Gao Wu: My freshman internship was a battle on the front lines.

Chapter 61 Fortress No. 1

The abandoned mine tunnels were deep and dark, and the damp air was filled with the smell of decay.

Ye Feng used his telekinetic power to wrap Wang Dehou and quickly traversed the narrow mine tunnel.

Wang Dehou was enveloped in a rice dumpling shape by telekinesis, with only his head showing. His face was full of terror, but he dared not utter a sound.

On the walls on both sides of the mine tunnel, dried bloodstains and scattered bones can be seen from time to time.

Humans and beasts mingled together, indistinguishable from one another. Claw marks and knife marks were visible on the walls, each telling a story of a fierce battle that had once taken place here.

Ye Feng walked along, observing his surroundings.

This mine tunnel is very old; the traces of its excavation are at least several decades old.

"How did Li Mo find this place?" Ye Feng asked.

Wang Dehou's voice trembled as he said, "He...he has a detailed map of this place."

"What?"

"Because this is Fortress No. 1." Wang Dehou swallowed hard. "There are many mineral veins underground in Fortress No. 1. The Li family made their fortune by developing these minerals."

"As the young master of the Li family, it's perfectly reasonable for him to have a detailed map of this place!"

Ye Feng did not ask any further questions.

Fortress No. 1.

He knows this place.

To be precise, everyone in the entire Jiangcheng knew about Fortress No. 1.

That was the first fortress Jiangcheng built in the wilderness, and also the largest, strongest, and most important one.

At the height of Jiangcheng's power, Fort No. 1 served as the command center for Jiangcheng on the southern mountain front, with a garrison of over 10,000 troops.

The defensive line of four fortresses and eighteen fortresses was gradually built up with Fortress No. 1 as its core.

Back then, Fortress No. 1 was a resource depot supplying the entire Jiangcheng, possessing 90% of the city's mineral resources.

It is also a symbol of humanity on the front lines of the southern mountains, a symbol of hope and pride.

But now, Fortress One has become a taboo.

A taboo that everyone wants to forget, yet cannot forget.

Three years ago, a sudden swarm of rats swept through Fortress One.

This is not an ordinary rat infestation.

It is a mutated rat population.

Hundreds of thousands of mutated rats poured out of the underground mine tunnels like a black torrent, covering the sky and devouring everything.

That battle lasted for seven days and seven nights.

The defenders of Fort No. 1 fought desperately, and reinforcements rushed in from all directions, but in the end, they still couldn't hold out.

It's not because humans aren't brave enough, nor because weapons aren't advanced enough.

It's not because there are too many rats.

They can't kill them all.

They can never be killed all of them.

If you kill a thousand, ten thousand will emerge. If you kill ten thousand, a hundred thousand will emerge.

Finally, Fortress One fell.

Of the 12,000 soldiers stationed at the fortress, 9,700 were killed in action.

The remaining two thousand-plus people, heavily wounded and filled with despair, retreated back to Jiangcheng.

From then on, Fortress One became the nest of the mutated rat swarm.

Jiangcheng is not unwilling to be recaptured.

We can't beat them.

On the main battlefield, Jiangcheng's military strength is fully capable of fighting the rat horde.

But rats aren't stupid; they won't confront you head-on.

They hide in underground mine tunnels. When you attack, they scatter and flee; when you withdraw, they gather back together.

The underground mine tunnels are interconnected, like a giant net, through which rats move freely, while humans can hardly move an inch.

Over the past three years, Jiangcheng has launched three large-scale counter-offensives, all of which have ended in failure.

In the final counterattack, Jiangcheng lost more than 3,000 elite soldiers and hundreds of martial artists, but couldn't even touch the walls of Fortress No. 1.

From then on, no one ever mentioned recapturing Fortress One again.

Fortress No. 1 became a scar on Jiangcheng.

A scar that will never heal.

And now, Li Mo has actually set up his base here?

Ye Feng frowned.

He had a vague feeling that things weren't that simple.

Although Li Mo has become a monster, his mind is still intact.

He couldn't possibly be unaware of how dangerous Fortress One was.

He couldn't control the mutated rat swarm; the rat kings and rat emperors wouldn't obey his orders.

unless……

Ye Feng thought of a possibility.

But he didn't say it.

