His head was splitting.

Zhou Huai shot up from the bed, enduring the needle-like pain in his brain, and opened his heavy eyelids.

Outside the window, the sky was bright.

The orange-red afterglow dyed the clouds a fiery splendor.

Zhou Huai pulled out his phone, and the time on the screen was clearly displayed.

Five in the afternoon.

He had been unconscious for an entire day.

In the distance, he could vaguely hear the furious roars of Strange Beast and continuous explosions.

The battle never stopped.

Zhou Huai's heart sank.

The city walls of Donghai City had probably been breached.

This was unavoidable; he had been mentally prepared for it.

The fact that the Strange Beast army hadn't charged straight in meant that the Formation arranged by Zhuge Kongming within the city had worked.

Otherwise, he wouldn't still be sleeping soundly here.

Without a moment's hesitation, his consciousness instantly sank into his Sea of Spirit, precisely connecting with Da Yi's body.

The next second, his vision abruptly switched.

The strong wind, carrying the thick scent of blood and scorched earth, furiously filled his nostrils.

Da Yi was standing on Demon Dragon Xiao Hei's back, circling high in the sky, his long bow drawn to a full moon, and One by one energy arrows, like meteors, poured down towards a gap in a city gate below.

That was the direction of the West City Gate.

The once towering and majestic city walls were now gone.

Giant stones had shattered, and the city wall had collapsed into a gruesome, hundreds-of-meters-long gap, like an ugly scar that would never heal.

Countless Strange Beast, in various forms and with ferocious faces, were trampling over the corpses of their companions, pouring in frantically through the gap like a black tide.

However, what greeted them were one defensive light screen after another, rising from the ground.

Behind the light screens, thousands of professionals, with tired faces and numb eyes, mechanically unleashed their skills, making their final stand.

Da Yi's Smart Core AI quickly shared all the information from when Zhou Huai was unconscious. 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

Only then did Zhou Huai understand.

Just this morning, the retreating beast tide army had returned.

And this [N O V E L I G H T] time, they had learned.

The main target of the attack was no longer the impregnable East City Gate, but had shifted to the relatively weaker West and North City Gates.

At that time, the defenders on the city walls hadn't even had time to react.

The fragile Level 4 defensive Formation instantly shattered under the overwhelming assault of the beast tide.

The towering city walls also collapsed over large areas under the frantic impact of countless Strange Beast.

Fortunately, the Formation that Zhuge Kongming had set up in advance within the city played a crucial role.

They acted like sturdy dikes, greatly slowing down the beast tide's advance.

They also bought valuable time for the residents of nearby districts to evacuate.

Casualties were much lower than expected.

Meanwhile, at the East City Gate.

Li Gang and thousands of professionals on the city wall were still stubbornly resisting, relying on the Level 6 defensive Formation.

But the situation was clearly not optimistic.

Dozens of magic cannons, under high-intensity use, had long since become overloaded and successively broke down.

Now, fewer than ten were still operational.

The sporadic cannon fire was like a drop in the ocean against the endless beast tide.

Sona's singing was still impassioned.

But on the city wall, every professional's face was filled with undisguised fatigue and despair.

Even Li Gang's face, which was always full of Battle Intent, was now only pale.

He stared blankly at the crumbling, dim, and cracked blue light screen in front of him.

A tragic smile appeared at the corner of Li Gang's mouth.

Ultimately, it had reached its limit.

However, being able to hold on until now was already a miracle.

A small Donghai City had, under the siege of a million beast tide, stubbornly held on for an entire day.

If he told anyone, they probably wouldn't believe it.

This was also thanks to the Eternal Night Guild.

Thanks to those SS-level powerhouses who were like monsters.

Alas... it could only go this far.

Crack—!

A crisp sound, like breaking glass, came from the light screen in front.

The Level 6 defensive Formation, which had held for an entire day, finally buckled under the pressure, and a fine crack appeared on the light screen.

Li Gang took a deep breath and, with all his strength, let out a hoarse roar.

"Everyone!"

His voice, overriding the clamor of the battlefield, clearly reached everyone's ears.

"It is my greatest honor, Li Gang, to fight alongside all of you in this life!"

"The Level 6 Formation is about to break!"

"I now order, all personnel to evacuate! Abandon the East City Gate! Rely on the defensive Formations within the city, and resist inch by inch!"

He paused, his voice carrying an unquestionable authority.

"Next, I will stay behind to cover your retreat!"

As soon as these words were spoken, all the professionals fighting valiantly on the city wall changed their expressions.

"No!"

A military officer's face turned red, and he roared hoarsely.

"Minister Li! You are the commander-in-chief! You must retreat!"

"If anyone is to stay, it should be us!"

"Yes! We'll stay!"

"Damn it! I've been too tired to run for a long time!"

A berserker slammed his great axe into the ground, slumped onto the ground, and gasped for breath.

"Minister Li, you take the people who can still move and go! I'll cover your retreat!"

His words resonated with countless people.

They were truly too tired.

Both their bodies and minds had been pushed to their limits.

Li Gang looked at their resolute faces, and a warm current surged in his heart, his eyes involuntarily becoming a little moist.

But the expression on his face became even more serious.

"All of you, shut the hell up!"

He roared, like a clap of thunder.

"This is a military order!"

"I am the commander-in-chief of this city defense battle!"

"Everyone must obey my orders!"

"All personnel evacuate! Move quickly!"

He pointed at the berserker slumped on the ground, his voice cold.

"You! Get up! If you can't walk, then crawl!"

"Military personnel, obey orders!"

"Yes!"

On the city wall, all soldiers belonging to the military department responded in unison without the slightest hesitation!

They quickly moved, supporting their exhausted companions, and began to evacuate orderly into the city.

Those who cried out to stay were also forcibly carried away by them.

Soon, the once crowded city wall became empty.

Only Li Gang remained, standing alone on the city head.

Crack! Crack!

The cracks on the defensive Formation became more and more numerous, and denser.

Li Gang calmly stroked the cold Dragon-head spear in his hand, and a relieved smile actually appeared on his face.

He had some regrets.

He had left Jiangning City in such a hurry that he hadn't brought a single cigarette with him.

Now, he didn't even have a chance to smoke one.

But just then.

"Roar—!!!"

A high-pitched and clear Dragon roar came from overhead.

Li Gang knew without thinking that it must be the young man with the long bow from the Eternal Night Guild who had come to provide support.

He didn't even lift his head, just casually waved his hand towards the sky.

"Don't mind me, quickly retreat into the city."

"The East City Gate cannot be defended."

However, a familiar, somewhat playful voice came from above.

"Minister Li Gang, long time no see!"

Li Gang's body suddenly trembled!

That voice... He suddenly looked up, gazing towards the sky!

He saw that standing on the back of the pitch-black Demon Dragon was no longer the stern young man with the long bow.

But a familiar figure wearing a magnificent star moon magic robe and holding a blue crystal staff!

Li Gang's eyes instantly widened!

His usually composed face was now filled with incredulous shock!

He pointed at the sky, his lips trembling, and let out a distorted cry of surprise.

"Gan... Gandalf???"