Chapter 1171 Casualties
As soon as Jia De'ao finished speaking, the makeshift lifting platform located at the main passage entrance, pulled by thick steel cables, began to slowly rise, accompanied by a screeching sound of iron chains rubbing and motor humming.
The first thing that catches the eye is a few tall, silent figures.
These were "Ghoul" warriors from the Special Operations Brigade who had just returned from a fierce battle deep underground.
Their matte black "Night Hunter" armor was no longer as neat as it had been when they set off.
The armor surface was covered with deep scratches, dents, and large patches of sticky stains of various colors—there was dark red to black blood, yellowish-green corrosive slime that emitted a foul odor, and a lot of unknown tissue debris that adhered like asphalt.
The hydraulic systems at the joints emitted a low, unstable hissing sound, as if these steel behemoths were also exhausted from the intense battle.
The crimson light on the tactical goggles seemed to have dimmed a bit, but it still exuded a chillingly ferocious aura, as if it had emerged from a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood.
They stood silently on the platform, like demons returning from hell, exuding a strong smell of blood and gunpowder, blending into the grim atmosphere at the bottom of the pit.
However, the scene that followed on the platform made everyone's hearts sink.
Wuwuwu——
A low, urgent alarm sounded from inside the elevator platform—a signal to transport a seriously injured person!
As the platform was fully raised, three special operations brigade soldiers could be seen lying in the center of the platform, their injuries shocking!
The soldier on the far left had his chest and abdomen armor, along with his torso below, cleaved open as if by an invisible giant axe, leaving a hideous, massive, penetrating wound with jagged edges. You could even see the slightly pulsating organs and broken bones inside. Dark red blood kept gushing out, staining the platform beneath him red.
The soldier in the middle was in even worse shape. Half of his body—from his shoulder to his waist—appeared to have been splashed with strong acid. His armor and flesh dissolved and rotted in an unnatural way, revealing his stark white bones and charred internal tissue. The yellowish-green corrosive liquid was still bubbling slightly and emitting a pungent odor.
The soldier on the far right had his entire head armor severely deformed, with a large indentation, clearly indicating that he had suffered a horrific blunt force trauma.
His faceplate shattered, revealing a bloody, mangled face that was almost unrecognizable. Only his faint, blood-tinged breaths proved that he was still alive.
"Medical team! Quick! Seriously wounded!"
On the platform, a bloodstained ghoul warrior with the rank of lieutenant on his armored helmet roared hoarsely, his voice coming through his mask with barely suppressed anxiety.
The military medical team, which had been on standby for a long time, responded extremely quickly!
Thirty medical personnel, dressed in white positive-pressure protective suits similar to those worn by researchers but thicker and bearing clear medical markings, rushed forward at a speed of 100 meters per group, carrying specially made, huge stretchers capable of supporting heavy armor!
Their movements were swift and professional, clearly indicating that they had received specialized support brigade training beforehand. With the help of other special operations soldiers on the platform, they carefully but also raced against time to transfer the three dying wounded to stretchers.
"One, two, three, let's go!"
The heavy stretchers were lifted, each weighing over 400 pounds!
However, since each stretcher was equipped with enough manpower, running was not difficult except for the rugged terrain. They quickly ran at an astonishing speed toward the brightly lit field surgical aid center that had been temporarily set up at the edge of the pit!
A series of white figures trailed anxious lines under the searchlight.
A special operations soldier who had just helped carry his comrade off the stretcher instinctively rushed forward a few steps as he watched the stretcher disappear into the distance. Beneath his blood-stained faceplate, his eyes were filled with undisguised worry, concern, and a deep sense of helplessness.
His claws, stained with sticky blood, trembled slightly, as if trying to grasp something.
Just now, on the stretcher was his only brother, the only family he could have left after the apocalypse...
"Ugh——!"
Just then, another ghoul warrior standing on the edge of the elevator platform, also covered in blood and with his armor riddled with wounds, let out a short, low whimper. The sound, coming through his mask, carried an undeniable command.
The charging soldiers suddenly stopped in their tracks.
He glanced longingly at the field medical center's gate, a symbol of hope, then looked back at the bottomless Mother Nest tunnel behind him, reeking of blood and death.
In his eyes, the image of his dying brother clashed fiercely with the unfinished battle on the underground battlefield. In the end, he forcefully suppressed the overwhelming grief and worry with his strong willpower, transforming it into an almost numb kind of perseverance.
He took a deep breath, as if trying to inhale all the relatively "safe" air from the outside world into his lungs, though the action seemed somewhat futile through the mask.
Another ghoul reached out and tugged at his arm guard in a comforting gesture.
He glanced one last time in the direction of the rescue center, then resolutely turned around and, with heavy steps, followed his companions back to the elevator platform that resembled the maw of a giant beast.
ka ka ka-
The platform's chains creaked and groaned as they carried the black-clad figures—who had just witnessed their comrades' near-death experiences but were now forced to plunge back into hell—slowly into the dark, bloody depths of the earth.
Upon witnessing this scene, Jia De'ao, the commander of the Third Construction Division, and Dr. Chen Mingyuan, among others, fell silent...
A somber atmosphere silently spread.
Jia De'ao wanted to advise the experts against going underground, but the words stuck in his throat, and he couldn't bring himself to say them...
"Commander Jia, please send us down now!" Dr. Chen Mingyuan requested firmly.
"So many warriors are still fighting in the abyss underground. As members of the same cause of human revival, there's no reason why we shouldn't even dare to go into the first underground level!"
“Yes, Jia Duizhang, send them to our jurisdiction! They have their mission, and we have our poetic destiny!” Dr. Erich stared intently at the entrance of the passage with slightly reddened light blue eyes, speaking earnestly.
"Alright, since everyone has requested it, I will now escort you down. But before that, I want to emphasize that everyone must ensure their own safety, follow the instructions of the soldiers on duty below, and do not act recklessly!"
"Even though it has been thoroughly cleaned, we still can't guarantee that there's absolutely no danger!"
As soon as he finished speaking, led by Jia De'ao, the group stepped onto the makeshift elevator that was soaked in blood.
Wuwuwu——
After a soft hum of an electric motor, Chen Mingyuan, Dr. Ehrlich, and their group sank into the ground...
