Chapter 688: Fighting the Heavens (Part 2)

Hearing this shocking description from Qin Ming, Regimental Commander Zhang's expression shifted from shock to deep skepticism.

He frowned and looked Qin Ming up and down, even faintly suspecting that this Vice Guild Leader of the Eternal Night Guild had suffered severe trauma in the previous battle, leading to hallucinations.

"Brother Qin, it's not that I don't believe you…"

Regimental Commander Zhang weighed his words and slowly said, "Over the years, our military department has also sent many top scouting squads into this Abyss of Mist. It is indeed very dangerous inside, but because the fog is too heavy, visibility is extremely low, and there are maze-like ancient passages everywhere."

Speaking of this, Regimental Commander Zhang's gaze turned sharp: "Our Great Xia Military Department has expended immense manpower and material resources and paid an extremely painful price, yet to this day, we haven't been able to penetrate very deep into the hinterland of this ruin."

He stared into Qin Ming's eyes and asked in a deep voice: "That army of the dead in the thousands you just mentioned, and that Skeleton King that can instantly kill an SS-Rank Expert… How on earth does your Eternal Night Guild understand this so clearly?"

"Could it be that you… have entered the deepest part of the ruins?"

Facing Regimental Commander Zhang's Soul-piercing scrutiny and questioning, Qin Ming was momentarily speechless, freezing in place.

He opened his mouth, but it was as if his neck was choked, unable to spit out even half a word.

Was he supposed to bluntly tell this Advanced officer of Great Xia that the restricted zone which they regarded as a near-death trial had long been treated by their Eternal Night Guild as their own backyard? That they could enter and leave whenever they pleased?

Was he supposed to say that not only did they go in, but they also staked out territory inside to set up a large-scale Formation, killed who-knows-how-many exotic beasts to grind experience, and even this awakening army of the dead emerged right under their noses?

If these words were truly spoken aloud, let alone Regimental Commander Zhang not believing them, even if he did believe them, he would probably flip out on the spot and execute them on the spot as the chief culprits who caused the natural disaster and concealed intelligence!

"This…" Qin Ming swallowed a mouthful of saliva, his brain operating at high speed as cold sweat slid down his forehead, trying to fabricate a barely passable excuse.

Just as he was stammering and spinning in anxiety.

"Dong—!!!"

An extremely muffled and terrifying loud noise from the depths of the eighteen layers underground abruptly sounded beneath the entire fortress!

This sound was like a war drum beaten by an ancient deity, heavily striking everyone's heart and making even their Souls tremble along with it!

Immediately following.

A sudden drastic change occurred!

"Rumble—!"

The entire encampment of the Great Xia Military Department suddenly began to shake violently.

"What… what is going on?!"

Regimental Commander Zhang was struck with inexplicable terror for a moment, struggling to steady his violently shaking body.

His eyes widened in disbelief as he looked at the earth crazily cracking beneath his feet; the originally sturdy foundation of the fortress was collapsing at a speed visible to the naked eye.

"There's no time to explain! Retreat! Immediately retreat! If you don't retreat now, it will be too late! You will all be wiped out!"

Being violently pulled by Qin Ming, Regimental Commander Zhang finally snapped out of his extreme shock.

The tactical literacy of an Advanced officer of Great Xia completely overwhelmed his internal confusion at this life-or-death juncture.

He shoved Qin Ming away with a backhand, grabbed the communication walkie-talkie on his chest, and roared with all his might: "Attention, the entire regiment! Hear my command, immediately abandon the fortress position! All personnel abandon heavy supplies and retreat at full speed to the rear highlands! Quick! Quick! Quick!"

The piercing air-defense siren pierced the clouds, intertwining with the roaring of the earth.

"First Battalion! Cover the non-combat personnel to retreat first!"

"Heavy Artillery Company, forget about those lumps of iron! Run for your lives!"

"Hurry up! Don't fall behind!"

The roars of officers resounded in every corner. The entire encampment of the Great Xia Military Department plunged into utter chaos.

Everyone frantically sprinted toward the rear highlands.

Just the split second they withdrew from the central area, the giant cave within the position—which originally led to the underground entrance of the Abyss of Mist ruins—let out a scalp-numbing shattering sound.

"Rumble—!"

The entire cave entrance rapidly collapsed outward, and that fissure opened a bloody maw, frantically spreading along the surface of the ground.

"Good heavens… What on earth is this ghost thing!" A young soldier sprinted while looking back, his legs so frightened they turned soft.

Several heavy armored vehicles parked near the cave entrance, along with the sturdy steel guard towers, lost their support and tumbled into the bottomless abyss, not even an echo returning.

The edge of the collapse continuously closed in on the retreating troop.

"Hold me! Old Liu, hold me!" A soldier trailing at the back of the line had his footing empty beneath him, hanging half his body over the edge of the cliff.

"Give me your hand! Hold on tight!" His comrade tightly grabbed his wrist, veins bulging, and forcefully hauled him up from the edge of the abyss. The two of them scrambled and rolled as they continued to sprint outward.

If Regimental Commander Zhang's evacuation order hadn't been issued promptly enough, I'm afraid these several thousand elite soldiers of Great Xia would have all fallen into that bottomless abyss by now.

Having managed to retreat to a safe highland several kilometers away, everyone finally had a chance to catch their breath.

"Hoo… hoo…" Regimental Commander Zhang braced his hands on his knees, panting heavily.

At the same time, a continuous sound suddenly came from overhead.

"Boom—rumble—"

Muffled thunder rolled in peals, low and oppressive.

Regimental Commander Zhang straightened his body and raised his head.

The weather in the sky turned extremely grim and bizarre, thick black thunderclouds churning like boiling black ink.

And what made people feel the most chilling was that crazily shuttling through those clouds were actually bizarre purple lightning bolts as thick as water vats!

The coercive pressure contained within that purple lightning made one feel their Soul shivering uncontrollably just by glancing at it.

Regimental Commander Zhang looked at the gloomy weather and bizarre purple lightning in the sky, then turned his head to look at the continuous collapsing phenomenon still happening in the distant position's cave, his mind a tangle of confusion.

He strode over to Qin Ming and grabbed Qin Ming's arm: "Vice Guild Leader Qin! You must give me the bottom line right now! What on earth is going on with the lightning striking from the sky and the abyss collapsing underground?! What kind of monster are we facing?"

Qin Ming looked at the terrifying darkness in the distance and sighed: "Regimental Commander Zhang, this really cannot be explained in a few words. The existence inside has completely surpassed the comprehension scope of conventional Professionals. That is not a gap that can be bridged with firearms and human lives."

Qin Ming gripped Regimental Commander Zhang's hand in reverse: "I'm begging you, Regimental Commander Zhang! Please lead your men to continue retreating backward immediately! This place can no longer be stayed in at all, and no one can predict what will happen the next second! Go to Donghai City, go right now!"

However, this time, Regimental Commander Zhang shook off Qin Ming's hand without the slightest hesitation.

"Retreat?" Regimental Commander Zhang's figure stood straight, resembling a long spear piercing the firmament.

He pointed at this battered land beneath his feet, his voice resonant and forceful: "Vice Guild Leader Qin, our duty is to hold our ground here! A Great Xia soldier's bounden duty is to obey orders. Without a superior's retreat command, we won't go anywhere!"