Dense swarms of mutated rats were attacking residents who were leaving their homes for the shelter. Some residents, upon spotting the mutated rats, frantically turned back to their homes, while others fought the mutated rats while covering their families' escape.
Some were bitten on the neck by mutated rats, and a pack of them swarmed forward, leaving only bare bones behind in no time.
Qián Bīng panted, turned to Sū Zhī, and said, "Little Sū, I’ll go down and help Old Lǐ and the others. You stay home and close the doors and windows." He then turned to Hán Yuè and said, "Protect your mom and sister!"
Hán Yuè saw Qián Bīng looking so serious for the first time and nodded heavily.
"Dad!" Qián Yīn cried out in alarm.
"Little Yīn, bring Dad that precious saber." Qián Yīn hurried to the storage room and found a saber that had been gathering dust for over a decade.
Qián Bīng took the saber, walked to the window, looked back at them, and said, "Don't be afraid!" Then he opened the window and leaped out.
Old Lǐ was fighting mutated rats. Old Lǐ was a High-grade White Rank gold elemental ability user who could control six golden needles. At this moment, the golden needles were precisely piercing the eyes of the mutated rats one by one.
However, there were simply too many mutated rats, and he was struggling to cope. Suddenly, a large saber descended from the sky, cleaving a mutated rat. Qián Bīng was descending with the saber.
"Old Lǐ, it's been so long since we fought side-by-side. I didn't expect to have another chance."
"Yes, it's been thirteen years."
They cooperated like seasoned veterans; one controlled golden needles to kill mutated rats, while the other attacked from above, ready to provide support.
More and more ability users emerged to fight. There were High-grade White Rank fireball users, Yellow Tier Lower Grade sandification users, and White Tier Middle Grade freeze users...
The highest-ranking ability user in town was Director He from Hé Shàng Martial Arts School. Director He was a High-grade Orange Rank strength-type ability user. He was 1.9 meters tall, powerfully built, and wielded a large iron hammer. With one swing, he could smash several mutated rats into a pulp.
Everyone knew that the mutated rats were just the vanguard of the beast tide. Only by killing most of the mutated rats could they have a chance to take their families to the shelter before the second wave of the beast tide arrived, and thus have a hope of survival.
In the face of disaster, humanity has never lacked courage and fortitude. At this moment, Hán Yuè watched the battle outside the window, clenched his fists, and whispered to Sū Zhī, "Mom, I want to go down and help Uncle."
"Little Yuè..."
"Mom, I'm an ability user too. I should go down and fight, I should protect you too, instead of hiding here," Hán Yuè said, his face gradually becoming resolute. The image of cowardice gradually faded from his face, replaced by the radiant glow of a spirited youth.
"Okay," Sū Zhī's eyes welled up with tears. She choked out, "Go. You've grown up. Mom is proud of you."
"Hán Yuè, take this! This is a long saber my mom used. Don't lose it," Qián Yīn said reluctantly.
"Thank you. Protect my mom!"
Hán Yuè took a deep breath, turned, and headed into the night.
Four months ago, after Sū Xià received her July wages, she brought Hán Yuè to the Yi Beast Center, where they successfully replicated the defensive ability of the Southern Stone Turtle.
In the past four months, Hán Yuè had practiced diligently. Coupled with his love for reading and thinking, he could now flexibly use his small defensive shield.
"Bang!" A mutated rat slammed into the defensive shield. Qián Bīng, who had just killed it with a saber, asked, "Little Yuè, why are you out here too?"
"I came to help Uncle."
"Good kid!"
As the battle dragged on, everyone's mental power was almost depleted. Fortunately, the number of mutated rats was decreasing.
The mayor, a Yellow Tier Mid Grade speed-type ability user, returned to the broadcast station to announce, "We have achieved an initial victory against the mutated rats. Residents indoors, please come out quickly and head to the shelter with the ability users! Hurry!"
Qián Bīng, Sū Zhī, Hán Yuè, and Qián Yīn ran towards the underground shelter. The town had two shelter entrances: one next to the Primary School, and the other next to the Town Office Building.
At this moment, Qián Bīng and his group were heading for the shelter entrance at the Primary School. A large group of people surged towards the Primary School, too anxious to speak, carrying their belongings, running close together with their families, for fear of being separated.
Just one more street and a turn, and they would reach the Primary School, but they heard a commotion from behind, along with screams. The four felt a sense of dread.
Qián Bīng and Hán Yuè pulled Sū Zhī along and ran faster, but unfortunately, there were many people ahead of them, obstructing their escape.
The pursuing beasts quickly caught up. Qián Bīng glanced back and saw that the beasts chasing them were now High-grade Yellow Rank Lightning Cats. Qián Bīng's heart pounded, and then he heard screams coming from ahead, filling him with despair.
They slowly stopped. With enemies ahead and pursuers behind, they could only fight to the death.
The Lightning Cats were extremely fast, with sharp claws, and could unleash electric nets. They were not in the same league as the White-tier Mortal Grade mutated rats.
Fortunately, the number of Lightning Cats chasing them was not as large as the mutated rats, only thirty to forty in total. However, for this town, which was mostly populated by ordinary people and had ability users mostly at White Rank, it was still a disaster of apocalyptic proportions.
At this moment, several ability users were in bad shape. The fight with the mutated rats had almost exhausted their mental power, and they were all slightly injured.
Therefore, despite hearing cries of pain everywhere, they could only watch helplessly as they were unable to protect themselves.
A lightning bolt rapidly charged towards them, about to strike Sū Zhī, when a defensive net no larger than a coin blocked it for a moment. Unfortunately, Mid-grade Mortal Grade was too weak compared to High-grade Yellow Rank.
Hán Yuè had anticipated this. The moment he activated the defensive net, he flashed in front of Sū Zhī. The lightning bolt broke through the defensive net and struck Hán Yuè. Hán Yuè let out a muffled groan and fell to the ground, spitting out a mouthful of blood.
"Little Yuè!" Two cries of pain erupted. Without time to examine Hán Yuè's injuries, everyone looked towards the direction of the lightning strike.
The Lightning Cats did not seem in a hurry to kill their prey. They did not press their advantage but toyed with them, circling them with slashes and lightning bolts.
"Brothers and sisters! We'll die either way, let's fight these beasts!" someone shouted.
"That's right! I, an old man, have lived a heroic life and don't want to die disgracefully. Two to one against the Orange Rank, and ten people against one, I refuse to believe we can't break through them!"
Hé Shàng, as the town's only martial arts school director and its highest-ranking ability user, held great prestige. At his call, everyone responded.
Hé Shàng was the first to charge towards a Lightning Cat with his hammer. Although he was of a higher Orange Rank, the Lightning Cats' movements were too agile and fast to hit easily. Their electric net ability was also unpredictable. Hé Shàng's energy had been greatly depleted from fighting the mutated rats earlier, and within moments, he was covered in wounds.
"Grandpa!" Hé Jùn's eyes reddened, regretting his lack of diligent practice. Now, he could only be a burden.
Hé Shàng, however, was not flustered. He actively searched for an opportunity to kill a Lightning Cat. Suddenly, he saw a Lightning Cat seem to falter for a moment. He immediately leaped forward and smashed the Lightning Cat into a pulp. The immense force shook the ground.
Just as he let out a sigh of relief, he felt a huge object directly above him. Thinking it was a flying mutated beast, he was about to raise his hammer to strike it when he heard his grandson shout, "Boss Xia!"