On the desolate land where yellow sand swirls, a group of people trudges forward on foot with difficulty. Among them, there are slow-moving armored vehicles dragging various supplies, but most people can only walk on the barren ground laden with gravel.

This group consists of thousands; they are well-equipped and disciplined. The combat members on the periphery all wear uniform bulletproof vests and hold fully automatic weapons, while the women, children, and elderly inside maintain silence. Many children are held by their mothers, sitting on the armored vehicles, quietly watching the world of yellow sand reflected in their dark eyes in the distance.

As the view zooms in, one can see the faded emblem on the armored vehicles—'Heshan Rescue Association'.

In the Fifth Epoch, the term Rescue Association holds a particular meaning. It often refers to those native humans who struggle to survive in the crevices between the newborn races.

To avoid complete annihilation by the newborn races, who are already powerful and blessed by the Black Sun, these native humans have no choice but to form rescue associations and come up with various survival strategies. Discipline, sacrifice, and unity are beliefs almost ingrained in the blood of every member.

It's not that Rescue Association members are inherently noble, but any association that didn't do this, that harbored traitors or surrendered, was wiped out by the favored species under the rule of the Black Sun.

Despite the large number of people, the members of this convoy remain quiet, and only the low rumbling sound of the armored vehicles' engines can be heard.

A slight south wind stirs, lifting sand and stones from the ground. Some women and children cough, pulling up temporary black scarves to use as masks.

During their advance, tremors and shakes come from the distance, causing the convoy to quickly halt. Many people say nothing, but their expressions grow increasingly tense.

"Have they caught up with us…" After consultation, several high-ranking members of the Rescue Association instruct the entire convoy to stop and begin setting up defensive lines.

Heavy steel shields thud onto the ground, embedding into the gravel and fixed with supports from behind. The advancing vehicles also change direction, arranging themselves in line to mesh with the shields up front, forming a second line of defense.

From an aerial view, the group slowly forms a compact oval array, linking the outer circle into a seamless steel wall of shields.

Someone unaware might wonder why they form such a formation in the middle of the barren wilderness, but that doubt will soon dissipate.

The tremors in the distant ground grow stronger, and cracks appear in the dry ground, spreading everywhere as if a giant beast, once asleep, awakes underground, its heartbeat pounding against the earth's crust.

One sound...

Two sounds...

Three sounds...

The cracks widen and the tremors intensify until suddenly, like a black tide emerging from underground, countless insects scramble out from the crevices, spreading in all directions. Many also flap their wings and leap into the air, forming a black fog that blots out the sky.

Such a scene would be utterly unnerving to intelligent life, but this group on the wilderness is accustomed to it.

The trunks of the armored vehicles are opened, revealing piles of dark red scrap metal exposed to the harsh sunlight, followed by the high-pitched command spreading throughout the convoy.

"Raise the rust!"

Those carrying special devices press their rough fingers against the crates. Under the action of magnetism, the rusty scrap iron rises, spreading over the convoy.

"Insert the geomagnetic pivot!"

Black magnetic spears pierce the ground, arranged in perfectly aligned hexagons. Soon, invisible magnetic fields spread under the influence of extraordinary power, causing the rusted scrap iron to transform, creating an enclosing rust curtain that rotates, like a grinder of flesh and blood.

At this time, the black insect swarm from afar spreads in this direction, countless flapping wings creating a buzzing cloud that pounces on this iron-encircled curtain. In an instant, sparks fly, but more so are the black insect flesh and juices being ground by the scrap iron, continuously falling from the sky, piling up around the perimeter.

The giant shattered magnetite grinder turns, constantly wearing down the invading black insect swarm.

Even as this defending group holds the advantage, the battle is far from over. From the distant crevices, the black insect swarm continues to emerge endlessly. In order to eliminate as many insects as possible, many combat members carrying black iron cans move behind the shield wall.

Black long tubes protrude, spraying misty corpse oil through compressed pumps and then igniting it.

On the ground, a giant ring of black smoke and flame emerges instantly, the dark red scorching flames licking and devouring the incoming black insects, burning their wings, and as their bodies fall into the fire, hissing and crackling sounds ensue, incinerating them.

Countless black insect corpses pile up on the wilderness, emitting a charred stench detectable for miles around. Their numbers far exceed those that attacked Shilin Mountain Castle, perhaps this is where the main force of the insect swarm lies.

The corpses of dead insects sizzle in the high heat, their pheromones blown by hot thermal currents skyward, acting as beacons constantly attracting other insect swarms within a hundred miles.

From morning till dusk, over six hours, uncountable waves of attacking black insect swarms have been burned. Those holding the spraying tubes have hands covered in blistering burns from the heat, sweat drenched bodies, many reaching their physiological limits.

Just as the entire squad sees the insect swarm on the wilderness thinning and believes hope is drawing near, another mighty buzzing comes from the distant sky. This time, they are not the fragile black insects that perish easily under heat, but enormous flying insects, comparable in size to humans.

These insects, with black and yellow patterns like wasps, are more agile and fierce. Their black forelegs are like serrated blades, secreting multiple toxins causing infection and death, with bizarre patterns on their bodies giving them unique heat resistance. Even hundreds of degrees of hot air cannot instantly kill them.

When these insects appear, many in the Rescue Association reveal expressions of despair.

"Heshan Rescue Association!"

A combat member shouts loudly, like a thunderclap within the group.

"Heshan Rescue Association!"

Again, someone shouts their name. In the nearly utterly hopeless Fifth Epoch, these Rescue Associations are the only salvation and hope for the native humans. For the meaning behind this name, countless people have sacrificed over the centuries, their names long forgotten by time, but the symbol of the shield and clenched fist endures.

One by one, members wielding automatic rifles step forward, replacing those flame-spraying warriors who have already exhausted their strength. These combat personnel are entirely covered in impermeable battle armor, only a pair of black eyes exposed, staring at the fierce incoming insect swarm from afar.

"Begin injecting serum."

The commander's order is given. Syringes filled with light red liquid are inserted into neck veins, the cold liquid entering their bodies. Soon, the blood vessels throughout their bodies begin to heat up, muscles bulging like worms, nerves reaching unprecedented excitement and calm.

Pain starts to leave them, fatigue starts to leave them, weakness starts to leave them, and all the beauty of life also starts to leave them.

With bloodshot eyes, their steel weapons heat up continuously through endless firing, shells flying uninterrupted, bullet after bullet piercing through the atmosphere, ripping into the bodies of fierce insects, reducing them to fragments.

Then, more insect swarms dive from the sky, crashing into this array filled with bullets and flame. These insects, born to kill, are resilient despite their bodies being torn, using their last moments of life to tear through gaps with serrated mandibles, fiercely swinging their mouths amidst the blaze.

The flickering and shining beliefs, ingrained instincts, intertwine on the battlefield, the battle continues, and at this moment the two sides remain at a stalemate.