Chapter 522: I Alone Am Enough

One week later.

The Northwest Wilderness.

Wind howled through the gap in the canyon, churning up a sky full of yellow sand that battered against the rock walls with a continuous hiss. The sky was a dull, leaden gray, the sun completely obscured by thick clouds. The desolate earth resembled an apocalyptic wasteland, vast and barren.

RUSTLE…

Amidst the subtle rustling, a tiny black lizard crept out from a burrow in the ground, its nostrils twitching as it sniffed the air. This was an abandoned mine at the end of the canyon. The massive pit looked like a scar torn into the earth, riddled with uneven craters and deep gouges. Steep peaks flanked the excavation site, their rock faces covered in weathered fissures.

With a soft scuttling sound, the reptilian creature quickly scurried away and disappeared. This scene was quietly captured by a detection device, transmitting as a holographic projection on a screen inside a base a dozen meters underground.

STOMP STOMP STOMP!

Heavy combat boots thudded against the floor as people bustled about the subterranean facility. Incandescent light spilled across the surveillance and defense room, where numerous Rebel members in black combat uniforms stared intently at the monitor screens during their rotational shifts. The room was packed with precision instruments. Outside, metal corridors interlinked beneath the earth, forming a dense, honeycomb-like fortification that connected every corner of the base. Some personnel were loading ammunition behind the shooting holes and artillery ports of the defenses, while others patrolled back and forth, fully armed. A solemn atmosphere blanketed the entire base, occasionally punctuated by the appearance of fighters and Armored Transformers.

“Tsk, tsk. If only I could undergo the Armored Transformer procedure,” someone muttered.

“Don’t even think about it. You need at least two minor merits to even get a chance. It’s impossible for a logistics squad like ours.”

“Didn’t they say headquarters provided new technology? As long as your body meets the requirements, you can do it.”

“That’s what they say, but everyone knows becoming an Armored Transformer boosts your strength and gives you a better chance of surviving in the war… We simply won’t be able to compete for a spot.”

A few Rebel members whispered among themselves while inspecting ammunition, casting envious glances to the side. A fully armed squad clad in black walked slowly past. Most of them were heavily built, wearing more form-fitting black combat suits. Fine silver patterns flickered faintly around their necks, resembling energized circuits. Those were the marks of an Armored Transformer, a testament to the strength that could better protect them in battle.

Watching the squad of Armored Transformers walk away, many ordinary Rebel members looked on with envy and longing. This scene was like a microcosm of the entire facility, extending all the way to the deepest reaches of the underground base.

Researchers in long white coats hurried about. On the walls of the command center hung several massive holographic screens, displaying real-time surveillance footage of every corner inside and outside the base.

“What is the status of the base’s defenses?” Tan Shanzhong asked in a deep voice, standing in the center of the command room in a crisp black uniform. His voice was slightly hoarse, sounding like sandpaper scraping across a rough surface.

Hearing this, a trusted aide stepped forward from behind him. Tapping lightly on the console, he brought up a set of data.

“All twelve firepower points in the frontal canyon passage are in position, with ample ammunition reserves.

“Three batches of sensor mines have been buried along the flanking mountain trails, and ambush points have been set up every two hundred meters. The underground blast doors have all been reinforced. Even under concentrated bombardment, they can hold out for half a month.”

Tan Shanzhong’s expression remained impassive, betraying neither satisfaction nor disappointment. Though his hair was grayish-white, his face had few wrinkles, and his narrow eyes exuded a chilling aura.

Noticing his boss’s silence, the aide paused before continuing, “Additionally, the new Armored Transformer technology approved by headquarters… is showing good results. The current integration rate among our elite troops has increased by nearly thirty percent compared to the last batch.

“Furthermore, they provided a shipment of howitzers and heavy firearms. Even if an army of a hundred thousand were to appear, they would find it difficult to break through our lines.”

“Hmm.” Tan Shanzhong finally revealed a hint of satisfaction. “Headquarters has finally done something useful.”

He was about to ask another question when the aide hesitated, suddenly shifting the topic. “However… there is one more thing.”

“Speak.”

“There’s been a lot of movement from Fortress Mountain City lately.” The aide pulled up another set of screens—footage transmitted from a reconnaissance outpost at the edge of the wilderness. In the feed, an endless array of tanks and armored vehicles stretched across the plains north of Mountain City. Soldiers were setting up temporary camps, and various supplies were piled up like mountains.

“Our scouts have confirmed that the Mountain City army has assembled and is marching north. The scale far exceeds our previous estimates. At their current pace… they will likely reach the canyon passage in a week.”

The atmosphere in the command center suddenly grew heavy. The several Superpower Users standing behind Tan Shanzhong exchanged glances. Some frowned, while others’ eyes darkened, all feeling a significant amount of pressure.

Now that the Alliance Country was at war on all fronts, Fortress Mountain City possessed a substantial military force, and the entire Northwest City Circle was joining forces to attack. If the allied forces of the Five Major Enterprises followed them north, they would probably…

“What are you panicking for?” Tan Shanzhong suddenly spoke. His voice wasn’t loud, but it seemed to strike deep into everyone’s hearts, suppressing their worries.

“Fortress Mountain City? They’re nothing special.” He sneered, his gaze sweeping over everyone present. “A bunch of ragtag forces from the northwest, a cobbled-together army, and they dare to march north?

“We just need to block them casually and stall them for a couple of weeks, and they’ll naturally fall apart.”

His casual tone, as if discussing a trivial matter, inexplicably put the people in the room at ease.

“Besides,” Tan Shanzhong continued, “the Five Major Enterprises are the Five Major Enterprises. Fortress Mountain City has nothing to do with them.”