Wang Cheng, after seeing Wang Hao and the others' actual combat strength, finally set aside his worries. Although their physical strength might not have reached high-level apprentice standards, as long as they had the combat ability of an apprentice at level 7, they could still survive an encounter with high-level apprentice monsters, as long as they didn't face them head-on.
Even though the crisis around Wang Hao and the others had been temporarily resolved, Wang Cheng did not stop his own strengthening. With the advantage of being able to observe the battlefield, he naturally would not miss this opportunity.
As mid- and high-level apprentice fighters battled monsters, vast amounts of data continuously flooded into Wang Cheng's mind, gradually perfecting his once-incomplete "Basic Martial Artist 256 Forms."
In particular, many techniques that had previously been improperly practiced or had power exertion errors were being revised one by one by him.
Even though he was simulating the "Basic Martial Artist 256 Forms" in his mind with full concentration, his monster-killing speed was still much faster than Leng Yan's.
However, he no longer targeted the high-level apprentice monsters. From that point onward, unless Wang Hao and the others' lives were directly threatened, Wang Cheng did not plan to kill more high-level apprentice monsters.
The monsters emerging from the cave could not be too large, or they wouldn't fit through the underground passage. Therefore, most of the high-level apprentice monsters coming through were speed-based, making the situation safer for Wang Hao and the others, who had true high-level apprentice combat ability.
As time passed, the beast tide moved closer to the city walls, eventually reaching just five kilometers away. At that range, both sides reached a stalemate.
At this distance, humanity's physical weapons, especially Gauss electromagnetic cannons, could finally unleash their full power. With the shells roaring, the front ranks of the beast tide were turned into piles of bloody monster remains.
Wang Cheng now understood why, even with powerful energy weapons, the tower defenses still employed physical weapons: their primary purpose was to clear away monster corpses and prevent them from forming cover that would allow other monsters to approach the wall.
The thick stench of blood now blanketed the battlefield, making the beasts even more frenzied.
Not only the mid- and low-level apprentice monsters, but even the high-level ones had become bloodthirsty from the scent, recklessly charging forward.
For high-level apprentice monsters, a five-kilometer sprint could be completed in under ten seconds. While they might not be able to destroy the materials in front of the fortress, the city wall itself was another story.
After all, if the entire wall were made of planet-grade materials, the cost would be astronomical—something the planet's ruler would never spend.
As the distance closed, fighting beneath the walls grew even more intense.
Especially once the burrowing monsters dug tunnels close to the wall's foundation—even high-level apprentice warriors started suffering casualties.
For Wang Cheng, this situation was a double-edged sword. On one hand, in such life-and-death combat, no one would hold back their true strength or secret techniques. This allowed him to gather valuable real-combat data that was usually impossible to obtain.
On the downside, he had to divide his attention to constantly monitor Wang Hao and the others' situation.
Wang Cheng now understood the concern Leng Yan had shown before—going outside the city to fight monsters was truly dangerous.
This danger wasn't limited to mid-level apprentices; even high-level apprentices faced it. More than once, Wang Cheng saw distant high-level apprentices get surrounded by several high-level monsters and torn to pieces before help could arrive—proving just how deadly the wall-side battlefield was.
Based on Wang Cheng's estimates, this beast tide contained over a billion monsters above the mid-level apprentice class. High-level apprentice monsters alone numbered over 100,000, with more than a thousand being level-9 apprentices.
Only level-9 apprentice warriors could contend with such creatures. Even if these monsters weren't speed-oriented, it was still difficult for the AI systems to target them effectively.
Fortunately, the monsters feared the human side's group laser weapons, so they didn't dare to get too close.
Generally, high-level apprentice monsters possessed considerable intelligence and wouldn't lose control. But now, within dozens of kilometers of the wall, the battlefield had become a meat-grinder soaked in blood. The overwhelming stench had driven even the intelligent beasts insane.
After twelve hours had passed, even though the monsters still seemed endless, signs of fatigue began to show.
On the human side, while mass casualties hadn't occurred, the intense fighting left their bodies deeply exhausted. Without nutrient injections, they wouldn't have lasted this long.
Wang Cheng, still in a state of epiphany, realized that the worst phase of this beast tide had passed. Barring any surprises, the monsters would likely retreat in a few hours.
Though many had died, and their madness was fading into fear, not a single monster had retreated yet.
At the top of the fortress, in a lavish room, a man in his 30s sat on a massive chair. He looked calm and cold but showed no hint of worry. This was Wei Wuji, the fortress's supreme commander and a planet-level powerhouse.
Beside him was a nearly two-meter-long black blade of unknown material.
Before him floated a virtual screen, displaying scenes of the ongoing battle. Wei Wuji simply watched, coldly, as human warriors fell one by one.
Suddenly, a large red dot appeared on the screen.
As he drank an unknown beverage, Wei Wuji's previously indifferent eyes suddenly gleamed. He stood up, placed the cup down, and rested his hand on the sword hilt.
"So, the mastermind behind this beast tide is finally making a move?"
As his voice fell, a massive figure burst from the crimson earth, roaring as it entered the battlefield about ten kilometers from the wall.
Wang Cheng immediately saw it clearly—an enormous monster with a pointed head and thick armor, its foul-smelling maw filled with dagger-like teeth glinting coldly.
Its sharp claws crushed monster corpses beneath it into pulp.
It was a giant pangolin beast, but unlike ordinary ones, this one's body stretched over a hundred meters long. Even while crouched, it stood over 20 meters tall.
Its appearance struck terror into the hearts of every human on the battlefield—an instinctive fear of a superior life form.
The moment it appeared, the beast leapt from the ground and flew straight toward the top of the fortress.
(End of Chapter)