Necromancer, summoning 055? What the heck?

Chapter 429 Logging In
For a well-prepared, fully armed modern army, zombies are basically just low-quality targets in a mobile firing range.

Whether in movies or television, in the imagination of the apocalypse, most of the methods of zombie infection are similar to contact blood virus infection, such as biting the target or scratching the target's skin to cause bleeding, so as to send the virus-containing bodily fluids into the victim's circulatory system.

Although it is effective quickly, this method of dissemination is a joke in itself.

If zombie infections can only spread in this way, then humanity will soon need to carefully nurture this virus in the highest-level biological laboratories, just like protecting an endangered species.

This infection rate is so low, it's outrageously low.

Dongxia has made war plans for such extreme apocalyptic scenarios. In the hundreds of pages of the "Outline for Emergency Response to Large-Scale Biological Disasters", Dongxia clearly believes that the viruses or bacteria that can cause the largest-scale turmoil in society can only be airborne, and that are airborne, with long distances, long survival times, and a certain incubation period before they take effect.

Currently, it seems that the infection efficiency of the undead on the Sea Serpent Island is even lower than that of contact-based blood virus transmission, as it also has a whole host of complicated prerequisites.

For example, for a living person, their body needs to contain certain special components similar to those of SP-017, which can trigger disorders or even paralysis of the body's nervous system.

Alternatively, it must be a dead person, and preferably a fresh dead person whose time of death does not exceed the golden window of 120 hours.

We also need a "awakening" unit like a lich to cast spells...

This process is even more complicated than the administrative approval procedures in some places.

From this perspective, the fact that the Four-Clawed Sea Serpent's situation has deteriorated to this extent is undoubtedly its own fault.

Now, these scattered zombie-like creatures, along with a small number of skeleton-like creatures, are as vulnerable as a small country's president in front of a golden-haired general in the face of Dongxia's unmanned landing force.

The strongest resistance came from a seaside resort hotel behind the beach.

There appeared to be a considerable number of people in the hotel whose bodies contained special drug components. It seems they were having a grand pool party at the time, and judging from the traces at the scene afterward, it was quite chaotic.

Presumably because there were no plants in the pool to provide protection, it was quickly overrun by zombies.

Ironically, the party organizers, presumably for "safety" and "privacy," had the pool space tightly sealed off from the inside. The heavy fire doors were manually locked, and all the metal roller shutters outside the bulletproof glass curtain wall were lowered, so that these newly minted ghosts were all confined indoors and never got the chance to go out.

After the "disguised undead" knocked on the door, more than thirty zombies poured out, howling and charging towards the vanguard of the [Nine Springs] force.

The scene was nothing short of an absurd exhibition of flesh; the zombies were almost completely naked, with the main visible coverings being metal rings worn in certain specific locations.

They were brutally beaten by the undead of the [Nine Springs] army, their skin peeled off, bones removed, and their soul fire recovered.

"Report: The fourth combat team has completed the clearing of the entire combat zone!"

"The area is confirmed safe. You may log in!"

When the order came down, the Eastern Xia warriors, who had been waiting for nearly a century, pressed the accelerator hard after being on standby for so long.

Landing craft, amphibious tanks, and all-terrain vehicles unleashed their maximum power in an instant.

A race has begun on the sea.

However, no one could beat the latest sea-based assault boat, 【踏浪090】.

Although it lagged far behind the beachhead forces at the start, it was fast!

This light warship, based on the [Wave 061] but significantly scaled down and equipped with "Ser Water Element Support", "Dynamic Flow Matrix" and "Amber Force Field Anchor", quickly reached a top speed of nearly 300 knots, like a long arrow piercing through the sea and crashing onto the beach.

A pair of military boots slammed heavily onto the land of the four-clawed sea serpent.

Unsurprisingly, this move sparked a wave of angry condemnation.

"Damn it, which unit are these guys from? They have no sportsmanship at all!"

"Damn it, let's get him!"

"Yeah, we definitely need to settle this with them when we get back. They're so shameless!"

"Command center! Command center! Isn't this against the rules?!"

Then, the soldiers at the front were surprised to find that the officer who was the first to step out of the cabin was swaying, obviously due to the overload caused by the sudden acceleration and deceleration, which put a great strain on his body.

