Chapter 305: The Remaining Survivors and the Four Arms
"It’s done."
Soon, the battlefield fell silent as the last of the serpent vessels had been smashed apart, with their metallic bodies scattered across the shelter.
As for the B‑Rank Sentinels, they were now incapacitated, with most of them torn to pieces...
Kai stood amidst the wreckage as he assessed the situation...
He didn’t waste time celebrating. His first thought was for the people he had brought into this world. The four super soldiers and the young boy he had purchased as slaves were hidden, just as he had instructed.
They weren’t properly equipped for combat yet, so as soon as they arrived and realized that there was a battle going on, Kai had made it clear... survival came first.
Soon, he found them hiding away in the shelter’s lower chambers. They looked so worried but they were also unharmed.
Relief washed over him.
’Good. They listened.’
Outside, the defenders began to count the living. The numbers were grim.
Of the thirty or so people Kai had left behind to guard New Haven‑45, only thirteen remained. The rest had fallen in the brutal defense, their bodies lying among the ruins of barricades and shattered walls.
Althea’s face was also pale as she read the tally, Augustine silent beside her.
Kai’s expression hardened. "Thirteen... barely half."
The survivors bowed their heads. They looked so exhausted but alive.
They had fought with everything they had, and Kai knew their courage had bought precious time.
Still, the losses cut deep, even if the modified Sentinels were still active.
Then, through the Guild Chat, Kai reached out to his other bases.
The reports came in quickly, each one worse than the last.
Nadia, who was assigned to Haven-28, replied first.
[ Nadia: Kai, Haven‑28 has fallen. The Sentinels breached the walls after sustained bombardment. ]
[ Nadia: We lost most of our defenses and equipment in the attack. Ammunition and supplies were destroyed or taken. ]
[ Nadia: Out of the full garrison, only twelve people survived. The shelter itself is no longer functional. ]
[ Nadia: Haven‑28 is gone. Survivors are regrouping, but we’ll need relocation or reinforcement. ]
Kai clenched his fist as he read the message. Then, he confirmed the next message...
[ Aurora: Kai, Freedom Shelter has been overrun. The Snake-like vessel called Fangs broke through quickly and destroyed our fields ]
[ Aurora: We exhausted all weapons... rifles, grenades, even the stimulants... but it wasn’t enough. Supplies were destroyed during the breach. ]
[ Aurora: Fifteen survivors remain. The shelter structure is heavily damaged, walls collapsed, and it cannot be defended further. ]
[ Aurora: Freedom Shelter is compromised. Survivors await orders for evacuation or regrouping. Where do we go now? ]
Kai had no answer.
Where do they go? He had no idea... He planned to rebuild his shelter, but after this much destruction, it should be easier to find a different place to rebuild instead.
Then, Vera also sent her report.
[ Vera: Kai, Blue Grass Shelter could not hold. The Sentinels arrived in overwhelming numbers. ]
[ Vera: We made the decision to evacuate instead of defending. Twenty‑five survivors escaped into the wilderness. ]
[ Vera: The shelter itself was abandoned. Supplies and equipment were left behind. ]
[ Vera: Survivors are safe for now, but the shelter is lost. We’ll need guidance on where to regroup and rebuild. ]
"Seriously... So many deaths, and we’re not even here in the first place. That’s cheating." Kai couldn’t help but complain since there was no mention of this event at all.
They were only informed about the Auction Event that would last for two days.
However, the floating city above and the crimson sky weren’t part of it at all!
The weight of it all pressed down on Kai...
From four shelters, barely sixty‑five people remained alive.
The rest were gone, cut down by the machines or killed by the destruction they had created.
Kai clenched his fists.
’This is the cost of war. But it won’t end here.’
He looked at the survivors of New Haven‑45... Althea, Augustine, Irene, Mila, Alfie, and the others who had endured.
Their faces were weary, but their eyes still held fire.
They had seen death, but they had also seen victory.
First, Kai had to stabilize their situation since they had no idea if the floating city would send another attack....
"We lost many. But we’re still here... Let’s bury the dead and leave this place. We’re going to get stronger from now on."
The survivors straightened, their grief tempered by his words.
They knew the fight wasn’t over. The shelters had been bloodied, but they weren’t broken.
***
Meanwhile, Aurora and the others from Blue Grass Shelter gathered in the ruins, fifteen survivors in total.
Eight of them were the former slaves led by Noli.
The rest included Mei, Juno, Steven, Vera, the sculptor, the scout, and a young man with a common‑grade pyromancer talent.
Mei, as usual, took command. Though she was busy coordinating the group, she had let Vera send the Guild Chat report to Kai.
Now, she outlined their next move.
"We can’t stay here. The shelter’s walls are gone, and every building is shattered. But I remember an abandoned town not far from here. Its structures were still intact the last time I passed through. If we move quickly, we can claim it before anyone else does."
The survivors nodded. It wasn’t much, but it was hope. It was better than building a tent for now...
Before leaving, they gathered what remained of the precious blue grass patches.
Vera carefully bundled them... "If we can replant these, I can keep making concoctions. Without them, we lose one of our biggest advantages."
Mei agreed as she looked at the patches of grass before looking up in the sky... Thankfully, the flying city wasn’t sending out any snake-like vessels or Fangs just yet.
With supplies packed, they set out.
The path was rough, but they pressed on.
Noli kept his group close as the ex‑slaves carried baggage that could save their lives. The scout ranged ahead, while Steven and Juno carried what little remained of their weapons.
Just as the town’s outline appeared in the distance, their progress was halted.
"Stop..." Mei commanded.
A figure stepped into their path... It was a towering man with four arms!
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