Chapter 111: Private Soldiers Battle the Golden Eagle Monster

I breathed a sigh of relief. The mission was finally complete. Commissioner Gong, now it is time to properly accept the grand gift I have brought you. I hope you can stomach it...

"Oh no! What is that monster?"

"Report! We have spotted a monster pursuing our personnel!"

Wu Yong had been feeling vexed. For some time now, the gunfire in the mountains had ceased, yet Commissioner Gong, ignoring the reality of the situation, had repeatedly sent men to demand he finish off Liang Jing and complete the task.

But now, his sense of foreboding was growing heavier. The mission had made absolutely no progress, and with no men left in his hand, how was he supposed to enter the mountains to find Liang Jing? If everyone inside had truly perished, he would have to start worrying about his own future. After all, if these men died, his own fate would likely be grim. Besides, whether Commissioner Gong was a good man or a bad one was irrelevant; it was clear that he was an incompetent leader, and pinning one's future on him would only lead to darkness.

Just then, the troubled Wu Yong heard that some survivors had emerged, and his heart leaped with joy—now he could finally learn what was happening inside. As for the monster, why worry so much? If there was a monster, couldn't they just shoot it? What was there to fear? What kind of monster could possibly withstand an autocannon? He issued the order without a second thought, never imagining that this would be his most disastrous judgment—the beginning of a tragic end.

"What are you standing there for? Open fire! Kill the monster!"

"Fire!"

Clang, clang, clang, clang!

Rat-tat-tat!

The private soldiers, whose fingers had been itching for action, finally found an outlet. Having crawled through this place for three or four hours, they were indeed restless. Instantly, autocannons and heavy machine guns opened fire wildly at the giant golden eagle flying toward them. A storm of metal surged forward to meet the beast...

Ding, ding, ding, ding! Bang, bang, bang!

Accompanied by a thunderous roar, the giant golden eagle was struck by the barrage of metal. She tumbled through the air several times before steadying herself, letting out a shrill, piercing cry. Her eagle eyes turned crimson instantly. These two-legged humans again! How dare they attack her, and actually injure her!

Seeing this, everyone was stunned, including Liang Jing. The heavy machine guns and even the autocannons seemed to cause no significant damage to the eagle; only the bullets that struck her existing wounds had any real effect.

Liang Jing’s sharp eyes could even see a thin halo of energy shimmering over the eagle's feathers when the bullets hit. The lethality of the projectiles was reduced by at least half upon contact, and the remainder was blocked by layers of bronze-gold plumage, making it difficult to inflict any real harm.

*Screech!*

With crimson eyes, the golden eagle dived toward the zombie "Brother Huang." She loathed this two-legged human, and with her intelligence, she naturally assumed that "Brother Huang" had specifically lured her here for an ambush.

Watching the giant eagle’s movements, Liang Jing felt deeply frustrated. Although the zombie "Brother Huang" lacked the strength and potential of the Venomous Ripper, he had, after all, followed him and helped with many tasks. To see him meet such an end was truly a pity!

"Aim for the wound on her chest!"

Wu Yong was struck with immense horror as he watched the avian monster withstand the autocannon fire even more impressively than Liang Jing. This damned world really had changed; all sorts of monsters were appearing. Nevertheless, he immediately ordered the attack.

*Thump, thump, thump, thump!*

The golden eagle instantly shredded the zombie "Brother Huang," his body parts scattering, yet not a single drop of blood appeared. Almost the next instant, the barrage struck again. This time, most of the fire landed on the gaping hole in her chest and abdomen. Instinctively sensing a fatal threat, she channeled her energy to protect the wound, only to be knocked backward by the sheer force of the barrage, tumbling through the air once more.

*Screech!*

The golden eagle was furious. Her wound was under fire; though the energy barrier prevented bullets from entering, the massive impact caused the tear to widen, and blood gushed out. Suddenly, her neck vibrated as she let out a piercing, high-pitched scream. Even from a distance, Liang Jing felt an agonizing sensation, and he could see ripples forming in the air, surging toward the private soldiers.

"Ah! It hurts!"

"My ears! I can't hear anything!"

...

"Quick! Keep attacking! Do not stop! Start the tanks and retreat rapidly! Everyone, fire while retreating!"

