Before Lin Yin could speak, Xin Xiaoyan suddenly strode quickly over to stand by Wang Zhan and Song Dongming, then glared angrily at Lin Yin.

She had found her backing.

Lin Yin felt a sudden, major headache coming on.

"If you were ordinary Martial Artists, I wouldn't urge you at all! But you are different. You three are all geniuses. You have only just taken the first step on the path of martial arts. No one wants you to fall now," Lin Yin said helplessly.

"There's a first time for everything," Wang Zhan said. "I would feel guilty if I retreated at this critical moment."

"That's right!" Xin Xiaoyan nodded emphatically.

"But…" Just as Lin Yin was about to speak, she was interrupted by Wang Zhan.

"General Lin, we've heard this kind of talk countless times. Things like, 'We're still young, our future is long, don't take risks carelessly.'"

Wang Zhan shook his head slightly. "We've heard too much of that."

"Indeed, the future path is very long, so long that it seems endless. So what? Should we, so-called geniuses, just bury our heads in cultivation? Even with the Beast Tide impending, should we 'rationally' retreat to the rear?"

"We won't go. Nothing you say will make a difference," Wang Zhan said solemnly.

Lin Yin was silent for a moment. She took a deep look at Wang Zhan, then finally waved her hand helplessly.

"I won't assign you to a squad or give you any mission. Act within your capabilities; your own safety is of utmost importance! If—and I mean if—the city wall is breached, I want you to leave Chang'an City immediately!"

"Understood." Wang Zhan and his two companions nodded firmly.

「...」

After leaving the Command Center, Wang Zhan stopped Xin Xiaoyan, who was about to scurry away with small steps.

"Give me your contact information. The three of us should stick together tomorrow."

"Huh? But I'm used to roaming free. I'm not used to having people around," Xin Xiaoyan said, seeming somewhat resistant.

Wang Zhan's expression darkened. "No wonder Lin Yin was so frustrated earlier she almost resorted to force! How can a fifth-level Martial Artist like you talk so big? Hand it over!"

Under Wang Zhan's coercion, Xin Xiaoyan grudgingly gave him an ID and then hastily ran away.

Song Dongming teased with a sideways glance, "Hey, have you taken a liking to her? Asking for her contact information with such a lame excuse, that's low."

"If you can't say anything sensible, then shut up," Wang Zhan retorted. "The Beast Tide is no joke. I keep feeling like that girl has a screw loose; she needs to be watched. Damn it!"

"What's wrong?" Song Dongming asked, startled.

Wang Zhan looked up; the display on his personal terminal clearly showed: User Not Found.

"That little brat gave me a fake ID."

"Haha… Sorry, I couldn't help it."

「...」

Late at night, the entire Military Camp was brightly lit.

Wang Zhan and Song Dongming sat at the entrance of their accommodation, watching soldiers hurry to move weapons like cannonballs onto the city wall.

The entire camp was filled with a solemn atmosphere.

Looking at the endless array of firearms on the city wall, Song Dongming marveled, "This is the spirit of the City Defense Army. Even powerful beasts would be maimed, if not killed, by a few rounds of cannon fire, wouldn't they?"

If only it were that simple, Wang Zhan thought. For some reason, a sense of unease settled in his heart.

At that moment, Wang Zhan noticed a very familiar face among the soldiers passing by.

"Chaofan?"

He called out tentatively, and the man did indeed turn around.

"Brother Zhan?" Deng Chaofan looked pleasantly surprised. After exchanging a few words with his companions, he trotted over to Wang Zhan.

Wang Zhan stared blankly at Deng Chaofan's military uniform, confused. "Aren't you a student at Chang'an Martial Arts Academy? Why are you wearing a military uniform?"

Deng Chaofan explained, "We first-year students are too weak, so we've been assigned to logistical work. Since we're under military command, we're required to wear uniforms."

"I see," Wang Zhan said, understanding.

Deng Chaofan, on the other hand, was excited. "Brother Zhan, I've heard all about your deeds these past few days! When I told the other soldiers and my classmates that we were high school friends, they didn't believe me."

As he spoke, Deng Chaofan pulled out his personal terminal and took a photo of himself with Wang Zhan.

Watching him excitedly send the photo, Wang Zhan asked curiously, "What's that about? Who are you sending the photo to?"

"A female classmate I'm pursuing. She's also a student at Chang'an Martial Arts Academy," Deng Chaofan said with a smile. "She already agreed to get together with me after this Beast Tide is over."

Hearing this, Wang Zhan froze.

Meanwhile, someone called Deng Chaofan over to help. After saying goodbye, Deng Chaofan quickly departed.

"Your high school classmate..." Song Dongming began, an inexplicable expression on his face, looking like he wanted to say something but stopped himself.

"Don't say it. Just pretend you didn't hear anything," Wang Zhan said, shaking his head slightly.

Tempting fate like this... With so many precedents, why do people never learn?

「...」

The next day, at noon.

Wang Zhan and Song Dongming stood on the city wall, gazing into the distance.