After stepping onto the beach, he staggered several steps and almost fell on the sand if it weren't for the soldiers beside him supporting him.

With such a poor physique, how dare you rush to be the first to board?

Although he was wearing a mask, those with sharp eyes could recognize him by his figure and epaulets—it was their own navy commander…

Never mind then!
We can only try to get the "second-place" spot, but it's still an honor.

If we don't hurry, we'll all be "old Deng" (a reference to a player's age)...

A few minutes later, these warriors, who possessed not only an iron will but also extraordinary physique, finally set foot on this land, which was not vast but had always been etched in the hearts of Dongxia.

Each young body trembled slightly, unable to suppress the movement.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

After landing, the Dongxia troops will complete combat missions in three directions according to the established plan.

First, we must rely on this beachhead port to establish a solid defensive line and build a forward base, laying the foundation for subsequent, larger-scale military operations.

Secondly, a passage should be opened between Hokuriku, Higashiyama, and Tokaido to carry out a military crackdown on the "Summoning Ghost Temple" and its surrounding area, ensuring Dongxia's complete control over this area, and at an appropriate time, to initiate the development of the Ghost Temple ruins.

Finally, oh right, I almost forgot, if survivors are found, they should be given humanitarian aid.

Following this execution plan, Dongxia began its advance on the land of the Sea Serpents with an overly cautious and steady approach.

The unmanned combat force opened the outer defensive line, the Dongxia infantry group constructed the inner defensive line, and then three battalions of engineer troops arrived.

They brought a large number of engineering vehicles and machinery, with engines roaring and cranes swinging, and completed the construction of basic fortifications in just over an hour after landing.

The sand dug out of the trenches was used to build breastworks, modular alloy fortifications were erected one after another, radar systems were deployed on the spot, forward command and communication centers were quickly established, and mobile command vehicles and mobile command ships patrolled the land and sea behind the defensive line...

It's clear that they've practiced the beach landing countless times; it's almost become muscle memory for them.

Unfortunately, the soldiers trained so hard for so long, only to be overtaken by a group of unmanned vehicles. Before even fighting a single battle, they were already digging in the dirt and eating dust, becoming a bunch of "armed laborers"...

Fortunately, the zombie horde didn't keep them waiting too long.

The undead on Earth have some intelligence, but not much.

Startled by the loud noises, mechanical vibrations, and the presence of living people in the area, the undead around them emerged in droves from their hiding places, like vultures smelling carrion.

They began throwing themselves into each other's arms like moths to a flame!

"At 4.7 kilometers to the northeast, a cluster of undead has been detected in an abandoned village. There are about 300 of them, and they are moving towards us in batches at a slow speed, with an estimated average speed of about 5 kilometers per hour!"

"Standard combat procedure, Plan Seven: Automated combat vehicles advance, clear the area with 30mm chain gun turrets, and be sure to collect combat data on the weapons!"

"Small groups of undead are approaching from the south, mainly composed of zombies with skeletons as secondary targets. We recommend capturing them and have the [Nine Springs Column] be careful!"

"Be sure to preserve the integrity of the experimental samples!"

"The drones continue to expand their reconnaissance range and increase the scanning density to Level 3!"

"Pay attention to air defense as well, and strengthen sound wave and vibration detection underground! Although the enemy hasn't shown this special type of undead yet, everyone be on high alert!"

"If we lose face because of these zombies, we'll have to sit in a high chair for dinner when we get home!"

The order, while eliciting laughter, also sparked some discontent.

"Commander, the unmanned forces have already won this battle, what are we supposed to do?"

"Exactly! We've waited so long, we can't have come here just for sightseeing, can we?"

"Tourism allows you to travel around, but what we're doing is called standing guard, okay? We haven't fired a single shot yet!"

The commander, who had recovered, chuckled over the communications channel.

"You bunch of ungrateful bastards! So many brother units behind us just wanted to come and see you, but they couldn't. You've already landed, and you're still being picky, asking for this and that?"

"Not satisfied? Fine, I'll arrange a rotation right now! The 1st Battalion of the Marine Brigade of the South China Sea Fleet is waiting right behind us; they even wrote a petition in blood to be part of the second wave of landing troops! Who wants to switch?"

The scene instantly fell silent.

