Chapter 581: Capturing Unicorn Rhino, Activating [Dawn Tactical Nuclear Bomb]

Bang——

Knight's Silver-tier ultimate skill, Molten Volcano, not only triggered magma within Lakeside City, swallowing the already small settlement entirely. The impact and destruction caused by the volcanic eruption also damaged the energy shield's runic patterns, causing the barrier to flicker a few times before vanishing completely. It also altered the geological structure of the lake island, directly splitting open a crack in the city wall that had once been as impenetrable as iron walls and bronze ramparts.

Meanwhile, under the Alpha's command, the entire Pioneering Group had boarded the bridge formed by Cangjia Rock Turtle, speeding at full throttle toward the lake island.

At this point, the battle held no further suspense.

But for some reason, Yu Yuan's heart was still tinged with a faint unease.

It was this very unease that put Yu Yuan on high alert.

He understood—this was his [Danger Perception] warning him of unknown threats yet to come.

"Knight, stay sharp. I feel like this isn't over yet."

Yu Yuan warned Knight as he immediately slipped into the Shadow Dimension.

He had to locate this danger factor as quickly as possible.

After receiving Yu Yuan's warning, the Alpha had already ordered the Pioneering Group to advance at full speed. Habaar, in particular, was racing toward the lake island with his engines roaring.

"Habaar, get over there immediately! Make sure the Leader is safe!"

"Habaar understands!"

By now, the drone had brought the entire Lakeside City under surveillance.

The Alpha also spotted a figure leaping down from the tall tower.

But...

"What the hell is that thing?"

Yu Yuan stared at the photo sent by the Alpha, equally dumbfounded.

It was a creature with a gaunt body, shrouded entirely in a mist of blood-red energy. It had leaped from the tower, ignoring the scorching magma, and was constantly bounding across the wreckage of ground-level buildings. It was rapidly approaching the city wall's position.

The boiling magma on the ground couldn't stop its advance at all.

The Pioneering Group had already taken aim with their rifles in advance.

The moment it showed itself, they opened fire.

Rat-a-tat-tat—

But it seemed to possess the same danger perception ability, always dodging the gun's lock-on a step ahead.

From within the Shadow Dimension, Yu Yuan watched its agile movements and positioning.

His heart sank.

"It's actually a Silver-tier creature too."

Knight also noticed this Silver-tier creature. His entire body erupted with flames, turning into a blazing torch, forcing back the Silver-tier creature attacking him.

But the next moment, a black chain shot out from the creature's hand, braving the flames to wrap around Knight.

"Ahh—"

Knight, who had already transformed into a lava body, let out a pained roar.

A sizzling sound rang out simultaneously as dense black energy rose from where the black chain touched Knight. In the air, it transformed into a black serpent's head, lunging to bite Knight again.

Knight's mind was razor-sharp at this moment.

He raised his right arm to block; the serpent head sank its fangs into his arm, then burrowed into the wound and vanished. Four large black holes instantly appeared on Knight's right arm, and the black energy began to corrode.

Knight was a ruthless man. He knew the principle of capturing the chieftain to subdue the bandits.

Biting back the excruciating pain, he grabbed the chain with both hands and yanked hard.

He pulled the Silver-tier creature directly toward him.

His entire body lunged forward, arms wide open for a bear hug.

To restrain it.

But the Silver-tier creature's reaction was equally decisive.

Although caught off guard, its body stumbled through the air toward Knight, it immediately severed its connection with the black chain and dodged mid-air.

Causing Knight's attack to miss.

The next moment, seven or eight more black chains extended from its body, snaking toward Knight to entangle him.

It was planning to repeat the same trick.

Just then.

A rift appeared behind it. An exquisite vintage flintlock pistol emerged from the rift, aimed at the Silver-tier creature's head, and pulled the trigger.

Bang—Crackle...

A silver bullet, carrying lightning bright enough to illuminate the entire night sky, blasted into the Silver-tier creature's body.

Powerful electric arcs flared across the creature.

Hiss—

Accompanied by a screech, extremely dense black energy surged out from within this creature. Its body was like paper set aflame, emitting black flames from head to toe as it burned away bit by bit.

This was Yu Yuan's Legendary-tier weapon [Thunder's Secret Contract]'s special skill—'Thunder's Breath'.

It had an extremely potent effect against darkness and pollution.

The black energy shot into the sky, transforming into rolling black mist that pressed downward.

At that moment.

Not far away in the air, Mie Mie emerged from the rift, and the holy light of Dawnbreak shone between its two horns.

The Dawnlight broke through the black energy mist, illuminating the entire sky.

The black energy scattered and dissipated under the light.

Especially the Silver-tier creature that was the main target.

Under the Dawnlight's rays, it was like snow meeting the scorching sun, purified into nothingness on the spot.

Only a single black scale remained on the ground.

The black energy on Knight's body was also purified by the Dawnlight, dispersing into nothing.

Yu Yuan stepped out of the Shadow Dimension, picking up the scale in his hand.

He looked at the virtual light screen.

[Civilization Illustrated Book] had been updated. A new species appeared on it.

—Star Polluter · Potion

Grade: Silver

Spirituality Factor: High

Spiritual Organ: Polluted Scale

Potential Level: ★★

Civilization Points Rewarded: 20

————————

"Polluted Scale?"

Yu Yuan stared at the scale in his hand, a glimmer of thought flashing in his eyes.

He looked up at the black energy in the sky, now dissipated under the Dawnlight's rays.

"This energy... it's somewhat similar to what we saw at Fuel Town!"

[Alpha: King, the drone has detected several people escaping from the rear of Lakeside City, diving into the lake waters.]

As the Alpha's message came through, Yu Yuan glanced at the Combat Detector.

Sure enough, four red dots were rapidly moving away from this area. Their speed was astonishing; in the blink of an eye, they had already swum over a hundred meters.

Mie Mie carried Yu Yuan to the lake shore.

Yu Yuan released the Cloud-Tide Flying Turtle.

"Little one, bring back all four of those guys ahead!"

"Chirp!"

The Cloud-Tide Flying Turtle chirped once before diving straight into the lake.

In less than half a minute, a water dragon appeared on the distant lake surface.

It was rapidly moving toward the lake island.

Yu Yuan saw four figures spinning inside that water dragon like clothes in a washing machine.

Whirling at breakneck speed.

Thump, thump, thump, thump—

When the four landed before Yu Yuan,

They were already nearly unconscious. Clearly, the spinning of the water dragon was too much even for Bronze-tier players to bear.

Yu Yuan's gaze locked onto one of them. He knew this was Unicorn Rhino.

—

"King, the reinforcement troops from the other two cities have rendezvoused. They're thirty-five kilometers from our position. Over 2,000 men, and they have more than fifty Corrosion Obliteration Cannon launchers plus other heavy weapons."

"They're all equipped with a number of Potion weapons..."

At the Gado Lakefront, inside the Command Vehicle, the Alpha pointed at the screen and reported the situation.

The magma on the lake island was still cooling, and rolling black smoke continued to rise.

"This bunch of enemies sure reinforced quickly!"

Yu Yuan looked at the densely packed battle force on the screen and knew immediately.

With this many enemies, the Pioneering Group alone wouldn't be enough to handle the battle. Even if the Pioneering Group's physical fitness was top-notch, and they had equipment like the Mechanical Armor, they still couldn't overcome the sheer numerical disparity—especially since they had just finished a major battle and their ammunition supplies were critically low.

In that case, Yu Yuan turned to the Alpha.

"Activate the [Dawn Tactical Nuclear Bomb]..."