Chapter 49
Retreat!
Chu Shen and the abnormal scout kept destroying tanker bugs as they went. He used various methods, besides the hammer. Using one of the grenades he picked up from a fallen scout, he copied the abnormal scouts method of destruction.
Then he used the vibro-sword for a while. It cut through the bugs exoskeleton swiftly but unfortunately it broke from Chu Shen’s ma.s.sive strength. As Chu Shen fought he realized that this was not where most of the action was.
He was on the small fortress they had built around the ship, that was true. However, most of the killing was taking place before the bugs even reached the fortification.
It was honestly an interesting strategy. A single soldier could kill a hundred bugs with their guns. A single blast from a tank could kill fifty bugs. So it was set up to in a three layered formation.
First there was the fortress with the soldiers on it. Then there was the ship. After that was the various types of machinery like the tanks. The flying vehicles like the hovercraft and scooters were scattered everywhere.
Because the bugs went by instinct, they only attacked what was in front of them. This way while the bugs attacked the fortress the heavy machines at the back would thin their numbers before they even reached the fortress. Then until they could break through the ship, the machines could again pound the enemy lines.
Once the ship took off or the bugs started looking for other prey though, the vehicles would take off, outrunning the bugs to reach another ship farther down the line and reinforce them.
This way there was a minimum amount of firepower lost and instead as the bugs came closer and closer to the city they would face more and more resistance. Truly it was an ingenious way of conserving firepower but it was also clearly ruthless. The ground soldiers were being used as a distraction.
Chu Shen and the abnormal scout continued fighting for another hour. A total of three hours had pa.s.sed since Chu Shen had started fighting with them.
Soon however there was very few troops left. At most there was a handful or two. Suddenly the ship opened the hovercrafts launch platform along with some hatches on the top of the ship opened.
Radios belched out a command. “Retreat. We won’t do any more good here. Command has ordered a general retreat for the front lines. We are to fall back to the rear for resupplies before being redeployed. All hovercraft are to do a bombing run close to the ship in order to cover our retreat. All mechanized units are to cover our retreat before going at top speed to the closest fortified spot. There you will be sent to the rear to rest while someone else will take over your vehicle.”
There was a general cheer from the troops at that order. Explosions which had so far only been seen faintly in the distance suddenly came a whole lot closer.
Chu Shen had heard the command because of his precise hearing however he suddenly became deafened. This was an unfortunate price to pay for his ability to absorb Qi again. The helmet no longer blocked sound, leaving him vulnerable to the explosions sound.
The abnormal scout saw Chu Shen stumble and became dazed. He was puzzled at first before quickly realizing the reason. Shaking his head he flew down on his gravity boots and grabbed him, hauling him to the ship.
Five minutes after going to the hanger bay through the airlock, the ship started rumbling. They were taking off.
After a couple seconds the ship took off. The fortress they had built around them was made of self-replicating nanites. Unfortunately after they took a shape, they couldn’t be disa.s.sembled making them a one use item.
It shattered to pieces from the ship’s take off. Various bugs were blown back by the force of the take off. The heavy machinery fled backwards towards another position.
The ship flew as swiftly as possible but was. .h.i.t by three small plasma b.a.l.l.s anyway. A blue energy shield flared to life as the plasma hit. It’s bright glare dimmed noticeably after blocking the plasma b.a.l.l.s but the ship was undamaged.
The ship got out of range of the tanker bugs. It flew for about half an hour before landing at a large city. They flew over various smaller cities and other areas but they were all evacuated. This large city was where all the citizens of the planet.
If the line broke then all these people would die.
Back on the ship.
The abnormal scout helped Chu Shen to the medical bay. As they walked down the hallways many of the soldiers who saw both of them started clapping.
Chu Shen’s face glowed red with pride and embarra.s.sment. He had never been admired like this before. Of course at the academy most of the students acted like this but Chu Shen didn’t feel like he had earned praise. Now however he took pride in his accomplishments.
When they got to the medical bay there was no one else. If their suit had been punctured they were killed by the radiation. The suits protected them from everything else though.
Officer Hugh was waiting for them. He had of course heard reports on this miracle dwarf that was able to kill over a thousand bugs in hand to hand combat.
Upon seeing each other they both exclaimed out loud. “You!”
The abnormal scout set down Chu Shen on a bed, ignoring them. Then he took off his helmet, revealing a handsome young man with blonde hair.
The scout looked at the doctor. “Okay doc. Let’s hear this guy’s story. He seems kind of young to be on a military ship.”
Hugh sighed. “You know that heavy worlder kid we picked up some time ago.”
“Yeah. What does that have to do with anything?”
“That’s him.”
“What!?”