Chapter 535: Space Invasion

The vegetables growing near the spring could not move, but the mutant plants gathered between Leng Pan and the machines as if they understood that the space was their home as well.

A thorny vine struck one of the machines and threw it into the spiritual spring.

The water covered its body.

Its silver light flickered before disappearing.

Leng Pan glanced at the plants and said, "Put the others in the spring."

The plants responded immediately.

The remaining machines changed direction, but roots rose from the soil and caught them. One after another, they were dragged into the water until none remained.

The secondary core began producing more.

Leng Pan tightened the spring water surrounding it before it could release them.

The mechanical voice sounded again.

[HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT CONFIRMED.]

[ACCELERATING CONNECTION.]

The black circle in the sky widened.

A section of the gate anchor pushed through it, and cold air flowed into the space from the other side.

Leng Pan could see the underside of the transport vessel beyond the incomplete gate.

Several alien soldiers were standing near the anchor.

One of them looked through the opening.

Its gaze met hers.

The alien raised a weapon.

Leng Pan moved as a beam shot through the unfinished gate and struck the ground where she had been standing.

The blast destroyed several storage shelves.

Boxes of supplies fell across the soil.

Leng Pan’s anger increased.

She formed a compressed water blade and sent it through the opening.

The alien soldier lifted a shield, but the blade struck with enough force to push him backward.

Other soldiers approached the gate.

They aimed their weapons through the opening.

The mutant plants moved between Leng Pan and the gate, but she immediately forced them aside with her ability. "Do not block those attacks. You cannot survive them."

Several beams entered the space.

Leng Pan raised water from the spring and formed a thick barrier. Steam spread across the area as the attacks struck it.

The water barrier weakened, but the beams did not reach her.

Little Vine continued working beside the infant.

Its roots finally formed a complete shell around the beacon.

The plant pulled.

The infant cried out.

Leng Pan looked toward him. "Stop if it is hurting his heart."

Little Vine paused before changing the direction of several roots.

It pulled again, more slowly this time.

A thin metal point appeared beneath the child’s skin.

The beacon was coming out.

The secondary core sensed what was happening.

Its energy changed direction and rushed toward the infant.

Leng Pan moved in front of it and used the spiritual spring water to block the pulse. Blue light and clear water collided between them, shaking the entire space.

The black circle in the sky became unstable.

Outside, the gate anchor hanging beneath the transport vessel shook violently.

Lu Tao stared at the alien communicator as its symbols changed. "Sister-in-law is resisting the connection. The anchor’s energy is dropping."

Assistant Yao’s voice came through the communicator. "The transport vessel is redirecting power from its shields."

Lu Zhen noticed the silver barrier beneath the vessel weakening and immediately increased the force of his flames.

The fire broke through the damaged shield and reached the cables holding the gate anchor.

One cable began melting.

The vessel released more guardian units, but Commander Han’s ability users were prepared. Wind abilities disrupted their flight while fire and lightning attacked the exposed joints.

Assistant Yao fired a third beam.

The attack struck the weakened cable.

It broke.

The gate anchor tilted beneath the transport vessel.

However, two more cables continued holding it.

The alien prisoner shouted through the communicator, "Do not let it fall into the base! If the anchor reaches the ground while active, it will become much harder to destroy."

Lu Zhen looked toward the abandoned quarry beyond the western wall. "Can the aircraft move it?"

"The anchor is too heavy."

"You do not need to carry it. Push it west when the last cable breaks."

Assistant Yao understood his plan. "I will move into position."

Inside the space, Little Vine finally pulled the beacon from the infant’s chest.

The object was smaller than Leng Pan had expected. It resembled a silver seed covered in blue threads.

Little Vine wrapped it completely before throwing it toward the spiritual spring.

The beacon entered the water.

Its light disappeared.

The infant’s eyes returned to normal, and although he continued crying, the silver lines beneath his skin began fading.

One of the two coordinates had been severed.

Leng Pan turned toward the secondary core.

The black circle above her was collapsing, but several alien soldiers were still firing through it.

She gathered all the water surrounding the core and compressed it inward.

Cracks appeared across the blue crystal.

The mechanical voice became distorted.

[PRIMARY HOST LOST.]

[CONNECTION FAILURE IMMINENT.]

Leng Pan increased the pressure.

The crystal cracked further.

"You entered the wrong space," she said.

The secondary core shattered.

A blue wave passed through the surroundings.

The unfinished gate closed so quickly that one alien soldier who had attempted to climb through was cut in half. The upper part of his body fell near the spiritual spring while the rest disappeared with the gate.

Leng Pan stared at the remains.

One of the mutant vines cautiously moved closer and poked the alien with a leaf.

The soldier did not move.

Another plant wrapped around his weapon.

Leng Pan rubbed her forehead. Even after nearly having their home invaded, the plants had not forgotten to collect useful things.

"You can keep the weapon away from the spring, but do not touch the body," she warned them.

Little Vine lifted the silver beacon out of the water. Its roots tightened until the device broke, leaving behind a crystal fragment no larger than a fingernail.

The space gradually became calm.

The darkness disappeared from the sky, and the ripples in the spiritual spring faded.

Leng Pan checked the infant before picking him up. His heartbeat was weak, but stable.

She left the space with him in her arms.

Lu Zhen saw her appear and immediately moved toward her. "Are you injured?"

"I am fine, but we lost several shelves and some supplies."

Lu Zhen looked at the child before returning his gaze to her. "Those can be replaced."

"The alien who fell inside the space might be more difficult to replace."

He stared at her. "An alien entered?"

"Only half of him."

Lu Tao overheard them and turned around in disbelief. "Sister-in-law, did you collect half an alien?"

"I did not collect him. He fell inside."

"Which half?"

Lu Zhen gave his brother a cold look. "Is that important?"

Lu Tao considered the question before shaking his head. "Probably not."

The transport vessel fired at Assistant Yao’s aircraft, but the smaller craft turned sharply and avoided the attack.

At the same moment, Lu Zhen released another wave of fire toward the gate anchor.

The second cable broke.

Assistant Yao fired at the remaining connection.

The gate anchor separated from the transport vessel and began falling.

The captured aircraft struck it from the side with a continuous energy beam, changing its direction toward the abandoned quarry.

The black ring crossed the western wall and disappeared beyond it.

A moment later, the ground shook as it crashed inside the quarry.

The transport vessel stopped above Qinghe Base.

For several seconds, no new guardian units appeared.

Commander Han looked toward the northern horizon. "Did we win?"

The alien prisoner stepped closer to the aircraft’s display before replying, "No. They lost the anchor, but the vessel still has weapons."

The communicator released a warning before he finished speaking.

[Undead Unit One entering visual range.]

Everyone turned toward the north.

Unlike before, when the horde had moved through the wasteland in careful formation, it had changed into a dark mass of black heads rushing toward Qinghe Base.

Dust rose behind them and covered the horizon.

The first zombie army had arrived.

Then the transport vessel began moving toward the abandoned quarry.

It was going to recover the gate anchor.