Chapter 348: The Chief of Staff who talks nonsense.

“You’re saying there are at least five SS-Class Professionals in that guild called Evernight?”

“Not only did they defend Donghai City, they also killed at least three Hell-level BOSSes?”

Inside the military off-road vehicle heading to the West City Gate.

Hou Changfeng looked calmly at Li Gang.

Li Gang sat ramrod straight, without a hint of jest on his face, and nodded very seriously.

“That’s right, Governor, that’s exactly how it is.”

Hou Changfeng retracted his gaze, his thick fingers stroking his stubbled chin.

He scrutinized Li Gang from head to toe, as if looking at a stranger.

The air was silent for two seconds.

Hou Changfeng then slowly spoke, his voice carrying a strange tone.

“Li Gang, did you drink fake alcohol in Donghai City?”

“Do you even hear what you’re saying?”

To Hou Changfeng, this was simply a tall tale.

What kind of international joke was this?

Even a dog on the street would understand this principle.

What was the concept of an SS-Class Professional?

That was a national strategic weapon, and throughout the entire world, SS-Class Professionals were extremely rare.

Yet, in Li Gang’s mouth, they were as common as cabbages by the roadside.

A small, unknown guild could casually produce five or more.

If there were truly so many SS-Ranked powerhouses, why would Great Xia Country be in such a difficult situation now?

Constrained everywhere by neighboring countries, suffering the indignities of those small nations?

They would have long since kicked open the gates of Sakura Country and Kimchi Country, and rubbed them repeatedly into the ground.

Therefore, Hou Changfeng’s first reaction to Li Gang’s almost absurd statement was disbelief.

Li Gang’s face was filled with helplessness, and his voice took on a hint of urgency.

“Governor, everything I said is true!”

“I swear to heaven, if I’ve told even half a lie, may my son be born without an anus!”

Hou Changfeng gave him an exasperated glare, his lips curling.

“You don’t even have a wife, what’s the point of making such a venomous oath?”

Li Gang seemed not to hear his teasing, and continued to explain urgently.

“Governor, I know this sounds a bit unbelievable.”

“If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, you could beat me to death, and I still wouldn’t believe it.”

“Once this beast tide is resolved, I can personally take you to Donghai City to see; the corpse of that Hell-level Purgatory Flame Dragon is still lying outside the East City Gate!”

As he spoke, the vehicle’s speed slowly decreased, having already reached the outer defense line of the West City Gate.

The surrounding area had already been completely sealed off by the military.

As soon as the off-road vehicle stopped, a strong smell, mixed with gunpowder, blood, and a burnt odor, assailed them.

Looking around, military soldiers were everywhere, rapidly rushing towards the city wall.

There were also Professionals from various guilds in Xining City, their faces filled with determination, converging into torrents of steel.

On the towering city wall in the distance, the lights of various skills flashed wildly like festival fireworks, never ceasing.

Faintly, one could also hear the hoarse roars of countless Professionals from the city wall, and a spine-chilling, tide-like “rustling” sound.

Hou Changfeng’s expression instantly darkened.

“We’ll discuss the matter of Donghai City later.”

“For now, we need to deal with the trouble at the West City Gate first.”

He pushed open the car door and got out first, with Li Gang following closely behind.

A general in charge of deployment on the outer defense line, upon seeing Hou Changfeng’s iconic stout figure, instantly showed a look of surprise on his face.

He quickly jogged over and saluted.

“Governor, why have you come personally?”

Hou Changfeng didn’t waste words, getting straight to the point.

“How is the insect tide at the West City Gate now?”

A deep worry immediately appeared on the general’s face. He pointed to the distant city wall, where the light flickered on and off, and his voice was heavy.

“The number of insects in the tide is too great, we can’t kill them all, they’re endless!”

“We have already sent people to Dongning Academy, requesting those retired old deans to come out, hoping they might have a solution.”

Hou Changfeng snorted unhappily upon hearing this.

“They’re already old, what solution could they possibly have?”

“A bunch of old bones, are we going to make them fight on the battlefield?”

With that, he no longer paid attention to the general, and with heavy steps, he led the way towards the stairs leading to the city wall.

When the two ascended the hundreds-of-meters-high city wall, the sight before them made even Li Gang, who was accustomed to mountains of corpses and seas of blood, gasp in cold air.

