Chapter 25: Debriefing at the Ruined Bastion
The roar of the heavy energy cannons still echoed through the valley.
The third-tier scaled beast was pinned tightly beneath the rocky slope by several tactical vehicles, its path of retreat completely sealed by artillery fire. Large patches of scales on its back had been scorched and shattered by the energy beams, and the charred wounds continuously oozed foul-smelling black blood. Every time it shook its massive head, a pained, agonizing hiss escaped its jaws. Yet, even gravely wounded, the cold, oppressive psychic weight within its Sea of Consciousness had not entirely dissipated. It occasionally lashed out with psychic surges, forcing the frontline support soldiers to continuously maintain their mental defenses.
"Do not engage in close combat rashly! Maintain distance and continue suppressing it, prioritizing the depletion of its mental reserves!" the support squad leader ordered loudly. Everyone knew that the psychic backlash of a third-tier scaled beast fighting to the death was enough to instantly shatter the Seas of Consciousness of multiple soldiers; the cost of close-quarters combat was simply too devastating.
Continuous energy beams rained down upon the giant beast's wounds. The third-tier scaled beast twisted its massive body frantically, its giant claws frantically scraping at the rubble, yet it could never break through the encircling wall of fire. After a brief stalemate, it seemingly realized that continuing to fight would only end in death here. It abruptly turned its body, enduring the relentless artillery fire on its back, and threw all its remaining strength into a desperate breakout toward the rift.
"It's trying to escape back into the underground rift!"
Several tactical vehicles immediately accelerated, attempting to intercept it. But the terrain in the rocky area was rugged, severely restricting vehicle mobility. Relying on its familiarity with the mountainous terrain and using the massive boulders as cover, the third-tier scaled beast tanked several energy rounds and plunged headfirst into a massive underground fissure, disappearing into the darkness.
"Target has escaped!" the observation soldier reported loudly.
The support squad leader's expression turned grave. He raised his hand, signaling a ceasefire. "The internal terrain of the rift is complex, and the scaled beast nests are densely distributed. We cannot rashly venture deeper. Establish a temporary perimeter here immediately. Prioritize rescuing the wounded and accounting for casualties."
The gunpowder smoke slowly settled.
The trench was a scene of absolute devastation. The muddy water was soaked with dark red blood, and shattered armor, depleted energy rifles, and Sea of Consciousness stabilizer patches stripped of their glow were scattered everywhere. Medics immediately sprang into action, prioritizing the treatment of severely wounded soldiers who still had a chance of survival.
Of the two third-tier veterans who had fought desperately to block the third-tier scaled beast, one had suffered a comminuted fracture in his arm and severe trauma to his Sea of Consciousness, leaving him in a semi-comatose state; the other had several broken ribs, his consciousness flickering between clarity and haze. Instructor Zhou sat against the earthen wall, eyes closed as he slowly regulated his breathing. He had been injured by the directed psychic impact earlier, and the fissures within his Sea of Consciousness would not heal in the short term.
Su Qing sat nearby, her face deathly pale, her hands still trembling uncontrollably. Her Sea of Consciousness had been pushed beyond its absolute limit, making it impossible for her to mobilize her mental power again in the short term. She could only silently watch the medics rushing back and forth, her ears filled with the suppressed, agonizing groans of the wounded.
Standing at the edge of the trench, Lin Yan closed his eyes slightly, quietly turning his awareness inward to inspect his own Sea of Consciousness.
The pale white barrier of his Sea of Consciousness was covered in dense, hairline cracks, and a lingering dull ache remained deep within his skull. Throughout this bloody battle, he had repeatedly tanked the psychic stings of low-level scaled beasts, contracting and expanding his Sea of Consciousness in the midst of crises, constantly adjusting his mental state under the pressure of life and death. There had been no跨越式 (leapfrog) breakthrough, but his control over his Sea of Consciousness was much steadier than it had been before the battle.
Previously, contracting his Sea of Consciousness required him to calm his mind and spend a moment focusing. After this bloody battle, he could now subconsciously draw in his consciousness in the very instant of combat, reducing his mental consumption. This was a subtle improvement bought with countless moments of immense pressure and pain.
"Come here." Seeing that Lin Yan was still in relatively decent condition, a military doctor waved him over for a Sea of Consciousness screening.
A simple Sea of Consciousness detector was placed against Lin Yan's forehead, and a layer of faint white light waves appeared on the screen. The military doctor stared at the screen and nodded slowly. "Second-tier peak. Multiple contusions on the surface of the Sea of Consciousness, but no structural damage. You're lucky. Quite a few new recruits in this same battle suffered direct Sea of Consciousness collapse; they'll never be able to cultivate their Sea of Consciousness again in their lives."
Lin Yan replied softly, "I just barely held on."
"Holding on already puts you ahead of most new recruits." The military doctor put away the instrument, his tone heavy. "But remember, Sea of Consciousness contusions require rest. Do not endure high-intensity psychic impacts in the short term. If the accumulated damage eventually pierces the core, it will result in irreversible destruction."
