I chose the safe house, and the Human Alliance regretted it.

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking.

The camp of the SUPP army was still filled with the colorful ribbons and flags left over from last night's celebrations.

The Covenant members have returned overnight to begin their migration.

Inside the capital, most of the allied forces were still resting; the intense battle of yesterday could not be recovered overnight.

But a summons alarmed everyone.

"Everyone assemble!"

The sound from the loudspeaker boomed through the camp, carrying an undeniable authority.

Five minutes later, the square was filled with people.

On the high platform stood a middle-aged man in a black uniform with a stern face.

He wore a badge on his chest that no one recognized.

Behind him stood twenty people dressed the same, expressionless, like twenty statues.

Whispers spread like a tide across the square.

"Who is that?"

"Someone from the Alliance? Never seen them before..."

"What happened?"

The middle-aged man raised his right hand, and the square fell silent instantly.

His gaze swept across the entire room, like a knife scraping across everyone's face.

"My name is Fang Yuanshan," he said, his voice not loud, but every word clearly reached the ears of everyone present.

"From the Alliance's Special Operations Division. We're here today on a mission."

The square was silent.

"This mission," Fang Yuanshan paused, his tone turning serious, "is extremely dangerous. A near-certain death."

His gaze swept across the entire room once more.

"I won't waste your breath. I can't tell you the details of this mission. You don't need to know where you're going, you don't need to know what you're doing. You only need to know one thing—"

His voice suddenly rose, exploding in the morning breeze:

"This mission concerns the future of humanity. It concerns the elderly, women, and children still sleeping in every base. Whether they can live to see tomorrow's sun depends on whether we can complete this mission."

Some people in the square swallowed hard.

"I know you have just come through a great battle and are still wounded. You should rest, recuperate, and enjoy the glory of heroes."

Fang Yuanshan's voice lowered, but every word struck like a hammer blow to the heart.

"But war waits for no one. The beasts wait for no one. If we don't stand up today, no one will stand up tomorrow."

He paused for a moment. "What I need is not soldiers, not heroes. What I need are people willing to die."

"I chose you," Fang Yuanshan's gaze swept over the faces, "not because your lives are worthless. It's because you are the most suitable people."

"Behind us are the millions of people in the base, our families, brothers, and compatriots."

"If we don't go, the people will have to face the monsters head-on; if we don't go, our comrades behind us will have to pay many times the price."

The audience was silent.

"Now, I need 500 men to go with me on this death mission. Those willing to charge for the Alliance—take a step forward!"

No one in the People's Liberation Army moved.

It wasn't hesitation; everyone made the most important decision of their lives in those few seconds.

Then, a voice rang out from the crowd.

"I'll go."

Gangzi flew out of the crowd and stood up.

Fang Yuanshan glanced at him, said nothing, and simply nodded slightly.

Immediately afterwards, a second person stepped forward.

a woman.

She stood next to Gangzi and said calmly, "Count me in."

The third one is Shi Lei.

He stepped out of the crowd, expressionless, moving slowly but surely, and flew to Gangzi's side, where he stood still.

The woman glanced at him with some surprise.

Both of them came from the Southwest Base and had a brief chat.

The woman knew about Shi Lei's situation, and she clearly didn't expect him to come out.

Among the People's Alliance army, the middle-aged man showed a fleeting struggle.

In the Kashgar Mountains, he was the first to respond to Gangzi's call to turn back.

But now, reason has finally prevailed.

He turned his head away, not daring to look at the boy's back.

More people started moving in the square.

There was no grand gesture, no passionate outpouring.

Someone stepped out of the line, their movements swift and decisive;

Some people hesitated for a few seconds, then gritted their teeth and took a step forward;

Someone glanced back, smiled, and then walked forward without looking back.

Count me in.

"I'll go too."

"I was given a second chance at life, so I wouldn't mind being given another chance."

"..."

Five, ten, twenty...

Fang Yuanshan squinted as he counted.

One hundred people, two hundred people, three hundred people, four hundred people...

He did not call a halt.

As the movement of the crowd gradually slowed down, he glanced at the total number—five hundred people.

"We'll discuss the mission details on the way," Fang Yuanshan said as he approached the five hundred men.

He paused, then his voice suddenly rose, exploding in the morning breeze:

"Those who return alive will receive the highest level of league honors and benefits!"

"If you don't come back, your families will be supported by the alliance for life, receiving pensions and preferential treatment all the way."

"Humanity will remember your names forever!"

After Fang Yuanshan finished speaking, he turned around and faced away from them.

"Everyone, say one sentence. If you have anything to say, say it now."

Everyone looked at Gangzi, the boy.

He was the first to stand up.

Gangzi opened his mouth,

"Tell my grandfather that I'll fill in the family genealogy myself when I get back."

Someone nearby laughed.

"There's nothing to say, I have no family left."

"What a coincidence, we're in the same situation."

"Count me in, we'll be in the same boat."

"..."

Finally, it was Shi Lei's turn; he didn't know why he stepped forward.

His wife and son are still waiting for him to return to the base.

He opened his mouth, his voice hoarse: "My wife and children..."

He paused, as if something was stuck in his throat.

Then he took a deep breath, raised his head, and his voice suddenly became steady: "Let's go. We've lived an ordinary life for half our lives; let's set a good example for our son."

This group of people spoke the most weighty words in the most relaxed tone.

Fang Yuanshan remained silent for a long time after listening.

Then he turned around and waved.

"Set off."

Fang Yuanshan flew directly out of the city.

The crowd remained silent and followed.

The People's Union army watched them silently.

That direction is the Kashgar Mountains.

Dusk falls on the outskirts of the Kashgar Mountains.

When the five hundred people arrived, only a last wisp of dark red remained on the horizon.

Now that we've arrived here, everyone has already guessed what was going on.

They received some high-end equipment they had never seen before on their journey, and now that they have come here, it must be related to the strange beasts.

"We'll go in under the cover of darkness after dark," Fang Yuanshan said, his first words. "We'll collect as many alien beast samples as possible and bring them back to the Alliance."

No one spoke.

The crimson fog surged and swallowed the last ray of sunlight.

Fang Yuanshan turned around and looked at the five hundred pairs of eyes.

"I'll ask one last time," he said, "Does anyone want to quit?"

No one moved.

Fang Yuanshan nodded.

"Let's go then."

He was the first to step into the crimson fog.

The core area of ​​the mountain range is now teeming with strange beasts, seemingly endless.

Wang Wei slowly turned around on the back of a thunder beast and looked towards the outer edge of the mountain range.