Outside the city wall, the massive ethereal blue energy barrier was now completely covered by a thick, several-meter-deep, writhing black carpet!

That was no carpet at all.

Instead, it was a terrifying insect tide formed by nearly a million fist-sized, ferocious beetles!

They were densely packed on the energy barrier, frantically gnawing at it with their sharp mandibles, emitting a teeth-grinding “crunching” sound.

Just one look was enough to make someone with trypophobia faint on the spot.

On the city wall, thousands of military soldiers and guild Professionals were desperately unleashing their firepower downwards.

Countless fireballs, ice cones, and wind blades rained down like a storm, crashing into that black ocean.

But their attacks were like throwing a handful of pebbles into the sea, only able to stir up a small, insignificant ripple before being instantly swallowed by the endless insect tide.

There were even many young students wearing Dongning Academy uniforms, their faces pale, their bodies trembling slightly from fear and exhaustion, yet they still gritted their teeth and forcefully hurled skills, not particularly powerful, towards outside the city.

However, all of this was a drop in the ocean.

Looking at that vast and terrifying insect tide, Li Gang also felt a deep shock.

He couldn’t help but sigh, and subconsciously said,

“If only Gandalf could have come along as well.”

“With the power of his Forbidden Spell, clearing these insects shouldn’t be difficult.”

Hou Changfeng glanced at him upon hearing this, his eyes like he was looking at an idiot.

“Are you talking nonsense again?”

“Gandalf is now a precious gem being Focus on training in the Imperial Capital, how could he possibly come here to us?”

Li Gang was slightly stunned, then reacted and slapped his forehead.

“Oh, right, Governor, I forgot to tell you.”

“Gandalf, he’s also in Donghai City.”

Hou Changfeng had completely given up on engaging with this chief of staff who was spouting nonsense.

He figured Li Gang’s brain must have been damaged by the mutated beasts in Donghai City.

Between the Imperial Capital and Donghai City, there was no Formation capable of ultra-long-distance teleportation.

Even if Gandalf grew wings, he couldn’t possibly fly to Donghai City in such a short amount of time.

Even if the Forbidden Spell Mage was truly bored out of his mind and came to provide support.

He, the chief responsible person # Nоvеlight # for Dongning Province, would absolutely receive the news at the first possible moment.

He no longer paid attention to Li Gang beside him, and suddenly ripped open the crisp jacket of his officer’s uniform, tossing it casually to the ground.

Immediately after, he also took off the inner shirt.

Only a white undershirt, soaked with sweat, remained, perfectly outlining his beer belly, which looked like he was ten months pregnant.

Li Gang looked at Hou Changfeng’s actions, a look of surprise on his face.

“Governor, you... are you preparing to take action personally?”

Hou Changfeng glared at him unhappily, squeezing out a few words through gritted teeth.

“Otherwise? Do you expect me to?”

Li Gang seemed completely oblivious to the sarcasm in his words, and actually nodded earnestly.

“It’s not impossible.”

Hou Changfeng was almost amused to anger by these words.

His once proud chief of staff had become utterly unhinged since returning.

One nonsensical remark after another, without stopping.

“You, you’re good for sniping individual BOSSes.”

“But if you use that broken sniper rifle of yours against this endless insect tide, it’ll probably take until the year of the monkey and horse!”

Li Gang heard this and wasn’t annoyed; instead, he chuckled, revealing a mouthful of white teeth.

“Governor, that’s ancient history.”

“Now I’ve also upgraded my gear and have area-of-effect abilities.”

Hou Changfeng said “Oh?” his face full of disbelief.

“What kind of area-of-effect abilities?”

“Why don’t you show me?”

Li Gang didn’t hide anything; he was waiting for that very sentence.

The next second.

Buzz—!

A dazzling golden light, without warning, bloomed in his hand!

A monstrously designed, dark gold Barrett, engraved with countless mysterious runes on its barrel, suddenly appeared in his hand!

That wild energy fluctuation instantly swept across a radius of tens of meters!

The mocking expression on Hou Changfeng’s face, at this moment, suddenly froze.

Immediately after, he stared intently at the enormous sniper rifle emitting endless golden light, his bloodshot eyes suddenly widening!

He completely lost his composure!

“No... no... wait a minute...”

His voice was trembling, and his stout body shivered uncontrollably.

“What... what the Hell is this thing?”