Enduring the sonic attack and watching his soldiers, who were in such pain they had almost forgotten to fire—some with ruptured eardrums, blood streaming from their ears and mouths—Wu Yong stayed calm and bellowed his orders, using hand signals to direct them.

*Whoosh!*

The golden eagle, covered by the barrage, flapped her wings violently. Layers of energy shimmered, whipping up a massive gale. Sand and stones flew, turning the world dark. The private soldiers on the ground, even those far away, could barely keep their footing, and some were blown right off their feet. Yet, the wound on her chest bled even more profusely.

However, the wind had little effect on the relentless barrage. Under Wu Yong's direction, these well-trained soldiers showed remarkable combat efficiency, keeping up a constant assault. The energy halo on the eagle flickered incessantly. Finally, the eagle flapped her wings violently, refusing to face the barrage head-on, and began flying in a zigzag pattern, diving to strike at the soldiers below.

"Ah!"

The soldiers had no chance to dodge the eagle's dive. Having seen how she could instantly kill swift and cunning mutated wolves in the dense forest, one could only imagine the helplessness of humans against this giant golden eagle on open ground.

A normal golden eagle typically dives at a speed of 300 kilometers per hour, braking only at the very last second to firmly grab its prey's head, driving its talons into the skull to kill it instantly. This eagle was already several times the size of a normal one before mutating, and after her transformation, her power was beyond measure.

For the current soldiers, she was hitting every target.

Oh no!

The situation turned dire. Although they could still hit the eagle, it was becoming difficult to hinder her. Barely a quarter of their previous attacks were landing, and even fewer hit her wounds.

"Bombs! Ignite the bombs as soon as she dives! Don't hesitate!"

Wu Yong roared. The soldiers knew this was their only option; either way, they wouldn't survive an attack from the eagle, so they might as well fight to the death and make her suffer.

*Boom!*

The golden eagle dived at another soldier. The man, knowing his end was near, gritted his teeth and ignited his bomb. As the eagle struck, the explosion tore him to pieces. The eagle was sent tumbling, her wound bleeding more violently, and the energy halo on her body flickered unsteadily, making her look utterly disheveled.

*Screech!*

A painful cry rang out. She did not retreat or flee; fury had robbed her of her reason. Having been ambushed, provoked, framed, and wounded time and again, she had become reckless and uninhibited.

Seeing this, Liang Jing felt at ease. With a thought, he signaled the Venomous Ripper on the other side to bring Old Jia and the others over, ready to clean up the aftermath.

Struck by the explosion, the golden eagle was hit repeatedly by the autocannons, causing her massive damage. After furiously striking down a few more soldiers, she began to feel fear. Every time she grabbed a soldier, a violent explosion occurred, draining her energy until it was perilously thin. Now, hit by the autocannons again, she suddenly turned and dove toward the tanks.

Flying rapidly, she caught up to the moving tank in seconds and, braving the barrage, slammed her talons into it. *Screech!* Her pitch-black talons actually pierced the thick steel of the tank as if it were nothing. A moment later, the tank was flipped onto its side, smoking helplessly as its treads spun in the air.

*Screech!*

Watching the massive machine she had overturned, the eagle let out a cry that sounded almost joyful. However, under Wu Yong’s command, the soldiers did not cease their fire against the now-triumphant giant eagle.

Clang, clang, clang, clang!

Another autocannon spewed tongues of fire, targeting the gaping wound on the triumphant eagle's chest. Although it seemed that the constant attacks were having little effect on the monster, they continued to fight back fiercely under Wu Yong’s command.

But Liang Jing could see that the eagle's energy was fading; it was flickering unsteadily and being worn down by the continuous barrage. He knew the eagle was nearing her limit. Things were developing just as he had anticipated, and they were turning increasingly in his favor.

*Screech!*

Struck again, the eagle retaliated violently, cleverly unleashing a sonic attack at close range before quickly striking at the suffering soldiers. The effect was devastating. Under the constant attrition, the final tank was also flipped onto the ground.

"Heavy machine gunners, stay! Everyone else, run! Run!"

Seeing that the situation was lost, Wu Yong ordered the others to flee. But the eagle’s intelligence was not low, and she was not about to let them escape so easily. She flapped her wings violently, whipping up a gale that made it impossible for anyone nearby to even stand.