Chapter 39

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Li Mu's face was expressionless as he swung his right bone knife down with extreme sharpness, comparable to the alloy long knife in Colonel Hoover's hand. The bone knife carved a terrifying slash on the building's outer wall, and half of the wall instantly collapsed.

Colonel Hoover's crimson right eye flickered, and without hesitation, he stomped his foot and leaped high, his alloy long knife cleaving down at Li Mu with the might to split Mount Hua, aiming to slay Li Mu.

Suddenly, the black bone spines behind Li Mu exploded, like a dragon's tail sweeping away the alloy long knife in Colonel Hoover's hand. Li Mu's right bone knife swung, aiming for Colonel Hoover's chest.

Colonel Hoover sneered, and his left gun's muzzle burst into flames. Bang! Bang! Bang! The bullets poured out in a metal storm, each one accurately hitting the bone knife Li Mu was swinging down.

The clashing sounds continued as the two figures moved as fast as lightning in the night, engaging, separating, landing, and then engaging again.

Hawk Eye clenched his fists, his heartstrings taut, staring intently at the battle below. Suddenly, the communicator connected, and Dr. Manhattan's cold, emotionless command came through, "Immediate retreat. This is an order."

Hawk Eye's eyes turned blood red, about to curse in anger, but Dr. Manhattan's voice had already disappeared, replaced by General Soros' somewhat helpless voice, "Captain, immediately order the colonel to retreat. Reinforcements are too late."

Hawk Eye's suppressed anger exploded. He ignored General Soros' authority and cursed, "You bastards, can't you see? The colonel is still fighting, we are still fighting! We haven't given up, so why should you give up! We aren't afraid of death, are you bastards hiding in the base afraid of dying?"

"Retreat? How the hell can we retreat! Reinforcements are too late? Retreat is too late! They're all dead, all of them are dead, can't you see!"

Faced with Hawk Eye's intense anger, General Soros was speechless, silently enduring Hawk Eye's furious roar. After Hawk Eye finished cursing, he bitterly said, "Captain, it's meaningless to say these things now. If you've calmed down, tell me, are you prepared to retreat?"

Hawk Eye slumped into his seat, his gaze sweeping over the dense horde of zombies below. Though he was unwilling, he knew the base's decision was correct, even if it was a cold and heartless one.

But reinforcements were indeed too late. Their only option was to retreat. As for Colonel Hoover... Hawk Eye looked at Colonel Hoover, knowing that he had come for revenge, never intending to return alive. Otherwise, he wouldn't have refused the retreat order from the start.

How could he make the only surviving Colonel Hoover retreat like a coward again?

Slapping himself hard, Hawk Eye's face turned red and swollen, but his mind became clearer. He maneuvered the helicopter towards Colonel Hoover, who was still battling Li Mu.

No matter what, he had to bring Colonel Hoover back. Only by living could there be hope for revenge.

The sudden descent of the helicopter stirred the zombie horde. Blood-red eyes flickered with madness and savagery. If Li Mu weren't there, Hawk Eye believed the zombies would immediately rush towards the helicopter.

Even though the zombies couldn't reach the helicopter's height, they would still pursue it madly. Zombies were that stupid.

But why did King, why did Li Mu, such a king, have to appear? It was the zombies' luck and humanity's misfortune.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The helicopter's roar did not stop Li Mu and Colonel Hoover's battle. They were already fighting at a fever pitch.

Even with the protection of the combat armor, Colonel Hoover still suffered unimaginable injuries. Though there were no direct slashes, the data in his crimson right eye told him the extent of his injuries.

Three ribs broken, internal bleeding, tibia fracture, scapula comminuted fracture, both knees' menisci dislocated... Each collision with Li Mu felt like a terrible car accident. Any one of these injuries would make a normal person scream in agony, but Colonel Hoover endured, endured, endured!

The more he endured, the sharper his long knife became, and the more brilliant his gunfire. He carved deep, shocking wounds on Li Mu's body.

To the survivors in the apartment, it seemed that Li Mu, protected by the combat armor, was already on the verge of collapse, bloodied and mangled, looking like he might fall at any moment.

Every time Colonel Hoover inflicted a wound on Li Mu, there would be a suppressed cheer from the apartment. These survivors, who had previously praised and thanked Li Mu for his protection, had now betrayed their stance, hoping Colonel Hoover would kill Li Mu immediately.

It seemed only by doing so could they vent their hatred for the zombies, their anger at the apocalypse, and their own foolishness.

Annie stood among them, disoriented. Looking around, she saw no familiar faces. Each face seemed etched with hatred and fear of Li Mu, despite their previous joy at his generosity and protection.

The red mutant parrot had already flown away, its mocking and sorrowful gaze circling the night sky, following Li Mu. It knew that whether Li Mu won or lost, he would ultimately be a loser.

"Sir, we must retreat. The base has abandoned support..."

Hawk Eye, trembling, connected with Colonel Hoover's communicator.

Colonel Hoover's movements suddenly stiffened, and Li Mu seized the opportunity, sending him flying with a black bone spine. The sound of bones breaking echoed, and Colonel Hoover coughed up a large mouthful of blood, the metal mask unable to stop the blood from spilling out. The crimson right eye emitted a sharp alarm, telling him the extent of his injuries.

But Colonel Hoover said nothing. He rolled to avoid Li Mu's bone knife, then flipped and charged at Li Mu again.

Even without support, even fighting alone, as long as he had a breath left, he would not retreat, would not stop. This time, it was a matter of life or death!

"Sir, I'm sorry, we must go."

Hawk Eye took a deep breath, knowing Colonel Hoover would not accept the retreat, becoming a deserter again. So Hawk Eye maneuvered the helicopter to suddenly descend, passing over the battling Li Mu and Colonel Hoover. The helicopter instantly dropped an alloy steel cable, which, in a flash of light, caught Colonel Hoover.

Without hesitation, Hawk Eye pushed the control lever, and the helicopter rapidly ascended, dragging the somewhat surprised Colonel Hoover.

Li Mu stopped, standing still, looking up at the rapidly ascending helicopter. His eyes flickered, but he did not pursue, coldly watching the helicopter carrying Colonel Hoover quickly rise into the night sky and disappear.

"Let me go!"

Colonel Hoover roared in anger, "Hawk Eye, are you betraying my orders! Have you forgotten Black Hawk and the others? Don't stop me, I want to avenge them!"

Colonel Hoover struggled, but Hawk Eye ignored him. He had already contacted the base, taking control of Colonel Hoover's combat armor. No matter how much Colonel Hoover blamed him, he had to bring Colonel Hoover back alive. He had already lost Black Hawk and the others; he couldn't watch Colonel Hoover die.

Colonel Hoover coughed up a large mouthful of blood, looking at the instantly cold combat armor, and closed his eyes in despair. He had come with the resolve to die, but in the end, he had to flee in disgrace.

"Colonel, I know you might blame us. But remember, this retreat is for a better revenge next time."

Dr. Manhattan's voice echoed in Colonel Hoover's ear, "This time, rest assured. I have obtained some good things. Do you want to join?"

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