Volume One Mutation Chapter Eleven G15 Please vote for recommendations!

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Li Jing quickly finished treating and bandaging the wound. Liu Cong suggested accompanying Chang Jian to the front lines and insisted that the three of them take the helicopter to the safe zone. Though reluctant, they all understood that the time for parting had come.

With a complex expression, Zhang Han said to Liu Cong, “Brother Liu, you must come back safely. I’ll be waiting for you.”

By now, everyone could see what Zhang Han meant. Liu Cong couldn’t bear to refuse and simply replied, “Don’t worry, I’ll take care of myself. You all should too.”

At the moment of separation, the three couldn’t help but give Liu Cong a hug before boarding the helicopter, already laden with supplies they’d gathered earlier.

Watching the helicopter gradually disappear into the distance, Chang Jian consoled him, “Brother, let’s get going. We’ll have a chance to meet again.”

Liu Cong smiled. “Brother Chang, I know. Let’s set off.”

This time, Liu Cong didn’t choose to fly himself but boarded the helicopter with the missing windshield. The novelty of the first helicopter ride struck him, but it was nowhere near as comfortable as flying on his own, and his interest soon waned.

“Brother, how does it feel, your first time on a helicopter?” Chang Jian shouted over the roar, for with no windshield, the wind howled through the cabin, and Liu Cong lacked a headset, so they had to yell to communicate.

Liu Cong heard him but didn’t wish to shout. Instead, he used his mental power to manipulate the air, forming a barrier around the cockpit. The wind died away, and peace returned.

“It’s fine, but not as comfortable as flying a plane,” Liu Cong answered with a smile.

Chang Jian was momentarily puzzled by the sudden calm, but quickly realized it must be Liu Cong’s doing. He gave him a thumbs-up and praised, “You really are something! Still, this is good by our standards. As soldiers, there’s no hardship we haven’t faced.”

“You’re right,” Liu Cong replied with a smile, then asked with curiosity, “Brother, earlier you mentioned some kind of Glory Tactic. What is that? Is it powerful?” He had heard Chang Jian mention it twice before, but the timing wasn’t right to ask. Now, with a chance to talk, Liu Cong brought up the question.

Unexpectedly, at the mention of this, Chang Jian’s cheerful expression faded into one of sorrow. He sighed, “Brother, those giant sparrows may not be much to you, but for us ordinary people, they’re truly hard to handle. On land, we can use cover and guard a single direction, but in the air, if we encounter them, all we can do is take the hits—it’s almost impossible to fight back.”

He paused, lighting a cigarette from somewhere, took a drag, and continued, “These giant sparrows have sharp beaks and claws. Unless you hit a vital spot, they won’t die. If you open the cabin doors to fight back, people inside just end up dying faster. The only thing to do is to land quickly and find cover. But most of the time, there’s no chance to reach the ground before losing control and crashing. I don’t know how many brothers have fallen to them. Our team was lucky this time—only twenty or thirty birds. Other teams have faced flocks of dozens or even hundreds. When that happens, it’s a death sentence. Death isn’t frightening; what’s frightening is failing the mission when so many brothers are relying on those supplies to survive.”

Liu Cong listened in silence, not interrupting. Even though Chang Jian hadn’t answered his question directly, he couldn’t imagine how challenging it was to face just a flock of giant sparrows. Clearly, the situation was far more dire than he had thought. These soldiers, though merely ordinary men, possessed extraordinary spirits—in other words, they were heroes.

“Sorry, brother, I got carried away,” Chang Jian said after staring off into space for a while, then stubbed out his cigarette and continued, “Actually, it’s not really a Glory Tactic—more accurately, it’s a suicide tactic. After the birds mutated, they became bloodthirsty, craving meat. When attacked by a flock, the only way to complete the mission and save more lives is for some volunteers to jump out and act as decoys while the rest escape or counterattack. These brave young men are all heroes. We honor every one of them willing to make that sacrifice, so we call this tactic ‘Glory’—it’s only used as a last resort.”

Liu Cong was truly shocked.

In the face of disaster, whatever others might do, the humanity of Chinese soldiers had withstood the test. This willingness to sacrifice oneself for others filled Liu Cong with deep respect and a sudden ache for these courageous soldiers.

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In times of peril, it is they who save others, they who fight the enemy, and they who sacrifice themselves. These deeds may not bring them wealth or love, but again and again, they trade their lives for the safety of their homeland and their people.

To challenge the impossible without knowing, to fulfill the soldier’s mission—such is the courage of heroes.

Liu Cong said nothing more; the atmosphere was no longer suited to laughter. The cabin quieted, with only the sound of the rotor blades slicing the air.