Ahead, the mine tunnel came to an end.

A faint light shone in from the exit; it wasn't sunlight, but a hazy, filtered light, as if it had been filtered by something.

Ye Feng quickened his pace and walked out of the mine tunnel.

Then, he saw Fortress Number One.

……

Fortress No. 1.

This is a colossal structure.

The city wall is fifty meters high, twenty meters higher than Fortress No. 3.

The wall is over thirty meters thick and is entirely constructed of reinforced concrete and special alloys.

Inside the fortress was a ruin.

There were signs of battle everywhere.

Bullet holes, craters, broken weapons, and scattered bones filled the ruined fortress.

A strong, fishy stench still lingered in the air.

Ye Feng stood at the mine exit, his gaze sweeping over the ruins, a complex mix of emotions welling up inside him.

This is Fortress Number One.

What was once a human fortress is now a den of monsters.

"Ye Feng." Wang Dehou's voice trembled.

"Shall we go back? Li Mo is not someone you can handle."

He has already betrayed Li Mo.

If Li Mo knew that it was he who brought Ye Feng here.

I'm afraid Li Mo will be the first to kill him.

Ye Feng ignored him.

His gaze fell on the square in the center of the fortress.

There, a dark figure could be seen.

The figure was very tall, at least three meters.

The figure was covered in black scales, each about the size of a palm, tightly packed together, gleaming with a cold metallic luster in the dim light.

The edges of its scales are as sharp as knives, and they vibrate slightly with its breathing, making a soft rustling sound.

Its head was bald, and its skin had an unhealthy bluish-gray color.

The facial features are still there, but they are distorted beyond recognition.

Ye Feng stared at that face.

He recognized the face.

Li Mo.

Although he was completely unrecognizable, Ye Feng recognized the sinister and vicious look in his eyes at a glance.

"Ye Feng!"

Li Mo also saw him.

A smile appeared on that distorted face.

"You've finally arrived."

Li Mo's voice changed, but it was still that arrogant tone, full of mockery and contempt.

Ye Feng threw Wang Dehou to the ground and took a few steps forward.

"Li Mo, it's been a long time."

"Long time no see?" Li Mo let out a shrill laugh.

"Yes, it's been a long time. I thought you were dead. I never expected that not only were you alive, but you've become a great hero in Jiangcheng."

His laughter suddenly stopped, and his bloodshot eyes stared intently at Ye Feng.

Do you think you're something special?

Ye Feng remained silent.

"Do you think that because you saved Jiangcheng, you're a hero?"

He suddenly spread his arms wide, and the black scales vibrated in the air, making a buzzing sound.

"Look at me! Look at what I look like now!"

His voice was filled with anger and hatred.

"To become stronger, I transformed myself into this monstrous creature, neither male nor female, neither human nor ghost! Do you know the price I paid?!"

"I gave it my all!"

"And what about you?!"

He pointed at Ye Feng, his sharp claws drawing five cold streaks in the air.

"Why should I?!"

"Why do you get everything without doing anything? Why do I have to work so hard only to end up like this?!"

Li Mo's voice echoed through the ruins, causing rubble to fall from the walls.

Ye Feng looked at him calmly.

"Li Mo, are you done talking?"

"I'm done." Li Mo's voice suddenly calmed down, the hysterical anger disappeared, replaced by a cold killing intent.

"Now that we've finished talking, it's time to get down to business."

"Do you know, Ye Feng? I've been waiting for you."

"Wait for me?" Ye Feng asked, tilting his head.

"Yes." Li Mo licked his lips.

"I need a blood food. A powerful enough blood food to help me break through to the sixth rank."

"You treat me like food?"

"Otherwise what?" Li Mo laughed. "Why do you think I became a fifth-tier expert?"

"Ye Feng! You've come at the perfect time!"

"Use your flesh and blood to help me break through to the sixth rank!"

He looked at Ye Feng, his greed undisguised.

As long as you eat Ye Feng!

He will be able to break through to the sixth rank!

Then!

Who in Jiangcheng can do anything to him now!

Ye Feng was silent for a few seconds, then asked a seemingly unrelated question.

"What about the rats at Fortress One? Did you take control of them?"

Li Mo's smile widened.

"You mean those rats?"

He raised his right hand and snapped his fingers.