Primarily endowed with remarkable intelligence, the black gorillas retained their cunning even after their corruption. This was unmistakably proven when one of the E-class gorillas hurled a massive boulder at an armed helicopter.
With a thunderous crash, the hundred-kilogram stone struck the helicopter, triggering an explosion that billowed black smoke as it began plummeting toward the earth.
The two pilots aboard screamed in terror, leaping from the doomed craft.
Though the remaining two helicopters unleashed a fierce barrage, their laser cannons suffered from severe energy depletion after only a few shots, forcing them to switch to rockets. Yet, the rockets' lethality paled in comparison, requiring multiple hits to fell a single gorilla—granting the beasts precious moments to regroup.
Roaring in fury, the gorillas thumped their broad, stone-like chests and charged relentlessly at the special guards.
If such a formidable horde of E-class beasts breached the city, the devastation would be unimaginable.
The ground trembled beneath the gorillas' charge, awakening Xiao Feng's senses. He glanced at the rampaging creatures and then at the retreating guards firing sporadically. Suddenly, a flash of inspiration ignited within his mind.
Clenching his hands into the damp earth, Xiao Feng harnessed the lake's naturally high moisture—ideal for conducting electricity.
A guttural roar escaped him as a powerful surge of electric current coursed through his body, the earth itself serving as a conductor spreading the charge outward.
Instantly, bolts of electricity leapt across the bodies of all gorillas in contact with the ground. Even those midair were doomed, helpless against gravity's pull as they crashed down.
The retreating guards stared in astonishment as one by one the E-class gorillas convulsed with electric shocks before collapsing onto the grass.
For nearly a minute, the electric storm crackled within a radius of tens of meters around Xiao Feng, until every last gorilla lay incapacitated.
Yet such a monumental discharge of psychic power exacted a terrible toll—one that no ordinary user could endure. Only legendary level-8 or 9 psychics might wield such an ability. Against all odds, Xiao Feng, a mere level-4 psychic, had unleashed this devastating current, and the cost was catastrophic: he succumbed to unconsciousness once more.
The special guard commander was left stunned, unable to fathom that so slight a figure had single-handedly overcome such an immense E-class beast horde.
Recovering from his daze, the commander barked orders: "Quick! Rescue Xiao Feng!"
Two squads braved the fallen beasts' midst and carried the unconscious Xiao Feng back to safety.
The two remaining helicopters hovered warily, while the guards reloaded and crouched with weapons ready, alert to any lurking threats. Another beast assault would spell disaster.
The commander checked Xiao Feng's pulse, relief flooding him as blood still surged through the young man's veins. A heavy sigh escaped his lips.
"Damn kid, lucky you're alive. We owe you everything. Without you, we'd all be dead out there," he murmured, eyes glistening with unshed tears.
Minutes passed without any sign of further beasts or cultists, yet the paralyzed black gorillas nearby slowly began to stir.
The commander's voice cracked nervously over the comms: "Where's the reinforcements?"
"T2 bombers arriving in fifteen seconds. Stay concealed!" came the reply.
"Everyone, hit the deck! Bombers inbound!" he shouted.
Two bombers withdrew, while the guards flattened against the earth. Suddenly, three fighters tore through the dusk sky, their bays releasing a salvo of bombs.
Exploding just tens of meters from the beast horde, the bombs' shells fractured, dispersing countless submunitions in a cascading pattern. One strike blanketed the entire E-class horde; multiple bombs meant repeated devastation.
Mud and gore rained on the prone guards as the bombing lasted mere seconds before silence reclaimed the lakeside.
The commander lifted his head from the dirt, shook it forcefully, ears ringing from the blast.
"Everyone alright?" he called.
One by one, the guards rose from the rubble, stunned by the carnage before them—no intact E-class gorilla remained, only shattered bones and mangled flesh.
Only then did relief wash over them; exhausted, they sank down, the harrowing ordeal forever etched into their memories. Had it not been for Xiao Feng's two acts of self-sacrifice, none might have survived.
Yet their hero lay unconscious, drained by the colossal energy expenditure—this was his second collapse.
As concern mounted, a sudden splash erupted across the lake's surface.
Tension snapped tight once more. Guns raised, all eyes fixed on the water, where a lone figure appeared—standing atop the submerged head of a beast, shrouded in shadow.
The mysterious man chuckled darkly at the special guards: "Impressive luck—your E-class horde couldn't even faze you. Next time, I'll unleash a D-class swarm to teach you a lesson. Tell that brat Xiao Feng—next time, I'm coming for his life."
Without hesitation, the commander squeezed his rifle's trigger, unleashing a hail of bullets. The other warriors joined, their rifles blazing streaks of light under the dim sky, relentlessly firing at the enigmatic silhouette.