Lin Yan firmly committed this warning to memory. He watched as stretchers were constantly carried out of the trench. Some wounded were still breathing faintly, while others had already lost their vitality forever. Of the original squad of over twenty people who had formed the temporary defense line, only a handful remained capable of normal combat after the battle.
Having regained some strength, Instructor Zhou gathered those who could still move to the corner of the trench for a brief debriefing of the tug-of-war battle.
"The third-tier scaled beast excels at continuous psychic domain suppression. It uses low-level scaled beasts to flank and maneuver, draining our stabilizer patches, ammunition, and mental fortitude." Instructor Zhou's voice was hoarse. As he spoke, he looked toward the ruined rocky high ground. "It will not abandon this area. Once its injuries recover, it will most likely lead another beast tide to attack. We held the defense line this time not by defeating it, but merely by barely surviving until backup arrived."
His gaze swept over everyone, finally resting on Lin Yan.
"Lin Yan, your suppression on the flank was well done. You knew how to hold back, didn't rashly engage in close combat, seized the timing to interfere with the scaled beasts, and protected the wounded's position. But you must understand, this was merely luck. If the backup had been even a moment later, no one would have survived."
"I understand," Lin Yan replied calmly. He knew perfectly well that the role he could play was extremely limited. Without his teammates holding the line in the front, he alone could never have stopped a single scaled beast.
The sunset pierced through the gray, hazy clouds, casting its light over the devastated Black Mountain region. The support forces left behind a portion of their personnel to garrison the temporary trench, reinforce the defensive fortifications, and deploy detection devices to monitor the movements of the beast swarms inside the rift. The rest escorted the severely wounded back to the rear bastion city in batches.
During the brief respite, Lin Yan stood alone outside the trench, gazing at the massive underground rift in the distance. The dark opening was like a hideous wound on the earth; endless waves of scaled beasts had continuously poured out from this subterranean world.
He raised his hand and gently pressed it against his forehead.
Second-tier peak. There was still a distance to go before reaching the third tier of the Sea of Consciousness. As the instructor had said, if he continued to observe and train on the battlefield, accumulating experience under controlled risks, he still had a chance to steadily cross this threshold. But after breaking through to the third tier, if he wanted to continue advancing, he would have to face true, life-and-death extremities, tempering himself with his very life.
In the distance, a few soldiers were burying the bodies of their fallen comrades. Low, hushed voices drifted on the wind, mingling with the howl of the mountain breeze passing through the scorched and withered trees.
This bloody battle had come to a temporary close, but beyond Black Mountain, the war between humanity and the subterranean scaled beasts continued endlessly. After resting, a new round of trials would inevitably descend once again.
End of Chapter
The third-tier scaled beast was pinned tightly beneath the rocky slope by several tactical vehicles, its path of retreat completely sealed by artillery fire. Large patches of scales on its back had been scorched and shattered by the energy beams, and the charred wounds continuously oozed foul-smelling black blood. Every time it shook its massive head, a pained, agonizing hiss escaped its jaws. Yet, even gravely wounded, the cold, oppressive psychic weight within its Sea of Consciousness had not entirely dissipated. It occasionally lashed out with psychic surges, forcing the frontline support soldiers to continuously maintain their mental defenses.
"Do not engage in close combat rashly! Maintain distance and continue suppressing it, prioritizing the depletion of its mental reserves!" the support squad leader ordered loudly. Everyone knew that the psychic backlash of a third-tier scaled beast fighting to the death was enough to instantly shatter the Seas of Consciousness of multiple soldiers; the cost of close-quarters combat was simply too devastating.
Continuous energy beams rained down upon the giant beast's wounds. The third-tier scaled beast twisted its massive body frantically, its giant claws frantically scraping at the rubble, yet it could never break through the encircling wall of fire. After a brief stalemate, it seemingly realized that continuing to fight would only end in death here. It abruptly turned its body, enduring the relentless artillery fire on its back, and threw all its remaining strength into a desperate breakout toward the rift.
"It's trying to escape back into the underground rift!"
Several tactical vehicles immediately accelerated, attempting to intercept it. But the terrain in the rocky area was rugged, severely restricting vehicle mobility. Relying on its familiarity with the mountainous terrain and using the massive boulders as cover, the third-tier scaled beast tanked several energy rounds and plunged headfirst into a massive underground fissure, disappearing into the darkness.
"Target has escaped!" the observation soldier reported loudly.
The support squad leader's expression turned grave. He raised his hand, signaling a ceasefire. "The internal terrain of the rift is complex, and the scaled beast nests are densely distributed. We cannot rashly venture deeper. Establish a temporary perimeter here immediately. Prioritize rescuing the wounded and accounting for casualties."
The gunpowder smoke slowly settled.
The trench was a scene of absolute devastation. The muddy water was soaked with dark red blood, and shattered armor, depleted energy rifles, and Sea of Consciousness stabilizer patches stripped of their glow were scattered everywhere. Medics immediately sprang into action, prioritizing the treatment of severely wounded soldiers who still had a chance of survival.
