paranoianovel Chapter 3 The Tide of Ghosts Arrives
Chapter 3 The Tide of Ghosts Arrives
"They're here." Lu Heng turned to look outside and said calmly.
His family was completely bewildered, not understanding the meaning of his words, until a chilling aura and a cacophony of roars swept in from outside, and then they realized what was happening.
"The eerie tide is coming!"
The deathly silent sky was suddenly shrouded in an intense, impenetrable darkness. The once brightly lit sky darkened at a visible speed, like a huge black cloth sweeping wildly from the horizon, instantly obscuring the entire sky.
It was not ordinary darkness, but a terrifying torrent formed by countless densely packed ghosts.
The low-level ghostly figures, their bodies twisted and blurry, floated in mid-air, emitting sharp and piercing screech. Even more ferocious creatures, exuding a putrid stench and with mutilated limbs, surged wildly across the ground, a dark, overwhelming mass that stretched as far as the eye could see.
The sheer number of ghosts was suffocating, layer upon layer, densely packed, like a surging black tide, carrying a world-destroying momentum, frantically attacking humanity's last line of defense—the border wall.
The piercing alarm instantly tore through the sky, its sharp whistle penetrating the clouds and echoing over the entire restricted area, carrying an unprecedented signal of crisis that reached every corner inside and outside the high walls.
This is the highest level of the eerie tide alert, meaning that the strangeness of this attack has long exceeded the scope of ordinary crises.
Within the high walls, the hundreds of thousands of troops stationed there instantly entered a state of highest combat readiness. Everyone was on high alert, and their usual composure was gone, replaced by solemnity and grimness.
The soldiers moved with lightning speed, rushing to their respective battle positions at top speed. All kinds of heavy weapons were mounted on the high walls, and the cold muzzles of cannons and guns were all aimed at the surging tide of monsters outside the city.
Fully automatic rifles and heavy machine guns were lined up in a row, rocket launchers were steadily set up, and ammunition boxes were neatly arranged beside them.
Several armed helicopters took off, their rotors spinning rapidly, creating violent air currents, and the missile launch tubes beneath their fuselages gleamed coldly.
The long-range missile base had already been prepared, with giant missiles pointing straight into the sky, ready to launch a devastating attack at any moment.
The military quickly deployed its elite forces to build three lines of steel defense. Heavy tanks and armored vehicles drove out of the city gates in unison, their engines roaring deafeningly. They were neatly lined up on the open fields outside the city, their tracks crushing the ground and forming an impenetrable defensive barrier.
The sounds of various weapons and equipment being tested mingled together, creating a deafening roar that shook the earth slightly.
Everyone understood that this was a battle for the life and death of humanity. Once the high wall was breached, hundreds of millions of people behind it would be completely exposed to the slaughter of the monstrous tide.
The battle erupted in an instant.
A barrage of bullets rained down on the horde of monsters, while rockets, trailing long plumes of flame, flew into the monster horde and exploded with deafening roars, sending flames soaring into the sky and creating gusts of air.
The missile roared out and accurately struck the core area of the ghost tide, the enormous explosive force instantly engulfing a large number of ghosts.
But the horde of ghosts before them was too terrifying. The number of low-level ghosts was endless. Even if they were hit and dispersed by the firepower, the ghosts continued to charge forward one after another, fearless of death.
The strange power transcends the laws of physics, and ordinary weapons are of little effect on high-level strange creatures, only barely able to stop the advance of low-level strange creatures.
The first line of defense collapsed completely after holding out for only a few tens of minutes under the frenzied onslaught of the monstrous tide.
Tanks were entangled and torn apart by hideous monsters, armored vehicles were overturned by strange forces, and the stationed soldiers fought desperately, but still could not withstand the tidal wave of monsters, suffering heavy casualties.
The first line of defense has fallen, and the second and third lines of defense are in dire need of attention!
The once-solid defensive system proved incredibly fragile in the face of the boundless horde of monsters. The soldiers on the high walls watched the retreating defenses outside the city and the ever-approaching monster horde; fear grew wildly in their hearts like weeds.
Cold sweat beaded on everyone's palms, their hands gripping their weapons trembled slightly, and their faces were filled with despair and unease. If this continued, it wouldn't be long before the high walls were breached by the monstrous tide, and everyone would perish in its jaws.
Just as everyone was sinking into deep despair, an even more chilling scene unfolded.
Behind the frantically surging horde of ghosts, a gigantic figure suddenly rose slowly. The originally crowded ghosts seemed to be driven by an invisible force, and they all retreated to the sides, making way for a passage.
The figure slowly took a step, and with each step, the earth trembled slightly. A terrifying aura, far surpassing that of any ghost, instantly filled the entire world, making it almost impossible for people to breathe.
