CHAPTER 352: CHAPTER 162: NOT QUITE A PYRRHIC VICTORY

The nuclear bomb exploded successfully, and at the same time, drones in the air and pre-deployed earthquake monitoring instruments immediately read the direction of seismic wave conduction.

Fu Xi imported the seismic wave data into the system and overlapped it with the map; moments later, a vague outline of an underground tunnel network appeared before Chen Jian.

Large.

This was the first thought that entered his mind upon seeing the map.

This dense underground network almost covered all the land surrounding the Jinling Ruins, and while the main central passage was not very long and even intermittent, judging from the vibration wave pattern, its diameter was at least over 6 meters!

"Damn... that Whale Catfish really dug out a new ’Underground Great Wall’ system right near us."

Chen Jian sat in the back seat of the cat car, carefully examining the map, and quickly discovered that the farthest exit of the underground tunnel was already an astonishing 60 kilometers from their location.

"Can we catch up?"

Chen Jian asked.

"Attack-17 drone is flying towards the target airspace, expected to arrive in 4 minutes."

"Target monster ’Whale Catfish’ spotted."

"Flying bomb will be released in 3 minutes, unsure if it will be able to stall it."

"Boss, if you head over now, it’s highly likely you won’t make it."

"The risk is too high; it’s better to withdraw to Base 011 for now."

"Understood."

Chen Jian nodded decisively, then switched his view to the drone footage.

At this moment, Attack-17 was flying rapidly at over 900 kilometers per hour, the scenery on the ground flashing past, and in the distance, a massive cloud of dust was gradually moving away.

That was the Whale Catfish about to burrow underground again.

As the distance continued to close, through the drone’s perspective, Chen Jian could clearly see the shape of the Whale Catfish.

Although previously he had only seen it vaguely in the sea once, upon zooming in, Chen Jian easily noticed its form had undergone a dramatic change.

The originally massive form had shriveled and become gaunt like it had dried up; most of its tentacles were bleeding profusely, and exposed outside were pale bone spurs.

Is it injured?

For a fleeting moment, Chen Jian felt a hint of delight.

But he quickly realized this was not "injury," but "adaptation!"

It was adapting to the land environment!

Its massive form used to counter water pressure was no longer necessary; to achieve high-speed transit underground, it had actively contracted its muscle and skeletal structures, transforming from a ’whale’ like a fathead fish into an ’eel.’

Indeed, there may be incorrect scientific names, but never a wrong nickname.

Seeing the drone over the Whale Catfish’s head, Chen Jian decisively issued the attack command.

Four flying bombs simultaneously launched, rushing towards the monster at 0.8 Mach speed.

In no more than 15 seconds, the flying bombs would hit the target.

But just then, as if sensing the impending danger, the monster suddenly rose upright.

Exactly like the Whale Catfish near the Imperial City earlier!

Its scales spread, with electric glows flashing out from dense cysts.

Plasma swept across, covering the monster’s entire body like the prism towers Chen Jian had only seen in games!

Blue smoke rose, and the ultra-high instantaneous voltage created intense electromagnetic interference, blurring the drone footage; simultaneously, all four flying bombs nearby lost direction!

Not an electromagnetic pulse.

Chen Jian could confirm that no carbon-based organism on Earth could generate an electromagnetic pulse impactful enough to affect the internal navigation system of missiles and the video footage of drones.

However, if it were extra-high voltage...

A short-circuit problem within a transformer box could create a magnetic field change sufficient to affect camera imagery.

During his duties near the aluminum electrolysis plant years ago, Chen Jian learned this well.

Clearly, the mechanism by which this monster impacts electronic equipment mirrors that of a large transformer!

At least the electromagnetic pulse was ruled out!

Chen Jian breathed a slight sigh of relief, but looking at the drone footage reappearing, a sense of helplessness surged up within him.

Damn it.

Couldn’t catch it.

Drones relying on wireless communication navigation couldn’t cause effective damage to the monster, and ordinary large-caliber artillery couldn’t even reach the monster at this distance!

If following this line of thinking, even the subsequent nuclear minefield’s effectiveness would be limited.

Should its magnetic field impact the nuclear trigger, it might not only cause the nuclear bombs to fail, but could even prematurely detonate!

Chen Jian frowned tightly.

He ordered out:

"Prepare to retreat."

"Can’t catch it, and the two of us alone can’t take it down."

"Let’s head back, retreat to the safety area near the base."

"Its organized first wave of offense was thwarted, I estimate it won’t have major moves soon."

"We must seize this window period and quickly find a way to deal with it!"

"Understood!"

Ji Xing obeyed, turned the car around, and dashed towards Base 011.

Occasionally, in the forests along the roadside, monsters startled by the nuclear explosion could be seen, most having lost their backbone and scattered like fleeing mantises, but also including some small monsters never seen by Chen Jian, appearing for the first time near the Jinling Ruins.

"Damn..."

"Is this Whale Catfish a tunneling machine? Is it building a high-speed highway near the Jinling Ruins?"