The next few hours became "spectator experience time" on the East Xia front, with soldiers idly lying in the trenches watching the show.

From 5.8mm to 155mm, from conventional rounds to high-explosive rounds to tungsten-core discarding sabot armor-piercing rounds, from electromagnetic guns to flamethrowers, from wheeled armored vehicles to new tanks, the scene had become a weapons effectiveness testing ground. At the edge of the battlefield, Dongxia had also set up a separate testing team, equipped with large-caliber assault rifles enchanted with holy light.

Their shooting method was quite brutal: one bullet severed the zombie's left arm to observe its loss of balance; the second shot severed its right leg to record its crawling posture; the third shot pierced its pelvis to test its lower body's ability to move...

Only when the target's limbs are completely destroyed, his torso is riddled with honeycomb-like bullet holes, and he is still stubbornly wriggling forward with his elbows, will the tester shrug and fire the last bullet precisely into his forehead, ending this one-sided test.

Of course, occasionally, a few undead creatures would bring a little surprise to the Eastern Xia garrison.

For example, an undead construct that suddenly jumps out of the forest.

Undead constructs are a broad concept. Flesh giants and black knights fall into this category. Even in the Starry World, death knights and skeletal nightmares are subspecies of "intermediate and above constructs".

Specifically, it refers to a series of undead units with strength reaching the mid-level or above, composed of undead plus undead, or undead plus mounts, undead plus weapons, or undead plus other special forms or energies.

The construct before us was clearly the crudest and most savage "flesh and blood piled up" type, with six or seven heads, a dozen hands, and several tails that had been copied from somewhere.

Despite its bulky appearance, it is surprisingly fast and incredibly durable.

The moment this guy entered the drone's reconnaissance field of view, Xia Hong, the commander of the "Nine Springs" column who was personally on the front line, took a liking to him.

"Take him alive! Take him alive!"

"Let 016 and 022 go together and take it down!"

They received a wave of disdainful glances from the forward command center.

016 is the Black Knight, and 022 is the Black Warrior. Both are mid-to-high-level undead transferred from the Starry World. As outstanding graduates from the advanced undead training school, they were approved to participate in this operation after passing multiple rounds of political vetting.

After all, if they weren't reliable enough, the losses caused by these fourth or fifth-tier creatures causing trouble within our own defensive lines could be incalculable.

Although I don't know exactly how the political vetting of undead creatures is conducted, they have at least passed the test.

Black Knight 016 carried a straight-bladed battle sword that was 1.6 meters long. Strange ripples flowed across the blade, as if some kind of luminous liquid was flowing down from the tip of the sword in layers. Clearly, this was a physical weapon from Earth, enhanced with the enchanting technology of the stars.

As for 022, he wielded a spear over three meters long and rode a motorcycle instead of a skeletal warhorse.

Yes, it is equipped with a fully automatic intelligent driving system and can drive the motorcycle on its own.

The main reason for providing such transportation is to avoid making things too alarming.

Most of the Dongxia warriors who went on this mission were unaware of the situation in the Starry World. It was somewhat understandable that a few armored humanoid creatures would appear on the battlefield, but if one came out riding a skeletal horse, it would be impossible to explain.

Besides, there might be other countries watching from above.

Just as everyone was filled with anticipation, 016 Black Knight's two legs created afterimages, kicking up a trail of dust as he raced toward the construct.

However, it still can't keep up with those riding motorcycles.

The motorcycle's motor emitted a high-pitched hum, and the front and rear wheels carved two deep grooves in the sand. The black rider on the motorcycle did not perform any fancy tactical maneuvers; it was just a simple straight charge, with his long spear held horizontally and the tip aimed at the largest head in the center of the construct's torso.

With a muffled "thud," the spear pierced through the construct's chest without any resistance, its tip protruding more than half a meter from its back.

As the construct's dozen or so arms flared in vain in an attempt to retaliate, 022 suddenly turned the handlebars, lifting the front wheel off the ground. It actually lifted the struggling construct, which was still attached to the gun head, as if it were holding a bizarrely shaped super hammer!
Then, the motorcycle executed a clean 180-degree spin, its tires screeching and producing blue smoke, before it began to carry the construct back.

The whole process took less than fifteen seconds.

The regular undead of the Starry World are indeed at a disadvantage in terms of strength when facing wild undead like those of Blue Star.