Xin Xiaoyan was also beside Wang Zhan, pouting with a face full of resentment, looking for all the world like someone owed her money.

In the end, Wang Zhan had managed to catch her.

"They're here!" Wang Zhan announced gravely.

Hearing this, Song Dongming and Xin Xiaoyan hurriedly followed Wang Zhan's gaze.

Sure enough, a dark, oppressive mass had appeared in the distance, and even the city wall had begun to tremble.

A minute or two later, accompanied by clouds of dust billowing into the sky, countless beasts had arrived three to four kilometers from the city wall.

Elsewhere, Lin Yin stood on high ground, her expression stern.

"Fire!"

At her command, all the cannons on the city wall fired simultaneously. Thousands of cannonballs filled the sky, tracing complete parabolas before crashing into the midst of the Beast Tide.

RUMBLE! RUMBLE!

Deafening roaring sounds erupted.

As far as the eye could see, nearly everything was engulfed in artillery fire.

A full ten seconds later, the smoke from the cannons cleared.

However, Wang Zhan keenly sensed that the terrifying momentum of the Beast Tide didn't seem to have diminished much.

A second volley... a third volley...

Ten full volleys of artillery fire, cannonballs launched as if they were free!

The ground in the distance was a complete wreck. Many beasts were severely injured, yet they continued their charge towards the city wall, seemingly tireless and impervious to pain.

"How terrifying," Xin Xiaoyan suddenly said. "Is this the Beast Tide? Why are these beasts like this? Aren't they afraid?"

No one answered Xin Xiaoyan's question; neither Wang Zhan nor Song Dongming knew the answer.

Ordinarily, beasts would fight amongst themselves, even those of the same species.

But during a Beast Tide, these beasts were unusually peaceful with one another and became utterly fearless.

Under the bombardment, countless beasts below the fifth level had already perished!

Yet, they paid it no mind, advancing as if they couldn't see the carnage.

"Terrifying discipline," Wang Zhan said, taking a deep breath.

The beasts were now less than two kilometers from the city wall.

Gradually, everyone's gaze fixed on Lin Yin, who stood on high ground, awaiting her command.

And Lin Yin did not keep them waiting long.

"May victory be yours, and may your Martial fortunes prosper!"

"May our Martial fortunes prosper!"

"May our Martial fortunes prosper!"

Numerous Martial Artists roared. As the third cry faded, some Martial Artists had already leaped directly from the city wall!

Once one person took the lead, others followed!

It wasn't just the several hundred Martial Artists from yesterday's meeting; tens of thousands of Martial Artists were gathered on the city wall at this moment!

They had all rushed here upon hearing the news, for no other reason than to participate in this Beast Tide—to defend Chang'an City!

"Should we go too?" Song Dongming asked.

Wang Zhan shook his head slightly, glancing again at Xin Xiaoyan, who was no longer her usual arrogant self.

"Let's wait a bit longer. It's not our turn yet."

The initial clash of a war is always the most brutal.

The beasts and Human Martial Artists were completely intermingled; no one knew what level of opponent they would encounter first.

Only when the battle situation became somewhat clearer, with individuals fighting their own battles, could Martial Artists like Wang Zhan and his two companions make their move.

Otherwise, blindly rushing into the fray carried a significant risk of death.

「...」

While Wang Zhan and his companions waited for the opportune moment, the Human Martial Artists and the Beast Tide had already collided.

From the distant city wall, Wang Zhan could clearly see many Human Martial Artists being brutally slaughtered by beasts in an instant, their bodies trampled and crushed by the massive Beast Tide.

But equally, the human powerhouses were not to be outdone. Martial Generals tore through the Beast Tide with ease, halting its advance.

This was a true meat grinder: inexhaustible enemies, endless fighting.

Those Martial Artists who charged in at the very beginning were fighting for their lives from the first moment of the war! And they would have to fight desperately until the very end!

Unconsciously, Wang Zhan found himself speechless.

It wasn't just him; many others on the city wall watching the battle below were also silent.

The sounds of slaughter thundered in the distance, yet on their side of the city wall, it was terrifyingly quiet.

Just then, a voice suddenly spoke beside Wang Zhan's ear.

"Little fella, what do you think?"

Wang Zhan instinctively turned his head to see an old man with a goatee.

The old man wore a faint smile, a smile that seemed utterly out of place in such a setting.

"I don't know. My mind is a mess," Wang Zhan answered honestly.

He had imagined what a real Beast Tide would be like countless times, but seeing it firsthand still shocked him profoundly.

He was shocked by the sheer, endless number of beasts, and by the Human Martial Artists' fearless defiance of death.

The old man's smile remained.

"It's normal for your mind to be a bit chaotic seeing this for the first time! You'll get used to it after a few more times."

Wang Zhan remained silent.

The old man also fell silent, simply standing quietly beside Wang Zhan, watching the distant battle with him.

About ten minutes passed like this before the beasts' advance was finally forced to a halt.

The battle to halt their advance had turned into a war of attrition.

And just then, a powerful wave of intimidation suddenly emanated from the direction of the beasts.

"Humans, prepare to die!"

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