Chapter 189: Chapter 169 Bloody Battle at Iron Rock Pass (Final) (7000-word Mega Chapter)

The October wind should bear a hint of coolness.

But the wind blowing atop Iron Rock Pass carried an unshakable heat, the thick stench of blood emanating from the black blood that had long since dried and solidified in the crevices of the city tower.

The eyes of everyone atop the city tower were filled with deep exhaustion.

Beast Taming beasts lay atop the walls, most of them bandaged.

The Healing Element Tamers, though fiercely treating the wounds, could not withstand such frequent and intense combat.

Thus, they had to resort to combined healing methods, and some Beast Taming beasts had over a dozen IV drips hanging beside them, fluids pouring into their bodies.

The city gates cracked open slightly, and a large number of militiamen rushed out, using trailers to transport the bodies of the dead soldiers back into the city.

On one hand, it was to allow the disposal of their own fallen soldiers.

On the other hand, since a Beast Taming beast’s body is valuable, and most of these corpses were under the city tower (apart from some key bodies taken away by Exotic Region Beast Tamers), many bodies accumulated at the base of the tower.

There was no need to be polite about the meat from Exotic Region’s Beast Taming beasts; they were directly dragged back to the city to be made into feasts, skinning and deboning, their flesh and bones no less than treasures.

Today marked the fifteenth day of holding Iron Rock Pass.

As long as they survived today, they would complete the minimum mission.

“How many are there, give me a count!” Dong Fang roared.

“One!”

“Two!”

…

“Forty-six!”

After the last call of forty-six, this section of the city tower fell into a long silence.

After a while, Dong Fang wiped his face, “Forty-seven? Is no one calling forty-seven?!”

“Damn it,” Dong Fang muttered lowly, not sure whom he was cursing.

Just yesterday, they had counted up to fifty-two.

Sitting beside, Chen Xing, leaning against the wall behind him, was too exhausted to speak. His originally handsome face was grimy from a week of intense fighting, with no time even to wash his face.

It was mostly just dousing his face with cold water and being done with it.

Because anyway, it would just get sooty again from the fires.

“General Gu and the others haven’t come back yet.” Dong Fang looked toward the eastern sky.

Chen Xing also gazed towards the east.

Yes, they hadn’t returned yet.

Today, the major forces attacking had retreated.

Not only were they weary, but they could also feel that the intensity of the Beast Tamers attacking from the enemy was diminishing day by day.

The fierce battles at the start gradually turned into a routine task,

randomly selecting an hour each day to launch an attack.

Normally, after the enemy’s major forces retreated, the Super Rank Beast Tamers would quickly return to their respective camps.

But today, they were late in returning.

A shade of gloom enveloped Chen Xing’s heart.

Only those at the Transcendence level were the stabilizers of the battlefield.

When their own Transcendence level Beast Tamers were still unreturned, the mood atop the city tower gradually became anxious.

Sìxiàng stood behind Chen Xing, eyes resolutely fixed on his master.

Chen Xing’s hand rested on the warm paw of Sìxiàng.

Suddenly, cheers erupted nearby.

Chen Xing turned his head towards the east, only to see a black spot in the distant sky flying towards them, growing bigger as it approached.

Finally, as it came closer,

everyone saw clearly that this was General Gu Yuzhi’s Beast Taming beast.

And atop its back stood a Power King Cockroach.

The city tower erupted in thunderous cheers.

But the Twin-winged White Snake did not land on the city wall as usual, but flew directly into the city.

Soon, a message reached Chen Xing, summoning all senior officers to the conference room.

Chen Xing and Dong Fang exchanged glances, both confusion evident in their eyes.

Upon arriving at the conference room, people were gradually arriving, and the atmosphere inside was extraordinarily solemn.

Suddenly, Chen Xing stopped in his tracks, a coffin placed at the center of the room.

Gu Yuzhi spoke softly, “Old Zhang had mentioned before to keep a coffin for himself, and indeed, he ended up using it for himself.”

“General Zhang he…” Dong Fang quickly walked to the coffin, looking at the figure lying inside.

Gu Yuzhi closed her eyes, “Old Zhang had a survival skill, the Fourth Dimension, which could avoid nearly all types of damage. But unexpectedly, a spatial attribute Beast Taming beast from the Exotic Region attacked him in stealth.”

Chen Xing felt bewildered, looking at the corpse lying in the coffin.

In the few short days of acquaintance, he had a very positive impression of General Zhang Tianlin, hearty and straightforward, with not a hint of pretentiousness,

like a big, friendly neighbor.

It was he who led his Beast Taming beasts to safeguard him while the Taotie flood overwhelmed the enemy.

Chen Xing kept reminding himself inwardly, this was just an illusion designed for a high-stakes examination,

he had already sacrificed long ago in history, merely a person constituted by an illusion.

Yet, for some reason, Chen Xing still couldn’t control his emotions, feeling a slight sting in his nose.

He closed his eyes, turned his head away,

and did his best not to look at the coffin.

General Zhang Tianlin’s outgoing nature had made him very popular in the army, and as word spread, the incoming officers were like lit kegs of gunpowder.

“Silence!” Gu Yuzhi shouted coldly.

“Old Zhang has fallen, but his Beast Taming beast remains.”

By the coffin, Power King Cockroach crouched on the floor.

Its two antennae drooped, looking listless.

“Xiaoqiang, Old Zhang is gone, and we are all very heartbroken. You are his Beast Taming beast; whatever decision you make is your own. But I still want to impudently ask for your help,” Gu Yuzhi bowed deeply to Xiaoqiang.

“Brother Qiang!”

“Brother Xiaoqiang!”

The other officers also bowed deeply, pleading for Xiaoqiang’s assistance.

Xiaoqiang did not respond, merely leaning against the coffin, its forelimbs resting on Zhang Tianlin’s cold face.