Chapter 43: Chapter 43, come out quickly

The battle intensified in an instant.

Mortars began to flex their muscles, with a few shells being blocked by trees, but the shrapnel from the explosions still posed a threat. More unobstructed shells plunged into the midst of the monsters charging through the woods at a distance of about a hundred meters, clearing out an entire swath of enemies with a single hit.

Overall, due to the forest environment, the range and power of the mortars were greatly reduced. But after all, these were mortars, and their lethality couldn’t be ignored.

The machine guns were even more fearsome killers. If the enemy hid in the dense forest, it would be different; they would have cover, poor visibility, and it wouldn’t be easy to hit them from afar; but as soon as those monsters charged out, or even just to the edge of the forest where the trees’ obstruction lessened, the machine guns’ power would rapidly increase. And once they really broke out of the forest’s cover, the bullets fired from the machine guns would whip through like a steel lash, leaving no survivors in their wake.

Beyond that, regular rifles were only needed to spot check and fill the gaps.

A multi-layered and three-dimensional firepower network ensured that those monsters couldn’t pose a real threat to the troops led by Gu Hang.

Bioweapon gunners, swift-action zombie dogs, none of them were effective.

What’s there to fear from the Pus Spewers’ range of fifty meters? The sharpshooters in the platoon focused on such high-value targets.

Even leaving aside these shooters from the T5-level forces, the soldiers from the Land Assault Team were truly elite. The electromagnetic rifles in their hands performed better and packed a bigger punch.

With their attention, it was extremely difficult for the Pus Spewers to get within fifty meters and spew their corrosive pus into the formation of human soldiers.

As for the zombie dogs, it’s even less worth mentioning.

Sure, their targets were relatively small, fast, and agile. However, under the dense firepower network, these little creatures were often taken out incidentally. Often a round of undirected heavy machine gun fire would riddle a few bullets into a zombie dog, exploding the pus-filled canine-like creature.

If they actually broke through to close range, it really wasn’t a big deal.

Vicious as the little things were, their estimated weight of about thirty kilograms limited the threat they could pose. Soldiers’ firearms were all equipped with alloy bayonets without exception. Thrust at a lunging dog and it would be pierced cleanly. Thrown to the ground, stepped on its head, pull out the bayonet, then fire a couple of shots, and it would go completely quiet.

And in the midst of battle, the most terrifying presence was the four Strider Vs.

This kind of combat vehicle, which could also play a role in interstellar warfare, was simply beyond what these monsters could handle.

A very few Pus Spewers managed to launch their biocannon projectiles, with two hitting the Strider Vs, yet causing no effect whatsoever.

The corrosive effect of this pus seemed terrifying to organic matter. Soldiers’ uniforms provided poor resistance to the pus; and on contact with flesh, it was excruciating.

But the armored vests alone worn by the soldiers could block the corrosion.

Not to mention the Strider V—its outer armor was solidly made of alloy and plastic steel, and additionally covered with a layer of cermet, a more advanced material than alloy and plastic steel.

Conversely, the twin-barreled forty-millimeter autocannons mounted on the Strider’s weapons platform were lethal upon contact. The terrifying rate of fire and overwhelming power meant that hiding in the forest was futile. A few more shots, and it would destroy not just the trees but also the monsters hiding behind them.

In some ways, it truly resembled a long-range lumberjack machine.

Facing such intense firepower, the attacking monster swarm suffered far more damage than when it attacked Yan Fangxu’s team from a distance.

In comparison, Gu Hang’s team was at a somewhat greater terrain disadvantage than Yan Fangxu’s side. After all, the clearing they were in had just been carved out as a result of their march. They were the ones being attacked, not the initiators of the battle, and did not have the choice of the battleground.

However, aside from that one point, Gu Hang’s team held advantages over Yan Fangxu’s in every aspect.

Their firepower was more abundant, their soldiers more exceptional—although both were T5-level teams, Gu Hang was accompanied by more than twenty warriors of the Land Assault Team. On this battlefield, they could all serve as sharpshooters, with utterly reliable shooting accuracy within dozens of meters.

This also meant that the alien monsters died even faster.

But they did not retreat; they kept surging out of the woodlands as if they were infinite.

These mindless creatures of course didn’t know fear. Their lives were worthless, merely cannon fodder.

However, even cannon fodder had value.

If the puppet masters behind these monsters were hoping to exchange their deaths for the ammunition in Gu Hang’s hands, they were sorely mistaken.

Having known beforehand what kind of enemy he would face, he had prepared accordingly before setting off.

The G9 production line hadn’t had time to expand yet, just meeting the equipment needs of the 3rd Infantry Battalion with the stocked Black Box Manufacturing Machine, and ammunition production wasn’t on the schedule yet. But at least the ammunition stocked from the starship was still considered sufficient.

And now, Gu Hang had brought out a large part of the reserve in one breath. Multiple bullish flatcars carrying ammunition reserves were right in the center of the position.

With such ample quantities, not to mention fighting one battle, even if the intensity increased further, it would be enough to sustain them through several more.

Gu Hang observed the entire battlefield with a cold gaze.

He was currently in the middle of the position, with a Strider V serving as his command vehicle. The range of his sight was very narrow, but this did not affect his control over the entire situation. Psychic Vision was activated, and he had a clear understanding of the overall situation on the battlefield.

Initially, he was prepared to step in if particularly threatening monsters appeared, such as a group of Pus Spewers entering within firing range and lobbing biocanisters into their formation—he would act first to solve the problem. But now, it seemed there was no need for him to intervene. The soldiers were doing a stellar job, making his contingency plans unnecessary.

Gu Hang was quite satisfied with this.

Since there were no significant issues with the overall battlefield, Gu Hang could now focus his efforts on the possibility of cultists making an appearance.

He didn’t believe that the cultists’ tactics were limited to merely driving these mindless monsters; such acts had no chance of posing a threat to him.

They surely had other means at their disposal.

“The mindless monsters have drawn the vast majority of my soldiers’ firepower. Now it’s your turn—come out quickly.”