Chapter Seventy-Three: The Young Kunpeng's Gratitude

The crew aboard the patrol aircraft noticed that the group on the island showed no intention of surrendering, and their gazes immediately grew fierce and ruthless. It seemed that, determined to keep the miraculous little girl, these people were prepared to fight to the death.

“Captain, I request authorization for a second attack!” A man made his request over the phone, and after a long silence from the other end, the order came. “Proceed immediately. Rebels are to be executed without mercy!”

The patrol aircraft switched to combat mode, and everyone became sharply vigilant, ready to unleash destruction.

Just as despair began to settle over the defenders, the small Kunpeng nestled in Chu Yunxi’s arms, sipping rice porridge, suddenly let out a piercing cry.

The sound rippled across the sea, causing the water to churn violently. Chen Yi turned to look at the little Kunpeng, noticing it was struggling to reach the ocean.

“Yunxi, give it to me,” Chen Yi said. Chu Yunxi nodded quickly and handed the Kunpeng to him.

Meanwhile, the patrol aircraft commander also noticed the small Kunpeng. “Capture that creature for me! It will be invaluable for our research on marine mutant organisms!”

Seeing the enemy aircraft change direction, Chen Yaxi immediately realized they were targeting her brother. “Brother, run!”

Just as Chen Yaxi rushed to protect Chen Yi, she was struck in the back by a tranquilizer. Losing consciousness, her wings vanished and she plummeted toward the ground.

“Danger!” Lu Kai summoned his mental power, enveloping the girl in a swirling black vortex and transferring her to Chu Yunxi’s side. However, the distance strained him, leaving him breathless.

“Are you alright?” Several members of the combat squad hurried to support him.

Witnessing such abilities, the men aboard the aircraft revealed predatory expressions.

“That one mustn’t be killed either! Keep him alive for study!”

Meanwhile, the waves grew more turbulent as a massive shadow emerged, causing Chu Yunxi and the others to hold their breath in dread.

Suddenly, the small Kunpeng flapped wildly, and the shadow leapt from the water.

A thunderous roar ensued—patrol aircraft unable to evade were instantly shattered by the mutated Kunpeng.

Sparks flew in every direction, but they could not harm the Kunpeng at all. The surviving commanders grew fearful, panic overwhelming them.

Heavens, what manner of creature was this? How could it be so terrifying?

The male Kunpeng, having witnessed the death of its mate, unleashed a deafening howl and fixed everyone with a gaze burning with hatred.

Seeing the creature’s rage, Chen Yi stepped forward, cradling the little Kunpeng. “Here is your child!”

Yet as the great Kunpeng was about to reclaim its offspring, a fighter foolishly fired a tranquilizer dart at the small Kunpeng.

Struck, the little Kunpeng fell unconscious.

The male Kunpeng, believing its child dead, lashed out with its massive tail, smashing the aircraft to pieces.

“Retreat! Fall back!” The squad leader, realizing they were no match for the Kunpeng, swiftly ordered a withdrawal.

But it was already too late.

Hatred surged in the Kunpeng. Ignoring Chen Yi and the child in his arms, it turned its enormous body toward the hundreds of fighter planes.

As the behemoth pressed forward, the commander, out of options, gritted his teeth and gave the order. “Open fire! If it refuses to yield, let it suffer the consequences!”

Flashes streaked through the sky as the Kunpeng endured a barrage of artillery. Yet, its thick hide rendered the attacks meaningless.

Its eyes glowed crimson, convinced these people had killed its mate. With a furious roar, it spewed seawater in all directions.

In an instant, the aircraft were submerged, their engines rendered useless.

Many pilots, refusing to wait for death, opened their hatches to bail out—only to be swallowed whole by the Kunpeng’s gaping maw.

Chu Yunxi frowned, but felt no sympathy. Such people deserved their fate.

Though the X Organization's forces were powerful and numerous, before the great Kunpeng they were insignificant.

Once it had dealt with its adversaries, it turned its attention to Chen Yi and his companions.

“Chen Yi, run!” Chu Yunxi screamed, her voice torn with anguish.

Such a monstrous creature—if it truly wanted to eat Chen Yi, even knowing its weaknesses would not be enough to save him in time.

Yet Chen Yi stood his ground, gently shaking the small Kunpeng before the giant.

The tranquilizer’s effect faded, and the little Kunpeng slowly opened its eyes.

The great Kunpeng lowered its head to gaze at its recovered child, then suddenly prostrated itself before Chen Yi.

Seeing this, Chen Yi understood—the creature regarded him as the savior of its offspring.

Though gaining a powerful ally was a boon, both Kunpengs were rare, culturally significant animals. Chen Yi did not wish to see the last of such creatures disappear from the world, so he waved his hand.

“Go now. If you can survive, stay away from the world of humans!”

“Boss!” Lu Kai was stunned. “What are you doing?”

Chen Yi glanced back at him. “Human affairs are ours to resolve. Why did the apocalypse arrive, if not to force us to reflect on our mistakes? If we erred, we must start anew. Without the Kunpeng, we still have our own strength!”

His words garnered admiration from many, even those who once doubted him now pledged their loyalty.

“We’ll follow Commander Chen! But this island is so devastated—can we even survive here?”

“That’s a good question,” Chen Yi replied with a smile. “As things stand, the place is a wasteland, so it won’t do. Yet no matter how fierce the waves or attacks, the island’s terrain has never been submerged. So we must remain calm. Still, it’s necessary to explore other islands for resources.”

Before that, Chen Yi pointed to their unfinished shelter.

“We must rebuild the shelter before the next acid rain arrives.”

“But the steel frames for the roof are gone!” Architect Zhou Jian frowned. “To withstand corrosive acid rain and zombie attacks, we need better materials for the roof.”

“We have just what we need!” Chen Yi pointed to the massive Kunpeng’s carcass, reduced to bones by acid rain. “Use its skeleton for support, then wrap the remaining iron sheets around it as a temporary roof!”