Chapter 427: All according to plan

A relentless tide of demon beasts surged towards the human base, their roars echoing across the desolate landscape.

But before they could breach the defenses, a symphony of destruction erupted from the human lines.

Heavy artillery, primed and ready, unleashed its fury.

Dozens of fiery projectiles rained down upon the horde, detonating with earth-shattering force. Shockwaves ripped through the ranks, sending countless demon creatures flying.

Severed limbs and mangled bodies littered the battlefield, their cries of agony drowned out by the deafening roar of the cannons.

The first wave of retaliation had crippled the vanguard of the demon army.

With such density, aiming was unnecessary. They could have fired blindfolded and still inflicted thousands of casualties. ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom

The demon army’s advance faltered, but only momentarily.

As long as the Abyssal Core remained unpurified, their losses were inconsequential.

After several volleys, the heavy artillery fell silent, spewing plumes of white smoke as they cooled down. The demon army also paused, regrouping and preparing for the next assault.

Meanwhile, within the base, every individual, including the summer camp students, received new assignments.

Ethan and his team, barely recovered from their harrowing rescue, were briefed by an instructor.

“Five minutes ago, the demon army went berserk. Our sensors estimate their numbers to be in the millions.”

“Four minutes and twenty seconds ago, the passage between the Ninth Abyss and Earth was severed.”

“Returning to Earth is no longer possible. All students are to assist the corps in defending the base.”

“Yes, sir!”

Following the instructor’s guidance, Ethan and his companions surrendered their personal strategic resources.

During a level one alert, all resources were pooled and managed centrally to maximize efficiency.

Of course, they weren’t simply handing over their valuable supplies for free.

Any unused resources would be returned after the crisis. Consumed items would be

reimbursed at 1.5 times the average market price on the Mystic Market.

“Ethan,” the quartermaster called out, meticulously recording each item. “Thirty pounds of S-grade ore, 150 pounds of A-grade ore, twelve Chief tier scrolls…”

“Total value: 8.6 million gold coins. Here’s your receipt. Keep it safe.”

With his strategic resources accounted for, Ethan received his assignment.

“Deliver 3,000 pounds of B-grade ore to the first line of defense, coordinates (62.45), within thirty minutes.”

“Move it!”

Grabbing a storage ring, Ethan sprinted towards his destination.

He reached the designated coordinates in less than fifteen minutes.

These initial tasks, simple errands, were designed to acclimate newcomers to the battlefield, easing their anxieties.

To his surprise, Ethan encountered a familiar face: Elena.

Elena had just finished repairing a high-powered mechanical cannon, a weapon capable of decimating even Chiefs with a single blast.

Its only drawback was its insatiable appetite for ore.

Elena hopped down from the platform, inspecting the supplies Ethan had delivered.

A shadow of worry crossed her face.

“This isn’t enough…”

The ore wouldn’t even last three volleys.

Based on her knowledge of their current stockpile, they had enough to handle a million- strong demon army.

Ten million, however, was pushing their limits.

If the demon army continued to grow, their reserves would be depleted in no time.

Three hundred years of war against the Abyss had taught humanity countless lessons. One of the most crucial:

Maintaining overwhelming firepower was the key to minimizing casualties when facing large-scale demon armies.

Firepower could come from Chiefs, Lords, powerful scrolls, or even machinery.

But the most effective, the most efficient, were the heavy artillery contraptions crafted by Mechanics.

With enough ore, even a Soldier could wipe out hundreds of Chiefs.

“At this rate,” Elena thought grimly, “we’ll run out of ore in less than two days. If we can’t replenish our supplies…”

It would be game over.

“Senior Gearforge,” Ethan said, preparing to leave. “If there’s nothing else, I’ll head back now.”

“Wait!”

“Where are Jessica and Mike? Are they with you?” Elena asked, her voice laced with concern. She had been trying to contact Jessica ever since the level one alert was issued, but her calls went unanswered.

Ethan shook his head, his gaze drawn to the endless sea of demon creatures stretching for

hundreds of miles beyond the defenses.

Could Mike and Jessica still be out there?

…

Meanwhile, the demon army pursuing Mike and Ace seemed to have slowed their pace.

Ace’s communicator buzzed. His expression turned grim.

“Thor, the demon army is heading towards the base!”

“It was only a matter of time,” Mike replied calmly. “All according to plan.”

He wasn’t surprised.

They were too elusive. The size of the demon army didn’t matter. They couldn’t catch them.

Even if surrounded, they had the means to escape.

As long as the Ninth Demon God and the other heavy hitters stayed out of the fight, the

current horde posed no real threat.

The commanders behind the demon army weren’t idiots.

They were stalling Thor and Ace while simultaneously launching a full-scale assault on the

human defenses.

Victory on either front would be a win for the demon race.

The only difference was the scale of the victory.

Ace, too preoccupied to argue, spoke again. “The front lines are stretched thin. How much ore

are you carrying? I’ll buy it at triple the Mystic Market price!”

“Deal!”

Mike nodded, handing Ace a hundred-pound chunk of A-grade ore.

After selling the ore at a hefty profit, Mike began hauling out crates of ore from his private

space.

The lowest quality among them was A-grade.

The heaviest crate, filled with SS-grade ore, weighed over a thousand tons!

“Hold on…” Ace stared, dumbfounded. “Where did all this come from?”

“My private space. Why?” Mike was genuinely confused. Was Ace having a brain fart?

Ace’s jaw dropped. “Your private space… can be accessed in the Abyssal Plane?” He managed

to swallow the words before they escaped his lips.

Generally, private spaces were inaccessible within the Abyssal Plane.

But if that person was inside Thor’s private space, it would explain everything.

To Mike, it was just another ordinary day.

“There’s about 32,000 tons of ore here. I was saving it for my armor, but desperate times call

for desperate measures.”

Thirty-two thousand tons of high-quality ore was enough to sustain a non-stop barrage for

over two weeks!

Mike tossed the storage ring containing the ore to Ace.

“Take this back to the base.”

Initially, he had considered sending Shadow Three, but the thought of being even

momentarily without his bodyguard made him uneasy.

Ace would have to do.

Besides, free labor was free labor.

Ace accepted the ring without a word, turning back towards the base. He paused, glancing at

Mike, and offered a cryptic piece of advice.

“If you’re about to die, hide in your private space. It might just save your life.”

Mike: ???

Before he could respond, Ace was gone.