Of the two third-tier veterans who had fought desperately to block the third-tier scaled beast, one had suffered a comminuted fracture in his arm and severe trauma to his Sea of Consciousness, leaving him in a semi-comatose state; the other had several broken ribs, his consciousness flickering between clarity and haze. Instructor Zhou sat against the earthen wall, eyes closed as he slowly regulated his breathing. He had been injured by the directed psychic impact earlier, and the fissures within his Sea of Consciousness would not heal in the short term.
Su Qing sat nearby, her face deathly pale, her hands still trembling uncontrollably. Her Sea of Consciousness had been pushed beyond its absolute limit, making it impossible for her to mobilize her mental power again in the short term. She could only silently watch the medics rushing back and forth, her ears filled with the suppressed, agonizing groans of the wounded.
Standing at the edge of the trench, Lin Yan closed his eyes slightly, quietly turning his awareness inward to inspect his own Sea of Consciousness.
The pale white barrier of his Sea of Consciousness was covered in dense, hairline cracks, and a lingering dull ache remained deep within his skull. Throughout this bloody battle, he had repeatedly tanked the psychic stings of low-level scaled beasts, contracting and expanding his Sea of Consciousness in the midst of crises, constantly adjusting his mental state under the pressure of life and death. There had been no跨越式 (leapfrog) breakthrough, but his control over his Sea of Consciousness was much steadier than it had been before the battle.
Previously, contracting his Sea of Consciousness required him to calm his mind and spend a moment focusing. After this bloody battle, he could now subconsciously draw in his consciousness in the very instant of combat, reducing his mental consumption. This was a subtle improvement bought with countless moments of immense pressure and pain.
"Come here." Seeing that Lin Yan was still in relatively decent condition, a military doctor waved him over for a Sea of Consciousness screening.
A simple Sea of Consciousness detector was placed against Lin Yan's forehead, and a layer of faint white light waves appeared on the screen. The military doctor stared at the screen and nodded slowly. "Second-tier peak. Multiple contusions on the surface of the Sea of Consciousness, but no structural damage. You're lucky. Quite a few new recruits in this same battle suffered direct Sea of Consciousness collapse; they'll never be able to cultivate their Sea of Consciousness again in their lives."
Lin Yan replied softly, "I just barely held on."
"Holding on already puts you ahead of most new recruits." The military doctor put away the instrument, his tone heavy. "But remember, Sea of Consciousness contusions require rest. Do not endure high-intensity psychic impacts in the short term. If the accumulated damage eventually pierces the core, it will result in irreversible destruction."
Lin Yan firmly committed this warning to memory. He watched as stretchers were constantly carried out of the trench. Some wounded were still breathing faintly, while others had already lost their vitality forever. Of the original squad of over twenty people who had formed the temporary defense line, only a handful remained capable of normal combat after the battle.
Having regained some strength, Instructor Zhou gathered those who could still move to the corner of the trench for a brief debriefing of the tug-of-war battle.
"The third-tier scaled beast excels at continuous psychic domain suppression. It uses low-level scaled beasts to flank and maneuver, draining our stabilizer patches, ammunition, and mental fortitude." Instructor Zhou's voice was hoarse. As he spoke, he looked toward the ruined rocky high ground. "It will not abandon this area. Once its injuries recover, it will most likely lead another beast tide to attack. We held the defense line this time not by defeating it, but merely by barely surviving until backup arrived."
His gaze swept over everyone, finally resting on Lin Yan.
"Lin Yan, your suppression on the flank was well done. You knew how to hold back, didn't rashly engage in close combat, seized the timing to interfere with the scaled beasts, and protected the wounded's position. But you must understand, this was merely luck. If the backup had been even a moment later, no one would have survived."
"I understand," Lin Yan replied calmly. He knew perfectly well that the role he could play was extremely limited. Without his teammates holding the line in the front, he alone could never have stopped a single scaled beast.
The sunset pierced through the gray, hazy clouds, casting its light over the devastated Black Mountain region. The support forces left behind a portion of their personnel to garrison the temporary trench, reinforce the defensive fortifications, and deploy detection devices to monitor the movements of the beast swarms inside the rift. The rest escorted the severely wounded back to the rear bastion city in batches.
During the brief respite, Lin Yan stood alone outside the trench, gazing at the massive underground rift in the distance. The dark opening was like a hideous wound on the earth; endless waves of scaled beasts had continuously poured out from this subterranean world.
He raised his hand and gently pressed it against his forehead.
Second-tier peak. There was still a distance to go before reaching the third tier of the Sea of Consciousness. As the instructor had said, if he continued to observe and train on the battlefield, accumulating experience under controlled risks, he still had a chance to steadily cross this threshold. But after breaking through to the third tier, if he wanted to continue advancing, he would have to face true, life-and-death extremities, tempering himself with his very life.
In the distance, a few soldiers were burying the bodies of their fallen comrades. Low, hushed voices drifted on the wind, mingling with the howl of the mountain breeze passing through the scorched and withered trees.
This bloody battle had come to a temporary close, but beyond Black Mountain, the war between humanity and the subterranean scaled beasts continued endlessly. After resting, a new round of trials would inevitably descend once again.
End of Chapter