Human Genius? Sorry, I’m a Deviant-Chapter 209: Let’s go!

The Abyssal Colossus began moving its massive body.
Each step shook the very earth.
More monsters poured through the breach like a collapsing dam, madly pouncing on the despairing soldiers.
The entire fortress interior completely descended into hellish chaos!
"No... no..."
Xu Hao trembled like a leaf in the wind, his words incoherent.
Liu Ziming's face lost all color: "It's over... completely over... we're all going to die here..."
Xie Xi and the resolute Feng Jue had helplessness filling their eyes.
Su Zhan suddenly grabbed the arms of Liu Ziming and Xu Hao who were closest to him: "Listen! South Cang Fortress is finished! It can't be held! There's no meaning in us fighting to the death here, we'd just be throwing our lives away for nothing!"
Liu Ziming instinctively retorted: "But... deserters..."
"This isn't being deserters!"
Su Zhan sharply interrupted him, his gaze sweeping over each teammate: "If we die here now, it won't change the overall situation one bit! We're too weak! So weak we can't even make it pause for a moment!"
He pointed fiercely at the Abyssal Colossus that stood like a demon god:
"Survive! Only by surviving, by becoming a hundred times stronger than we are now! A thousand times stronger!
Only then do we have the right to talk about revenge!
Only then will we have the ability to truly fight against the Mist in the future! Anyone who wants to live, follow me!"
Su Zhan was lying.
He knew in his heart that even if he talked until the heavens broke, it wouldn't change the reality that they were deserters.
He said this only to comfort his teammates' hearts.
To give them an excuse for their escape.
What mattered now was survival.
Taking a step back...
Even if they ended up in military court because of today's events, that was something for later.
They had to survive first before they could consider what came after.
Feng Jue tightened his grip on the Startling Swan Sword, the tip pointing downward, and gave a heavy nod with an almost imperceptible movement.
"I... I'll follow Brother Su!"
Xu Hao shouted out, his survival instinct overwhelming everything else.
Liu Ziming watched as more and more soldiers were pounced on and torn apart.
His last bit of hesitation was crushed by fear, his voice tearful: "Damn it... let's go! I don't want to become monster shit!"
"Go!"
Su Zhan no longer hesitated, fiercely waving his hand, "Stay together, don't fall behind!"
Xie Xi's eyes flashed with intense struggle, finally turning into resolve: "...You go, I'm staying."
"Xie Xi, have you fucking lost your mind?!"
Liu Ziming could hardly believe his ears: "Staying means certain death! Get moving!"
Xu Hao stammered: "Sis, Sis Xie... don't, don't joke..."
Su Zhan's heart sank heavily.
He saw it.
In Xie Xi's eyes was a martyr-like determination.
He said urgently: "Xie Xi! This isn't the time to play hero! Only by surviving can we..."
"This isn't playing hero."
Xie Xi interrupted him: "I just... can't leave."
She was born into a family with generations of military service, both parents were high-ranking officers with general stars glittering on their shoulders.
She grew up with the family motto: "Duty is heavier than Mount Tai, honor is higher than life."
She had seen the yellowed photos and cold nameplates of fallen comrades in her father's study.
Had heard her mother describe the most brutal battles in the calmest tone.
The core of the education she received had only two words: "Sacrifice."
Sacrifice for the land beneath their feet, sacrifice for the civilians behind them, until the last drop of blood was shed.
Xie Xi's ears echoed with her parents' teachings.
"In a soldier's dictionary, there is no retreat, only holding the line until death."
"Wearing this military uniform means that when you stand before the defense line, your life no longer belongs only to yourself."
"The daughter of the Xie family can die, but must never retreat."
These words had long been forged into her soul like steel.
She had worn South Cang Fortress's military uniform for less than two months.
But in her view, she was already a soldier!
Turning to flee now would be cowardice, betrayal of her parents' lifelong beliefs, and defilement of her family's honor!
She could accept dying in battle—that was a soldier's destiny.
But she couldn't accept living with the label of "deserter," a shame she could never escape for her entire life.
So, when Su Zhan said "go."
Her rationality told her this was the most correct, most rational choice.
But her soul, her pride, everything she had believed in for eighteen years, was screaming in fierce opposition!
She, Xie Xi, the proud daughter of Vermilion Bird Academy, daughter of a general, would rather die standing in this fallen fortress, buried alongside countless soldiers, than live kneeling, surviving in the shadow of being a deserter!
At this moment, order had completely collapsed on the city walls.
The surviving soldiers were either making futile resistance in despair, instantly being overwhelmed.
Or had completely broken down, standing waiting for death.
Constantly, people were being dragged into the darkness by pouncing monsters, emitting brief screams.
"Someone has to... stay behind, hold them back a little, right? Otherwise... no one will escape."
Xie Xi's gaze fell on Su Zhan, her expression complex: "Take them away, survive... become stronger."
After speaking, she turned abruptly, no longer looking at her teammates.
Liu Ziming's face flushed red, shouting hoarsely: "Xie Xi! What the hell are you pretending for!? Who are you putting on this noble act for!? Trying to show you're the only one not afraid to die!?
Don't forget! When we encountered the Mist incident at Binhai Hotel! You ran faster than anyone!
When we were chased by those monsters in the abandoned industrial zone! Didn't you fucking run for your life with us, scared shitless!?
You've only worn this military uniform for a few days!?
And you really think you're some heroic martyr now!?
Don't be ridiculous! Come with us!!!"
Attempting to use the most vicious words to change Xie Xi's mind, to give Xie Xi a chance to live.
Xie Xi's footsteps paused slightly, shaking her head extremely slowly:
"Liu Ziming, you're right.
At Binhai Hotel, I left, in the abandoned industrial zone, I still left.
But today I'm wearing this military uniform, I, will not leave."
As her words fell.
The Destruction Scythe in her hand erupted with a final dark red glow.
Without the slightest hesitation, she charged resolutely toward the tide of monsters surging forward!
Her not-tall figure, against that backdrop of destruction, appeared so small, yet so... determined.
All of Liu Ziming's vicious words instantly choked in his throat, his face turning from red to white, staring dumbly at that resolute back, unable to utter a single word.
Su Zhan fiercely closed his eyes, taking a deep breath.
When he opened them again, only cold determination remained in his eyes: "GO!!!"
He roughly dragged the completely frozen Liu Ziming and the despondent Xu Hao, frantically charging toward the only path to survival.
Feng Jue took one last glance at the area being swallowed by the dark red, clenched his teeth, turned his head and followed.
How could they not know.
This parting would be eternal.