A Post-Apocalyptic Journey to Another World

More than 500 kilometers away from Pingyuan City, in a hilly area, a military train is speeding along the tracks.

In the third carriage of the train, several soldiers were gathered around a 3D holographic sand table. Although the train was moving very fast, the ride inside the carriage was remarkably smooth.

The train's four walls were neatly lined with rows of LCD monitors, each displaying a uniformed officer. A remote video conference of the military command system was underway.

Everyone present stared silently at the old soldier. He had a square face, a standard military crew cut, and his hair and eyebrows were completely white, but his eyes were sharp and alert. A scar ran across his right cheek from his cheekbone to his chin. He was the highest-ranking commander on this train, General Huo Mingde, commander of the 1st Division of the 38th Army Group.

To the general's left sat an operations staff officer at a computer terminal. He was not old, around thirty years old. At this age, he had already become an operations staff officer in the division command, which meant he had a promising future.

The staff officer glanced at the terminal for a moment, then stood up, gave a very standard military salute, and said, "Reporting to the general, all combat units have completed their information feedback. Currently, the reconnaissance battalion's Battalion Commander Xue has arrived in the eastern suburbs of Pingyuan City, and the accompanying scientific team is confirming the precise coordinates of the spatial fluctuation point!"

The operations staff officer's voice was loud and high-pitched, and the amplification effect in the small carriage made people's eardrums hurt.

But General Huo seemed to really like his subordinate's loud voice. The old soldier nodded in satisfaction; young people should have spirit. He said in an even louder voice, "Continue!"

The young staff officer remained expressionless and continued as instructed: "The various training teams dispatched to the Pingyuan City Police Department have arrived at the Pingyuan City Police Bureau with military weapons. The police are currently re-equipping themselves with these weapons and preparing for training. The training plan will first be carried out among students in major and secondary schools and state-owned factory workers in Pingyuan City, and then gradually expanded to all volunteer youths."

"Officer Qian, check the current locations of each unit." An elderly man of similar age standing to General Huo's right said. In stark contrast to General Huo's soldierly demeanor, this old man was very refined. If he weren't wearing the uniform of a corps commander, he would look more like a university professor. He was Political Commissar Wu Sheng.

The young staff officer saluted again and continued, "Currently, the reconnaissance battalion, training group, and air force combat helicopter squadron have all reached their designated positions in Pingyuan City. The main forces of each regiment are advancing along the highway and railway towards the assembly point in Pingyuan City. They are expected to arrive by tomorrow morning. Heavy armored vehicles, tanks, self-propelled artillery, and other heavy weapons are being transported by train and are expected to arrive in 23 hours. In addition, the heavy artillery regiment supported by the army group is expected to arrive in two days."

General Huo nodded in satisfaction, turned to look at his old partner, and asked, "Old Wu, what's the situation with the other two divisions?"

"Don't worry, our First Division is always the fastest. The two old guys from the Second and Third Divisions can't catch up with you even if they try! They've only just started assembling, and their advance battalion is still halfway there. They're not even as fast as our main force!" Political Commissar Wu knew his old friend and partner very well about his competitive nature, which was typical of a soldier.

The supreme commander's personality directly influenced the soldiers of this unit. Every soldier in the First Division was like a wolf cub, howling and charging forward whenever a mission came. Political Commissar Wu looked at the young faces on the LCD screen, his heart filled with pride.

Commander Huo then looked up at the officers on the LCD screen and said, "Now, everyone, please share any difficulties or suggestions you may have. Also, we know nothing about the enemy this time. What are your thoughts on intelligence gathering about the enemy? Let's brainstorm together."

……

While the soldiers were assembling and preparing, Zhang Xi was also preparing for the night's operation.

August 17th, 2 AM. This is a landmark time. On this day, the spacetime rifts that people originally thought to have appeared by chance began to appear in large numbers.

The term "space rift" has moved beyond the national and scientific research levels and into the lives of ordinary people. However, this entry has come through bloodshed and death. For the first time, the shadow of the apocalypse has been cast upon the hearts of every ordinary citizen.

The word "monster" has transformed from a topic of casual conversation and sensational news stories on the internet into a reality that people face every day.

It was one in the morning, and a dark figure moved with incredible speed through the alleyways of the urban village. The figure wasn't tall, wore an oversized tracksuit, and had a small bundle bulging in his chest. He reached a wooden door in the alley, took out a key, and slipped inside.

These huts were just as simple as when Zhang Xi last visited, with only a simple wooden bed. The difference this time was that the wooden bed was now covered with many black work clothes bought from a labor protection store, and a bicycle was leaning against the bed.

Zhang Xi changed out of his brown sweatshirt and put on the same loose black work clothes. He tucked the listless Amber into his pocket and left the cabin.

On a wide road in the eastern suburbs of Pingyuan City, a man wearing the most common work clothes from nearby factories and a baseball cap is riding a bicycle.

He looked like a migrant worker who had just finished his night shift and was rushing back to his rented place.

Zhang Xi pedaled his bicycle forward, observing Amber's reaction as he went. Upon reaching an intersection, Amber finally stirred. The little creature let out a low growl to its left.

Zhang Xi immediately turned left and walked less than a hundred meters. This time, he no longer needed the "bio-radar" in his arms to remind him. He could already feel the increasingly dense elemental energy fluctuations in the air, which were in an abandoned factory about two hundred meters away.

He parked the bicycle in a secluded corner; he couldn't afford to lose it. Although Zhang Xi could run as fast as many motor vehicles, the ubiquitous surveillance cameras in the city were a real nuisance, so a bicycle was still essential as a means of transportation.

Zhang Xi arrived at the factory, climbed over the fence, entered the factory area, and then quickly hid in a shadowy spot.

As he observed and waited, he gazed at the amber in his arms, growing more and more fond of it. Just moments before, from about 5 kilometers away, the amber had guided him here. 5 kilometers! Even with his own Bronze Rank 7 strength, he only sensed the elemental energy fluctuations emanating from this impending spatial gate within a range of 200 meters.

Less than five minutes later, the streetlights at the factory entrance suddenly flickered, and then a spark flashed along the edge of the dim lampshade. As the sparks passed, the streetlights went out.

Zhang Xi raised his head and glanced around. He estimated that all the streetlights, surveillance equipment, and other electronic devices within a 2-kilometer radius were damaged.

It was coming, and he tensed up instantly.

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