The logistics team enters the battlefield to collect the remains and bones of the dead who are killed on the battlefield.

The captured undead were directly sent to the temporary detention center of the [Nine Springs] forces, handcuffed and shackled with holy light runes, tied up like pigs for the Lunar New Year, waiting to be sent in batches onto transport ships and sent to the [Nine Springs Column Special Research Center] which had just been established in the Loach Islands.

After a brief but intense period of deployment, conflict, and resolution, Dongxia completed the first step in establishing itself on Sea Serpent Island.

Next, we will prepare for a deep assault.

Of course, while carrying out military operations, Dongxia also did not neglect its external propaganda, focusing on a well-organized approach.

Several mainstream media outlets began to feature a large number of carefully curated news footage.

Rescuing sea snake survivors; medical teams bandaging the wounded; engineering troops clearing rubble, building temporary housing, and distributing food and water...

It's enough to make people from all over the world drool.

Their thoughts were certainly not about saving lives, but rather about how to get a share of the spoils when a sovereign nation was on the verge of collapse.

For those of pirate origin, this is a genetic memory etched into their very bones.

The leaders of several countries immediately began a flurry of intensive discussions.

"The Dongxia people have already controlled large areas of western and northern Snake Kingdom. They are establishing permanent bases and expanding and repairing ports. What does this mean?"

"They're not planning to leave!"

"Therefore, we must also occupy Snake Island!"

"Those damned zombies don't eat gold or machines. That land is practically a no-man's-land overflowing with wealth!"

"But aren't there still quite a few people on Sea Serpent Island?"

A deep voice rang out: "Don't think too much about it, it won't happen!"

"We can't let the Dongxia people eat all the meat!"

One of the councilors excitedly held up a map: "Look here, gentlemen! The southern port city of 'Deer's Cry'. A deep-water port, well-maintained dock facilities, and even a small oil refinery. Our ships have been hauling oil here several times alongside the White Eagle's ships, for free!"

"There are also fishery processing facilities and factory machinery. As far as I know, if you go a little further in, there is a batch of 'historical assets'."

"Now, esteemed leaders, we only need to send a symbolic force, a battalion, no, a company. Land under the guise of 'humanitarian aid' and 'assistance in maintaining international order'."

"Even if I have to come back in the future, at least I can get something from Dongxia. That's my opinion!"

The group of well-dressed representatives looked at each other and nodded in agreement.

"Okay, you've convinced me. That's a great idea!"

"But we must be careful. We're not going to fight a war, so we absolutely mustn't get into a conflict with Dongxia!"

"Of course, Mr. Prime Minister."

"We are simply there to uphold the common interests of the international community and to help those suffering people!"

"We love peace!"

Half a day later, the various countries reached an agreement: the seven renowned civilizations planned to organize a large army to occupy the Sea Serpent Island.

"We are about to send troops to bring order and hope to this wounded land."

However, after hastily dispatching troops, they encountered a minor but significant problem.

The entire island of Serpent, especially the southern and eastern regions, was shrouded in thick clouds of radioactive dust.

Although this thing doesn't kill people instantly like acute radiation sickness, the Geiger counters worn by the soldiers kept beeping all day long. Who knows how much dose their bodies would accumulate and what irreversible effects would result from staying in this environment for several weeks?

Dongxia had long ago equipped its troops with full sets of heavy protective suits equipped with built-in miniature purification systems, sealing them from helmet to boots completely. Meanwhile, for these "civilized nations" that acted on a whim, the next order would mean waiting up to six months for suppliers.

After a chaotic and frantic effort, they finally managed to cobble together a variety of protective gear from civilian chemical defense equipment companies, fire equipment warehouses, and even movie equipment rental shops.

With the support of equipment, the countries joined forces to send a large army of more than 35 people to Snake Island.

However, on the very first day after landing, before he could even catch his breath, a construct appeared out of nowhere and devoured him completely.

They were met with merciless ridicule from a certain ruthless president.

"When I heard this news, I was simply amazed by their imagination."

"This is basically serving up a buffet for those monsters!"

"They thought a few dozen people could do something, but they couldn't do anything, just like they couldn't stop me from getting the land I wanted!"

"God told me he wouldn't bless those fools!"

(End of this chapter)