After a while, Chang Jian’s communicator crackled.

“Captain! Radar shows a large bird circling high above the squadron. It seems to have spotted us. We intend to halt and land immediately for safety. Requesting permission to act!”

Chang Jian’s heart lurched. He immediately ordered, “Land where you are and prepare to fight back!”

With his acute hearing, Liu Cong had caught some of the conversation. He asked, “What kind of bird is it this time? Do you need me to go?”

Chang Jian looked troubled. “Brother, I have to trouble you again. In our army, anything called a ‘big bird’ usually means a raptor—fast, high-flying, and deadly. They’re hard to hit. If we manage to land, fine, but if we’re attacked before then, we may suffer heavy casualties.”

“Brother Chang, just tell me the direction. I’ll go ahead,” Liu Cong said without hesitation.

After Chang Jian pointed him the way, Liu Cong opened the cabin door and sped off. In moments, he was just a black dot, vanishing from Chang Jian’s sight. As soon as Liu Cong left, the wind howled through the cabin once more, rattling loose items and stirring Chang Jian’s heart.

After ten minutes of flying at top speed, Liu Cong arrived at the scene.

All five helicopters had already landed, which relieved him. He descended and asked about the situation.

A soldier named Zhang Miao told him that up above in the clouds, a huge eagle was circling. It had been overhead for some time but, strangely, had not attacked.

Focusing his gaze, Liu Cong could make out the vague outline of a massive eagle in the mist—so large even at this distance, its wingspan must have exceeded twenty meters.

Such a creature could rival the giant beasts of the movies.

The giant eagle seemed eager to swoop. Liu Cong rose into the sky, black fire igniting in his palm, his expression grim.

Strangely, as soon as the black fire flared, the great eagle seemed to sense something and beat its wings, flying away.

The soldiers below cheered as they saw the eagle retreat.

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After waiting in the sky a while to make sure the giant eagle would not return, Liu Cong descended.

On the ground, the soldiers greeted him with excitement. Once again, Liu Cong had protected them—just his presence had driven the monster away, filling everyone with hope.

“Captain Chang will be here soon. Once they arrive, we’ll continue on our way,” Liu Cong said with a smile, meeting their gazes.

He had no idea just how deep an impression his gentle, striking smile left on all present. Years later, whenever anyone recalled that smile, they would feel reassured.

Half an hour later, the battered helicopter with its missing windshield arrived at full speed. Chang Jian, having already heard that the crisis was resolved, leaped from the helicopter and gave Liu Cong a fierce hug.

“Brother Chang, let’s get moving,” Liu Cong said quickly, unable to sit still amid everyone’s praise.

Chang Jian laughed heartily and ordered the team to set out again. On the road, he asked curiously, “Brother, that black fire of yours is so powerful—just how strong is it?”

Liu Cong smiled, “Once we reach the front lines, if there’s a chance, I’ll show you.”

Seeing him so mysterious, Chang Jian shook his head with a smile. He wasn’t sure what awaited at the front—he had only been there once, during the early days of the defensive line’s construction. But G15 was a special position, and he imagined the fighting would be fierce. He could wait to find out.

As Chang Jian fell silent, Liu Cong closed his eyes to cultivate. He could feel himself growing stronger, but his current strength was still far from enough. He was relieved that the giant eagle had retreated, for he didn’t know if his black fire could really harm such a massive creature, or even hit it.

If he wanted to protect more people, he had to grow stronger—he had to seize every moment to train.

He didn’t know how much time passed before Chang Jian woke him and signaled for him to look down. Liu Cong did so—and was stunned.

From high above, he could see a seemingly endless stretch of buildings snaking along the coastline, vanishing beyond the horizon—like a mighty dragon lying across the land, breathtaking in its grandeur.

“This—is this the new Great Wall?” Liu Cong was speechless with awe. Even from afar, the scale of the project was staggering. As they drew nearer, the sight was even more magnificent: a colossal dam, wide at the base and narrow at the top, towered before them. On its heights, people swarmed like ants, working busily. The grand structure stretched along the shore, rolling on and on, vast and unbroken.

Not just Liu Cong—all the soldiers seeing it for the first time were wide-eyed with amazement, their admiration unrestrained. There could be no doubt about the wall’s defensive power.

As the helicopter neared the dragon-like structure, they could see many heavy weapons stationed along the dam—machine guns at regular intervals, as well as the kind of cannons and missile launchers one usually only saw in movies.

Astonishingly, the entire structure was capped with smooth, layered roofs—clearly designed to resist the corrosive black rain.