Canyon 15

As the armored vehicles advanced, more and more hollow figures were blown up, and the amount of flammable materials on the battlefield increased exponentially. What were originally scattered flames quickly spread and connected, gradually turning into raging fires.

The clearing deep in the valley was transformed into a blazing inferno, with flames shooting into the sky and thick smoke billowing out.

Seeing the ever-growing sea of ​​fire all around, Rosen floored the accelerator, steadily increasing the car's speed, and the steel behemoth began its breakout, braving the surrounding flames.

Perhaps realizing they couldn't do anything to the armored vehicle, the remaining hollow men gradually stopped their suicidal charge and slowly retreated to the sides of the road to avoid it.

It seems that the mastermind behind these monsters does have some brains and knows when to cut their losses.

The armored vehicle sped along, and after traveling six or seven hundred meters, the density of hollow figures along the way decreased significantly, and the few scattered ones posed no threat at all.

Rosen continued to accelerate, following the map he had drawn earlier, heading straight towards the cliff face from which he had descended.

As he passed by the abandoned missile silo, he glanced sideways at the large hole in the ground.

If it weren't so close to nightfall, he would definitely rush in now and take the mother body hidden inside with him.

However, it's best to be cautious and leave the rest for tomorrow.

Before long, the armored vehicle arrived directly beneath the eastern watchtower.

Rosen stopped the car, turned off the engine, and put the armored vehicle back into his capsule. He then took out a walkie-talkie and contacted Delasa at the top of the cliff.

"I'm done, ready to come up."

Derasa responded over the walkie-talkie: "Roger that! It's getting dark, hurry up!"

Rosen left the all-terrain vehicle behind, then fastened the safety catches and activated the new ascender that Delasa had given him.

The motor mounted on the steel cable emitted a faint hum, carrying Rosen slowly up the steep cliff face towards the top.

This little thing is really useful, it's just a bit slow, but it's enough.

The last rays of the setting sun sank completely into the canyon ridge, and a hazy twilight descended like a thin veil.

The evening breeze swirls up the damp, chilly air from the valley floor, carrying a lingering sense of deathly stillness that makes one's skin feel slightly tight.

The temperature difference between the valley floor and the canyon floor is extreme, which is why the protective suit is so effective; otherwise, if Rosen had been hit by this cold wind as soon as he came up, he would have definitely caught a cold.

After struggling all afternoon, Rosen finally climbed back to the top of the cliff from the deep valley floor under the dim light of dawn.

His combat uniform was covered in dust and mud from the cliff, mixed with the water he had splashed on himself earlier, making him look quite disheveled.

Derasa, who was guarding the steel cable, pulled Rosen back from the cliff, his eyes full of curiosity. He casually joked, "How was your trip down there?"

Rosen dusted himself off, feeling incredibly pleased with himself.

With the nuclear bomb in hand, this trip wasn't a complete waste.

Now Rosen feels that with the nuclear bomb in hand, he has the world at his fingertips!

He suppressed his excitement and waved his hand casually, "It's alright. Tomorrow I'll go down to the bottom of the valley again to collect some samples from the launch silo, and that'll be the end of it."

Upon hearing that they would be going down into the valley again tomorrow, Derasa's eyes lit up instantly, her face filled with barely suppressed curiosity. "Then I'll go down with you tomorrow!"

During the days she spent in this canyon, gazing at the snow-capped mountain ridges and the dark valley floor, she had become incredibly curious.

She also wanted to know what secrets were hidden at the bottom of this canyon.

Rosen immediately laughed and waved his hand, "You'd better not get involved. It's very dangerous down there. I've always wondered how the two of you managed to withstand the relentless attacks from those monsters at the bottom of the valley?"

Derasa blinked at him, looking puzzled, and said, "It's the heavy machine gun on top of the watchtower, the several Phalanx close-in weapon systems next to it, plus a ring of magnetic levitation minefields! Didn't I tell you that before?"

Rosen shook his head slightly. "Your equipment is simply not enough. I checked down there with a drone, and there are at least several thousand hollow people."

"If they really go crazy and start climbing, your firepower probably won't even be enough to withstand a single charge."

He paused, looking into the dark depths of the canyon in the distance. "I suspect this canyon wasn't meant for you to stop the hollow people from escaping. You two are probably just sentries here."

After listening, Derasa was stunned for a long time, and could only say in a low voice, "I don't know either. I've only been here for a short time, maybe I'll know the reason for this place after I stay longer."

The evening breeze grew cooler, and night completely enveloped the entire valley. The two turned and crawled into the warm interior of the watchtower.

The dim lighting inside the room quickly dispelled the chill, and the warmth of the cooking fire somewhat diluted the deathly silence outside.

Rosen went into the bathroom to wash up quickly and put his protective suit in the armory on the first floor.

Delassa unearthed some local ingredients and soon made Lawson a plate of hot potato pancakes, a typical Eastern European home-style dish.

Rosen stared at the plain-looking, almost shabby-looking pancake on the plate, and was momentarily speechless with amusement. "Besides potato pancakes, can you make anything else? You can't possibly maintain that figure like that, can you?"

"Haha, you won't lose weight by just eating potatoes. But I know how to cook so many different kinds!"

Derasa’s tone carried a hint of pride. “My specialty is zeppelin dumplings. I’ve had a talent for cooking since I was a child. My dad used to say that if I hadn’t joined the army, I might be one of Lithuania’s top chefs now.”

Upon hearing this, Rosen couldn't help but lower his head and roll his eyes. He knew that many Michelin chefs' signature dishes were potatoes... which were hard to mess up.

As Derasa finished speaking, the brightness on her face faded, as if she had inadvertently touched a scar hidden deep in her heart.

Her expression visibly sombered, and a faint mist settled over her eyes.

Because Rosen had his head down, he didn't notice her change in mood and casually picked up a pancake and took a bite.

The taste was surprisingly good. The outer skin was fried to a golden brown and crispy, while the inside was soft and chewy. Paired with the special sour cream dipping sauce, it was sweet and sour, refreshing and had a very unique flavor.

It's not bad; it's perfectly acceptable to eat it once in a while.

He swallowed the food in his mouth, and when he looked up, he saw Derasa looking sullen. He immediately softened his tone and asked, "What's wrong? Did you remember something?"

Derasa slowly lowered her head, her voice slightly hoarse: "My dad told me before that he planned to spend Valentine's Day with my mom."

Rosen didn't react for a moment, and subconsciously said, "Isn't that great? The family is reunited."