red battle axes in his hands ignited with flames.
At that moment, the Black Wind Clan's advancing troops noticed them and closed the distance without hesitation.
The battle was imminent.
Wang Long, in that moment, looked like a war god. He raised his battle axes and charged forward.
Seeing this, Mo Yu immediately followed.
With years of frontline combat experience, the Domain Combat Squad reacted swiftly without the need for command.
In the charge, their formation changed quickly, resembling a sharp spear as they clashed with the incoming Black Wind Clan troops.
Ten minutes later.
The battle ended. Mo Yu, covered in blood, wiped the purple battle blade clean and looked up at Yan Kong behind him.
After confirming she wasn't injured, his gaze shifted to Wang Long, who was panting heavily nearby.
"Account for casualties."
Wang Long planted his battle axe in the ground, giving the order.
But before they could begin the count, they saw another Black Wind Clan squad marching quickly toward them.
There was no time to rest. The battle erupted again.
This battle lasted for over twenty minutes.
During this time, Mo Yu noticed that these two Black Wind Clan groups were carrying a supply of resources. Clearly, they were en route to support the main Black Wind Clan forces currently engaged with human Domain Combat Squads.
It was clear how fierce the battle was up ahead.
After analyzing the direction of the supply convoy, Mo Yu immediately suggested changing their escape route.
Since they were trying to break out, it was obvious they couldn't choose the path where the Black Wind Clan forces were concentrated.
That would be suicide, not an escape.
Only by changing direction and avoiding the Black Wind Clan's main forces could they have a slim chance of survival.
Wang Long immediately agreed to his suggestion.
But after just five minutes of traveling, they encountered another Black Wind Clan convoy.
This time, the resources they were transporting were different, but the size of the convoy was more than three times larger than before.
The battle, as expected, erupted again.
This battle was intense, with many of the Domain Combat Squad members falling in a pool of blood.
But Mo Yu didn't have time to account for casualties. He decided that once the battle was over, they would continue the breakout. As the vice-leader of the group, he needed to be responsible for the soldiers who were still alive.
As the battle drew to a close, Mo Yu swung his purple battle blade and cleaved the last Black Wind Clan warrior in half. But just then, he heard Wang Long's roar coming from nearby:
"Yu Mao, look out below!"
Mo Yu reacted quickly. Without even looking down, he decisively swung his purple battle blade downward.
At that moment, he felt a sharp numbness in his legs.
Looking down, he saw two swirling black winds wrapping around his legs. These winds were like rotating bone-cutting steel knives, and the pain surged over him. His leg armor shattered, and soon his legs turned into blood mist, revealing white bones beneath. The bones then shattered and scattered into pieces.
Blood mist sprayed out, and without the support of his legs, his upper body tilted backward.
The black winds, relentless, continued to sweep toward his body.
In the face of life and death, Mo Yu didn't accept his fate. He swung his battle blade fiercely, twisting his body to shift sideways.
Thanks to his quick reflexes, Mo Yu avoided being fully engulfed by the black winds, but his left arm became the new target. The force of the wind shattered his arm, and as his bones fractured, it turned into blood mist and scattered.
The intense pain engulfed his body, and the massive blood loss made his vision fade to black.
Just before losing consciousness, he saw Wang Long charging toward him angrily, shouting something.
But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't make out the words.
His gaze shifted to Yan Kong, and he saw the fear and confusion in her eyes. Tears uncontrollably spilled from them.
His eyelids grew unbearably heavy, and his vision became darker.
He could clearly hear his own breathing, almost as if the violent black winds were howling in his ears.
As his half-fallen body hit the ground, one thought filled his mind:
Is this the end?