Chapter 317: Tides of Chaos

Everyone, evacuate the East Sea Safe Zone immediately! An A-Class Sea Beast is about to break through the defenses! All survivors, evacuate now!

In the chaotic East Sea Safe Zone, warning messages blared over the broadcast, echoing constantly above the city.

The few survivors who had taken refuge in buildings or skyscrapers now poured out like ants leaving a nest, panic-stricken.

Some stubborn ones still cautiously hid behind windows, watching the scene unfolding on the streets.

The entire city was filled with the blaring wail of emergency sirens.

It was like the opening scene of a pre-apocalypse movie.

High above, twelve dark silhouettes raced through the sky, led by Yenir and the others.

“What’s the situation on the frontline now?”

“How much longer can they hold out?”

Multitasking, Yenir shot a rapid question at the Military Awakened behind him while also coordinating with nearby Safe Zones.

Ever since they located the first Air Raid Shelter, subsequent operations had gone much smoother. In just four minutes, they had notified six locations. Unlike Bu Mingfei at the first site, the later-hiding military forces weren’t as stubborn.

After activating their comm system, they quickly realized that what Yenir said might be true.

Hard to believe as it was, when they confirmed contact with the frontline military representative, shock rippled through them as they hurried to organize the survivors’ evacuation.

Viewed from above, the vast East Sea Safe Zone resembled an overfilled ant colony, with clusters of survivors emerging desperately from every corner, racing out of the city.

“The situation isn’t good.”

“General Zhang is currently dispersing the troops, planning to divide the Sea Beast into groups of a hundred, just as you suggested earlier.”

“But… our high-level close-combat team suffered heavy losses in the first assault, leaving us short-handed for drawing the Sea Beast away…”

“Do you have any ideas?”

He wore a bitter smile.

After a brief report from the officer trailing Yenir, the man pulled out an electronic display and nervously showed Yenir the live footage.

For some reason, even though Yenir was much younger and lacked any command experience, the officer looked at him hopefully, as if expecting him to come up with a plan.

In fact, not long ago, the frontline commanders had raised the same issue.

It was bitter to recount.

Although the Military had given Yenir command, everyone treated it as just a title granted by their superiors rather than genuine authority. After all, in a battle of this scale, even a genius like Yenir couldn’t be expected to know everything instinctively.

Only after suffering rapid losses on the frontline did the few intercepting commanders muster the courage to ask if Yenir had any better ideas.

He paused, slightly taken aback.

Yenir’s face darkened as he glared at the Military Awakened, his brows instantly knotted in anger.

“Didn’t I say it? It’s impossible to hold them back! Let the Sea Beast land directly and then lure them away in groups once they’re ashore!”

“Heavy losses for the close-combat team? What do you mean by that?!”

“You set up formations to face them?!”

Faced with Yenir’s sudden cold tone, the Middle-Aged Awakened froze, only able to offer a bitter nod.

If only they had listened to Yenir from the start…

“Yes, those Sea Beasts controlled the waves to charge in. We never knew they could do that!”

“In the first assault, the monsters descended like a sudden rain, crashing right into our formation. The largest, a three-headed Sea Beast, wreaked enormous havoc.”

The moment his words fell, everyone in the squad stared in stunned silence.

They hadn’t even managed to block the attack, yet massive casualties were already piling up! It’s only been minutes!?

At this rate, there won’t be enough time!

Sea Beasts descending from the sky?! How can this be!?

Everyone hurriedly shifted their gaze to the live feed, and soon every face turned grim. The footage showed the formation completely shattered in chaos.

At that moment, the beast tide was wedged between two army groups. A flood of high-level reinforcements arrived, while lower-level units in the rear desperately tried to halt the Sea Beast’s advance.

Meanwhile, the split-off squads charged forward like ants.

But whenever a squad tried to divert a Sea Beast, the responsible Awakened couldn’t withstand its relentless assault. Repeated efforts only separated the horde by a few dozen meters, even as the entire mass relentlessly surged toward the rear.

The only noticeable impact came from a squad led by a Third-Stage Mid-level Awakener.

They managed to pull a few of the Sea Beast on the right side, but in the grand scheme of the battle, it was a mere drop in the bucket.

At this pace, not even an hour would last—two hours were out of the question!

Just as a squad member was about to speak, the live feed suddenly shifted to a dramatic turn.

A Military General, who had been locked in combat with a three-headed high-level Sea Beast, perhaps in a desperate bid for greater damage, kept lowering his altitude.

But as he tried to reach the top of the beast, a tank-sized, blue, crab-like Sea Beast surged from a blind spot, its enormous claw clamping around his waist.

The next moment, a blue beam erupted from the creature’s mouth like a volcanic blast, instantly engulfing him.

This was a premeditated coordinated move!

“!!?”

A jolt of shock ran through him.

The Military Awakened watching the footage shuddered, instinctively stepping back. He recognized the general swallowed by the beam—it was the deputy commander from another Battle Zone! Seeing the figure vanish in an instant, his face turned deathly pale.

If this high-ranking commander is lost, no one will be able to contain the remaining Sea Beast!

It’s over. The situation is deteriorating faster than anyone could have imagined!

Up to now, even though they had been baffled by the Sea Beast’s unpredictable breach, they were slowly beginning to understand the truth.

Among the Sea Beasts, there appears to be a commander!

Instinctively, he looked up as if pleading for help, fixing his gaze on Yenir.

“Yenir!”

“You knew the Sea Beasts would come! Do you also know their habits? Why are they here!?”

In this dire moment, the Military Awakened, casting aside all pride, pleaded urgently. Even though he wasn’t on the frontline, those fighting tooth and nail were his comrades too!

His body tensed and froze.

Yenir’s face darkened as he stared at the screen, overwhelmed by a profound sense of helplessness.

“You knew the Sea Beasts would come?”

“You knew why they were coming?”

Of course he did—but could he really say it aloud?

He only speculated that the infant creature that lured the Sea Beasts might possess some intelligence. How could he ever know if a higher intelligence existed among them?

Yet now it seems something is indeed orchestrating their actions.

No wonder the outbreak escalated so rapidly. In his past life, the East Sea had suffered devastating losses.

What also caught Yenir off guard was that, despite his triple warnings for the Military not to try a head-on block of the Sea Beasts, they stubbornly pressed on.

As for their supposed habits and weaknesses… can anyone identify the Sea Beast’s commander?

He shook his head.

Taking a deep breath, Yenir’s expression grew increasingly grave.

By now, the information he held was nearly identical to what the Military possessed. If the frontline commanders couldn’t pinpoint a problematic beast, what chance did he have?

Each Sea Beast has its own unique weakness! While they’re all labeled Sea Beasts, their abilities vary drastically—far more complex than any land creature!

To be honest, he never expected the Sea Beasts would break through in this manner!

He was merely sounding a warning based on memories from his past life, knowing that the original East Sea had failed to hold them back. Apart from that, he knew nothing else!