That was a high-level, eerie creature.
It stood a full ten zhang tall, like a majestic mountain amidst the eerie tides, its entire body covered in strange, blood-red scales that gleamed eerily in the dim light.
It has a pair of long, curved, sharp black horns on its head, pointing straight up to the sky, exuding a chilling and malevolent aura.
What's most chilling is its hideous face, with its mouth twisted up in a wicked, bloodthirsty grin. Two rows of large, sharp teeth are covered in dripping blood, and with each opening and closing of its mouth, foul-smelling blood droplets fall. Just one look at it sends chills down your spine and makes your soul fly away.
The appearance of this highly advanced and eerie creature completely shattered the last psychological defenses of the defenders. A deathly silence fell over the high walls; everyone's faces were ashen, their eyes filled with despair.
Even three lines of defense couldn't withstand the ordinary monster tide, and now with the addition of this terrifying high-level monster, it seems we really can't escape death today.
The supernatural being slowly raised its head, its scarlet eyes sweeping over the humans on the high wall, its bloodthirsty smile deepening, clearly regarding everyone here as its own.
It strode forward, slowly approaching the high wall. Wherever it passed, the air was corroded and distorted by its eerie aura, and the temperature between heaven and earth plummeted, chilling to the bone.
Just when everyone thought they were about to give up and fall into utter despair, a tall figure suddenly appeared without warning high in the sky above the high wall.
It's Lu Heng.
He was surrounded by no dazzling light, just quietly suspended in mid-air, his black clothes fluttering slightly in the wind, one hand casually behind his back, his posture as upright as a pine tree, as if he were one with the world.
Facing the overwhelming and menacing tide of strange creatures below, as well as the terrifying, high-level monster that stood ten feet tall, Lu Heng's face remained completely calm, his eyes cold and aloof.
His gaze swept indifferently over all the strange things below, his eyes filled with undisguised contempt, as if the thousands of strange tides beneath his feet were nothing more than a group of insignificant ants.
The sudden appearance of this figure instantly drew the attention of everyone present. On the high walls and within the defensive lines, all the soldiers subconsciously raised their heads to look at Lu Heng in mid-air, their eyes filled with astonishment and confusion.
"Who is that person?"
"How did they suddenly appear there?"
"Faced with so many strange phenomena, how can he still stand in mid-air? Isn't he afraid of being swallowed by the monstrous tide?"
Whispers rose and fell, everyone speculating about Lu Heng's identity. There was worry, doubt, and even a sliver of hope. In this desperate situation, any sign of abnormality became a faint glimmer of hope in everyone's hearts.
The high-level monster also sensed Lu Heng's presence. Its scarlet eyes were fixed on the air above, its ferocious smile gradually disappeared, and the crimson aura around it surged wildly, carrying endless rage as it crushed towards Lu Heng.
It could sense that this suddenly appearing human seemed to pose a threat to it.
The myriad ghosts also ceased their attacks, looked up at the sky, and their shrieks grew sharper, showing signs of restlessness.
At this critical moment, Lu Heng slightly raised his eyes, a cold glint flashing in his clear eyes.
Without any earth-shattering moves or complicated incantations, in just an instant, a vast and boundless terrifying pressure, seemingly originating from the very source of heaven and earth, erupted from Lu Heng's body, like an invisible giant wave that instantly enveloped the entire world and madly pressed down on the strange tide below!
This oppressive aura, surpassing all other strange phenomena, carried an irresistible majesty and completely suppressed all eerie energy.
The next second, a shocking scene unfolded.
The thousands of ghosts that had been surging wildly and baring their fangs and claws were instantly frozen in place under this pressure. Then, one by one, they uncontrollably prostrated themselves on the ground, trembling all over, without even the strength to move, let alone launch an attack.
The once ferocious and monstrous tide has now turned into a group of submissive ants, completely devoid of any of its former power.
The high-level monster, ten feet tall and possessing an overwhelming aura, was also not spared.
The ferocity and bloodlust on its face vanished instantly, replaced by extreme fear and panic. Its massive body trembled violently, and it could no longer stand in mid-air, collapsing heavily to its knees with a thud.
The crimson aura surrounding him instantly dissipated, and his originally ferocious head bowed deeply. He didn't even have the courage to look up at Lu Heng. His whole body trembled uncontrollably, showing complete submission and fear.
The monstrous tide that was devastating just a moment ago was now completely subdued on the ground, and the world fell into a deathly silence, with only the sound of a gentle breeze remaining.
All the soldiers on the high wall were completely stunned. They stood there, mouths agape, eyes filled with disbelief, unable to recover for a long time.
The desperate situation was easily reversed by one person at this moment.